Entered CNET Catalog: 04/05/2002
SKU: 0054651047587
Manufacturer: Creative Labs
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Manufacturer description
All your music. Wherever you go. Another exciting digital entertainment device from Creative, NOMAD Jukebox is revolutionizing the way you listen to, store, and carry around your music. Imagine every piece of music you own, will own, and have downloaded from the Internet in one hand-held portable device. The Creative NOMAD Jukebox holds up to 340 hours of digital MP3 audio using Windows Media formatted content. It's the size of a CD player, and you can take it with you wherever you go - home, work, and travel. Built-in EAX audio technology and FourPointSurround speaker support give you the ability to customize your music for the most immerse desktop or home audio environment imaginable. The advanced onboard DSP provides headphone spatialization effects, environmental effects, and allows you to manually adjust the amount of bass, treble, mid, or mid frequency ranges on the fly. Advanced recording features via the line-in jack gives you the capability to record from external devices - even replacing a DAT, with dual band recording up to 48kHz.Product summary
The good: 20GB hard drive; has both USB and FireWire connections; improved interface; digital and analog recording to WAV or MP3; excellent audio quality and sound processing; syncs with a PC's music collection; rechargeable battery can be replaced.
The bad: Somewhat bulky; no protective case included.
The bottom line: This large MP3 player offers a slew of connectivity, recording, and sound options.
Average user rating: from 301 users
3.5 stars
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 11/10/2002
 |
 The slot at the back holds an extra battery, adding to both the weight and the battery life. |
Creative offers two optional accessories for the Nomad Jukebox 3 that you should know about, although they cost extra. The Nomad Jukebox 3 Home Kit includes a cradle for connecting to your stereo as well as a small wireless remote control, while the Car Kit includes cigarette-lighter and cassette adapters.
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 Creative includes both FireWire and USB ports--a great idea. |
On top of its unique--and possibly unkosher--autosyncing capabilities, the PlayCenter software also handles automatic song titling and organization, music importing, CD burning, and standard file transfers of any type. Third-party Notmad Explorer software also lets you access the songs on the device using Windows Explorer or a remote Web browser, among other things.
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 The software's autosync feature makes file transfers almost effortless. |
If that's not enough, another area in which the Nomad Jukebox 3 breaks new ground is recording options. Using the analog-in or digital-in connections, you can record straight to the unit's hard drive from a variety of sources, including a powered mike. You can choose to record files as uncompressed WAVs or as MP3s compressed at bit rates of 128Kbps to 320Kbps. In other words, with the right accoutrements, you can easily turn old records, lectures, and concert recordings into MP3s or WAVs, upload them to your PC, and e-mail them or burn them onto a CD. We do wish that there were a way to monitor recording levels, but still, this is a great function.
Soundwise, the Nomad 3's DSP settings take advantage of Creative Labs' substantial experience with sound processing. As a result, you have more options for tweaking the way your 4,000 or so MP3s/WMAs sound. Settings include a DSP that simulates auditorium or bathroom environments (among others); eight EQ presets, none of which are manual; a Time Scale feature, which changes music from half speed to time and a half without altering pitch; a spatialization option (Wide, Narrow, or Full); and a Smart Volume feature, which tailors the sound for trains, cars, or quiet environments by calibrating EQ to compensate for outside frequencies as well as normalizing volume across MP3s.
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 The included headphones are good enough, but audiophiles--as usual--will wish to upgrade. |
Files transfer over the included FireWire cable at a brisk 3.73MB per second, while the USB 1.1 connection manages a decent 0.46MB per second. Again, the inclusion of both of these ports is a great marriage of speed and convenience.
The standard battery life is pretty average for a hard drive-based MP3 player, at 11 hours on a single charge. But the unit can accept an extra battery (retails for $50, available for less), which doubles the battery life to 22 hours.
User opinions
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4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best sounding mp3 player
Pros: This is the best sounding mp3 player- particularly when you run the lineout to an amp and then headphones. Easily moddable to put in larger HDDs. Recent firmware stops lockups, and recent software allows drag and drop operation through Windows Explorer.
Cons: Big and heavy. Not reliable with old firmwares- flash immediately.
Review:
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Packed with great features like selecting music for on the go playlists, and great battery life.
Pros: On the go playlists battery life Sound quality Previewing each song before you add it to your selected music list Music library organization
Cons: Big size, but if you can deal with the large size than it won't be a problem
Review:
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
love it even more after a year plus
Pros: sound quality, 2 line out in addition to headphone jack, 40 gig storage, playlist and file organization and accessibility very well thought out, firewire and usb, interface design, records mp3s, dual battery slots, etc! I love how there are different ways
Cons: initial software was bad, but upgrade much improved.
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
TERRIFIC !!!!!!!!!
Pros: With a second battery in as well,covers my transatlantic journeys and half my first weeks holiday as well. Have put my entire CD on it and its just over half full. It goes every where with me. Excellantservice from the UK service and products dept.
Cons: No protective case but the guys at Circuit City had just the answer for that!
Review:
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
A REAL GEM.
Pros: Storage. Playback quality. The ablility to record.
Cons: Customer support. Battery life. (Even with 2)
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
An MP3 player for the rest of us!
Pros: Huge storage space for great value; EAX allows customization of sound; decent battery life; very easy interface; software is equally easy
Cons: Somewhat heavy; Could be a little bit louder.
Review:
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
A very cool hard drive MP3 player for a good price
Pros: I have done some research looking for an MP3 player after becoming tired of hauling around my portable CD player and multiple CD in a little bag to listen to. I decided to look around on the CNET website and examine the reviews of the various MP3 players
Cons: The player is a little bulky, the included Creavite Labs Playcenter software is buggy and has a tendenacy to crash. The file managing software is not very good(both reasons of why I purchased Notmad Explorer from Redchair Software). If Creative Labs made
Review:
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Do Not Buy.
Pros: I love the random play feature... but that can be found on any mp3 player!
Cons: This thing started to get stuck on the EAX screen days after warranty ended. I strongly suggest you buy the extended warranty... Nomad wanted to charge me $80 to fix it! This is after I just spent $300 to buy the darn thing. I cant belive I wasted so much
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Better than the New Zen Touch!
Pros: I've had this product for almost a year! It still looks great and all of my tracks work great! You can get this product on Amazon.com for $220! Now, why do I say it's better than the Zen touch? First of all, if you get a second battery, you can run th
Cons: Wired fm remote not included.
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
fat but good!
Pros: I've had one for a year and a half now, and I've had no problems with it whatsoever. In fact, apart from my ancient steampowered Sony Discman, it's the most reliable piece of portable audio equipment I've ever owned. Plus, Creative sent me free replaceme
Cons: Its a bit fat, and the original PlayCentre software was about as useful as a dead hampster. Luckily, the new Mediasource puppy is much better- though I still wouldn't use it for playback.
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Had mine for 2 years!!
Pros: Great interface love the ability to use playlist feature. Durability dropped mine tons of time still works great. Battery life is so-so. I use my player for light workouts (fast walking, weights) and never heard a skip at alll. User replacable battery!
Cons: Some of the bottom rubber pads came off. Some of the paint started to come off. Software for the creative music player is horrible very buggy crashes all the time reinstalled it several times. Had one hardware related problem called tech support (no to
Review:
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great HD Player.
Pros: I bought this player a year ago and it has been with my on a few cross country trips and back and forth between home and Manhatten. I have had no proplems with it and love the sound quality and battery life.
Cons: A bit bulky esp. if you are using it in your car. Small screen. No carring case included.
Review:
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
A very good player,, One year of use
Pros: I have had this player for a year now. Yesterday, I upgraded the drive to 60GB,,works great. Still one of the best players out there. Stands out with excellent features.. I just love connecting it to my home stereo system and taking it with me when I trav
Cons: Sure I would have loved it if it was smaller. I use two batteries and I get around 14-16 hours and not the stated 22 hours. Still great time
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Unit is ok.
Pros: I really like this unit.I had it since Xmas and have used it a bit.
Cons: 1 Thing I have noticed that if you let it set charging to long it locks up. It won't turn on and you have to remove and install the battery and it works again.
Review:
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Features Galore Until It Breaks
Pros: Ton's of features. Good sound quality.
Cons: Cheap construction. Poor ergonomics. I loved this thing, that is until I dropped it and discovered the cheap build quality. Die to it's rounded shape this thing is very easy to drop. A tiny plastic part, the jog wheel cracked. Creative Labs' solution?
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
PEOPLE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH LOCKUP
Pros: For the people who's player is locking up with WMA files. Upgrade to the latest firmware. After I did I havent had a lockup in about 4 months and I use it every day for about 8-10 hours at work!!!! Wouldnt buy any other player.
Cons:
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Phenomenal product
Pros: I've owned my JB3 for over a year and it continues to amaze me. The periodic firmware upgrades have made my Jukebox an even better product. Many people complain about the bulky size, but I have over 1600 songs (about 130 CDs) on my player. In my opinion t
Cons:
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great job, Creative!!!!
Pros: I am a happy owner of the NJB3, being my first hard-drive mp3 player. The connectivity is great, for those who have Firewire. With time, I upgraded my firmware, now most of your reviews wont work against it! It is a great player for those who use it in
Cons: When formated, it actually goes down to 19.056 GB, Creative Playcenter 3 sucks (but you can then download MediaSource, which is much better, or buy RedChair's Notmad Explorer, which is REALLY good, but you have to pay), loading songs takes a while, too bu
Review:
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
the king of h.d. players
Pros: Great feature set, battery life, accessories, sound, etc. Being able to record lectures with an external microphone.
Cons: bulky Software is just good, but getting better.
Review:
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Very good player
Pros: Sounds great with a good set of headphones - I purchased Sony MDR NC20 noise-cancelling headphones, which add a lot of extra power in noise-cancelling mode. The EAX settings are really cool to play with...auditorium, cathedral, as well as custom EQ. Creat
Cons: Bulky and heavy compared to newer devices. I could also use extra space; my 200 plus CD collection if I choose to transfer all of it is a tight fit (I use MP3 Lame VBR encoding and rip with the free CDeX program) As far as support, I can't comment on it s
Review:
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
It was nice... for 3 months
Pros: Memory, price, sound.
Cons: Software. The machine just died on me. Had to send it back.
Review:
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Was the Best...
Pros: Loaded with features and the peripherals are nice (bought separately.
Cons: I bought this player based on the positive responses I saw here. When I recieved it, troubles began as soon as I started to transfer files. Firewire transfers were fast but the songs would skip when played through the player. Also, upon updating the fi
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
nice mp3 player
Pros: 20gb hard drive, recording, supprots wma,wav and mp3, long battery life upto 22 hours.
Cons: bad software, ripping is not sofisticated(outdated software)
Review:
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Noisy mic recording
Pros: Full features, easy interface.
Cons: Mic recording is noisy and useless. Bloated, anti-iTunes software. Oversized. Reset-happy.
Review:
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great player, notoriously poor tech support
Pros: Price value, 98db signal to noise ratio, reliable and well-made, several audio settings, battery life is excellent, headphones are decent,
Cons: tag recognition is suspect, bulky when compared to newer models, Creative tech support is poor, may be a little outdated with newer models hitting the market
Review:
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Much more intuitive than iPod
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Cons:
Review: I've had mine for over a year without any problems. It records, and has the BEST features. Battery life is outstanding, and that's with only one!, I can even add a second if I want. but it 10-11 hours is plenty. I wouldn't trade it for any other player, except for Creative's larger drive version. I've had good customer service the one time I needed it.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The Best Sound Product I ever got
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Review: The jukebox 3 is awsome. I bought it at dell along with a Canon A70 and 128mb Sandisk. It came to just $517 for all three things becuse I had a $100 off coupon that came with my Dell 4550. I gave The jukebox 3 a 10 on all of the rating things because it is flawless... expect it frozze (yes froze) the first day I got it (yesterday). After I removed the battery and put it back in it has been awsome since. I am listening to it right as I type this. The sound is AMAZING (did I spell that right) It is the best sounding product I have. The sound quality beats my Dell 4550 with a Live!5.1 card, my sony walkman cd, all my old gateways and my old dell, and IT EVEN HAS BETTER SOUND QUALITY THEN MY $1200 BOSE (YES,BOSE) SURROUND SOUND HOME THEATER. I have SB1394(ON MY DELL 4550) but I use USB 2.0 because it is plenty fast. I have used about 2GB of the 20GB!!!
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
I'm Acutally Smiling
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Cons:
Review: I’ve read many technical and reader reviews on MP3’s w/Hard Drives. I gambled on Jukebox 3 (20GB) and have won thus far. Owning this little device for about 2 weeks has been great. It’s true the Jukebox shape is closely the size of a portable CD player but I don’t mind since I’ve ripped 30 CD’s thus far and can play continuous tunes at will. To get maximum battery usage, I followed some advise playing the MP3 until the battery ran completely down. After draining the battery, I fully charged it and played again until juiceless. Repeating this seems to train the battery to play longer each time. I did have problems with the manufactured Software CD as it wouldn’t load on “any” of my 3 PC’s. In short, I took the whole thing back to the Retail store, we tested the software and they swapped me with a good software CD. The software program itself is easy to use once you understand the general concept. The thing I love the most w/the software is while being online and loading a CD, the software connects you to a site (forgot what it’s called) and downloads the name of your CD and tracks automatically within the software application. I didn’t have to type in the CD name, Track names or Genre as it’s done for you. As for the unit itself, it’s been stable and meeting my expectations. I’m glad you can customize the equalizer as I love lots of bass guitar. I do like the options for playing back music you’ve ripped. Using the groups Queensryche and DreamTheater as an example, they are considered the same Genre which is progressive metal. If I select the play method by Genre / Progressive Metal, all songs from Queensyrche and Dream Theater will be played. Should I wish to play by Artist (Queensryche), all CD Titles under their name will be played. You can just as easily pick a CD Title to play or select a single track. You can even make up your own play list from all the music you’ve ripped. The options are endless and thought through. This has been a fortunate purchase so the cash spent on Jukebox 3 is easier for me to justify now. There are a lot of other features I didn't mention, but Creative Labs did real good w/this product. Good luck in your own personal research.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Happy customer
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Cons:
Review: I have had the Nomad Jukebox 3 since December, use it everyday, and love it. The difficult part was getting my music collection into mp3 format since I had a bunch of music on tape. The CDs I ripped at 256 Kbps MP3 with variable bitrate checked. They sound great on the player. I got about the same size files as using 128 Kbps MP3 with constant bitrate. I bought a few cables from radio shack and can now listen on a home stereo, car stereo (through the line-in on the car stereo), headphones (obviously), and the MP3 boombox (Playdock PD200). I listen to mantra music most of the day and night and have only had minor problems with the player's OS hanging, usually when connecting or disconnecting from a stereo or boombox. Just pop the batteries out and in. Minor issue. For software, I use Windows Media Player 9 with the Cyberlink MP3 encoding plugin ($10). I also bought Notmad ($25) which now thankfully supports the Windows Media Player playlist format. Notmad lets me synchronize the player with my music folder. It also lets me drag-and-drop playlists. Those two features and MP3 encoding at higher bitrates aren't in Windows Media Player yet. My three complaints about the player are the lack of an IR remote that works well with the Playdock PD200 boombox, no easy way to repeat tracks or albumns (there is a way, but it takes too much work), and the PlayCenter3 software kept corrupting its database (making entries that didn't exist for genre especially).
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great Player, the Creative File Manager Sucks though.
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Cons:
Review: The "Creative File Manager" is the only thing that you can use to move non-music files, and it only allows 1 process at a time and needs to load the database everytime you open it! this can take several minutes depending on if you are using a USB or Firewire, and if you have a lot of non-music data on your player
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Nice MP3 player
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Cons:
Review: I have a CD based MP3 player but realized changing CDs was a pain. So I upgraded to a Jukebox and have been impressed so far. The sound quality and battery life is very good and the included headphones are better than I'm used to in most CD players. There were only a couple of problems. One, the creative file manager and auto-sense on the CD drive causes major problems with Win2K. The CD drive would lock up, the Play Center would lock up or the transfers to the Jukebox would lock up. I had the same problem with Roxio DirectCD which I disabled. Disabling the autosense removed the problem. I had a problem with album tracks getting played in reverse order after renaming the album but upgrading the Play Center software fixed that. The only other issue is to have a artist/album listing much like what the Real One player has. It makes it easier to determine an album to play if its also organized by artist. I hope they add this in a newer version of the firmware. Overall a great player.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Primo Tech Support!
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Cons:
Review: Sure it's bulkier than iPod but for half the money who cares? Great sound and features, short learning curve, but it's really about tech service. When my firewire connection stopped working I wrote tech support on a Saturday afternoon. 5 hours later I had real advice from a real person. Don't even think about enything else unless you're willing to pay an extra $230 to get the iPod into your shirt pocket. Replace the nasty ear pinching headphones and you'll be set.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best MP3 Jukebox Player on the market
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Cons:
Review: Why is it the best? 1) The batteries enable it to play up to 22 hours continually. No other player in the world can do that. None. 2) Comes with 16 mbs or ram, not 8 like the jukebox or jukebox 2. More memory means less battery draw because it accesses the HD half as often. 3) Uses firewire to transfer at speeds of more than 1 megabyte a second. That means a 5 minute (5 mb) song will transfer in less than five seconds. 4) The display is LARGE enough that you can read it easily (unlike the IPOD and Zen). 5) The signal to noise ratio is up to 98 dbs, which is a considerable improvement over the original nomad jukebox. 6) Quick scroller will spin down a long track list in less than a second. Just flick your finger and you fly down the list. 7) Includes graphic equalizer. 8) Includes Sound Volume Management option that will set all tracks in a playlist to the same volume (no more sudden loud songs). 9) "Find" button will find tracks or artists or albums starting with a letter. For example, say you have 100 artists. Push Find, push Z, and you're at Zappa. 10) Track tags can be edited directly from the computer keyboard. 11) Player's large hard disk drive can be used as a portable storage device for any type of file. 12) Player can be customized (changeable faceplates, back light color changes, your name entered into the player, etc.) 13) Reliable. I have owned the player nearly a year, have used it heavily, and I've had no serious problems at all. 14) Boots fast! Mine boots in about 10 seconds, and that's with 20 gigs of music on the drive. 15) They are cheap! You can get them for about $250 now, which is a little more than half of what they were when they were first available. 16) No issues. Power is not an issue, since the battery lasts 22 hours. Storage isn't an issue, especially with the 40 gig version. Compatibility isn't an issue, since you can transfer songs using usb or firewire. Versatility is a breeze, since, with an RCA cable you can link the player to your home stereo in seconds. Recording isn't an issue since you can record via analog line-in or optical line-in. You can even plug in a microphone. So what are you waiting for? The Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox 3 is a BUY.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Very Happy!!!
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Cons:
Review: I finally found an MP3 player worth the money! I was thinking about an IPod however the reviews were mixed with SOLID reviews for the Creative Jukebox 3. I struggled a little initially to find the other mp3 files on my computer, however once I did-everything else has been great!! Sound is excellent! High praise for this player!!
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
When you have to send it back 4 times..it sucks
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Review: I purchased it last year ish, and since then, Ive gotten many errors which could not be corrected by myself, forcing the company to delete all my files each time. i have sne *** back 3 times and right now in the process of the 4th. When it works its amazingly grea,t but it brakes at the most inconvinient times and will only cause annoyances.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
If you like problems, this baby's for you!
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Review: Weeeell, around a year ago, i purchased the Jukebox 3 (20GB)after reviewing many sites and hearing others opinions. Well, since then, I've had to replace the unit more then three times, all AFTER the 90day warrenty expires. So, I've sent it off to Creative after many conflicts with the company (they wouldn't accept it at first, then they tried to charge me and extra $50 saying I had "tried to falsely aquire a new model")annnyways, I finally got if off and I've been waiting for around a month now to hear back from the company. I have heard back from them, in the form of a bill, charging me for labor and 'other expenses', but I'm still clueless to how its doing. The unit always freezes for no reason, and sometimes it doesn't even start. So, in the end, it has been sent back to Creative 4 times, twice for technical problems and twice because the plastic cracks. The only good part of this product is the music quality and some of its features. I would definitly not recommend this, unless you work for Creative and can get a good deal.
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
** BEWARE: Creative Labs makes defective MP3 players that stop working soon after warranty **
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Review: Hi all, Just a word of warning from experience: No, I dont own a Nomad Jukebox 3. But I own a Nomad II MG. I bought it about 2 years ago on recommendation by CNET and other users of value, quality, features, etc. I paid $340 to get it when it first came out, and while it worked it was great. The problem with the Nomad II MG (and lots of other Creative MP3 players) is that they suddenly stop working due to consistent engineering defects, and then when you contact Creative Labs they tell you you are the only one who ever complained of said problem ad if your meager manuf. limited warranty is up then you're SOL. (The problem with the Nomad II MG is that the battery compartment was made too wide for AAA batteries so often times the player wouldnt power up, even with brand new charged batteries. Creative to this day refuses to acknowledge the defect and claims I'm the only one who had this problem, even though I read SCORES of other people's postings on CNET complaining of the same problem before the Nomad II MG was taken offline). My honest advice: If you're going to shell out $ for Creative Labs MP3 players, plan on them having a shelf life of no more than 6 months and know that Creative doesn't care one bit if they screw you and lose you as a customer. They're in it for the short term and their customer service/support policy is slash and burn.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Lots to do in a cd player size package
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Cons:
Review: Very powerful and easy to use as long as you read the instructions. A feature that is not mentioned in the articles and online specs that is found in the Nomad Zen is the ability to make playlists on the fly as well
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
It freezes very often.
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Cons:
Review: I bought this object 10 days ago and I have seen that it freezes very often and all I can do is to reset the unit. So I have to give it back to Creative. It is a great pity because this unit can not only play but also record (for example by an external pre-amplied mic) if one upgrades the firmware. I think that the problem that I have said is due to the software and not to the hardware, so I hope that as soon as possible Creative makes a new update to solve this great great problem.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
It's my favorite possession.
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Cons:
Review: I have the 20 GB version and I love it. On the fly MP3 recording. Firmware updated often. 700 CD's in the palm of your hand. Too much more to say but not enough time...
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Two Units Defective - Poor Build Quality
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Review: I just had to come here and vent - I chose this item largely based on the good reviews here. I bought from DELL, 1st one I got just plain didn't work. I was granted a return auth, waited and DELL shipped me a new one. It worked great for a while. About two months in, it began operating in a very flaky manner (buttons doing different functions, system hanging and freezing up while on battery, etc.) I tried updating, re-flashing firmware, etc, but nothing works. This thing runs like a crappy old Windows 3.1 OS on bad hardware. Now it's too late for DELL to take it back, so I'm stuck trying to get warranty from Creative and shipping it off somewhere.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
A great HD Player that has all the features you could ever want.
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Review: Im a young student that has LOTS of music and had to go through the process of carrying around all my Burned CDs. Thats until i got the NJ3. This thing is AWSOME!!!! i Have loaded all my songs on it and face no problems what so ever. Let me take that back, there are a few minor downsides: 1st, Its a little big 2nd, Not enough ACCESORIES 3rd, No windows explorer interface (if you dont like that, just buy Red Chairs Notmad software) 4th After some major use i started to notice some sort of rainbow effect on the LCD, i am guessing that its from some added pressure. But overall this is the greatest HD MP3 player that 300 can buy (think how little you get from Apple for that price)
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Buy It Now
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Review: This is the greatest - This is my 3rd player - Other 2 were CD type - Wish I had bought the 40 gig - The only thing that was holding me back on buying the JB3 was reports on CNet that support was terrible - I am happy to report that I have found support to be very good - I have emailed them 3 x with questions on operating problems - and each time they got back to me in 24 hours - and were very helpful - John
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
"Hardware Problem" after 4 months
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Review: This "was" a great player, but I expect a little more usage out of it than 4 months. I won't be buying another creative product again.
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Crippled by Windows interface and poor support
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Review: Would be great player if not for abdominable problems trying to synch or add mp3s with Creative software or Red Chair's Notmad. Just simply will not work 8 out of 10 times. The other 2 it seems to work and then the player performs very well. Very frustrating though compared to Ipod which is vastly superior if you are lucky enough to have a Mac available. Think carefully despite the very good sound quality before aggravating yourself with this player if you have a large mp3 library. It's not worth it to me.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Good unit but nothing amazing..
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Review: I bought the Nomad 3 after returning my Archos FM Recorder that was way to buggy and stopped working completely within a week. I have had the Nomad for a few days now, and am dissapointed I did not choose this unit first. It is really a great and user freindly player. I will say that this will definatley not be a useful device if you do not have your MP3's all tagged correctly with ID3 information. Pros are the 20 gigs of storage, sound is incredible, the headphones supplied are fairly decent for a set of included headphones, easy navigation with the scroll wheel, able to manipulate your play list order while playing tracks. Cons are the size, it's a tad bulky compared to other similar devices, but still a bit smaller than a portable CD player, the Creative Play Center software is a bit confusing even for experienced computer users, inability to drag and drop files to the device.. music must go through PlayCenter, and files through Creative File Manager, no accessories came with this unit.. jsut cables and headphones, no RCA adapter to connect to my stereo, no car charger, no wired remote, not even a carrying case!.. nothing. Just Creative's way of suckering you into purchasing more products from them... arrgh. Overall I am happy with the performance of this device. I have experinced only small hurdles using the software, but think it should be priced lower if they are not going to include any additional accessories. I paid $269 for an open box one at Best Buy, but still think it should cost less. There are a whole slew of new units coming out from other companies such as Samsung, but I'm too impatient to wait for them.. .besides, their prictags look even higer from what I've read about them...
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Absolutely excellent sound!
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Review: A vast improvement over the NBJ1. The software/firmware has been reported to be dodgy, but I've had NO problems including the FireWire connection. It appears to be somewhat picky as to the PC it is connected to. Be absolutely sure you have any virus detection programs disabled when installing the software and when upgrading the player firmware. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. Lightning fast transfers via FireWire and fantastic sound when playing properly encoded mp3's. One odd note of interest, you can not transfer non mp3-wav files (data) by using PlayCenter as you could with the NBJ1. Now you must use bundled Creative File Manager to do it. Works fine, but why not like before?.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Audiophile opinion: Best MP3 player on the market!
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Review: I have to say, I have been very impressed with this jukebox. I did A LOT of research before deciding upon this player. The Archos players seemed to be the bottom feeders compared to Creative's products, & after reading all kinds of positive responses to this product, I bought the Jukebox 3.I was able to transfer about 5 gigs to this sucker in about 20 minutes, thanks to it's firewire connection. Features are unbeleivable, like the FM wired remote, the ability to voice record & record from radio (with wired remote), the ability to record from almost any source, including your cassette deck, and 2 line outs. Battery life is about a 4 out of 5, but with a second battery (this thing can use 2 at once for an unbelievable 20-22 hours of playback, and they are tiny with very little weight), I'd give it a solid 5 out of 5. Forget the Zen, the battery is internal & cannot be replaced.....easily. Plus, the Zen lacks many features the Jukebox 3 has. Sure the Jukebox 3 is a little bigger, but consider where you use it. If it is at work, or on trips, it still sits nicely on your desk & in your coat pocket, no problem. It is not huge by any stretch. Sound quality. The most important factor in my opinion. Is there any word better than excellant? I could hear parts of my music I don't think I even noticed before. It is simply amazing. My only complaint is the software when you are ripping discs is a little shady, plus to play your entire jukbox library, you must create a playlist that contains your whole library (this depletes NONE of your hard drive space, by the way, so not a big deal at all, just a little annoying). That said, with the plethora of accesories, like a regular remote, a docking station, even a little boombox you can set this thing in, it will stay fun for a loooooong time. I absolutely love this thing. And the IPOD? 500 for a 20 gig player? No thanks. I'll sacrifice a slightly larger player for three times the features & accesories anyday. The only REAL possible competition? The Neuros player due out on the 25th. That thing can broadcast to any radio within 20 feet, so no more car kit. Plus it is a 128M flash player AND a 20gig Jukebox. Check it out. Currently, the Jukebox 3 is still the king!
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
i hate to say it but......
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Review: I really hate to be the one that agrees with the nay-sayers but I have to. I wrote a really positive reiview of the JB 3 when I first got it and have actually stood by all my creative products. I recently had a major problem with the ear-phone jack....it doesn't work. I called tech-support to get an rma number(so that you can send it back to be fixed) and they told me that because it was past the pathetic 90day warrenty that I would have to pay for the repairs! I was floored. I use this player everyday and have 15gigs of music on it. I am very dissapointed to admit that this could be a $400 portable hard-drive that I cannot use anymore. I might be switching sides and buying an IPOD...I never thought I would say it but to pay $400 and to have this player stop working is a JOKE! CREATIVE should be ashamed and anyone reading the reviews should keep in mind the pathetic warrenty. Buyer beware!
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
So glad I switched
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Review: I owned the orignal 6GB Jukebox which was slow to link to its own software, slow to refresh, slow...period. This Jukebox 3 is so much better. Nomad saw their errors in the original and made the right changes. The LiON battery are MUCH improved over the NiCad with up to 22 hours of music. I have gotten at least 18 hours, never had to push it to the 22. As far as weight, I dont' think it's any worse than an old Walkman and the new case, that you have to buy separately, has a clip that the original didn't. I love it. Stay away from Customer Service unless you absolutely have to. You'll be on hold for eternity and they don't know sh*t about their own products.
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
I recommend the e.Digital Odyssey 1000
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Review: Do yourself a favor and check out the Odyssey 1000 at www.edig.com It is less expensive and has more features. I have had an edig player for over a year and the quality is excellent. Go to edig.com and check it out!!
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Unreliable waste of money
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Review: I loved my mp3 player at first despite all it's quirks, like ... the power button not working after a charge... the scroll button continously not working ... no non-repeating random... I could live with all of these things. But now, after loading 2 G, ~500 songs and only 5 months of use, it is simply dead. I have followed Creative labs reccomendations to the letter, to no avail. It is simply dead. Perpetually stuck in 'rescue' mode. It won't even respond to reformatting. The warrenty is only 90 days so Creative labs couldn't care less. They have my $$ and too bad for me. I've seen many reviews now with the very same story. Dies after 3-6 months.. Creative doesn't care.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Like the CD Ripping
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Review: Makes it way easy to burn your existing CD collection. The unit produces excellent sound.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
OK, not perfect, hidden costs
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Review: Overall I'm happy - if you're looking for the best priced 20GB player with fairly minimal bells and whistles and don't mind paying $25 more for Notmad explorer software, do it! That software is a must - the synch software bundled is garbage. I'd prefer a regular set of AA batteries, if the proprietary battery runs out and you don't have a plugin, no music for you. Case is large and old-CD-Style.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Would recommend.
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Review: I've had this about a month and I am very satisfied. The software is poor. Use the red chair Notmad instead. In-line recording is great. I have some old books on tape and can move these to digital. I'm thinking about getting one of these for my wife.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
What a great machine!
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Review: Was in the market for a large capacity MP3 player. Having shopped around decided upon Nomad III. For the price it is great! Easy to use, a little big but great features
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Yep it records too !
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Review: At last I figured out how to to decent recording with the Jukebox 3: I got myself a litte microphone pre-amp and put together a little battery pack to go with it: I can then record very nicely from the Line-In. I don't know what kind of quality I get - my own microphone is a cheap one so I probably do not get top-notch recordings(it sounds just fine to mee though!)... but I soon shall try it out on live band and we'll see!
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
No Mac Support, Do your homework!
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Review: Despite the CNET review and Creative's web site, which leaves it up to Apple's iTunes to provide Mac connectivity, this product cannot currently connect to any Mac. The only devices you can get are the Nomad II, and the origianl Nomad (None have Firewire). So, if you want firewire, you are stuck with the iPod. Archos Multimedia Jukebox has firewire and "Mac" support, but I haven't found a Mac program that will link to it yet. Do lots of research before you buy!!!
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Very good player but some minor issues
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Review: Pros: Nice design, great capacity, good menu Cons: My carrying case isn't properly assembled or something, the player doesn't fit correctly and the holes don't align... It should also be a little smaller and maybe also include smaller headphones so ppl get a choice (just a suggestion tho) Overall -> recommended product, just too bad I had to pay 440$ for it cuz it wasn't cheaper to find in Europe...
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
If you like music...Look no further!!!
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Review: I bought this for my Dad, and while I was setting it up, it became mine. This machine is awesome. I have put 1,500 standard tunes on it and I've only taken up 6Gb. You can categorize all of your music and take it with you. I hook it up to my car CD player using a converter made by Iroc($30). It plays the Nomad through your radio on a low FM frequency. I also take my Nomad with me when I work out, drive, or at home. It will play through any stereo via AV inputs or through any radio with the adapter. Seriously, if you like music, this is an investment you will be psyched about. A definite A+ in all categories. REad my other reviews if you want to check out my other opinions. Please email me with any questions you have. I have nothing to do with Creative so don't worry. Just an honest buyer who made a killer purchase. I got it from buy.com along with an extra battery ($30) and a Ieee1394 cable (you can use standard USB but trust me 1394 transfers your music faster. If you do 1394, you'll need a new IEEE1394 card which fits into an empty PCI slot ($40). Good luck, and remember, email me any questions!!!
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Jukebox not ready for Market
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Review: I have had the Jukebox 3 since Xmas. I cannot tell you how many times I have tried to synch my 3,721 MP3's to this unit. I have yet to complete a successful "audiosynch". I have gotten the following error messages in the middle of the synch - "error in ctplay2.exe", "player overheating, now shutting down". The software is unusable. "Audiosynch" does not synch the tracks. If you change a tag on the MP3 file on your computer, you will end up with two tracks on the player. And why does "Autoscan" not allow you to scan only a designated folder on your hard drive? You have to scan the entire hard drive and then uncheck the tracks you don't want! It usually locks up and will not turn on 1 out of 5 times. It also will not always turn off when pressing the off button. Removing the batteries usually remedies both situations. Sometimes after removing the batteries, the unit wants to rebuild the library that takes forever. I am in IT and consider my self a Tech, but this player should have never been released to the public. I am taking it back to Best Buy today after 3 weeks and countless hours of strife. Buyers beware!!
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Works great, but keep a paperclip handy!
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Review: A lifestyle changer. My first MP3 player, which I've had for six months or so, and I just love having my 200+ CDs with me all the time! It's got a bigger HD than my home PC (but not my work PC). Sound quality is great (be sure to get better headphones -- I use the Koss PortaPro), whether on the plane, in the car, or on my home stereo. Optical inputs for recording is way cool (easy way to record and transfer songs and sound snippets from my DVD player and TiVo from my living room to my PC). The Creative software bundle sucks, but I use Notmad explorer, which works well enough (a few quirks to get used to). The unit's user interface also takes a bit to get used to (e.g. switching to a new playlist requires clearing the "Now Playing" list, then adding the new playlist to it), but works fine. Battery life is great, especially with the 2nd battery. I also have the Wired FM remote, so I can keep the player zipped up in my portable CD case, though having the headphone jack plug into the remote causes all the wires to be kinda unwieldy. The random shuffle algorithm is a bit quirky. You get a lot of repeated artists. I can live with that (just use the skip button). You can also create a playlist and shuffle it yourself via Notmad, then play it straight through. Hey, WinAmp's shuffle sucks, too (try the RoboDJ plugin). The big downside is the stability. The thing tends to freeze up occasionally. Sometimes it refused to power up, sometimes it hangs in between songs, sometimes in the middle of a song (and you get a constant buzz sound). So I have to use a paperclip to reset it, and it was okay again (popping the battery also works). For a while, it would hang several times a day until I ran a cleanup on it, and now it's down to about once a week. For the feature set, I can live with this, and since Creative continually posts firmware updates, I hold out hope this will be addressed at some point. Speaking of which, I updated my firmware to 1.20.06 and didn't run into any issues during the update. Creative did post and then retract firmware 1.30.08 without explaining why, which seems kinda fishy. I'd recommend waiting a few months after an update and check www.nomadness.net to see other people's experiences before updating. I've never had to contact Tech support, but from what I hear from others online, it's not very good. Also, do note that the warranty is only 90 days! So on the whole, if you really want a MP3 player now, this is a good one to get. Since this describes me, I don't regret getting mine one bit. But if you can wait, I'm sure a lot of these issues will get ironed out in newer devices.
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Crippled by Windows interface
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Review: This would be a great great player if not crippled by the Windows interface. I'm very spoiled by also having a Mac and Ipod which is vastly superior in everything except sound quality. Here the Nomad wins, but it's not worth the hassle trying to copy a file onto the player. It takes an average of 10 tries to synchronize or copy a file in XP with either the native interface or Notmad. In this amount of time I can easily synch a full 10 gb of playlists on the iPod EVERYTIME...
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great for the money (review for really interested ppl)
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Review: The CJ3 is simply the best for the money. First I'll just talk a little, then talk about the good of the CJ3, then the not-so-good. I have studied and read about Mp3 products for monthes, from the ipod (which is great for the the money-not-concious) to the eDigital Odyssey 1000, to the Rio Riot, to the Archos 10, etc. Believe me, I looked at them all, and this looked like the best for the money. Sure its bulky, but why do you need it to be small? You can't jog with a hard drive, are you nuts? So what good is and ipod if its fits perfectly in your pocket but you can't jog? If you're looking for an Mp3 Player to work out and listen to, get a flash memory one (ex. Nomad MoVu). Now here is what I really like about the JB3. Recording is the best! I could record from the radio to the Mp3 player, at any quality I want! I could also record my old LP disks (those giant black disks) and I could get tapes and even the music from a video onto this! This is perhaps the most useful feature of the CJ3, a feature most other Mp3 players are either without, (or they just have a built in microphone thats low quality). If you plan to put your old CD's onto an MP3 player, I highly recommend the CJ3, because it records great! Sure you could first put the music on your computer, and THEN transfer it to your MP3 player, but A. Its more of a hassle. and B. You tend to lose sound quality. An other cool feature about the CJ3 are the cool backlights (changable between blue or green). It has rubber on the bottom to keep it from slipping on smooth surfaces (something you'll need), and, it has FIREWIRE!!! A useful tool for downloading music onto your MP3 player. If you can't get it to work the first time, (which happened to me) re-install and re-install the software again until it works. The player is also nice in the way it sorts the music out for you, which is a plus for me. The battery life is excellent, and almost every feature they have is great! ... Now... For the not-so-good. WHAT KIND of software is creative using? It really really just plain sucks. The EAX feature which people say is good, actually lowers the quality of the music, from Nirvana, to Chopin, to Greenday, it LOWERS the sound quality in almost every feature. I have it turned off. (Such as, if you're listening to the Fantasie Impromptu by Chopin, you'll notice that with most EAX features, it takes away some of the tones and warmth of the piano, and since I play piano and happen to be fairly decent and knowing how a piano should sound, it just doesn't make the music sound right). An other problem, how to reset you player. First, search your house or car for something small enough to cram into a tiny hole. Then B. Hope it works when you reset the player after it freezes. The Scroll-wheel isn't very intelligently made, and if you press on it to select something, you have to hold the JK3 in place or else it'll slide as you attempt to press the button. The music that you put on this is hard with the software, and is very cumbersome, because the JB3 has to load everything you type (and that makes track editing very very hard). Its earphones aren't exactly first rate (not even close) and the CJ3 is confusing when you first use it. HOWEVER, overall, I am very satisfied with this product, and at $199. it was a steal (I got it with a bunch of rebates). If you want an MP3 player that people think is either a cheap CD player, or a Cheap MP3 player (all the better not to be robbed), this the baby for you. All the people that say this product sucks think that its the year 2050, Anno Domini, and that every MP3 player is perfect, although the truth is, they aren't. However, this, is the best in the market for the money if you plan on carrying your entire CD collection with you. Its features outnumber that of any other MP3 player on the market, and if I could make my choice on what I'd buy, I'd buy this even if my friends all think their ipods are better and cooler, I know that this is definately better. With its recording ability, it really tips the scale on which MP3 player is better, the ipod, or this, and this, I'm happy to say, is much better.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
How to weld Songs for Live or Mixed CDs
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Review: I used a program called MP3 Workshop. It got good rating and the price was great. You can find it at http://www.share2.com/mp3workshop Do a couple of test first to see if it is for you. You can weld 20 songs with the trial version. Enjoy.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Nice attempt, great value, but far from perfect
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Review: If you have the money and a firewire card, go for an IPod. If you don't, buy this instead. The player sounds great and I am happy with the 20GB of space and value compared to a comparable IPod. For me, the price and storage space were the most important factors I was looking for when I made my purchase and I am happy with my decision. Yet as an engineer and software designer I often feel limited by the user interface and the options of this player. It's almost like I keep looking for the right mouse button. The little jog dial used to navigate through menus is too small and hard to use in comparison to the IPods' wheel. Albums and artists are hard to organize and customize like you would directories on your PC - for example searching through 1000 MP3's of various artists, albums and song titles is very cumbersome on a player without a keyboard. The software also struggles to synchronize files that you change on the PC and leave the same on the player seeing them as unique and trying to give you two separate copies of each - which you then must manually correct. While other people may love the EAX presets for various sound effects, I really like the ability to modify the equalizer manually depending on my personal tastes for each type of music I listen to. Unfortunately you there aren't many other settings you can modify and personalize. I think it's important to realize that hard drive MP3 players have strengths and weaknesses. This player is cheap and sounds incredible, but it is much larger and somewhat more difficult to use than other players.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Good player, bad software
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Review: The Creative Playcenter software slows my essentially new Pentium 4, 2.o Ghz, 512 mb RAM computer to a crawl. I had to uninstall it to get it going again. Tech support emailed me some suggestions, all of which seem a bit much to get this software to behave. I downloaded the Notmad software and it does the job of allowing me to transfer files from my PC to the Jukebox. I can rip from another program, so that is probably what I will use. The player itself is very good, although it's a bit bulky to carry with one hand.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
My 2nd one just died..
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Review: I've had 2 of these die on me.. good thing I bought the service plan for 4 years
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Very Happy With Mine!
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Review: I've had mine 3 weeks now - this thing is great! I did buy a 2 yr. protection plan at Circuit City, just in case. Thonner: What software did you get to "Weld" the separate files together. I bought MP3Trim PE (1000% version to handle large MP3 files), but I do not think it can put files together. Thanks.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best player for your Money
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Review: I ordered my Nomad Jukebox 3 after checking for the lowest price on www.cnet.com. The first thing I did was to upgrade the firmware. Then I charged the battery. After this was done I loaded the software and started transferring some CDs I had ripped using 128kbps the previous days while waiting for the player to be shipped. I now have approximately 58 of my own CDs transferred to the device, that plus what was already installed on the device uses about 5GB. Mind you although the player is a 20GB player even if it was completely empty you only get just over 19 GB of space. Creative has been kind enough to put another Gig plus of free songs on the player so that you can enjoy it right away. The music that comes on the player is widely various but consists mostly of classical and can not be moved or transferred to your local PC. This make deleting any of it something you really want to think about. As for the player itself I am greatly satisfied. The playback quality is unsurpassed and the menus are very user friendly. Even if you are not an electronic toy freak like my self there is an extensive multimedia presentation that walks you through the use of the device. The headphones are only OK. I find that they pinch the head and lack the dynamic range the player is capable of. I would certainly replace the headphones ASAP and I am disappointed in creative from putting such lack luster headphones with such a great player. The next part of this package that disappointed me a bit was the software included. Although the software is fine in the fact that it works just fine it is missing some features that everyone should know about. Let’s talk about Techno music or for that matter live performances. These type of CD don’t really have “breaks” in the music and only have “tracks” on the CD to bring you to a certain spot on the CD where the music changes. When you PIR a CD with Creative software it breaks apart the tracks. When you listen to the CD on the player there are pauses between the tracks. This is especially annoying where a CD might have 38 “tracks” on it. I had to buy software that welds the tracks together after ripping them. This is money I would have rather spent on headphones. So, all in all, the best player for the money. Well, worth my $200.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Couldn't be more pleased!!
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Review: I first wanted an I-pod, but after some research, I then looked into the Archos, but when I found the Nomad, I couldn't find anything better. I like using it on campus, running (with a carrier), and the software is very easy, and has a great interface. I would be surprised if anyone would not like this one. Unless the size is a big problem, which to me it isn't. It's awesome.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
If it didn't freeze up (twice) - it would have been great...
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Review: I didn't decide to write this review until I bought an Ipod and was significantly more satisfied with the quality of the Ipod than the Jukebox. I'm not an Apple person and I didn't have a problem with the size of the jukebox, so I thought it would have been a good buy. Long story made short - the player froze while playing tracks in random mode. I replaced it with a different player and it did it again. It also did it with a friend's player. That's 3 strikes!! Took it back and I was hesitant to buy another player. I have to admit that there are some features that I liked about the Jukebox that the Ipod doesn't have (i.e. larger display, ability to create playlists on the device), but I'll trade it all for reliability. What's the since in paying that much to store 1,000s of tracks if you can't listen to them on a flawless device - it was a headache with the Jukebox - no problem with the Ipod.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Awesome Player, Horrible Recorder
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Review: If you don't want to record, stop reading. If you do, either have a powered microphone or a source that outputs power. I have an awesome Sony mic that can record concerts well, this being one of the reasons I bought this. Other than that, a wonderful piece of equipment.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
kicks all the others buts
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Review: this basically is the best payer in the world, and has mor features than any other, and can still cost less than the ipod... what do u expect from a company who makes sound cards?!
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great hard drive mp3 player
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Review: I just got the jukebox 3 and i love it. I had a minidisc player before and this kills it. The 20 gig hard drive is huge and the software is really easy to use. Best hard drive mp3 on the market.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
I'm Satisifed!
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Review: I did not have ANY problems like the other ones posted previously. Over 800 songs went in without a hitch! I am very happy with mine. Just ordered a 2nd battery. I agree totally with everything Mark said (Dec 19) - he has it right on all points.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Jukebox 3 vs original Jukebox
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Review: I love gadgets and this is my favorite. I had owned a Nomad Jukebox C (Creative's first Jukebox), and the battery life was a major problem. It was always running out of power. The Nomad Jukebox 3 solves that 5x over! Not only does it employ a lithium ion battery which lasts up to 11 hours on a single charge, it also has a spare slot for a second lithium battery which makes a charge last 22 hours! So, basically, power is not even an issue. The darned thing seems to be ALWAYS charged. Another advantage of the litium ion battery is it doesn't have the "memory" problem that the other batteries have. So you can charge it whenever you want, you don't have to wait until it has exhausted it's current energy supply. Another great improvement over the original Nomad Jukebox is the sound quality. A rating of 98 dB signal to noise ratio means there is no mp3 player on the market with cleaner sound, I believe. Also, the volume allows it to be significantly louder than the original Nomad Jukebox. Although the controls and management of the music files take a little getting used to, they are versatile and logical. You can list your files by album, artist, genre, or simply list them all at once by name in alphabetical order. You can also create custom playlists, and save them to be recalled later. For example, you could have a playlist called "Christmas Music" and then choose it to play a wide variety of the Christmas songs you choose in alphabetical or random order. Once you upgrade the operating system (a simple and free download from nomadworld.com), you can list your files by artist, and then choose to list them by album, or by songs. For example, if you have seven Led Zepellin albums, you can list the 7 Led Zepellin albums, and then choose one of those albums of the seven to list songs and listen to. Or you can list all the songs on all the Led Zep albums at once in alphabetical order. The free upgrade also provides a custom equalizer which is a very nice addition. Another great improvement is the IEEE 1394 (firewire). Instead of 15-20 seconds to transfer a 5 minute long CD quality mp3, this thing transfers the same song in less than two seconds!!! No waiting!!! My only complaints (and they're not really complaints, just disappointments): It would be nice if it was a bit smaller. It doesn't usually fit into my jeans pocket, so that makes it a bit awkward. You might think the Zen solves this, but then you have to give up 10 hours of battery power (the Zen only lasts 12 hours). Also, I recommend a better pair of headphones. RadioShack Pro 35 Titanium headphones are the best I've heard of the small light-weight variety (retail $40, sale $20). Finally, it would be nice if it had some sort of protective sleeve. With a hard disk inside, you don't want to bang it around too much, and a protective leather form-fitting case would be nice. I understand they are just becoming available now, but they are hard to find as of this writing 12/19/02.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
You wont be dissapointed!!
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Review: Ok... I know that youve read a lot of mixed reviews, but let me give it to you straight. The JB3 is the most for your money, yes it is bigger than other harddrive players, but you get the most for your money. If you want more style and options go for the Jukebox Zen, if you want ultimate features and guarnteed quality go for the JB3. I just recently got one, and it hasnt been a problem as of yet. The Play Center is much better than I expected, and all the negative reviews are just there to scare you. Make sure you do all the research before you shell out this kinda money, and realize that you have the most options with the JB3. Dont let negative reviews scare you out of buying one. It lives up to all good things you've read about and more!
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Outrageously bad customer support
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Review: I will never buy a creative labs product again based on my experience with the customer support team. The bulky player droped out of my bag and hit the ground. Everything still worked fine except one line on the lcd screen had disappeared, gone. This made it very hard to navigate through the player. I contacted customer support via email (They have no live telephone support) and recieved what was basically a cut and paste reponse that did not directly answer any of the questions. They instructed me to send my player along with a proof of purchase to their repair department. The player would be fixed and returned within 10 days. That was on November 2nd 2002 it is now December 16th. And I have still not recieved my player. After about six weeks of emails and phone calls I was finnally told that they needed to charge me $20 just to inspect the player (even though I had given them a detailed description of what had happened and what was wrong). OK fine, but this was contrary to what they had told me before. They scolded me saying that I should not have been told this information like it was my fault that they had provided me with contrary information. Finally they told me today that they would need to charge me an additional $55 dollars to fix the LCD. Who knows when they will ever get around to actually replacing the LCD and sending it back to me. I know everyone has probably had a bad experience with a manufacturer in their lifetime. This has been a terrible experience for me and I would like to warn any consumers who are considering buying Creative products that THE COMPANY DOES NOT STAND BEHIND ITS PRODUCT. That said, my experience with the Nomad Jukebox3 has been good. Its my first mp3 jukebox style player and it is amazing to have access to so much music in a portable format. There are however, plenty of alternatives to the Nomad JB3 that I would recomend above this player. $85 dollars + 8 weeks for service + terrible support = No More Creative Labs I wish I had never invested the money in this product. Thats it... good luck finding the right player.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Watch Out for Service
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Review: My Nomad Jukebox had a hard drive failure six months into its life. Sent in for service and they have had for over 30 days, and say it is still in testing. Not too sure about their ability to service the products if they break...
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
For the money, there's nothing even close.
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Review: This is my first MP3 player and I honestly thought that I would be disappointed by the sound quality, but much to my surprise, I’m not. In fact, it has terrific sound quality. I also thought that EAX feature which allows you to choose from a preset list of sound “enhancement” was all gimmick, but other than being a little awkward to use is really pretty cool. I have a CD of the Violent Fems that I’ve always been a little disappointed with because they just sounded so much better live, but when I loaded it into this player and choose “small club” as the EAX effect, it really brought out the reverb and echo that I remember from the live performance – cool. The software that comes with the player is very easy to use. Having both firewire and USB connections is a real bonus. I used the software to download about 50 CDs worth of songs in a couple of hours to my PC HD and then using the firewire connection it transferred to the Nomad JB3 faster than I ever thought possible – 3 min max. I later found out that I could have done the saving to the PC and the JB3 in one step – I should have read the directions first, but who has time for that. In short the quality is superb, the execution of the design is first rate and the even thought it may be a little bigger than the IPod (it is a little smaller and thinner than 3 CD jewel cases stacked on top of each other), it is a MUCH better value. With respect to the quality of tech support - Who need tech support when it is this easy? Highly recommeded - yes, even over the IPod although the IPod is cool to look at.
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Poor hardware quality
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Review: My unit was defective out of the box. I liked the sound and I thought it was easy to set up & use - much easier than many reviews led me to believe. However, the hardware was flakey from the start and I returned it. If you read the user reviews and news groups you will see that these units are unreliable and have a short life expectancy. Are you feeling lucky?
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Firewire Connection Sorted
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Review: Just to update you on my last message below, I have resolved my firewire problems. I went out and purchased creatives own sound card which comes with a firewire port (Audigy 2) and all my connection problems and downloading Wav files issues have all been resolved. SO BEWARE, THIS PLAYER IS PICKY WHICH FIREWIRE CARD YOU USE.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The Best Media Jukebox Around.
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Review: Simply a wonderful product. I was so happy with it I went ahead and purchased from Creative their 'Rechargeable battery pack' and their 'Auto adapter kit.' Sure I spent some money for everything, but now I have an entire music collection that I can play in my Truck, walk around with and never having to fool around with CD's and tapes again while I am on the go. I downloaded all my music collection (6 gigabytes) on to it and never have had a problem and I downloaded the updated firmware (which improved my Media file organization in the Nomad Jukebox 3) and drivers. The only fault they have is I wished it would have come with a carrying case or at least sold one to protect it. I ended up using my old CD carrying case which did actually fit. I have bought many products and all products have their downsides -- all of them. Not to mention I have spent thousands on cars and ended up with junk. But I must admit Nomad Jukebox 3 is a very good product and one I am truly happy with. I can tell you this, I will buy Creative's next line in the Jukebox series when it comes out (assuming they have one) and give this to my son.
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Bad Experience With Tech Support
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Review: I'm sorry I have to report a bad experience in dealing with tech support, after all, I gave this player a glowing review previously.-------- during using the player for two days I noticed that I was having a connection problem with firewire. The player wouldn't sinc with software properly and I could not copy .wav files which I recorded back to my PC. This only happened whilst connected to firewire and not USB. I contacted creative support and must have spoke to most of them during this saga.-----Anyway, I didn't realise at the time but the online sales (if purchased from them) have a 30day exchange or refund policy but you have to send it back at your cost and it's refunded to you if the unit is found faulty. They told me to contact technical one last time and if problem persists send it back to sales. Well I contacted support and after fault finding they arranged to collected the unit, I didn't question this at the time, why should I? they were paying for the collection!--------it turns out that the support dept only repair units after the 30days are up. Until then you must go through sales! It was looking like I was only getting a repaired unit at best--------TNT collected my jukebox and it got lost. Weeks were passing with many expensive phone calls and after speaking to most of the tech team I ended up dealing with one guy. It seemed like ages waiting for a replacment, and even then I insisted on a replacment rather than a repaired unit. I eventually got my replacement and guess what??? I got my old faulty unit back, only this one seemed to have a new chasis to make it look new maybe? I was not pleased and ordered another unit from sales and I am arranging for this unit to go back for a full refund.----------Technical support have not got a clue as to why I got my old player back, or at least a new player with all my songs on it with the same fault. According to them TNT don't have it and neither do they, it must have vanished!----------Well I still like the player but have not been happy with creative for their constant cockups! After suggesting the idea a few times I was promised extra accessories for the hassle and for the fact the unit had dropt in price in the mean time, but all has been revoked because the player is going back to a different dept (Sales) So I am not elegible for these goodies now apparantly. Bad customer service, they seem to be too rapped up in their procedures which has a detrimental effect on the customer-----------My advise to people having problems with support is persist and persist and persist until you are happy. After all you pay enough for this player which is too much in the first place, but we pay it because we like the new toys don't we?
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Immature technolgy
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Review: It died on me after 4 months. Playback and sound had been good. CD ripping kept freezing up if acquiring Internet info. Had to turn that feature off. PC to Jukebox load limited to 3 CD's. Then it would need a 1/2 hour rest to continue. I guess it was a heating problem. Since it just passed 90 day warranty, I'm stuck. I'd rather put repair money into something else. I took very good care of it. Never dropped or mistreated it.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
A winner from Creative
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Review: Was quite expensive when i bought it in June. The sound quality is excellent and probably the main factor that singles it out from the rest. Firewire, lightning fast. Excellent for file transfers also. Well organized menus, should have to problem finding songs. One problem, no mic for recording, available on the wired remote, which i have not been able to find anywhere. neither was the wireless remote available without the cradle. Only missing feature on the hardware: no recording level adjustment.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Ey, this maching isn't bad
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Review: I have just bought one of these based on cnet opinion, and user rating at the lowest price. I was only dissapointed that i had a difficult time getting firewire to recognize the jukebox3, but i gave up and used USB; and it worked smoothly. THE SOUND QUALITY IS EXCELLENT!! The creative 3 software took a little getting use to, since you cannot drag and drop like the archos. The recording line-in is niiice. Overall, i think it is a very nice mp3 player.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great Product - Very Happy!
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Review: This thing is great. The initial set up can be a bit tricky but once you get the thing going it works and sounds great. I had trouble getting my USB port to recognize the player and was able to fix the problem by going to the Nomad World web page and downloading the most recent software and patches. When you deal with high tech computer devices like this one, the initial set up will allways have some minor problems. The Nomads problems are an easy fix. Every feature on this thing is great. It stores your entire MP3 or Wave Collection and you can easily give each track a title, genre, and Artist Name by typing on your computer keyboard. The cool thing is you can scan through your entire collection and easily tag as many songs as you would like to play randomly and never stop. I play in a band and this thing is great for our break music. No more chillin on break and hearing a scratched CD. The battery is great and lasts a very long time. One of the main reasons that I chose this player is because of the Digital or Audio input. You can record from any amplified device and you can record in many different file options (wave, Mp3 etc.) this enables very high quality recordings. You can connect this thing to your computer, home stereo, headphones, car stereo, etc. You need to purchase a 1/8 inch to RCA cable adapter. The small end goes into the Nomad and the 2 RCA cables hook up to your stereo, mixing board, etc. These connectors are very cheap and you should buy a couple of them. I keep one hooked up to my Home stereo at all times and keep another for on the road.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Think Carefully
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Review: I purchased my JB3 with high hopes, but had to return it within 2 days. The unit is well made and has excellent sound quality and features, but don't kid yourself (or believe some of the other reviews here!), it is very large. It is by far the biggest player on the market, beside the old JB1. I found its size plus the need to use the useless Playcenter Software (if you're using XP beware), soon outweighed the superb sound quality. Its no good sounding great if its so big that it makes carrying it around a nuisance, why buy a portable mp3 player in the first place? Unless you REALLY need to record or have two sets of line out sockets, save the money and buy the far smaller and better looking (plus aluminium cased), Creative Zen. Or if your feeling wealthy the new iPod 20gb. A portable player should have excellent sound quality and convenient form factor, the JB3 only provides half the answer.....
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Software locks up
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Review: software locks doen't recognize when its connected to computer. Requires rebooting
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Get rid of the paper clip
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Review: First let me say I have a Jukebox3 20gb, I love it and gave my old Jukebox (6gb) to my brother. I've purchase an second battery expensive but now I have 22 hours before it needs a recharge. My Jukebox3 hung up because I was rushing the commands which will hang it up. No paper clip was available so I just open the battery cover. Then slid the two batteries away from the contacts, waited a second or two then reseated the batteries, turn it back on. It rebooted fine.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Se sale
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Review: Es maravilloso!!!Lástima que se me cayo al suelo y se me rompio el boton de power.Menos mal ke tiene mando a distancia, ke si no... Lo único malo que le veo es ke el software es un veneno. Para cuando algo mejor? Salvo esto ,una maravilla!!!
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
sounds good but poor quality
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Review: My first one never was able to boot up. Exchanged it and the second one lasted 2 weeks after that i was not able to turn it on anymore. You make what you want out of this.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best MP3 Player, Better than IPOD
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Review: I purchased an ipod and 2 of them broke on me. I also hated the feature that you can not make playlists on the fly with the ipod. The Jukebox is a little bigger however it is by far the best player on the market. There is nothing that this player does not have. I love it!
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Putting The Record Straight3
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Review: As you read my last comments I lead you to beleive that you can buy a microphone that takes phantom power. This is wrong information given to me in error by one Creative Support team member. This is what was emailed to me by another creative team member - Dear Mr. XXX, To connect any microphone to the Nomad Jukebox 3, a microphone preamplifier is necessary, as the Nomad Jukebox 3 only has line level inputs. The most common microphone preamplifiers have one or more line level outs and the according number of microphone inputs. For a high quality stereo recording, you would need the following (suggestion): - Stereo (2 channel) microphone preamp - 2 microphones The microphones can either be dynamic or condenser (higher quality) types. The type of microphone chosen determines the type of microphone preamp needed, as condenser microphones require up to 48Vphantom power, which would have to be supplied by the preamp. If quality is not an issue, there might be stereo microphones with built-in preamp that could do the job, but anyone who is interested in a decent recording quality should go with the setup described above. To get started, I would suggest browsing the internet for any information you can get. Search for terms like "microphone preamp", "dynamic microphones" or "condenser microphones" There are plenty manufacturers on the Internet, so it shouldn't be difficult to find what you are looking for. Besides this, your local music store should be able to give you some tips as well. As you probably understand, we cannot give you any direct recommendations regarding the products you should consider buying. Best Regards, XXX, Technical Support, Creative Labs Europe.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Putting The Record Straight2
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Review: After my last comment I contacted creatives tech support and asked them a few questions about the recording facilities on the Nomad3. This is what I found out, some of which is not posted on their website... You need to buy a powered mic to record OR one that takes phantom power. You can use a stereo or mono mic is doesn't matter so long as the mic lead comes with a mono or stereo minijack. If you record in mono using a mono minijack you should get a mono playback through both speakers. I do not have a mic at the moment but when I do I will post my comments. The accessory due to be released "FM radio with built in mic" does not have a great recording bandwidth, so if you want better quality recordings buy a better mic. try "www.hagger.co.uk" to start with. My last comments mentioned how to correct the broken connection between the Nomad and playcentre. Well after I posted my comments I had the same problem - could not get my PC to detect my Nomad3. I rebooted my PC but that didn't resolve the problem. I switched on and off and on and off my Nomad3, in the end I reset the unit and that worked. Now re-setting sounds a bit extreme but you don't loose any settings or songs so it's safe to do so when things go wrong. I hope this helps! Lets face it, the more we share here the better for others.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Putting The Record Straight
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Review: After reading some comments I would like to comment on some of them. Although Creative do advertise the Nomad3 can record, it does not promise a mic in the box, it just merely advertises it's potential and what you can plug into it. The only mic they will be selling is the FM Wired Remote with built in mic (not yet available). Regarding buying a mic, well that's obvious isn't it? try this place www.hagger.co.uk and choose accessories/ browse half way down the page, there are a number of mics to choose from. NOTE: you will need to buy a powered microphone!!!, Regarding the playcentre detecting the jukebox when switched on, try unpluggin the USB or Firwire cable in your Nomad and pluging it back in or try clicking on the "creative playcentre detector" in your task bar (bottom right corner) if all elese fails, uninstall and reinstall your software. I have XP and I have no problems, but again if playcentre isn't good for you, try another bit of software like Mediajukebox, Musicmatch, NotMad etc. And lastly I don't think John can critisize this new Nomad when he doesn't own one. It seems he's talking about a previous old version, I would think those problems are rare or have been resolved. The creative Europe support seems ok so far after one general enquiry, but can't speak for the USA one. Hope this helps!
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
This box rocks!
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Review: I own this particular product and this thing is absolutely the best product I have owned to date. The features are great, the user interface is easy to understand and the possibilities are endless!!!
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Not as good as an Ipod
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Review: After using it, well tryint to use it, for a week I had to return it. After the bad experience I thought I'll get myself a cd player, but I deciced to try the Apple Ipod, and believe me, now problems at all with the Ipod.
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Live, External Recording is False Advertising
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Review: I bought this expensive machine based on Cnet reviews and recommendations as the best for people who need to be able to record live speech and music. Nowhere in the Creative specs does it indicate that you need to BUY an external microphone with its own amplification source. Creative DOES however advertise just such a microphone on the box. The bad new is that they DON"T SELL IT. After scouring the internet and stores for a mic that is compatible, I found only 1 at Radio Shack and it records ONLY IN MONO. For a product that advertises external live audio recording capabilities, to not sell a compatible mic is pretty slimey! ALSO I've spent over 60 bucks in shipping because the first machine I bought was DOA! The second is having trouble recharging the batteries AND although the Jukebox detector software confirms that the machine is hooked up to my computer, the Play Center (interface between jukebox and computer) won't recognize that the device is plugged in. I'm so fed up that I am about to return the second one. ANd I can't believe that I've basically lost 100 bucks in shipping fees FOR NOTHING
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Not for Win XP users
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Review: Support for XP users is a joke. The playcenter software was coded for Win 95. The Nomad 3 has all kinds of potential if you can get your music loaded and be able to view them on your PC.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Feature Rich / Quality Lacking
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Review: I have had two Nomads. Why two? Because the first one 'died' mysteriously one day. It was playing along just fine and it was like the power had been cut off. Nothing I could do could breathe life back into it. When I sent it back to Creative they indicated that it had been treated 'roughly' cause it had three pin sized scratches on the case. This fine scratches apparently voided whatever warranty they had provided. I shelled out for a replacement unit from the Creative 'Support' department. Calling what they do 'Support' is probably the most creative thing they do at that company. The replacement unit lasted exactly 1 year. I was driving with it sitting on the passenger seat, velcro'd in place, and it just stopped working... I didn't even bother calling their 'Support' or coughing up $40 in shipping to be told this one would not be covered either. I went out and bought an RCA Lyra 20 GB. It is much easier to get songs in and out of and I don't have to use that godforsaken Playcenter software. I really wanted to give Creative my business initially, but I was sad to find out that all they really wanted to take my money and provide little or no quality or support in return.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
I like this player better than the iPod overall, but...
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Review: OK, first thing that needs to be said here is that I am an audiophile. That being said, audio quality was my main reason for getting the Nomad Jukebox 3 over the iPod. Honestly, the Nomad is harder to use, screen is harder to see and is not as bright as the iPod. The sound quality of the Nomad is a noticable improvement over the iPod (in my opinion). I really would like to see the two products combine forces (I can dream cant' I?). The Nomads sound quality with the ease of use and build quality of the iPod. Also the iPod needs to bring the prices down. I do prefer the iterface of the origional Jukebox 6GB over the new one on the Nomad 3, but I will get use to it soon enough. If your main desire in an MP3 player is sound quality and you are less concerned with weight, size, and an interface that needs to take note from Apple, then get this nice sounding player. If you want a nice looking, easy to use and learn player, get the iPod
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Has to be the BEST MP3 Player to date!
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Review: Very pleased with this mp3 player. I was a little put off by the negative comments by others but after buying one and using it I disagree with them all. The main reason I bought this player over the iPod is that I'm a student and I want need to record lectures, create my own sound clips, record from third party equipment like Sky, radio, CD players etc, with this player you can.Although you will need a powered mic to boost the recoding levels. This player is light and very portable and comes with a black case you can fit onto your belt. Excellent features and sound quality. This player has to be the best out there to date. The software suplied is OK but I prefer my Media Jukebox software anyday, check it out www.mediajukebox.com. One sentence about negative comments regarding it's size - it all depends where you are coming from. Maybe the one's who moan about its size have only been used to much smaller players like Mini discs or the very small flash memory MP3 players, so to them this thing is huge, but keep things in perspective, you can buy this player with a 60Gb hard drive from www.nomadjukebox.net I don't think iPod will get this big anytime soon, Not to mention the recording features and and full host of other settings, this player will suit those people who also like gadgets!!! And a word about Applemac snobery - it definatly exists, my father inlaw is a Mac owner and has no good word to say about PC's, it's as if there's 2x clubs - PC and Mac. I can confidently recomend this MP3 player. If you are in any doubt, check it out for yourself. For UK buyers you can now buy this player from PC World, Dixons, Curry's or from creative's Europe website for the same price.
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
DON'T EVEN BOTHER
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Review: This player is not worth the money. I have had 5 of them, each failing...some never worked at all. Support at creative is a joke! again...dont even bother
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
JB3 answered all my portable music needs
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Review: I have the 40g JB3 with the extra battery. I have put all the music I own (even the stuff I don't like but my girlfriend does!). I filled out 22gigs on the hard drive and have 18g left over. I have owned many portable CD/MP3 players including the earlier Jukbox. None of them were exactly what I was looking for. My needs are specific: Long battery life - 22hrs w/ the extra battery you are going to be hard pressed to drain this before you find an outlet, Fast downloads - Fire wire is great & as fast as you are going to get right now, Portability - Smaller than a portable CD player, maybe the size is not as small as an IPOD but my entire freaking closet of CDs is in my hand!, Easy access to the music - not bad. My only gripe, and it is common on this site, is the Software. It could be more user friendly.It is annoying when you select "Artist" and it has all the songs but not by Album. If you forget the album name you have to search it through "artist", select a song and get the info through "track details". The software is upgradeable so I assume that this oversight will be rectified. Long story short, I enjoy the hell out of this little machine and use it at home hooked up to powered speakers and on the road. Looking forward to the wired remote that is supposed to come out in the near future. Enjoy.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
a quick Q.
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Review: sorry, this is not an opinion but a question, has anyone compared the sound quality of an ipod with a JB3? I have a JB3 & the sound quality is excellent, I am a real snob in those quarters. Am kind of fascinated by the ipod, but the sound would have to be as good as the JB3. Anyone???!!!
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
CRASHES and LOCKS UP all the time
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Review: Support is non existent, only have phone operators that take message and can't help (after 30 minute to 1 hour on hold!).
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
I'm very happy with my purchase
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Review: After a recent firmware update from creative, my nomad has just gotten easier to use. It's got twice the amount of storage of an ipod and more features to boot. No it's not the smallest, or the most stylish, but it's totally worth the money.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Expensive but well worth the cost
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Review: I have owned the Jukebox 3 for three months now and have downloaded mt complete cd collection and still have loads of space left. My only gripe is the maximum volume is a little low but besides that I have found the jukebox a "sound" investment
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
MP3 Firewire champion for now.
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Review: 20 GB capacity using "screaming" Firewire makes the choice a "no brainer." Archos offers no 1394 model & IPOD is Mac only. Of course, PlayCenter is buggy as usual. Unit "freezes" on some file transfers to PC. Typical "nonexistent" support from Creative. Overall great hardware quality & functionality.
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Problems all the way...
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Review: 1) Creative PlayCenter didn't work with Windows XP, so I bought a 3rd party application (Notmad), which worked so-so. 2) Problems with track sequence on player (tracks came out in apparently random order) until I found the patch buried on Creative's unhelpful website. 3) Finally, two weeks after intial purchase, the device broke -it turned off and simply wouldn't turn on again. Judging from a dark brown patch in the corner of the screen, it looks like something fried on the inside of the device. I wasted HOURS getting my MP3's ripped and loaded on this player, and now its defunct. There's no one at Creative to call (they have an "automated support line" but they have a live rep on hand to sell you more products!). I begged Amazon to take it back and give me a refund. Thanks Amazon; no thanks Creative. Of course I'm out $25 for the Notmad software, but at least I'm done with Creative...
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Good Solid Product. Loads of Features.
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Review: This is my third Jukebox. I just got my new JB3 40GB. (I know we're talking about the 20GB here, but the only difference is the HD capacity). I've learned to put up with a little bit of bugginess from Creative's products, but they're still worth it. With the new firmware upgrade recording should improve. For my needs the JB3 40GB is great. I've got over 400 CDs on it already. The Firewire is great. Wish they'd do something with PlayCenter though. It's the single biggest weakness. And the accessories wait. Still one up on the iPod for me. Capacity and recording capability are my big issues.
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Horrible with WinXP
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Review: From sll I've read this machine should sound great. i wouldn't know because I haven't been able to get my Compaq laptop to install the drivers no matter what I do. Creative tech support says I should replace the chipset on my motherboard (rather extreme)I'm on to an Archos or Ipod
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
not so worth it
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Review: 20GB for music is kind of too much..well i already buy it and i have burn all my 150 cd in it..you cant really listen all of them in one time..there another products that worth money ...it call the Archos Jukebox Multimedia 20,although it has the same capacity but this product is much more worth it for 20GB..it can burn movie in it..sure nomad 3 only music..and we could get bored..well..i sugguest you all to buy Archos Jukebox Multimedia 20,,better-record muis-record movie too..the best part you can watch movie anywhere anytime even in the toilet..well i knid of regret buying nomad 3 withoout checking other products...well i suggest you all buy Archos Jukebox Multimedia 20...i wanted to sell my nomad 3..i want to sell this bulky nomad 3..anyone want to buy my nomad 3,,pls email me..i give u affordable price
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Very good, BUY IT
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Review: I like it, I want to get it for my birthday, becoming 15, and hopefully will be purchased
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Easy to Use, Functional Unit.
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Review: Great sound quality and easy to use. Software is just as good. Simple hook up. Exceptional product. Not stylish as the Apple IPOD. However, more function to use at home and around the office! Sit it on the desk and just use it.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
ipod vs jukebox 3
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Review: Boy that was a difficult choice. The choice is even tougher now that the iPod is 20GB and has native Windows support . I bet most people went through the same exercise as I did comparing the two before they bought one. Eventually the choice for me was portability (iPod) vs home/car use (JB3). The Jukebox has and IR remote and a line out which I consider important for home usage. The iPod is portable and looks endlessely cooler and has a wired remote. If only the PlayCenter software didn't suck so much. I bought Notmad to solve that, but I would have preferred using MusicMatch 7.2 (which comes with the iPod). Now lets hope the hardware is capable of playing MP3Pro in the future. btw. who actually uses that recording feature???
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great product with software and amazing storage space
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Review: With the 20 gigs of storage and the great software that will syn one another and at firewire speeds you can not beat this system. I have see a lot and this is the best I have seen so far. I have only had this a couple of weeks but man you just can not beat all that plus the lithium battery plug in and go just can not be beat.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The Best Mp3/CD Player Out There!
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Review: When I heard That Creative Was Making This I Couldn't Resist. The Creative Nomad Jukebox 3 Size Is As Big As A CD Player Which Allows You To Get Cool Leather Cases! The Memory Size, 20GB, Is The Best Yet! And Of Course It Has An 8 Minute Shock Proofing. If You Got Money And Want The Best, This Is It!
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Check out this alternative
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Review: It seems that in the wake of these high-end MP3 players, companies have been starving for the attention. Enter RCA's Lyra 2820. I have been dealing with Creative Labs' technicians for some time, and all of the concerns/enhancements have been addressed with RCA, while Creative continues to be as elusive than ever. In fact, they seem to be more focused on their MuVo than the Nomad 3 right now. The Lyra 2820 is similar to the 2800. Be sure to check it out. Briefly, it features MP3 Pro compatibility, 20 GB, great price, large display, auto sync with your PC, includes Music Match for MP3 management (not that buggy Creative software). It can also store data files like the Nomad, but Windows actually recognises it! (aka Drag-and-Drop) I am not a rep for RCA, just an average consumer looking for a decent MP3 player. Kudos to RCA for providing an MP3 player designed for the user.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
20 GIG PROBLEM
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Review: I have a 20gig Jukebox3 with two batteries ($61.72 shipping & tax). The problem is trying to fill it up, I've purchased more cd's now then ever before. I've even resorted to converting my record collection to mp3. I next problem with such a large selection what to listen too. Still only a 1/3 full and I have 2340 songs on it. With the 22 hours of play time (2 batteries) I charge it once a week. I use a small ziploc sandwich bag to protect in case, so I not sure what all the complains are about it size. It will easly slip into my Dockers front pants pockets. Next problem I haven't played a cd on my stereo, I connect Jukebox an play song from it. No more fumbling thru plastic box on ten different cd to listen to the songs that I what to hear.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
the Best device I've bough in Yearst
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Review: it's replaced the CD changer in my car. i'll never burn another CD. My Only complaint is a few more options..mostly FM turner. The second battery and home unit make it even more valuable
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Picky
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Cons:
Review: Almost non-existent tech support. Very picky about which mp3s you can load into it. Frequent lock ups while uploading files -- I went through 2 units within one week, tech support was unable to get me up and running either time. The same files that locked up the NJB3 went into an iPod just fine. $400 piece of junk, in my opinion.
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Good luck if you run into problems!
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Review: Great player, if only it worked properly. Mine stopped working and dealing with the creative tech support system has been a nightmare! Did I say nightmare, what I meant to say was total and complete, utter bloody freakin hell. Will never buy from this sorry excuse for a company again.
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
No use for recordings of meetings
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Review: Following the Cnet Article how to do record a meeting or concert I purchased the Jukebox 3 and a Sony digital microfone. Unfortunately the recommended combination of hardware does not work. After investigating I found out that going from an older Jukebox version to the latest one Creative did not implement any more a gain setting for the line input. This means you cannot connect a microfone directly to the Jukebox. You will have to purchase the Creative remote control with built in microfone. I doubt the quality of this unit. I sent an answer to Cnet in order to review their article but no response. Please be careful. If you just want to listen to music, no problem. If you want to record, choose a different model.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Bad interface and software makes it unusable
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Review: The software for this is the killer. I have 18GB of WMA files, all ripped from CDS and they all have the correct tag information in them. When the PlayCenter software loaded the top level directory, it mistakenly set the Artist name in each song to the Album name, thus making it impossible to find a song with only the Artist name. If you load the albums individually, it does read the tags correctly. With 457 albums, this takes would take about a week, so the faster connection doesn't help a whole lot. In addition, to find an album you have to scroll through ALL the albums on the player, which can get tedious with 457 albums on it like I had. The Rio Riot lets you scroll first by letter, and will show Artists/Albums only starting with that letter, which allows you to quickly pick a song. I got this because I wanted the faster connectivity(than the Riot) but I ended up quickly returning it. I now love my Riot more than ever.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Perection
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Review: Sound qaulity is awesome through My wave Radio or Grado 325 head phones! If you can spend $400.00 for it then shell out 200-300 for a great set of headphones. Then you will be really impressed.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Everything I have been looking for
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Review: The capacity, interface, and customizable options are excellent. I have 3 other mp3 (Rio) players but never had such a rounded availability of options as I do with the NJ3. The only thing lacking with the initial purchase is a case and remote, but they soon will be available along with a docking station with wireless remote. Really good battery life and the SB1394 connection to my Audigy soundcard is much faster than USB
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
a must have!
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Review: for any "heavy users" of portable music, this is an absolute must-have product... no more lugging around a ton of cds or hating yourself for forgetting that one mixtape... now ALL your music can go with you wherever you go. great interface and software makes it intuitive and very easy to use. everything about this was designed for user convenience. if you need mp3 storage, and you're tired of lugging around your discman, this is absolutely for you.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
great hardware, poor software
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Cons:
Review: The actual device itself is great. Some complain about the size but compared to the cd player I was using in the gym it is quite a bit smaller. The software for Nomad 3 is extremly lacking. I try to avoid using playcenter because every time I do I have to reinstall my sound card and reboot. This is probably jsut a bug on my system though. I'm thinking of getting Notmad Explorer. Overall the Nomad is great. The volume can go loud enough to block out most background noise and the sound quality is incredable.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Too big for portability
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Review: Although the variety of connectivity options is impressive, this thing is still way too big and bulky to be as conveniently portable as flash-based players or the elegant iPod. To correct some of the comments made earlier, the iPod can be used as a portable hard drive, and a bootable one at that (unlike the Nomad). The iPod also has basic PDA functions (calendar and contacts). I also would not want to shell out another $1000 on a Windows PC just to use the Nomad (since it is not compatible with the Mac).
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Better than the Jukebox, lots of options
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Review: Being an owner of the original Jukebox, I really wanted the extra storage and the recording options the new unit offers. I have not been disappointed. Recently, I took my Jukebox 3 to record the Grateful Dead reunion concerts in Wisconsin and it performed flawlessly. A good buy. It doesn't conflict with my new computer running XP either!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
What Maters More Looks?
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Review: anyone who would rather have a "stylish" "good looking" mp3 player rather than one that plays better and will actually work with you computer should go with njb3, if only looks mater, sure go with the ipod since its dropped 100 bucks, but still, the 40 gig version is only a little more than the 10 gig ipod. plus to add value the nmjb3 doubles as a portable hard drive, the ipod cant, so even if you can find something to do with an extra 25 gigs, then maybe you need to rethink that in a few years when you current hard drive is empty... anyone who cares more about how it sounds than how it looks will go for the nomad.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Hope you are luckier
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Review: Software will not install. CD defective. On-line info at Creative site is useless. 1-800 number would not replace CD. Suggest would-be buyers look elsewhere or be prepared for mfg run-around.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great player but a bit pricey
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Review: Ok, I own a PC, so I don't know what the iPod is like, but this is the best mp3 player I've seen. It may be a bit bulky, but it fits in the pockets of all my pants so I won't complain. The interface has gotten more confusing-they should've added the scroller and kept the interface from the original. PlayCenter seems alright to me, it hasn't crashed yet. Everyone is saying get an iPod, but I can't afford to buy a brand new computer just to get an mp3 player. If you really hate Creative that much then get a Game Gear-I mean a Rio Riot, but if you don't hate Creative then at least take a look at this player.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Ugly,Bulky,limited!
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Cons:
Review: yes it's a little bit cheaper than the ipod, BUT is it built to last? Is the interface/operating system upgradable like the ipod? Besides it obvious lack of design, it is much larger, weighs more than its supposed competition Think twice before you invest your money on a device you want to store your entire music collection on. you will be much happier in the long run.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
No multilanguage support
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Cons:
Review: You cannot see any other songs which have foreign language name. There are not only english musics. If creative really thinks how they can sell more, ADD MULTILANGUAGE SUPPORT
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best MP3 Player......so far
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Review: Every time I get used to an mp3 player a new one comes out that looks better. This is a big improvment over the earlier Nomad Jukeboxes mostly because of smaller size and long battery life(having 2nd battery is great)My only problem with the interface is that the albums are not displayed under the artists.I hope this can be fixed with future firmware upgrades...Until then each product gets better..but no one seems to put the time in to get it perfect.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Awesome CD Mp3 player
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Review: Recently I bought a CD mp3 player. I reget not getting one even close to the Normand 3. It quashes my Cd player instantly.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Good Looking
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Review: performance is extremely good and appearance is also good sexy looking. and audio performance is alos fine
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Good Player but needs better interface
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Cons:
Review: I have both this player and a 5 gig Ipod and have to say that they both are very good players. I use Xplay for the Ipod and Notmad for the Nomad so the interface is somewhat similar. The good points about the Creative Jukebox are: 1 The price per gig is very competiitive, 2 The sound is wonderful, 3 the Firewire support tranfers files quickly and easily. However, the one thing about the firmware that I absolutely hate is the fact that albums are not displayed under artists. Quite frankly, I can't remember every albumn title and would prefer to browse by artist. The Ipod does this function very well. Secondly, it would have been nice to use a standard firewire port and be able to charge the Nomad from the firewire without an additional power brick. Overall, I'm satisfied with the purchase and hope that some of the problems will be resolved in future versions of the firmware.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
fast transfers through firewire
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Review: great machine with good harddrive. silent ! superfast firewire, next generations with usb2?
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Excellent MP3 player for the money
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Review: I looked at many different hard drive based players. I am certainly glad I bought this one. I found it not so difficult to use and the features (including EAX and the firewire) rock. Yes it is larger than the ipod and the Archos jukebox but it is still relatively small and light when compared to many portable CD players. Also, if I wear Khaki pants or pants with loose pockets the device fits fine in the pockets. The software could use a bit of a make over but overall it works well. In summary, the device is a great deal.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Quality Product
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Review: i actually own one and it performs really well other than the fact that you do need to reset it rather frequently. it has great capacity and is pretty easy to use. its size and weight isnt really cumbersome. its thicker than a cd player but is smaller in terms of width and length. it can actually fit in a pocket though. oh yeah using your comp while transfering files messes them up.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Fabulous performance but lots of bugs
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Review: The Nomad 3 is my first MP3 unit. My primary application is to download my CDs to the unit so I have them with me when I travel. I've had the unit a little over one week and now have about 160 full CDs on it. Here are my comments: First the good - The sound quality is superb (get better ear phones than the ones they provide). Ripping the CDs and transferring them to the Nomad using Creative Play Center is very easy, however, you have to know a few details that are not covered in the useless manual. The player seems to be well made. Now, some bad things: I have ant hills in my back yard that have fewer bugs. Play Center crashes XP at certain times if you try to delete a file. There's no undo - try to terminate an operation and you will frequently crash. Always have a paper clip with you because you'll probably be pressing the reset button on the Nomad frequently. They should have put the reset button right on the front panel. The good news is that resetting it doesn't cause it to lose data. Creative's support people are useless - if you can get one on the phone. This unit ships with Play Center 3, and their systems still have version 2. They've never seen version 3 so they can't help with problems. I complained about battery life and the technician told me to try a different brand of batteries - thinking it used AA cells. He'd never seen a Nomad 3. The menu hierarchy puts Tracks under Genre. So, you can't see a list of albums associated with a particular Genre. If you don't include the track number in the file name for the track (a hidden option under settings - and not mentioned in the manual), all tracks will be sorted alphabetically, not in the order they appear on the CD. In summary, a great sounding and fun toy, but experiment with the Play Center settings using a few CDs before downloading lots of them to the player. Don't expect help from Creative. Keep a paper clip handy and, if you're running XP, be prepared to re-boot to recover from frequent crashes.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The Best Thing in the World
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Review: This is THE BEST thing in the world, no questions asked. I'm sure the iPod is all it is cracked up to be, really. But I can't justify spending an additional $3000 on a new Apple just to accomidate an MP3 player. Furthermore the Nomad Jukebox 3 is the best piece of audio hardware on the market to date, I've owned mine for quite some time now and not only would it take a fricken retarded monkey not to be able to use the interface, people, it's got 20 (or 40 if you want it) gigs. With an astounding amount of options and Creative's incredible attention to detail, it deserves all the awards it has been given. PS did I mention that this is the best thing in the world?
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Its wonderful
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Review: Very full featured and durable... 20 gigs of hard drive space, and the option of upgrading to higher is great. I give it two thumbs up!
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
VERY annoying software and too expensive!
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Review: I owned the older Jukebox from creative which was a pleasing product. I even got the Playdock (which btw is a very well crafted speaker set) However my main beef with this player is not only the very high price, but also the fact that unless you use the crappy playcenter for everything you do, you will be greatly annoyed by it. Not only do you HAVE to use the playcenter software to use the nifty feature of transferring your songs, as well as do the now famous Synchronize. This maybe woulnd't be a bad thing if it wasn't because it created a .MET file for every song you have on your computer, and if your like me and actually need a 20gb player to store them all, you suddenly have twice as many files in your directories which makes browsing those directories very annoying. Secondly the firewire support sucks, i even use the damm Audigy Platinum EX and even though the player is seen by windows and the nomad dectector. But the wonderful playcenter tells me the player is disconnected. But THE most annoying problem is the fact that most songs that you transfer on this player gets corrupted once it is on there with the skips and "burbs" that you would have on a poor quality rip. Oh and to really make me fuming the a**holes at Creative made the playdock completely uncompatible with the jukebox 3 not even making the power adapter the same.
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
yuk its has many bad points deosnt last much time very big
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Review: wel i just got this mp3 jukebox but it was simplywasting my money it very sensitive and doesnt sounds good many time it cries as the battery is going dim
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great player, decent interface, software could be improved (but alternatives are available)
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Review: As with all MP3 players, there's two components to review: the software used to connect it and the player itself. The software that Creative provides is far from perfect but still usable - redchairsoftware.com makes a much more effective program, fortunately, so this can be overcome. The player itself is wonderful, bright display, a good interface. It is a little bulky, but it's light for its size, and not so large that it's inconvenient. Overall, a great product - much better than the Archos 20GB model.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The Best?
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Review: I've had my Jukebox 3 for a little over a week, and I have absolutely no regrets about my purchase. Firewise connectivity tops the list of important features, since I downloaded 6 GB worth of music in what seemed like a few minutes. The sound quality is superb, both through the headphones, in my car (cassette adaptor), or at home (line-out to my high-end SS reciever). The interface is easy to use, and the jog wheel makes for convenient one-hand operation (assuming your hand is big enough to handle this large unit!)... The only downside is that it's a little confusing to get your music sorted into the player correctly if you had tons of albums/tracks RIP'd to you PC. Since the JB3 doesn't use your PC's hierarchy of folders, but rather relies on the ID tags of the Mp3 files themselves, you have to do a little housekeeping to get everything sorted correctly. That's a small price to pay, since you'll do it only once and then enjoy ALL of your music with you EVERYWHERE you go. Could it be smaller? sure...but we all carried CD players for years without complaint. The superior feature set and competitive price (along with great FUTURE accessories) makes this the easy choice!
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Music & more!
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Review: Not only does this little baby hold 20GB of music but it will hold files that you can transfer to any computer. With the anti-skip feature and the EAX, I love this. I kicked myself in the @ss when i found out there was a 40GB model!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
THE 40 GB IS NOW AVAILABLE
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Review: I just received my Jukebox 3 with 20gb a week ago, this week the 40gb is available for 100 dollars more. Any way the new one is great. I had a Jukebox with 6gb, only limitation was the battery life. The USB was slow but you only load the song once so that makes little difference. The new one starts up much faster which is a plus. With the new 40gb model why convert to mp3 you could load many songs in wave format. I was happy with both so much depends on you budget.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
AWESOME,
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Review: awesome mp3. not as small as the ipod but more space and you dont need to buy a new battery every time on runs out.
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Bad Software Interface
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Review: I have had this for 1 year. You would think by now they could improve the software interface. There is nothing nice I can say about the Creative Play Center. I would not recommend this to anyone. Plus they refuse to make it compatible with Audiable Books. One reason i bought it, was because I felt anyone with sense, would adapt there product to Audiable. What a wonderful way it would be to store books. Better than anything now available. But who ever is in charge of Product Improvement, must be asleep at the wheel. 
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Brilliant but lacking one essential feature
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Review: I would love to be able to store images from my 128Mb memorystick based camera whilst on holidays and away from my computer. Could the operating system be upgraded to permit use of the Firewire or USB connection already built into the Nomad? Please say yes it can and will be done!
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
does NOT support *.ogg
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Review: Pay no attention to the lying savages at CNET. The njb3 does not--and probably never will-support ogg. Do not buy this product. Do not buy from Creative. Creative stinks. Ogg rocks.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Une "Bombe" quie dépasse largement tous les autres cd-player!!
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Review: J`ai moi meme acheter ce cd-player est jai adorer.J`étais deja adepte d`un lecteur mp3 que je trouvait puissant mais celui le dépasse avec ses 20gb de disque dur.La qualité du son est surprenant aussi!!! Bref c`est selon moi le meileur lecteur actuel mais dispendieux .
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Definately Worth It
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Review: I just got my Nomad 3. It works like a charm. I've been meaning to write a review on this product, but i wanted to wait a few days to make sure it had no glitches, and to test battery life. Okay, now to put down people's comments about it being bulky. It isn't bigger than my old Sony CD Player, and doesn't weigh but a tiny bit more. Id rather it be a little bit heavier, and have 20 GB of music on it. Now to the battery life, i haven't had to recharge it, and ive been using it for about 10 hours now. So the battery life is awesum on this thing. Next, the sound quality. I have never heard such good quality come out of a mp3 or a cd player. It makes all my mp3s sound extremely good. The EQ settings are fantastic. There is nothing i regret about this player. Im glad i went with this one. Okay, people are all hyped up over it having only USB 1.1, If you need it to go faster, then buy a FireWire card (30 bucks) and use that! At least there is a Firewire port, unlike Riot. And the Nomad is compatible with all versions of Windows (I have XP, and no problems). The interface is easy to use. I mean incredibly easy. The nomad 3 also has the capablility to hold 2 batteries, which will extend the already great battery life from 10-11 hours, to 20-22 hours. I mean c'mon, i haven't found anything wrong with this player yet. It's a great buy. (P.S - I got mine from www.nxgen.com )
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Really likes it!
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Review: I don't see what people complain about the size, so what? It's a 20GB storage device, it isn't going to get much smaller then that for now; besides it's just like carrying around my CD player which isn't THAT bad. I love the space, the interface and everything else!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
its best
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Review: i just see it on cnet then i purchase it when i listen its sound i can't beleive on my ears i like it.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
TMCONNECTION.COM HAS THE 40 GB VERSION NOW AND IT ROCKS!!!!
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Review: THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST MP3 PLAYER, PERIOD. I OWN THE PJB 100 20 GB VERSION, THE CREATIVE NOMAD JUKEBOX, 6GB VERSION, AND NOW THE NEW, HIGH EXAULTED, UNDISPUTED WORLD CHAMP--THE 40 GB NOMAD JUKEBOX 3, ORIGINAL FROM THE FACTURY, (NOT AN UPGRADED MODEL) AND I GOT IT FOR $550. WORTH EVERY PENNY. THIS THING RIPS QUICKLY. THE SOFTWARE INTERFACE IS INTUITIVE, AND THE SPACE--WHAT CAN I SAY. ALSO, I AM RIPPING MOST OF MY STUFF IN WMA FORMAT, WHICH I BELIEVE IS SUPERIOR TO MP3--THE SOUND IS INCREDIBLE. IT IS MUCH SMALLER THAN MY OLDER NOMAD, BUT NOT QUITE AS SLIM AS MY PJB. THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS, LIKE THE ABILITY TO RECORD IN MP3 FORMAT USING EITHER ANALOG OR DIGITAL IMPUT, ARRANGING PLAYLISTS ON THE FLY, THE JOG DIAL IS NICE AND MAKES FINDING MUSIC EASY, HAS AUTO SYNC WHICH IS GREAT FOR TRANSFERRING LARGE AMOUNTS OF MUSIC OFF YOUR COMPUTER, FIREWIRE--LIGHTENING TRANSFERS, EQUALIZER SETTINGS GALORE, JUST A PLETHORA OF FEATURES--THIS IS THE JUKEBOX TO GET IF YOU LOVE MUSIC. THE 40 GB MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO HOLD, DARE I SAY, CLOSE TO A THOUSAND CDs IN A VERY SMALL PACKAGE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. I PREFER THE STORAGE CAPABILITIES AND FEATURES OVER THE IPOD, WHICH IS WHY I GOT THIS ONE AND I AM SURE I WILL CONTINUE TO FEEL THIS WAY UNTIL APPLE COMES OUT WITH ITS OWN 40 GB IPOD. ANYWAY, CALL TMCONNECTIONS AT 732 536-0249. I TALKED TO STEVE THERE AND HE WAS VERY HELPFUL AND GOT MINE TO ME THE NEXT DAY FROM NJ TO CALIFORNIA. I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH THEIR SERVICE OR THEIR PRODUCT.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great, when it works >:+{
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Review: Have so much trouble downloading files, that the reset button should be in front. It is used that often. My PC detects the Nomad, but says it is not connected; frequently. Makes transferring difficult. Playlist management not intuitive and cumbersome to set up. Like the style, the GB's, and interface. But, it would be nice if it used USB 2.0.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
I'm Happy with the Nomad 3
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Review: In looking into buying an MP3 player i did my research. For all the Ipod people it's a nice machine but it lacks the ability to tranfer files from different places. While the Nomad 3 offers a variety of places to get your music from. The arcos is nice but just not quite the Nomad 3. I pre made several Play lists, i can go through my archive of cd's. It may be bulky but ipod is limited. At first i was disappointed with the sound but i just changed the headphones and it made a huge differance. The price was a bit high but for the amount of money that you pay you get what you pay for. The best Hard Drive MP3 player. It's not your daddy's MP3 player
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Look at the alternatives
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Review: Ok, first off I'd like to say two things to the MD promoter. One, this is not a flash type player, so you don't buy extra cards for it (unlike how you DO buy extra MD's for your player), second this thing holds 20gb (or 40 if you want to pay a bit extra), unlike MD's which hold about 600mb....that's why ppl want this. Ok, but seriously folks, the only alternatives for this market are archos, ipod, PJB, and the Rio Riot. Ipod comes the closest, but really doesn't have nearly as many features and costs close to 100 dollars more street price. Archos is old technology, and had a hard time competing with the Old Nomad Jukebox. PJB is just as old of technology, and is bigger, and less asteticly apealing, and cost Way Too much! The Riot's problems you can read about if you go on CNet and read the reviews, a good product, just not up to snuff with today's market.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
good,but pricey
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Review: ok, i kno. no one could survive withought music, but dont you think that people would seel more of these if they wernt so expensive? Well this is a great product and I cant live withought it but now i am so broke i cant afford my rent.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Very Nice... My whole collection
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Review: Squeezing my whole collection into this puppy now... I am extremely happy. My old CD changer gave up the ghost and this one took over. It is half the price of the HP or SonicBlue MP3 boxes and provides sufficient functions to do the job.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Sounds awesome and has good features
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Review: The Creative Jukebox 3 sounds great, has a good interface (although took a little to get use to), scroll dial is really handy, battery really lasts 10 hours, and seems to be built solidly and works well overall. Couple things to be aware of are that when using the very fast fire wire (7gig in 30 minutes!!!) 90% of the music files acquired chirps and distortions. A work around is to use the slower USB connection (7gig 3 hours). Also, haven't been able to play music on PC off of Jukebox, through computer/Firewire or USB connection, which is a pain because I don't want to load my entire music library onto my work PC at the office. And you'll have to wait about 30 minutes before getting through to a person in tech support. Otherwise enjoy!!!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
PURE GADGET HEAVEN!
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Review: Never have I bought something and found that its not only addictive but bloody useful. This thing is my personal joy box and it goes with me everywhere. If you truley like listening to your own music then this is it, plus more...
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
"I have it, u should get it"
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Review: Brilliant interface, excellent features. Bit big for this day and age. Difficult to use at the start. but after a while its like riding a bicycle.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
I imported my entire cd collection
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Review: I ripped my entire cd collection and uploaded it to this device!! Much easier than lugging them all around, if you could even do that.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
the bigger the better
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Review: its big but its cool, lots of stuff packed for you to give you maximum sound quality, lots of space for lots of songs...it rocks!
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
iPod owners need to ditch the sour grapes!
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Review: The purpose of this review is to address many of the misconceptions being spouted by iPod fans in trying to butter up support for their MP3 player of choice. Now, granted, the iPod is not a bad player, but it's my opinion that the Nomad Jukebox 3 is simply better. Read on. Misconception #1: "The Jukebox 3 is too big! The iPod is more portable." I'm not sure how anybody can classify the JB3 as "too big" and "not portable" unless you so narrowly define "portable" as to include nothing but the iPod. I'd say that the JB3 is roughly twice the size of the iPod, and given the iPod's undeniable small size, that seems to indicate that the JB3 itself is no boat anchor either. It is very portable and easy to carry. Personally, I use an old CaseLogic CD pouch that I've had for years which makes toting the JB3 very convienient. I've used it out walking, doing yard work, and other tasks without a hitch. Another point, unlike the iPod's highly polished and easily marred surface, the JB3 is made of rugged plastic that appears to have been designed for the real world. Sure, the iPod may look sexy, but that sure doesn't mean much if a few minutes of handling smudges and scratches the surface surprisingly easily. Misconception #2: "The interface is cumbersome." This conclussion can only be drawn if you have never actually used the Jukebox 3. With no more instruction than "Use the scroll wheel to navigate the menus and click it to select," my wife was putting together a playlist of her favorite songs in less than 30 seconds. Keep in mind that up to the point she didn't know much about the JB3. Cumbersome? Hardly! I'd say "Easy to learn and intuitive" is far more accurate! Misconception #3: "The Creative PlayCenter software is poorly designed." Not really. It's actually very easy to use, far easier than I was expecting, actually, given the harsh criticism it has received. Of course, much of this criticism is directed towards earlier versions, and for my money, PlayCenter 3 does just what I need it to. Transferring tracks to the JB3 is as easy as selecting the desired files in the left panel and clicking the "Transfer" button. Really, it couldn't be easier. You can also rip CD's directly to the JB3, but I use other software (EAC and LAME) to ensure high quality MP3's (and, frankly, so should those of you using iTunes) so I can't comment on this feature. Misconception #4: "20GB is too much hard drive space!" Now this is the epitome of sour grapes. To directly quote one iPod fan, "I don't really care that it holds 20 gigs worth of songs. Five or Six gigs is good and 10 os more than enough. Improving the interface and cutting the cost by using a smaller capacity drive would have been better!! Honestly if you can't find something to listen to with 5-10 gigs worth of Music then you seriously got some issues." It's pretty ironic that an iPod owner is criticizing Creative for not cutting costs considering that the iPod is staggeringly expensive! Why would anybody want 20GB of space on their portable player? Well, if you don't think of the JB3 as a portable MP3 player and more as a "portable music library" I think you'll start to understand. The fact is, you can potentially store your entire CD library without having to compromise quality by using low bitrate compression techniques. Right now I have over 1000 tracks stored on my JB3 in CD quality sound, and it is truly awesome to have access to so much music. Rather than having to pick and choose which CD's you want to listen to for whatever duration you'll be away from your computer you simply grab the JB3 knowing that anything you could want is right there for you to listen too. The increased capacity also makes sense when you realize that the JB3 can also be utilized as a portable hard drive. So now you can store your entire music library and still have room left over for transferring large files. So I guess the real question is, Who wouldn't want 20GB? Conclussion: The iPod is a nice player, but for $200 less, the JB3 has everything the iPod has plus it provides twice the listening time (with an optional second battery), twice the hard drive space, and the ability to record high quality audio files on the fly to either MP3 or WAV. While Apple fanatics consider it a priviledge to pay premium prices for feature deficient devices, most of us like to factor in cost when determining value, and at almost half the price and with twice the features, the Creative Nomad Jukebox 3 is clearly the better value.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
inventive
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Review: what can i say?i've been a NOMAD follower 2 long not 2 like this product.ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The best Mp3 player
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Review: You are getting what u need if youve been looking for a mp3 playe. I have a burner and I was getting tired of burning all these CDs so I looked into mp3 players and this one is awesome. I have at least 2000 songs now and Ive only used 10 gigs of memory. Its worth the money.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
www.computerbazzar.com
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Review: You will find best prices on all nomad MP3 Players and Jukebox at www.computerbazzar.com
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
bad interface and finishing!!
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Review: it's interface should be bigger and I think it's not speed enough doing your request! I tried sony it's much faster
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Ah... the beauty.
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Review: Hey we all know that mac people and PC people have this little spat going on. But let's get to our senses. 20GB, live recording, EAX... need I go on? On the other hand with the iPod, all you have is the interface and the size. Those are the only arguements that the iPod supporters have come up with. Quality people! Quality! There is no more to say.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
iPod vs. NJB3 vs. Rio Riot
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Review: I've gone out and acutally spent the personal time to purchase all three of the top contenders for "best" hard drive MP3 players - iPod, NJB3 and Rio Riot - and am happy to say the NJB3 won the title, but not by any landslide. I'm writing as someone with a PC with 15+ GB of music all ripped at 256 kbps, so I'm very picky about sound quality, features and interface. In third place, I've already written a review of the Riot in it's user section. In short - it's too big and heavy, USB is slow and the rechargeable battery system is dubious at best, but it sounds great (as good as the NJB3 as far as I could tell after many test MP3s and good earphones) has a great EQ feature and has a great interface (esp. Rio DJ). In second place, the pretty amazong iPod. This thing's user interface is just plain awesome - the best hands down. Ergonomically, the thing is the perfect size and is just as hip as can be. I used X-Play software from Mediafour to use the iPod on WinXP and it ran w/o a hitch (only one song transfer error out of 700 test transfer MP3s). The iPod's v-card / Palm contact feataure is neat, but not necessary, but it's use as a hard drive is interesting and works well under X-Play. Downsides: the amplifier is weak - I used 108db sensitive headphones (about the most sensitive possible) and I still couldn't muster enough volume on more quiet classical and vocal tracks. Second, the EQ on the iPod is not as good as the NJB3 or Riot, despite the myriad of presets. I couldn't really establish the difference between them. Sound quality was just below the Riot, but barely noticeable sound "narrowing" became more prominent on complex or accoustically deep MP3s. Rechargeable batter worked fine, but that might diminish over time. No recording function, no radio function and $100 + more expensive than NJB3 and Riot for 10GB less space. For the non-audiophile, this is a sure-fire winner. But, if you're looking for the best sound, recording options, solid interface and expandability potential - the NJB3 is the MP3 player of choice. The sound is the best, period. 98 SNR becomes very noticeable across tracks when you start hearing details on the MP3 you didn't even hear on the CD. Creative specializes in digital sound products and it shows in the ton of preset EAX EQ functions - some are useless, some are amazing. My one complaint is that it lacks a user defined EQ to boost the bass when needed. Recording is top notch and easy. Batteries are replaceable and you get 22 hrs with 2 installed, so no worries about future performance issues. Firewire is key. Size is big - it's not the toaster-oven size that many iPod fans would have you believe, but it holds about 2/3 the footprint of a normal cd player. You can carry it around in your pocket (and do so much easier when the remote comes out soon). Interface is OK, but not as good as either the iPod or Riot, in my opinion. Software is OK, but not as good as MusicMatch (what is?). As a whole, you get your money's worth with the best sounding 20GB player for under $400.
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
IPod is much better
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Review: All of you making negative comments about the Ipod have probably never used one except in a Compusa. Creative doesn't even close to matching the iTunes/iPod setup for ease of use. The iPod is much smaller (fits in a shirt pocket)and exudes qulaity while the jukebox feels cheap, has crappy software, and is much more difficult to use than an iPod. Plus we all know how lousy Creatives support is. Thee's alot of anti apple/iPod comments here that are flat out untrue. There are alot of comments about the jukeboxes that are very negative as well. Hard to believe this is the best Creative could do after all this time. I am sure that is Apple made and Windows based iTunes and iPod it would easily outsell this Creative player. Using an iPod on Windows is still easier than using Creative. Also I doubt that many people need 20 gig for music.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The iPod has met its match...and lost!
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Review: The only area the iPod can claim over the Nomad Jukebox 3 is size. That's it. However, unlike the sour grapes rants of iPod owners jealously defending their precious iPods, the JB3 is hardly the monstrously cumbersome bulk they claim it is. In fact, it's slightly smaller and only a hair heavier than a portable CD player, so describing it as "not as portable as an iPod" is really a red herring. Besides, for the larger size you get about a dozen features conspicuously absent in the iPod. First of all, a 20GB hard drive, twice that of the iPod (with a 40GB version on the way, leaving the iPod even further behind). The JB3 can record directly to its hard drive in either .wav or .mp3 format. The audio is outstanding, stunningly clear even. The interface is intuitive and quick making menu navigation a breeze (I'd say it's at least as easy to operate as an iPod; no manual required!). PlayCenter is a bit of a drag to use but it does the job (third party software is in the works). Firewire transfers are extremely fast, so filling up that 20GB won't take you hours! USB is also included if you don't have a firewire card. There are a few quirks in the interface, mainly that you can't navigate by artist/album/song. You list all albums or all songs by a given artist, so it's a bit tricky finding what you want. Hopefully this will be fixed in a firmware update. Despite the few niggling criticisms, the Nomad Jukebox 3 is easily the best hard drive based MP3 player on the market. I highly recommend it!
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Forget About It
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Review: Very buggy ripping software. Crashes system repeatedly on Windows XP. Allows in-line recording but can't name items recorded in-line (eg off of cassettes)on software. Don't even think about getting through to tech support (2 hrs. long distance followed by disconnect).
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Don't Hesitate
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Review: This is a really good MP3 player. I like it a lot. The only bad thing is that it doesn't mount as a device in Windows, but all the others features compinsate.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
My dream walk-man
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Review: I'm a dj loving music and this tool really deserves attention! Big storage, great recording controls; portable.. Fully reprogammable interface, lot's of possibility's.. I LOVE IT!
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Too Bulky and Too Quiet
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Review: After reading a few reviews of the Noman Jukebox 3, I decided to go buy one while I'm waiting for my iPod to get fixed. Let me tell you, it sucks. First of all, the thing is very bulky for an MP3 player. The iPod, also, has some bulk to it, but nothing like the Nomad. Secondly, and most importantly to me, the Nomad's sound doesn't go very loud. When I took it with me on the Metro to work, it wasn't able to drown out the sounds on the train, which my iPod does quite easily. It's a major downside if you are flying, taking a train, or on a small boat. I'd suggest looking at the iPod or the Rio Riot.
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
20Gb is still small!
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Review: See, this is not the ideal solution. Other manufacturers are selling these kind of devices with the possibility that WE could choose the size of the HD.In my case, I need a 160Gb HD size to fit my collection.Why don't release a Jukebox in which we could install our own HD ??
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Bad size and interface
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Review: I'd pretty much agree with <b>jscotta</b> on everything but i think <b>CHRIS</b> works for the company!!!!
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Never buy it due to size
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Review: Comes with everything but the size and design is so dated; looking at it reminds of the late eighties when cd walkmans first came on the market. I'd never buy it due to the size.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Too big and less than spectacular interface
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Review: Still way to big to be considered truly portable it's bigger than my sony slim line CD player and I don't even bother to carry that around anymore. What's with the awkward CD player shape!!!! It's a hard drive based player so why the hell is it shaped like a goofy and hard to handle CD Player! Interface could be greatly improved not nearly as quick or intuitive as Apple's Ipod. display is also to small, buttons are also awkwardly arranged. However it is better than previous Jukebox interfaces. I don't really care that it holds 20 gigs worth of songs. Five or Six gigs is good and 10 os more than enough. Improving the interface and cutting the cost by using a smaller capacity drive would have been better!! Honestly if you can't find something to listen to with 5-10 gigs worth of Music then you seriously got some issues.
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The appearance
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Review: The appearance is not too good but the advantage is that there are so many function for us to use
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great Player, but not for live recording
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Review: I recently bought one of these units, and I am truely impressed. As far as playback of your music collection, there is nothing like it. However, one problem I did have is that it is not the best at live recordings. It is great to record from other audio devices like a tape player or CD player. But, with a microphone, the recording quality did not come near the quality of recording on a MD player. Bottom line, get the unit for your music collection. Don't get it if you are looking for something to do live recordings.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best I've Seen So Far
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Review: it's not bad...if u're an mp3 collector it's really the thing u'd want in your christmas stocking
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
IT costs way more than it is worth
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Review: it shouldn't be this expensive and should be 100$.....that's all i can say....when the price changes tell me at jzrit580@hotmail.com
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
great but lacks good software
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Review: The player is incredible except for a few VERY annoying points that can stop someone from buying. First, let me say the sound is INCREDIBLE! EAX comes in handy in so many different ways and the quality cannot be mached. The battery life is around 9 hours (!), but only if you use the tricks I list below [BE ORGINIZED!]. Now for the bad part. The worst is the non-standard filesystem that makes it unusable with Linux. Then, the Play Center crashes quite a bit and sometimes the transfer process hangs. On top of that, you have to be VERY orginized with your MP3's, make sure you have ID tags on all your mp3's (big pain for those of us using Napster or Audiogalaxy), and have a playlist ready for every listening mood you will ever be in. I have used almost all of the 20 Gigs and with over 2000 mp3's, the interface on the player is unusable unless you have your files orginized and every ID tag written. If you don't have playlists ready, be ready to waiste a lot of time loading tracks and lists AND waiste A LOT OF BATTERY! If you don't use your playists or use them ineffectively, the batter life comes down from about 9 hours to something like 4-5 hours. I have over 100 play lists made. Finally, be ready to completely wipe your Nomad and reload everything with the audiosync feature once in a while. There seems to be bugs in the nomad and/or playcenter that mess up your lists or make duplicate tracks, so a fresh sync is in order once in a while. Thats about it. Overall, I would recommend it if you are a very orginized person.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Way Too Expensive
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Review: As a reenager with minimum wage and a car to provide for i feel that the price is just way too expensive. As a frequent listener of music i enjoy products of good value and cababilities. MP3 howev er being one of the newest inovations to the music indusrty is understadably expencive but i think for something with the equivelant of a cd walkman is a bit pricey at nearly $400.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great On A Motorcycle
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Review: I bought this unit to have a take-along for my Harley Electra-Glide. unit is mounted to my gas tank with velcro, and patched via line-out into the factory stereo. Sound quality is excellent. Ergonomics on a moving motorcycle is an 8 out of 10 - menu's are easy to navigate, the only problems I have with htem are: 1 - multiple albums loaded per artist - does not give an album choice when sorting by artist & 2 - EAX environment settings - does not have a "none" setting for room environment (& certainly doesn't have a Harley setting either". PlayCenter software is OK for transferring data, and the FireWire interface IS blazing fast. For managing music and transfers, I found the "My Computer" browser a lot better then the internal list manager, as I have the 30,000 song titles (on a 500GB RAID 5 Array) pretty well organized already. The only REALLY SCARY thing is the NINTY DAY WARRANTY!!! On a $400 unit, with no extended warranty options from the manufacturer, I'm almost wishing I waited another month until my local CompUSA or Circuit City had it in stock, rather than having bought it direct from Creative. I haven't tried the recording or computer file transfer functions of the unit yet, as that wasn't my reason for purchasing it. It DOES perform well on the motorcycle. Overall - I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this unit for purchase.
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
A very shaky thumbs up...
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Review: I really wanted to love this thing - 20GB, firewire transfers, and Creative Labs sound quality - but I have to say that it didn't quite live up to my expectations. First of all, my unit was defective (the scroll button does not function properly). And the Creative PlayCenter software seemed to have a tough time recognizing all of the tracks on my player. Those problems aside (anyone can produce a lemon every now and then), I still have some gripes with the Nomad. The size is definitely an issue. I know it's supposedly smaller than previous versions, but it's still way too big and the shape is just way out of date. Why would you make an mp3 player the same shape as a CD player? It's just very awkward to hold and I can't even imagine trying to carry it on my hip. Next is the display. It's way too small for a unit this size - the display should be twice the size it is now (we could do without the changeable faceplates if that's what limits the screen size - I'm sure most of us will never bother to change faceplates). And the titles should definitely scroll no matter what menu you're in (the CNET review was not totally accurate in that respect - songs titles do scroll but you have to be in the "Playing Track" menu). Still, playlist titles do not scroll and that's definitely a negative. Finally, the UI is not very elegant. Navigating through the different menus is difficult and does not come naturally (most other players I've had are so easy to use that you don't even need to read the user's manuals to use them). The same hold true for the Creative PlayCenter software - it's awkward at best. On the plus side, the sound is absolutely incredible. All of my mp3 files are 128kbps (I wish they were higher but I started out like this and want to keep them all the same) and the sound is crisp with plenty of bass. I haven't even messed with the EQ settings yet but I still can't imagine a player producing better sound than this. And there's plenty of volume too (I like my music loud and I'm not disappointed at all). The file transfers are amazing. I remember how I used to think USB was so fast and I couldn't imagine anything being quicker than that - now I will never buy a player that doesn't have firewire (or something even faster if it exists at the time). Anyone who tells you that transfer speed doesn't matter is wrong or has never had firewire. First of all, the presence of firewire makes it much easier to change music often. Granted, 20GB is a lot of space and most of us will not run out of room on a device like this, but there are plenty of people who have way more than 20GB of mp3s. If so, it's a huge advantage to have firewire if you want to wipe your player clean and start all over again. Also, with the ability to store other types of files and do 2-way transfers, firewire is the only way to go (try offloading video files or a ton of mp3s using USB and you'll see what I mean). If you want to share your music collection with a buddy (yes you can do that with this player), it's quick and easy with firewire. The ability to make playlists on the fly is awesome as well - it really comes in handy on a player with so much storage capacity. If you're like me and tend to get sick of the same songs over and over, you can easily create different playlists to suit your mood. Or you can create a playlist of very eclectic music on the fly if you can't decide on what kind of music you're in the mood for. The battery life is great too. I only have one battery but I may invest in a 2nd for 22 hours of playing time! The batteries are really light too so it's not like they weigh the unit down. Other than that, the remote control option sounds great (although to the best of my knowledge it's not available as I'm writing this review), as does the FM radio option. A case would be nice but it's not a big deal to me since I won't be working out with this unit (my NEX II is perfect for working out). If you can deal with the size issue and just want a player that holds all or most of your music, this is the player for you. If you're looking for something that is truly portable and works with Windows out of the box (sorry iPod), keep looking or get a flash-based player. I'm sure the perfect mp3 player is coming but we haven't seen it yet.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
too big for todays technology
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Review: Althought it's capacity seems reasonable the size cannot be accepted. There are other mp3 players with hdd that are much smaller then this one.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
An excellent digital player devise
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Review: I have just got my Nomad III. Well is not that big and I dont care, if you want something smaller there is plenty about, but boy forget about size come down to the facts. !!!98db and it sounds crystal clear though get a better set of headphones, file transfer no point mentioning, recording wow!!! I have just use the optical line and ripped at 160kps the results are awesome, interface not bad if you organise well your id tags. I probably forgot a lot more but boy If you want more see it for yourself get one, you will not regret it, take my word. I am fussy about my gadgets and there is no fuss here...
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
1) Remotes! 2)CreativeLink
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Review: 1) I keep seeing posts about optional remotes. But I se nothing on the Creative site about these. 2) A CreativeLink port is mentioned too. But once again, Creative's web site SUCKS! No manuals or description of CreativeLink, whatever it is...
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
iPod Alternative? How about iPod's Pimp?
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Review: 20 gigs... and 40 gig model coming out soon?? record in real time mp3 & wav from analog or optical sources (good way to kill copyproof schemes 
. This alone kills the iPod along with firewall/usb connection. And while the iPod had great sound this player could double as perhaps a good home system with optional ir remote, 2/4 speaker support, 98s/n ratio... more good then bad considering this player's only real minus is the size. Other stuff i forgot to mention but read the reviews if you don't believe the hype. Hopefully santa will come early in june!!
. This alone kills the iPod along with firewall/usb connection. And while the iPod had great sound this player could double as perhaps a good home system with optional ir remote, 2/4 speaker support, 98s/n ratio... more good then bad considering this player's only real minus is the size. Other stuff i forgot to mention but read the reviews if you don't believe the hype. Hopefully santa will come early in june!! User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best Alternative To IPod
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Review: By far the best alternative to the IPod for all you people who have a gripe against Apple for whatever reason.
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Its good, but not enough
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Review: This looks to be a promising system. Yet its size seems to be a diss. Its too big and you dont really need 20 gig. I recommend either getting the Ipod 5 or 10 gig. or waiting till some company comes out with something at a good price and is built with quality. I really dont want to spend $400 on an mp3 that im not gonna like. Im happy with the Ipod or waiting. I wouldnt suggest this the least bit, go with something good, like everyone else
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The Worst
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Review: I rated this all the best and yet the title is the worst. What is wrong with me. I havent even used this thing. Weird...
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
No REMOTE! / no on-line manuals
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Review: Looks like a winner all the way, except for: 1. No remote control 2. It has an IR Port, which presumably might have a use, which is not discussed anywhere on Creativelabs.com other than to say it has one. I would like to see an RF remote which duplicates the display and controls of the unit. That way I control it anywhere in the house or car, without having to actually fiddle with the machine itself. Nice effort though.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
More than worth the cost
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Review: The Nomad Jukebox 3 is very user friendly. It took only 15 minutes from the time I opened the package until it was up and running and I was comfortably navigating the OS. With SB1394 I transferred my music database,almost 1,000 Mp3's, in half an hour. Very battery efficient, 22 hours with 2 batteries. I have only had to recharge it once. I highly recommend it.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The audio quality is superb!
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Review: 98 dB SNR is outstanding, better than my CD player. If I remember someone telling me that they measured the SNR for the iPOD only at 90 dB.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The iPod Has Met It's Demise
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Review: Alright, i'm going to try to address some of the issues people have been yelling at each other about here. After reviewing the specifications on both sides, it is clear that the Jukebox comes out on top. Apple users, keep reading, and you will see what I mean. First of all, don't buy a jukebox if you plan on running a 20k marathon. So mac addicts who boast the size is so important, take a look at the dozens of extra features the nomad has that put the iPod to shame. Can the iPod record(encode to mp3 ON THE FLY at 320kbps? I think not. Does the iPod have a 98 decibel signal-to-noise ratio, for crystal clear sound? Nope. (nobody knows what the SNR is for the iPod, btw). And here's a big one. The iPod can ONLY recharge it's BUILT IN battery (cannot be removed by user) while it's connected to your mac via FireWire. The Jukebox has an 11 hour Lithium Ion battery, (which already beats the iPod's 10 hour Lithium Polymer battery) plus the Jukebox can hold a SECOND battery, upping the battery life to 22 hours. It can recharge anywhere where there is a standard electrical socket. Besides these, the Jukebox matches all the iPod's main features: Scrollwheel, FireWire, and user Interface. With all the features of the iPod, Twice as much battery life rechargeable ANYWHERE, and Three Times the hard drive space as the Apple 5 Gig, (which is $400 while the Jukebox is $350, and the 10 Gig iPod is $500 which is $150 more than the Jukebox and twice as less space), how can you say the iPod has the advantage? You can't.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
all this music?
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Review: which other MP3 player allows you to take so much music everywhere?The geat hard-disk capacity means that you can saved high-quality file (160/192kbps)!!!!!!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Be Afraid
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Review: Well All I have to say is that the IPOD fanboys who have been posting here should really be afraid! The Nomad Records, Sound quality is SOOO much batter than Ipod. I own a Nomad 3 . I find it amazing it took this long to come out with a player that had replaceable batteries! and not one but 2!! And its not that BIG as people would lead you to believe. Its smaller than a portable CD Player.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
20 GB with much improved battery life!!!
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Review: The interface is still not great, but much improved over the previous jukebox, and the battery life is FINALLY respectable (the old one got MAYBE 2 hours out of its batteries). A little too expensive; hope they offer a 10GB model soon. . .
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Too Big, too slow.
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Review: I keep going back to CompUSA, hoping that the Nomad won't be as big as I remembered. The 20GB capacity is nice, but this thing is just too big for me to carry around. I'm also amazed at how long it takes to spin up. Overall I like the Rio and Ipod better, mostly because of the small size and easy interface.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
This is a great experience!
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Review: After 4 previous attempts to move from a CD player to an MP3, I finally found it! Forget about buying 2 or 3 or 4 CF cards or SD cards or MM cards or whatever. This 20GB pig gobbles up everything!!!! Being a geek, of course I don't read directions, let alone viewing interactive manuals, but after 15 minutes on my laptop XP machine with an Adaptec "FireConnect" PcCard I got up and running in 10 minutes and downloaded 466 tracks in less than 5 minutes! Although I'm sure I would have been cursing with a USB connection. I still have 17+GB of free space left. I never dreamed I could load so many of my favorite Albums onto 1 device. The interface is very easy to use as long as you know how to properly label your mp3's b4 downloading. I haven't tried an iPod (of course I haven't even seen one at retail), but I don't care anymore. This is one geek toy that will stay by my side. The PlayCenter's Autsync feature works without a hitch. All in all, a complete package. I would suggest that you get one as soon as you can and HAVE FUN!!!
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The iPod still wins hands down.
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Review: I am happy to spend a little extra cash on an iPod and get an Overall better player then the Jukebox3. First it is too big. Second the interface is too troublesome. If they could simplify the interface and make it smaller and sleek then they may have something worth while. So foe now the iPod still wins hands down.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
High Capacity goood....
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Review: Interface baaaad. Very good connection options if you prefer capacity to pocket-size. Very good option for PC users.
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Too big, too ugly, too heavy
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Review: Creative Labs has got to be kidding with this thing! This thing is huge and heavy compared to an iPod. Why can't they make something as stylish, sleek and small as the iPod. I want something that fits in a pocket not in a backpack!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best audio quality for the money
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Review: I use to use the old Nomad Jukebox (original 6GB) for my whole CD collection - all 100% quality VBR for lossless CD quality yet with MP3 compression. The sound quality of it was great but now I'm amazed with the codec quality of the new model. Plus the new EQ is even better. I remember talking to a Creative customer rep that visits a local Future Shop store with a monthly display and suggested to him some features I'd like to see in the next Jukebox and was pleased to learn that some of them were implemented in the Jukebox 3. I find the search tool is very easy to use and because I'm careful to categorize all my music, I don't have any problems finding anything in particular. I've heard the Archos 20GB Recorder Jukebox and can say that the hardware codec quality isn't any better than the original Nomad Jukebox, but pales in comparison to the 98db quality of the Jukebox 3. I even tested it using a buddies professional 24-bit 120db SNR 96khz sound card and it showed more noise from the Archos (which he has, unfortunately for him). I could really care less about the use as a portable hard drive. If I wanted one, I'd get one. But I'd like to see the support for Windows Media Player 7/8 (I use 8) so that when songs are transferred, they are catagorized by their ID3 tag like they are from Playcenter. They didn't seem to fix that since the original NJB. They always just come up as "unknown artist/album" on the Jukebox. As a side note, I also expect Microsoft to come out with a VBR audio codec in the forthcoming Windows Media "Corona" as it's been far too long for Microsoft NOT to have one out by now. I would like to be able to use Windows Media Player only with a WMA setting for 100% quality VBR like I have for MP3. Also, here's a question for anybody to answer: Why don't any of the third-party MP3 add-on codecs for Windows Media Player 8 (for XP) support VBR? Here's another one for Creative: Why only put in USB 1.1 support, why not USB 2.0 since it is now standard on most NEW motherboards? (The same question could be asked for the Sound Blaster Extigy)
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great for trips
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Review: I bought this thing so that I could take my whole music collection with me on business trips. Nice support for all types of media. The only thing I don't like is the creative playcenter software that comes with the player was not meant for people that already have 20GB of music ripped. Its import feature is VERY poor.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
iPod killer...Please
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Review: So it hold more music than the iPod...so what. Do you need more than 4 days of music with you at once? It is huge and won't fit into a shirt pocket. At least it has Firewire, but without a scollwheel, how do you find a song you want quickly? Plus no contacts or Pong!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Won't win fashion awards but it's the best :P
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Review: Only negative(s)- The size and shape of this player. With the transfer & navigation questionable I could care less about all of the "ooh it's too big and bulky!! iPod is smaller and prettier!! Archos is prettier!!" Thats like saying the miata is better then a Navigator because it's smaller :P. Wireless & wired remotes for my driving and too many features to list i could care less about size and with 20 Gigs, who cares about transfer speed?? And don't get me started on the sound :P
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best combination of features!
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Review: Got mine yesterday and have been transferring songs over from my PC. Wow, the xfer speed is FAST! Awesome to have 1394. Played ALL day with the battery charged, still has juice left. I can't be happier. Audio quality is good.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Who cares, I love mine
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Review: I finally received my NM III today in the mail, and for my needs this product rocks. I love the fact that it included Firewire support, although I am curious why they did not also include USB 2. It is amazing how fast the transfer rate is. As far as the other negative opinions, well some of the other issues raised are valid in my perspective, specifically that crappy software Creative packages with its product. I absolutely hate it. In fact I use Easy CD to burn and Music Match to transfer my playlists. Why Creative does not have an auto jukebox feature is puzzling. I never intended this to be as portable as, for example an IPOD, so the size argument does not apply to me. I too, waited, and waited, and waited, hoping Apple would release a PC version of IPOD, I mean come on, they are cool. I just got tired of waiting. For running and working out I used my Nomad MG, which still plays very nicely.
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Freaks
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Review: who the f*** would choose this over the iPod? f***in freaks. iPod rulz 4ever. any fat 40-yr old freaks dont respond to this letter cause your opinion doesn't matter
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best Hard Drive MP3 Player Out There
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Review: The Jukebox 3 is a grest MP3 Player. But it is somewhat bulky. It can hold 20GB of music and has both USB & FireWire connections. The firmware that comes with is ok. Overall the Jukebox 3 is the best Hard Drive MP3 Player out there.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Setting Standards - Left and Right
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Review: This Mp3 player has set the standards in so many areas for all Hard Drive Mp3 players. First of all, space: 20 GB is massive. Sure, the size is going to double and triple in the near future, but for now this is a great storage capacity. You can probably fit your whole music collection in it. Secondly, features: No, I do not have my NMJB yet, but it is on backorder, but I still do know the features. I don't want to make this too long so I am not going to list all of them, but, there is a search engine built in to find songs, you can record from about any source into WAV or Mp3 format, there is a scroll wheel, FIREWIRE AND USB(that is amazing!), attractive looking(especially the backlight), can be used as a portable hard drive, and much much more. So, if you are in the market and want an Mp3 player that can hold your whole music collection, and is easy to use with many features, GO WITH THE NOMAD JUKEBOX 3!!!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
You want quality and features? Buy a Jukebox 3!
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Review: I've been following this since its inception and I have to say that the Jukebox 3 is the best mp3 player out there. I have Creative's previous version, the 20GB Nomad Jukebox, and am happy to see that the new Jukebox 3 has addressed all the things I wanted fixed: battery life, speed of file transfer, normalizing volume etc. I actually like the look of my Jukebox better, but both units are definately more attractive and interesting compared to Apple's IPod. Sure, it is bigger, but it's never bothered me with the original Jukebox. Having the extra features, recording capabilities, better control over functions (more buttons) is well worth the extra bulk. I'm laughing at a comment made about scrolling through 20GB of music. These people don't have a clue. The Jukebox (mine included) has advanced search features. I can look up songs by artist, album, genre or playlist in mere seconds AND I'm able to create playlists on the fly. As for roominess, 20GB is great, and more space is welcomed. My 12GB collection fits nicely, and I've even encoded my mp3's at 56kbit instead of 128 or 320 like some people - a size vs. quality decision. The audio quality is better at 128, so I'm not doing that any more. But the point is that the extra space is handy coupled with its ability to transfer ANY file type. I can pump my DivX movies on it and transfer at a friend's place (SB1394 will rock!). Great stuff! Add to that a remote control (yes, I know it's an extra accessory), customizable logos, and extra battery, this unit has the market cornered. It's not cheap, but what would you expect from a product with this many features and real quality to back it up? It's definately a good investment. I don't regret buying my Jukebox '1' with the obvious exception that there are always better things in the future. One thing that I haven't been able to get much info on is the remote. Does anyone know if it will be compatible with the other Nomad Jukeboxes? 20, 10 and/or 6GB? They all have an IR sensor on the front and there's always firmware to upgrade...
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Is it out yet?
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Review: Owner of the original Nomad Jukebox 6GB, I'm of course going to purchase this product, but it isnt out yet, is it? Creative isnt even selling it on their site (although it doesnt stop them from promoting the heck out of it). Is it out? Where is it? The sites listed have zero in stock.. they never did. I see people here commenting on it, how are they getting it? It's not out as of this date. Maybe I'm confused?
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
More features & more flexible than IPod
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Review: While an IPod may be stylish, sleek or even sexy, like most trendy things, it is seriously lacking in substance. In fact, the IPod vs. Nomad debate closely parallels the PC vs. MAC debate: If you don't mind wearing a straightjacket, don't mind being spoonfed, and your concept of how to use a personal computer (mp3 player) doesn't deviate from Apple's idea of how you should use it, then go ahead and get a Mac (IPod). On the other hand, if you want more freedom, can assimilate technology on your own, and especially if you have your own concept of what you want to do with that technology, then I suggest you get yourself a PC (Nomad Jukebox 3). The NJ3 has several notable advantages over the IPod, as well as the Archos line: Capacity - far more capacity than the IPod's measly 5 Gig. Of course you can upgrade the IPod to a higher capacity by replacing the harddrive yourself, but do you really want to void your warranty before it expires? Can you really handle the tricky non-standard disk formatting that will be required? (Forget f-disk.) Recording - Plug in a decent microphone, and record hours and hours of live music (concert), or a lecture (class notes), or even your grandfather singing dirty songs in his native tongue. The NJ3 can record in EITHER wav or mp3 format. With wav, you can choose the sampling rate, and with mp3 you can choose the compression bit-rate. I suggest you record in wav format and later compress to mp3 or your favorite format (ogg, etc.) with your favorite compressor (lame, etc.) It also includes an OPTICAL input. IMPORTANT NOTE: THESE FEATURES GIVE YOU MORE CONTROL!! The Archos positively sucks when it comes to recording flexibility. Lastly, PC compatability, and the ability to upload to any computer (not just the same one you downloaded from) set the NJ3 apart from the pack. (Think portable harddrive.) Many new computers have 1394 nowadays (practically all Dell laptops do), or you can get a 1394 PCI card for pennies. USB2, while promising, isn't nearly as ubiquitous yet. Besides, 1394 is the standard now for digital video cameras. So kill two birds with one stone and get into digital video editing on your home computer as well as having the best MP3 player. Yes, the NJ3 has some shortcomings: the software is so-so (free/shareware third party programs are available that mount the NJ3 as a drive in windows explorer - visit nomadness.net for more info.) Also, it is bigger than an IPod, but it is significantly smaller than the previous Jukebox. Besides, to quote from SNL, "Big is the new small." Forget about the IPod. Do you want an MP3 player that merely says "I'm cool", or do you want one that isn't hampered by other people's ideas of how you should use it? The NJ3 is more flexible and ultimately, more USEABLE. Forget the Archos with the video screen. Great idea, poorly executed. The second or third generation portable video devices will be far superior. As far as waiting goes, you might consider waiting a little while until the price goes down, but as far as waiting for the next best thing, that's sort of pointless. If you wait long enough, I hear they're going to have contact lenses which can store the entire contents of the Library of Congress, project any text or image directly onto your retina and uses AI to choose the most appropriate sound recording for accompaniment, and it does this all for free. The question is, can you wait that long?
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
get facts straight
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Review: I do not own this unit, but I am responding to all the posts so far. First of all, the Nomad 3 sounds quite impressive with all of its features. Its SN ratio would make one think it'd have great sound - too bad the headphones that come with it are reportedly mediocre. But let's get some facts straight - I hate all these one-side statements that disregard the facts. First, the price of the Nomad is about average for the market....but people are raving how it's so cheap considering it comes with all these great things - don't forget the fact that some of these things are EXPENSIVE accessories and not standard! The extra battery to get 22 hour playtime, the wired remote with the recorder/FM tuner are options! Add all these into the picture, and the 'bargain' isn't a such a bargain. Second issue: size. Stop comparing the iPOD with this unit...they are two totally different products, each with its advantages/disadvantages and each suited for different people. If you just want a player, that can hold most of your collection, is relatively portable, then choose the iPOD...or better yet choose the HanGo PJB (the original, remember them?). If you want something with more features and don't care so much about easy portability, then choose the Nomad 3 (or better yet wait for the next Archos....Video screen folks!). I've been doing a lot of research on the different MP3 players like many out there. Basically I've narrowed it down to these products (all taken from reading people's reports): for true portability for short trips, choose a flash/memory-based system - tons to choose from (I did not really research this area because I wanted a true jukebox). As for jukeboxes, these seem to be the top players currently: iPOD, Archos, Nomad 3, and the HanGo PJB. Archos is relatively small, has questionable aesthetics, has good features...but quality and user interface have been criticized. The iPOD is small, cute, with adequate sound, but severely limited to Mac platform. Nomad 3 is impressive with its features, but size is a major drawback. And the HanGo PJB, in my opinion is a middle ground between the iPOD and the Nomad 3...is smaller than Nomad, but larger than iPOD, with reportedly great sound and comes with an impressive headset. User interface for the PJB is supposedly good and easy to use. So for those in the market for an MP3 player, decide what you want in terms of size, portability, sound quality, features and price. And don't forget to include the cost of all the accessories!
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
20 GB and Great Sound
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Review: This is THE best Mp3 player out there right now. I dont care if it is A LITTLE bigger than the Ipod, it has twice the storage, and it has many more features. I did not give the support a 5 because i dont know about it, but i didnt want to give it a low score because of the lack of knowledge in that area that i have. Anyways, to help the consumers that are reading this; BUY IT NOW. It is cheaper than the IPod, and it beats it in every single area except for size, but it isnt even that big.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great with Some Resevations
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Review: Nomad 3 indicate there is a reason for a new release basically the same MP3 player with a different color and firewire. Firewire = Great Color=Whatever No Case = Bad Size = Heavy Support = Bad (as usual) If you want to put out a new product Put a Bigger HD in it call it Nomad 3 for 30 Gigs put a better version of playcenter out that dosen't crash, a Nice waist belt for mowing the yard would be a huge pop.
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
I like the fact that it carries fire wire capabilities for fast processing of music files
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Review: I like it but it is a bit to expensive for me maybe in a year when the price goes down a bit i will buy one.Love that fire wire and storage capability.The fact that the interface is so well organized makes it a class above the rest.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
iPod or Jukebox? Jukebox3
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Review: I got one, finally! It seems smaller than the previous Jukebox and it looks so much more sleeker. It holds 20 full gigs of music? Incredible! I have about 11 gigs at present and I know I can fill that in a heart beat. The firewire is an absolutely AWESOME thing Creative could have done. I downloaded music to it, via the firewire (or as Creative likes to call it, SB1394), and it sent my music at almost 1 song per second!! Holy Smokes! Speaking of smoking... the iPod? Give me a break! Creative's new Jukebox 3 will be smoking iPods at a fast pace. Get one!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The Nomad Jukebox line of products is a relaiable, durable, quality machine.
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Review: I cannot wait until the Nomad Jukebox 3 is released. I have had a Nomad Jukebox for 9 months and use it every day. It runs great, sounds great.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Not worth it... Get Archos MP3 Player instead.
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Review: Despite CNETs praises this unit is not really worth buying when you compare it with the Archnos Jukebox Recorder 2.0 and the older Creative Labs (CL) Nomad Jukebox. First of all the Jukebox 3 is about the same size as the former Jukebox (123x130x35mm vs. 127x140x38mm, respectively), so it is still bulky to walk around with. The Archnos dimensions are 115x83x34mm. Second, the Jukebox 3 only has USB 1.1 and SB1394. The Archnos is USB 2.0, which is also USB 1.1 compliant. To put this in perspective USB 2.0 is 480 Mbits/sec, USB 1.1 is only 12 Mbits/sec and SB1394 is about 400 Mbits/sec. This is all peak performance, of course. I transferred over 1.2 GB of MP3s under 5 minutes with the Archnos MP3 Player. Finally, The CL Jukebox 3 still not recognized as a hard drive compared to Archnos which is. You have to use CLs add on software to transfer non-music files. I would only give the Jukebox 3 a 6.5 out of 10 rating. I would recommend that you do some of your own research and read some other reviews from different sites before making your final purchasing decision.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Um, THIS is about the CLNJ3 not the Ipod
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Review: I just find it funny that everyone here seems to mention the iPod as much as the the actual product they are to be reviewing. Where are the Riot comaprisons, for example? The Nomad looks great but kudos to Apple for capturing the public's imagination. Even PC users are all about that Apple buzz...and good or bad- that is what you end up paying for...
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Dog Gone best product there is
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Review: This is one of the best MP3 players on the Market. With the increesed size, PLUS, the Optical In this beats the pants off all other MP3 players. The addition of High Speed 1394 I can now transfer my entire MP3 collection in a matter of minutes
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Disinformation
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Review: Its amazing the fabrications you see in this forum. Kurt H.'s comments about having to purchase software upgrades are not true with respect to at least one Creative product Im familiar with. I have a Nomad II MG and recently upgraded my OS to XP. Although it took Creative a while (and they originally said you would have to pay a small fee for handling to get the XP drivers)they eventually posted them on their website and they work fine. NO, I did not have to pay one penny to get the latest drivers. They also issued a free firmware upgrade when 128 mb smart cards became available.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great player and recorder!
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Review: 22 hours of playtime is just awesome, I don't have to carry a charger with me on my trip, one less thing to carry.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Promising, But....
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Review: The features and storage look good. However, the use of dedicated software instead of the standard external hard drive visible in Explorer looks like a nuisance. Also, if the unit is that large, they should have stuck with standard AA NiMHs. So what if they don't last as long -- it's easy enough to carry a few extra batteries. Unless the device is simply too small to accomodate standard batteries (obviously not the case here), it smells like an attempt to sell their proprietary brand.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Unrivaled Audio Features
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Review: Audiophile sound quality, fast transfer of files using SB1394, Advanced battery life up to 22 hours, Quick scroll navigation, etc.....
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Second Opinion
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Review: Anyone looking for a second opinion on the Nomad Jukebox 3 should check out this review: http://gear.ign.com/articles/357/357805p1.html It includes side-by-side pictures of the Jukebox 3 and Ipod. Tom (Mr. "the jukebox 3 is rubbish") are you the Ipod design engineer? This is a consumer forum for people looking for objective guidance. Do you have any constructive criticism?
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
I CAN'T TO GET ONE
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Review: I current have a Jukebox 6g, it is great a little big but I have 1500 songs on it. I also have a Sound blaster platimum sound card an with the both I never turn on my stereo. I can play any song both at home and on the road just by reading a menu. I am look forward to the new one only because of the extended playing time. The down load time is not a consideration since you only load songs once. Also Creative labs has excellent support and responded to my e-mails.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The spec sounds dynomite!
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Review: I am mostly concerned with how the mp3 player sounds... This seems to be the best out there.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Good stuff eh?
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Review: Ipod? HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Jukebox 3 out rank Ipod by 9 out of 10
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Review: Well it's no surprise a lot of mac user are just upset that they are paying for more and still getting less for a ipod, well not me jukebox 3 rules!!! and coming soon 40gig, 60gig for a lot less than ipod. Bigger is better jukebox 3
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
FANBOY IPOD OWNERS ARE AFRAID!!
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Review: Well looks as if the glowing reviews are being swayed by Fanboy IPOD owners. This Unit looks as if it has it all. And works with a PC!. Plus its as small as a CD...Its small. it has a 20GB HD and runs up to 20hrs and HAS batteries that come out....!! How great is that!
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The truth about it's size
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Review: Ok...here's the specs. The Nomad Jukebox 3 is basically the size of the new Sony CD Walkman. (i own one) Sony weighing in at .4 lbs and the jukebox at .6 lbs. (yes i did the conversions) And the jukebox is roughly the same size, just a different shape. For those of us who carry CD players around...this is a huge jump! If you carry a CD player around...well this is basically the same thing except for the fact that it can hold a huge CD collection inside of it. For that fact alone, it total blows away most of its competition.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The best for your money!
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Cons:
Review: NJB3 is the best invesment in portable music player you can have! You got everything: Sound, Space, Good Navigation (scroller is a great feature), recording (in mp3 and wav from both analog and digital), good battery life, 5.1 sound output, FireWire....what else do you need?? The only significant drawback is the size. Go buy one!
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best features one can get from a MP3 player.
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Review: JB 3 really hit a home run this round. The interface has improved greatly, it serves as an external storage like the ipod and with 20 Gb hard disk - who's complaining? I've got both the JB 1 & 2, they keep getting better, hey, I'm really starting a family of JB. Not only are they good for music on-the-go, they are indispensable for long drive on holidays with the car-kit.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
looks like a winner
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Review: If you are A big music fan as I am I think this is a great way to spend your money all be it to much money. but still a great mp3 player
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
good, but still can't top iPod
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Review: I concede, I've just purchased an iPod for my mac and couldnt be happier. for a pc user, this is a nice tool, but it still leaves room for improvement till it can be deemed of equal level to an ipod. it doesnt have brekout! its not as small, but it does hold more. pc users will probably need to go get a firewire card to make the transfers go fast, but even then you dont have the seamless integration like that of iPod with iTunes. overall, if your a pc user your choices just got better. if your a mac user, stick with iPod. also for pc users, try a mac in os X, you may be surprised
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
one of the ipod killer
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Review: comeon mac fanatic, can you be more open to accept the reality? The Jukebox 3 has tons of new features that ipod doesn't have. If u wanna stay in ur cave while others move on, it up to u!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
value for your $$$
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Review: Nomad Jukebox 3 worth your $$$ with all the features. ipod has no way to compete with the NJB feature-to-feature...it just sucks in term of value for your $$$
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Yes There's Windows iPod Software
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Review: Check out www.versiontracker.com and search for EphPod. There's others as well. Personally I say buy a mac.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Not Mac Compatible?
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Review: My friend has a Nomad Jukebox3, and it's awesome, and I want one so bad I can taste it. There's just one problem, I am a loyal macintosh owner, and I noticed that it doesn't list the Mac OS in the Minimum system requirements on the Specs page. Does anyone have any info on this? I almost feel like this is a little pay back for the way Apple is not releasing the iPod to PC users. Can anyone tell me if and when I will be able to use the Nomad Jukebox 3 on my Mac. Come on Creative, don't be like Apple!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
If only Apple would listen.
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Review: 1. This has come at the right time, with the right features for PC users. 2. This is the only real solution that competes with the iPod. IF Apple had listened and Steve Jobs had got his head out of his a$$ and released the iPod with full PC support then they would have walked away with this market a long time ago. 3. Creative Labs has reworked and revamped the Jukebox and has produced what has to be the best Jukebox player out there. No other player out there has all the features this thing does. 4. I do not have this device, yet, but I have been doing more research on these devices before I buy one then most people do when they are buying a house or a car. This one is the best for the money. NOTE: If Apple had EVER released software for the iPod on the PC then the Apple-ites would have something to crone about. But, and let me say this slowly, they did not. And thus alienated 92% of the PC market. This was a FAILED attempt to manipulate people to buy more Macs.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Ratings based on what i've heard . . .
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Review: Do any of you guys actually have the NJB3? If you do, pls tell me where you got it. It looks amazing (except for the size of course, but what can you expect with all those features?) If any of you do have it, can you tell me about the user interface. I've heard some stuff about it, but I'd like to hear it from someone who owns it and was wondering how the navigation works? Pls e-mail me if you have any info, thx
User Rating:
0.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great Product Bad Company
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Review: Rmember all Creative Software comes preload with spyware. Also creative does not include version upgrades as part of their support. If you are on version 3 and want to go to 4 you have to buy the sofware. You can not even download the software from their site you must have the CD. BEWARE
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Creative just don't understand the concept of evolution...
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Review: The size of this thing is ample - as was the previous jukebox [20GB version]. However, the big issue is "portability" as with any portable device - and here is where creative lose out. The device just doesn't compare to the likes of the i-pod, which wins out on size and durability
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The best value you can get
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Review: What are you looking for from a player? Audiophile sound-Recording in various birates-huge space-easy navigation-5.1system-battery life-Firewire&USB? You can get all of this from NJ3! It does bigger than iPod, but will you jog with iPod? iPod won only its size! Nomad Jukebox 3 is the ALL around winner!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Outstanding combination of features!
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Review: Plays MP3 and WMA. Records in WAV or Real-Time Encode the input (Analog or Optical) in MP3! All the various EAX effects. Output either to headphone or speakers (4). USB & Firewire plus many more ... This thing has a bundle of features. I have a Nomad Jukebox now, I am definitely going to upgrade to the Nomad Jukebox 3!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
it could be 40 GB ;)
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Review: It's better than the "old" (6GB) Nomad, so it can only be great, right? I need to get my paws on this... NOW!
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Amazing Improvement
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Review: This is a huge leap improvement over previous jukeboxes. The ability of recording in DAT quality, 98dB, battery life, and the new scroller!, etc are features that will make this THE king. It will not only grabs some memory based user, but also MD users as well!
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
High capacity good, bad interface and size
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Review: The 20GB capacity is very nice. Room for lots of my stuff. But the interface makes getting to that stuff difficult and thus I hate using it. Plus, It's size is too big. I though I could get around that. I should have remembered why I never carried around my old CD-Player (same size)....too big.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
looks to be a bloody great product.
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Review: mate this little blue boomer is going to turn some heads its just going to rock.if you got the cash get the product!!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Looks good..
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Review: Honestly, I have never seen the device, so I wouldn't know how this device would work but I think it's great that you can put not only but two battery packs! I am a happy owner of Riot but I am kind of envious that you can even change the batteries when it wear out. You know Riot and iPod don't let you do that. These battery will wear out eventually not allowing you to use its full capacity. The playing time will shorten as the battery ages..10hrs, 7hrs, 5hrs, 4hrs, 3hrs and dead! :< Nice going Creatives..
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Poor Design
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Review: Whoever design this needs to be fired. The design is old. Where is the ease of use.Enjoy yours I will be enjoying my i-Pod.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Humorous negative ratings and comments
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Review: I love all of these uninformed, inarticulate responses. Any chance there is some blind loyalty going on here? Buttons too small … you can find better features elsewhere…classic!
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Poor Navaigation Way!
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Review: How can I browser my 20GB songs via these small buttons? It could become a Nightmare! Creative is still far behind Apple.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Not comparable to iPod
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Review: This looks like a fine product, but i think it is wrong to compare to the iPod, because size really matters in these players.I may buy one of these because its recording abilities (I have a lot of vinyl records). But I am sure that my iPod is the player I would carry with me. Before I got the iPod I had a MP3 capable portable CD-player. Now this feels really bulky and I never use it. I must also say that I am surprised over all the strong feelings expressed here over which player is best, mostly from people which never owned an iPod.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Antique version of the iPod
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Review: Nowhere as slick as the iPod. It may look like a regular CD player, but it weighs a lot more. Definitely useless for sporting activities.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
It's 20 Gigs
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Review: Yes, it's heavy to carry. Yes, it's freezes up sometimes, but what computer doesn't? The point is..it's 20 gigs. The software is easy to use and I don't need a MAC to use it. Battery life could be better.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Is this a consumer forum?
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Review: Readers should disregard the outright fabrications ("lies") posted already in this thread by the Ipod taliban, like "I've already returned a Jukebox 3 in favor of an Ipod." Check the on-line stores - the Jukebox 3 isnt even shipping yet! I value the CNet threads and wish posts clearly flacking for a consumer product (I hope those flacking at least own stock in the company, and do not simply own the product) would be vetted. I've seen most of the products here up close and the Ipod is slick, the Rio Riot is clunky and the Archos is heavy and has a poor design aesthetic. None of these players have the feature and option set of the Jukebox 3. Many consumers will not need all the features of the Jukebox 3 and will consider size or price to be more important. Forums like this should help consumers identify what is important to them based on other's experience, and shouldnt be a venue for disinformation.
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
It's no iPod
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Review: I have used both this and the Apple iPod and they do not compare in terms of quailty or features...the iPod wins. Spend your money on the Apple. But the Nomad is a close second.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
You'll Never need that much space?
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Review: Previous comment by a user:<BR><BR> "Why should I carry something like this around with me just to have an extra 10 gigs over the iPod. Seriously, 5 or 10 gigs is plenty of space to store everything I could possibly want to listen to." <BR><BR> That is very short sighted. That sounds like some of the same comments people used to make a few years back when refering to the pc. I can just imagine people saying, wow 400mb, you will never even need all that space. What a joke, you always need space. What if you recorded your songs all at 320kbps? All of the songs would now average 10-12mb each. The space comes in very handy. This is a great system. It is only a matter of time before someone incorporates some of the newer 80 and 120 GB hard drives and makes a bigger player.
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Bulky,bad interface,a poor design
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Review: I tried this out but ended up returning it to the store. I liked the big drive, but it's so kludgy and clunky that I ended up switching to an iPod instead. Yum! NOW I'm happy!
User Rating:
3.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Form sucks ... get with the times
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Review: 20Gig harddrive in a 5" square package with 1.5" is not exactly ground breaking when compared to the iPod or the Archos. How much oohs and aahs will go get with this square pancake box?
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The yardstick
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Review: The Nomad 3 is the yardstick by which other MP3 players will be measured due to its comprehensive feature and option set. Sorry, the Ipod simply cant compete with, e.g., on-board on-the-fly encoding, available FM tuner, second battery, docking station, wireless remote. Which other player has all of these options? I like the Ipod, but I think the size issue is overstated for one simple reason. I haven't seen any expert recommend jogging with a hard-drive based player due to the possibility for damage. That being the case, most exercising MP3 afficionados will have a flash player based system that is as portable as the Ipod. If thats the case, then a second MP3 player need not be small (you already have a small one) but should be feature rich, e.g., easily plugged into a stereo system at a buddy's home. It seems to me that Apple needs to up the content and lower the price if it wants to stay in the game.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Hands-down the best!
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Review: More features, more space, better construction and real-world reliability than those other players that aren't as good a value as they look, and cheaper anyway! Don't just say you think differently, prove it.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
about its size
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Review: Well I just wanted to make some points about its size for now. So what if its big? Personally I don't jog or run, I walk or take the bus/subway. I don't need it too be super light or small, just as long as i can cram it into my jacket pocket or bag i'm fine with its size. Secondly how stupid can you be to run with a 400 dollar piece of equipment clip to your belt? Your far more likely to fall (or have it fall off you)while running then while sitting on the bus or walking down the street. If you want something to exercise with, get a cheapo MP3 player, not Hard Drive based MP3 player that puts a nice dent in you wallet.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
More Features, Better Software, More Storage
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Review: This is simply the best MP3 Jukebox available right now. With a twenty-gig hard-drive, it doubles the capacity of the Ipod (for about 100 bux less). Secondly, it has the most accesories, such as a wireless remote, wired remote with LCD and FM Tuner, extra batteries, faceplates etc. With both batteries, the life of the player can last 22 hours with one charge. It's design is quite attractive, and it's smaller than a cd player. What more could you want?
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
ONE OF THE BEST MP3 PLAYERS EVER MADE
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Review: This is one of the best mp3 players i have seen. I have always bee loyal to rio and their products until now. This is overall a better product than the rio riot and I suggest if you are buying a hard-disk drive mp3 player, I say this one should be your number one choice.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
good effort
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Review: cmon mac people, at least be open about this. i mean, i would love to snag an ipod for pc over the nomad, but right now there arent many options for pc. besides, the big bonus is the syncing across any computer, as well as the dae...which ipod doesnt provide. dont bash it just because its not a mac
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
goodbye ipod
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Review: The ipod has meet its worst nightmare and lost. Ipod +'s Small size Nomad 3+'s 20 gig hard drive, cheaper than the ipod and has twice the amount of storage. USB &1394 (firewire) And the winner is..... Nomad 3 Why pay more for less. Ipod is 400 for a 10 gig hd and a nomad 3 is 350 for a 20 gig hard drive, 98db, If you have music and lots of it and like having the latest technology go with the nomad 3. If you like buying yesterdays technolgy go with the overpriced ipod. And nomad 3 has a 22 hour battery Siddown apple
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Best MP3 player ever made
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Review: I have been following this thing from the early rumors to the final release and all the miniscule details, and I can honestly say it is the best MP3 player any company has come out with yet and judging by what's on the horizon, will remain so for a long time to come. The iPod is great but is very limited in features. The JB3 has a motherload of features combined with great looks, amazing accessories, and everything you could want in an Mp3 player. Got mine for $322 from Dell...you cannot beat that. Thank you Creative!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The Best player out there..period!!
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Review: This is by far the best player to date. The only thing that Ipod has over it is size/weight. This player has the best sound quality (98db SNR) of any player out there. Has both Firewire and USB. The Smart Volume feature is nice too because you do not have to worry about normalizing all your mp3s. Way more storage than Ipod. Apple fanatics use to argue that 5GB was enough for anyone, now they realize how nice it would be to have the 10GB version. Since you can store non-music files on the NJ3 I welcome 20GB and 40GB. The player really is not that big either. I have seen it compared to a CD, and it looks like it wouldn't even fit if it were a cd player. Optical line-in is awesome too because you can record any cd no matter what kind of copy protection it has. Playcenter 3 even has an auto-sync (like Ipod) to make sure your collection is current. Nomad 3 even has headphone spatialization, time shifting, surround sound outputs. Does Ipod have anything like that? No! Ipod just got the option to set equalizer for each track. oooohhhh!!! Also the accessory list is nice. Wired remote with FM tuner, which you can record mp3s from the radio!!! It also has a microphone in the wired remote to save vioce messages. Does Ipod have that? NO! Plus wireless remote, docking station. All of these options and features for less than the Ipod. Hmmmm...I wonder what one I am going to buy. Oh yeah, I would have to buy an Apple computer to use that Ipod. So I guess I am only left with the only and best choice, Nomad 3!
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
come on people....
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Review: I have the old Jukebox and I have to say that it has been a great investment. Hands down the best player I have had, and I consider myself an audiophile with extensive knowledge of several players. I was surprised to see all the haters out there, this player is going to be great. The main complaint I have with older generation Jukebox was the battery life, and from what I hear they have fixed that problem with 18-20 hrs of playtime. For anyone that is tettering between the i-pod and the Jukebox I would highly reccommend the Jukebox. You don't have to own a Mac to use it and because they have made the Jukebox smaller it actually is about the same size, and has more features...GET ONE-you won't regret it!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Being Realistic
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Review: 1. It's not possible to have big capacity, relatively low cost, and compact size like iPod at same time. iPod uses similar HD that Nomad 3 uses. So, those who critical about the size is being wrongly critical. That's like saying SUV too big. of course it is, because it's SUV. If it was smaller, it wouldn't SUV. Also, iPod is not only relatively more expensive, smaller capcity than many HD based mp3 players, and it doesn't work in PC. iPod forces you to buy into Mac frenzy. If you are Mac user, it would be find choice but I am not and most of PC users won't switch to Mac because they don't have/need to, unless they really want iPod. It's like you want a particular dining table, since it doesn't fit into your current house, you go buy another house. I guess you can but most of users don't do that. 2. since there is no 20/40GB Compact Flash card, it's not possible to make nomad much smaller than it is. 3. some argued that the navigation is difficult. but's it's not. keeping up with 1000 song would be more difficult without nomad navigator. 4. Also, Nomad 3 does WMA, remote, base station, 98dba, etc... Archos doesn't.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Great !!!!
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Cons:
Review: I never had an mp3 player and I have been stalking this one for some time now. It's time to make iPod owners gelous. I'm getting it !
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Too big
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Cons:
Review: This thing is just too big. Why should I carry something like this around with me just to have an extra 10 gigs over the iPod. Seriously, 5 or 10 gigs is plenty of space to store everything I could possibly want to listen to.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
IPod Killer
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Review: It doesn't take a genius to figure this one out. More storage, more options, and a better interface make this product a definite Ipod killer. Bu hey, it's a free country. If you're obsessed with the hype surrounding the tacky alread-outdated shiny boxed IPod, then go buy one. You'll see.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Good start
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Review: This player is nice, but man is it huge by today's standards. It definitely has the best features of most players out there, but why couldn't they really compare it to the Archos Recorder. Archos has digitial input/output with recording, smaller size, same battery life, and soon to have optional camera and onboard LCD screen. The Nomad is nice, but could have been better.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
"Kudos To Creative Labs For Putting The Pressure On Apple!"
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Review: With twice the capacity of the latest iPod, a FireWire port, superior sound quality, analog/optical inputs for direct-to-digital recording, up to 22 hours continuous playing time (with optional second battery), and a wealth of others features all for $100 less than Apple's best offering, the Nomad Jukebox 3 edges out the iPod and gets my vote for the best hard drive-based MP3 player to date. (And have you heard that there's possibly a 40 GB version in the works for only $100 more to be delivered some time in May?) Granted the NOMAD 3 is not nearly as "sexy" as the iPod, and a behemoth by size comparison, the Jukebox 3 makes up for these aesthetic differences by providing a healthy sum of additional features at a lesser cost. And before you "Apple-ers" go getting upset at the messenger, know that I'm an Apple fanatic. So this isn't easy for me to say. But in this case, and this case alone, I'm willing to admit that Apple's been bested. The good news is that if history is any indication, the competition will force Apple to deliver an even more innovative product. That said I'm really looking forward to seeing the next revision of the iPod. And I can't wait to see how the Archos Multimedia Jukebox 10 heats up the competition even more when its released. But, for now anyway, the Jukebox 3 has provided me with enough reasons to quit sitting on the fence and finally purchase a MP3 player. Sorry, Apple.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Not even the size of a CD player
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Cons:
Review: This thing is not too big, have you seen pictures of it compared to things? I saw it compared to a CD, and it couldn't even fit a cd in it. If you do put it up against the IPod, it wins, because the only thing IPod has going for it is size. The JB3 has sound quality, recording ability, wired fm remote, wireless remote, changeable faceplates, storage, and ready to use out of the box on both Mac and wintel computers. Not to mention it's set up so you can hook it up for surround sound. Lastly the Price! You can already get these units for under 350, while a 5gig IPod will run you around....399, 380 if your lucky or willing to buy used.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Don't be illogical
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Cons:
Review: It is not all that much bigger than a cd player, and personally I like the fact that it can pass as a cd player. Other than this issue with the size, my only other comment is that there is no external lock switch. The memory size, firewire and battery life make this the best player on the market for probably around a year.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
One word: Quality!
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Cons:
Review: I saw this at a music show a couple of weeks ago. I've been using the original Jukebox for a couple of years and the new features on this one are a knockout.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
Splendid!
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Review: Jogdial navigation makes things easy.. Large HDD space.. Great sound quality.. Fast transfer speed with firewire.. Recording options..
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 301 user reviews
The best MP3 Player for your money!
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Review: Despite the nit picky negative comments by other reviewers, the Nomad Jukebox3 is simply the value for your money when shopping for an MP3 player. When I was looking for an MP3 player I decided to spend the extra $$$ to buy one that would hold my entire CD colletion; that way I could always have it at my finger tips. Some say "too big:, it is the same size as a CD player... but holds hundreds of cd's. Some complain about the user interface ... but you can build play lists in advance on your PC which gets around the limited dispaly on the unit and brings up your music very quickly. If you are in the market for a MP3 (or WMA) player, I strongly recommend spending the extra $$$ on the Jukebox 3.
