Work out longer with your favorite music.
Written: Aug 17 '03 (Updated Aug 18 '03)
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Pros: It is light, easy to use, rubber-coated for easy carry.
Cons: belt clip is annoying and the radio is poor inside of the gym.
The Bottom Line: I like this player and I'm glad I've got it. Working out with music I enjoy has definitely improved my motivation for longer cardio routines.
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| ralphphillips's Full Review: Sonic Blue Rio S35 128MB MP3 Player |
My cardio workouts are much easier to maintain using the Rio S35s. I've been using this MP3/WMA player for a month now, and the thought of spending sixty minutes on a treadmill or bike without my player is daunting.
Good: IT'S LIGHT
This player is very light. Whether I'm holding it in my hand or carrying it in the pocket of my light-weight running shorts, the player doesn't weigh me down.
Good: RUBBER GRIP
The S35s is a sport player, which basically means that it is coated in rubber. It's great. I can comfortably carry the player while running. I sweat and carry the player with a very light grip. I've never dropped it and it doesn't feel like it will pop out of my hand. The player is round and fits very comfortable in my palm.
Good: COOL SOFTWARE
The included software is awesome. I was downloading music to my player in a few seconds after the install was completed. With the software, I can easily categorize my music by artist, album, genre, year, etc. A size tally makes it easy to keep track of how much of the 128MB has been used and is left.
Good: BUTTONS ARE BIG
The song selector is a big disk where the left and right sides move through the installed songs. The top is play and the bottom is stop. It is easy to navigate through the songs without looking at the player. The volume control is on the perimeter of the player, and also easy to adjust blind.
Good: EAR PHONES
The ear phones are very comfortable. They loop over the ear and the little speaker fits snugly inside. They feel very secure, even when I'm running speed drills. The cord is just long enough so I can keep the player in a pocket and not have an annoying tug on the ear phones. However, I'm 5-9. If you're taller or have a long torso, you may find keeping the player in your pocket annoying without getting ear phones with a longer cord.
Bad: CLIP CASE
In order to clip the player to your waistband or an arm band, you put on this rubber case that covers the back and sides of the player. I don't like it. The volume buttons are not as easy to get to. The case covers the battery access door making battery changes a chore. The case is so tight that removing it is difficult. I've already nicked the player's rubber coating a few times with my fingernails trying to pry off the clip case. I don't use the clip. I hold the player in my hand or stick it in my pocket.
Bad: RADIO
The presets for the am/fm radio are cool, but in my gym, I can't pick up the radio stations I enjoy. I haven't tried the radio outside. The antenna is built into the headphones, so perhaps better headphones would improve the situation.
OVERALL:
I like this player and I'm glad I've got it. Working out with music I enjoy has definitely improved my motivation for longer cardio routines. The default player has 128MB, which is plenty for about 20 songs. You can buy a 512MB memory card giving you up to 640MB of storage. The player is about $130 and a 256MB memory card is about $100.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 150
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Epinions.com ID:
ralphphillips
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Member: Ralph Phillips
Location: Orlando, FL (USA)
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 2 members
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