An MP3 Player with Multipurpose Flash memory.
Written: Apr 24 '03 (Updated Jun 04 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Small, Multipurpose Flash memory, MP3 player, recharges thru USB port, no drivers / software required.
Cons: Not very loud, poor quality micro earbud headphones included, no LCD display.
The Bottom Line: People with active lifestyles will appreciate this small, versatile and reliable USB Flash Memory solution, with the added benefit of a portable MP3 player.
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| aashok's Full Review: Interactive Media KanguruMicro MP3 Digital Player ... |
What is it?
This is a 3.5” long, keychain sized device that has built-in flash memory. It can be used to store any type of data. It has a USB jack with a cover. This allows connectivity to any PC with a USB port. It also has an MP3 decoder built-in that allows you to listen to your MP3 songs thru the supplied headset. There are three different models available. They are as follows:
64MB KanguruMicro MP3 - $80.00
128MB KanguruMicro MP3 – $110.00
256MB KanguruMicro MP3 - $150.00
How did I find it?
I came across it in a mail catalog. Many moons ago I had made a purchase from Tigerdirect.com. It seems I am now on their permanent mailing list. But being a gadget freak, I never turn away such wondrous and fascinating throne room reading materiel. On more than one occasion it has been a lifesaver, when the charmin ran out. :) The KanguruMicro MP3 just seemed like a good replacement for my IJAM IJ-50 MP3 Player. So after some comparison-shopping, I purchased the 128MB model on ebay for $80.00 including S/H.
The Layout.
The keyword here is simplicity. On one end is a standard USB plug covered by a protective cap. On the other end is a headphone jack and a three position control switch. Pressing it down starts and pauses playback, holding it to the left or right side increases and decreases the volume, and quickly moving it either left or right will skip to the next or previous song. There are two LEDs on the front. One is an power LED that lights green during playback and turns orange while charging. The other is the activity indicator LED which lights red during playback and flashes green while files are being written/deleted. Are we confused yet! These LEDs are super bright and stay lit during playback. (I'm sure Kanguru could have squeezed out another half hour of playback from the battery, if they had used lower output LEDs.) On the side is a read only / write protect switch, so you don’t accidentally erase important data.
The Basic Specifications.
Capacity: 128MB
Interface: USB 1.1
Transfer Speed: 12MBits/sec
Audio Connector: headphone jack
What’s HOT.
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Small Size.
As an MP3 player, the unit fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and is perfect for use while working out at the gym, running or hiking. It is about the size of a keychain and can be comfortably carried in a shirt breast pocket. It makes for a wonderful commute buddy on the subway or the bus. Please don’t use it while driving. The dimensions are 3.5”L x 1.4”W x 1.0”D. It is a featherweight at only 46g.
Multipurpose Flash Memory.
The built-in 128MB can store up to 30 MP3 songs encoded at 128kbps. The built-in flash memory is very stable and nonvolatile. Kanguru Solutions claims that data can be written over 1 million times and will remain stored for up to 10 years. I am currently in the process of testing these claims ;) It can be used for a variety of applications. You can store any type of data file, for example, word documents, powerpoint presentations, mp3 songs, mpeg videos, digital images, etc. It is compatible with the following operating systems: Win98/98SE/ME/2000/XP, Mac 8.6 or above and Linux 2.4.0 or above. In short, anything that has USB capability. It plugs directly into any available USB port on your computer. It is a hot plug and play device, which means you do not need to reboot the computer for it to recognize the Flash memory. You do not need to install any drivers or software to make it work. It shows up as Drive E: on most computers and you can do all the standard functions such as drag/drop, copy/cut/paste, format, etc. You can even set the computer to share this memory over a network.
Rechargeable Battery.
The unit has a built-in rechargeable 500mAh Lithium-Ion battery. It charges directly from the USB plug. (Adapter? We don’t need no stinkin AC adapter.) It fully charges up in about 2.5 hours, and will give you about 5.5 to 6 hours of playback. I tried it with my Sony MDR-Q33LP headphones that have bigger drivers. The sound was better quality however the volume was a bit lower, and the battery charge lasted me just shy of 5 hours. Now my ears are ringing and I can’t hear a dang thing.
Shock and Skip Proof.
Other than your head, there are no moving parts. Sometimes this is also referred to as solid state. This translates into hours of skip-free uninterrupted music. Kanguru Solutions claims this device is shock resistant up to 1000Gs of pressure. I haven’t been able to test this as yet, but I will update this review after I return from my vacation to Jupiter.
What’s NOT.
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Poor quality headphones included.
The included headphones are the micro earbud style, and have very small drivers. Although they had clear sound, there was very little bass response. I prefer to use headphones that have larger drivers capable of reproducing lower frequencies. I feel that regardless of your choice in music, a full and wide range headphone will deliver richer and more enjoyable sound quality. The other day I was listening to some Gypsy Kings, and my hips started doing this weird jig. Embarrassing!
No LCD Display.
There is no LCD display to indicate track or playback information. It would have been nice but I did not find this to be an inconvenience. (for the sake of being objective) If you must have such a device with an LCD screen, then take a gander at the Hiro Inc 3 in 1 thumb drive. It has an LCD display, 5 equalizer sound settings, MP3 & WMA playback and a digital voice recorder. HOOO-AH! (sorry Kanguru)
The Bottom Line.
People with active lifestyles will appreciate this small, versatile and reliable USB Flash Memory solution, with the added benefit of a portable MP3 player.
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Recommended:
Yes
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Member: Ashok
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