While searching for an MP3 Player for working out, I came across the RioSport S35S. I was thoroughly impressed with SonicBlue's latest offering. They were able to include many features including expandable memory, an FM tuner, and Solid Design.

Before opening the package, I didn't expect anything except the standard plastic case, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a red, rubberized case. The case feels surprisingly sturdy.

The LCD readout is more than adequate with Song Title, Artist, and Album Name. The Time remaining / elapsed, Track Number, etc are also displayed. All this information doesn't seem cramped on the display. The display also has a nice blue light that can be adjusted to remain on for up to 5 sec after a button press. My only complaint is that you cannot organize the songs in any order, or place them in Folders, etc. I have over 60 songs on the unit, and it is extremely annoying to have to manually search for a song with the FF / RW buttons.

The button layout is very intuitive. After having the S35S for less than a day, I had already memorized the positions of the buttons and only had to glance to check what song I wanted to play. The buttons can be locked by holding MENU and pressing ENTER. The buttons are unlocked in the same manner. I do have one complaint - the Play / Stop / FF / RW buttons are on a 4-way disc button. This disc button deal just feels flimsy. It seems that the slightest touch will register a click, causing you to second guess if the button was actually pressed.

Overall, I highly recommend this for anyone that is shopping for an MP3 player to take jogging, exercising, etc. My only gripes are minor ones, and I wouldn't trade my S35S in for any other MP3 player out there.




Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 179.00