Excellent computer interface, excellent product
Written: Jan 15 '06 (Updated Jan 19 '06)
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Pros: Very easy to use - plug, drop and drag, and listen
Cons: I find 256 MB to be a bit small for my tastes
The Bottom Line: I like this unit enough to recommend all of CreativeLabs MP3 players, even though this is the only one I have used.
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| tgregoryt's Full Review: Creative Technology Nomad MuVo TX FM (256 MB) MP3 ... |
So this was the first MP3 player I tried and I have been most impressed with it. It turns out that 256 megabytes is a bit too small for my tastes, but the player's software is excellent and easy to use, the unit is highly portable, and it sounds good as well. If you can only afford 256 megabytes, or you don't need anything more, this unit may be perfect for you. I give this player 5 stars for being exactly what I wanted in a 256 MB MP3 player.
The player is different from many other players. The main difference is that you don't need a cord to plug it into the computer. The memory section of the player has a battery storage container (and presumably the microchip that plays the music as well) that it plugs into with a USB interface. To download music, you unplug the storage section from the battery storage device and plug it directly into your computer - exactly like a thumb drive. Once on your computer the unit acts as an additional storage device, from which you can drop and drag whatever files you want into it. After you take the player out, the player will recognize all of your folders and play the songs in the order in which they are in. Want to change the arrangement? Rearrange the songs on the drive into any order you want. Want to change the playlist? Make a new folder. This makes the player very easy to work with.
I suppose one slight weakness of the unit is the included carrying case. It is plastic, which is good, but it only comes with a belt clip. This is nice if you have a belt to attach it to - not so nice if you are in running shorts. You can probably get some sort of band for your arm but this will be additional. Also the case also does not cover the entire unit, so sweat will leak into it from time to time. The unit looks water resistant enough, but drenched in sweat - maybe it is not quite so good.
Another slight weakness is the battery life. I once used the unit for only 4 hours before I had to replace the battery (single AAA). This was so bad that I thought the unit was broken. On the other hand, I have had it in my silent bedroom and been able to put the volume on at "1", which makes it last a lot longer. Still, if you are looking for long battery life - especially a long battery life outdoors - this is definitely not your machine.
The remainder of the player is somewhat standard. The unit comes with Creative Lab's bud earphones, which once again seem a bit on the uncomfortable and treble side. For me, bud earphones also always fall out of my ears and are uncomfortable, which means I will always purchase earphones rather then use the ones that come with the player. Those of you that are like me probably already have a decent pair of earphones, and those of you not like me may be satisfied with the ones that come with the player.
The unit also comes with an FM radio tuner, which I suppose has its uses. In the event that you run out of songs (which happens a bit too quickly on a 256 mb player), you can always flip on the FM radio and listen to commercials again.
The unit also has a microphone for those of you wishing to record the sounds of intense breathing and pounding footsteps all around you as you work your way through your 10K. Personally I don't have much use for a microphone.
The player also has a user-programmable graphic equalizer, which I really like in my audio devices. My idea of good bass is probably not the same as the factory engineer who designed the "rock", "pop", or "jazz" setting.
The best thing about the unit is that it is very easy and intuitive to use. The unit has four buttons - the play/pause/on/off button, two audio level volumes, and a skip/menu button. The skip/menu button is only one button that has three inputs: (menu (press down) fast forward (press left) and backward (press right)). This button allows you to go through your folders and songs quickly and easily. The player's software and this button’s design make navigating through any menu very easy – even if you still haven't figured out how to plug in your new Tivo.
In all I really liked this unit. For me 256 MB was a little bit too small - especially for high-quality 128 mbps MP3s (this player might store only 12 MP3s that are recorded at minimal compression). Even at higher compression the unit wasn-t quite large enough to hold different types of music. For a player in a 256 MB package, however, I think it is about the best you can get.
I ended up buying a different brand for my 1-gig MP3 player because the price was so much better. Still, I would highly recommend Creative particularly if the price was similar to the other brands. Creative has the best interface of any of the MP3s that I purchased. I give this unit five stars for being exactly what I want, and for having the most user-friendly software of any MP3 player I have yet found.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 40
Recommended for: Beginners - Easy Enough for Tech Newbies
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Epinions.com ID:
tgregoryt
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Member: Thomas Gregory
Location: Winter Garden, FL
Reviews written: 249
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