Why don't more people have these?
Written: Jul 01 '04
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Pros: Small, tiny, and miniscule.
Cons: Battery monitor.
The Bottom Line: Unless you have a need for a huge, overweight, battery draining, over priced Mp3 player, this one is good for you.
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| dandino's Full Review: Gateway DMP-200 (128 MB) MP3 Player |
I spent a long amount of time looking for the right MP3 player. I specifically wanted something to accompany me during a work out. I compared this to the dominating iPod, dell's version, nike, and other assorted brands. I didn't go for the iPod simply because it is incredibly expensive, too big to strap to myself during a work out, and there was a recent class action law-suit against apple about the quality of several of their products including the iPod. Dell's model didn't have an LCD, so it was a guess as to what was going on. Nike makes shoes, simply didn't trust them and I wasn't impressed on the specs. I've had previous experience with Gateway hardware and they have never disapointed so I went with them. Besides, I got lucky and walked into a Gateway country as they were liquidating the store for closing and got it for 45% off.
SIZE
This critter is small. It is small enough that I can fit two in the palm of my hand. It's about twice the size as the remote to your car. This makes it incredibly convenient to work out with. It is strapped to my arm and it never get's in the way of anything. It is so lightweight that it dosn't bop around to much through various weight lifting and cardio excercises. The only problem I've ever had with it is having the battery run out in the middle of my work out on the cardio and I was stuck listening to the life story of Justin Timberlake on MTV.
STORAGE
So this is listed as a 128, Gateway makes a 256 as well, which is $60 more I think. The two units are absolutely identical in all ways but memory and price. With 128 I can get anywhere from 23-30 tracks depending on how many long songs I have and also the bitrate. If you are a severe music nut and need all your Mp3's at 192 bit rate, you won't be able to fit as much. If you go as low as 96, you will be able to fit almost double the amount of music on it, but everything will sound flat and flavorless. 128 gives me 2 hours.
This unit also has the ability to record voice data for hours, stored at a lower bit rate than Mp3's and with an internal microphone. I assume this would be a great feature for recording a class, but I never tested the range on it. You can also use it as a USB external memory drive. It all depends on what folder you put your data into. These features rolled into one make for a very convenient package.
CONNECTION
The unit actually splits into 2 when you need to change the battery or change your tracks. One half is the flash drive, the other half is the battery. This means that you don't need any wires to hook up, even though you are supplied with a USB extension cable. All you need to do is plug it into your computer and Windows will automatically recognize it as USB storage. Just drag whatever MP3's you need into it. This was well thought out and it makes transfering music/data from computer to computer very easy. A complete transfer will take 3-4 minutes.
SOUND
The unit comes with the small bud earphones that sit inside your ear and were of surprising quality. I expected a piece of garbage for earphones, but they are very good. Again, this is designed for someone in the gym, no foam to soak up your sweat. Some of the flaws other people have found with other Mp3 players is the lack of volume, I've found that this unit is plenty loud and I never need to max it out. I would probably hurt my ears if I did. I can easily drown out the rest of the gym with the TV blasting and all the cardio equipment whirring away. There is also an equalizer in the Menu, you can very easily customize it the way you would with a full size stereo. It's not just a simple Bass Boost button.
BATTERY
10 hours, give or take depending on how often you flip through tracks as this lights up the LCD display. This is where my only problem with the unit is. The battery gauge is completey innaccurate. It will be flashing dead battery for 4 hours before it cuts out, so be warned that your battery has more juice in it that your player realizes. It takes a single AAA.
LCD
It has a 3 line LCD telling you mode, track name and author, battery life, repeat. It lights up when you push a button. Yóu'll need your reading glasses, but it gets the job done.
CASE
It does not come with a case, only a neckstrap. The case I bought separately and is incredibly snug, it can be difficult to remove. I have already started to rip it. It is on an adjustable elastic strap designed to go on your arm.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The unit may lock up on you on certain Mp3's if they were ripped poorly, beside that and the battery indicator, I have no complaints. It is superior in specs to it's competition. I am happy with my purchase. I'd give it 4.5 stars for the battery indicator, but I'll have to settle for 4/5. Nothing is perfect.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 54
Recommended for: Athletes - Lightweight and Portable, Perfect for the Gym
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Epinions.com ID:
dandino
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Location: Long Island, NY
Reviews written: 49
Trusted by: 7 members
About Me:
I like tools and electronic gizmos.
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