Compaq IPAQ MP3 Player , No more mix tapes
Written: Jan 23 '02
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Sound: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
|
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
| Portability: |
|
|
| Battery Life: |
|
|
|
Pros: Very small, good sound, easy to install and use.
Cons: Belt clip blocks battery access, bad headphones
The Bottom Line: If you want an affordable player that is easy to use, pick it up. With a different set of headphones it would be a great buy.
|
|
|
| bmi11er's Full Review: Compaq iPAQ PA-2 (64 MB) MP3 Player |
I'm stepping up in the world of technology. Having moved to Cd technology years ago for my home and auto audio, portable CD audio never quite worked out for me. Whether it was the skipping when I was on the move, or the lack in the ability of mix creation, I always stuck by my Sony sports walkman. That thing was indestructible. It got rained on, was dropped hundreds of times, and was put through relative hell. It recently kicked the bucket on me, and I needed a system to play some tunes while I beat on myself in the gym.
I received the IPAQ MP3 player as a gift from my parents for X-mas, and have put it through its paces for the last few weeks in the gym and at work. It has already fallen out of my pocket a few times, and is still operating with flying colors.
The software and hardware install and use
The IPAQ audio player software installed without incident on both Win ME and XP. I have read of problems with installs in 2000, but I have not yet had to do that yet. The player connects to your PC through usb, and the cable is simple and easy to connect. Even less tech savvy individuals should be able to do so without incident. Of course with me being an average male, I don't like to read directions, and still made it through fine. I use Windows media player to transfer the files from my hd to the player. A simple selection of the media device, and then a copy paste into the file screen. The transfer isn't the quickest, but works fine.
General Use
The IPAQ comes with a 64 meg card, which makes for about one hour of listening time. Card insertion is a breeze, but you must remove the belt clip, with a screwdriver, to change the battery.
The headphones only lasted one use. They continue to work fine, and the sound is good, it is just that they are bulky and uncomfortable. I use my player while working out, and with minimal sweat they were sliding all over my ears. I swapped them out with the left over ones from my sports walkman and the issue was resolved.
I like to clip my player onto the edge of my pocket instead of my belt, and the clip just isn't tight enough for it to stay in place.
The option buttons are easy to use, and the back lit lcd screen big enough to view what is being played. It also has a battery power gauge that is helpful. Using the hold option is a must. I was constantly stopping the music accidentally without it.
Durability
I have already dropped my IPAQ player a few times, and it fell off my pocket while I was using a treadmill. It has come out unscathed. The lack of moving parts really helps out in this category.
Overall
It is easy to install and use, and has excellent battery life. The buttons and lcd screen were designed well, and the unit is small. It will play wma and cda files, even though I don't see any reason to have it do so. The only bad things are the clip design and uncomfortable headphones. I give it a 4 out of five stars.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 145
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
bmi11er
|
|
Reviews written: 75
Trusted by: 40 members
About Me:
I waste my time on my bike, or on the golf course.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.