An easy to use and carry MP3 player, Sonic Blue’s RioSPORT 64MB MP3 Player is a worth it’s low price for anyone looking for a player that can play both digital music and receive FM radio stations.

If my partner can figure out how to use the RioSPORT, it’s got to be easy. He was looking for a simple and easy to use MP3 player to take to the gym with him. I surprised him with the RioSPORT and he’s been happy ever since.

The RioSPORT Details

It’s tiny - small enough to fit in the palm of your hand (it’s roughly circular and is just under 3 inches in diameter) and weighs less than three ounces. You can stick it in your pocket, or on your arm with the enclosed strap and you won’t even know it’s there. Ergonomics were definitely a consideration when they were designing the RioSPORT, as it’s shaped such that when it rests in the palm of your hand, it fits easily and all the functions on the player can be easily accessed without having to move the device in your hand – just use your fingers to do it.

The RioSPORT has 64 megabytes of internal memory. This is enough to hold about 40 minutes or so of music. Additional storage space for your music on the RioSPORT is provided by SD/MMC (secure digital/multimedia memory card) cards that are available from 16 megabytes up to 256 megabytes. As you increase the size of the SD/MMC card, you’ll be able to store more and more music.

The LCD screen on the face of the player is clear and easy to read, even in different lighting – it’s backlit with a soft blue light. The screen can display the song title, artist, album, battery life, file format, bit rate, audio format, along with time and volume displays. The screen can also display the FM tuner function and shows the station that is currently playing on the device.

The controls and menu system of the RioSPORT are very easy to use and understand. Below the LCD screen is a 4-way thumb pad that cycles throughout the menus on the player. To the left of the screen is an enter button to execute any functions you select in the menus. There is also a power button on top of the player, along with volume control. The menu system allows you too view a list of all the songs on the player, but doesn’t give you the option to customize that list (such as sorting by artist or genre).

There are some customizable options on the RioSPORT that include an equalizer preferences and play list preferences, along with pre-sets on the FM tuner.

Sound quality on the RioSPORT is excellent. There is a wide volume range along with enough customizations available to tailor most music to anyone’s tastes. FM stations come in fairly well with a strong signal, though lacking an antenna it is sometimes hard to lock onto a station or get a clear signal when you are in more protected environments such as buildings or vehicles.

The RioSPORT comes with a pair of ear buds that provide adequate quality sound for the listener. More critical listeners may want to trade up to a pair of their own headphones. The earbuds wrap around the ear and are designed for an active person – they won’t fall off during exercise.

The unit runs off a single AAA battery, which provides in the real world about 6 or so hours of listening time. If you use a rechargeable NiMH battery, the unit can recharge it through it’s USB connection when you are transferring music or otherwise have it hooked up to the USB cord.

There is also included software and drivers for the RioSPORT so that you can interface with your computer and transfer music between the two. Setup is simple and straightforward and takes about 10 minutes before you are transferring songs and then listening away. The included software is simple to use and no one should be stymied by it – basically you select music to transfer and it goes on over to the RioSPORT.

Included with the RioSPORT is a USB cable, an AAA battery, an armband holder for the unit, earbuds and associated software and drivers.

Experience

When I get new technology for my partner, simplicity and ease of use are high of mine list of must-haves. That’s what brought me towards the RioSPORT. Both the transferring of files back and forth between the player and the computer and the use of the player are easy and almost foolproof.

He’s had it for a few months now and hasn’t had any problems with either process. He’s also managed to drop it a few times and bang into it while at the gym and the RioSPORT has kept on ticking, though I did notice that the LCD screen does tend to scratch fairly easily.

He particularly likes the armband holder and the earbuds – both make it easy to use the RioSPORT when exercising because they both keep the player and the earbuds right in place, even when you are moving around and sweating.

He’s happy with it, so I’m happy with it. I did well with that present idea.

Final Thoughts

While it doesn’t have the storage capacity of it’s hard drive based cousins, the RioSPORT 64MB MP3 Player is an easy to use MP3 player that can carry a few hours of music (depending upon your memory card size) and that can tune into FM radio stations. It’s designed for an active person and is great to use while exercising – the included armband and earbuds are designed to make this even easier.

Battery life could be a bit better – but invest in the rechargeable battery and you won’t have to worry about having a dead battery if you keep it connected to the USB cable, which will automatically recharge the battery.

If you’re looking for something simple, easy to use, and good to use while exercising, the RioSPORT 64MB MP3 Player is an excellent flash memory based MP3 player that should satisfy the music lover in anyone.

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Rio Karma 20 Player / Sony Personal MiniDisc Player/Recorder

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 80
Recommended for: Athletes - Lightweight and Portable, Perfect for the Gym