Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra 30 GB MP3 Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When I first started looking for a portable jukebox, I--like everybody else--was drooling for an iPod. Then I did my research, and here's why I decided on the Zen Jukebox Xtra: (1) the iPod battery is not user-replaceable, you have to pay $60 for a two-year Apple plan in order to get it replaced, and you have to send the unit back to them to get it replaced (evidently it starts losing its charge about six months into ownership); (2) huge storage space--I have my entire CD collection on it plus a whole bunch of downloaded tracks at high quality and I've still only used half the space; (3) sound quality is fabulous, especially if you spring for a decent pair of headphones. As far as durability goes, granted I haven't passed the dreaded 90-day-warranty mark, but it goes with me trail-running daily (because of other reviews I've read, I hold it in my hand over rough spots so it doesn't get jostled too much) and in the car on long drives a few times a week. I've also dropped it from a pretty good height with no damage. My one complaint? No support for MP4. BUT...you can upgrade the firmware to be Real Player compatible (their downloads are only 49 cents) and I've found the process easily done. Good tech support as well. I just don't think there's a better value for the money.

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Product Description:
Featuring a large, hi-res, blue backlit LCD, the NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra builds on the industry-leading music features of the NOMAD Jukebox Zen product line.

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Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra 40 GB MP3 Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I think that several reviewers are confusing this player with the last generation 40 Gig player. One reviewer pointed out the differences in the packaging and the protective case between the two earlier, and that reviewer was right on the money.

This model is shipped as described by the previous reviewer, and has the latest firmware installed. Mine is too new to give a long term report on, but it seems to be a top quality unit so far. The USB 2.0 port is awesome fast. I dowmloaded 1700 MP3 and WMV files to my Nomad this evening without a hitch, and each batch was completed before I could select the next batch. Very fast compared to the old USB standard.

The controls and layout are great. I don't know if there is a difference between new and old, but even the selector wheel has a good feel to it, and I have not had a misfire when selecting a menu item with it. I do agree that it would be nice to have an audio tone to go along with button movement, but it isn't a showstopper.

The included carry case is very well made. It will probably protect the unit from shock well enough to allow it to survive a fall. Some complained about the plastic structure, but it is built to be as light as is possible, while still maintaining a solid feel. I like it.

The software isn't the greatest by any stretch, but it does work, and I was able to transfer music and data without resorting to the manual. There are other packages available for Windows that do the job in a more intuitive manner for only a few bucks. There are also a number of free packages available online that allow you to use your Nomad on a linux system (for those of you who have grown tired of the Windows nightmare). Also keep in mind that the entire OS (firmware) of the Nomad is writable, and there are people working on their own enhanced versions as we speak.

One more note. The ipod has a problem with connecting with more than one computer. I suspect that is a built in hurdle to prevent people from sharing music, but it doesn't help those who use several computers during their work/play week. I was able to transfer song files between multiple computers with the Nomad without any problems. The latest version of the firmware (as shipped) also correctly displays track information for Russian tunes in cyrillic font. It's a small matter, but it can be important to those who enjoy Russian music.

To sum it up, the newest version of the 40Gig Nomad is light, has a great control layout, solid construction, and the headphone jack seems to be as good as any I have used. I think it's a great player, and for the price, it can't be beat. The earbuds that come with it seem to please many reviewers, but I think ALL earbuds are awfull. I have a collection of them now, and they are all junk. Even the ones offered by name brand audio companies. Buy a good set of Sony or other ear hugging phones for $20, and enjoy music in more quantity and quality than you have ever heard before.

Did I mention that the Nomad comes with Creative EAX as standard? Those of you who have an Audigy sound card in your computer know what I'm talking about. It can be used in selective fashion, and sounds just as good as the PC version. There is more than meets the eye with the Nomad. It might take awhile to master all of it's features, but you will be enjoying fine music from the very first battery charge (lots of classical music and EAX demos built in).

This is an amazing player. Even with a total of 2000 songs loaded, I can still rip a DVD movie to an ISO image at a friends house using a free prgram lke "DVD Shrink", download it to a data folder on my Nomad, and burn the disk on my PC when I get home. For that matter, the Nomad can hold several DVD ISO images at any one time.

Someone mentioned that they didn't like the fact that it wasn't weather proof. Neither is the ipod. Then again, with a one quart Zip Lock plastic bag, and a drop of glue, you can make both players beach proof in a few minutes. Just puncture the plastic bag enough to allow three inches of the plug end of your headphones inside. Seal the puncture with a drop of glue, put your Nomad or ipod in the bag, plug in the headphone jack, zip the bag, and let it rain all day.

A good set of light headphones only costs $20. A Zip Lock bag is about 10 cents. Use your imagination here. You can walk in the surf without placing your Nomad in danger.

Aside from the minor complaints about the software, the only other thing that bothers me is that the max volume should be higher. It's not bad, mind you, but it doesn't allow the head banging levels that other MP3 players deliver. This is a minor complaint, and can probably be fixed at the firmware level in the future. Meanwhile, I am happy to report that using a generic cassette adapter, or an "aux" input port on the latest car audio systems will geive you enough CD quality music to make a trip from one coast to the other and back withought being forced to listen to the same tune twice.

That's it for now. If my opinion changes because of problems with the Nomad, I will update this post in a heartbeat. Meanwhile, it gets 5 stars without hesitation...

Update... It has been Months since I wrote this review, and my Nomad is still a constant companion at work and play, It has been dropped, used, and abused. The early problem with the headphone socket must have been fixed, as my headphone jack has been ripped out of the Nomad countless times, and it still works as new. This update was posted on July 2 2005.

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Product Description:
Creative Labs Nomad Zen Xtra - Among the smallest MP3 players available, the Nomad Zen Xtra has huge 40 GB storage for thousands of songs. With USB 2.0-1.1 connectivity, data transfers are swift and easy.9.5-ounces with built-in Li-ion batteryComplies with SDMIReprogrammable firmware supports MP3, WMA, uncompressed WAV plus additional future audio playback formats and software extensionsSound spatializer for enhanced playback performanceStylish anodized aluminum caseIncludes stereo headphone, AC adapter, carrying caseIntegrated, removeable rechargeable batteryUp to 14 hours continuous play per charge

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Rio Carbon 5 GB MP3 Player Review

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(More customer reviews)General thoughts about Music Playback:
It's great at its main purpose, playing music. The Rio Carbon is small and incredibly lightweight so carrying it in your jean pocket, jacket pocket, tight jeans' pocket, etc... is easy and comfortable. The metal back scratches a little too easily but that is something you have to expect with this kind of shiny surface. Just love the battery life for playing music (not recording! - see below). The way the music files are organized requires me to really use playlists. Otherwise, I'll often play the same album 20 times in a row. Shuffle could be a little bit more random but really can't complain. I mainly bought this device because of its potential for super multi-tasking so I'll leave the music playback comments to other reviewers.

As a Portable Hard Drive:
I've used it to replace my USB memory drives (since I either lose them or they stop working after 6 months) and it interfaces seamlessly with the computers I use (mainly Win XP). Like all multi-GB HDDs, it takes awhile to scan the files when you first plug it in. Unfortunately, you can't download the Win 98 drivers from the Rio website. For those who use Win 98 computers occasionally, this means that you'll either need to carry the Rio CD around with you or put the drivers online (i.e. in an email account). Overall, the concept of using this as a cheap portable small harddrive that just happens to be an mp3 player is very appealing to a student like me. You get slightly less than 5Gb so it's possible to allot one entire gigabyte to files while saving the other 3.7GB to music. It's about the size of 3 Sandisk Cruzer Mini USB drives laid parallel to each other, but it can hold a billion more files (slight exaggeration)!

As an Audible player:
Unlike the review below, I've had very little to no problems listening to Audible tracks on the player. I've used an old iPod and a Treo 600 with the Audible Manager software before so I know that juggling extra Audible devices is confusing but definitely possible. I've heard that Rio Carbon only accepts Audible formats 2 and 3. Audible always requires that you download drivers for (or "Activate") any new device/player you add onto your account. My experience is that downloading a 46MB Audible format 3 file takes me about 10-15 minutes. Copying onto the Carbon takes me 5 minutes via USB 2.0. Maybe this varies with Carbons and/or software but personally, I really appreciate the ease and integration between Audible and Rio Carbon. (My old 2nd gen iPod had problems but that was probably because I got it secondhand and the previous user was also an Audible user. Songs can be transferred but couldn't be played.)

As a voice recorder:
I had such high ambitions for this device to be used to record lectures. Sigh... the whirring of the hard drive, the orientation of the built-in mic (perpendicular from the face of the Carbon)... all this really hinders any kind of comprehensible recordings you have when you sit more than 4 rows away from the front of the class. No wonder Rio specified the voice recordings for reminders and such. I was able to listen to the muffled and noisy recordings by fiddling with the equalizer in windows media player 9 (without needing to find a noise reduction software) so maybe it's still possible to use this as a lecture recorder. Turning down 32 - 125 Hz on the Graphic Equalizer in WMP9 pretty much cuts out the whirring hard drive noise. Recording format is .wav and a 1 hour lecture is 12.2Mb at 32kbps. The Carbon heats up slightly during recording. Also, recording eats up batteries. The battery barely made it while recording for 2.5 hours (plus about 30 minutes of listening to music). If you have a laptop, you can easily charge it inbetween classes really quickly.

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Product Description:
Rio Carbon 5G MP3 Player

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Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player (Pink) Review

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(More customer reviews)I recently received this for Mothers Day from my children and one of them installed a program to convert any dvd movie to play on my ZUNE, so this is much better than an Video Ipod, as the screen size makes it very enjoyable to watch movies on ! How smart of Microsoft to introduce this color before a major 'Holiday'! Be sure to purchase a screen cover ; a small square of thin plastic that protects it from scratches but will not be noticeable during movie or photo playback. A case with a kickstand to hold the Zune horizontaly is nice as well as keeping it covered when not in use. All in all ,I am very pleased with my gift,no matter what the color!

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Product Description:
Entertainment and sharing to go. That's the Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player. The Zune plays music and videos, displays images, and unlike the iPod, it even receives FM radio so you can stay on top of local news or sports. Designed around the principles of sharing, discovery, and community, Zune connects people and empowers them with the tools needed to share entertainment experiences. The Zune experience is centered around connection--connection to your library, friends, community, and other Zunes. It's powered by software that allows users to manage files on the player, rip audio CDs, and buy from a wide selection of music and videos at the Zune Marketplace.


The Zune lets you share music and pictures with other Zune users in the area.

The controls are designed to be familiar and easy to use so you can jump right in and start having fun. View larger.

Zune software can find compatible music files on your PC and copy them to your Zune device.

Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing lets you share your favorite tracks and photos.

Browse more than 100,000 artist bios and hundreds of playlists in the Zune Marketplace. The Zune is a 30 GB digital media player, but there's a twist. You can wirelessly share selected full-length sample tracks, playlists, pictures, or your own home-grown tunes directly from Zune to Zune (within 30 feet). You can listen to the full-length songs that you receive up to three times in three days, flag the ones you love, and easily buy them the next time you sync up--its like test-driving songs before you purchase an album.
The Zune's navigation is simple and intuitive with a scroll wheel and basic buttons, and the big, bright screen makes it easy to browse music and show off your favorite pictures and videos. This attractive, smart device stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 100 hours of video. Get creative. Make playlists on the go and watch slide shows while you're listening. And if you're watching video on the Zune, you'll be pleased with the landscape mode that allows you to get the most out of the vivid display.
Zune-to-Zune Sharing
Don't forget the primary principle of the Zune: sharing. With this device in hand you're holding an opportunity to share music and photos wirelessly from one Zune to another. Send your favorite tracks or images to your friends, or just about anyone with a Zune that's within your reach.
Whether you're walking down the street, in a room with a bunch of friends, at a concert, at the airport, or on the bus, you can whip out your Zune and see all the other Zune devices that surround you. In the blink of an eye you're connected to your best friend and you can send over your band's newest song. Another friend might get the hilarious podcast your little brother made at school, plus that hot new song you just downloaded from the Zune Marketplace. And, of course, there's all the good stuff that your friends want to send back your way. The connections are made and the Zune community grows.
Best of all, the song you sent (or received) isn't a short 30-second preview--it's the whole song. Your friend can sample the song up to three times in three days, flag it on their device and then buy it from the Zune Marketplace. You can send pictures, too. If you loved the photo of your dog at the park and you just have to share it with your buddies, shoot it off to whoever is around. And any pictures that are sent or received can be kept and viewed indefinitely.
Sometimes you don't want to be noticed, and the Zune allows you to fly under the radar. All you need to do is turn the wireless function off, or adjust the privacy settings to control whether people can see you are online. And if you want to keep your Zune private while studying in the library or reading the newspaper on the bus, you can also block Zune devices in wireless range from sending you a song.
Zune Marketplace
Zune makes it easy to find music you love--whether it's songs in your existing library or new music from the Zune Marketplace. You can easily import your existing music, pictures, and videos in many popular formats from your PC and browse millions of songs at the Zune Marketplace where you can purchase individual tracks or buy a Zune Pass subscription to download as many songs as you want for a flat fee. Plus, you can apply Microsoft Points towards the purchase of music so you can buy online without a credit card for added security. At the Zune Marketplace you can read over 100,000 artist biographies and features from leading magazines including XLR8R, NME, and FADED, and you'll have easy access to Billboard Charts, including Billboard 200, Hot 100 Songs, and more. You'll even be able to browse what people in the Zune community are listening to by checking out the Zune Charts.
Pre-Loaded Content
Zune is a vehicle to explore new sounds and share entertainment experiences. With that in mind, the Zune comes pre-loaded with a variety of songs and videos from hot, new artists, as well as some fun films and images. With something for everyone, the pre-loaded Zune content may help you discover your new favorite band, but at the very least you'll have some entertainment at your fingertips so you can start connecting and sharing. Zune pre-loaded content includes loads of audio tracks, music videos, and film shorts, plus 12 classic rock posters from "Art of Modern Rock: The Poster Explosion."
Zune Accessories
You can choose from a full line of accessories to outfit your Zune. These three Zune Accessory Packs provide complete solutions for Zune in your car, in your home or while you travel. Individual accessories are also available.

The Zune Car Pack includes everything needed to hit the road with a Zune device, such as the built-in FM tuner with AutoSeek and the Zune Car Charger.
The Zune Home A/V Pack enhances your experience in the home through five products that integrate Zune with the TV and music speakers: Zune AV Output Cable, Zune Dock, Zune Sync Cable, Zune AC Adapter and the Zune Wireless Remote for Zune Dock.
The Zune Travel Pack is a set of five products designed to keep friends and family entertained on the road: Zune Premium Earphones, Zune Dual Connect Remote, Zune Gear Bag, Zune Sync Cable and the Zune AC Adapter.

What's in the Box
Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player, earphones, USB cable, and sleeve.

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Mach Speed Trio Touch Screen 8GB MP3 and MP4 Video Player (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)My teenage stepson wanted a new mp3 player and saved up his own money for it.He wanted my opinion on three that he had narrowed down to.The Trio was one of them.After reading the only previously posted review he was a bit leery, but after I read the review it was clear to me that the reviewer's disappointment came from the wrong expectations and it was worth trying.A simple 5 minute research on this product proved that it was all we wanted, and nothing the previous reviewer wanted.We ordered one and are very glad that we did!.The 4.3 " screen is nice and big, and crystal clear.Keep in mind this is a MEDIA PLAYER, and that is what you get.If you are looking for a stop watch, or a scientific calculator, or even a PDA to load additional software on, then buy one of those items.Which brings me to my next point, the reason the Ebook feature doesn't read PDF files is because PDF's are Adobe proprietary formats and require Adobe reader.The two headphone jack was appealing to my stepson as he and his little sister could watch a movie together on an upcoming flight, and this is exactly what they did.We loaded all his MP3's on to the Trio as well as 5 movies and they all played flawlessly.In short, someone's lack of research doesn't mean the product is faulty.I've ordered a Trio for myself to replace my Ipod Nano, and will be ordering at least 2 more for gifts.At this price this is a great buy!!!

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Product Description:
Trio TCH843 8GB MP4.4.3-Inch display - touch screen, microSD slot

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SanDisk Sansa Fuze 4 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This little device is a high quality and very easy to use 'MP3' player.Of course it does more than just play music.From a usability perspective, I think it rivals the iPod interface and provides more feedback.While I really love the device, there are some things that I wish were a little better.

Pros
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- Very nice screen and just big enough that if you were stuck on a plane, watching a movie still is an enjoyable experience.
- Simple and very intuitive interface.I love the fact that the iPod-like wheel actually rotates.
- Expansion via MicroSD cards is a great feature.I was able to swap the MicroSD card between my BlackBerry and the Fuze and be able to share images, and music.
- The FM Radio and ability to record from it is one of the coolest features.There's something about the randomness about radio that I still really like.And the ability to record a song that I don't already have can save you some money.
- I haven't used the external mic yet, but I think that's a neat feature to have when you have a thought and want to record it.I can think of several times where I've had a thought and wasn't able to write it down.

Cons
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- The most frustrating experience I've had with the Fuze is the ability to get Video transferred.I've tried multiple formats and have been very unsuccessful in finding the right format to use.This is the main reason I've not given it a full 5 star review.Of course it's ridiculous to think that this would be a 'Movie' player.However, I have some great concerts that I would love being able to watch as well as listen to.I'm not interested in watching a movie.
- The on/off switch is great if you want to make sure that you don't accidentially turn on/off.However, I think it's overly difficult.Especially if you have large fingers.I would have preferred to press the Play button for a couple of seconds.
- The device 'hiccups' when scrolling through music that has album art.For some reason, when you get to the list of albums, the select button doesn't work until the album art appears.Often requiring you to double-click.Not a big deal, unless you're quickly trying to find a song to add to the play list.
- Finally, the device is either too new or not popular enough to warrant accessories.I really want to buy a protective cover, but they don't exist.I've read that some people are using Nano covers, but they don't fit well enough.This is really bad if you want to use the Fuze while exercising or cutting the lawn.

Overall, I would highly recommend the Fuze to anyone looking for a low-cost small media device.The cons shouldn't sway you away from buying it, but they are good to know.I'll update my review when I figure out the right combination of video formats for the device.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 4 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)

Product Description:
With the SanDisk Sansa Fuze, you can fuse your portable entertainment, featuring 4 GB of storage. Listen, watch, and play all day with 24 hours of battery life and room for up to 1,000 songs**. Watch your favorite video clips on the Sansa Fuze's 1.9-inch color screen. Measuring just 0.3 inches thin, the Sansa Fuze marks the next wave of music and video players.

Your portable music machine with 4 GB of storage. (Click image to view larger.)
The MicroSD/SDHC memory card slot means storage possibilities are essentially unlimited. (Click image to view larger.)
Smaller than a credit card and as thin as a pencil, the new Sansa Fuze MP3 player looks great--and has the brains to match. (Click image to view larger.) Audio Player
Smaller than a credit card and as thin as a pencil, the new Sansa Fuze MP3 player looks great--and has the brains to match. With room for up to 1,000 songs**, you can listen all day long. Jam to FM radio with 40 preset stations, play with the built-in voice recorder, and listen to your favorite audiobooks wherever you go. And with 24 hours of battery life, you're free to listen, watch, and play all day--literally.
Watch Your Favorite Videos
The Sansa Fuze comes with 4 GB of built-in memory enough to store 12-hour video playback segments. Watch your favorite video clips from wherever you are. To ensure speedy file transfers, the unit features a USB 2.0 connection. Simply connect the player to a PC, and start dragging files from your Windows Media Player 10 or 11 applications.
Expanded Capacity
With an option to extend the capacity, its MicroSD/SDHC memory card slot means storage possibilities are essentially unlimited. Expand your music collection, show albums of photos with up to 2,000 images**, and watch your favorite videos on those long trips.
Compatible Formats
The player supports MPEG4 video files and audio files saved in MP3, secure and unsecured WMA, WAV, Audible, and Overdrive file formats.
FM Radio
If you're feeling like a break from your own tunes, or want to dial in the TV frequency at the gym, use the digital FM tuner. Save your favorites on the 40 user presets.
Voice Recorder
Use the voice recorder with built-in microphone to take memos, record meetings or lectures, or capture whatever else you might feel inclined to point a microphone at. When you're ready, transfer your files for listening on your PC.
What's in the Box
SanDisk Sansa Fuze 4 GB MP3 player (black), earphones, USB 2.0 cable, quick start guide
* 1 gigabyte (GB) = 1 billion bytes; some of the listed capacity is used for formatting and other functions; thus, it is not available for data storage
** Based on continuous audio playback at 128 kpbs MP3; video playback at 512 kbps/ MPEG 4; photos based on 1.7 MB average file size; battery life and performance might vary depending upon usage and settings; battery not replaceable.

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