Philips HDD077/17 2 GB Digital Audio Player with FM Tuner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've tried many MP3 players, and I've returned many MP3 players. The first one that I kept was the Virgin Pulse 64MB player. I've had it for nearly two years and finally after dropping it a few times, it's starting to go out on me. It was time to upgrade and get more space anyway. So I thought I'd do what everyone else did, get an iPod! So I bought a pink iPod mini, just to try it out, but I will definitely be getting a refund! Sure it's pretty and the sound is good, but is it worth $200? No!
So that brings me to the Philips HDD077. I will compare the two(iPod mini and Philips).
The Philips has a nice, sleek design. It is slightly shorter than the iPod mini and a tad bit thicker, but both are lightweight. The Philips only comes in one color (white with silver trim), but they offer red, black, and blue stickers to change up the trim. Obviously, the iPod comes in multiple colors.
The Philips has buttons that are user friendly, just push them. There's a volume button, a hold button, on/off button, all of that. The iPod mini has a few main buttons, not including a volume button. To turn the volume up or down or to scroll through a menu on the iPod mini, the user must move their finger around the button area (like a laptop mouse). This is really annoying because every time you go to touch a button, you may accidently change the volume!
The Philips has an FM tuner. The iPod...none.
The Philips has 2 GB of space and can hold about 1,000 songs and it also supports compressed files. The iPod minis come in 4 GB (1,000 songs) and 6 GB (price increase!).
Philips comes with a charger that plugs into the wall(17 hours of play, 4 hours to charge). iPod mini charges through the usb cable.
Philips came with a case that has a belt clip and a neck strap. iPod mini came with a belt clip.
Now, let's get to what counts most.....
Philips uses Musicmatch software to transfer files. This software is easy to use and I didn't even have to read a guide to figure out how to get music on to my player. The iPod uses iTunes software, which was supposed to be easy to use, but I had trouble figuring out how to get music onto the player and I still don't know how to delete music(I'll have to find the instructions for that one). I think that the software should be easy enough to use so that the user doesn't have to read instructions for simple things like transferring files.
The sound quality of the Philips is great! It has a fewer equalizer settings than the iPod. The iPod also has great sound.
Both have a backlight.

Overall, I think the Philips is a better choice than the iPod mini because it costs less and it offers more(like radio tuning!).
I only have two concerns about the Philips and they are minor. The earbuds are designed funny. The left wire is about 3 times shorter than the right wire and they are not adjustable. I called to ask about this and it's not a defect. The right earbud is supposed to go around your neck and then into your ear. But you can buy your own earbuds. My other concern is the case with belt clip. I think it could have been designed so that the user use the controls on the player, but the case covers up everything but the charger port, usb port, and earphone port.
So at least give this one a try before you blow $200 on an iPod! You might like it. This one is a keeper for me!

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Product Description:
Philips, Hard Disc Drive music player, MP3/WMA/DRM, 2GB, FM tuner, AC/DC, rechargeable up to 10 hr.,

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Creative Zen V Plus 1GB (Black/Orange) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this for my 11 year old son. At first I was upset, it is much smaller than I had expected.However he loves it. The software is very user- friendly and he needed only basic help from me in the begining, now he can load all his own music without assistance. It does have a joystick-type button to access themenu so I would recommend caution and patience when using that. So far, he has had no issues with it.Definitely worth the money. The sound quality is amazing. One thing that is not made clear though: it does have a FM tuner, BUT you can NOT record from it, we thought you could.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Creative Zen V Plus 1GB (Black/Orange)

Product Description:
ZEN V Plus is so tiny that it will fit into almost any pocket. But don't let the size fool you; the ZEN V Plus is packed with all the great features you desire. Fill your tiny ZEN V Plus with up to 500 songs. Log on to the Internet and browse different music services for the songs you want. Download your favorite songs without paying for the whole album. Plus, for a low monthly fee, you can join a subscription service and fill and refill your ZEN V Plus with new tunes everyday. Your videos will look amazing on the stunning 1.5-inch color screen. Show off your favorite video clips of friends, vacations or cool skateboarding stunts. Rich, vibrant photos, album art, and menus burst to life. Navigate all of your content with remarkable ease using the patented ZEN user interface. Your music, photos and videos are all available at your fingertips. When in the mood for something different, simply use the built-in FM radio. Set up to 32 station presets so you can catch up on the latest sports results, listen to your favorite talk show, or navigate your way out of traffic problems.Audio Playback Format -MP3, WMA, WAV and Audible Photo Format -JPEG Video Playback Format -Uncompressed AVI, other formats via transcoding Organizer -Syncs with and views Microsoft Outlook Contacts, Calendar & Tasks Signal-to-Noise Ratio -Up to 92dB Frequency Response -20Hz - 20kHz View Photos and Album Art at any viewing angle Personal Video Clips FM Radio Direct CD Recording Built-in Voice Recorder Skip free playback 8 EQ settings (Acoustic, classical, disco, jazz, new age, pop, rock and vocal) System Requirements -Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 1 or higher) / XP 64-bit, Intel Pentium III 1GHz or AMD Duron 1GHz, 256MB RAM, USB 1.1 port (USB 2.0 recommended), 170MB free hard drive space (more for audio content storage) Dimensions -Height 2.7 x Width 1.7 x Depth 0.6 inch Weight -1.55 ounces

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Creative Zen Vision W 60GB MP3 and Video Player - Slim Review

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(More customer reviews)Prior to purchasing the Zen Vision W 60GB Slim I looked at several different options, including the 30/80 GB ipods, the Zune, and of course, Creative's other products, such as the Zen Vision M and the regular Zen Vision W.I picked the Zen Vision W because of the screen size, the capacity, and because I wanted a device that could tackle both my movie needs and my music needs.

The Good:
1. Just as slim as the 30GB model.I personally felt the normal 60GB version was slightly hefty.This is a great size for a media player that can play movies.
2. Awesome for movies--just the right screen size--I wouldn't want it any smaller.
3. Easily replaceable battery, which none of the aforementioned players have.If I want another 4.5 hours of movie time, I can just pop in another battery.If the battery dies on me one day, I don't have to deal with any replacement programs.
4. Extremely easy to transfer music and movies with the media manager that comes with it.It's also a cinch to convert movies if they need converting.
5. Supports DivX and Xvid movie formats.
6. 60 GB size is just right for plenty of high bit-rate music and movies
7. Comes with AV cable to hook up to the TV.Great for showing pictures, music videos, or movies.It's also a no-brainer--you just plug it in.

The Bad:
1. I wasn't hugely impressed with the sound quality (not that it's bad--you just have to mess with the EQ settings to get what you like--and that isn't too hard, just annoying)
2. It lacks the no-stops playing feature (i.e. from song to song) that the i-pod has.
3. Not suitable for working out--it's simply too big.The Zen Vision W is best enjoyed sitting down.

Bottom Line: If you are interested in watching TV shows or movies on your media player, this model is a great choice.The wide screen makes watching media a great experience, and it's still great for listening to some tunes while on a plane or in a car.If you are looking for a media player mainly for listening to music on the go, this probably isn't the right choice for you because of the size.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Creative Zen Vision W 60GB MP3 and Video Player - Slim

Product Description:
The ZEN vision's 4.3 TFT widescreen is bound to impress anyone. Carry up to 240 hours of video movies or tv shows anywhere you go. Download and listen to up to 15000 tracks from your personal collection or many subscription services.

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Creative Labs NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX 30 GB MP3 Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the Nomad Zen NX fully expecting to return it and buy an iPod. I was having a discussion about the two players with a friend and he suggested that I buy the Zen NX. At $200 less than the iPod, I was skeptical but bought it knowing that if I didn't like it, I could always return it. I have to say that he was right! The Nomad Zen NX boasts incredible sound quality (remarkably better that the iPod), a replaceable lithium-ion battery and a stylish look, though not as sleek as the iPod. The sizes and weights of the two are quite comparable.
However, I do have a few reservations... I don't like that all the controls are on the sides. There are none on the face of the player. This makes it especially difficult to navigate with one hand.
The scroller/button is a nice navigation tool, but you have to press it dead-on to be able to select the items you are shooting for.
The bundled software is a pain to deal with especially if you are dealing with a huge MP3 library that you already own. It's all good if your MP3 tags are correct to begin with, but if not, you are in for hours of tedious tag editing. Because the player uses these tags to sort your files into albums. (Save yourself some time, buy a copy of Notmad from Red Chair Software.)
The bundled earbuds are a joke as with any other player on the market. Buy good earphones to experience the true quality of this device.
The included case is nice, but it's annoying that it covers the LCD screen.
I have owned another hard drive based player and liked that it had a drag and drop interface. Each folder became an album. Not so on the Nomad. It would be nice if this was a fix in future versions of the firmware.
My advice? If you are looking for superior sound quality, buy the Creative Nomad Zen NX. If you are looking for something more sleek and curvaceous with a super-expensive Apple logo, buy the iPod.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Creative Labs NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX 30 GB MP3 Player

Product Description:
Carry all your favorite digital music in NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX with total style! With ultra-fast USB 2.0 connection, you just transfer all your music into the player with Creative MediaSource, hit the play button and you're all set to enjoy high fidelity music. NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX also comes with advanced features like the integrated clock feature, powerful navigation tools and EAX audio technologies to elevate your digital music experience.More than a digital music player, NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX is also an external hard drive for storing all your photos, documents and other data files. Cased in anodized Aluminum with a choice of storage capacity, the feature-packed NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX is not to be missed.

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Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player (Black/Blue) Review

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(More customer reviews)In summary why I picked Zen V Plus:
-Good price/performance
-FM radio and voice recorder
-Small, scratch resistant and cool design
-Drag and drop capability
-Compability with different music stores
-Very easy and quick navigation
-Previous positive experience

If you want a more detailed comparison to IPOD-Nano and Sandisk Sansa C200 series, continue reading and scroll down, if not stop here and get back to what you were doing, or want to do or whatever... :-)First off, this is my second Creative product in less than a year. No, no the old one is still good (ZEN Nano Plus) indeed the best one I've ever had, but I decided to go with something with color and a more navigation-friendly menu. I am not new to digital music.I've had a pleuthora of MP3 players within the last 5 years. Starting with a 32MB RCA (terrible), a 128MB Samsung (Good), a HD based Dell DJ(died on me,) two 6GB Apple Minis (one's Hard drive died, the other's click-wheel gave up), a Zen Nano Plus (excellent) and now this cool 4 GB Zen V-Plus. Before deciding on my new ZEN, I had two other serious considerations :

1) IPOD NANO - 4GB or 6GB :
Although I really loved the look and the price (not much above its competition)of the new IPOD NANO, I could not go with it because of previous (baaaad) experience and the required slavery to it's ITUNES software. It just is a pain in the neck when using my own MP3s (non i-tunes songs) and other music stores' products. Plus it did not have FM and voice recording, which are, I admit, pretty cool features.

2)Sandisk Sansa E250 (4GB) or E270 (6GB):
This was my clear favourite before actually going into a store and physically feeling it. Sandisk is the lead flash card memory manufacturer and its memories are really hi-Q.That and its clearly lowest price among peers made me consider this one more seriously. It had the voice recording and FM radio options and did not have the dreaded mandatory music software. Had even a bigger screen (1.8 inches) than Zen V Plus (1.5 inches). So why did Sandisk got eliminated? Easy:

i)Extremely hard to use click-wheel, even if one has small hands (I don't,I am 6'2" and 200lbs, so in my case a total "forget it"). The wheel is elevated from the surface very little, you accidentally hit other buttons while trying to operate.

ii)Overall size and design. Sandisk looks like a fatter and less slick IPOD Nano. It does not have the different (shorter,squarer, more compact) feel of the Zen V Plus.Bottom line it is bigger and bulkier than both.

iii)Icon based menu.That is a total no go for a small screen gadget. Just stick to line-based menu like all the previous and current IPods if your screen is less than 3 inches accross.
So, cheaper, equipped with features like the Zen V Plus, with a bigger screen and comparable battery life, The Sandisk Sansa still got eliminated.

After a month, what do I think about my Zen V Plus (4GB)?
PROS:
-Great size, look and feel.
-Great, optional very easy to use Creative software.
-100% Drag and drop compatible.
-Vibrant colors.
-Easy to navigate menu.
-Easy to use joystick and buttons (except one, see below in CONS)
-Decent battery life.
-Great FM receiver.
-Price

CONS
-Hard to see the screen (OLED's curse) under direct sunlight.
-Charging through USB (the only supplied cable) takes forever.
-The placement of the "back" button. It should be on the left of the "play/pause" button not below. When the unit is in your palm unless you have a hyperextending thumb, it is hard to press this button - though possible.
-Screen is not big enough for video viewing. Although video playback is seamless and vibrant, the size is just too small.Don't let the video capability be a deciding factor if you are inclined.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player (Black/Blue)

Product Description:
With a tiny, eye-catching design, smooth contours, and a discreet size, the Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player fits perfectly in your palm and slides effortlessly into your smallest pocket. With 4 GB of storage space,

A 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, as well as the easy-to-use Creative interface. View all Zen V Plus features.

Not much bigger than a pair of earbuds! (black and orange model shown) See the Zen V Plus in 3D. the Zen V Plus holds up to 2,000 songs, and the 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, full-color menus, and album art at any viewing angle. Another great feature built right into the Zen V Plus is the tiny device's ability to support subscription services and pay-per-download music. Plus, you'll never sweat formats--the Zen V Plus plays the broadest selection of MP3 and WMA music. And browsing your music collection has never been easier with Creative's innovative interface that enables effective and intuitive navigation and track selection. The Plus has an extra feature that it's predecessor lacked: the ability to play short video clips. With the Zen V Plus you can watch short clips in transcoded video format and impress your friends with the latest tidbits from the web or a brief glimpse of a home video.
Another great feature is a Direct CD Recording function that allows you to record songs directly from a CD player or other audio source without using a PC as an intermediary. You no longer need to burn CDs to your PC then download to your MP3 player. Just connect an audio device directly to your Zen V Plus, and record your favorite CDs, records, beats and more, direct from the source. Meanwhile, automatic track detection separates each song for you--a handy feature when you're converting analog (records and cassette tapes) to digital. If organization is a high priority, the Zen V Plus's Personal Organizer will help you stay connected and in-sync with your Microsoft Outlook information. Just connect the Zen V Plus to your PC, sync your Outlook information, and you'll be ready to carry around your contacts, calendar, and to-do lists right in your pocket. Plus, the Zen V Plus uses a handy built-in microphone to double as a voice recorder, so you can capture notes, record lectures, and more.


No matter how you hold it, the Zen V Plus is just the right size. Creative knows that sporty is sexy, and this player is ideal for any workout junkie. The skip-free playback is perfect on your morning jog or your most rigorous workout at the gym. The optional armband and case fit comfortably on your arm and keep your Zen V Plus safe and secure while running or lifting. The Zen V Plus player was designed for people who appreciate style and function. Don't be surprised when people take notice of your cool, colorful music and photo player. You can proudly announce that your device carries up to 2,000 songs, and you can show off your favorite photos and video clips that you've stored on this pocket-sized powerhouse.

What's in the Box
Creative Zen V Plus, earphones, drawstring pouch, lanyard, USB 2.0 cable, line-in cable, neck strap, installation CD including user manual, and quick start guide.

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Sony VGF-AP1L 40 GB VAIO Pocket Digital Music Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the Sony Vaio Pocket about a month ago.The first thing that I noticed out of the box is that it looks really cool.It's stylish, a little bigger than an ipod, and pretty light.The G-sense touchpad is also really cool.The navigation is a lot easier than the ipod, it takes a while getting used to, but you can do a lot more with it, like make playlists, change the equalizer, and add album covers, without having to switch between menus.The best feature, though, is the fact that it is in color.Listening to music while looking at pictures is fun.You can plug a digital camera right into the music player and transfer photos.And you can use any picture as the cover for any album, which you will see in the "Now Playing" screen.There are some glitches in the player, for example: In the main menu, if you go to "Artists", then choose an artist that has some songs in an album, but isn't the only artist for the album, it will give you all the songs in that album, instead of just the songs with that artist.Another glitch is that the main control panel, wich pops up if you put your finger on one of the g-sense buttons in the right column, sometimes doesn't refresh, so if you press the play button, sometimes it won't change to a stop button, it will just stay a play button.This is no big deal, just take your finger off the button, the control panel will go away, then put your finger back on the button and the play button will have turned into a stop button.
I had no problems with the software that it came with, it is easy to use, Sony Connect is a good music download service, though I don't know how it compares with Itunes.I have read reviews of other sony portable music players that said that transfering to Atrac3 was slow, but it wasn't slow on my computer, so that wasn't a problem.Transfering music to the player is really fast.I like Atrac3, it takes up less space than mp3 and it has the same sound quality.
One more thing that made this player a four star instead of a five is the headphones that it comes with.it is a remote control that plugs into the player, then earbud headphones that plug into the remote control.The place where the two earbuds come together is way off center, so when you are wearing them, the two cords come together at the side of your head.This is a problem with the remote control, because it pulls on one of the earbuds, and it can fall out easily.You have to use the remote control with the earbuds, because without it the earbud headphones are way way way too short.I just got different headphones and use those without the remote control.
Well, there is my review.I suggest that you buy it and just use different headphones, because otherwise it is a really cool digital music player.Go Sony!!!

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Product Description:
2/8/200615-19-32...

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Creative Zen Micro Photo 4 GB MP3 Player Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Wow Why bother with an ipod!??!?!

This has all the best features and then some.

$160 for 4 gb and excellent features or $150 for a 1 gb nano?

It's just too cool.

HERE ARE SOME THINGS I HAVE ADDED AFTER OWNING IT FOR A WHILE:

The sound quality of this mp3 player is BETTER THAN MY COMPUTER WITH WINAMP AND THE EQUALIZERS.Definite audiophile player.

I like using the Sony EX71 headphones.Good bass and clean sounding.I use the vocal preset with the bass boost and it sounds infreakingcredible.

IGNORE WHAT THAT OTHER GUY SAID.I got a silicone case for $7.The headphones are good if you actually wear them, but I prefer my noise-isolating headphones.The USB cable is actually 1'6", not 6".Read the instructions and you will be able to charge the battery.

The shuffle feature has got to be unique.It doesnt pick random songs exactly, it picks ones that lead well from one to another.For example, it does a couple of the same genre or artist and then goes to another.Either that or I have strange, strange luck.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Creative Zen Micro Photo 4 GB MP3 Player Black

Product Description:
The micro-sized, coolly styled Zen Micro Photo digital audio player/photo viewer lets you watch slide shows of your favorite digital images on its stunning, high-intensity 1.5-inch OLED screen while listening to an MP3 or WMA soundtrack. This 4 GB player, which comes in black, can hold up to 5,000 JPEG images or 2,000 songs. It's also nicely compact, measuring just 2 by 3.3 by 0.7 inches (W x H x D) and weighing under 4 ounces.
The Zen Micro Photo's vibrant, cutting edge OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) screen looks terrific and draws less power than conventional LCD displays. It displays 262,144 vivid colors, ensuring that every picture is sharply detailed and extraordinarily clear. Using revolutionary display technology, you can now view photos from any angle. In addition, the vertical touch pad makes navigation easy, and the micro-sized player offers a curved design that fits ergonomically in your hand. The intuitive menus even come in wild, bright colors to make it easy and fun to navigate through the thousands of songs and photos.
The Zen Micro Photo is compatible with MP3, WMA, Janus, WAV, and IMA ADPCM digital audio files (including DRM protected PlaysForSure WMA files from online stores and subscriber services), as well as JPEG image files. The player also features a built-in FM radio with 32 preset stations and the ability to record directly off the radio, so you can capture your favorite songs and live radio interviews. Meanwhile, the integrated microphone and voice recorder let you record short notes to yourself as well as important meetings and lectures. And if the default sound isn't quite right, choose from the Zen Micro Photo's custom EQ or eight pre-loaded EQ settings, which include acoustic, classical, disco, new age, vocal, pop, rock, and jazz.
The Zen Micro Photo syncs beautifully with Microsoft Outlook, so you can organize appointments and business contacts or even wake up to your favorite song. Additionally, the Zen Micro Photo can be used as a USB mass storage unit, allowing you to safely store your important presentations and documents and transfer them to another PC.
Finally, the removable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to 12 hours of continuous playback time, and can be charged via a USB connection to your computer or the included USB travel charger.
The Zen Micro Photo works with many online subscription and pay-per-download music services such as Yahoo! Music Unlimited and Napster to Go. The PlaysForSure designation ensures compatibility with Windows Media Player 10 and Windows XP.
What's in the Box
4 GB Zen Micro Photo (black), high-fidelity earphones with dynamic bass response, lithium-ion battery, USB 2.0 cable, installation CD-ROM, printed quick-start guide.

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