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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DISH ARCHOS 605/160G 4.3" Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)AWESOME! I have 1200 songs. 150 Music Videos. 10 Full length live concerts in video. 8 Hours of Television. Over 100 Photos. And 5 Pretty Cool Games, oh yeah, and 5 movies all downloaded on here, and still have almost 4.5 Gigs of memory on this bad boy. I'm in the military and bought this for when I'm overseas, and it is Perfect. It is very simple to operate, downloads from computer lightning fast by mass media usb cable. Comes with software you can transfer to your computer to get you to the places you need to be to download the software you'll need to convert video into compatable mpeg4 files. Comes with attatchments to hook this up to your tv or stereo and play through, or hook up camera or playstation to. You can do just about anything with this.
My advice is not to transfer straight from your DVR to this, just because 1 HR of DVR= about 1 Gig. Instead I record my DVR to dvd and then translate to a smaller mpeg4 file by the included software links downloadable software, and then download them to the pocketdish.
I read the review about the game not downloading, They will download. When you purchase a game the activation code is emailed to you, you open the link and activate it. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BY THE NUMBERS with attention to detail and it downloads in about 1.5 seconds.
This Technology is BY FAR, MILES AHEAD OF THE REST! And SO MUCH CHEAPER!!!!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: DISH ARCHOS 605/160G 4.3

Product Description:
Play all your digital entertainment: movies, TV shows, photos and musicRecord your favorite TV showsStream and watch videos from your PCDownload movies and music directly on your PMP using the DISH ARCHOS Content PortalEnjoy the new high resolution 4.3" touch screen (800x480 pixels)Internet enabled2 to surf the Web, share content, and access Web video sites (eg DailyMotion)Customize your DISH ARCHOS with great accessories and plug-insView, zoom photos and make slide shows with music and transition effects, for viewing on the PMP or TV.Listen to all your favorite music in more formats than any other player30GB* to store up to 40 movies3, 300,000 photos3 or 15,000 songs3

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Philips 2GB GoGear Flash audio video player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I picked up this item at a low discount from a mass merchandiser the day after Thanksgiving.It was designed as something for me to use at the office or the gym-simple, easy, etc.Its fine in a lot of ways - sound quality is fine, it holds plenty, etc., but it is also very, very CHEAP in a lot of ways too!

When pressing the buttons, they will randomly access a different function, such as when I press the "return" button, it may pause the song, etc.Also, the *most* frustrating thing for me, is that when on random or shuffle play, it inevitably returns to a particular sequence of songs!Not a playlist, just a sequence of songs it has decided upon and will be the same every time I use the player until I change out songs on it.It will play other music randomly for awhile, but then it inevitably returns to that sequence.Likewise, every single time I turn it on and it starts out on the last song I stopped it during, the next song is the same as every other time and then it plays a sequence of songs!

Essentially, this is an okay item for maybe a kid (although I cant imagine it would hold up to ANY wear and tear), or it may be useful for people who regularly use pre-set playlists.But for those of us who like 'shuffle', its very frustrating!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Philips 2GB GoGear Flash audio video player

Product Description:
Enjoy your videos on the move With music and photo playback Enjoy total multimedia entertainment with the Philips GoGear digital audio/ video player SA3020. Easily navigate through music, movie and photo files on the 1.5" color screen. Simply drag n' drop your music or data via the USB connection.

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Archos 405 2 GB Portable Media Player (Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the 405 in September and the docking station shortly thereafter.To record t.v. you need the docking station and to download a proprietary t.v. program guide using the company supplied Archoslink software.The problem is that you can't download the tv program guide due to some defect in the Archoslink software.Archos has only told me that they have referred this problem to the engineers but I have heard nothing for a monthI am not sure if this problem also effects the WiFi versions, but I would definitely not recommend buying this item until they have worked things out.Even then, the interface it very confusing and difficult to use particularly from the machine.The navigation is not at all intuitive and even once you learn the quirky system you still make a lot of mistakes at is that poorly designed.

The company web site shares the software's poor design.For example to download the Archoslink software you need to search create an account with the serial and model numbers of both the machine and the docking station, and then confirm you information and search around for the software.The web site does not save your log in and when you click on a download the archoslink software link it takes you back to the log in page.The website has not have a search function and the software is not under the downloads link where you would expect it.

The device also seems quite limited in they format of files it will play.You even need to purchase a codex to common types of files and many are not supported.There seem to be a number of similar devices out there that make a better choice.Do not be fooled by what at first seems like a low price for such a device.The added cost of the docking station and the necessary codex software significantly raise the cost and the time it takes to set up and frustration to use really add up.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Archos 405 2 GB Portable Media Player (Silver)

Product Description:
The Archos 405 lets you enjoy all your digital entertainment straight from the palm of your hand in an incredibly robust and portable device. Less than 1/2 inch thick, the pocket-sized Archos offers expandable memory with its built-in 2 GB hard drive and amazing video playback on its high-quality 3.5-inch full-color screen. Other great features include mass storage capabilities and photo viewing support.


The Archos 405 lets you enjoy all your digital entertainment straight from the palm of your hand. View larger.

The device comes with photo viewing capabilities, supporting JPEG, BMP, and PNG files. View larger.
For added video playback versatility, the player is compatible with MPEG4, AVI, and WMV video files. You can also record live TV or schedule a recording by using the integrated TV program guide available with the compatible DVR station (sold separately). The player features robust music playback features, too. On-board music file playback capabilities support MP3, CBR, VBR, WMA, protected WMA, and WAV files. To help round out the player's multimedia superiority, the Archos even comes with photo viewing capabilities. JPEG, BMP, and PNG files are 100 percent compatible with the player, and the player can pull up PDFs for portable review -- an ideal means to take bigger documents or e-books in PDF format on the road with you.
Because of the Archos's USB 2.0 compatibility, a variety of different media files can be quickly transferred to the device. Charging the device can also be accomplished with an active USB connection. Other great features include mass storage capabilities, automatic firmware downloads, and a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. With an advanced Li-Poly battery, the player supports up to 16 hours of continuous music playback and 5 hours of continuous video playback. Weighing in at a scant 4.2 ounces, the Archos generation 5 405 measures 3.9 by 3.07 by 0.5 inches.




New Dish Network plug-in for the Archos 405.
New Dish Network Plug-in
With a new plug-in, you can transfer recorded movies and TV shows from your Dish Network set-top box directly to your Archos 405. Play back Dish Network-recorded movies and TV shows on the go or on TV--in DVD quality.
Multi-language is supported. The plug-in is compatible only with Dish Network STB models 622 and 722.

What's in the Box
Archos 405 portable media player, headphones, USB cable, DVR Station Gen 5 adapter, protective pouch, quick start guide, and legal/safety notice.

The Archos 405 lets you enjoy all your digital entertainment in the palm of your hand and provides easy access to content and personalization options to fit individual lifestyles. This pocket-sized PMP offers expandable memory and a high-quality color screen. At less than half an inch thick, this PMP's sleek and compact design holds everything you need in your pocket while you're on the move.

Personalize your Archos

Make it yours: personalize your Archos 405 to fit your unique lifestyle. Abundant plug-ins and accessories are available to customize your device to work the way you do: video your friends and family in action, record your favorite TV shows and movies, and share your photos.

Your movies, your videos

- Store and play up at least 2 movies.¹
- Play the most popular video formats: MPEG-4, WMV, protected WMV, MPEG-2^*, VOB^*, and H.264^* (*with optional plug-ins).
- Play the movies you shot on your camcorder.

Your photos

- Transfer your photos from a PC or most mass storage devices via the USB 2.0 high speed interface.
- Store and view at least 20,000 photos¹ (JPEG, PNG and BMP formats).
- Display slideshows with music and transition effects.
- Manage your files and folders directly on the device for better mobility.

Your TV

- Record your favorite TV shows or series directly on your Archos 405 with the optional DVR Station Gen 5.
- Easy programming with the TV Program Guide.
- Record the most video sources such as satellite/cable box, VCR, DVD player in MPEG-4 format.

Your music

- Store and listen up at least 1,000 songs¹.
- Play the most popular music files such as MP3, WAV, WMA and protected WMA.
- Easily organize songs with the enhanced ARCLibrary.
- Customize your view by artist, album, type of music, and title, and create your playlist on the go.


⁽¹⁾ On average; based on 3.5 mins/song & 64 kbits/s WMA, on 1000 kbits/s MPEG-4 audio/video encoding and 1h30/movie (for near DVD Quality), on JPEG, VGA

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iriver IFP-790T 256 MB Portable MP3 Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've owned this player for about three weeks now and am very happy with it. Very nice sound quality and fairly easy to use. There are a few things that put it over other 256MB players in my opinion...

1. UMS FIRMWARE UPGRADE. This is probably the most important thing I'll list. I did this as soon as I got the player and it made it that much better. Contrary to what some other reviewers may say here, you CAN make this device (as well as ANY products in the IFP-700 or 800 series) function as a regular flash drive, and not have to use the included IRiver software to transfer songs. Just go to the IRiver site and/or Google search for the UMS firmware update for this device (currently it is at version 1.28). Once you upgrade the firmware (the instructions are easy to follow on the site) it will operate not only as an MP3 player, but as a portable storage device for ANY type of file you need to transfer. This also makes it MUCH easier to transfer/arrange/rename/delete your files around on the player, as you can do it in Windows Explorer instead of doing it through the onboard player menus.

2. OGG FILE SUPPORT ALLOWS YOU MORE SPACE FOR SONGS WHILE STILL RETAINING HIGH QUALITY SOUND. For those not aware, OGG is a file type similar to MP3, but with better quality and smaller file size - IE, a 128kbps OGG file will sound better than an 128kbps MP3 file. Although it's unfortunate that it won't support any bitrate of OGG, it's a very minor issue. The lowest it will accept is 112kbps, but considering that's practically on par with a 160 kbps MP3, you can fit a lot more songs on here than you could with MP3s of an equivalent quality. I've encoded all my songs at 112kbps in OGG format and it's less than half-full with 32 songs on it - and they all sound very good. Should be able to fit about 70 songs on here no problem, which is more than enough for me since I mainly use this as a workout music player. If you're unfamiliar with OGG files just go to vorbis.com and check out the oggdrop program. Very simple to use, set the bitrate and then just drag and drop wavs to encode them.

3. QUALITY HEADPHONES. While they certainly aren't the best money can buy, they certainly ARE better than most pack-in headphones you get with CD or MP3 players. I see no reason to buy seperate ones. (note - the ones included with this model are the ear-bud type, I'd recommend putting the included foam-ish covers over them to avoid them becoming uncomfortable)

4. BATTERY LIFE. The fact that it uses a AA battery instead of a AAA battery makes it last longer than many other MP3 players. It won't quite reach the 40 hours advertised, but it's certainly well upwards of 30.

5. EXTRAS. Although the included arm-band won't win any awards, and the only bicep I could see it fitting around would be...oh, maybe Rick Moranis', it fits fine around just about anyone's forearm and the headphones are long enough to accomodate just about anyone...I'm 6'6 and it was plenty long enough for me while running. There is also a neck band included if you want to wear it around your neck instead. The documentation with the product is fairly well written, although there are so many menus and little features that some people may feel a bit overwhelmed at first. It also comes with a protective plastic-ish cover which slips over it and attaches to the armband. I just leave the cover on most of the time so the screen doesn't get scratched. Also includes an FM radio and voice recorder which I don't have much use for but will definitely appeal to most people. Finally, it also has a connector cord included if you need to do any direct line-in recording which is another nice feature, but something I don't think I'll ever use.

MY MAIN PROBLEM with this product is the joystick control. The little joystick is...LITTLE. I often find myself hitting up when I want to hit right, or hitting right when I want to push the stick in. Occasionally I'll be trying to turn the volume up and end up skipping to the next track instead. You'll probably want to be sitting still when you are using it, otherwise it may become a baffling ordeal for even the most brilliant among us.

I'd definitely recommend this if 256MB of space is large enough for you. If you encode your files properly like I talked about above you can fit quite a few songs on this. This is mainly used by me as a music player during workouts and so far it has worked great. I may upgrade to the 512MB version someday, but for now this serves me fine. If it weren't for the annoying controls/interface, this would be 5 stars easily.

Click Here to see more reviews about: iriver IFP-790T 256 MB Portable MP3 Player

Product Description:
iRiver iFP-790 combines advanced iRiver sound quality with a stylish, wearable design. It features 256MB of internal memory for up to 8 hours of music, extended battery life up to 40 hours on one AA, a built-in FM tuner and voice recorder. It also records music from any audio source. Plus, this ultra-light, skip-free player can be used to store music or transfer files of any type.Skip-free and sport-readyRecord music from any audio source (no PC required)FM Radio Tuner & RecorderVoice RecorderStore or transfer any file typeUp to 40 hours of battery life

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COBY PMP3521 3.5" TFT Portable Media Player with 20 GB HDD Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am doing Underwater Photography and wanted to have an 'off-camera' storage+viewer; this product was cheaper than the 'professional ones' so I bought it.
Good things:
1. Plays almost any video format (including DivX)
2. Good size product - pretty small.
BAD THINGS:
1. Product works ONLY with CF Type I (thin) cards; CF Type II are too 'thick'for it.
2. Little 'joystick' that is used for majority of operations works very strangely. Having a Computer Science background, it took me a while to figure out how to work the device. Overall UI is OK, but...
3. No support to RAW format (honestly, did not expect it)
4. Takes FOREVER to load large images (at times you think it is hung).
5. Does not play some MPEG-4 (very few of them do).
REAL BAD THING(S):
I could not get the Video/Audio output to work! ANYTHING I TRIED - could not get the image/sound on TV. Not too much about it in the manual.
I called support - ABSOLUTELY NO ATTEMPT FROM COBY's side to help. Basically 'send us the unit; we will send you another one in a few month' - totally unacceptable!!!
OVERALL: RETURNED THE PRODUCT - VERY POOR QUALITY!

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Product Description:
3.5" TFT Portable Media Player with 20 GB HDD

Get 67% OFF

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Archos 105 2 GB Flash Video MP3 Player (Gray) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My Archos xs 100 stopped working - it had a small harddrive that crashed (again).The Archos 105 is solid state.I use this mp3 player primarily for listening to recorded books from the library.The player needed to have bookmark capability, which this does.The short story is that this player works like I need it to, the price was right and has features (video player) that I haven't even gotten to yet.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Archos 105 2 GB Flash Video MP3 Player (Gray)

Product Description:
The ARCHOS 105, the ultra mini MP3 player from ARCHOS, gives you 2GB* of storage for video, music and photos. It features a 1.8" color screen to view photos or play movies. The ARCHOS 105 allows you to take all your music collection with you - no matter where you roam. A single touch fills your ears with your favourite songs and your eyes with your favourite photos or movies.

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