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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Rio Carbon 5G MP3 Player

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Zune HD Premium Car Pack Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)FM Transmitter for Zune HD
Pros:
- Auto Tuning for empty channel frequencies
- 2 Presets
- 3.5mm AUX output
- USB port for charging a second USB powered device such as iPhone, GPS, etc
- Supports Zune HD and older Zune models.
Cons:
- Price is steep
- Sometimes it still tunes to the occupied radio channels

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Charge and play music, podcasts, and HD Radio stations from your Zune HD player while you drive. FM transmitter/car charger auto-seeks the best available frequency on your car stereo.

Listen to HD Radio stations through your car stereo. Zune HD player required for HD Radio reception.
AUX out connector. Easily connect through the integrated audio output for better audio performance.
AutoSeek. The Zune FM Transmitter automatically selects an optimal station for broadcast.
Charge and play. Charge your Zune while you listen to music and FM and HD Radio stations. USB port located on the transmitter/car charger allows you to charge a second Zune player simultaneously.
Two FM presets. The Zune FM Transmitter has two presets so you can easily swap back and forth between your most commonly used broadcast stations.
Included: FM Transmitter/Charger

Disclaimer: HD Radio reception requires a Zune HD player. HD Radio is not currently available in Canada. Click here for more information about HD Radio.

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Griffin Technology iTrip FM Transmitter for iPod (White) Review

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(More customer reviews)This review applies to the following products:
Griffin 9781-TRP30BK iTrip FM Transmitter with Dock Connector for iPod (Black)
Griffin Technology 9500-TRIPDA iTrip LCD/FM Transmitter with Dock Connector for iPod
This transmitter works quite well if you understand its limitations.
First of all, it broadcasts on the FM band so don't expect the sound to be better than your FM radio. Secondly, it's designed to be small and portable, so it's not going to have a very powerful transmitter built in, not to mention there are probably FCC rules regarding how few watts a personal device like this is allowed to transmit (in order to prevent interference with other electronics).
If your car doesn't have an alternate method of connecting an iPod (such as via a cassette adapter, line-in jack, etc.), and you don't want to spend the money to upgrade your stereo, this is a good, cheap solution to listen to your iPod in your car.
The product description (on Griffin's web page, the product packaging, and Amazon) mistakenly states that the iTrip works with frequencies ranging from 88.1 to 107.9MHz. It's actually designed to broadcast from 87.9 to 107.9MHz. I was happy to discover that my unit was tuned to 87.9MHz out of the package, which is a barely used fringe frequency in my area, making it ideal for FM transmitters. I just had to change it from DX (mono) to LX (stereo) mode and I was in business.
The controls are extremely simple and user friendly. Changing the broadcast frequency is easy as moving the toggle switch on the side of the unit up and down. Changing it from DX to LX involves pressing the toggle switch for about 3 seconds, then toggling between the two modes, and pressing the switch again to save the setting.
The built-in mini-USB charging port is a very smart feature. It allows you to use the same charger for many popular cell phones (MOTORAZR, Blackberry, etc.) and GPS devices, reducing the need to carry around a proprietary charger just for your iPod. And unlike the iTrip Auto, you only charge when you want to, instead of letting it charge all the time (and possibly using up unnecessary charge cycles). Also, some people have reported interference when using car powered transmitters, especially if they don't have a noise suppressor installed in their stereo, so allowing the iTrip Dock to use the power from the iPod gives additional flexibility in that regard.
My iTrip Dock works pretty well if I leave it in the cup holder of my car, which is about a foot away from the stereo. I may hear a little interference if I shift it around, but for the most part it provides a satisfactory performance, and I can't really complain considering the price and convenience.
By the way, Griffin has a web-based station finder application called SmartScan that tells you the clearest frequencies in your area. Just google "griffin smartscan" and give it a try if you have problems finding usable frequencies. Good luck!
UPDATE: Be aware that the iTrip does not work well in cold temperatures. I left mine in a car overnight during a cold spell, and it did not work well (low volume and increased susceptible to interference) until the ambient air temperature warmed up. So try not to leave it in your car if you park outside in the cold.

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The Griffin Technology 9500-TRIPDA iTrip LCD/FM Transmitter with Dock Connector for iPod is the most popular iPod FM transmitter in the world. It lets you avoid the hassle of bad reception and bad music on your car's radio by transmitting your iPod's music directly to your FM radio. The iTrip has a large, easy to read backlit LCD screen, memory settings, and a snazzy compact and self-contained design that's great for car travel. iTrip even has international modes for when you're in Europe or Japan and are looking for a frequency below what's available in the U.S. mode. Meanwhile, the new option of selecting between LX and DX modes allows you to hear audio with minimal interference from stations on crowded urban dials.
iPod Compatibility iPod nano 1G, iPod nano 2G, iPod mini, iPod 3G, iPod 4G (Clickwheel), iPod Color, iPod 5G/5.5G Video

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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
----
- 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
----
- 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.

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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.
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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