MP3 Reviews

This is a good value, but the screen is very difficult to read in less than perfect lighting conditions. Under bright flourescent lights in the office, it is fine. The rest of the time, though, I have a heck of a time with it. The internal memory also isn't really big enough to store MP3s. I decided to go back to paper and pen.

While color is nice, the price of a color iPAQ is not worth it when compared to this unsung model. Often overlooked the 3135 has all of the same features as it color siblings, Excel, Word, IE, Outlook, Calendar, Contacts, MS Money, but albeit with less RAM 16 compared to 32mb or 64mb for the color versions. However with the inclusion of the CF sleeve, which allows you to plug in CF cards from 8 to 256mb, the 3135 is the best PDA bang for the buck. And let's not forget the iPAQ comes with Windows Media Player, making it also an mp3, wma player, and it has the ability to record voice messages. With the CF sleeve and a few flash cards one can literally carry ones music libary with you where ever you go. Compared with the Palm Pilot, and Handspring Visor, this inexpensive jewel is perfect for the enthusiast, student or professional. After spending almost 6 months researching, playing with and talking with friends, neighbors and co-workers about which PDA to get I have yet to regret my decision.

The 3135, monochrome, 16 MB version of the Compaq iPaq (all of the other reviews here seem to be for the 3600 color, 32 MB versions) is still, all in all, a pretty impressive machine.

The 3135 still has the iPaq 206 MHz StrongARM CPU, it comes with the CF flash memory sleeve, for memory/storage/communications upgrades, very fast USB connection for updates (my previous PDA was a Palm III, with serial cable link - daily sync would take 5 min on average; with USB/iPaq, daily sync rarely takes more than 20 seconds), and with Compaq support, can even upgrade its operating system to Linux (Compaq support...). The 16 MB is very limiting, though, so if you get this, plan to also buy CF memory...along with it. The advantages of the 3135 are speed, power, and price. You get a 206 MHz handheld system for [a higher price], compare that to the fastest Palm platform handheld, the Palm OS/Handspring Visor Platinum, [for less] for an 8 MB, 33 MHz unit.

The Microsoft Pocket PC OS (really CE v3) comes with MS Media Player (for MP3s - better get at least 64 MB of flash memory, though, to take advantage of that!), pocket versions of MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook - maps VERY well to existing Outlook calendar functions, MS Internet Explorer (with AvantGo for offline web browsing), MS Money, MS eBook Reader, and MS Access. The conduits to convert from 'pocket' versions of files to desktop are built in and pretty transparent to the user. All you have to do to take information with you is to drag your existing files to a Pocket PC 'My Documents' folder which the install program creates on your PC desktop, and ActiveSync does the rest (by the way, if you install Linux, all you have to do is to FTP files into your handheld - same thing).

The killer app for this (for me, anyway) is the MS Reader utility. eBooks are relatively small, and with my iPaq, I can carry a veritable library with me in a device the size of a pager. The monochrome screen of the 3135 is much more readable than its color (and ...more expensive) counterpart - or is this just cognative dissonance on my part? Many free books are available on the internet, from the public domain works available at...sites...I believe that even Amazon.com has an "eBooks & eDocuments" section.

This is a good value, but the screen is very difficult to read in less than perfect lighting conditions. Under bright flourescent lights in the office, it is fine. The rest of the time, though, I have a heck of a time with it. The internal memory also isn't really big enough to store MP3s. I decided to go back to paper and pen.

While color is nice, the price of a color iPAQ is not worth it when compared to this unsung model. Often overlooked the 3135 has all of the same features as it color siblings, Excel, Word, IE, Outlook, Calendar, Contacts, MS Money, but albeit with less RAM 16 compared to 32mb or 64mb for the color versions. However with the inclusion of the CF sleeve, which allows you to plug in CF cards from 8 to 256mb, the 3135 is the best PDA bang for the buck. And let's not forget the iPAQ comes with Windows Media Player, making it also an mp3, wma player, and it has the ability to record voice messages. With the CF sleeve and a few flash cards one can literally carry ones music libary with you where ever you go. Compared with the Palm Pilot, and Handspring Visor, this inexpensive jewel is perfect for the enthusiast, student or professional. After spending almost 6 months researching, playing with and talking with friends, neighbors and co-workers about which PDA to get I have yet to regret my decision.

The 3135, monochrome, 16 MB version of the Compaq iPaq (all of the other reviews here seem to be for the 3600 color, 32 MB versions) is still, all in all, a pretty impressive machine.

The 3135 still has the iPaq 206 MHz StrongARM CPU, it comes with the CF flash memory sleeve, for memory/storage/communications upgrades, very fast USB connection for updates (my previous PDA was a Palm III, with serial cable link - daily sync would take 5 min on average; with USB/iPaq, daily sync rarely takes more than 20 seconds), and with Compaq support, can even upgrade its operating system to Linux (Compaq support...). The 16 MB is very limiting, though, so if you get this, plan to also buy CF memory...along with it. The advantages of the 3135 are speed, power, and price. You get a 206 MHz handheld system for [a higher price], compare that to the fastest Palm platform handheld, the Palm OS/Handspring Visor Platinum, [for less] for an 8 MB, 33 MHz unit.

The Microsoft Pocket PC OS (really CE v3) comes with MS Media Player (for MP3s - better get at least 64 MB of flash memory, though, to take advantage of that!), pocket versions of MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook - maps VERY well to existing Outlook calendar functions, MS Internet Explorer (with AvantGo for offline web browsing), MS Money, MS eBook Reader, and MS Access. The conduits to convert from 'pocket' versions of files to desktop are built in and pretty transparent to the user. All you have to do to take information with you is to drag your existing files to a Pocket PC 'My Documents' folder which the install program creates on your PC desktop, and ActiveSync does the rest (by the way, if you install Linux, all you have to do is to FTP files into your handheld - same thing).

The killer app for this (for me, anyway) is the MS Reader utility. eBooks are relatively small, and with my iPaq, I can carry a veritable library with me in a device the size of a pager. The monochrome screen of the 3135 is much more readable than its color (and ...more expensive) counterpart - or is this just cognative dissonance on my part? Many free books are available on the internet, from the public domain works available at...sites...I believe that even Amazon.com has an "eBooks & eDocuments" section.

I had this player for a couple of months (4) when the headphone jack went out on me. Intel gladly returned it. One year later, the exact same thing happened. Even tho the warranty had expired, I felt this was a major "flaw" and they should help me out. I called customer support and because they no longer make these, there is no support. I LOVED the thing while it worked...

I am comparing my experiences to my use of the Rio 500 mp3 player, which I recently replaced with the Intel Pocket Concert due to storage constraints.

1) Look/handling: I'm not one for flashy looking things, but the Intel unit is a good size and easy to handle. The belt clip is handy (Rio did not have one) but I do miss having a case for it, which I understand I have to purchase separately from Intel.

2) Plug and Play Ability: The set-up and installation of the unit was flawless. I was listening to the unit as soon as I pulled it out of the box (it comes pre-installed with a few mp3s and a walking tour of the unit). The Intel file transfer software is several thousand times easier to use than Rio's. My one complaint is that you cannot reorder the songs once they are on the unit. I haven't used MusicMatch Jukebox, which came packaged with the player, to upload files to the unit, but for now the Intel software is more than adequate.

3) Sound quality and usage: The volume on the Pocket Concert is incredible. I had problems with the Rio in that I couldn't get it loud enough to hear well over a train or city traffic noise, which is a problem, since I use it to commute to work. The Bass/Treble controls are adequate, although I miss having pre-sets, which the Rio had. The bookmark, random and repeat features are fine. The volume control is at the top of the unit, and separate from the scroll wheel which controls settings; I appreciate having it set up this way. It is much more functional than combining them all on the side of the unit, which Rio did.

4) Storage: I am getting 23-30 songs on the 128 meg internal storage. This is pretty much what I expected, since I was getting 9-13 on the Rio with mp3s encoded at the same rate (128 or 160). This is more than adequate for my commuting and exercising needs.

5) FM Tuner: I'm not getting tremendous reception on the Pocket Concert, even in and around downtown Boston where the signal is the strongest on any other walkman type unit. But I didn't buy this for the radio!

6) Battery life: This is the one downfall to this unit. It is eating batteries like crazy. I think that if the scrolling info on the face of the unit could be controlled, it would cut down on the battery drain. The Rio upgraded its firmware to be able to cut down on scrolling and the amount of data shown, and even on the amount of time the backlight was lit, and I found I could extend battery life quite a bit if I cut down these settings. I think this is definitely one area Intel needs to look at. I get on average about 6-7 hours on a battery, whereas on the Rio, it was over 10 and close to 12 or 13 hours on a regular basis.

7) That annoying hiss: Yes, I do notice it, but only between tracks and in a quiet room. If you're using this to work out, jog or commute (which I do) then you'll never know it's there. I would assume that it's fixable with a firmware upgrade, since several people on the internet have complained about and returned the product without a noticeable improvement.

I look forward to firmware upgrades which I would assume are coming. As an Intel shareholder, I'm proud of this product, and haven't gone anywhere without it for the last 10 days!

The Intel Pocket Concert was my third MP3 player in a week. Yes, you read that right. The problems I had with the Rio 600 and the Kazoo made me very leery of low-end MP3 players, so I decided to hit the big time and pony up for the Intel Pocket Concert (aka IPC).

I'm very glad I did. The IPC is a superior product, delivering excellent sound quality and portability with fewer hassles than any piece of electronic equipment I've ever owned. I especially like these features:

* full-bodied, rich tone

* wide range of sound levels, from barely-there to ear-blasting

* comfortable, high-quality headphones that don't leak sound

* large built-in memory

* tiny enough to fit into a purse pocket

* supplied Musicmaker software easy to use

* aluminum case sturdier than cheap plastic

The only real quibble I have about the IPC is that its FM reception is abysmal. Purchasers in desperate need of a good FM receiver should look elsewhere.

It's also not easy to find the accessory pack in Canada (even at shops selling the IPC) - and retailers who sell the accessory pack online (including amazon.com, oddly) won't ship it to Canada. Outback.com will ship the accessory pack along with the IPC, but not separately! Lord knows why this is the case, but fill yer boots, there it is. Canadians should either buy the accessory pack separately at Amazon and have it shipped to a US address, or buy the IPC bundled with the pack from an online retailer like outback.com. (The accessory pack includes rechargable batteries and a dock/recharger, as well as a car converter and a carrying case.)

But these are quibbles. The Intel Pocket Concert delivers superior sound (superior to most home stereo units, in my opinion) and a large memory with small size and durability. I highly recommend it.

For me, this mp3 player is great for holding all of my music- I downloaded all my Cd's and still have room for more.

My problem is this: When I unplug it from teh wall to take it out running, it plays, then dies after one song. I replaced teh rechargeable batteries, but it keeps doing the same thing. It just freezes up and I can't press any buttons. Then I have to wait until it says "shutting off, not in use" before I can try turing it back on again.

Just some additional notes after using the player some more, to add to my previous review.

First, I was incorrect when I said you could not delete songs and playlists on the player itself. You can, it's just buried on a totally different menu, so that you have to jump back and forth from your active playlist. I guess this is for safety's sake, but it sure makes deleting a pain to do. But you can, that's the good news!

Second, Creative has just released a firmware upgrade that does address a number of issues, and really makes this player rock! The firmware not only lets you use WMA files, it adds the fast forward and rewind feature, louder sound, and gapless playback. This upgrade is a must-have if you get this player!

Still can't bump my review rating up to 5 stars, since battery life still stinks. But this definitely strengthens my recommendation that this is an MP3 player well worth having.

I've been waiting for something like this for forever. I've gone through my share of MP3 players, minidisc players, walkmans and discmans, but so far nothing has had the versatility that the Nomad Jukebox has. My problem is that whenever I travel I insist that I can't survive without bringing my entire CD collection, and it's annoying (and risky) to lug around that many CDs. Minidiscs provided a solution for a while, but it was to much hassle to spend so much time recording & editing the minidiscs manually without the help of a computer program. MP3 players like the Rio 500 & Nomad II are great for day use & jogging, but most of the time 1 hour just doesn't cut it. MP3-CD players don't seem worth it to me because you still have to buy a CD burner & carry around CDs. The Nomad Jukebox is for people who want a MASSIVE amount of music (6 GIGs, 100+ hours, which is 100x more than most Mp3 players, at around the same price) for use over a long period of time or at home.

The Jukebox comes bundled with software for PlayCenter 2 (for the PC) or SoundJam (for Macs) to use for ripping CDs & Mp3s from your computer to the Jukebox. It also comes with decent headphones (loudness is NOT a problem) & a carrying case, plus all the necessary equipment for setting it up. Setup is pretty easy, and using the software is a lot more intuitive than I though it would be. It takes me around 5 minutes to rip a CD from my computer the the Nomad. The best feature by far is the OMD description searcher-- if you're online while your ripping CDs, the OMD finds the album name, year released, genre, artist, & ALL the track names, so you don't have to type anything in. You can also rip Mp3s from the Nomad back to your computer. The songs in the Nomad can be categorized under Albums, Artists, Genres or Play Lists to make it easier to navigate. It supports data, mp3, wma, and wav files (plus many others). You can download updates [from the web] for better software or firmware for the player, so even if something isn't perfect now, in the future improvements will be available. The player also has an infrared port on the front for future additions (like a remote control). It comes with 2 hours of free music (mostly classical) and some Audio Books. It includes jacks for line-in recording from radios, microphones or stereos, and line-out hookup to stereos or speakers.

Of course, the Nomad Jukebox is a very new kind of Mp3 player, so it has a few MAJOR flaws:

1) BATTERY POWER- Hard Drives tend to suck up an endless amount of power, and that's exactly what the Jukebox is-- a Hard Drive disguised as an Mp3 player. You can ONLY use the 4 rechargeable batteries that Nomad gives you (AA size) to run it without the AC adapter, and those only last around 2 hours by themselves. Nomad includes an extra set of 4 to replace them, but you always have to make sure they are fully charged. Maybe in the future there will be more options (battery pack?)

2) WEIGHT - It's around the size of a first-generation CD player, and it weighs around 2 lbs with batteries. This isn't really a problem for me, but it depends what you want to use it for. It's not meant for use while jogging or biking, etc-- it's more for use over a long period of time away from home, on the bus/plane/dorm/in the car, or at home, plugged into the AC adapter and a pair of speakers. Besides the weight, in my opinion, it looks VERY nice- it has unique, smooth design, coloring and shape (and the LCD screen is easy to read).

The Nomad Jukebox is the best in its category of high-capacity Mp3 players-- It holds 100 times more music than a normal Mp3 player, and its price has been drastically reduced, making it a lot more affordable than it was before. Overall, I am very satisfied with it. It is the best option for anyone who's ever wished they could bring all their CDs with them without actually having to CARRY them... and I think that I will be using it for a long, long time from now.

I just recently got an ipod with my 2003 Beetle. I must agree with one of my fellow reviewers that it is a bit of a nightmare for windows users. I have to take my ipod to work with me just to put music on the thing. As far as playing music the ipod does an excellent job, everything that the ipod promises it performs. Not to mention how CUTE it is. An ipod is a great investment if you are a music lover.

Just got it about a week ago. Took me a few minutes to get it set up on WinXP (but already had a firewire card). Now it works great! My main gripe are the blank spaces between continuously mixed or live CD's. I get around it by ripping the CD as one huge mp3. You lose the ability to skip songs, but you can use the wheel and navigate through by time... That works ok... Hope Apple fixes this. The headphones sound great, but I don't think they're well suited for sweaty environments (gym, etc.). Bought some different ones. Not a big fan of Music Match, but it gets the job done. Didn't like Ephpod, and may try XPlay. It's my first Apple product, and I like it a lot. May buy more, who knows? But minor gripes aside, I love it. I already have tons of music on it (with 11.5GB remaining!). Wow... Glad I bought it!

Spending [the money] on an iPod was perhaps one of the smartest investments I have ever made. Yes, I've succumbed to buying into the Jobsian music revolution. For those that aren't like me, a veteran member of the Apple cult, the iPod is essentially a digital music player, with serious space for the serious music aficionado.
Getting the device to be recognized by my iBook was a breeze. To do so, I merely had to connect the dock with my laptop, and drop the iPod into its dock. iTunes, Apple's digital jukebox software, immediately took over, and proceeded to transfer my entire library to the iPod - a seamless process.
With 15 gigabytes of hard drive space, the tiny mp3 player managed to hold my 100-album CD collection. I filled the remaining space with my many Dave Matthews Band bootlegs, which calculated at a whopping 700 megabytes apiece.
Like many other Apple products, the iPod is very intuitive, and very user friendly. The face of the device includes a touch sensitive scroll wheel, and four buttons used to maneuver through menus, pause and play music, and switch from one track to the next. In addition, the interface of the iPod is neatly setup in a folder format, sorted by album, artist, genre, and song title. Like navigating through a hard drive on a computer, finding music on the iPod is a simple process.
Many music enthusiasts proclaim that the death of the compact disc is near, and that digital music is the future. If this is the case, I have seen the future, and Steve Jobs has taken me there.

I was so excited by this product - conceptually it's all I wanted. However, it's a case of great idea, bad implementation.

1) It's not loud enough. If I can't hear normal volume music when walking my dog on city streets, then it doesn't cut it. I couldn't hear music in a store either with volume full blast. My panasonic cd player has no problem with this - I'm not deaf or anything - it simply seems designed for use in quiet rooms. Forget using it at a gym where they might be playing their own dance music or something.

2) It doesn't scan through songs - you can only skip from one song to another. This is contrary to what the box says (although the manual confirms that it doesn't scan). In this day and age, how can you do without this feature???

3) It doesn't recognize regular wav files - only mp3s.

4) Sound quality is inferior (if you care about this sort of thing - I do) to the DACs in most modern portable audio devices (again, my Panasonic portable CD is wonderful).

If they fixed all this, I'd reconsider, but for now, I took mine back and received a full refund. Not yet ready for prime time.

I have had my Nomad for approximately 6 months. I'm nuts about it. I've filled up the 6 GB hard-drive and now have to delete something in order to add something. This has prompted me to want the 20 or 30 GB upgrade package available as a drop-in unit. I'm telling you, this is the best piece of home/portable stereo equipment I've ever had. I use this thing in my car, at the office (hooked up to some PC speakers), and at home (hooked up to my stereo system (via Radio Shack adapters). It allows me to keep my CD's in great shape, since they stay in the closet in their protective cases now. Designing Playlists is a snap using the Creative Labs software. The bad points: 3 - 4 hour battery life (A Radio Shack car-adapter can remedy that). Every now and then I'll hear a click or static type noise in the playback. I can live with that also. The plus' far outweigh the minus'. Thanks Creative for making a fine product.

While my Nomad Jukebox's structural integrity depends heavily upon duct tape, it still works like a charm. I've managed to break it a few times, and it was always pretty easy to repair just by ripping off the fuzzy things on the bottom and unscrewing those delightful miniscrews to reveal the magical guts of the player. Sometimes it gets fussy if I start and stop and start and stop like 3 different songs, but that's what the reset button is for. My only complaint is that USB 1.1 just seems so slow these days, I wish there was a magic wand that would all of a sudden give it some firewire capability.

I've had my iPod for 2 weeks now, and I must say that I'm pleased with it. I used iTunes to rip my entire CD collection of 400 CDs with ease and now I have them on-demand.

The 40gb iPod comes with the iPod itself, a Firewire docking cradle, carrying case, remote, headphones and charger. If you're running a Windows PC, it's worth spending $20 to get an internal Firewire card for your PC.

Ergonomics:
The iPod has a nice feel to it - it's easy to use (10 minutes to truly play with and I was all set without reading the manual). It's very light and fits inside my breast pocket of a jacket or shirt.

Cables and remote:
I sort of gave up on the remote. If you're like me and like to skip around randomly without the benefit of a playlist, the remote is probably not for you. It's very cool looking and works well, but it's dependant on your music listening habits. This iPod only includes one Firewire to docking cradle cable, so if you wanted to charge your iPod on the road, you'd have to unplug the dock. This irritated me and I bought the USB 2.0 and Firewire to dock cradle cable (~$20) so I could keep that in my travel bag.

The headphones:
They're sufficient enough headphones. Nothing great, but they work well.

Battery:
The battery is the only downfall of the iPod. I'm consistently getting about 6 hours per full charge which requried me to purchase the Belkin external battery module for those Transpacific plane rides.

Extras:
There's a few games on the iPod (Solitaire is always a favorite) and the ability to hold contacts and notes (which is good - just in case my Palm Pilot's batteries die). It's a music device first, not a notebook.

iTunes:
It's not bad for cataloging your music. It's able to rip your CDs at any number of rates to MP3 or AAC. The only problem I had was Gracenote putting inconsistent information within the ID3 tags of your MP3s, so I had to go back and edit that information ("Beatles" vs "The Beatles", for instance). It was easy to create the playlists and those synced over with zero problem.

Overall I give it a 4 out of 5. The battery thing is the only real drawback.

Apple's always at the top of their game - whatever game that is - and this top of the line iPod is no exception. Let's pause a moment for the analysis:

40 GB. That's roughly 40,000 megabytes. Using today's AAC or mp3 music encoding technology, a 72 minute album rarely consumes more than 80 megabytes - even at near-CD quality. What does that mean to you? Yeah, you did the math right - 500 albums. You could sit there and play music 24/7 for nearly a month without repeating. Or head down to your local club and be DJ for the night - just slip the iPod out of your pocket and plug into the sound system!

OK, so it'll hold all your music. But what the numbers don't tell you is that it holds your music in STYLE. About the size of a stack of 8 credit cards, and only a trifle heavier, this'll fit on your belt, in your sleeve, in your backpack's cellphone pocket, in your purse, or wherever else you want to put it with no hassle. The controls lock so jostling around doesn't accidently push buttons. And what cool buttons they are - the 'scrollwheel pad' and no-click touchbuttons make for an easy, fun and durable interface.

Also, the thing just looks darn cool - with its white front, silver back, and little backlit screen, it's got instant 'bling bling' credibility, day or night.

It comes with everything you need - belt clip, earbuds, dock to recharge the battery and transfer music over from your Firewire- or USB 2.0-equipped computer. But I'd recommend two additions: first, the optional FireWire cable makes this into a portable 40G hard drive, highly useful in today's information age. (I carry a copy of the human genome around on mine.) Second, ditch the included headphones and grab a pair of the Sony neodymium-magnet earbuds, model #MDR-EX70LP. They transform your iPod from merely great to INSANELY great.

Cool tunes to ya, my friend!

Apple, like any company, has issues. Their products break and they fix them...most of the time. Bottom line is that my iPod had gone through hell about 5 times, and they've replaced it quickly every time.
Now, this battery thing seems to be the biggest issue people are having. However, there is an easy $40 dollar solution if you don't want to buy the extended warranty: www.ipodbattery.com They sell replacement batteries and teach you how to install them. Easy as pie.
I doubt you'll get as good performance or ease of repair with any of the other MP3 players out there. I've tried a friend's DellPod and it's clunky, and each song plays at a different frequency. Soundcheck cuts away that problem alltogether. YOu can access the entire thing single-handedly, and it takes seconds to update your collection. 3rd party software also lets you transfer songs from the iPod, keep a calendar with events and even add new games on! Check out www.macupdate.com for all of these programs and more. The world of iTunes and the iPod is pretty fantastic and makes music really fun. I have about 7 GB of movies and 18 GB of music on my iPod, not to mention that you can even read Word documents RIGHT ON THE iPOD ITSELF! Another program allows an unlimited word limit, so you could read a 180 pg. document right on your iPod. Insanely easy to read scripts or notes or go over a draft when you're not at your computer. There are so many features that a $300-$500 investment is well worth...especially considering I've had my Pod for almost 2 years now.

I can't believe so many people love this product. I love electronic gismos and rarely need to use instructions to figure how to work things. It took me for ever to figure out and too load maps. Once I got it working, it worked ok, but not great. Besides being hard to set up, it had three major problems.
1) Poor user interface. Hard to figure out how to use. Can't use while driving.
2) Short battery life. I many times lost important data because battery ran out too quickly.
3)SD card slot doesn't hold card well. I loaded east and west coast maps into device. Went on vacation. When I came home, I used it as GPS and wondered why no detailed maps where there. My card fell out without my knowledge.

I decided to get the Garmin iQue 3600 since I needed a new Palm anyway and liked the idea of having a portable GPS for hiking and travel. Here is a brief summary of my two-week experience:
Price - very reasonable for such a bundle.
Convenience of use - very good.
Memory - an SD card is a must. The internal RAM will get you nowhere since it is all taken up. I bought a Panasonic 512 MB SD and I don't regret it. Now I have plenty of room for maps, MP3 music, third-party Palm products (including memory hogs such as dictionaries and e-books).
GPS performance - as good (or as mediocre) as you can expect from a hand-held GPS. Very good when holding horizontally outdoors, reception lost when putting in you pocket, lost when going indoors, reasonable on a car dashboard.
Software - well, you know Palm OS with all its quirks and inconviences, but this is Palm, nothing to do about it. Unfortunately, Garmin's device-specific software (Que) is no better. Worthless documentation, unhelpful Help, and some quirky procedures (most notably in Tracks and Audio).
Most troublesome point - absence of external battery pack. What is the use of a portable GPS if you can't take it on a decent half-a-day hike? Palm's own Power-to-Go is incompatible. I got Power Runner (look for it on the Web) and it is excellen t on all accounts, except for being a bit heavy.
In summary, iQue 3600 is the best of its kind, simply because it is the only device of its kind at the present (for this reason it is also the worst ...). Be prepared to spend $... on the unit,another $... on a SD card, then another handful of dollars on Power Runner, then perhaps another handful on a Car Kit, and you are ready to go.

Update 11/4/2003: Garmin Released a 2nd version of the system software on 10/24/03, which supposedly fixed the spontaneous hard reset, the MP3 caused crashes, voice guidance issues, among a slew of other problems. ..... I've used the unit since the upgrade for 10 days, and so far it's crashed once under heavy use. It's felt much more reliable as a navigation unit as well as a personal assistant. I'm tentatively upgrading the rating from 2 to 4 stars. Without its self-destructive behavior, the thoughtful tools and information available on the unit (albeit being outdated at times) are indispensible to a traveller, and they provide an invaluable sense of security. It's something that you may not want to be without once you have it. It's also better than most other guidance systems out there I've tried, including laptop units. Crashing issues aside, other "complaints" remain, though most of them are relatively minor, considering most other GPS units have their own set of compromises. I'm getting ready to recommend this unit to friends and family after trying it for few more weeks, and I hope it becomes more affordable.


10/20/03 I have anticipated this unit for months ahead of the release. It is difficult to say that it has been worth the wait. In fact, I don't think it's a very mature or stable product for a wonderful concept. I travelled extensively after getting this unit, and I found it unreliable at best. Here is what I think:

Likes:
-convenient QFind which lets me find just about anything I want within my current location, with decent accuracy.
-color hybrid screen that works under sunlight with the backlight off to conserve energy, also has an active write area that hids to enlarge display area.
-palm functionality
-integration with address book, and a find via address feature that worked better than the older (GPSV, eTrax Legend, emap) Garmin units that I've tried.
-repetitive voice prompt that ensures better guidance.
-SD flash memory expandibility

Dislikes (serious ones, skipping minor gripes here):
-crashes like mad. It resets several times daily, in various circumstances, and no clear pattern either. and yes, it does crash during navigation.
-loses data without warning. In fact I just lost all my data overnight, with power in the battery and no crashes last night, and I'm travelling. Now that's just a disaster, don't you think? I suppose it's designed to travel with a laptop and a cradle?
-GPS acquisition time is unusually long, much longer than what other Garmin units I tried. It usually takes at least one minute, even if I did not change location during the off time. I often find myself stopping the car waiting for it to acquire.
-the audio player is a sure bet for crash, so much so that it's unusable, unless you enjoy poking the unit with a pin.
-battery life is somewhat limited, but I think enough people has harped on this. I got a car cradle so it hasn't been as much a problem, but without the cradle it's very limited as a GPS guidance device. It will quit in less an hour, but it does have neat battery save feature in that it can guide with screen off, and come back on with voice prompt at turns.
-some inaccuracies in the map locations and directory listings. It could take a while before we find something that actually exists, but I guess it's better than not having any reference at all.
-Did I mention it crashes like crazy?

I would have wholeheartedly embraced the product. The Quefind feature is a fabulous tool for travellers. I could find restaurants, shops, car rentals, parks, etc. etc., and it is invaluable during travel. However, losing data and crashing while navigating is more than irritating: it's simply dangerous and potentially disasterous. There's no excuse for the kind of reliability issue it suffers now. It has to be fixed for it to be a real usable product, rather than an expensive, stillborn concept.

I received a new iPod 30GB for Father's day (Thanks Sweetie!). I've used about a dozen or so prior mp3 devices, and I have noted some issues that haven't been represented in any other review, which I wanted to point out to folks considering buying an iPod.

First off, it's a great device overall. 30 GB is a lot of space and fits my 500+ CD music collection fine. I think the battery life of 8-10 hours is great (my previous device, the Nomad Jukebox, had 40GB, but got 2 hours battery life if I was lucky!) and I like it's looks and size a lot. There are some mildly annoying UI issues but nothing I can't live with. The case, and most importantly the screen, scratch really easily, so you have to be careful how you handle it (it's small enough to put in your pocket--just don't keep anything else in that pocket!).

I'm a Windows user, and I'll add my report that the MusicMatch software that ships with the iPod is disgraceful. I loaded it on three different computers, (moving the firewire card around each time) and it never would transfer music to the device. Finally I downloaded an *older* version of MMJB and got music to transfer. Its own user interface is awful and I really hate that it makes you IMPORT all of your music into ITS library. It's clearly designed for the novice user, with no expert-mode features that accommodate folks like me.

But the biggest criticism I have of the iPod is something that Apple just plain got wrong. There is no support for building [persistent] playlists on the device. This really bothers me. It's apparent that iPod's designers had a built-in assumption that people wouldn't mind being tethered to their computers for playlist management and other things, but not everyone works this way. I tend to not hook my device up to a computer unless I have new music to download, which can be weeks. I really want the device to be usable indefinitely without a computer.

But there's one important thing you can't do very well on the iPod without a computer: Create playlists. Yes, you can add songs and albums to the "on the go" playlist, but there are some serious flaws with that feature's implementation:
a) there is only one on-the-go playlist
b) this playlist is temporary. It is blown away the instant you dock your device (why, WHY? This is such a brain-dead design choice it boggles the mind.)
c) when adding entire albums to this playlist, the album order is not respected. They seem to go in either alpha or random order, I haven't figured it out yet.

This makes it tougher to use the device the way I want. I'd like to be able to string together either a list of individual songs or, more often, entire albums and listen to them. But the albums go into the playlist with the song order wrecked, which is annoying. And having to abandon a list I've already created to be able to create a new one is truly annoying. And it's heartbreaking that, after I've put together a really good mix on the device, it will be summarily discarded the instant I dock. I truly can't understand the rationale behind this one.

So on the whole, it's a good device, the best out there for its combination of size, capacity, and battery life. There are some annoying problems that might detract from your enjoyment a bit if you, like me, find album order important and like to create custom playlists anywhere you are. But even with those flaws I'm glad to own mine.

Many portable MP3 players have hit the market in recent years but few have been so well executed as the Apple iPod. With sleek looks and a huge storage capacity for music files (MP3, AAC), Audible audio books, and other files, this player still beats all the other ones out there.

What I really liked:
- huge storage capacity
- nice looks, feels great in my hand or pocket
- absolutely LOVE the scroll pad so I can go through thousands of songs in an instant
- above average battery life (approx. 8 hrs)
- Firewire (a/k/a IEEE 1394, iLink) connectivity is FAST (noticably faster than USB 2.0 when transferring large amounts of data)
- can be used as a removable disk for data backup purposes

What I didn't like as much:
- pricey
- no color display, although this would probably come at the expense of battery life
- case and screen scratch easily (make sure to use a case!)
- no USB cord included for those without a Firewire port

If you received the MusicMatch software with your iPod, make sure to check out Apple iTunes (both for Windows and Mac), as it integrates much better with the iPod (both made by the same company, makes sense right?). iTunes also includes the iTunes Music Store where you can download songs for less than a buck each.

In short, iPod and iTunes is a combination that is truly hard to beat!

Have had my 30 GB iPod since November 2003, and am still loving it. Very few complaints - the sound quality is excellent, the user interface is easy to use, and the syncing with iTunes works flawlessly.

Probably the best feature of the iPod is the easy to use/navigate user interface - it's a snap to find the song you want quickly or build a playlist on the fly. It's also nice how the statistics from your iPod use such as number of times each song is played, date last played, and ratings (0 to 5 stars) carry over to iTunes and vice versa. The smart playlists from iTunes also work, so, for example, I have a playlist on my iPod of all songs rated between 3 and 5 stars which haven't been played in the last month. Pretty nifty.

Highly recommended - a little pricey, but you won't regret it - I get way more use out of my iPod than I did from my first MP3 player - a flash memory based one with a mediocre interface and small storage capacity.

PS: The iTunes Music Store is cool!

I own a Nomad II 64 MP3 player and it has broken for a second time - the warranty was only 60 days, and shortly thereafter, it stopped working, so I had to send it back and have it repaired for [$$$] (on the phone you can only talk to customer service reps, not technicians, and none of them could ever tell me what happend or how to prevent it from happening again in the future). The repair came with another generous 60 day warranty. The repair lasted about a year, and now it is broken again (in a similar but different way) - and I have always been very careful with it and it has never been physically harmed. Now that it is broken a second time I don't see the need to put more money into it, only to have it break again.

As an owner of the original Nomad player I am regretting the purchase of this product. It holds the same amount of music as the original player, the FM tuner reception is worse.. USB connection is better than the Nomad's but is still rather sluggish...and where the original Nomad included the rechargeable batteries and docking station in this version both are upgrades. The main difference between the players being upgraded LCD display/control with backlight, upgraded EQ control, more FM presets(If you can't get clear reception, who cares?), increased play volume, and the best new feature the wired remote control. My advice to anyone considering the purchase of an MP3 player would be to hold off for another level of technology, try out the original Nomad, or another manufacturer.

The unit broke a year after I bought it. I wouldn't buy another player from Creative Labs because it is too fragile. I only used the unit at the gym a few times a week. The first thing that broke was the wired remote, which I found to be very useful. The menu on the unit is easy enough to figure out, but rather slow to navigate. It takes several steps just to check the time. I liked the behind the head ear phones, they don't pinch my ears, but I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. The ear phone sound quality is just average. I'd have to say the quality of the product as a whole is just average.