Good Expandable MP3 player for working out
Written: Jan 21 '03 (Updated Jan 21 '03)
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Pros: Small, expandable, arm-band, FM tuner, good online support community, frequent software updates
Cons: Directory system for tracks needs work, awful headphones, not available at local stores
The Bottom Line: Firmware and software updates stand to make this a player you'll probably be happy with for a good while!
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| cdh999's Full Review: Sonic Blue Rio S35 128MB MP3 Player |
In truth I'm not the user of this device, but purchased it for my wife. She runs long distances and wanted a device to use while working out. We were not looking for a massive-capacity player, but 128MB seemed about right for most of her purposes.
I had bought her a Nike PSA 128 before Christmas, but although the size was great, the sound was terrific, and it was very comfortable to wear, it had a problem with locking up on certain tracks. I went online and found that many other folks had experienced similar problems. Nike/Philips did not seem to be working to produce software updates immediately, so instead of risking having an expensive device which only partially worked I returned it.
We then went in search of an alternative. The only model which came close was the SonicBlue Rio S35S -- if my wife weren't a runner then the JetAudio player would be very interesting. The only problem was, we couldn't find one locally to look at or buy! I read some reviews and (sight unseen) ordered online.
So far we're pretty happy with it. The size is comparable (perhaps even slightly smaller?) to the Nike/Philips player, though perhaps not quite as sleek in design. I'll update with more information after we've used it for a while. The headphones were (as everyone else can attest) terrible! The radio did not pick up some stations which are loud-and-clear on a $20 Sony Walkman. The software seems fine. Future updates will apparently be working on ways to better organize/edit play-lists.
However: I did want to point all readers towards the website at http://www.rioworld.org which offers terrific support forums monitored by knowledgable users and tech support/engineers from Rio. They post software updates there before they are generally released. The latest update (1.62?) allows one to use Secure Digital memory cards, and from what I understand people have had success with 256 and even 512 MB models, expanding this player's total memory to 768 MB! Chances are the battery won't last long enough to play all that in one session!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 170
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Epinions.com ID:
cdh999
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Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 0 members
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