Mp3 Players Reviews

Archos 5 160GB Internet Media Tablet

Archos, award-winning for its constant technology innovation and leadership in portable media players now introduces a new concept: the Internet Media Tablet (IMT). The Archos 5 is the flagship product of this new line, bringing you a new way to enjoy the Internet, your media, and TV–all in a handheld device. The Archos 5 160 GB IMT is a high-end portable device with an ultra-thin design, a black stainless steel body, a high-resolution 4.8-inch touchscreen, and the horsepower of a laptop.

The Archos 5 features a comfortable, clear widescreen that’ll earn a few looks over your shoulder. The touchscreen technology ensures the most instinctive and direct way to access your movies, view your pictures, listen to your music, or browse the Web. The new graphical interface has been designed for total touch control. Reach the main functions with a tap, return at any moment to the home screen, and use the search function to access your files right away. Add shortcuts to your favorite files and display them directly on the Archos home screen for quick access. You also can bring your home screen to life with the new animated wallpapers.

This Archos 5 gives you 160 GB of storage for up to 145 movies, 2.5 million photos, or 40,000 songs–and the processing power to handle them. Enjoy blazing speed with the ARM Cortex superscalar microprocessor.

Technical Details

Before my purchase, I compared the Sansa Fuze with the iPod Nano (3G) and came away thinking the Fuze has a number of advantages. Its very nearly the same size as the Nano but the screen is negligibly smaller. The resolution is also a bit less (220 x 176 vs 320 x 240) but I think it is more than acceptable for most purposes. If you are going to watch a lot of videos you might want to opt for the Nano. Personally, I don’t anticipate watching many videos on such a small display. The scroll wheel is also similar to the iPod but has a more tactile feel since it is mechanical and actually moves. Overall, the user interface is very responsive and easy to use. Advertised battery life is virtually identical. Some of the features that pushed me over to the Fuze are: Micro SD card expandable memory; built-in Audio Recording and FM radio; ability to use subscription services; works with MS Media Player; and, of course, significantly lower cost. The only disadvantages I can think of are the much more limited availability of accessories compared to the iPod. At this point I am very happy with the features, build quality and sound quality of the Fuze. I would highly recommend it.

SanDisk Sansa Fuze 4 GB Video MP3 Player  Description

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

iKross 3-Pack Premium Reusable LCD Screen Protector with Lint Cleaning Cloth for iPod touch (Clear)

These LCD screen protectors work great, and they are almost invisible. Highly recommended to anyone with an IPod touch-a great way to keep your screen in tip top shape. This case is really easy to use and put on if you are careful. It keeps your screen protected 100% from scratches and looks perfect, ie no bubbles.

I methodically install screen protectors on all of my gadgets the day I get them. So here are some tips I’ve come up with while applying this particular protector:

1. Try to do this under very bright lighting (such as under a desk lamp) so it’s easier to see any stray dust.

2. Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before handling. Blow on your hands and rub them briskly together to remove any towel lint.

3. Use the included cleaning cloth with a drop or two of water to remove all existing residue and finger smudges.

4. One you remove the thin backing to expose the light adhesive, only handle the protector by the long edges. Making the letter “C”, you should hold it in your hand as if holding a playing card (palm facing down).

5. Since the protector is very difficult to remove without damaging it, take the included smoothing card (or the edge of the backing you just removed) and place it under one corner because chances are, it WILL take several attempts to align the protector perfectly.

6. If you are correctly holding it at the long edges, the protector will bow downwards. Just before you apply it to the center of the iPod, gently blow across the iPod’s screen to remove any dust particles that have landed over the past few seconds.

7. Slowly place the protector on the iPod’s screen and allow to slowly flatten from the inside to the outer edges. Do not let go until the last possible moment. Fortunately, this protector is stiff enough to eliminate most (if not all) bubbles along the way.

8. If it is aligned to your satisfaction, gently remove the smoothing card from the corner. If not, use the card to gently peel up the protector and try again.

9. Once aligned, use the smoothing card to smooth out any stray bubbles near the edges.

10. Enjoy your protected iPod!

Available in a 120 GB model that holds up to 30,000 songs, 150 hours of video, 25,000 photos, or any combination, the new iPod classic fills your pocket with sight and sound. Available in quintessential silver or striking new black, iPod classic catches your eye with its sleek, all-metal enclosure composed of anodized aluminum and polished stainless steel. The new Genius Playlist feature creates an on-the-fly playlist of tracks in your library that go great with the song you’re listening to. And Cover Flow lets you flip through your music by album artwork. Discovering new music, movies, TV shows, games, audiobooks, and podcasts is easy on the iTunes Store. Even rent a movie from iTunes and watch it on the go. To get everything into your pocket, just connect iPod classic to your Mac or PC, and iTunes transfers your music and more in one seamless sync.