Reviews

• Apple iPod Shuffle 3rd Gen 4GB MP3 Player Review
  
  $79.00

  Apple continues to decrease the size of its media players, as clearly evidenced by the latest iPod Shuffle. Storage space is the exception to this downsizing rule, however, since it packs in 4GB of memory in an even smaller package. Its more compact size leaves no room for music playback controls on the player itself and they've been relocated to a remote control unit on the included headphones. Never fear, though - you can hear song and playlist information through a computerized voice with the new VoiceOver technology that's now incorporated. How will this new Shuffle fare in our tests where previous iPods have ruled the roost with their excellent results? Read on to find out...

  Read full {{page_count}}-part review
• iRiver E100 MP3 Player Review
  
  $84.99

  The iRiver E100 is an entry-level media player that looks a bit like a slider-style cell phone. The E100 doesn't have many frills and it does have quite a few issues. The software looks downright dated, especially for a device sharing its market with iPods. The d-pad on the front is also very frustratingly unresponsive: the buttons' click doesn't correspond with the buttons actually registering a press.

  Read full {{page_count}}-part review
• Archos 7 160GB MP3 Player Review
  
  $448.00

  The Archos 7 is currently the largest offering from Archos, with a screen that's nearly 7-inches wide (it's slightly smaller than a full 7). While this makes the Archos 7 a great device for watching videos, it makes it the least-portable media players we've seen so far.

  Read full {{page_count}}-part review
• Archos 5 MP3 Player Review
  
  $299.98

  The Archos 5 is the latest offering from Archos, and has quite an impressive list of capabilities. Out of the box it's a music / video / photo playback device with wifi. One of the Archos 5's best assets, however, is the huge array of upgrade options. Unlike the Apple Store, which only provides software extensibility, if you decide you really want GPS on your Archos 5, you can go out and buy an add-on. The same goes for DVR and a lot of other options. It should be available soon for $350

  Read full {{page_count}}-part review
• Sony Walkman 16GB MP3 Player Review
  
  $219.99

  Nostalgia freaks will remember the Walkman brand; Sony launched one of the first portable tape players under the brand in the 1980s. They pretty much owned the portable audio market for years, but that all changed when portable audio went digital a few years ago. The company has been struggling to catch up since, and the Sony Walkman NWZ-A729 represents their attempt to carve back some of the space taken by small players like the iPod Nano. It does a pretty decent job; the screen is big and bright, and the device is easy to use. But there are a number of quirks that give us pause in recommending it over the Nano, such as the low audio output power and appallingly bad syncing software.

  Read full {{page_count}}-part review
• Creative X-Fi WLAN 16GB MP3 Player Review
  
  $99.95

  Like all manufacturers, Creative is living in the shadow of the iPod. The X-Fi represents their attempt to try and break new ground by creating a device that can play music and video in a small, portable package. But the result is mixed; we found problems in sound quality, and it wasn't easy to use.

  Read full {{page_count}}-part review
• Apple iPod Touch 16GB MP3 Player Review
  
  $115.97

  Casting the rules of grammar aside, Apple describes the new 2nd generation iPod Touch as "the funnest iPod ever". But while copy editors everywhere are grunting in disgust, this upgrade to the 1st generation Touch does much to live up to its hype, with a number of improvements that round out an already attractive package. These include volume buttons and a sleek new design that makes it even smaller. And we were impressed by the audio quality, the screen and the overall usability of the device; it sounds great, looks great and is easy to use. 

  Read full {{page_count}}-part review
• Apple iPod Shuffle 1GB MP3 Player Review
  
  $35.49

  The iPod Shuffle is an interesting study in extremes. First of all, the device is extremely small: it's a shirt clip with a media control buttons and a wee Gigabyte for storage. Secondly, the Shuffle only has two settings: randomly play a song that was, before hand, randomly placed on the device, or repeat one song for all eternity. Really, the Shuffle sounds more like the grounds for a philosophical discussion than a media player. The Shuffle is not for the faint of heart. If you like your media player to give you information about what song is playing, or you like to be able to choose what you listen to, the Shuffle isn't for you. Also, since it doesn't have a screen, there isn't much option for the Shuffle to do anything but play your music. This is both limiting and utilitarian, which is refreshing in the age of modern media players.

  Read full {{page_count}}-part review
• Apple iPod Classic 80GB MP3 Player Review
  
  $244.49

  The iPod Classic has the face that launched the MP3 Player industry. Years later and it has a bit of a different look, but still retains its old charm. This newest iteration comes in 80GB and 120GB models, and we've reviewed the 80GB in this very review for your reading pleasure. he Classic is still equipped with its old scroll wheel, which, unfortunately, hasn't improved much. The control it provides is a bit spotty. If this were a cell phone, we would laud the Classic for the ability to quickly scroll through menus. On a media player, where playlists can have thousands of songs, the scroll wheel feels a bit inadequate. The software for playing back music and videos is great, aside from the above issue of scrolling through huge lists. The Classic, in conjunction with iTunes, also manages podcasts well. The photo album, on the other hand, is a bit lackluster.

  Read full {{page_count}}-part review
• Apple iPod Nano 8GB MP3 Player Review
  
  $149.00

  The iPod Nano has undergone quite a transformation since it was first released. The last iteration was short, squat, and obliterated the iPod Mini from existence. The new Nano is ridiculously small and thin, and somehow manages to fit an accelerometer in as well. If you're familiar with iPods, you're familiar with the Nano. The tiny device can play music well, has a screen that's a bit too small for frequent video watchers, and doesn't have that many fluorishes included out of box. But don't even bother plugging the packed-in headphones into this thing, because you'll just be wasting its nearly flawless output. Invest in some nice headphones and enjoy. The Nano is currently available in nine different colors, each of which are $150.

  Read full {{page_count}}-part review