I just got my new MP3 player (some bastard stole my last one right out of my car, while it was parked in my driveway...).
It's a Toshiba Gigabeat 60 Gigabyte (model MES60VK). The unit comes in Black (60gb) and White (30gb).
The interface is Windows Media Center Portable software on it, so it operates just like Windows Media Center. The menu is controlled by a d-pad that's very similar to the original NES controller's d-pad. I prefer this kind of operation as opposed to the trendy "touch" and "slide" pads that some of the new iPods and Creative players have-- the touch sensitivity just never works 100% like you'd expect it to, so I always go for the tactile buttons. Power, volume, play/pause, and track forward/backward buttons are on the right side of the player. The screen is about 2 and a half inches and has great color. The unit's size is a bit thicker than the new iPods, but shorter and still very, very light weight.
I don't use it all that much on the go, it's almost perminently in my car, playing loudly on my rediculous Infinity Kappa Perfect sound system of pwnzor
I'd still recommend it for portable use, because it's a very small unit (only about twice as thick as my Motorola RAZR V3C, and about the same length) and is very light weight.
The gigabeat is compatable with almost every standard audio, video, and picture file format, it plays radio stations too. The unit also supports "Vongo" (
www.vongo.com), a service that lets you stream and download full movies to your computer or portable device for just $9.99 a month. I'll have to try that out sometime, they have a 14 day free trial offer, and it sounds schwiggity schweet.
Also, you don't have to use any of the annoying iPod or iTunes software (I hate that crap)-- infact, there's no software at all. The whole device is 100% plug and play compatable, meaning that you can sync the device to your computer using a normal media player, such as Winamp or Windows Media Player, or you can drag and drop files to the unit using Windows Explorer. It really couldn't be any easier.
What else is in the Box?- AC Adapter
- Earbud Headphones
- USB Cable
- USB A to 5pin mini-b adapter
- Mini Stereo 3.5mm to Composite Output Cable (SWEET! This is for hooking the unit up to a home / car stereo, or other analog device)
- Manual and Windows Media Player 10 Installation CD
Pros: - Not an iPod
- Amazing Screen quality
- No software required other than Windows Media Player (or equivalent)
- Works just like a USB Flash Drive if need be (no drivers, Plug and Play Compatable)
- Good battery life (listed at 12 hours audio, 2.5 video -- seems pretty accurate)
- Looks freakin cool
- Software/Operating system is fully windows compatable, and very easy to use.
Cons: - I can find no accessories whatsoever for this unit other than what it comes with, I would like to see a Car Charger at some point. There is a "dock" connector on the bottom, but I am unaware of any dock for the device.
- ID3 Tag Album Title transfer issue, transfer only seems to be fully working when used with Windows Media Player -- see notes section for further details.
Notes:- When using anything but Windows Media Player to download the songs, the player read the MP3 ID3v1 and ID3v2 tags fine for the Artist and Song Title, but for some reason would not read the album names, and instead read "Unknown Album". This can be remedied by simply using Windows Media Player, but hopefully a fix will be released sometime in the near future, as it's rather annoying to have to use that program instead of Winamp or Explorer.
- The USB connector for this device is a USB 5pin mini-b to USB A cable, as with most MP3 Players and other portable devices. Oddly, the connector on the bottom of the unit resembles a 4pin connector in shape, but a 5pin in size... it's very unusual. Don't fret, the 5pin cable included fits just fine. That wierded me out at first, so I figured it was worth mentioning.
Final Words:A great portable for anyone, it operates extremely smoothly and is very easy to use. The plug and play nature of the unit makes it the most convienient portable when it comes to transferring songs to and from a PC or multiple PC's. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a new Portable Media Player who doesn't want to use the evil iDevil.
Pictures:
Video Review @ CNET: http://reviews.cnet.com/Toshiba_Gigabeat_S_MES60VK_60GB_black/4505-6499_7-31679958.html
