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Review - Apple iPod touch 16 GB (2nd Generation)

2009-05-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Apple iPod touch (2nd Generation)

"Rendered all old accessories useless"

I waited several months to upgrade my 5g 60gb iPod video to a 32gb Touch. I was so excited to finally be able to afford one a few weeks ago. For awhile I was in bliss as I played with my new toy. The storage size limit and battery life were the only downsides I could see to this little gem... that was until I tried to use it with some of my many peripheral accessories. None of them will charge my new iPod Touch. So the hundreds of dollars I've spent over the years on speaker systems, my alarm clock, my car adapters and chargers, my backup battery, my media dock... none of them will charge this new iPod. In this economy I do NOT have the disposable income I used to have. I can not afford to replace all of these products because Apple decided to remove the firewire pin from the dock connector. I am very upset over this. I realize I can purchase a $30 adapter that will at least allow me to use this product in my car, but everything else is useless... just ridiculous that they would do this to long-time iPod users. I started buying accessories when I still had just my 3g 40gb iPod so it's been at least 5 years of accumulation that are now just junk. Makes me very leary of purchasing new accessories and new iPods.

... find more related reviews at: Apple iPod touch 16 GB (2nd Generation) - Reviews

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Review - V-Moda Vibe II Earbud Headset with Microphone (Chrome/Rouge) iPhone Compatible

2009-05-24T23:42:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: V-Moda Vibe II Earbud Headset with Microphone (Chrome/Rouge) iPhone Compatible

"First Impressions After Twelve Miles"

SOUND QUALITY: After listening to approximately three hours of classical music and one hour of an audiobook (Patrick O'Brian's "Post Captain"), most of this while running outdoors in proximity to moderate to heavy vehicle traffic, I could rate these four out of five stars for audio quality. Even when heavy trucks or buses rumbled by, I was able to hear clearly without turning up the volume to dangerous levels. The detail and fidelity on the music was superior.

COMFORT: I will say the my Coosh ear buds were the most comfortable I have ever used, with their gel-like ear clips, but the v-Moda's were nearly their equal. I used the running clips which go over and behind the ear. I also really like the surface of the v-Moda cords, which resemble and feel like a very slender nylon rope rather than a plastic tube.

STABILITY WHILE RUNNING: After twelve miles of running, I am sold on the v-Moda's. I would give them more than five stars for stability. There was no tugging, no constant need to adjust the buds in my ears. I put them in, run my miles, and return without any slippage or jarring or coming loose.

... find more related reviews at: V-Moda Vibe II Earbud Headset with Microphone (Chrome/Rouge) iPhone Compatible - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - V-Moda Vibe II Earbud Headset with Microphone (Black) iPhone Compatible

2009-05-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: V-Moda Vibe II Earbud Headset with Microphone (Black) iPhone Compatible

"Finally a great set of ear buds"

These are probably the best sounding ear buds around. I have many other brands that are similar but these are the best by far. I mostly use them for my ipod but sometimes my laptop and in either case the sound really is clear and crisp. I find that most ear buds are good with highs but not the low tones. These however have a decent thump to them for those heavy bass songs.

The packaging was a bit difficult to get the buds out of. It reminded me of those toys that have 100 twist ties in them that you have to undo before you can get to the item. The buds come with 4 size rubber ear pieces both in black and clear. It also comes with a nice little pouch/case and these rubber hooks that you thread the wires and buds in to fit over your ears so they don't fall out. I think these are made for people who run/exercise which was a great bonus because ear buds fall out when you work out...lol

These particular buds come with a mic and a button that lets you pick up a call. I think they are for the iphone (don't have one) so I couldn't test that feature out. The wires/cables are wrapped in a braided fabric which is another great feature because they don't get all tangled and knotted.

Although, the headphones are stainless steel and are metal, they still have a light weight, they felt comfortable and again the sound was perfect. There are other similar models out there by competitors but stick to these, you'll be happy, they are worth the price!

Pros:
+ Too many to list

Cons:
- NONE

... find more related reviews at: V-Moda Vibe II Earbud Headset with Microphone (Black) iPhone Compatible - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Sennheiser PXC 300 Noise-Canceling Headphones

2009-05-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Sennheiser PXC 300 Noise-Canceling Headphone

"Quite useful for any traveler"

Pros:
+ Excellent noise cancelling capability
+ Extremely comfortable for extended periods of time
+ Great battery life
+ Good audio quality (see qualification below)
+ Fold up into a relatively compact space

Cons:
- Like all noise cancelling headphones, only works on lower frequencies
- Like all noise cancelling headphones, adds a low-level hiss of white noise to the background when on
- The electronics unit on the cord gets in the way
- Will not cut out as much noise as in-ear units
- Origami-like folding requires some patience

... find more related reviews at: Sennheiser PXC 300 Noise-Canceling Headphone - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Sony MDR-NC7/BLK Noise-Canceling Headphone Black

2009-05-11T23:30:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Apple iPod touch (2nd Generation)

"Good value"

I bought these as a replacement for my Creative HN-605. At $49.99, I took the plunge and got these instead of a more expensive one.

The audio clarity is reasonable (comparable to other Sony Neodymium earphones / headphones). The noise canceling capability is good... was able to null out air conditioner background and refridegrator hum at work and home. Will be trying out these next week on a trans-Atlantic flight. There is a faint white noise audible when no signal is connected; but other than the Bose headphones, almost all other noise canceling headphone I've tried have this "feature."

The only downside to this pair I've noticed is the somewhat flimsy plug. I've had Sony audio accessories with better plugs. Overall, I'd say its good value for $50.

... find more related reviews at: Sony MDR-NC7/BLK Noise-Canceling Headphone Black - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB Silver (2nd Generation)

2009-05-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB Silver (2nd Generation)

"The 2GB Shuffle - Finally a Larger Starter MP3 Player from Apple!!!"

Apple's iPod Shuffle finally has a higher-capacity big brother. This compact MP3 player was always great for active users who enjoy working out, running or music listening on the go. The new 2GB model offers consumers an Apple version of capacity the competition has been offering for a year. Great as a gift, extra player, or exercise companion.

Pros:
+ New 2GB provides better capacity at a lower price per gigabyte!!!!
+ Enlarged capacity allows for more song storage and less swapping in iTunes!
+ Compact and functional design
+ Nicely integrated clip - No case needed!
+ Nice battery performance for long use
+ Great family of Apple accessories
+ Great for those already used to iTunes
+ iTunes also good for inexperienced MP3 users
+ Included in-ear headphones are great for a starter pair
+ Same great color options (silver, green, purple, blue)
+ Highly durable player
+ Apple brand and reputation

Cons:
- Still a premium price compared to competing players in total $ terms
- Competing products offer more features, including fm radio and voice recording
- No screen to view track names
- Difficult to control / select tracks via playlists
- Proprietary dock / jack for syncing
- No expandability
- Limited native file format support in iTunes (MP3, AAC)
- No drag and drop music control
- Non iTunes fans are still forced to deal with software limitations

... find more related reviews at: Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB Silver (2nd Generation) - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Bose QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones

2009-05-09T14:23:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Bose QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphone

"QC-3 vs. QC-2 (side by side comparison)"

I have used the Bose QuietComfort QC-2 headphones for about a year, and have traveled to Asia over 5 times with them, and domestic travel as well. About 120 hours of air time. Never took them off. Vastly reduces my jetlag. A pleasure to own and use.

On an impulse buy, I bought the QC-3's after a demo at the local Bose store. 30-day return policy. Compared them side-by-side... both on the airplane, home, with and without sound.

My impressions (your mileage may vary :-)

Noise Cancellation:
The QC-3 has impressive noise cancellation, I think it's incrementally better than the QC-2. Perhaps it's a little too 'aggressive'. Let me explain. I feel a little uncomfortable from a (perceived) pressure on my ear. Note: this is not physical pressure from the ear-pieces, nor is it air-pressure, but rather a physco-acoustic result of noise cancellation. I felt this only slightly with the QC-2's. Bose did an amazing job of noise cancellation given the challenges of an "on-the-ear" design which offers less physical noise isolation due to lack of cups. Everyone has a different tolerance to this pressure, the only way to tell is to try them out. Vote: QC-3 for noise cancellation, QC-2 for comfort (again, will vary from person to person).

Audio Quality:
Using MP3's encoded at 192 kbps, and CD audio, the difference in the two headphones is clear (excuse the pun). The QC-2's are brighter sounding with adequate bass. The QC-3's are a little heavy on the low-end, to the point of sounding muddy. Vote: QC-2.

Construction:
Some have complained about the QC-2's breaking at the stem that attaches each earpiece. I never had this problem, but I am also very careful, especially given their cost. I did notice a person break a QC-2 on the plane trying to turn the earpieces to hard. The build quality of the QC-3 is about the same, the stem may be somewhat narrower, so they could be more prone to breaking, however I do not think it's an issue if you treat them with respect. Vote: equal.

Comfort:
The QC-3's are lighter, but I still prefer the "over-the-ear" type of headphone. They feel like they stay in place better. I would be upset if the QC-3's fell off my head while loading luggage in the overhead bin, only to have someone step on them. I never felt that could happen with the QC-2's. I also would rather have a little physical pressure around my ear, instead of on my ear. Vote: QC-2.

Accessories:
The QC-3 has a less complicated jack that attaches to the headphone (it's detachable, just like the QC-2's). The QC-2 has a hi/low volume control on the jack stem, while the QC-3 has no adjustment and is adjusted somewhere in between (which is why they are not quite as loud as the QC-2's, given the same volume setting from your MP3, DVD, computer, or stereo). The airplance adapter does serve to attenuate the audio further, if needed. The QC-3 carrying case is a little smaller than the QC-2, but not a significant difference. The covering on the QC-3 case is smooth, which I prefer over the QC-2 case. I do not like the way the QC-3's fit in the case, the ear-pieces do not sit firmly where they are supposed to go. With the QC-2, you know exactly how they fit in the case, it just seems like a better fit. Vote: averages to equal.

... find more related reviews at: Bose QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphone - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Creative ZEN X-Fi 32 GB Video MP3 Player

2009-05-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Creative ZEN X-Fi 32 GB Video MP3 Player

"Great sound, nice upgrade to the Creative ZEN"

I bought this because I was jealous of my wife's Creative ZEN 8 GB player.

But really, I bought this because of the promised X-Fi sound quality. I have an X-Fi audio card for my desktop PC and I really love the enhanced MP3 sound quality and was hoping for more of the same in a portable unit. The Creative ZEN X-Fi does not disappoint, straight out of the box I found the sound to be full of the bass tones I love so much. The X-Fi settings add some nice quality to my tones and vibrate my little eardrums with heavy beats. With the included headphones the bass was almost overwhelming for me, but with my Bose Triport IE's I found the sound to be very satisfying.

So lets get down to brass tacks here. So far here's what I love:

+ The new iPhoney sleek look is very nice, an improvement I think.
+ The buttons have a nice tactile feel. With very little practice I can easily find the play button and volume adjustment without looking. Visually its a little harder to figure out which button is where.
+ Even better, the buttons never get pressed unintentionally. This is a big plus since I use it for working out and yard work where I'm often bending over; my clix was constantly getting paused or fast forwarded unintentionally which has been a constant source of annoyance!
+ I found it virtually effortless to hook this up to my PC, connect to my existing MediaMonkey library and download all of my songs and playlists.
+ Great sound for bass lovers. X-Fi crystallizer makes for a crisper quality if thats what you like.
+ Wi-fi connection, hooked up to my network easily and I was browsing the Creative Media Center in minutes.
+ Very lightweight compared to most of my other players.
+ User Interface: If you are familiar with Creative players then you will find the buttons easy to understand and use. I find the basic menu system easy to understand and navigate. Lots of nice background images to choose from.
+ Easy firmware update, I downloaded the latest firmware from Creative website and easily installed it.
+ Decent headphones included -- possibly the best I've ever seen packaged with an MP3 player.
+ Lightweight, easy to carry, seems to be pretty rugged construction, fits nicely in a pocket.
+ Nice battery life: compared to my Clix 2 (4 ish hours) or my iPod Touch (about same!) this thing lasts forever at about 10ish hours.
+ Big bold colorful screen, which I find easy to read even in daylight.
+ I love the way it pops right back to where I left off even after a power off, it comes right back to the Now Playing screen and resumes my playlist. Most of my other players don't do this very well so its a plus when it works the way I think it should.

... find more related reviews at: Creative ZEN X-Fi 32 GB Video MP3 Player - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise-Canceling Headphones

2009-04-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise-Canceling Headphones

"Travel headphones"

After many hours of online researching and trips to Ultimate Electronics, Circuit City, and a few other electronic stores I decided on this pair. Online customer reviews aside, I highly recommend a visit to the music store, electronics store, wherever. If you are going to spend a hundred dollars on anything try it out first. There is a huge diversity out there in ear cup size, sound, and build quality. I personally was looking for a good set of headphones that I could use on a plane. These more than exceeded my expectations for that purpose. If you are looking for a set to use in the office at your desk, these are not for you. You can get a better set at half the price. I'd recommend something with closed cups and passive noise reduction if your office is noisy. Most active cancellers don't help with this problem. The same holds true for most other noisy environments. These actually work best with low frequency noise, i.e. the plane. I also tried them in our computer room which has blowers and stacks of servers humming along. They actually seem to reduce the noise there by approx 50-65%. I had a few coworkers try them out here to see what they felt and they agreed that they were excellent noise reducers. On the plane and with my personal dvd player I normally played the volume between 5 and 6. I watched several movies and the sound effects and speech were heard easily and clear. Before I had a 10$ set that you inserted into your ear. I had to play the same player at 10 and had a difficult time hearing some parts of the dialogue. With the Sennheisers I am able to comfortably wear them for hours at a time on the plane. The noise attenuation works so well you grow accustomed to it. After wearing these a few hours I took them off and couldn't believe the difference.

Pros:
+ Great low frequency noise reduction
+ Very comfortable, light on the ears and top of the head. They don't pinch like a lot of others, or get hot
+ Sound quality above average
+ Cool carrying case

Cons:
- Noise circuit wand can be an irritant, depends what you are doing. On the plane I didn't have any issues.
- 100$ or more, they are kind of expensive and lack hard bass. For a hundred bucks I'd like it to do everything, which I guess is unrealistic.

5 Stars, buy if you intend to use for travel.

... find more related reviews at: Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise-Canceling Headphones - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Apple iPod classic 120 GB (6th Generation)

2009-04-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Apple iPod classic 120 GB (6th Generation)

"The Original - Survives"

Firstly, the 120 GB version is again smaller than the largest capacity available last year, but it is a single platter hard drive, which allows it to maintain the slim shape of the 80 GB version from last year. More storage, a hundred dollars less, and just as small. That is progress despite calls from others that the classic isn't exciting. It still serves its purpose as the original iPod idea. Big capacity in a simple to use device.

Next, the software has been slightly updated on the iPod Classic. It now includes Genius, like iTunes and the other new iPods. This allows you, when on a song you enjoy, to select the genius feature. The iPod will then compile a list of songs (playlist), which goes together with the original song you were listening to. This helps you rediscover music in your library, with a playlist to fit your mood at the time. I have been using the genius feature for a few days now, and it is impressive the way it compiles these playlists. I was skeptical, but overall, it does a good job. Furthermore, as another review mentioned, the iPod does seem more responsive with this update from what I saw at the store compared to my original 160 GB iPod Classic. Some speculation has been that the older iPod Classics will receive the software update of this new one, but I'm not holding my breath on that.

Overall, the original iPod concept was so good, and that is why the iPod Classic is still a solid choice for a music and media player. It will hold thousands and thousands of songs (up to 30,000 according to Apple at 128 bitrate). I also backup some important files to my iPod Classic, in disk mode, so that I have that additional extra copy of my most vital files. When you have such a large iPod, you can do that. It shouldn't be forgotten either that while the display of the iPod Classic isn't as good as the iPod Touch or iPhone, it is still quite good and you can play music videos, TV shows, and movies purchased on the iTunes Store.

Battery life for this new 120 GB model improved over the 80GB model from last year. Apple now estimates it at 36 hours audio and 6 hours video.

I'd recommend the iPod Classic without hesitation, to those who have more than 8 or 16 GBs of music in their iTunes library and want to carry their entire collection. Furthermore, if you have videos and video podcasts you want to always carry with you, again, you can't beat the storage. I have the lower capacity flash devices as well, but the big hard drive based iPod Classic continues to play an important role in my iPod Collection.

... find more related reviews at: Apple iPod classic 120 GB (6th Generation) - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Sony MDR-NC22/BLK Noise-Canceling Headphone Black

2009-04-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Sony MDR-NC22/BLK Noise-Canceling Headphone Black

"You get more than what you pay for"

These cannot be compared to a product costing four times as much, and besides, most people won't find that the high-end Bose won't give them four times the value. Also, choosing not to spend more money does not mean "can't afford." In my case, I could more than afford Bose, but I refuse to since I tend to be rough on my hardware (most of my headphones and earbuds last just a few months, half a year at most). I was unwilling to buy even these Sonys, at first.

However, my previous noise-canceling headphones broke, and when I looked at replacements, these Sonys were recommended. They work wonders on my daily commute, drowning out the loud rumble of the commuter train and the subway. The in-ear design provides some passive noise isolation, helping a bit to drown out passengers' conversation (although nothing, not even Bose's best, will silence people who yak incessantly next to you). The noise-canceling does produce a slight hiss, but I find it noticeable only if you're not listening to anything.

I personally prefer a medium-sized "suction cup" style of headphones, which make somewhat of a seal over the ears for passive noise isolation. This is more sanitary, also -- earbuds should be cleaned frequently with antibacterial wipes to avoid giving yourself an ear infection. Headphones also don't get pulled out of your ears. One problem with these Sonys is that if the circuitry becomes unclipped, the weight can pull the earbuds out of your ears. The clip could be stronger, but it will hold if you can clip it vertically.

Nonetheless, I've come to like them very much. The audio quality is excellent, and the noise canceling works excellently for anyone without the most exacting standards.

... find more related reviews at: Sony MDR-NC22/BLK Noise-Canceling Headphone Black - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Creative ZEN Mozaic MP3 Player

2009-04-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Creative ZEN Mozaic MP3 Player

Pros:
+ Price - It's very cost-effective for the tons of features included!
+ FM Radio - The radio signal strength is unimpressive, but a plus nonetheless, since many don't offer this feature. Note: the radio antenna is built into the headphones, so with just the built-in speaker, there is no radio reception at all. Headphones must be plugged in.
+ Alarm clock - I love being able to set the song that I wake up to, and with the built-in speaker it works much like a cell-phone alarm clock.
+ Built-in speaker - Now you can share a song with a friend without sharing your headphones. The speaker sounds better than I thought it would considering how small the device is. I wouldn't listen to it for hours, but it's a nice additional feature.
+ Battery Life - When they say 30+ hours, they're not joking. Very impressive battery life.

Cons:
- Plastic - The whole thing is made of plastic and feels somewhat toylike. Although I hesitate to call this a "con" because it feels very sturdy and well-made. If you want a metallic feel, you'll have to fork out the extra money for a Zune or iPod (twice the price).
- Headphones - The headphones are pretty cheap. The music sounds tinny when you use them, but if you use nicer headphones, sound quality is good! Once again, the radio antenna is in the headphones if you want to use this feature.

My overall impression is that I am very satisfied with the product. I don't use it much for videos, but the included software will convert videos to .avi format for viewing, which is nice but the screen is a bit small for using it as a video player very often. I use Media Monkey for syncing, but you can use Windows Media Player or simply Drag and Drop.

Audio quality is great with better headphones and the interface is simple to use. The design, I think, is very sleek and unique, but obviously not for everyone. If you're looking for a nice little player to give as a gift or just to stash in your pocket, this is a great choice!

... find more related reviews at: Creative ZEN Mozaic MP3 Player - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Creative ZEN Portable Media Player

2009-04-27T22:59:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Creative ZEN Portable Media Player

This is an all around solid MP3 Player. I will describe some of the pros and cons about this player. I will say right now the pros strongly outweigh the cons. I have also tested this player adequately and have tested the SD card slot which I find very nice. Despite some complaints about the SD card, I find it adequate to suit my needs.

By the way if you are wondering why I am publishing this review... I received the player from Creative where it is in stock. Amazon is taking a little while longer.

Pros:
+ Excellent Sound - This MP3 Player is a bit louder, and sounds better than my previous Vision:M. I think the sound quality is quite superb.
+ Bright, Brilliant Display - The display is just stunning, and the 16 million colors really show great improvement over the ZVM.
+ Easy Navigation - I love the navigation on this player, and I really love the different themes.
+ Videos - The videos look incredibly nice... I've only played a few
+ Transfer Speed - Extremely Fast! What can I say? This is what has surprised me the most. The speed is an extremely huge difference over hard-drive based players.
+ Good Button Placement - Though small for some, I do happen to like the buttons
+ Nice looks - I really like the looks of this (this is very subjective)
+ Small Size - This is a very light player, that is only a foot print of what the ZVM was. The most amazing part is that the screen is 2.5" inches.

Cons:
- Power Adapter - It should come with one, but it only comes with a USB power cable (which is acceptable)
- Crappy Ear phones - Eh. Buy the Creative EP-630. You don't buy a nice player and use the provided ear phones. The EP-630 are an incredible set.
- Buttons are a bit hard to push at first - This is something others have experienced... this is true for a while.
- Can smudge - to prevent this get the plastic case!

How does this stack up against an ipod?

It crushes it in my mind. I really think Creative did a fine job here, and I'm sure firmware will be updated constantly knowing Creative's attention to the customer.

... find more related reviews at: Creative ZEN Portable Media Player - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Apple iPod nano (4th Generation)

2009-04-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Apple iPod nano (4th Generation)

Pros:
+ Incredibly thin. I cant even tell its in my pocket.
+ Aluminum casing and glass screen offer excellent scratch resistence.
+ Very light.
+ Very competitive pricing: 16 GB for what the nano offers is the most affordble nano ever. The Apple reputation has never been so attainable.
+ Accelerometer: This adds a few fun touches to operate without pressing buttons, is very useful for rotation on the screen when viewing pictures or watching videos. Games are now actually very interesting.
+ Screen clarity.
+ Simplicity of use.
+ Lots of colours to choose from.

Cons:
- iTunes: As usual iTunes is very frustrating and needs redesigned. iTunes 8 is dependent on quicktime! any quirks at all with it and your back to reinstallation. Expect to encounter problems.
- Battery life: Below average for me so far, no big deal though. Just dont mess around with the thing so much.
- Everything is automated: When I put the headphones in the jack, or disactivate the hold button, it shouldn't automatically turn on.
- Apple is NOT doing the 3rd party crap. all Apple accessories for iPods here on out must be Apple brand or Apple certified. depressing...

... find more related reviews at: Apple iPod nano (4th Generation) - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Bose QuietComfort 2 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphone - Reviews

2009-04-27T03:40:00.001-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Bose QuietComfort 2 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphone

I have owned a pair of the QuietComfort headphones for more than a year now. They are absolutely great on intercontinental flights.

Pros:
+ The sound is fabulous, bass reproduction is great.
+ Needs one AAA battery, but it goes for between 24 - 30 hrs of use so this is great.
+ Noise cancellation works great, great cushioning.

Cons:
- Pricey
- Bulky to transport, cant be substituted for "workout" phones.
- Too much insulation on the earpiece. My ears start to sweat if i wear constantly for more than a couple of hours.
- Not great to sleep in (on flights) as you tend to block the noise cancellation ports.

... find more related reviews at: Bose QuietComfort 2 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphone - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphone

2009-04-26T12:05:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphone

I bought these recently before a long plane trip (10 hours each way from Seattle to Paris) and I have been overwhelmingly pleased with their performance.

I wore them the entire flight both ways, from as soon as electronic devices could be turned on until they had to be turned off for landing. And it did this whole trip with just a single AAA battery.

As other reviewers have noted, this works great with an Ipod at low volumes. I switched between using my Ipod and listening to the in-flight programming. I recommend getting an inline volume control to use with the plane's sound system, as the sound level it puts out is usually incredibly loud (which just goes to show how loud it has to be to be heard through all the plane drone)

These really have to be heard on a plane to be believed. You put them on and hit the switch, and it's like the plane noise just disappears. It's like the difference in noise level between driving on the freeway with the windows down, and sitting at a stop light with the windows up.

Pros:
+ Comfortable for extended wearing, ten hours or more
+ Superb noise cancelation
+ Clear, clean sound quality
+ Comes with everything you need for a long plane ride. supply your own music player or use the included adapter to listen to the plane's entertainment system.

Cons:
- No built-in volume control, which is very handy to have on a plane
- The headphones won't fit in the included case unless you collapse the size adjustment all the way, which means you have to readjust the size each time you take them out.

... find more related reviews at: Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphone - Reviews

... find more MP3 Player Reviews at: www.mp3-player-store.com

Review - Apple iPod shuffle (3rd Generation)

2009-04-26T02:09:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Apple iPod shuffle (3rd Generation)

The shuffle has always been great as a no nonsense, tiny music player. Apple has slimmed it down for this generation.

Good:
+ It's smaller now, and still retains it's clip (for those who thought the last version was somehow too big?). It's got a voice over technique, so you can hear what's coming up next, however, if you disable it you won't be able to browse your playlists.
+ Multiple playlists are now available on this model.

Bad:
- The controls for the unit are on the headphones. This means you'll have to use the Apple headphones until a company starts producing headphones with controls on them.
- The unit looks very plain (which could be a good thing, I guess).

Overall, it's nice to have a 4GB music player in such a small package, but unless you really need to upgrade your shuffle, I'd stick with the older model for now, if just for the fact that the controls were on the unit, and not on the headphones.

... find more related reviews at: Apple iPod shuffle (3rd Generation) - Reviews

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Review - Apple iPod touch (2nd Generation)

2009-04-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Helpful Customer Review from Amazon.com

Review: Apple iPod touch (2nd Generation)

Size and Dimensions: The iPod Touch now sports a more rounded design on the back, making it look slightly thinner and more like the iPhone than the original did (it is not really thinner than it's predecessor, just looks that way). Unfortunately, the back plate is still made from stainless steel, and this plate attacts fingerprints and scratches almost magically. After one year of near-constant use the backplate of my first gen Touch looks a bit like a wild etch-a-sketch (I carry the Touch in my pocket). Interestingly, the glass on the front appears (after one year of heavy use) to be absolutely scratch-resistant. It's the backside (that also carries the custom engraving) that quickly becomes blemished. I would have preferred a brushed metal/aluminium backplate. I had to look it up, but the new Touch is slightly lighter (a few grams) - but it looks thinner (thanks to the tapered edge design). The rounded edges make it fit my palm slightly better, making it feel just right (to be honest, the original Touch was already very, very good in this respect). Other than that the outside dimensions exactly match that of the original Touch. The most visible change from the front is that the steel from the backplate now frames the glass much like it did on the original iPhone.

Touch Screen and Controls: The screen is simply gorgeous. It's bright, crisp, has great contrast, and can adapt it's brightness to the ambient light. In direct sunlight, much like it's predecessor it becomes difficult to read correctly. In shade it's perfectly readable -- a feat considering how bright a display has to be to achieve that. Color temperature of the display has shifted slightly downwards (or, to sound less pompuous: the display's colors have shifted slightly from a blueish to a golden tinge, something you wouldn't notice unless you have the two devices side by side).

Accessories: Unfortunately, Apple has changed the pin-out (*again*) for the iPod connector. As a result, some 'made for iPod' accessories either don't work, or don't work fully any more. For example, my Altec Lansing active speakers can't charge the Touch any more (it was able to charge the 1st gen Touch). This is truly, truly annoying as you don't know if your iPod works with your 'made for iPod' devices any longer, and makes purchasing new accessories a game of chance. My car has a (hideously expensive) iPod integration that luckily still works (including re-charging). Still, the iPod connector compatibility (or lack thereof) is becoming a big mess. Just imagine you want to buy an accessory for your kid or friend, and too late find out that it does not work with it.

WiFi / Internet: A year ago I purchased an iPod, and got a fully integrated web accesory kit. As it turned out, the addition of WiFi and full internet access is a killer feature to me. The web browser (a mobile version of Safari) is very capable. Much has been said about the fact that Mobile Safari does not support Flash. This is annoying if you visit sites that use it. The pinch/slide gesture-based interface works so well that I regularely use the Touch for normal web surfing. The general experience has increased over the past few month, no doubt in no small amounts due to the fact that many sites have beed re-designed with the iPhone in mind. Since the Touch's browser is exactly the same, it inherits the benefit. WiFi speed is good (although it still uses the 802.11b/g, not the n variant) - and mostly depends on the hotspot you are connected to. It remembers the hotspots it has connected to (much like a laptop would), and can also connect using WPA. There are other Web enabled applications that come with the iPod (Maps, which can pinpoint your location by the position of hotspots close to you), Stocks, YouTube, and Weather, which are nice, but remarkable. WiFi reception range is average, but definitely below that of some PC laptops.

Then, the Touch also comes with Mail, Calendar and Adressboock, and these do become killer fieatures, especially when coupled with an Exchange server or (as Apple would prefer) MobileMe. Mail supports 'push' technology, meaning that (almost) as soon an there is an incoming mail (and your Touch is connected to a hotspot), you are notified by a little discreep 'bleep'. Reading emails, including mails with rich content works very well. Composing any but the shortes emails, on the other hand, is bothersome, verging on annoying due to the small virtual keyboard). Still, simply being able to do this makes all the difference. Live Calender updates have saved my bacon a few times already, as you do not have to remember to actively synch your iPod after you have made a change to the calender.

Summary: The 2nd generation iPod Touch is an almost perfect device. It combines top-notch video/audio, world-class UI, great casual gaming, hundrets of apps, and full access to the Internet into a single, beautiful package. To sum it up neatly: Untouchable. Well -- almost. It has one big flaw if you have invested in accessories: it may not be compatible with them, as Apple has changed the iPod connector pin-out (again). With those reservations, I recommend the Touch to anyone. Also great: owners of the 1st gen Touch can get most of these goodies with a simple, inexpensive software upgrade.

Hits:
+ great display
+ good audio
+ gesture-based interface
+ accelerometer for controls
+ great integration with your music library (via iTunes)
+ long battery life
+ wireless music store
+ wireless App store (killer feature)
+ Speaker for gaming
+ Mail, Calendar and Address book with Push
+ WiFi Internet (killer feature)
+ Remote App (free) for your PC/Mac's iTunes/AppleTV
+ SDK freely available for anyone
+ Microphone and remote support
+ Nike + iPod without dongle

Misses:
- incompatibility with 'made for iPod' devices (bad, bad, bad)
- stainless steel backplate (fingerprints and scratches easily)
- no wireless synching
- no wireless playback of streamed iTunes content (an Appstore application can stream unprotected content, though)
- no visualizer
- no search function
- no playlist groups (why, oh why?)
- no GPS nor FM radio
- Notes not synched with MobileMe
- no hard drive mode
- no synching documents (except third party Apps)
- downsampling of photos
- currently tops out at 32GB (would have preferred 64)
- no bluetooth

... find more related reviews at: Apple iPod touch (2nd Generation) - Reviews

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MP3-Player-Store.com

2009-04-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

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