COWON Q5W 60GB Dark Navy

by Cowon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches ; 13.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00104F7Y4
• Item model number: Q5W-60DN
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,466 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Delivering the ultimate wireless connectivity and multimedia experience in a single portable device, the next-generation COWON Q5W portable multimedia player is the industry’s first PMP to combine Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technologies with an ultra-fine-resolution 5-inch widescreen color TFT LCD, touch-sensitive GUI, Microsoft Windows CE 5.0 Professional OS, 40GB or 60GB storage capacity, and optional GPS navigation. With its integrated Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g), the COWON Q5W enables users to wirelessly connect to a LAN and the Internet to surf the Web, use e-mail and MSN voice-enabled Messenger. The pre-installed Adobe Embedded Flash Player 7 allows users to create and experience interactive content, applications and video on the Web. Additionally, the COWON Q5W includes the latest Bluetooth 2.0 technology to allow users to wirelessly connect to the Bluetooth-enabled headsets. More than just full-featured audio/video player supporting the most digital media formats, the COWON Q5W provides an FM radio/recorder, voice recorder, built-in stereo speakers, wireless remote controller and TV-out supporting component, s-video and composite connections. The PMP also functions as a full-screen photo and document viewer, and a high-capacity photo backup device for digital cameras. The COWON Q5W also offers an optional GPS navigation package using COWON Navigator cradle equipped with a GPS receiver antenna and FM transmitter switch for audio playback on vehicle radio.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Quality Big Touchscreen Player, March 11, 2008

By 

Maclen (Hawaii, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: COWON Q5W 60GB Dark Navy (Electronics)

The Cowon Q5 is quite simply the best big touchscreen player for quality video. It is 5" measured diagonally, and the larger size makes videos vibrant and reduces eye strain. While touchscreen players have an inherently grainy screen, the Q5 somehow eliminates most of the graininess that plagues other touchscreen players (such as the Archos 705) and provides great clarity, contrast and detail when watching videos. And the audio quality is stellar (consitent with most other Cowon players). Music sounds so much better than on iPods, Zunes or other music players. Detail, soundstage, and stereo separation are all exemplary on this player. You can also customize your music with some of the best effects and equalizer settings available on any player.

Much has been written here and in the press about the UI and the use of Windows CE 5.0 as a base program for the Q5. While some of these complaints are legitimate, most of the complaints have been resolved through firmware upgrades (the last time I counted there were five upgrades in a very short period. The most recent firmware upgrade, 1.47, was just released a few days ago.) As a result of these upgrades, the UI is no longer sluggish, the wifi browser is much more user-friendly and there is no stutter in the playing of videos.

It has been said that Cowon makes some of the best hardware and only mediocre software. This is usually true at the inception of a product, but Cowon does regularly upgrade its software to address problems identified in its forums.

I did not award the Q5 five stars because it does have some shortcomings that have yet to be resolved. There is no pan and scan feature as in the A3 to adjust the size of videos to the screen. (The Q5 has adjustments for the aspect ratio, but these adjustments are not always satisfactory.) Music is not recognized by ID tags, and all songs cannot be played randomly, but random playing is limited to folders at this time. There are white lights that shine mostly from the bottom of the player which are noticeable during dark scenes. (Some users are bothered by this and others are not.) The flash player is outdated, and people generally have trouble playing youtube videos without some hesitation or audio/video sync problems.

However, based on Cowon's history of firmware upgrades, some of these problems will certainly be solved, while others are not significant enough to impair my enjoyment of this player. Above all, if you value the highest quality video and audio playback, you will enjoy this player.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm unable to find any deficiencies!, January 8, 2008

By 

Robert S. Knapp "Gnomon" (Cyberspace) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: COWON Q5W 60GB Dark Navy (Electronics)

I have owned a variety of mp3 players over the years, and therefore am not a newcomer to the field. I had good experience with the Creative Zen Extra, but when my player was "borrowed," I decided to add video to my options. I had replaced my wife's Phillips mp3 player with a Zune, which I regret, as both of these were clearly inadequate for our purposes. I embarked on an extensive "review of reviews" online, and the COWON kept coming up as being "too expensive, but worth it." So I got a Q5W.

Other than perpetual battery life, I cannot think of anything I would add to the Q5W. It has internal speakers which, considering the size, are actually as usable as those on my Sony laptop. Wireless works well, movies look good and play well, MP3 sounds good.

The unit is accessed via USB, and presents as a disk drive with numerous folders. The "drag and drop" works well. Accompanying software compresses videos adequately.

My wife and I both use MP3 players to listen to Audible.com audio productions. The Zune presents severe obstacles to such use, not the least of which it doesn't play the ".aa" files, and a laborious conversion to mp3 is necessary. Getting the files to play in the proper sequence is a headache. There is no direct access to the files on the player; it "synchronizes" with directories on the computer. Strangely enough, if I change the MP3 tags on a file, it keeps the old tags! It takes me hours to get an MP3 novel's files in the right order, using a playlist. But I digress. . .

None of the problems I have with the Zune occur with the Cowon. The "drag and drop" assures me that the files I want are on the player, and that there are no others. If I need to, I can directly modify the MP3 tags on the Cowon. The files play in alphabetical order based on the "title" MP3 tag (which I generally set as identical to the filename.)

The unit itself has a sturdy feel to it. The touch controls are easy to use, even with my large hands and wide fingers. Controls are properly labeled and generally intuitive.

Two notes: 1. download and install the latest firmware. It enables, among other things, the entry of the wireless WAP key.
2. The available screen protector's instructions are in Korean. If you don't read Korean, beware. I was unable to apply it without significant bubbles, and had to remove it. (This doesn't come with the unit; it's available elsewhere. The web site for it is entirely in Korean.)

I recommend the leather case (sold separately).

Now that my wife has taken it over, I'll have to get another one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best item ever, March 29, 2008

By 

Wooyoung Cho - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: COWON Q5W 60GB Dark Navy (Electronics)

i have used this Q5W for 2 months and i am 100% satisfied with the item.
It has very high-quality video player which is much better than archos 605 and ipod touch. The sound quality is way better than other mp3 players.

Wi-fi,,, is not that super as i expected at first, but, you will get used to it. One important thing is that you cannot watch YouTube from internet not because of Active X, but because of so slow motion. If you are youtubing person, Ipod touch would be better choice.

Radio is great option in this PMP. Lyric can be written on the songs so that PMP will display the lyric.

The most important options on my favorite are the COMIC VIEWER and TEXT VIEWER. As zip files or folders, it can display comic books. With 5" size screen, there is no difficulty in reading them. The text is super that you can feel as you are actually reading the books.

Also, battery life is outstanding. Even though it does not last 7 hours actually, it does last about 6 hours, which is still long enough to do everything outside.

Anyway, i recommend this PMP to everybody if you are condisering among other PMPs or MP3s