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72 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A tough contender vs. the iPod, November 6, 2003
By A Customer
Having owned four different iPods and become weary of their bad screens and ease of dropping, I thought I'd give this iRiver player a try. For the most part, I'm pleased with it, but it's hard to write a review of it without comparing it to the iPod, so here goes:
Plus:
Great sound. Plenty loud enough and very customizable. The included WOW and SRS functionality gives any music great presence, even through the skimpy earbuds that come with the unit. You can switch from one equalizer setting to another with the touch of a button--something you can't do with the iPod, which requires you to navigate back to the Settings menu.
Clear, easy-to-read screen. By the way, it has a blue cast, not green, as in the photograph above. And it provides far more information at a glance than does the iPod's screen.
Extras. Built-in voice recorder, optical in and out ports--and a Stop button. Hallelujah.
Illuminated inline remote with clip. Just too cool.
Grip. Not as slippery and prone to hitting the floor as the iPod. But then the iRiver isn't quite as stylish, either.
Minus:
Navigation. If you're used to the ease of use of the iPod, you may find navigating around this unit a little difficult, especially as the main navigation button on the front of the unit is made for tiny fingers, and it's all too easy to press it in the wrong direction (the remote is better for this).
Charging. You must use the AC adapter to charge the unit (unlike the iPod, the iRiver doesn't charge off its connection to the computer). And charging takes several hours. However, the battery maintains its charge for a longer period than does the iPod's. The iRiver also has no dock.
Software. You can simply mount the unit as a hard drive, drag files onto it, and unmount it. Or you can try to use the "DB" software that comes with the unit, which I've found doesn't work. And the iRiver itself doesn't make it clear enough when you can disconnect it from your computer, particularly if you're using a Mac (the only way to disconnect the unit completely from the Mac is to shut the Mac down--a nuisance).
Packaging. The iPod clearly has the edge here. The iRiver comes in a blister pack that you have to cut apart with scissors, so it's hard to fit all the pieces back into the packaging for storage (the iPod comes in a slick square box that's easy to reassemble) and avoid the sharp edges of the plastic.
Advice: If you're a PC user looking for an alternative to the iPod, one with extra features and superb sound, get the iRiver. Mac users will probably be happier overall with the iPod.
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