C[omp]ute

From: "andrew cooke" <andrew@...>

Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 14:33:15 -0400 (CLT)

I picked this "MP3 player" up a few days ago and thought I'd note a few
comments here.  More when I get home and listen with some decent
headphones.

Background - I wanted something that worked well with Unix, played ogg
files, etc.  This player connects via USB and looks just like a typical
"pen drive" USB disk; music can be copied across from the command line (or
using my musictree software).

First impressions - It's smaller than I expected; even after looking at
the pictures.  The supplied headphones connect via a silver "cube" that is
not as shiny as the pictures (this is a good thing - it doesn't look quite
so "bling bling" as on Cowon's website).  Silly detail - the headphone
wires are not that flexible, so when you use it as a necklace there are
"kinks"; these are slowly smoothing out.  The display is great -
jewel-like; very nice.  The overall design is nice, although all the
writing (mostly on th eback) is "holographic" so it changes colour
depending on the angle, which is a bit cheesy.

It came with front + back protective plastic sheets that I am using for
now, although they make it look considerably worse (can't get all the
bubbles out, even with water).  Once I've got it home + shown Pauli the
shinky newness, I think I'll take the sheets off - I suspect the very
shiny finish will pcik up some scratches, though.

The biggest drawback is that, despite some of the photos on cowon's site,
there is no way to use the supplied headphones as "normal" phones, with
the device in your pocket.  You have to use it as a necklace.  Of course,
you can buy other headphones, but the supplied pair are not "dual use".

Software-wise, the interface is pretty nice.  Very nice graphics.  No
errors.  Consistent behaviour.  Upgrading to the latest firmware required
Windows (2.12 doesn't; 2.20 does) and failed first attempt; I reformatted
the drive, tried again, and it worked.  The physical interface - the six
buttons - does get some getting used to, but is consistent (two buttons
are up/down; two are left/right; one is "select" and one is "cancel", but
the button layout gives no clue as to the which is which).

By default it has some strange non-flat EQ preset (and a lot of
"processing" options) - I set it flat.

One other odd problem - at least in Linux I can't figure out how to listen
while it is connected to the USB port (charging), or how to see what the
charge level is (until I unplug it).  However, it does appear to charge
very quickly.

Assuming the battery lasts well, I am happy with this.  If carrying it
round in a pocket works (once I get home to my "real" 'phones) and it
sounds OK (ditto), then I would buy again.

Bottom line: very small, works with unix, seems well made.

Cowon - http://www.cowonamerica.com/products/iaudio/t2/
Musictree - http://www.acooke.org/jara/musictree/

Andrew