TUNE DIGITALLY

Review by S. K. Plante:

Let's face it...we are not all clones and look for different features when it comes to an MP3 player. I wanted a small, portable player for the gym. The FM Radio feature is what I have been hoping for for a very long time! I don't need apps. I don't need to surf the web. I need to play my tunes. Genius is a great way to create a mix for the gym. The fitness tracker is incredible. And finally I can tune in to the TVs in the gym. Love it! This is exactly what I've been waiting for. Perfect device for my needs.

Review by Stephen:

Do not get my wrong. I have loved Apple iPods for many years now, and my iPhone is a great part of my life. However, I have started to wonder what else will be added to the traditional iPods, to keep them fresh. Have they reached the limit of necessary features?

Despite my reservations, watching the Apple keynote of this new product has led me to head down to the Apple store and pick up a 16 GB 5th Generation iPod Nano, to add to my "collection."

First reactions? This Nano appears just as sleek and beautiful as the commendable 4th generation Nano. In fact, at first glance, you would not think must different about the newer version. I quickly tried out the recording of video. This was average. It is nice, if you carry your Nano everywhere, to have the ability to take video. Cool. When played back on the Nano, the video looks pretty good. It's average, when played back on your computer. Again, far from bad, but in the age where digital cameras have some great movie modes, you have to simply call the iPod Nano video average, but most of all convenient. Fun too.

Personally, I have found myself most interested in the new Pedometer built into the Nano. It can keep track of your steps during the day, if you keep the device on you all day. I think this could push me to be more active. Again, is this feature really necessary in an iPod? I'm not sure, but keep in mind that this product is popular among fitness gurus for its portability, almost feather-like weight, and solid state memory.

Finally, in a pinch, to listen to a sporting event or particular talk radio show, the new nano includes a FM Turner. Blah you might say? Yes, that is not particularly exciting, BUT the Nano adds one cool feature to FM Radio. You can "pause," the radio up to 15 minutes, such as you might do with the DVR connected to your television. It works flawlessly. Before one asks, no, you cannot schedule radio recordings. Still, the new nano will make FM radio a bit more modern, with this pause function.

Overall, it does seem as though Apple is not quite sure how to keep adding features that are truly remarkable to the iPod Nano. The Nano is the best selling MP3 player in the history of the planet, more sold than any other iPod to date. However, the Nano's best features continue to be its size, ability to sync great content from your iTunes library, portability, and great user interface. The click wheel continues to make finding your music and videos relatively easy. Again, the Nano is superb, but the new features are probably a bit specific on if they will be useful to you or not.

The updated nano is that bit more advanced with a few new features, particularly for many the ability to record a quick video, easily, will be attractive. However, if you have the last generation Nano, I would not worry about upgrading too soon, unless having the absolute latest device and new "features," are important to you. Fantastic device, but not much different than before.

Review by S. K. Plante:

Let's face it...we are not all clones and look for different features when it comes to an MP3 player. I wanted a small, portable player for the gym. The FM Radio feature is what I have been hoping for for a very long time! I don't need apps. I don't need to surf the web. I need to play my tunes. Genius is a great way to create a mix for the gym. The fitness tracker is incredible. And finally I can tune in to the TVs in the gym. Love it! This is exactly what I've been waiting for. Perfect device for my needs.

Review by Stephen:

Do not get my wrong. I have loved Apple iPods for many years now, and my iPhone is a great part of my life. However, I have started to wonder what else will be added to the traditional iPods, to keep them fresh. Have they reached the limit of necessary features?

Despite my reservations, watching the Apple keynote of this new product has led me to head down to the Apple store and pick up a 16 GB 5th Generation iPod Nano, to add to my "collection."

First reactions? This Nano appears just as sleek and beautiful as the commendable 4th generation Nano. In fact, at first glance, you would not think must different about the newer version. I quickly tried out the recording of video. This was average. It is nice, if you carry your Nano everywhere, to have the ability to take video. Cool. When played back on the Nano, the video looks pretty good. It's average, when played back on your computer. Again, far from bad, but in the age where digital cameras have some great movie modes, you have to simply call the iPod Nano video average, but most of all convenient. Fun too.

Personally, I have found myself most interested in the new Pedometer built into the Nano. It can keep track of your steps during the day, if you keep the device on you all day. I think this could push me to be more active. Again, is this feature really necessary in an iPod? I'm not sure, but keep in mind that this product is popular among fitness gurus for its portability, almost feather-like weight, and solid state memory.

Finally, in a pinch, to listen to a sporting event or particular talk radio show, the new nano includes a FM Turner. Blah you might say? Yes, that is not particularly exciting, BUT the Nano adds one cool feature to FM Radio. You can "pause," the radio up to 15 minutes, such as you might do with the DVR connected to your television. It works flawlessly. Before one asks, no, you cannot schedule radio recordings. Still, the new nano will make FM radio a bit more modern, with this pause function.

Overall, it does seem as though Apple is not quite sure how to keep adding features that are truly remarkable to the iPod Nano. The Nano is the best selling MP3 player in the history of the planet, more sold than any other iPod to date. However, the Nano's best features continue to be its size, ability to sync great content from your iTunes library, portability, and great user interface. The click wheel continues to make finding your music and videos relatively easy. Again, the Nano is superb, but the new features are probably a bit specific on if they will be useful to you or not.

The updated nano is that bit more advanced with a few new features, particularly for many the ability to record a quick video, easily, will be attractive. However, if you have the last generation Nano, I would not worry about upgrading too soon, unless having the absolute latest device and new "features," are important to you. Fantastic device, but not much different than before.

Review by S. K. Plante:

Let's face it...we are not all clones and look for different features when it comes to an MP3 player. I wanted a small, portable player for the gym. The FM Radio feature is what I have been hoping for for a very long time! I don't need apps. I don't need to surf the web. I need to play my tunes. Genius is a great way to create a mix for the gym. The fitness tracker is incredible. And finally I can tune in to the TVs in the gym. Love it! This is exactly what I've been waiting for. Perfect device for my needs.

Review by Stephen:

Do not get my wrong. I have loved Apple iPods for many years now, and my iPhone is a great part of my life. However, I have started to wonder what else will be added to the traditional iPods, to keep them fresh. Have they reached the limit of necessary features?

Despite my reservations, watching the Apple keynote of this new product has led me to head down to the Apple store and pick up a 16 GB 5th Generation iPod Nano, to add to my "collection."

First reactions? This Nano appears just as sleek and beautiful as the commendable 4th generation Nano. In fact, at first glance, you would not think must different about the newer version. I quickly tried out the recording of video. This was average. It is nice, if you carry your Nano everywhere, to have the ability to take video. Cool. When played back on the Nano, the video looks pretty good. It's average, when played back on your computer. Again, far from bad, but in the age where digital cameras have some great movie modes, you have to simply call the iPod Nano video average, but most of all convenient. Fun too.

Personally, I have found myself most interested in the new Pedometer built into the Nano. It can keep track of your steps during the day, if you keep the device on you all day. I think this could push me to be more active. Again, is this feature really necessary in an iPod? I'm not sure, but keep in mind that this product is popular among fitness gurus for its portability, almost feather-like weight, and solid state memory.

Finally, in a pinch, to listen to a sporting event or particular talk radio show, the new nano includes a FM Turner. Blah you might say? Yes, that is not particularly exciting, BUT the Nano adds one cool feature to FM Radio. You can "pause," the radio up to 15 minutes, such as you might do with the DVR connected to your television. It works flawlessly. Before one asks, no, you cannot schedule radio recordings. Still, the new nano will make FM radio a bit more modern, with this pause function.

Overall, it does seem as though Apple is not quite sure how to keep adding features that are truly remarkable to the iPod Nano. The Nano is the best selling MP3 player in the history of the planet, more sold than any other iPod to date. However, the Nano's best features continue to be its size, ability to sync great content from your iTunes library, portability, and great user interface. The click wheel continues to make finding your music and videos relatively easy. Again, the Nano is superb, but the new features are probably a bit specific on if they will be useful to you or not.

The updated nano is that bit more advanced with a few new features, particularly for many the ability to record a quick video, easily, will be attractive. However, if you have the last generation Nano, I would not worry about upgrading too soon, unless having the absolute latest device and new "features," are important to you. Fantastic device, but not much different than before.

Review by S. K. Plante:

Let's face it...we are not all clones and look for different features when it comes to an MP3 player. I wanted a small, portable player for the gym. The FM Radio feature is what I have been hoping for for a very long time! I don't need apps. I don't need to surf the web. I need to play my tunes. Genius is a great way to create a mix for the gym. The fitness tracker is incredible. And finally I can tune in to the TVs in the gym. Love it! This is exactly what I've been waiting for. Perfect device for my needs.

Review by Stephen:

Do not get my wrong. I have loved Apple iPods for many years now, and my iPhone is a great part of my life. However, I have started to wonder what else will be added to the traditional iPods, to keep them fresh. Have they reached the limit of necessary features?

Despite my reservations, watching the Apple keynote of this new product has led me to head down to the Apple store and pick up a 16 GB 5th Generation iPod Nano, to add to my "collection."

First reactions? This Nano appears just as sleek and beautiful as the commendable 4th generation Nano. In fact, at first glance, you would not think must different about the newer version. I quickly tried out the recording of video. This was average. It is nice, if you carry your Nano everywhere, to have the ability to take video. Cool. When played back on the Nano, the video looks pretty good. It's average, when played back on your computer. Again, far from bad, but in the age where digital cameras have some great movie modes, you have to simply call the iPod Nano video average, but most of all convenient. Fun too.

Personally, I have found myself most interested in the new Pedometer built into the Nano. It can keep track of your steps during the day, if you keep the device on you all day. I think this could push me to be more active. Again, is this feature really necessary in an iPod? I'm not sure, but keep in mind that this product is popular among fitness gurus for its portability, almost feather-like weight, and solid state memory.

Finally, in a pinch, to listen to a sporting event or particular talk radio show, the new nano includes a FM Turner. Blah you might say? Yes, that is not particularly exciting, BUT the Nano adds one cool feature to FM Radio. You can "pause," the radio up to 15 minutes, such as you might do with the DVR connected to your television. It works flawlessly. Before one asks, no, you cannot schedule radio recordings. Still, the new nano will make FM radio a bit more modern, with this pause function.

Overall, it does seem as though Apple is not quite sure how to keep adding features that are truly remarkable to the iPod Nano. The Nano is the best selling MP3 player in the history of the planet, more sold than any other iPod to date. However, the Nano's best features continue to be its size, ability to sync great content from your iTunes library, portability, and great user interface. The click wheel continues to make finding your music and videos relatively easy. Again, the Nano is superb, but the new features are probably a bit specific on if they will be useful to you or not.

The updated nano is that bit more advanced with a few new features, particularly for many the ability to record a quick video, easily, will be attractive. However, if you have the last generation Nano, I would not worry about upgrading too soon, unless having the absolute latest device and new "features," are important to you. Fantastic device, but not much different than before.

Review by Stephen:

The iPod Nano update on September 1, 2010 is arguably the most dramatic since the iPod Nano moniker was introduced by Apple five years ago.

Several colors are being offered in both 8 GB & 16 GB capacities.

More than an update, this is a new product that simply retains the iPod Nano name. It gains a significant feature, but loses several others.

The big deal is the touch interface on the newest iPod Nano. iPod Nano users will now be "touching," their music as iPod Touch and iPhone users have before them. The click wheel is gone. To find your music, you select a category from the Nano's menu such as "Playlists," or "Artists," and select from there. Less convenient or more convenient than a click wheel? Honestly, about equal. The screen is indeed small, but not unusable.

FM Radio has been retained as well as the Fitness aspects with the ability to use Nike + or simply the built in pedometer. However, the form factor will be a major benefit for those working out with the Nano. The previous Nano required an armband to keep it on you while working out, jogging, or the like. Not always comfortable, an additional expense, etc. However, with this new small, square form factor that need is gone. Now, we can simply "clip," the Nano onto us, with the built in clip, and run to our listening content. A bigger deal than you might think.

The downside? Features have been removed from Nano. The screen is much smaller than the previous generation. Therefore, playback of video content from iTunes is gone. Nano no longer plays video, which was a feature added three years ago. Secondly, last year, Nano added a small video camera to record low quality video, which could be played back on the Nano's screen or synced with iTunes and viewed on your computer. That feature is gone too. The device is too small now for a camera or to watch video. This new generation iPod Nano has many exciting new features, but buyers must be aware that it is no longer a video player. It is something new. Those wishing to play video on an iPod must choose an iPod Touch.

My opinion on this change? Honestly, did I ever watch video on the iPod Nano's screen? No. For me, while they kept trying to make the screen larger, it was simply too small to enjoy more than a once a year video. Likewise, the camera was simply not high enough quality to keep yourself entertained by using on a regular basis. It became a feature unused by many.

The iPod Nano has changed and gone back to being an exceptional music player. There is nothing here you do not need to enjoy music. However, the display and touch interface brings the 21st century "touch," that Apple has made so popular to a more affordable device. The touch function will be limited here to simply selecting songs or bringing up the clock, but nevertheless, touch has made its way to the Nano.

I'm most thankful that the Nano has indeed retained the DOCK CONNECTOR. The dock connector is key to use with iPod accessories such as docks, speaker docks, and built in car iPod connectors. The nano is so diminutive that if you plug it into the factory iPod kit of an automobile, the cable's dock connector will look nearly bigger than the Nano itself. Not a negative, just amusing. Nevertheless, the dock connector is there, and you will be able to use the device in such applications, and that was a significant decision by Apple. Users want and need the dock connector. It is there on this iPod Nano, but still missing from the Shuffle due to its even more diminutive size.

This 16 GB version is the largest size Apple offers in the Nano. It offers no additional functionality over the 8GB, but features twice the storage. Choose the one best for you. 16 GB is great if you have a large music collection. We should all remember though that with Nano no longer doing Video or Storing Pictures, the storage is exclusively for music. This makes 8 GB and 16 GB more appropriate size offerings as music takes up much less storage than video.

Overall, Apple has removed video (both playback and recording) from this iPod Nano. However, it's an equalling good music player. Navigation of music is now completed via touch, which works effectively despite the small screen. It's really hard to believe so much can fit into such a small device and I believe everyone will be a bit shocked when they open up the Nano the first time and see it's size yet primary function as an effective music player retained. The newest Nano brings a nearly Shuffle like size, but yet retains the functionality (touch, clip, dock connector) that serious music lovers and those who use the Nano while working out, demand.

Review by DonAZ:

Nice, reasonably priced, leather case. Magnetic closure was a pleasant surprise. Nano easily slides out of case for charging/playing in a dock. If you charge with a cable, you can leave it in the case. I would have liked a belt clip, but I'm still quite satisfied with the case.

Review by Susan Tinkes:

This case is great, it has a magnetic closer and stays closed. It looks nice and protects my cool Nano.

Review by Michael J. Stein:

As of this writing, no reviews are from someone who actually HAS one of the new iPods (10/19). That is about to change....

My 40GB iPod's hard disk had been deteriorating for a while, until it stopped working altogether. That happened to be the day before the iPod video announcement (last Tuesday).

On to what you really want to know, and what you can't get from Apple's website, or reviews regurgitating technical specifications:

1) Can you actually enjoy watching video on a screen that small? What about the video quality?

In short, if you're holding the iPod as close to your face as you would hold an older iPod to really read what song is playing, the video quality is actually quite nice. The screen is noticeably bigger (the height is about the size of the old iPod width). If you're wondering how the quality comes out on an iPod screen (which is normally fairly pixelated), when you load a video it toggles into a mode much akin to when a computer plays a graphics intensive video game. It takes about 10 seconds for a feature-length film to load (i.e., between clicking play, and when it starts playing).

With regard to movies, the iPod doesn't support chapters. My guess is that people will eventually want movies distributed as folders, witch chapters being the individual files. This will allow chapter skipping. That said, once a movie loads, fast forwarding works very well.

I loaded a fairly graphics-intensive movie on there, at about the highest quality the iPod would allow. The actions scenes come out fine...about what you would expect for an MPGE4.

2) What the heck does this thing actually look like in your hand?

It is about the size of older iPods. It is thinner (a lot thinner, if, like me you are upgrading from a non-photo Gen4 40gb). The front is a flat screen, much like the iPod nano, but bigger. The clickwheel is a bit smaller than it was on older iPods, but bigger than that of a nano.

3) The screen

I have to say, the bigger screen is nice in and of itself. If you have longer track names (if you have live music, etc.) a lot more of the name will appear. This is a very nice subtlety since in oder to read a song title you don't need to wait......for....it....to.....scroll....

4) Is it worth it?

Jobs called this a regular iPod with "video capability." I'd say the video capabilities are a little better than that gives it credit for. I don't yet have a composite adapter, so I can't see how this comes out on a TV...

With regard to exporting video to TV, there ARE the following options:

TV Out (on/off)

Video Signal (NTSC/PAL)

Widescreen (on/off)

If your iPod is breaking, or is pretty old, I'd definitely upgrade. If you travel a lot or have downtime where you could hold the device pretty close to your face (train, airplane, etc.), I'd definitely get it. If you don't have much time to enjoy the video capabilities, then it probably isn't worth it.

5) Firewire

The tech specs didn't say anything about firewire, so I had been wondering whether it is supported. It actually is not supported at all. In fact, I tried connecting via my old firewire cable, and the iPod brought up a screen that said something like, "firewire is not supported. Please use the supplied USB cable."

6) The "case"

I saw that a case was included on the Apple website...basically the case, as you might suspect, is pretty bad. I got a 60GB model, and it barely squeezes into the case. That said, cases that support the new screen will likely be unavailable for 3 weeks or so (if what happened with the nano repeats itself), and so it is ncie to have SOMETHING to prevent you from scratching your new screen (which is now more important because it plays video).

Anyway, I hope this answers any questions you might have. I've tried to stick to differences between this beauty and the iPod photo.

If you're still on the fence, let me say this...go for it. It is really quite nice.

Review by Stephen:

The iPod first appeared four years ago, and the features continue to grow, with each update.

The iPod with video playback was introduced on October 13, 2005. However, one should not necessarily consider this player a video player, but a great iPod music player, with video capabilities as a fantastic bonus. Nevertheless, the iPod with video playback is the most capable and feature-rich iPod ever produced by Apple.

Video Playback - The iPod plays back H264 and MPEG4 encoded video. The iPod's new display is larger than ever at 2.5 inches, giving it a resolution of 320x240. What video content can you play on your iPod? This area is limited, at least currently. You can buy music videos on iTunes at .99 per song, which will play beautifully on the iPod. Furthermore, Apple has made available select television shows, for download on iTunes. They cost .99 per episode, for titles including ABC's hits Lost and Desperate Housewives. You can also watch the episodes you purchase on your computer. If you want to put some of your own video, onto your iPod, you will need to use an application such as QuickTime Pro to convert the video to the specific requirements to play on the iPod. You can also find video podcasts, which will play on the new iPod. Even if you do not plan to view video on the new iPod, its primary purpose is to be used as the world's best music player. You can still benefit from the beautiful new display, for it will help you find your favorite music faster, and you can view the album art that accompanies your music.

Size of new iPod - Does the picture of the new iPod make it appear larger to you? Well, it did to me. The iPod looked wider, in the photos I saw. However, it is not. The height and width of the iPod are identical to the previous generation iPod with click wheel. The only change in dimensions is the depth. The new iPod is actually thinner than what came before it! Yes, this 30 gig iPod is thinner than the previous 20 gig photo model by 30 percent. What does all this mean? The iPod continues get smaller, making it even easier to carry.

Capacity - This 30 gig iPod has room, for a lot of entertainment. With storage, for up to 7,500 songs, 12,000 photos, or 75 hours of video. The great thing I love about my iPod is that my music, photos, and video only take up about 15 gigabytes. However, I use the additional space to backup data, from my computer. This is incredibly helpful, and could be a real saver, if something happened to your computer. See, the iPod functions as an external hard drive, so you can backup all sorts of data. The 60 gig version is available, for 0 more, so if you want to use it for lots of video, or you have an enormous music collection, you may want to consider that larger version, which also sports longer battery life.

New Software Features - Apple has added features, to the new iPod besides video support. First, they have a clock feature, which quickly allows you to view the time, in up to four different time zones simultaneously. Furthermore, there is a stop watch, and a screen lock, which you can enable to keep people from snooping on your calendar and/or contacts.

Battery - The battery life is one of the most important specifications that you, as an iPod user, are going to care about. This 30 gigabyte iPod sports a battery that will last up to 14 hours, when playing only music. Also note that repeatedly changing songs manually, and turning on the backlight will use up your battery considerably faster. Furthermore, the iPod's battery lasts a maximum of two hours, when playing back video. This version of the iPod no longer includes an adapter to charge the iPod, at an electrical outlet. You will have to buy that adapter separately, or always charge the iPod via USB 2.0. The charging works fine, from your computer's USB 2.0, but if you're traveling you might want the ability to charge, with the adapter. Also note that the iPod no longer supports syncing via firewire cable. You will have to use USB 2.0.

Mac or PC? This iPod works beautifully with either a Mac or PC. The iPod syncs your contacts, video, and music via the iTunes software.

Podcasting - The iPod continues to support podcasting. Podcasts are internet radio broadcasts, and there are thousands covering nearly every subject imaginable, and more are coming out every day. Podcasts are quickly becoming popular content on iPods around the world. Check them out, for this iPod supports Podcasts out of the box. There are also video podcasts, so with the new iPod, you will be able to watch video podcasts, on the iPod's display.

Appearance - The iPod is beautiful, but the back's chrome finish is prone to scratches, and the screen can become scratched as well. It is a very good idea to protect the back of the iPod and the screen in some way. There are many cases and protectors out there, and you will surely find something you like. The new iPod is available in a black or white finish. The black color is quickly becoming the most popular, but the white iPod is still the signature color. Do note that the black may show fingerprints and scratches more than the white iPod, much as a black car shows these blemishes more than a lighter colored car.

Audiobooks - I'm always using my iPod, to listen to audiobooks. You can store literally hundreds of audiobooks on here that you buy from iTunes, or Audible. The iPod even has a feature that can slow down or speed up the reading of the audiobook, so that you hear it at just the right pace.

Output - The iPod connects to your PC or Mac via the dock connector at the bottom of the unit. You will connect the included cable, to the computer via a USB 2.0 port. Furthermore, accessories are being made that will also connect to the bottom dock port, and you may purchase Apple's Universal iPod dock, for easy syncing to your computer. The dock (available separately) also includes s-video output, so you can show off slideshows and video, on a television. There are also iPod A/V cables available that allow composite video and audio output, for connecting your iPod to your television. This might interest you, not only to display slideshows on a television, but also to display TV shows or music videos on a television, which you purchased from iTunes.

Overall, this is another excellent product from Apple Computer. The design is elegant, simple, and intuitive. It will provide hours of entertainment and convenience. Enjoy your iPod experience.

Review by Chad386:

First off, I wanted to publish "price paid" in this review since 3rd party sellers are selling the case for upwards of . Be wary if Amazon has run out of this and is selling it via a 3rd party. I paid .75 for the case via Amazon direct.

I have a Zune 120. (The form factor for the Zune 80/120 is identical.) This thing slid on my zune like a comfortable old pair of long john underwear. It has an attractive, "ridged" look to it as you can see from the pictures. It really does make your zune look more rugged.

The intent of this case is to help prevent scratches, scrapes of the zune when dropped. and to hopefully help prevent more serious problems like platter damage since these zunes use actual hard drives (with moving parts!)

The screen protector, as stated in many other reviews, is garbage. You can try to follow the tips on here for getting it on right; but I suggest you save yourself some headache and put it directly in the garbage can. It really should not be included with this product since it does tarnish the reviews a bit. Don't be concerned, however, since the Dragon toughskin case surrounds the actual screen with a slightly raised "edge." Therefore if you drop it, as I did getting out of my truck at the gym, the screen is going to be more or less protected by this raised edge. This of course, wouldn't apply in a drop where the screen hits directly on an uneven surface like the corner of something, a rock on the ground, etc.

Since I only use my Zune at the gym, it's not a huge concern. I just wanted a little more protection when working out. I keep my zune in my pants pocket by itself (no keys, coins, etc.) and face the screen toward my leg. I have not had any issues whatsoever with the screen scratching or blemishing. The only problem is getting my paw prints all over the screen after a few uses.

As other reviewers have stated, this rubber does seem to attract dust, pocket lint, etc. I have tried several methods of cleaning it and have found the best way. A can of compressed air is not a bad idea to remove a lot of the debris. But even better, is just a small piece of scotch tape or packing tape. This lets you get in all the grooves, ridges, to remove all the lint etc from the dragonskin case. I do this once every couple weeks and it takes maybe 2 minutes. (Same principle as the lint rollers for sweaters, etc.) It definitely makes the case look new again, restoring it to its original black condition. It works great.

Just thought I would note also that if you are one of the smart ones who have picked up a Zune over other less-featured, more popular players on the market, the Zune itself has several safeguards to prevent hard drive platter damage built into the unit. For example, if your headphones are ever yanked out of the headphone jack, the player stops the music (thereby stopping any data reading) instantly. Also, the player has jar/drop detection; so if the player has a sudden "bump," the zune stops reading any data and puts whatever song you're listening to on "pause."

This case can only help, though, in regard to preventing damage in an accidental drop. I believe the case is a good value for the money and was obviously designed with the Zune in mind since it fits so perfectly.

Review by Steven Wagstaff:

The Speck Dragon Toughskin Rubberized Case for Zune 80 GB is a terrific product for your money. This case does not leave the buttons exposed like most others do. If you look closely at the product pictures you can see the button areas are covered. I would say this is the main reason I purchased this product over others. The other reviewer brings up a very good point. I would totally agree that the screen protector (glorified sticker) provided is not very good. If you mess up and have to try a second time to stick it on you might as well throw it away. There is a full length clear piece of plastic inside the case that has tabs sticking out the top and bottom. The tabs hold the case squarely in the display box during shipping. When you unpack the case save this piece of plastic. All you have to do is cut off the tabs and trim it to fit over the screen area. Make sure to leave a little overlap so the edges of the case around the screen have something to grip. There is also a cardboard insert (actual Zune size) that works very well as a template. The case is rubber and fits the Zune very snugly so it holds the trimmed piece of plastic without slipping. You are able to use the full Zune button functionality even though they are fully covered by this case. I was worried about being able to "touch" scroll without pressing the actual center button and it wasn't a problem. I would suggest using something non alcohol based to clean any plastic screen protector as it tends to haze even after cleaning it once with the wrong stuff. The only down side I can see is that rubber tends to show dust and may be hard to keep clean. Using a can of compressed air and a light coating with a silicone based cleaner ought to do the trick. With not a lot of after market case options available yet for the Zune 80 GB this ain't a bad way to go!

Review by L. Gonzalez:

I've owned 5 different kinds of iPods, as well as the original Zune, and I must say, that this product is by far the best of the group. I spent the day trying to return my iPod Classic (80GB) so that I could get my hands on one of these---and I had to look just about everywhere in town to find one.

Is this better than the iPod Classic? Undoubtedly. I can make a fair comparison, as I have been toying with the Classic for the last two weeks. I've had iPod Nanos (first and third generations), 3 iPod Videos (5G), and an iPod Classic (80GB). The iPod is a fine product line, but I had too many bad experiences with the 5G video to want to keep them. I heard that the Z80 came out so I went and bought that one instead.

I'm going to spend most of my time here discussing how the Zune 80 compares to its predecessor, the Zune 30, as well as the iPod line--as it has set the standard for mp3 players for the last few years.

Screen- The glass screen looks much better than the original Zune's plastic one. The 320X240 resolution looks great. It looks far better than the Classic's screen. You can turn it sideways to take full advantage of it while watching videos. The iPod Classic's screen can only be viewed from one direction, and it has for the most part remained the same since the fifth generation. The video quality is great. Although this is technically the same resolution as the ipod Classic, nano, and Zune 4 and 8, it still manages to look great because of its size and clarity. You will notice that the quality on the smaller Zune appears sharper, but that's only because there are more pixels per square inch on them, due to the smaller size. Still looks awesome. This screen is slightly larger than the 1G Zune, but overall it is still smaller in both thinness and height. The glass screen is far more durable than the plastic one, and after a few months of testing it now I can say that it does not scratch easily, if at all.

Build- This thing is built to last. It feels a lot denser and sturdier than the last year's model. The first generation Zune couldn't win a beauty contest by a long shot--but I think this one's a winner. Aluminum back reminds me of the iPod line, although it's much better because it is brushed metal. (Meaning you don't have to keep it in a glass case, and bring out gloves when you want to handle it, like you did with the iPods). The paint, believe it or not, is actually very difficult to scratch. I've put it in my pocket with my keys, and the screen nor the paint scratches. I wouldn't want purposefully subject it to such tests, but it happened, and it's still in pristine condition. I scratched the back of my iPod Classic the first day I got it because of the glossy metal back. Scratching the back of your iPod is inevitable. I really don't see a need for a case.

Zunepad- The iPod's scroll wheel was a nice piece of work when it first came out. The Zunepad is better. Bold statement? Maybe. But I can now navigate via touch controls in four different directions as opposed to two with the iPod. And it is very easy to do so. I was skeptical at first, but Microsoft nailed it. You can choose if you want to flick your fingers across the "squirqle" to play your music, or you can just press the buttons to navigate. Nothing against Apple, but the scrollwheel on the Classic wasn't nearly as sensitive as the 5th generation iPod video's. Aren't you supposed to make progress when you release new hardware? I had problems with my Classic's scrollwheel's sensitivity. I can definitely see myself navigating menus much faster using the Zunepad.

A few things that I've noticed: Zunepad doesn't work with gloves of any sort (most of the time). Not that big of a problem, but I have noticed something interesting. Even the analog buttons underneath the Zunepad do not work if you are wearing gloves. It must sense that your skin is actually touching it to work correctly. I found that rather odd. I get some response out of it, but it usually doesn't respond the way you want it to. This is a big deal for me, as it is getting cold. Taking off your gloves to change a song is a burden, although I still enjoy using it more than I did the scrollwheel (which worked with gloves.) I've tried cotton, leather, and suede. This sounds crazy, but it is my biggest gripe with the Zune 80.

Firmware- Not too much different from the original, aside from aesthetics. It just looks pretty. Oversized letters are nice to look at, in addition to some decent animations. You can set your own backgrounds, as opposed to having the iPod Classic automatically flowing album art in the back (I hated that). The "twist" interface is much easier to use than that of the Ipod. I'm pretty sure I can get to a song much faster than someone with an Ipod. It works similar to a spreadsheet, as you have artist, songs, albums etc. listed at the top, with the contents of the respective categories listed below. A simple f lick to the right or left immediately changes categories. Microsoft definitely wins in this department.

Radio- You'd have to pay for this if you bought an Ipod Classic. Although I don't use it, it is still nice to have.

Zune Software- I'll be honest, I've been using itunes for a few years now, and I hate it. When I bought the original Zune, I thought that escaping itunes would be a good thing. I was wrong. The original software was abysmal. BUT, the new software is a vast improvement. It's almost too simple. And it's also easy on the eyes. I may consider using this as my default player from now on---something that I would have never done with the original software. The reason why I got rid of my original Zune in favor of the iPod classic was the software. I was tired of using it. Now I have more reason to keep my Zune.

After using it for awhile, I have noticed a few quirks with this software, mainly that it seems to sync a small group of songs over and over again. I see this being fixed by Microsoft's next update. I've been using it for awhile now, and I am not entirely as optimistic about it as when I wrote this review. It is STILL superior to itunes, and definitely the original software, but they need to fix a few issues with it. Namely the syncing options. The software recognizes some of the videos in the mpeg 4 format, but not all. I am thinking that this might have been a problem with the conversion software (Xvid->mpeg4).

The sound quality, which is probably the most important part of this review, is great. One problem is that they removed the equalizer, so what you hear is what you get. That wasn't a smart move on Microsoft's part. I think it sounds louder than an iPod, but I'm not an audiophile by any means.

Premium earbuds. These are alot nicer than most other stock headphones. They're the in-ear type, and they will take some getting used to if you've never used them. Bass response is a plus. I tried them earlier and they are comparable to my more expensive Sony's.

DRM- I don't know alot about this category, so look at the comments that people have left at the end of this review. I don't use this type of content. I do understand that anything downloaded from itunes will not work on the Zune. So if your entire library was downloaded on itunes, don't get this MP3 player. It's their way of making sure you continue to buy their products, as well as preventing piracy.

Wireless sync. I really can't use this. I hear it works nicely though. I can't really imagine using it, so take this one as you will. I really don't see the big deal about this. If I'm syncing my music, I want my Zune to charge as well. Maybe this feature is for lazy people, but I don't see it as useful.

Drive usage. You can't put anything on here that doesn't run through the Zune software. In other words--You won't be using this as a portable hard drive, even though most of us will not fill it up with music. You can do whatever you please with an iPod. There ARE hacks online that require you to alter your registry available online. Google is your friend. Try it at your own risk.

Battery life- Okay, the battery life isn't too shabby when just playing mp3's. I went a weekend with reasonable use without having to recharge it (forgot usb chord in the car). Battery life with video isn't good at all, but I don't think it was too far off from that of the Classic iPod. I'd prefer the large screen and lesser battery life over that of the Classic any day.

Conclusion-

I'm not a Micro$oft fanboy, contrary to what this review might look like. I've owned nothing but ipods before owning the 1G Zune. I must say that this seems to be the best one I've owned, and I don't regret returning my Classic.

It's easier to use, has a nicer screen, very generous capacity, great sound and video playback, a built in radio, and sleek design.

If the iPod Classic can earn four stars, this definitely gets five, as it is the superior mp3 player---by a longshot. It's not without its shortcomings, but they are forgivable, considering we've been under "ipod control" for the last few years.

That's about all I can think of. Hope this helps.

Review by H. S. Jawanda:

[UPDATE 4]

The rating is actually 4.5/5, but since Amazon doesn't allow fractions, I put down 4 stars.

[Disclaimer]I work for Microsoft. I think I have been objective in this review--you can draw your own conclusions.[/Disclaimer] Also know that I do not work in the division that makes the Zune, so I have no insider information.

Let's start with my likes and dislikes of the Zune 80:

THE GOOD

* Beautiful, bright, large, glass (not plastic) screen. The size (3.2") is so much better for viewing videos and pictures.

* Size and weight (lighter than iPod Classic).

* Capacity (80 GB).

* Built-in Wi-Fi and associated wireless sync.

* ZunePad.

* UI (both of the device and the PC software).

* FM radio.

* Ability to rent music (allowing one to listen to whole songs before deciding whether to buy or not).

* Build quality.

* Customizable backgrounds.

THE NEUTRAL

* Wi-Fi sharing--if there aren't enough Zuners around you, this is not of much use.

* Simplification of the 5-point song rating scale to a 2-point (like/dislike) scale.

THE BAD

* None of the Zunes work as mass storage devices (portable hard drives)--every other player on the market has this ability, so why not the Zunes?

* Automatic playlists are no more.

Now for a more detailed review of some features...

SYNC-ING: USB OR WIRELESS?

Here's the deal: Over-The-Air (OTA, aka wireless) syncing is going to be slower that USB syncing, but more convenient. So use USB sync for bulk transfers (e.g., when you sync your Zune 80 for the first time ), and OTA sync for smaller, incremental transfers (e.g., nightly updates). To realize the usefulness of wireless syncing, consider this setup: keep the Zune dock connected to your Home Theater (HT) receiver in the living room, then when you put your Zune in the dock, the player gets charged, the music gets synced and you can play your Zune's music through your HT setup! I think the wireless sync is a very useful feature and finally MS is beginning to realize the potential of the on-board Wi-Fi (though more is possible).

MUSIC: RENT OR BUY?

Both. Renting music allows me to try out unlimited number of songs an unlimited number of times. Buying allows me to not worry about keeping up a subscription--I know that my favorite songs will always be with me. Renting also works well for "in" or "hip" music--this type of music typically gets overplayed and becomes boring before long. The subscription model allows me to fill up my Zune with the latest music for (say) a party, while keeping my options open for permanently acquiring some songs. The Zune Marketplace supports both models.

ZUNEPAD

The ZunePad is a great combination of D-pad (Directional-pad) and a trackpad. It took me all of 30 seconds to get used to it. Scrolling through long lists of songs is a breeze and fun too . You swipe up, down, left or right to navigate the Zune. A quick flick of your thumb will send a long list of songs scrolling in the intended direction, and a touch on the ZunePad will stop the scrolling (the scroll will come to a natural rest too). The whole action is very intuitive and works as expected--for example, the speed of list scrolling is proportional to the speed of your upward or downward swipe.

COMPARISON

It is inevitable to compare any new entrant in the Digital Audio Player (DAP)/Personal Music Player (PMP)/MP3 Player market to the corresponding iPod--the Zune 80's natural competitor is the iPod Classic 80 GB. To compare the Zune 80 to any other device in the iPod family would be like comparing bananas and oranges .

How the Zune 80 is better:

* Larger, better screen (screen size vital when watching video)

* Wi-Fi and associated wireless sync (possibility of new features via firmware updates)

* FM radio with RDBS display (a saving of approximately 50 bucks vs. iPod Classic)

* Sound quality

* The UI is far more visually pleasing, both on the computer and on the device

* Subscription-based access to entire Zune Marketplace song catalog

* Zune marketplace has a well-developed social aspect to it (not such a big draw for me personally, but others will like it more).

* ZunePad. Thumb motions on the ZunePad are simpler than on iPod's clickwheel (or so says my right thumb, still recuperating from a serious, though unrelated, injury).

How the iPod Classic is better:

* Mass storage device capability (aka portable hard disk)

* iTunes store has bigger song collection, and has videos too

* Cover Flow (while visually snazzy, CoverFlow isn't very useful for people like me who have mostly individual tracks, not albums).

SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS

1. Enable mass storage device mode/capability (aka portable hard drive functionality).

2. Use built-in Wi-Fi to enable direct download/purchase/rental of songs from/to the device (I hope this is already in the works).

3. Bring back automated playlists.

4. Let users choose 2-point or 5-point rating scale.

I will add more to the review as I keep using the device...

Review by Columbus Musician:

You will not find a better case for your Mp3 device for this price. Buy with confidence.

Review by John D. Steere:

For the price I couldn't find a better carry case. It won't win any beauty prizes but it protects my mp3 player when I travel (and many different types of players could fit in here). This case could be used for any device you want to carry that has small accessories. Recommended if you're not trying to impress your friends with your fancy carry case, but if you want style, there are cases for that also.

Review by L. Young:

This is the best case for the Zune 80/120gb on the market. My Zune is my most precious electronic device, and therefore in choosing and selecting a case I have been as thorough and demanding as possible. I've spent countless hours sifting through youtube reviews of Zune cases, online images and reviews of every case I could possibly find, and trying to locate something to my liking. After owning this case for months now, I am sure that this is the best case available.

Here are the topics which I discuss in this review, and to simplify matters this is a brief summary of what I talk about in more depth in the review. The order of items corresponds to the paragraphs which discuss them.

1. Button coverage: excellent for protection.

2. Zune corners exposed, but still well protected compared to other cases.

3. Charger cable opening: AWESOME.

4. Flap renders hold button and screen protector unnecessary.

5. Small pocket in flap VERY small.

6. Clip irremovable: It is, however, VERY useful and doesn't get in the way.

7. Headphone jack opening medium sized. Flap can be opened to about 160 degrees.

1. This case covers the entire plastic surface of the Zune, only exposing the squircle. Play/pause and back buttons are covered. They are marked clearly with the symbols for play/pause and back within a depressed circle in the leather. The feeling of the buttons is very tactile, and they fall directly over the buttons. It is not difficult to press the buttons, only because the leather is padded you must push a little deeper.

2. Compared to other cases, relatively little of the Zune is exposed. It is true that the bottom corners and top sides of the corners are exposed, but the amount exposed is much less than most every other case out there, and because the seams running along the back and front of the case stick out a millimeter or two, for the most part it prevents any flat surface from coming into contact with the corners and damaging them, such as the sides of a cup holder.

3. This case, unlike the official Zune case offered by the site (the brown one, with the pink lined pocket), has an opening in the bottom of the case for charger cables. This feature is perhaps one of the best about the case, as it doesn't expose hardly more than absolutely necessary to have full access to the slot, and it enables you to leave the Zune in its case for as long as you like, without risk of dirt or scratches from repeatedly having to pull it out of the case each time you want to charge it. A huge hassle saver, and a must with a device that needs to be charged so often. Absolutely necessary if you plan on using either the Car Packs or a car charger.

4. The hold button cannot be reached when the flap is closed, and there is no built-in screen protector, but these two drawbacks are compensated for by the presence of the flap, which securely closes by two small magnets in the bottom. Because the flap is padded, it protects against any erroneous pressing of the controls, thus rendering the hold switch unnecessary, and it also protects the screen fully whenever the flap is down. Also, all other built-in screen protectors I've seen are plagued by glare and are ill fitting, instead floating loosely above the screen. If you really feel the need to protect the screen, anti-glare screen protectors can be purchased which stick securely onto the Zune and which work much better than built-in protectors, though I must warn you that sometimes they can cause more than a few headaches when trying to eliminate air bubbles between the protector and the screen.

5. The flap also has a small pocket on its inside, which is initially very tight and difficult to get things in to. It could not hold more than 2 plastic cards comfortably, and will hold about the same thickness of money. Putting anything more than a slip of paper into the case will bulk it up slightly and make the magnets less powerful. I personally found it too small to be of any real use as a wallet away from wallet, though it is still there if I ever need it.

6. The clip in the back cannot be removed, and though I at first considered this a drawback, I've now come to rely upon the clip and to be thankful for its presence. I always figured I would have no use for such a clip, but it can securely clip onto waistbands, purses, straps, backpacks, and anything else near you to save an extra hand. If your pockets aren't big enough to fit the Zune, or if you want a more secure grip, this clip is invaluable. It's excellent for times when I'm painting, and need to run back and forth between canvas, table, sink, etc. I used to forget my Zune was resting on a surface I was working near, and when I'd suddenly charge off the Zune would fall to the ground and risk injury. This belt clip has eliminated this problem entirely, even when I'm wearing pants without pockets. Also, considering how svelte the clip is, even if you don't use it, it won't present any kind of hassle.

7. The headphone jack is accessible through a large oval hole in the arching leather above it, which I have found to be amply large for fitting any kind of headphone cable into it. Even if your headphone cable is truly massive, the leather is malleable enough to accommodate it. The headphone jack is as large as it can be without compromising the Zune's protection, though this does mean that any headphone plugs that are not L-shaped prevent the flap from going any farther than about 160 degrees. It's not a problem, though, and I am not bothered by it.

As I've said, this is truly the best case out there. Excluding the extremely expensive official Zune case, this case offers more protection and area coverage than any other leather case, and unlike the official Zune case it has an opening for the charger cable and is a lot cheaper. This case also lacks the extremely annoying pink stripe of the official Zune case, and is a classy black. It looks great, feels great, works great, and is the best case on the market. It fits like a glove and is of a very high quality, and I would not be happier with any other case.

Review by M. K.:

If you are one of the few that own the Zune 80 or 120 ... this is the case you want to buy for it. It's nice to see that a company actually put some thought into a product and at a good price too. I've had this case for a couple years now and I'm bored so I thought I'd provide a review to the one or two people that will read this.

The case allows you to pass it along to friends and family members without the worry of it getting damaged if dropped. The front cover is well made: magnets to hold it in place when closed, a pocket to hold business cards or a little money, and it even has a small cushion for added protection. You can access the connection port and headphone jack with the cover closed. With the cover open, you can also access the lock, the squircle, play and back buttons. The play and back buttons are covered in leather for added protection, but DLO even added the proper icons so that you know which buttons are which.

As far as any cons go, you can't see the back of the Zune if you've added one of the Zune printed designs on it, but you can easily take the Zune out, so it's not that big of a deal. The case makes it a tad more bulkier than without a case (obviously), but it helps with keeping the Zune safe. Also, the area for the squircle makes it a tad more difficult to scroll for songs than with the case off, but not an issue really at all. I'm really searching for cons here and it's hard to find anything.

In a world where you can choose through dozens of cases for the iPod, it's nice to see someone take the care for quality in a Zune case. I really wish the Zune took off a bit more. It is a great music player. No, it doesn't really have apps, you can't browse the web (at least not on this one) and it's not even a touch screen. However, for people that want to keep their main music selection separate from their phone, then this player is great. If you happen to get one, then this is the case for you.

Review by Franklin Smith:

Everything worked great and you can not beat the price. I like the fact most of the items are universal. Seller has great comunication.

Review by A. Moore:

THe Kit was great accept the USB wall charger adapter broke within the first day we used it. But everything else in kit seems to work fine. It was fast and speedy shipping as well.

Review by J. Selway:

I just received this a few days ago, and when opening the package I was a little surprised at what I saw. The car charger was actually a little smaller than the one pictured, which is great because I always seem to have trouble finding a product that fits well in my lighter socket. So if the car charger looks too bulky for you, you may get one smaller than the one pictured.

The zune USB cable has a better feeling of quality than my original OEM cable. Both sides have nice molded plugs with a much better strain relief than the cheesy rubber tube on the original zune cable. The only problem is the first couple times I plugged in the zune end, it was a bit stiff to get back out. Slightly bending the plug down solves this.

The wall charger was also much smaller than the one pictured and has an extremely cheap feel to it. Also the red light on the plug stays on whether the USB is plugged in or not.

All in all, an absurdly great value for your dollar.

Update: After owning this for a month, I have noticed one problem with the charge cable. It obviously is not shielded. My car stereo has a line in headphone jack on the front. When I have the charger hooked up I notice a high pitched whine in my speakers, whether my zune is playing or not. The sound goes away when I unplug it. There is no problem when I use my OEM cable. Also not a major problem, but there is no built in fuse in the car charger. Usually a pretty standard feature but not a deal breaker. Your cigarette lighter is on a fuse anyhow. Not to mention the zune doesn't pull that much power.

Review by userid338:

Ordered mine from bargaincell, comes with 1 USB wall adapter, 1 USB car adapter, and 1 USB cable for Zune. All 3 of these products work well.

I needed one of these because I listen to my Zune on a daily basis and the only way I could charge it was plug it in to my computer, and I do not leave my computer on at night. I don't use the car adapter very often, but it works. Thanks Bargaincell! Great seller, would (and most likely will) buy from them again.

P.S. I have a Zune 30GB, not one of the new ones.

P.S.S Bargaincell's Sync-N-Charge kit is white, not black, but it makes no difference.

Review by R. Rahman:

Just got the case, and one problem, at least from an aesthetic angle, is that it doesn't come in a box, it comes wrapped in plastic, like a Twinkie, with a single cardboard placard containing all the Incipio introduction and warranty information. Admittedly, it's not something that needs a technical manual to operate, but a little better presentation would have been appreciated. (But then again, maybe it's more eco-friendly....)

As for the case itself, it's a little lighter in color (as of right now) than in the picture, more like a rawhide pink than brown, but still very pretty. Speaking of pink, the inside of the case has pink thread in the stitching, as well as pink on the inside of the sleeve holding the Zune. Most of this will be covered up when the Zune is in. It's very soft to the touch, and feels good, though my naturally pessimistic self worries that it will start wrinkling sooner rather than later.

Inside, you slip the Zune sideways into the sleeve (my 80 GB fit very snugly), where there are openings for the USB port on the bottom, and it is open at the corners on the top for the Hold button and the headphone jack. Plenty of room for both.

The screen is covered with clear plastic, and mine came clean and clear, no scratches. You can see the screen vividly.

There is an opening between the plastic and the bottom of the case for the motion controls and the Play and Back buttons. The buttons are a little close to the edge, obscuring them a little, but it's not a big deal.

The biggest worry I have is the button/clasp to close the case. Once the Zune is in, the top of the button that needs to come over the side is now a little too far away for an easy, immediate snap. You have to push the cover as far as you can so that the top and bottom of the button are aligned enough to clasp. But the bigger problem is that you have to apply pressure to close the button RIGHT OVER THE SCREEN! The bottom of the button is not poking through the cover on the inside, it's covered with cloth, which is good, and the plastic screen is also covering the Zune screen, but I worry that too much pressure might dent or crack the screen. Of course, I knew about the button before purchasing it, I wanted to be able to close the case securely, and it does do that well, so I took the chance when I bought it. Just be careful when throwing your Zune into a backpack or purse.

Also, a belt clip or something on the back would have been nice.

All in all, I think The Duke is a little over-priced ( would have been more fair) but it is a very beautiful case and I'm sure it will protect my Zune very well.

Review by L. Whitaker:

i brought the .97 one from baragain cell on amazon and the sync cable works just as good as them other ones for my 80g zune. I have no problems with it. So save your money and buy this one because it is much cheaper and just as good.

Review by M. Murtaugh:

this product works great. Good bargain, .00 compared to by manufacturer. works exactly as claimed.

Review by Chad386:

First off, I wanted to publish "price paid" in this review since 3rd party sellers are selling the case for upwards of . Be wary if Amazon has run out of this and is selling it via a 3rd party. I paid .75 for the case via Amazon direct.

I have a Zune 120. (The form factor for the Zune 80/120 is identical.) This thing slid on my zune like a comfortable old pair of long john underwear. It has an attractive, "ridged" look to it as you can see from the pictures. It really does make your zune look more rugged.

The intent of this case is to help prevent scratches, scrapes of the zune when dropped. and to hopefully help prevent more serious problems like platter damage since these zunes use actual hard drives (with moving parts!)

The screen protector, as stated in many other reviews, is garbage. You can try to follow the tips on here for getting it on right; but I suggest you save yourself some headache and put it directly in the garbage can. It really should not be included with this product since it does tarnish the reviews a bit. Don't be concerned, however, since the Dragon toughskin case surrounds the actual screen with a slightly raised "edge." Therefore if you drop it, as I did getting out of my truck at the gym, the screen is going to be more or less protected by this raised edge. This of course, wouldn't apply in a drop where the screen hits directly on an uneven surface like the corner of something, a rock on the ground, etc.

Since I only use my Zune at the gym, it's not a huge concern. I just wanted a little more protection when working out. I keep my zune in my pants pocket by itself (no keys, coins, etc.) and face the screen toward my leg. I have not had any issues whatsoever with the screen scratching or blemishing. The only problem is getting my paw prints all over the screen after a few uses.

As other reviewers have stated, this rubber does seem to attract dust, pocket lint, etc. I have tried several methods of cleaning it and have found the best way. A can of compressed air is not a bad idea to remove a lot of the debris. But even better, is just a small piece of scotch tape or packing tape. This lets you get in all the grooves, ridges, to remove all the lint etc from the dragonskin case. I do this once every couple weeks and it takes maybe 2 minutes. (Same principle as the lint rollers for sweaters, etc.) It definitely makes the case look new again, restoring it to its original black condition. It works great.

Just thought I would note also that if you are one of the smart ones who have picked up a Zune over other less-featured, more popular players on the market, the Zune itself has several safeguards to prevent hard drive platter damage built into the unit. For example, if your headphones are ever yanked out of the headphone jack, the player stops the music (thereby stopping any data reading) instantly. Also, the player has jar/drop detection; so if the player has a sudden "bump," the zune stops reading any data and puts whatever song you're listening to on "pause."

This case can only help, though, in regard to preventing damage in an accidental drop. I believe the case is a good value for the money and was obviously designed with the Zune in mind since it fits so perfectly.

Review by Steven Wagstaff:

The Speck Dragon Toughskin Rubberized Case for Zune 80 GB is a terrific product for your money. This case does not leave the buttons exposed like most others do. If you look closely at the product pictures you can see the button areas are covered. I would say this is the main reason I purchased this product over others. The other reviewer brings up a very good point. I would totally agree that the screen protector (glorified sticker) provided is not very good. If you mess up and have to try a second time to stick it on you might as well throw it away. There is a full length clear piece of plastic inside the case that has tabs sticking out the top and bottom. The tabs hold the case squarely in the display box during shipping. When you unpack the case save this piece of plastic. All you have to do is cut off the tabs and trim it to fit over the screen area. Make sure to leave a little overlap so the edges of the case around the screen have something to grip. There is also a cardboard insert (actual Zune size) that works very well as a template. The case is rubber and fits the Zune very snugly so it holds the trimmed piece of plastic without slipping. You are able to use the full Zune button functionality even though they are fully covered by this case. I was worried about being able to "touch" scroll without pressing the actual center button and it wasn't a problem. I would suggest using something non alcohol based to clean any plastic screen protector as it tends to haze even after cleaning it once with the wrong stuff. The only down side I can see is that rubber tends to show dust and may be hard to keep clean. Using a can of compressed air and a light coating with a silicone based cleaner ought to do the trick. With not a lot of after market case options available yet for the Zune 80 GB this ain't a bad way to go!

Review by Super Mum:

No matter your opinion on Microsoft, the amazing fact remains that every time they update a Zune they include a free software update for all past Zunes making them nearly identical as the new Zunes. I am sure one day this may stop due to the fact that the new hardware will require a different type of OS that won't work on the old Zunes (i.e. a Zune Touch or something). Until then, I am have been a very happy past/present Zune owner for this reason.

I owned a Zune 30 for 2 1/2 years prior to buying the Zune 120. My old Zune worked perfectly and was not a factor in my decision to upgrade. Did I need the extra space? Not really... but I wanted to try out the touch/click "squircle" before the new Zune games were launched. I read that some games may not work (or work as intended) with the Zune 30 since it does not have the touch sensitive pad. We'll see how true that is when games are put on to the Marketplace.

My opinion after owning the Zune 120 for a couple weeks:

The Good:

-I am a rabid/avid fan of the Zune Pass. I don't mind renting music, in fact I LOVE it. It really opens me up to new bands without wasting -20 on an album I may hate. For .99 a month [for unlimited downloads on up to 3 Zunes and 3 Computers] I can download from more songs than I can fathom and not be upset if I pick a few tone-deaf artists along the way. If I love an album enough to keep it I can buy it from Zune or Amazon or whomever. If you think about it, the Zune Pass could save you money by allowing you to test out bands before committing to a purchase. Also, if throwing a house party or having guests over, you can download music for your guests that you might never consider buying for yourself.

-Audible support now available. Not sure how much I will use this feature yet but for now I like it and am happy I am not closed off from this option.

-WiFi: the options are now amazingly more advanced and now having WiFi on the Zune makes sense. Being able to download songs over a WiFi connection is huge. McDonald's is teaming up with Zune and will be offering their WiFi connection to Zune owners in the near future. While iPod does this with Starbucks, there are many more McDonalds than Starbucks in the U.S. Though not sure if this is a good thing

-Channels!!!: I love the new channels built into the software. As a Zune Pass subscriber I love taking advantage of this. The software makes a "channel" once a week of songs it thinks I will like based on a genre (I have a "My Classic Rock" channel, "My Rock" channel, and since I share my Zune Pass with family members a "My R&B" channel). I choose which, if any, channels I want to subscribe to (so I can skip the R&B one if I desire) and it downloads a playlist of sorts that changes every week. Also, I can subscribe to other generic channels (i.e. "Rock" Channel, "Punk/Ska" Channel etc.) not tailored directly to me if I so desire. This has been a great way to sample new bands/music that have relevance to my music style. Of course if you love a song/artist you can always permanently download the songs. If you are an avid gym buff or runner there are some very cool channels titled "Walk" "Jog" and "Run" that have songs which consist of the same range of beats per minute to keep you moving at a constant speed. Very cool.

-Mixview: Much better looking than "Genius" on iTunes since Mixview uses album art and artists pictures rather than plain old text and Mixview's suggestions seem more relevant to me than Apple's "Genius." This can always change in the future as each product develops and I am excited that there is competition in this arena since it can only make this better and better. If you don't know what Mixview is, it is Zune's way of gathering data based on your music preferences (and the preferences of others) to recommend new music to you. Pandora (the Internet Radio website) does a BEAUTIFUL job at this. It's free and I would check it out if you have never used it before. Amazing.

-Battery Life: Much better than the Zune 30 which is a nice surprise. Leave WiFi off for a longer battery life.

-Accessory Compatibility: the charger, dock, remote, car charger, etc. from the Zune 30/80/120 all work together wonderfully. If you have the version 1 dock you will need to remove the plastic insert in order to have the 80/120 fit. It only takes a few seconds and is very painless. I would add a link to websites that show video/pictures on how to do this but Amazon removed two posts in the Zune forum where I did this. Do a search, it's out there. The cases for the Zune 30 do not work with the 120 but the 80 is the same size and both use the same cases. Heard there are problems with older FM transmitters working with the newer Zunes. Not sure how prevalent this problem is as I use an AUX jack in the car.

-The Squircle: This is the only "big" difference between the Zune 30 and the 80/120. It did not take long for me to get used to using this but my learning curve may be shorter than others as I am used to swiping on my iPhone and now clicking seems more difficult for me. (You can turn this feature off if you just want to use the squircle as a click pad.) When I went to buy a case I found that most cases covered the squircle and was concerned it would mess with functionality. I want to report that it did not take away the ability of the Zune to notice my movements. However, the case makes it not as smooth of an action as the bare squircle (I have a silicone cover that makes my finger "stickier" against the case so the glide isn't as smooth). Something to think about when purchasing a case (which I would recommend.. see "The Bad")

The Bad:

-I LOVED the Zune 30 casing. That was one beautiful thing that the Zune had over the iPod. The iPods scratched and showed wear very quickly and the Zune 30's casing was virtually indestructible. With the new casing (party in the front/business in the back... the reverse mullet) it seems that the possibility for scratching is now higher. The shiny front is a fingerprint magnet and the matte black back has a silver/gold metal underneath (as evidenced by Microsoft's Zune Originals website where you can have your Zune engraved professionally.. they "scratch" [engrave] a design and the gold/silver color appears). Not sure how deep you would have to scratch to get to that color and I won't volunteer to be a guinea pig. Sorry!

I highly recommend getting a case and I am a sucker for buying a screen protector as the Zune is nearly all screen on the front and should remain beautiful and scratch-free.

The "I don't care"/ "No opinion":

-The Clock: There is a clock now.. and I don't care. Many did so they will be happy. No alarm built-in, so beware clock lovers. (Microsoft updates the firmware and software quite a bit so you never know if this could be added soon.)

-Buy from FM: I hate the radio in my smallish town. There are only a couple decent stations but they aren't good enough for me to stop listening to MP3s and tune in. For those who have better stations and are in to Top 40 or what is new on the charts this may be an amazing option for you. Getting artist and album info over Zune's FM radio could be helpful if your DJ never states the name of an artist (like so many don't) and, if you really like the song, you can download it immediately or tag it for download later (depending if you are in a WiFi hotspot or at home with plug in hand).

-Headphones: the Zune 30 came with "run of the mill" headphones, the Zune 80 came with "premium" headphones and the Zune 120 went back to the "run of the mill" headphones. I use third-party headphones (0+) so I don't care what comes in the package. Others might so here it is.

-Games: as of today's date, there are no games available for download on the Zune Marketplace. This is supposed to change soon and I sure hope it does. However, there are two games that come loaded on the Zune when you plug it in to the computer and update (Hexic and Texas Hold 'Em). Apple has the upper hand here and has done wonders with the App store. I hope Microsoft takes note and does something like it with the Zune. Heck, I hope the do something even better so then Apple steps up their game even more... and around and around we go. Competition is great for consumers.

I think here is a good place to mention that I love my iPhone 3G AND my Zune and I need to have both in my life to be happy (in the materialistic sense). I don't listen to music on my iPhone due to limited space (after adding apps, photos, podcasts, etc. there isn't much room for music) and also because Apple does not have a subscription music "rental" service. Ideally I would like to see Zune make a phone similar to the iPhone or the iPhone to have a subscription based music service (both phones would need a large capacity drive) so I could carry around just one device (either iPhone or ZunePhone depending on the offerings). Until that day I live in harmony with my Zune 120 and my iPhone 3G.

Review by Travis Brown:

I love my Zune. After 4 iPods (in a span of 10 years), I decided to try something different. I never really had an issue with my pods, but I was curious about the Zune. I decided to purchase the Zune 30 a year after it was released. The player [Zune 30] was extremely durable, and I loved the device interface; although hated how I had to click in order to scroll down. There was much to be improved.

Fast forward two years and several major Microsoft updates later, I now own the Zune 120. I absolutely love it. The capacity is enough for me at the moment; although I'm a music junkie. The playback quality of the songs is noticeably better than the quality my iPod's. The features, such as wireless sync, song sharing over the air, and the Zune Pass are wonderful. I lended the Zune to my girlfriend for an entire week so she could discover some new music (over 8000 tracks on my Zune), and she came back wanting to purchase one herself.

Pros:

- Great interface

- Wonderful sound quality

- FM radio + buying songs from FM

- Wireless syncing

- Sharing music over the air with other Zunes

- Improved software (more usable than iTunes, in my opinion)

- Support for podcasts and audiobooks

- Zune Pass

- Purchasing and streaming songs off Wifi

- Free updates every few months; they recently added games.

Cons:

- Battery life could be better

- Included headphones are good but not great.

- That's all I could think of.

Final word:

I still use my iPod nano and video from time to time, but I love my Zune more. There's nothing wrong with iPod's, but if you'd like to give something different a try, by all means give this a try. You can't go wrong with purchasing one.

Extra:

Living in a populated city like NY and taking the train to school every monrning, and coming back in the afternoon, there's always at least one other person on the train with a Zune. Sometimes I get random "let me send you a song" request. Totally discovered a few new artists from random people with the 'send' feature.

Review by Columbus Musician:

You will not find a better case for your Mp3 device for this price. Buy with confidence.

Review by John D. Steere:

For the price I couldn't find a better carry case. It won't win any beauty prizes but it protects my mp3 player when I travel (and many different types of players could fit in here). This case could be used for any device you want to carry that has small accessories. Recommended if you're not trying to impress your friends with your fancy carry case, but if you want style, there are cases for that also.

Review by A. Clary:

This case is a joy to have. It holds the Zune snugly and very securely, giving easy access to all the buttons through the protective plastic. The key slot on the armband is a nice touch. My only complaint is that the armband doesn't really have enough slack on it to properly fit around my arm, I have to pull extra hard just to match up the velcro sides to secure it. I suppose that is just motivation to lose the weight I suppose.

Review by Eugene M. Levin:

4/5.

Good: you can still control the touchpad/wheel and the plastic over it doesnt interfear at all.

Bad: Armband is too small. i dont have the "guns" but i had to have it all the way out.

Also, there is no access hole on the bottom for the recharge, so you either have to cut one, or deal with having to remove ur zune out of it everyday.

overall, i would recommend it.

Review by L. Young:

This is the best case for the Zune 80/120gb on the market. My Zune is my most precious electronic device, and therefore in choosing and selecting a case I have been as thorough and demanding as possible. I've spent countless hours sifting through youtube reviews of Zune cases, online images and reviews of every case I could possibly find, and trying to locate something to my liking. After owning this case for months now, I am sure that this is the best case available.

Here are the topics which I discuss in this review, and to simplify matters this is a brief summary of what I talk about in more depth in the review. The order of items corresponds to the paragraphs which discuss them.

1. Button coverage: excellent for protection.

2. Zune corners exposed, but still well protected compared to other cases.

3. Charger cable opening: AWESOME.

4. Flap renders hold button and screen protector unnecessary.

5. Small pocket in flap VERY small.

6. Clip irremovable: It is, however, VERY useful and doesn't get in the way.

7. Headphone jack opening medium sized. Flap can be opened to about 160 degrees.

1. This case covers the entire plastic surface of the Zune, only exposing the squircle. Play/pause and back buttons are covered. They are marked clearly with the symbols for play/pause and back within a depressed circle in the leather. The feeling of the buttons is very tactile, and they fall directly over the buttons. It is not difficult to press the buttons, only because the leather is padded you must push a little deeper.

2. Compared to other cases, relatively little of the Zune is exposed. It is true that the bottom corners and top sides of the corners are exposed, but the amount exposed is much less than most every other case out there, and because the seams running along the back and front of the case stick out a millimeter or two, for the most part it prevents any flat surface from coming into contact with the corners and damaging them, such as the sides of a cup holder.

3. This case, unlike the official Zune case offered by the site (the brown one, with the pink lined pocket), has an opening in the bottom of the case for charger cables. This feature is perhaps one of the best about the case, as it doesn't expose hardly more than absolutely necessary to have full access to the slot, and it enables you to leave the Zune in its case for as long as you like, without risk of dirt or scratches from repeatedly having to pull it out of the case each time you want to charge it. A huge hassle saver, and a must with a device that needs to be charged so often. Absolutely necessary if you plan on using either the Car Packs or a car charger.

4. The hold button cannot be reached when the flap is closed, and there is no built-in screen protector, but these two drawbacks are compensated for by the presence of the flap, which securely closes by two small magnets in the bottom. Because the flap is padded, it protects against any erroneous pressing of the controls, thus rendering the hold switch unnecessary, and it also protects the screen fully whenever the flap is down. Also, all other built-in screen protectors I've seen are plagued by glare and are ill fitting, instead floating loosely above the screen. If you really feel the need to protect the screen, anti-glare screen protectors can be purchased which stick securely onto the Zune and which work much better than built-in protectors, though I must warn you that sometimes they can cause more than a few headaches when trying to eliminate air bubbles between the protector and the screen.

5. The flap also has a small pocket on its inside, which is initially very tight and difficult to get things in to. It could not hold more than 2 plastic cards comfortably, and will hold about the same thickness of money. Putting anything more than a slip of paper into the case will bulk it up slightly and make the magnets less powerful. I personally found it too small to be of any real use as a wallet away from wallet, though it is still there if I ever need it.

6. The clip in the back cannot be removed, and though I at first considered this a drawback, I've now come to rely upon the clip and to be thankful for its presence. I always figured I would have no use for such a clip, but it can securely clip onto waistbands, purses, straps, backpacks, and anything else near you to save an extra hand. If your pockets aren't big enough to fit the Zune, or if you want a more secure grip, this clip is invaluable. It's excellent for times when I'm painting, and need to run back and forth between canvas, table, sink, etc. I used to forget my Zune was resting on a surface I was working near, and when I'd suddenly charge off the Zune would fall to the ground and risk injury. This belt clip has eliminated this problem entirely, even when I'm wearing pants without pockets. Also, considering how svelte the clip is, even if you don't use it, it won't present any kind of hassle.

7. The headphone jack is accessible through a large oval hole in the arching leather above it, which I have found to be amply large for fitting any kind of headphone cable into it. Even if your headphone cable is truly massive, the leather is malleable enough to accommodate it. The headphone jack is as large as it can be without compromising the Zune's protection, though this does mean that any headphone plugs that are not L-shaped prevent the flap from going any farther than about 160 degrees. It's not a problem, though, and I am not bothered by it.

As I've said, this is truly the best case out there. Excluding the extremely expensive official Zune case, this case offers more protection and area coverage than any other leather case, and unlike the official Zune case it has an opening for the charger cable and is a lot cheaper. This case also lacks the extremely annoying pink stripe of the official Zune case, and is a classy black. It looks great, feels great, works great, and is the best case on the market. It fits like a glove and is of a very high quality, and I would not be happier with any other case.

Review by M. K.:

If you are one of the few that own the Zune 80 or 120 ... this is the case you want to buy for it. It's nice to see that a company actually put some thought into a product and at a good price too. I've had this case for a couple years now and I'm bored so I thought I'd provide a review to the one or two people that will read this.

The case allows you to pass it along to friends and family members without the worry of it getting damaged if dropped. The front cover is well made: magnets to hold it in place when closed, a pocket to hold business cards or a little money, and it even has a small cushion for added protection. You can access the connection port and headphone jack with the cover closed. With the cover open, you can also access the lock, the squircle, play and back buttons. The play and back buttons are covered in leather for added protection, but DLO even added the proper icons so that you know which buttons are which.

As far as any cons go, you can't see the back of the Zune if you've added one of the Zune printed designs on it, but you can easily take the Zune out, so it's not that big of a deal. The case makes it a tad more bulkier than without a case (obviously), but it helps with keeping the Zune safe. Also, the area for the squircle makes it a tad more difficult to scroll for songs than with the case off, but not an issue really at all. I'm really searching for cons here and it's hard to find anything.

In a world where you can choose through dozens of cases for the iPod, it's nice to see someone take the care for quality in a Zune case. I really wish the Zune took off a bit more. It is a great music player. No, it doesn't really have apps, you can't browse the web (at least not on this one) and it's not even a touch screen. However, for people that want to keep their main music selection separate from their phone, then this player is great. If you happen to get one, then this is the case for you.

Review by Franklin Smith:

Everything worked great and you can not beat the price. I like the fact most of the items are universal. Seller has great comunication.

Review by A. Moore:

THe Kit was great accept the USB wall charger adapter broke within the first day we used it. But everything else in kit seems to work fine. It was fast and speedy shipping as well.

Review by C. Liao:

Works great for the 120 GB Zune. Everything it it works except for the screen protector, which is not the right size. The AV cable was a great addition though it would have helped to have instructions for it. (I didn't realize that you had to change the display setting on your Zune for it to work, took me a while but I finally figured it out.) Everything else fits and works just fine. Would have been nice to have an extra sync cable (since this only came with one retractable one) but it was fine. Great price and a good deal.

Review by K. Weaver:

Not a bad kit, and has stuff that Microsoft doesn't sell.

I haven't used the FM Transmitter, but it looks good. The speakers work well, as do all the cases (comes with 3). So does the charging cable (haven't tried using it to Sync, as I bought it to keep in the car. It does give you only one device to hook to the Zune, the car and wall charger are all USB pluggable.

The only problem was the screen protector, but I don't think its necessary. It was NOT the right size.

Review by K. Rupe:

This case is the best Zune 80/120GB case on the market. I had another case and it was clear and it got all scratched up, and the way the case was made it always got dust/dirt under the case which made me constantly have to take it off and clean it. Also the way the case was made you could only use the Zune headphones which was a bit annoying. It abstructed larger plugs from being plugged in.

This case fresh out of box is stunning. It immediately catches your eye. It's metal so it's very durable, and let me just say that your Zune will never be better protected. It slides in very snug and is virtually impossible for it to accidentally fall out of the case. The screen protector is very glossy and shiny and does not limit the screen's resolution in any way.

I am very pleased with this case. It's the best on the market and totally worth the $$. This is what needs to be sold in Best Buy instead of their other cases.

Review by Web:

This case is like a like a bullet proof vest for your Zune. The fit is nice and snug so nothin' moves around inside, there's wide openings for the touch pad and headphone's. Mine does not fit on my docking station unless you take it out of the case ( I'm not concerned with protecting it while it's on the docking station anyway!!! ) The only problem I can see is the plastic cover for the screen scrathes easily when you clean it. A micro fiber cloth for polishing cars should eliminate those problems. Plastic screen aside this puppy looks like you could throw it at a wall and still listen to music later. No regrets about this purchase

Review by Dr. Gonzo:

Ten years from now, when the compact disc format finally reaches complete obsolescence, we will be able to look back at the McIntosh MX406 and it's big brother the McIntosh MX4000 as perhaps the high-water mark of car audio excellence. (However, a tip of the hat must be made to the legendary Alpine 7909 (introduced in 1989!) and the follow up 1998 Alpine 7909 Anniversary Edition.) I owned a few other stereos, however the sonic quality of the MX406 was such that audiophiles and non-audiophiles alike were astounded by the loudness and detail of the stereo, (McIntosh amps and ten Oz Audio speakers, when the name "Oz" used to mean something). The MX406 utilizes Dual 20-bit Burr-Brown digital to analog converters and put out a whopping 9 volts on the preamp outs, helping to account for the stupendous clarity and headroom it provides and boasts a signal to noise ratio of an unheard of (in the car audio realm) of 110 db and a dynamic range of 100 db, making playing of transients very lifelike and accurate. Incidently, Clarion, parent company of McIntosh Labs, Inc. made a Clarion-badged version of this deck, the Clarion DRX 9255, also a fine source unit, and benefits from a scan forward and backward function which the MX406 lacks! So if you want to listen to a ten-minute long song and your favorite passage is at 09:00, then you're just going to have to wait, buddy. And pay attention because you can't rewind it either! This is a single-purposed machine indeed.

Cosmetically, it is beautiful with a black, onyx-like glass front panel and a soft, blue electroluminescent display bracketed with extruded and brushed aluminum accents on either end of it--signature McIntosh styling. I matched these with a set of matching dash-mounted analog (needles) stereo power output meters for an over-the-top presentation.

I owned one for six years or so, and had to send it back repeatedly for the laser pick up and various other issues. (In its defense, an idiot car detailer sprayed vinyl cleaner all over it and followed that up with a shot of compressed air!) After the fifth or sixth time back to Binghamton, NY, McIntosh replaced the then-six-year-old stereo with a brand new one in spite of being far out of warranty! I sold it online and got exactly what I paid for the original one, sort of like putting up a refundable 800-dollar deposit for the privilege of enjoying one of these for six years. The upshot of all this is that McIntosh obviously stands behind what they sell.

I'm not in any position to blow 00 on a big car stereo system anymmore, but I will always remember with fondness my McIntosh MX406.

Review by ScrewTheDaisies:

I bought this to replace a Creative Zen Vision:M 30 GB MP3 and Video Player (Black) that had been stolen. I really liked my Zen, but I wanted to see what new stuff had come out in the time since I bought it. This led me to getting the Archos 605 80GB instead, mainly because of the optional TV hookups. I've never liked to watch movies or TV shows (or even music videos) on my PC monitor because I can't relax and enjoy something passive while I'm at my computer. I'd also never used the Zen's video capabilities much because the screen was too small. The Archos 605, on the other hand, could be hooked up to a TV (with the DVR station or other accessories--I bought the DVR station), which would allow me to watch downloaded TV shows and movies in comfort--and even better, with other people (it's difficult to crowd around a computer desk to watch a movie), plus I'd be able to watch stuff on the go with its larger screen.

The wifi access, web browser plug-in and PDF reader also helped sell me on the Archos 605. I particularly looked forward to being able to read ebooks in PDF format.

So when I ordered the Archos 605, I was thinking of it as an MP3 "with benefits."

When the Archos 605 arrived, I found out that its screen was totally large enough to watch video comfortably. Shortly after I got it, I watched two and a half seasons of Weeds on it. It's fantastic! I can carry a TV show into the kitchen to grab a snack, etc. When I'm home alone, I'm even able to rely on the built-in speaker--for TV shows, I don't need fantastic sound quality; I just need to be able to hear what they're saying. It's very cool; I'm very addicted.

Like I said, I bought the DVR station with it. I had wondered how a video file from the Archos would hold up enlarged on a TV screen, but no worries--the picture quality is good (we have a 32" set). I've recorded some stuff from our TiVo onto the Archos, and the picture quality is good in that direction, too. Since we do have a TiVo, I haven't used the Archos as a DVR (with the downloaded TV listings and scheduled recordings), so I can't say how easy that is to use, but it's definitely easy to manually record something, and I was happy to see that I could tell it how long to record for.

As an MP3 player, it's not as good as the Zen, simply because it's not, primarily, an MP3.

One way the Zen (and probably most other MP3 players) is a better MP3 player than the Archos is that if you power the Archos 605 off while you're playing music, it doesn't automatically start up where you left off when you turn it back on. Instead you boot up to the main screen, and then you have to tap the "resume" icon; otherwise nothing happens. In this way it's less "plug and go" than my Zen was; sometimes if I'm only going to be driving for a few minutes (like a hop from the grocery store to the gas station), I won't bother starting it up at all. Also, the way you lock the controls takes a few seconds longer than the Zen did. With the Zen, you just slid the switch to the lock position. With the Archos, you hold down the TV button until the lock icon appears on the screen.

If you're playing from a playlist when you turn the unit off, and then you hit "resume" after you turn it back on, it doesn't seem to resume the playlist--it does indeed play the song you were on, but it's playing it from the album instead of the playlist, so the next song after that is the next song on the album, not the next song on the playlist. Possibly this is glitch that will be fixed in a firmware update (or perhaps has been--I haven't updated my firmware in a couple weeks).

Finally, changing the play mode (normal, shuffle, repeat one, repeat all), takes a lot more navigating around than it did on the Zen. It really shouldn't take that many clicks.

Sound-wise, the Archos is good as the Zen was, and its drawbacks as an MP3 player aren't so onerous that I'd consider buying a separate MP3 player. The Archos does well enough.

The PDF reader, however, turned out to be a disappointment. First, it takes several (loooong) seconds to go to the next page. Second, there's no way to bookmark where you are so that you can pick up where you left off. I figured I could just remember what page I was on and use the Go To Page feature to get back to it, but the Go To Page feature uses a slider, which is nowhere near as quick as if they'd let me type in a page number, and it takes a long freaking time for it to then load that page. Ugh. So this thing definitely hasn't replaced my Palm Tungsten for e-reading.

I haven't used the web browser or wireless much. It seemed pretty slow the times I have, and there's no "tap feedback" in the Content Portal, so when you tap on a link, you often don't know whether the tap has registered or not because the screen stays the same while the Archos (slooooowly) downloads the data for the next screen. That's frustrating. The web wasn't as frustrating as the Content Portal; I just haven't had much of a need to use it.

Another downside is that there aren't any cases for it that will protect the unit while allowing you direct, immediate access to it, the way the skin I had for my Zen did. Instead it comes with a padded, envelope-like case that you have to slip the unit completely out of if you want to use it. (To be fair, it's much better than the cloth pouch that came with the Zen.) Leather case options are limited, and all the ones I've seen require you to open the case in order to view the screen or access the navigation. The one from Archos won't even let you turn it off with the case closed, which isn't very handy if you're listening to audio and want to shut it off quickly.

I don't know how many hours I'm getting out of my battery. I did listen to music for 10 hours on a recent road trip without it giving out on me, but I didn't keep going to see how much more I could get out of it. I've also watched a couple hours of video without it running out of juice--and again, I ended up dropping it in the DVR station (which charges it) before it did run out, so all I can say about the battery is that it's lasting long enough for my needs.

Despite the caveats I've listed above, I LOVE my Archos 605. I love being able to take TV shows and movies with me everywhere. I love that I can finally watch bootleg concerts and other stuff I've downloaded on the "big screen." It's easy to use. The DVR station is easy to use. The two work together seamlessly. The Archos holds a ton off stuff. It plays my music. It lets me browse the web if I need to.

I'm happy with it, definitely. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that future firmware updates will make me even happier with it.

Review by C. Cornell:

I have owned this device for about a month now (after waiting for quite a few weeks for the backorders on Amazon to fill). Overall I am pleased with it, but I cannot say I endorse it whole-heartedly. There are enough little quirks and annoyances that I would caution anyone thinking of buying one to reconsider before clicking that Purchase button.

Don't get me wrong: the nice features are very nice indeed. The screen is bright and clear and the capacity can't be beat. The UI is pretty and the wi-fi works well. As others have addressed all of these points, I'll concentrate on the things I found somewhat surprising upon opening the box. The quirks range from minor annoyances to serious issues, ranked below accordingly.

- The audio is indeed *much* too low. It's fine for quiet situations, and usually not bad if the particular audio track is recorded at a high level. However, I have tried to watch certain movies on a commuter train (with what I would call a moderate noise level) and the audio track is completely indecipherable at max volume. If you're going to use this out in public (and isn't that the point of the whole device?), you're going to need noise-cancelling headphones at a minimum.

- This is a portable device, but I would not call it a "pocket" device. It has some serious heft to it (especially the 160 gb version) and it's pretty big. Fortunately, most of the device is taken up by the screen, which makes it more worthwhile; still, this is not at all something you stash in your shirt pocket.

- Plenty of others have mentioned the short battery life, but it bears repeating. This is especially notable since the battery is non-removable, so you're completely stuck with it unless you're using some external power. I find it reasonable for most uses, but don't forget to recharge at the end of every day or it will become a doorstop on your next commute.

- Generally the OS works well, but sometimes loads very slowly (hourglass or splash screen for quite a few seconds) and occasionally outright crashes. I have had to reset the device a handful of times already.

- The audio track on large video files (2+ hour movies) can get out of synch with the picture if you jump around too much using the controls. This is especially sad because there is absolutely NO "resume" functionality, so you are forced to load the file from the beginning and jump forward if you are resuming watching a file.

- The touchscreen works well overall, but the smaller buttons can be fairly difficult to press. (The pop-up USB activation button sometimes requires some serious button-mashing in particular.)

- The unit comes with two plastic styli to use on the touchscreen, but there's absolutely nowhere to store them. (i.e. they don't attach to the device as is the case with pretty much every other stylus-using device.) It's nice having a stylus but this screams "Lose me."

- The PDF browser is *extremely* slow. It can take upwards of 30 seconds to draw each individual page, and any slight navigation or zooming can cause it to redraw forever again. Not to mention it seems like they are just "printing" the content to a PostScript file and then displaying it, so protective "print only" watermarks actually show up on the screen. I was looking forward to this feature for browsing scans of some graphic novels, but the load times make this far too frustrating to be practical.

- The DVR function is somewhat of a joke. I'm not even sure why they include the "TV Guide" and timer functionality, since it won't record anything unless your TV and cable box are on the right channel at the right time. It will record TV shows, but I'm not sure what functionality the "DVR" adds since it's pretty much the same as just connecting the device and pressing record when your show is on.

- On a related note, the optional "DVR Station" is also somewhat of a joke. I think it flirts with false advertising to label a device as a "TV recorder" when it doesn't even accept a cable signal. It's really just a docking station with some additonal outputs, and doesn't get around the fact that you have to manually set your TV and cable anyway.

- The manual that explains the functions of the device is wrong in many places. For example, the placement and function of the LEDs is completely different than the diagram. (In fact, for some inexplicable reason the HDD light is on the *back* of the device, so you never really see it.) I suspect they cut and pasted the diagram from another device (the 04 series?) and didn't update. Somewhat minor, but there are enough functions on the device that this is annoying when trying to learn them all.

All in all, you might find this device useful if the above quirks don't really bother you. It's still fairly nice to have on a long commute, but it's not quite the "wonder device" that some have painted it to be.

Review by ScrewTheDaisies:

I bought this to replace a Creative Zen Vision:M 30 GB MP3 and Video Player (Black) that had been stolen. I really liked my Zen, but I wanted to see what new stuff had come out in the time since I bought it. This led me to getting the Archos 605 80GB instead, mainly because of the optional TV hookups. I've never liked to watch movies or TV shows (or even music videos) on my PC monitor because I can't relax and enjoy something passive while I'm at my computer. I'd also never used the Zen's video capabilities much because the screen was too small. The Archos 605, on the other hand, could be hooked up to a TV (with the DVR station or other accessories--I bought the DVR station), which would allow me to watch downloaded TV shows and movies in comfort--and even better, with other people (it's difficult to crowd around a computer desk to watch a movie), plus I'd be able to watch stuff on the go with its larger screen.

The wifi access, web browser plug-in and PDF reader also helped sell me on the Archos 605. I particularly looked forward to being able to read ebooks in PDF format.

So when I ordered the Archos 605, I was thinking of it as an MP3 "with benefits."

When the Archos 605 arrived, I found out that its screen was totally large enough to watch video comfortably. Shortly after I got it, I watched two and a half seasons of Weeds on it. It's fantastic! I can carry a TV show into the kitchen to grab a snack, etc. When I'm home alone, I'm even able to rely on the built-in speaker--for TV shows, I don't need fantastic sound quality; I just need to be able to hear what they're saying. It's very cool; I'm very addicted.

Like I said, I bought the DVR station with it. I had wondered how a video file from the Archos would hold up enlarged on a TV screen, but no worries--the picture quality is good (we have a 32" set). I've recorded some stuff from our TiVo onto the Archos, and the picture quality is good in that direction, too. Since we do have a TiVo, I haven't used the Archos as a DVR (with the downloaded TV listings and scheduled recordings), so I can't say how easy that is to use, but it's definitely easy to manually record something, and I was happy to see that I could tell it how long to record for.

As an MP3 player, it's not as good as the Zen, simply because it's not, primarily, an MP3.

One way the Zen (and probably most other MP3 players) is a better MP3 player than the Archos is that if you power the Archos 605 off while you're playing music, it doesn't automatically start up where you left off when you turn it back on. Instead you boot up to the main screen, and then you have to tap the "resume" icon; otherwise nothing happens. In this way it's less "plug and go" than my Zen was; sometimes if I'm only going to be driving for a few minutes (like a hop from the grocery store to the gas station), I won't bother starting it up at all. Also, the way you lock the controls takes a few seconds longer than the Zen did. With the Zen, you just slid the switch to the lock position. With the Archos, you hold down the TV button until the lock icon appears on the screen.

If you're playing from a playlist when you turn the unit off, and then you hit "resume" after you turn it back on, it doesn't seem to resume the playlist--it does indeed play the song you were on, but it's playing it from the album instead of the playlist, so the next song after that is the next song on the album, not the next song on the playlist. Possibly this is glitch that will be fixed in a firmware update (or perhaps has been--I haven't updated my firmware in a couple weeks).

Finally, changing the play mode (normal, shuffle, repeat one, repeat all), takes a lot more navigating around than it did on the Zen. It really shouldn't take that many clicks.

Sound-wise, the Archos is good as the Zen was, and its drawbacks as an MP3 player aren't so onerous that I'd consider buying a separate MP3 player. The Archos does well enough.

The PDF reader, however, turned out to be a disappointment. First, it takes several (loooong) seconds to go to the next page. Second, there's no way to bookmark where you are so that you can pick up where you left off. I figured I could just remember what page I was on and use the Go To Page feature to get back to it, but the Go To Page feature uses a slider, which is nowhere near as quick as if they'd let me type in a page number, and it takes a long freaking time for it to then load that page. Ugh. So this thing definitely hasn't replaced my Palm Tungsten for e-reading.

I haven't used the web browser or wireless much. It seemed pretty slow the times I have, and there's no "tap feedback" in the Content Portal, so when you tap on a link, you often don't know whether the tap has registered or not because the screen stays the same while the Archos (slooooowly) downloads the data for the next screen. That's frustrating. The web wasn't as frustrating as the Content Portal; I just haven't had much of a need to use it.

Another downside is that there aren't any cases for it that will protect the unit while allowing you direct, immediate access to it, the way the skin I had for my Zen did. Instead it comes with a padded, envelope-like case that you have to slip the unit completely out of if you want to use it. (To be fair, it's much better than the cloth pouch that came with the Zen.) Leather case options are limited, and all the ones I've seen require you to open the case in order to view the screen or access the navigation. The one from Archos won't even let you turn it off with the case closed, which isn't very handy if you're listening to audio and want to shut it off quickly.

I don't know how many hours I'm getting out of my battery. I did listen to music for 10 hours on a recent road trip without it giving out on me, but I didn't keep going to see how much more I could get out of it. I've also watched a couple hours of video without it running out of juice--and again, I ended up dropping it in the DVR station (which charges it) before it did run out, so all I can say about the battery is that it's lasting long enough for my needs.

Despite the caveats I've listed above, I LOVE my Archos 605. I love being able to take TV shows and movies with me everywhere. I love that I can finally watch bootleg concerts and other stuff I've downloaded on the "big screen." It's easy to use. The DVR station is easy to use. The two work together seamlessly. The Archos holds a ton off stuff. It plays my music. It lets me browse the web if I need to.

I'm happy with it, definitely. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that future firmware updates will make me even happier with it.

Review by C. Cornell:

I have owned this device for about a month now (after waiting for quite a few weeks for the backorders on Amazon to fill). Overall I am pleased with it, but I cannot say I endorse it whole-heartedly. There are enough little quirks and annoyances that I would caution anyone thinking of buying one to reconsider before clicking that Purchase button.

Don't get me wrong: the nice features are very nice indeed. The screen is bright and clear and the capacity can't be beat. The UI is pretty and the wi-fi works well. As others have addressed all of these points, I'll concentrate on the things I found somewhat surprising upon opening the box. The quirks range from minor annoyances to serious issues, ranked below accordingly.

- The audio is indeed *much* too low. It's fine for quiet situations, and usually not bad if the particular audio track is recorded at a high level. However, I have tried to watch certain movies on a commuter train (with what I would call a moderate noise level) and the audio track is completely indecipherable at max volume. If you're going to use this out in public (and isn't that the point of the whole device?), you're going to need noise-cancelling headphones at a minimum.

- This is a portable device, but I would not call it a "pocket" device. It has some serious heft to it (especially the 160 gb version) and it's pretty big. Fortunately, most of the device is taken up by the screen, which makes it more worthwhile; still, this is not at all something you stash in your shirt pocket.

- Plenty of others have mentioned the short battery life, but it bears repeating. This is especially notable since the battery is non-removable, so you're completely stuck with it unless you're using some external power. I find it reasonable for most uses, but don't forget to recharge at the end of every day or it will become a doorstop on your next commute.

- Generally the OS works well, but sometimes loads very slowly (hourglass or splash screen for quite a few seconds) and occasionally outright crashes. I have had to reset the device a handful of times already.

- The audio track on large video files (2+ hour movies) can get out of synch with the picture if you jump around too much using the controls. This is especially sad because there is absolutely NO "resume" functionality, so you are forced to load the file from the beginning and jump forward if you are resuming watching a file.

- The touchscreen works well overall, but the smaller buttons can be fairly difficult to press. (The pop-up USB activation button sometimes requires some serious button-mashing in particular.)

- The unit comes with two plastic styli to use on the touchscreen, but there's absolutely nowhere to store them. (i.e. they don't attach to the device as is the case with pretty much every other stylus-using device.) It's nice having a stylus but this screams "Lose me."

- The PDF browser is *extremely* slow. It can take upwards of 30 seconds to draw each individual page, and any slight navigation or zooming can cause it to redraw forever again. Not to mention it seems like they are just "printing" the content to a PostScript file and then displaying it, so protective "print only" watermarks actually show up on the screen. I was looking forward to this feature for browsing scans of some graphic novels, but the load times make this far too frustrating to be practical.

- The DVR function is somewhat of a joke. I'm not even sure why they include the "TV Guide" and timer functionality, since it won't record anything unless your TV and cable box are on the right channel at the right time. It will record TV shows, but I'm not sure what functionality the "DVR" adds since it's pretty much the same as just connecting the device and pressing record when your show is on.

- On a related note, the optional "DVR Station" is also somewhat of a joke. I think it flirts with false advertising to label a device as a "TV recorder" when it doesn't even accept a cable signal. It's really just a docking station with some additonal outputs, and doesn't get around the fact that you have to manually set your TV and cable anyway.

- The manual that explains the functions of the device is wrong in many places. For example, the placement and function of the LEDs is completely different than the diagram. (In fact, for some inexplicable reason the HDD light is on the *back* of the device, so you never really see it.) I suspect they cut and pasted the diagram from another device (the 04 series?) and didn't update. Somewhat minor, but there are enough functions on the device that this is annoying when trying to learn them all.

All in all, you might find this device useful if the above quirks don't really bother you. It's still fairly nice to have on a long commute, but it's not quite the "wonder device" that some have painted it to be.

Review by ScrewTheDaisies:

I bought this to replace a Creative Zen Vision:M 30 GB MP3 and Video Player (Black) that had been stolen. I really liked my Zen, but I wanted to see what new stuff had come out in the time since I bought it. This led me to getting the Archos 605 80GB instead, mainly because of the optional TV hookups. I've never liked to watch movies or TV shows (or even music videos) on my PC monitor because I can't relax and enjoy something passive while I'm at my computer. I'd also never used the Zen's video capabilities much because the screen was too small. The Archos 605, on the other hand, could be hooked up to a TV (with the DVR station or other accessories--I bought the DVR station), which would allow me to watch downloaded TV shows and movies in comfort--and even better, with other people (it's difficult to crowd around a computer desk to watch a movie), plus I'd be able to watch stuff on the go with its larger screen.

The wifi access, web browser plug-in and PDF reader also helped sell me on the Archos 605. I particularly looked forward to being able to read ebooks in PDF format.

So when I ordered the Archos 605, I was thinking of it as an MP3 "with benefits."

When the Archos 605 arrived, I found out that its screen was totally large enough to watch video comfortably. Shortly after I got it, I watched two and a half seasons of Weeds on it. It's fantastic! I can carry a TV show into the kitchen to grab a snack, etc. When I'm home alone, I'm even able to rely on the built-in speaker--for TV shows, I don't need fantastic sound quality; I just need to be able to hear what they're saying. It's very cool; I'm very addicted.

Like I said, I bought the DVR station with it. I had wondered how a video file from the Archos would hold up enlarged on a TV screen, but no worries--the picture quality is good (we have a 32" set). I've recorded some stuff from our TiVo onto the Archos, and the picture quality is good in that direction, too. Since we do have a TiVo, I haven't used the Archos as a DVR (with the downloaded TV listings and scheduled recordings), so I can't say how easy that is to use, but it's definitely easy to manually record something, and I was happy to see that I could tell it how long to record for.

As an MP3 player, it's not as good as the Zen, simply because it's not, primarily, an MP3.

One way the Zen (and probably most other MP3 players) is a better MP3 player than the Archos is that if you power the Archos 605 off while you're playing music, it doesn't automatically start up where you left off when you turn it back on. Instead you boot up to the main screen, and then you have to tap the "resume" icon; otherwise nothing happens. In this way it's less "plug and go" than my Zen was; sometimes if I'm only going to be driving for a few minutes (like a hop from the grocery store to the gas station), I won't bother starting it up at all. Also, the way you lock the controls takes a few seconds longer than the Zen did. With the Zen, you just slid the switch to the lock position. With the Archos, you hold down the TV button until the lock icon appears on the screen.

If you're playing from a playlist when you turn the unit off, and then you hit "resume" after you turn it back on, it doesn't seem to resume the playlist--it does indeed play the song you were on, but it's playing it from the album instead of the playlist, so the next song after that is the next song on the album, not the next song on the playlist. Possibly this is glitch that will be fixed in a firmware update (or perhaps has been--I haven't updated my firmware in a couple weeks).

Finally, changing the play mode (normal, shuffle, repeat one, repeat all), takes a lot more navigating around than it did on the Zen. It really shouldn't take that many clicks.

Sound-wise, the Archos is good as the Zen was, and its drawbacks as an MP3 player aren't so onerous that I'd consider buying a separate MP3 player. The Archos does well enough.

The PDF reader, however, turned out to be a disappointment. First, it takes several (loooong) seconds to go to the next page. Second, there's no way to bookmark where you are so that you can pick up where you left off. I figured I could just remember what page I was on and use the Go To Page feature to get back to it, but the Go To Page feature uses a slider, which is nowhere near as quick as if they'd let me type in a page number, and it takes a long freaking time for it to then load that page. Ugh. So this thing definitely hasn't replaced my Palm Tungsten for e-reading.

I haven't used the web browser or wireless much. It seemed pretty slow the times I have, and there's no "tap feedback" in the Content Portal, so when you tap on a link, you often don't know whether the tap has registered or not because the screen stays the same while the Archos (slooooowly) downloads the data for the next screen. That's frustrating. The web wasn't as frustrating as the Content Portal; I just haven't had much of a need to use it.

Another downside is that there aren't any cases for it that will protect the unit while allowing you direct, immediate access to it, the way the skin I had for my Zen did. Instead it comes with a padded, envelope-like case that you have to slip the unit completely out of if you want to use it. (To be fair, it's much better than the cloth pouch that came with the Zen.) Leather case options are limited, and all the ones I've seen require you to open the case in order to view the screen or access the navigation. The one from Archos won't even let you turn it off with the case closed, which isn't very handy if you're listening to audio and want to shut it off quickly.

I don't know how many hours I'm getting out of my battery. I did listen to music for 10 hours on a recent road trip without it giving out on me, but I didn't keep going to see how much more I could get out of it. I've also watched a couple hours of video without it running out of juice--and again, I ended up dropping it in the DVR station (which charges it) before it did run out, so all I can say about the battery is that it's lasting long enough for my needs.

Despite the caveats I've listed above, I LOVE my Archos 605. I love being able to take TV shows and movies with me everywhere. I love that I can finally watch bootleg concerts and other stuff I've downloaded on the "big screen." It's easy to use. The DVR station is easy to use. The two work together seamlessly. The Archos holds a ton off stuff. It plays my music. It lets me browse the web if I need to.

I'm happy with it, definitely. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that future firmware updates will make me even happier with it.

Review by C. Cornell:

I have owned this device for about a month now (after waiting for quite a few weeks for the backorders on Amazon to fill). Overall I am pleased with it, but I cannot say I endorse it whole-heartedly. There are enough little quirks and annoyances that I would caution anyone thinking of buying one to reconsider before clicking that Purchase button.

Don't get me wrong: the nice features are very nice indeed. The screen is bright and clear and the capacity can't be beat. The UI is pretty and the wi-fi works well. As others have addressed all of these points, I'll concentrate on the things I found somewhat surprising upon opening the box. The quirks range from minor annoyances to serious issues, ranked below accordingly.

- The audio is indeed *much* too low. It's fine for quiet situations, and usually not bad if the particular audio track is recorded at a high level. However, I have tried to watch certain movies on a commuter train (with what I would call a moderate noise level) and the audio track is completely indecipherable at max volume. If you're going to use this out in public (and isn't that the point of the whole device?), you're going to need noise-cancelling headphones at a minimum.

- This is a portable device, but I would not call it a "pocket" device. It has some serious heft to it (especially the 160 gb version) and it's pretty big. Fortunately, most of the device is taken up by the screen, which makes it more worthwhile; still, this is not at all something you stash in your shirt pocket.

- Plenty of others have mentioned the short battery life, but it bears repeating. This is especially notable since the battery is non-removable, so you're completely stuck with it unless you're using some external power. I find it reasonable for most uses, but don't forget to recharge at the end of every day or it will become a doorstop on your next commute.

- Generally the OS works well, but sometimes loads very slowly (hourglass or splash screen for quite a few seconds) and occasionally outright crashes. I have had to reset the device a handful of times already.

- The audio track on large video files (2+ hour movies) can get out of synch with the picture if you jump around too much using the controls. This is especially sad because there is absolutely NO "resume" functionality, so you are forced to load the file from the beginning and jump forward if you are resuming watching a file.

- The touchscreen works well overall, but the smaller buttons can be fairly difficult to press. (The pop-up USB activation button sometimes requires some serious button-mashing in particular.)

- The unit comes with two plastic styli to use on the touchscreen, but there's absolutely nowhere to store them. (i.e. they don't attach to the device as is the case with pretty much every other stylus-using device.) It's nice having a stylus but this screams "Lose me."

- The PDF browser is *extremely* slow. It can take upwards of 30 seconds to draw each individual page, and any slight navigation or zooming can cause it to redraw forever again. Not to mention it seems like they are just "printing" the content to a PostScript file and then displaying it, so protective "print only" watermarks actually show up on the screen. I was looking forward to this feature for browsing scans of some graphic novels, but the load times make this far too frustrating to be practical.

- The DVR function is somewhat of a joke. I'm not even sure why they include the "TV Guide" and timer functionality, since it won't record anything unless your TV and cable box are on the right channel at the right time. It will record TV shows, but I'm not sure what functionality the "DVR" adds since it's pretty much the same as just connecting the device and pressing record when your show is on.

- On a related note, the optional "DVR Station" is also somewhat of a joke. I think it flirts with false advertising to label a device as a "TV recorder" when it doesn't even accept a cable signal. It's really just a docking station with some additonal outputs, and doesn't get around the fact that you have to manually set your TV and cable anyway.

- The manual that explains the functions of the device is wrong in many places. For example, the placement and function of the LEDs is completely different than the diagram. (In fact, for some inexplicable reason the HDD light is on the *back* of the device, so you never really see it.) I suspect they cut and pasted the diagram from another device (the 04 series?) and didn't update. Somewhat minor, but there are enough functions on the device that this is annoying when trying to learn them all.

All in all, you might find this device useful if the above quirks don't really bother you. It's still fairly nice to have on a long commute, but it's not quite the "wonder device" that some have painted it to be.

Review by D. DeKeyser:

Sometimes you buy something and you spend alot of money and just

don't feel like you have gotten your moneys worth or don't use it

enough to justify to yourself the purchase.

Well, for me, the Archos device is just about the best purchase

that I have ever made. It is just incredible. I literally use it

every day. I take it on the train. I take it backpacking. I watch

TV in bed before going to sleep. I even watch it at work occasionally.

I really have no complaints whatsoever on this device!

I previously purchased the Archos 604 30GB model. And yes, I bought

all the plugins... This purchase was for the Wifi and higher resolution

than my 604. After firmware upgrade it has worked flawlessly.

Everything else on the device is just great.

Let me say that I purchased the video iPod and the video itself looks

great but it is SO SMALL! The screen size on this is perfect.

I actually went thru alot of pain to get VIDEO ON THE IPOD!

Well, this baby will play alot of formats the ipod will not. mpeg2,

vob, avi, mpeg4. Just buy the plugins and you are good to go.

Yes, its a little more expense.. blah blah blah

To do movie conversion I use Nero Recoder for ipod (mpeg4).

For TV shows I used bittorrent. Legally of course

Somehow there are alot of negative comments about the device.

I don't understand. I've had the 604 for about 6 months and still

rave about it. The 605 is just as nice.

If you don't own one already I'd recommend getting the 30GB one

if you can afford it. The flash is nice for expansion but is

slower for copying files to the device. Flash is getting much

cheaper (2GB SD card for ~ now...) though.

Anyway, if you want to watch video get the Archos. If you want

a music player buy an iPod. If you want people to think you have

money buy an iTouch.

Hope my comments were useful to you. If you buy it and are

dissappointed I will be too.

The following is added after having the unit for over a month:

- I still love it

- Never had ANY problems playing video

- Never had ANY problems playing music

- Lockup has occurred using Web Browser. They are not frequent

and I am assuming that Archos will continue to make the

product more robust with Opera. They have yet to release

the widgets so my guess is that they are working on it.

So... still very happy with Web Browser

- Complaints about having special cable are goofy (see iPod cable)

- The Media Server option is GREAT! I have a Maxtor NAS drive

which supports uPnP so I don't have to copy stuff onto the

device itself. For shows > 1hr I copy them to the device because

the fast forward does not work with the media server. (If you

use PC and share then use the file browser, it does)

All being said, I would lower the stars to 4.5 because of the lockups

during Web Browsing. Hope the additional comments help you.

Thanks

Update on Dec 11:

New firmware makes the device even better. Haven't seen any lockups

using the webbrowser. And now it supports flash games. OK OK... so

the CPU is not that powerful and it won't play alot of games to

satisfaction but it does play the cards games just fine.

Anyway... Yes yes yes... you have to buy plugins for the webbrowser

and if you want to play some different formats... Just figure an

extra 50 dollars. But again.. if you want to watch VIDEO then this

IS the device for you. If you want music then there are ALOT of

better mp3 players out there. And the complaints about video conversion..

well, 1 plugin buys you anything you would watch on the ipod.

Like I said above.. sorry if you don't like it.

Review by ShotgunF15:

Got this as a christmas present for my daughter (13 yrs)... yes, I realized up front that they nickle and dime you for capabilities... but knowing that up front made it less upsetting, as I mentally added the prices when deciding what to get. I got her the 4 Gig 605, Dock, 4 GB SDHC and the internet plug it... right at 0 for the whole group. So far everything has worked flawlessly... we have played movies on my 50" Sony TV and it looks great... WIFI works throughout the home and the remote allows a 'useable' internet experience on the TV. Watching recorded TV/Movies has made trips in the car fun for her. All-in-all a blast of a 'toy'. Works great with an external drive, so I am confused why anyone would buy the HD versions unless you MUST have access on the road to many movies at once. Otherwise, use a stand-alone HD as your 'home base', and drag movies to the SD card or player as needed. Multiple SD cards allows near limitless viewing on the road, and the knowledge that your hard-drive will never crash on you (since it doesn't have one!). I have an Archos AV500 that has served me faithfully commuting for years... now I REALLY wish it would die so I can upgrade to one of these things! Only negatives (similar to AV500, so I am used to it) are on the MP3 side... pretty lame music-player software. That being said, it works fine for MP3s and I think they have the best VIDEO software/ hardware on the market. This thing is a steal at under 0 for the base unit.

Review by Junior:

These are great for portable charging on the go. Either in the car or hotel room...well worth the purchase!

Review by Love Gadgets:

The car charger works great! I have not spent a lot of time using the wall charger because I also have the dvr dock. But even with that the first time fully charging the Archos 605 took over 14 hours. A must have for travel.

Review by Fitz-George Rattray:

Yes, the station is a must have for the 05 series, but be seriously warned . . . . I have had three stations, 2 of the remotes have died so far, and both after the 30 day warranty, and ARCHOS tell me that since I did not purchase it from them it is not their problem and I am waiting to see if any Amazon merchants will source or sell the remotes only . . . . by the way, just in case you don't know, the station is all but useless without the remote.

Review by A TV Watcher:

A "DVR" without a tuner seems hardly worthwhile. You can't connect your cable to the unit, you're going to have something else to tune and convert your cable signal to composite, RGB, or S-Video. Then you're going to have to carefully position the IR emitter of the Archos DVR station so that it's pointed into the IR receiver of your tuner. In all likelihood this means you can't put the DVR station where you want it.

You'll be better off without this. Get a tuner for your computer, use it as your DVR and transfer the recordings via USB.

Review by E.C.:

For starters the Archos 605 would have been better off as having a removable battery but since owners of this unit aren't so fortunate the next best alternative is this - it's not bad at all. It's a bit strange in specs; especially when attached to the player but it does it's job well and that's to extend the battery life on the player itself. It can be attached to the Archos and one can still use the kickstand on the player to watch videos, etc.

I just wish that the battery dock was a tad smaller than what it is. Combined with the player (while attached) it is not the most of comfortable things to carry in your pocket. Would I recommend? Absolutely.

Review by W. Clogston:

I have an Archos 605 80GB and I purchased the battery dock for a trip I am taking soon. Without the dock my 605 will run playing movies, with wifi off, for about 4:20. I tested with the dock and 605 fully charged and it ran for just over 7 hours. So this gives a good boost to battery life.

Charging works much faster then via USB and about the same as my DVR Station. The usb ports work, not much more to be said. The tv out is about what you would expect for composite. I recomend the DVR Station if you want quality tv out, it has component out and digital audio.

My one complaint about this device is the form factor. It works fine if you just stand up the 605 using the kick stand, but it is awkward to hold in your hand and even worse to put in a pocket. The primary issue is it is about twice the depth of the 605 itself so sticks far out in front of the device. I see why they did this, to allow the kick stand to continue to work, but that does not change the impact of the shape.

Overall this is an excellent product to take on a trip but I would not want to use it for around town.

Review by rmf:

I recently switched from a NAD amp/receiver to the Parasound Zamp, primarily due to not needing a preamp or radio tuner anymore, and liking the more compact Zamp size. I was surprised, and very happy, to find that the Zamp also gave a remarkable improvement in sound quality. Nothing changed except the amp (same sets of speakers in same locations, same input source, etc.).

I didn't expect that -- NAD is considered a good / audiophile maker -- but the Zamp sounds just much better. The best analogy is: after cleaning your windows when you're surprised at how much more light and detail comes in, even though they didn't *look* dirty before. The music just sounds much more 3-dimensional, and live, and clear.

The unit runs cool, cooler than the NAD, and with the auto-on feature, I'm saving electricity, and the compact size is really great, which is what I wanted in the first place, but the best thing is the unexpected and much improved sound. Highly recommended.

Review by Michael Morris:

I bought this amp to use as a bridged-mono driver for a center channel speaker. It is working OK for this application, and reasonably clean. But in my opinion this is not a true hifi amp. I have two problems with it. It has relatively low sensitivity compared to my other amps, and even with the gain controls set to max, does not put out as much voltage as I need (this is not a problem due to speaker sensitivity, but rather amp gain). So I need to attenuate my other amps if I want a perfect balance. The other problem is minor but annoying; there is a ground loop that the "ground lift" switch doesn't correct. The hum is faint but quite audible when you are close to the speaker. My other amps don't have this problem. Otherwise the signal is clean and the unit works fine. I have it set to "Auto On" mode, triggered by a signal at its inputs.

A previous reviewer mentioned two problems that I have not experienced. The first is a turn-on transient. That doesn't happen in my setup using the auto-on mode, but it is very noticeable if you use the front panel switch to turn on the amp. He also said the amp runs hot, but mine does not.

I too removed the cover of the amp and was unimpressed by the contents. A low-profile toroidal transformer is used, but not the kind you see in premium amps. Just a flat little guy designed to fit in a tight package. There are few premium components: electrolytic caps and integrated circuits not usually found in better devices, and the output transistors are cheap, flat TO220 packages, not robust TO3 types.

This is better used as an amp for computer output or MP3 players, not for high end audio application. I will probably replace it with a used NAD amp and keep this for the garage.

Review by Caryn Best:

Pros:

- Easy to setup

- Easy to use & navigate

- Finds wireless network automatically

- Finds DLNA servers automatically (mine running on XP in another room)

- Runs you tube well enough to be entertained.

- Entertainment renting is smooth and effortless.

- Blu Ray disks run well with no skipping

- Streams Xvid and Divx flawlessly

- Receives speaker wire rather than proprietary connectors

- Speakers are decent and never break up at loud volume

- Instant DVD/BRay startup and eject/open tray

- iPod works in both onscreen mode and iPod interface - your choice.

- Good speaker/theater presets

- Excellent support with a phone number on unit!

Cons:

- Interface is slow and clunky

- Can't eject a dvd/BRay without disturbing what you are watching

- No option to change resolution in YouTube

- No direct input links on remote - must scroll to get to desired input

- Has some trouble deciphering High-Def Directv at times from HDMI input

- Remote not universal - weak

- Speakers are mediocre in sound quality - only decent at low volumes

- iPod door feels flimsy but never broke

- Hard to navigate interface w/out remote

- Rewinding and forwarding a DLNA stream slow and unreliable

Training:

- Took 15 minutes to train 12 year old son.

- Too 1 hour total to train wife

Build Quality:

- Light and plasticy

- Decent weight - middle of the road

- iPod door feels it will break off one day

- Volume know tough and precise

- Disk tray thin - vulnerable

- Speakers OK - not to light

- Remote solid with nice sheen - not the normal matte black

- Well packaged and documentation good

Overall Recommendation:

- Compare's well to dedicated components

- If you need an all-in-one Receiver/Disk/iPod unit its a go.

- Get the lesser model if you don't need wireless or 2 HDMI ports.

- For the price I could not build a Media PC to do all this does.

- Good for those who like the rental streams

*** I give it a 8 out of 10 for the Package/Price

Review by DeAd MiKe:

At the time of my current purchase (yes, current purchase - I'll explain that later), the unit is 0 and is worth every penny. For that price, you get a very good Blu-ray player, decent speakers (I'll get to that later too), and the ability to do all kinds of streaming to the device using either an Ethernet cable or the device's built in Wireless N certified antenna. The main reason I wanted this particular unit was two-fold. One, it is the only decent Home Theater System that has built-in DivX HD support, which means that it has the ability to play pretty much all types of media (MKV, AVI, DivX, MP4, MPG, etc...) off of a USB or from your home server. This was crucial. This device also just so happened to match the design of my LG 42LH40 1080p 120hz LCD HDTV (seen here: http://www.amazon.com/LG-42LH40-42-Inch-1080p-120Hz/dp/B001VJHWTQ - AMAZING television as soon as you turn off the 'TruMotion' feature). So, this Home Theater System matched my needs.

This was my first Blu-ray player, but I didn't even really get it for that. I mainly wanted to be able to stream all kinds of media to something in my living room that could also playback my DVDs and eventual Blu-rays. My Xbox 360 can handle all of my media, but that's in the bedroom. I needed something decent for the living room, and something to take advantage of my beautiful TV. So, after getting this system, I tried some Blu-rays out - and WOW! I've since bought over 20 titles on Blu-ray. The picture and sound is amazing - but I'll get to that later!

I've mentioned "current purchase" and "first purchase" in this review so let me explain that. This device originally had a manufacturing defect which caused a loud high pitch whistle sound (sounded like a tea kettle) to emit from the front right, rear right, and sometimes the center speaker. I was the first to document this online, and I did it on the Amazon message board on this very page. I also replied to several reviewers on this and the page for the LG LHB335 device. Others mentioned this problem on various websites (I'm not going to plug them here in my review), so trust me, this was a big problem. On top of that, I was in constant contact with the head of LG's Quality Assurance team. After talking to him about the issue, he admitted it existed and promised to find a fix. I grew impatient and saw the price for this device drop (around from what I originally purchased it for) so I decided to return it and thought I would re-buy it at a cheaper price once he assured me a fix was found. Well, a fix was found. I re-purchased the device and it's working flawlessly. The devices with the issue were manufactured January 2010. The fixed ones are April 2010 and later. I'm sure there are some January 2010 devices that didn't have the whistle, but I couldn't confirm that. If anyone has a January 2010 device with no whistle sound out of the right speakers, please let me know!

So, back to the review. There have been some firmware updates lately that added some new features (MLB TV and Napster), so make sure the first thing you do when you get the device is to update the firmware. It's also good to do a factory reset the first time you do that just in case (me and at least one other person have noticed a bug that was solved when we did that - but it's possible that the bug would have been fixed with the firmware update that was released a few days after that - I don't know). It's also a good idea to go into the speaker settings and adjust the speaker distance (the amount of feet between each speaker and your usual listening position). Now, this device came with rather short speaker wires (probably the shortest out of any Home Theater System I've ever purchased). This was solved with less than and a quick trip to Radio Shack. I'm glad the speaker connections aren't proprietary like some other manufacturer's models out there. Let's get to the sound.

The sound is pretty impressive. It's possible that the people complaining about the sound are doing it for two reasons. For one, maybe they used the short speaker wires and thus, their speakers are too close together. Mine are pretty far apart from each other, so I have no sound problems. For two, it's possible that they left the default 2-channel sound output set to Natural (or was it Natural Plus?). For two-channel stereo audio, I didn't like this very much. Changing it to 'PL II Movie' made two-channel stereo audio sound NICE. I have 0 complaints about regular stereo audio anymore. By default, the receiver is properly set to output 5.1 channel audio with the 'Bypass' setting. This means that the receiver does no artificial mixing of 5.1 channel sound. It outputs it exactly as it is given it. This is the right way to do it. The receiver will also remember your settings for 5.1 channel and 2 channel, so don't worry about having to manually switch it to Bypass for 5.1 and to PL II Movie for 2 channel. Go to something that is 2 channel (like the FM radio, or a DVD menu), change the sound output to PL II Movie once, and never worry about adjusting the sound output again (unless you are strictly listening to CDs or MP3s and then you will have various different music outputs to choose from). So, due to changing the stereo output and having the speakers at a nice distance, I really love the sound output of this system. I did notice that the bass was a little low by default so I increased the sub-woofer volume to 3 and it sounded really good. I tried changing it to 6 at first but that was WAY too much bass for me. 3 was a perfect level.

Hooking the system up to my Wireless N network was a breeze. To make matters easier, I set my SSID to 'broadcast' so the Wireless N device inside the device would pick up my network, I put in the password once, and it was a go. I then disabled the broadcast of my SSID, turned the unit off, turned it back on, and it automatically re-connected without a problem. It remembers your password and automatically logs you in to your network so you never have to worry about that again. Good. Clicking on Homelink, I was greeted to my wireless network. I saw the CIFS network login for the PC, and the one for my Windows 7 Homegroup (which is the one I wanted to use). Before it would connect to my PC via the Windows Media Player server (the Windows 7 Homegroup), I had to go into the Homegroup settings in my Windows 7 PC, click on 'All Networks,' and make sure the device (which is listed as 'Unknown Device') was set to ALLOW. Once done, I was inside my PC's video library. 14GB 1080p MKV files streamed flawlessly over my wireless connection where my device was 50 feet from my router. The only time I would run in to a problem was when I would try to fast-forward a large file. I'm not sure if this is because of the device, or my wireless network, so I won't blame the device. However, fast-forwarding a file when played on a USB (and naturally, off of a Blu-ray disc and a DVD) worked fine. So the issue was definitely wireless related. It's probably too much to ask to be able to fast-forward such a large file over WiFi, but I don't care as long as it PLAYS the file fine. It does. You can pause it all you want and it will resume instantly as soon as you press play. This was all I wanted. In addition, since fast-forwarding large files doesn't work, I've noticed that you can press 'Info' and skip directly to the time that you want, which works just as well if not better than fast-forwarding.

The player had no problem playing files off of each of my USB sticks, but there was one thing I noticed. If the USB external hard drive was formatted to NTFS, I could just plug it in and the device would pick it up right away. If the USB flash drive was formatted to FAT32, I would have to turn the device off and turn it back on for it to recognize it. It may be because of my particular USB flash drive, or it may be because it is FAT32 and not NTFS. Either way, not really a big deal. As long as I can play all file types off of FAT32 and NTFS, I'm happy.

YouTube, Pandora, VuDu - all worked fine. I don't have a Netflix account (yet) but I'm sure that works fine as Netflix is the feature they promote the most (a sticker for it is on the device itself, and in the box, and on the box). If you open up VuDu, make sure to go into the options and check out the overscan settings and make sure it is appropriate to your HDTV so nothing is cut off. YouTube works well, it seems to stream videos at whatever their default resolution is (whether it is 360p, 480p, 720p, 1080p). You can log in to your YouTube account so I'm sure that if you have your account to display HD video by default, that it would do that on this device. I don't really care to find out since I have a PC for YouTube. I just wanted to see if it worked. It does. It will store your YouTube history and not present you with an option to clear it, though. Doing a factory restore will clear your history (among other things) in the event that you reaaaaaaaally need to clear your history.

Let's talk Blu-ray. When I first got the device, I had a little problem with some movies when playing them at 24 frames per second (which you will want to enable as long as you have a 120hz/240hz LCD, or Plasma HDTV) but that was promptly fixed with a firmware update a week after I e-mailed LG about the problem (apparently, their whole line of this year's Blu-ray players were affected so I'm sure I was not the only one contacting them about it) and I have not had a problem since. If you don't know why you would want to set it to 24hz instead of 60hz - to make a long story short, it will play the movie at the proper framerate because film is recorded at 24 frames per second. Don't worry, it WILL know when you are playing something that should be in 24 frames per second (Blu-ray) or 29.97 (DVD) and play things at the proper frame rate as long as you have 24hz selected. If you have 60hz selected, everything will play at 60hz. So, once again, do 24hz if your HDTV is above 60hz (like 120hz or 240hz). If not, don't worry about it.

Lower resolution movies (DVDs and movies off of the USB) looked a little 'off' to me, at first. That is, until I went into the options as a movie was playing and set the output to 'Movie' from the 'Standard' output. This made everything look perfect to my nicely calibrated HDTV. The 'Standard' output makes things a little too bright and sharp for my setup. So, if you're dissatisfied with the picture quality (or you just want to see if it can get even better), go ahead and switch it from 'Standard' to 'Movie.' They also let you adjust the settings yourself (such as brightness, contrast, sharpness, digital noise reduction), but I'm perfectly happy with 'Movie' so I didn't need to do that. When in 'Movie' setting, upscaled DVDs look perfect (when watching 'Underworld' - I would have thought it was a Blu-ray if I didn't know any better - it looked and sounded that good). It also upscales lower-resolution files off of the USB beautifully (better than any previous DVD player, my Xbox 360, or my very expensive PC/monitor). So, I'm totally satisfied with the picture quality. A solid 5/5 (when in 'Movie' setting).

DVDs (and movies off of the USB) load instantly. Blu-rays can take anywhere from 5 to 15 seconds to load, depending on the movie. This seems to be normal. Apparently certain discs are very Java-extensive (like 'The Dark Knight' which may take 15 seconds) so they take a little longer than regular discs (like 'The Fifth Element which only takes around 5 seconds). Playing a movie off of my home network takes about 5 seconds to load, no matter the file size.

I noticed some people describing the menus as sluggish. While this was true of the old firmware, it's definitely not true of the current one. The menus move just as fast as any menu.

Also, since I have an LG HDTV, hooking this device up to it via HDMI eliminates the need for my HDTV's remote (it has since gone into a drawer). The remote that came with this device (which is very nice, comfortable, and offers lots of buttons for all kinds of different things) can turn on the TV, change inputs if you need, and do some other things. It can't do everything, so make sure your LG HDTV is set up properly, then hide the remote once you get this since you won't really need it again.

This device has TWO HDMI inputs and one output. This is more than enough for me. I have the cable box as one input, and since it has a built in Blu-ray player, the HDMI output handles that since the receiver doesn't need another HDMI input to handle Blu-ray. I tested out my Xbox 360 in the second HDMI input and that works just perfectly too. The device will remember your last input, so if you leave it on HDMI 1 and power it off, it will return to HDMI 1 when you power it back on. This is how it should be (some other manufacturers don't do this for some bizarre reason).

It's very easy to work, especially when everything is working properly. I haven't tested out the iPod dock yet (since I don't own an iPod or an iPhone), but it plays MP3s off of my phone and standalone MP3 player just fine. The FM (and AM) radio work fine as well. The system can be pretty loud. I normally keep it on 10 for regular cable viewing (15 if it's a movie where I want to really enjoy the loud sound). So, don't worry about the system not being loud enough. On my old unit, I noticed a lot of pops when changing channels, or when the bass got too loud, or whatever. On the new one, I haven't come across this yet - so either I am lucky enough to have not come across it again or LG has fixed that along with the whistle sound.

All in all, this was a very buggy product at first, but NOW it is working properly, so I will give it a 4. It would be a solid 5 if those problems never existed in the first place. I would have given it a 3 or less if I were still running in to some problems. But, everything is working as expected, so I really have no complaints other than my time being wasted in the past with researching the whistle sound and sending it in to LG for repair, or back to Amazon for a replacement, and everything else. I would also like to point out that Amazon was very generous to me in regards to replacing and returning this item several times. I'm up and running now with no problems and my movies look and sound perfect, so I'm willing to forgive LG for the bugs and wasted time.

Review by R. Reece:

I've tested sound bars from Sony, Yamaha, Philips, Samsung and Polk Audio. Was not able to find the Marantz and Denon models. These products encompass a wide range of price points. The one I bought was the Vizio: great sound and convenience at a price near the bottom of the range.

The wireless subwoofer is an amazing convenience. Its range is at least 20 feet, and it sounds terrific in a variety of placements.

I connected the soundbar to my HDTV console with an optical cable, which works extremely well with one caveat--to activate the audio, the TV must be set on a digital channel. After that, analog audio (including from a DVD player) comes through as normal. If you use the included conventional cable, no issues.

You have limited control options to tailor the sound, but that's to be expected at the price. Vizio uses SRS Labs' surround virtualization chip and also throws in its volume stabilizer to knock down loud commercial breaks. This is a cost sacrifice, as the Dolby and DTS HD audio codecs are much more expensive. No problem; the others sound thin, while the Vizio washes you with clear, powerful sound.

It's not true surround sound, but unlike some rivals, the audio experience isn't overly directional (sounds good throughout the room) and is much better than basic stereo. If you can't run wire through your walls to deploy full surround, this is a fine compromise.

Review by Sonny Craven:

I read all the reviews here, plus did my due diligence on the Internet. I have researched a 2.1 soundbar system for more than a year, and was unhappy that the Samsung HD-X810 was not highly recommended because it did not have a Blu-Ray player included and the soundbar did not have controls to shape or equalize the frequency bandwidth. I expected more for 0.

So, I waited for the much ballyhooed Samsung HD-8200 with a Blu-Ray player and wireless subwoofer (also 0) announced at the annual Consumer Electronic Show in January. First reviews of it are disappointing, so I decided after reviewing comments from Amazon and others about the Vizio Soundbar, to de-link my desire for an included Blu-Ray player from the soundbar package (since I already have a Blu-ray player), and buy the best working, and most affordable soundbar with wireless subwoofer on the market.

You won't get the extra features or linking to services like Pandora or Netflix withis the Vizio soundbar, but I have an extra PC connected to my LCD PC connection and can stream both perfectly.

I haven't been disappointed. Like other with comments here, I found this soundbar to deliver impressive sound for the money. It's low-profile design and easy setup makes it a joy to setup (not withstanding a minor misunderstanding, I'll explain later).

I have a small media room and the sound fills the room nicely and the bass module or subwoofer fills out sub-frequencies under 50HZ nicely. This isn't a Bose system..nor is it a top of the line system. It's for those who simply want a good looking, easy to setup, nice sounding system at an affordable price (am I repeating myself?).

If you have a 15 x 20 room or close to it, it will produce brilliant sound, and while it will not allow shaping or equalizing of various audio bands (tone treble, bass etc) you can adjust the level of bass with the remote by effectively fading down the pitch or loudness to a perfect balance that doesn't overdrive the room, just sweetens passages in voice programs, DVDs, or even audio CDs or where bass is indicated or needed.

Here's what you need to know in setting it up that's not clear in the manual once you hook up the optical cable link between the TV and the soundbar (my misunderstanding, requiring me to call Vizio customer service). You MUST change your TV sound from internal to external speakers in the menu settings of most LCD and plasma TVs or you won't hear sound.

Don't expect a power light to appear on top once you press the power on button on top of the soundbar or the remote. And, because you can connect two of the external sources, you must be sure to push the input buttons until it daisy-chains around to the internal source.

Now, other than pleasing sound reproduction, what I'm thrilled about is those two component inputs. In my case, I have a CD music jukebox connected to one, and an Ipod or Mp3 player can be hooked to the other. Works great. And, the soundboard immediately links wirelessly and automatically with the subwoofer due to factory settings . No more pushing buttons to synchronize the pair. This "handshake" recognition should be the future of all wireless or Bluetooth pairings.

All in all, the price is right and the sound is good. Vizio will be a dominate force in the electronics market if it keeps getting it right.

Review by dash-o:

I purchased the ButtKicker BKA300 based on prior reviews here. This is my first time owning one of these systems. The intended purpose of was for more immersive movie-watching and playing on a PS3. The kit was setup with a HDTV using the line out on the TV using a Y-adapter to split between it and a 2.1 (two satellites one sub) speaker set. The rumble unit was setup under one of the four rear legs of a three-person sofa.

Watching live concert music on the Palladia channel really gives the feeling of being there. I started noticing that on regular TV programming one can hear muffled sound on most dialog as if the sofa was the speaker. This is a bit distracting, and an annoyance that could be addressed by sound proofing the furniture a bit.

The blu-ray version of The Dark Knight has some loud low frequency passages that causes a loud metallic thump. At first I though it was bouncing against the furniture or floor, so I took a couple of mouse pads as a quick fix test and put them in between the floor and another between the rumble platform and the sofa, but it did not fix the problem. I then watched Pirates of the Caribbean, again on blu-ray, fortunately not much of an issue here.

Gaming on the PS3 was another issue. Playing Call of Duty 4 with the rumble kit really brings gaming to a whole new level. Unfortunately, once I went online, grabbed a sniper rifle and aimed at someone, every heart beat the game produces started causing the metallic thump. I had someone else play while I tried troubleshooting the problem and noticed it was coming from inside the rumble module as if it was bottoming out. A few days later a family member was playing Resistance 2 and the module was not working. It had stopped working within an hour of playing, and was very hot to the touch. Once it cooled it worked again so it appears that it disables to prevent damage. I tried multiple settings for several days, lowering the "volume" on the amplifier, selecting different modes (music,movie,game,) but was not able to fix the problem.

Ultimately, I decided to return the unit. Really disappointing, I recently learned from reviews of the bigger brother (400 watts min, 1100 watts max) unit also bottoms out; this one is 50 watts. I may still give it a cautious try.

Review by Richard Shuster:

I've been enjoying my ButtKicker for five months now. The build quality impressed me and the instructions for installation are easy to follow. I've used it with Blu-ray discs/DVDs, an Xbox, and a Wii. To say that it adds another dimension to one's home theater is an understatement. As a gamer, I was blown away. The vibrations are proportionate to what is happening in the game. For example, while playing a WWII shooter, grenades resonate more strongly than bullets, etc. Also, being able to in essence, feel the proximity of an enemy adds an amazing degree of realism. Surprisingly, games on the Wii in Pro Logic II were just as impressive as Xbox games in digital 5.1. Using the ButtKicker with movies feels like being at an IMAX. I was concerned I might be disturbing neighbors when I watched The Dark Knight for the first time using the ButtKicker as it was so intense. My neighbors in the apartments below me and those next door said they heard nothing. I haven't spent a great deal of time using the ButtKicker with music but as was the case with movies and games, it delivers. That said, there are a couple things to consider before purchasing. As stated on their website, the BKA300 can't be expanded. So know going in that this will work with only one couch or chair. Also, while there is a remote, there are no level displays on the unit's receiver or remote itself. This was initially frustrating as I like different levels of intensity depending on the audio source. However, any smart remote can be used to control the ButtKicker which overcomes this issue. As an audiophile trapped in the budgetary constraints of being a full-time graduate student, the ButtKicker was the perfect purchase. It provides me the bone rattling experience of a dedicated home theater system before practicality allows me to have one. Any home theater enthusiast that lives in an apartment, dorm, or who uses their living room as their theater room should take a serious look at this product.

Review by J. Labri:

The YBA-10 worked perfectly out of the box when mated with my RX-V663 and BB Pearl. Music sounds very clean with no distortion or interferences. Range is about 15 feet before breaking up. I like the fact that the unit glows blue when it is actually receiving a BT signal.

Only other comment is that its a pretty heavy duty cable used between the unit to plug into receiver...dont know why

Review by cjbates:

I got it to sync with my wife's PC and my iPhone without too much trouble. (Apparently the MacBook pro's bluetooth doesn't work very well with this unit - streams very poorly and with a lot of distortion.) My main complaint is the high-pitch "whislte" that has been referenced by other reviewers. It is very annoying, and overwhelms the sound for me. Makes the unit almost unusable as the high-frequency tone is all I can hear after a few minutes of listening. If Yamaha could somehow fix this with a software update for their receivers, it would make this a great product. In the meantime, save your money.

Review by Bill J. Goodwin:

We got this system yesterday after waiting about six weeks. We had found it when searching the LG site, and while it was "released", the LG rep I emailed said that it was just taking time for the distributors to get it to retailers. LG service was prompt and VERY helpful!

When it was finally available on Amazon, my wife and I jumped on it and had it over nighted. (BTW: Amazon Prime rocks!).

This system was everything we wanted. It was easy to put together, and the NetFlix, You Tube, and the Pandora radio were simple to get going.

The picture and sound quality were excellent and we were thrilled with every feature except one.

The rear speakers are NOT exactly wireless.

We had envisioned that three front three (right, left, and center) would plug into the blu ray receiver, and the subwoofer and rear speakers would be completely wireless.

What we found was that the system comes with a box (about the size and weight of a Wii) called the "Wireless Speaker Router". This box can be placed anywhere in a room, as long as it has access to an electrical outlet. The box DOES wirelessly connect to the receiver AND wirelessly connect to the subwoofer.

HOWEVER, the two rear speakers have to be connected via speaker wire to this device.

We have put the wireless router in the back of our living room, thus significantly reducing the amount of wire needed for each rear speaker. If we has had to wire these rear speakers directly to the blu ray receiver, it would have taken a lot more wire. But make no mistake, the rear speakers are wired. You will have figure out how to hide the wires along open walls and across doorways. We had hoped for complete wireless.

The wireless router has pretty good range from what we've seen. It doesn't have to have an unobstructed line of site to the receiver/subwoofer or anything. So I suppose you could take it and the two speakers to another room and enjoy the internet radio or the ipod dock or the built in AM/FM radio or any other audio signal. The router and speakers are small enough to be quite portable.

So all in all, this is a five star system. Just not with completely wireless speakers.

Review by Fabian:

We been waiting for this system to come out for the last 5 months and it has not let us down. Installation was a breeze, had the system running in less than 5 minutes (after unpacking). Sound quality is great, and love the speaker setup dialog, although it will be better if you could input distances rather than selecting it. Love Pandora, youtube, although we have not tested streaming if it works as flawlessly as youtube interface does it will be a hit at home. Tested the Blue-ray with "The Forth Kind and it had us tied to the chair and even scare the hell out of me cause of realistic sound effects.

In overall its a great system and will recommend it for anyone who likes things to be minimalistic and clean cut.

Other review says rear speakers are not wireless...well no speakers will ever be totally wireless unless batteries are use to power the receiver what the system does is give you the flexibility to move your speakers around quite easy and takes a few cables out of the back of your box.

Review by Psymon JC:

I've had the Musical Fidelity V-DAC for just over a week now and put it through it's paces with a variety of rock, pop, jazz and classical music. The V-DAC definitely sounds quite a bit better than my Oppo DVD-980H's analog outputs or the Oppo connected via coaxial digital to my Onkyo TX-SR705. The difference is immediate: much deeper bass, wider and deeper "sound stage", instruments are clearly differentiated whereas before they sounded mixed up, much better tonal differences with voices, stringed instruments, even electronic music. I didn't find the Onkyo or Oppo thin sounding at all (quite the opposite), but the V-DAC sounds significantly richer and more "solid". For the money, I really couldn't be happier - it's a great little device. I also compared the V-DAC to the DAC built into my Marantz SR5300 A/V receiver and again, the V-DAC comes out on top.

** WARNING ** Don't try the following yourself unless you're comfortable experimenting with and modifying electronic components! **

One "tweak" I couldn't resist was to replace the wall mart power supply it comes with with a larger regulated power supply. The one I got came from Amazon at a very low price and I recommend it too: Pyramid PS3 3-Amp 13.8-Volt Power Supply. Changing the power supply does improve sound quality further - most noticeable as deeper and tighter bass, more "solid" images, and stronger dynamics. All of these attributes were already strong points even with the stock power supply. The V-DAC does run cooler too using the bigger power supply, so hopefully that will extend its life.

Even without the above "tweak", the V-DAC sounds just great, and should provide a noticeable improvement for folks who do not already own a high-end DAC or A/V receiver. I hope you have as much fun with the V-DAC.

Review by David "Deckhand Davy" Zamora:

I upgraded my current audio setup. I purchased the V-DAC 2 weeks ago. After about 60 hrs burn-in, I have truly never experienced music on this level. Soundstage, articulation, tight bass, warm acoustics that will melt away everything that has troubled you the moment you sit down and start listening. I have never heard an audio system sound this good. I have a decent upper mid-level audio setup. The years have caught up to it, but after running all of my sources through the V-DAC, my setup now sounds like twenty grand.

This is the smartest and most rewarding purchase I have bought in a longggg time and the most amazing audio purchase I have EVER purchased. When I come home now, the first thing I do is listen to music. No, not just listen, experience it! I'm going through my entire collection. Revisiting songs I never thought much of, but now hearing new sounds, new layers of audio. It's really hard to put into words, but I guarantee that the MF VDAC won't disappoint.

My fiancee thinks I'm silly and doesn't understand my new fascination with my music collection...but I'm loving every minute of it!

**Please note that you MUST burn in the VDAC (run music through it continutally) for AT LEAST 30 hrs. Out of the box, it sounds fine. After feeding it some sound for over 30 hrs though, you will be rewarded with a warm articulated soundstage that doesn't come from any product you can buy over the shelf. Trust me...the VDAC literally transforms into a DAC that will cause you to sit at the edge of your seat and wonder, "So this is the sound that causes the audiophile bug!". Just so you know, I've had this Amazon account for many years and rarely review or comment on products. I thought it would be beneficial to help those of you who are beginning to upgrade your audio setups with quality components. The VDAC should be on your list...actually, it's a must if you need to upgrade to an external DAC!

My old and new music collection has been reborn...I'm loving every moment of it

Review by Katsumoto:

I own a Grace m902 DAC (State of the art - read review in stereophile.com), and AKG 701 headphones.

The clarity and definition of the V-CAN, is awesome. The sound detail, the soundstage detail that its able to capture and amplify... Just impressive for 0. (Exept for the external finish, witch looks cheap)

Its able to drive the AKG 701 reference headphones to a unbearable volume, and its still at 3/4...

I read somewhere they they are "Tube" but I am not sure.

If you have more budget, our you want the best, then buy Vincent KHV-1

Hybrid headphone preamplifier, or the Cayin HA-1A Headphone Amp. Both seem to be the best according to my year of investigation... I plan to get one of the two soon. Ill keep you posted.

Review by Evitzee:

I picked up the V-Can headphone amp to power my AKG K702 Professional headphones. This unit's sound is clean, clean, clean and easily powers the AKG's to extreme volumes. Incredible sound and detail is on tap every time you slip on the 'phones for some personal listening. I have the unit sitting upright alongside my McIntosh integrated amp and it is not even noticeable. Do not be fooled by it's low price, it is of the highest quality and will give champagne results on a beer budget. Highly recommended for anyone who wants more than the usual crappy sound from most headphone jacks on pre-amplifiers, integrated amplifiers, or a CD player. Get one, you won't be disappointed.

Review by Dave Tainer:

My Wife got me the V-DAC for my birthday a couple months ago. When my digital was better than my vinyl, I knew it was time to upgrade something. Being as I have a Rega Planar 3 with a brand-new Super Elys 2 cartridge and an aluminum sub-platter, the difference was most likely in the phono preamp, which had been a Rolls Bellari VP29.

The VP29 is excellent, particularly for --it's a great deal. In fact, it's better than the 0 Rolls Bellari VP129 with a tube, which sounded really crappy in my system. Anyway, I knew it was time for a new Phono Preamp, and since I liked the V-DAC so much, I decided to go with the V-LPS from Musical Fidelity. I'm very glad I did. I haven't even upgraded the power supply and this is substantially better than the VP-29. Bass goes lower (MUCH lower) and highs are much higher (in a noticeable manner).

My reference records for these differences are The Jam's "Sound Affects", Arthur Lyman's "Taboo" and John Cotrane's "My Favorite Things". All of these had a much greater range. It wasn't subtle, it was pretty obvious. So much so, I decided I wasn't going to do an A/B test because it was so obvious.

For some, the V-LPS might be too strong of a source and you'll need to turn down your amp, but for me, this matches up perfectly with my V-DAC into my Yaqin MC84-L, so I'm very happy. By the way, my integrated amp is a tube amp and so gives a nice warmth to my sources--I don't know if this would be the same for everybody.

This is right off the bat--I'll edit my post if I notice any changes.

DT

PS: got mine from Audio Advisor--free shipping and it arrived in 2 days (with standard shipping)! I would buy from them again...

EDIT: I've since attached the new regulated Power Supply 13.8V, 3 amps (Tripp-Lite PR-3) to replace the supplied wall wart--it is now SIGNIFICANTLY better. What sounded like big differences before are much bigger; tone is fuller, rounder and noise floor dropped even more. Very happy with the V-LPS and upgraded power supply.

Review by M. Weaver:

I find it hard to beleive that for I got a power supply with this build quality. Other brands cost at least double. And this particular model is not a switching supply so it has no noisy fan. I purchased it to replace the wall wart supply for a Musical Fidelity V-DAC. Highly recommended.

Review by cabsauv94:

This is a quiet and very affordable power supply. I am using it as upgrade for the TCC TC-754 preamp that I also bought on Amazon. I don't detect any fan noise, and thus I believe it uses a silent radiator design for cooling. It appears well built but I cannot comment on its reliability since I have owned it for only one month.

Review by George Denver:

Being a budget stereophile, I was looking forward to improving the sound of my Zone-2 setup, consisting of a pair Mordaunt Short 902i bookshelf speakers on BTech BT-77 stands. These speakers are connected to an Onkyo TX-SR604 a/v receiver and Pioneer DV-610 universal DVD player.

Background:

I have a very good collection of CDs that are mostly made in the European Union (E.U.). To make the best of my CD collection, I was initially planning on getting a budget CD player under USD500. I had rounded up on two budget CD players - Cambridge Audio 550C & Emotiva ERC-1. I had heard the Emotiva ERC-1 at a friends place and it was too good for the money - USD400. The slot loading mechanism of the Emotiva ERC-1 was a deal breaker for me. I have had bad experiences in the past with slot loading CD players. I especially hate the way they attract dust on the slot opening and they eventually leave soft scratches on the CDs. I w'd have surely bought the Emotiva ERC-1 only if it had a tray loading mechanism. It is otherwise a superbly capable CD player with functions such as a 12V trigger and a whole lot of other great features. Anyone who does not mind slot loading CD player sh'd surely give it a listen.

That left me with just the Cambridge Audio 550C CD player. I was at a point in my hobby where I was planning to get into server based music, sometime later this year. I was planning to rip all my CDs into FLAC and store them in a HTPC with an optical out or may be in a Network Media Player. So I decided against the idea of adding a CD player and instead started researching DACs. I c'd just get started by plugging in my Pioneer DV-610 universal DVD player to a DAC for CD playback and move on to a music server later. I had rounded up on two very popular budget DACs - Musical Fidelity V-DAC @ USD300 and Cambridge Audio DacMagic @ USD400.

DacMagic vs V-DAC:

I ordered the MF V-DAC from Amazon & I managed to borrow a CA DacMagic from a friend for comparison. I used a Monster ILSR-1M Toslink Fiber Optic Audio Cable & Monster 400i Stereo audio interconnects with both the DACs.

I felt the V-DAC has the Magic & the DacMagic has the value. It's surely not the other way around. DacMagic offers a lot more bells & whistles for just USD100 more. It has multiple digital inputs, sound filter adjustments etc. V-DAC is designed to be hidden behind the rack, while DacMagic is designed to be seen. Both are British DACs and they cost a lil' more in the US than in the UK. Both DACs immediately showed a difference in my system. There was more separation in both voice & instruments. The soundstage improved & the sound was more fleshed out, more like adding meat to bones. More realism than I have ever heard in my system before. The better the quality of the recording in the CD, the better the realism. It's really impressive. I'am rediscovering my music collection all over again. It's only after extended listening that U actually realize & appreciate the benefits of having a DAC.

I preferred the midrange smoothness of the V-DAC & I preferred the dynamic range of the DacMagic. I liked V-DAC more with songs that was high on vocals & I liked DacMagic more with both instrumental & bass heavy music. I listen to all kinds of music & I felt that I could live with either DAC. Over extended listening, I found V-DAC a lil' more soft on the ears. Over all, I preferred the smooth midrange of the V-DAC over the dynamic sound of the DacMagic. It kind of grows on U over time. V-DAC has surely taken my system to the next level. Anyone considering to buy either of these DACs sh'd surely give it a listen. U'r surely going to prefer the presentation of one DAC over the other. Both DACs are not perfect and could have offered much more for the money.

V-DAC c'd have improved on the following:

1) The ac-dc wall wart adaptor (rated @ 12V, 0.5amps) is very ugly looking when U plug it in U'r home theatre power strip. The least Musical Fidelity c'd have offered is a better designed power supply for the money. Ac-dc adaptors that come with laptops are so much more presentable. How much does it cost anyway?

2) V-DAC c'd have offered multiple digital inputs like in DacMagic. This w'd have helped people get more from other sources as well.

3) Build quality of the V-DAC is not really as bad as some people have stated. It's just plain & functional. It w'd have been great if it was also available in silver color like DacMagic.

DacMagic c'd have improved on the following:

1) The ac-ac wall wart adaptor (rated @ 12V, 1.5amps) is worse than the one that comes with the V-DAC. This power supply really puts DacMagic to shame. Cambridge Audio sh'd at least give customers a choice of buying a better power supply, depending on their needs. C'mon U can still offer this choice to customers who are not happy with their existing power supply.

2) An on/off switch on the DacMagic is good but not enough. It w'd have been great if DacMagic had included a 12V trigger. That feature w'd have helped to automatically turn on & off the DacMagic along with other components that have an inbuilt timer & a 12V trigger on it. Most a/v receivers these days come with a timer & a 12V trigger.

Conclusion:

Is spending USD300-400 on a DAC really worth it? Answer is yes and no. A DAC is purely for anyone wanting to improve server / PC based music or someone who does not want to waste space on their rack by adding a CD player. Others who want to improve CD playback sh'd seriously consider investing in a good CD player for more robust playback functions such as shuffle play which most DVD / Bluray players are not good at.

For now I'm enjoying the V-DAC but I'm still in the lookout for a DAC that has both value & magic in it. Something a lil' more robust & flexible than the V-DAC. I see the Emotiva XDA-1 in the horizon that seems to have great potential as a stand alone DAC. It has the following features:

1) Analogue Devices AD1955 24bit DAC (Digital to Analogue Converter) with 384K over sampling, the same DAC used in Cambridge Audio Azur 840C CDP.

2) A 12V external trigger.

3) 110 - 220V universal voltage.

4) 5 digital inputs & USB.

5) Remote control.

6) Best of all, no ugly wall warts to deal with.

What more does anyone want in a DAC? The Emotiva XDA-1 sounds too good to be true for USD300. I'm waiting to get hold of one, when it gets released this year & compare it with the MF V-DAC.

Just my

Musical Fidelity M1 DAC 24 Bit/192K True Upsampling Digital-to-Analog Converter

Musical Fidelity was one of the first companies in the world to make an outboard digital-to-analog converter over 23 years ago, and the new M1 DAC continues this heritage of top performing DACs. It has four digital inputs: coax, optical, balanced and USB.
Don't be fooled by its ultra-competitive price - the M1's technical performance rivals that of DACs costing many times more. Musical Fidelity's advanced circuit design and PCB (printed circuit board) layout, in combination with the use of top quality digital components, delivers state-of-the-art performance.
The M1 DAC will lock on to any S/PDIF signal at 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88kHz, 96kHz and 192kHz, and the input sampling frequency is then displayed on the front panel. It employs a pair of 24-bit Delta-Sigma DACs in a dual differential alignment with 8x over-sampling, so you'll enjoy true upsampling to 24-bit at 192kHz!
The M1 has vanishingly low distortion, typically less than 0.005% across the band. Frequency response is ruler-flat. Jitter is extremely low. And the noise ratio is outstanding - it's one of the quietest DACs in the world, regardless of price. Look at the M1 DAC's total measurements and compare them to any DAC up to ten times its price, and you'll see that, on balance, the M1 DAC is equal to or better than any of them!
The M1 DAC has a high quality power supply, with choke filtration on the mains input. This acts essentially as a mains signal conditioner, which increases the performance and value of the M1 to even greater heights.

• 24-bit/192Khz true upsampling DAC
• Balanced and unbalanced outputs
• Four inputs, including balanced, coax, optical and USB
• Vanishingly low distortion
• Extremely low jitter

Price: $ 699.00

.02.

Brgds.

Review by N. Matinnia:

All the music I listen to is on my computer. Maybe 1% or less of the time I will pop in a CD, but now most of my CDs have been saved in computer formats like mp3 mp4 and flac.

I used to have a Creative SoundBlaster NX 24bit USB soundcard, back in the early 2000's. Then I built my new and current (and still a long ways from being obsolete computer which has a pretty good HD audio controller on the motherboard, which offers about 106db SNR. But I had long dreamed of audiophile products. I love music, I love the detail and texture in music. And my integrated audio almost always has that background hiss and electrical noise introduced by the motherboard and its components all in close proximity. My speakers had been a 2.1 system from CyberAcoustics. Which usually sounded very good for the price, except the sub often distorted because its un-changeable crossover was at too high a frequency, and the satellites often distorted on really high notes.

So I wanted a completely overhaul of my audio. New "real" speakers (not ones designed for computer use), new soundcard, etc. But I realized I wanted an external DAC for better quality. As the previous review says, this is great value and sound for the price. I use the fiber optic input coming from my soundcard to isolate any electronic interference and the sound is crystal clear. I am impressed with the upsampling of this DAC because it is true, all my mp3s, even low bit-rate ones, sound really good now. And high quality music sounds even better. Even when I was watching youtube videos or online news clips, it sounds much more real, and live, and not like dinky youtube audio.

There is no discernable noise introduced by the DAC, as at high volumes, the space between notes or sounds is silent. So sometimes I forget how high my volume is set and the music comes on, and it's really loud andy surprising because it sounded as if my amp was off to begin with.

To sum up: very nice audio quality for a good price. More expensive DACs will be better, but difference will be small and hardly discernible.

Review by Guy Arledge:

I've always felt that it takes more than a little nerve to put your name on a product - not just recommend it, not just sell it, but brand it with your name, your reputation. Well, this microphone delivers - it's a terrific product, and Harlan Hogan has done it again.

I was blown away by the sound that this microphone produces. Rich, well-rounded tones that you'd expect from a much more expense mic. It comes with a money-back guarantee, too - you can try it and if you're not satisfied for any reason, you can return it for a full refund.

Harlan, ain't no way you're getting this microphone back. It's a keeper.

The CEntrance MicPort Pro USB preamp works like a champ, too - boosts power, allows for headset use during recording, and is so small it can fit in your pocket - great portability. The package price for these two products is a steal.

Thanks!

Guy Arledge

Atlanta

p.s. - Not only did the product exceed my expectations, but Haraln's fulfillment process is outstanding. I ordered with standard shipping and it arrived within 48 hours. Thanks again.

Review by Dr. Gonzo:

Ten years from now, when the compact disc format finally reaches complete obsolescence, we will be able to look back at the McIntosh MX406 and it's big brother the McIntosh MX4000 as perhaps the high-water mark of car audio excellence. (However, a tip of the hat must be made to the legendary Alpine 7909 (introduced in 1989!) and the follow up 1998 Alpine 7909 Anniversary Edition.) I owned a few other stereos, however the sonic quality of the MX406 was such that audiophiles and non-audiophiles alike were astounded by the loudness and detail of the stereo, (McIntosh amps and ten Oz Audio speakers, when the name "Oz" used to mean something). The MX406 utilizes Dual 20-bit Burr-Brown digital to analog converters and put out a whopping 9 volts on the preamp outs, helping to account for the stupendous clarity and headroom it provides and boasts a signal to noise ratio of an unheard of (in the car audio realm) of 110 db and a dynamic range of 100 db, making playing of transients very lifelike and accurate. Incidently, Clarion, parent company of McIntosh Labs, Inc. made a Clarion-badged version of this deck, the Clarion DRX 9255, also a fine source unit, and benefits from a scan forward and backward function which the MX406 lacks! So if you want to listen to a ten-minute long song and your favorite passage is at 09:00, then you're just going to have to wait, buddy. And pay attention because you can't rewind it either! This is a single-purposed machine indeed.

Cosmetically, it is beautiful with a black, onyx-like glass front panel and a soft, blue electroluminescent display bracketed with extruded and brushed aluminum accents on either end of it--signature McIntosh styling. I matched these with a set of matching dash-mounted analog (needles) stereo power output meters for an over-the-top presentation.

I owned one for six years or so, and had to send it back repeatedly for the laser pick up and various other issues. (In its defense, an idiot car detailer sprayed vinyl cleaner all over it and followed that up with a shot of compressed air!) After the fifth or sixth time back to Binghamton, NY, McIntosh replaced the then-six-year-old stereo with a brand new one in spite of being far out of warranty! I sold it online and got exactly what I paid for the original one, sort of like putting up a refundable 800-dollar deposit for the privilege of enjoying one of these for six years. The upshot of all this is that McIntosh obviously stands behind what they sell.

I'm not in any position to blow 00 on a big car stereo system anymmore, but I will always remember with fondness my McIntosh MX406.

Review by Jerry P. Danzig:

Yahoo -- I have been waiting for an ebook reader with excellent readability and ergonomics for 0, and here it is: the Ectaco Jetbook Lite.

No, the JBL doesn't have wireless capability, and no, it doesn't play mp3s. I have a little device called an mp3 player that does that!

What the JBL does do is serve up a variety of ebook formats, including the mobi format the New York Public Library supports, along with eReader DRM, FictionBook, plain text, PDF, EPUB, and others.

The JBL doesn't use e-ink technology. Instead it sports a VERY readable LCD screen with the added advantage over e-ink screens of fast page turning: as fast as you can turn a paper page, in fact.

The JBL screen delivers high-contrast black text against a white background, comparable to the Nook unit and better than the Kindles, from the photos I've seen.

I have been reading "The Mysterious Island" on the JBL for several hours with NO eye fatigue. Though the light in my dark first-floor apartment is not the best, the background picks it up beautifully.

There are no less than three page-turning controls, one on the left side of the unit, another on the front under the screen -- plus you can turn pages with your right hand using the arrow keys on the bottom right.

The JBL sports several built-in dictionaries, making it easy to look up words in English or translate them from other languages. The unit also comes with a number of classics onboard, including Shakespeare, Dickens, Joyce, the Bible, and more.

You can also plug in an SD card, expanding the memory to hold a prodigious number of ebooks -- enough for even the longest vacation abroad or the most protracted cruise!

The JBL also "plays well" with Windows XP. My computer recognized it right away (well, after pausing for the obligatory restart), and it's easy to copy files using My Computer.

I had a little trouble finding some Mobi books I copied using the Mobipocket reader on my computer; I found them using the unit's file manager routine, in a second folder it had created for the purpose. I subsequently used My Computer to move these files into the unit's primary book folder, which makes resuming reading much faster and easier when you turn the unit on.

The JBL is rated to run for more than 20 hours on four AA batteries. I have been using high-capacity NiMH rechargeables, and the power meter is still reading full after several hours of reading. This sure beats the Franklin eBookman I used to have -- and the JBL doesn't lose its memory when you change the batteries!

You may not see it in the photos, but the unit has a backside bulge on the left to accommodate the battery chamber. This actually makes the reader comfortable to hold in your left hand, and it serves as a handy stand when you switch to landscape format while you're eating at the table.

Finally the JBL fits nicely into my back jeans pocket.

What can I say? If you don't care about wireless capability... if you already have an mp3 player... and if you have better things to do with your money than spend more than two hundred clams on an ebook reader... check out the Ectaco Jetbook Lite.

It holds and displays an entire library of ebooks with first-class readability and ergonomics, and that's what really matters!

UPDATE: I made the mistake of ordering the silicon sleeve Ectaco sells to "protect" the JBL. It doesn't fit very well, it doesn't protect the screen, and at delivered, it offers poor value for money.

It also feels rather slippery; it needs texturing to improve your grip. In short, I fear it will make me drop the JBL while turning a page, obviating its usefulness protecting the unit. I do NOT recommend it and suggest that you seek a protective sleeve/pouch from a third-party vendor (Ectaco's other fancier pockets were more expensive, at and 0 respectively, not including shipping).

I would return it, except that Ectaco charges a 6% restocking fee and won't refund the exorbitant shipping charge. Phooey!

UPDATE NUMBER TWO: When I bought the JBL in December, it was still having problems with DRM books (the pdb titles, available at Barnes & Noble). You couldn't select font size, text was missing as you went from page to page, and it took a long time to open a book.

I am pleased to report that the latest firmware upgrade seems to have solved all these problems. The only remaining issue appears to be a problem opening DRM reference titles like Webster's Dictionary; it takes a full ten minutes to open this sucker -- not practical for a quick word check.

Regular DRM books seem to be working fine, however. And these fixes were accomplished without users having to send their unit back for refurbishing, as users of the base Sony reader had to recently. (If your JBL is having DRM issues, visit the general forum at Ectaco.com and follow the links and instructions for updating to the latest firmware; the process works without glitches, and I'm no rocket scientist, I'll confess.)

Thus the JBL handles with aplomb the latest bestsellers from B&N as well as all the free mobi titles available at Guttenberg, the New York Public Library, and other sources.

In short, it does everything you can ask of an ebook reader for a lot less $$$ than other units available. Highly recommended.

Review by Everett L. Giles:

I've had my Jetbook Lite for about a week now and have already fallen in love with it. So far I've taken it with me to the doctor's office waiting room and yes reading on the toilet. And, I do think you will read more with this portable device (can fit in your loose pocket). The one I purchased came pre-loaded with books that I was already reading (Time Machine, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) on my laptop using mobipocket reading software. It is better reading on this device than a laptop because it is very light weight (under 1 lbs) and the screen has no backlight (also it has a high resolution) which eliminates some of the eye fatigue when reading for long periods. I purchased a 4GB SD memory card for extra storage; it cost me only .99 on amazon. 4GB, is huge for storing all your books and periodicals (manufacturer says device can support up to 32GB memory cards). The device supports a lot of book formats including being able to read DRM books from the Barnes and Noble book store. PDFs are difficult to display on the 5 inch screen you can rotate the screen to landscape mode and that helps to keep from having to scroll when trying to view PDF documents. This device unlike the Sony pocket reader has a built-in dictionary to look up words you don't understand, you just select the word and it will pull it up and give you a definition. It also comes pre-loaded with foreign language dictionaries in Russian, German, Polish, and Spanish. You can also read foreign language books, which is cool if you are studying a foreign language and want to practice reading the language. If you are looking for an inexpensive e-reader, I recommend giving it a try; no it doesn't come with 3G like the Kindle, so if being able to download anywhere the latest books from your favorite authors is important to you, pass on this one and check out the Amazon Kindle, the Sony Daily Edition, or the Barnes and Noble Nook (these have 3G internet access, but cost more).

Update 01/22/2010

There is a problem (files take long time to load, can't change font size, missing text) reading DRM Barnes and Noble content on this e-reader; after I installed the latest firmware update at the jetbook.net website download section, the problems appear to be fixed.

Review by rbhatta:

Western Digital My Book 3.0 1TB reviewed here is a speedy USB 3.0 external drive which is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 hosts. It is very sturdy external HDD enclosure with good ventilation, The noise level and Physical appearances is identical to other WD My Book series that we have been used to with an exception that front LED is a small bright White LED and the rear USB connector is replaced with USB 3.0 Micro-B connector and also has a Push button power switch.

If you would like to use the full potential of this external drive you need to install the included PCIe adapter (For Desktop PC's only) to get a theoretical transfer speed of 4.8 Gbps which is a ten-fold theoretical increase in speed compared to USB 2.0 which has a theoretical speed of 480 Mbps.

Bear it in mind that while the Theoretical speed of 4.8 Gbps is the interface speed that does not mean that the reviewed My Book external drive is having same speed, the drive inside is still WD SATA 1TB HDD with 3.0 Gbps link speed.

Here are some test results in brief:

When using USB 3.0 Interface

(*) Access Time: 15.44 ms

(*) Max Read Speed: 111.08 MB/sec

(*) Cached Speed: 149.48 MB/sec

When using USB 2.0 Interface

(*) Access Time: 15.59 ms

(*) Max Read Speed: 26.20 MB/sec

(*) Cached Speed: 40.79 MB/sec

Please see my posted images for full details of USB 3.0 vs. USB 2.0 speed results and other package contents. Hope this will be useful to you for making a decision

PROS:

[+] Fast read/write speed with USB 3.0 possible almost in par with eSATA

[+] Includes PCIe USB 3.0 card with 2 USB External Ports

[+] Sturdy and well ventilated Enclosure

[+] Nice Packaging with 3 Years warranty

CONS:

[-] There is no USB 3.0 solution for Laptop users presently as the PCIe adapter is for Desktop PCs only. (Unless of course you have a laptop with USB 3.0 interface)

Western Digital's venture into USB 3.0 speed and interface is a great move and will prove itself once newer laptops and PCs start including USB 3.0 as standard. But not to worry, this device will continue to work at USB 2.0 speeds as well.

Excellent future proof buy! - Go get one!

*** Update FEB 03, 2010 ***

I opened My book 3.0 External enclosure to see the internals, I am surprised to see that we have a new 1 TB Caviar Black SATA 7200 RPM 64 MB Cache drive inside.

Amazon does sell Western Digital 2 TB Caviar Black SATA 7200 RPM 64 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive WD2001FASSwhich has 64MB cache, But I was pleasantly surprised that this 1TB drive inside My Book 3.0 has 64MB cache! - Wow!

See the pictures that I have posted on Amazon product page, the drive has these markings

SATA /64MB cache

WD1001FAES - 1.0 TB drive

64MB Cache! - Wow! No wonder this drive screams especially when used with USB 3.0 PCIe Interface.

I was impressed by the simplicity of connections inside the external enclosure, No wires! Even the LED is a Light Path from the board! -- Super!!

Review by Eric S. Olstad:

This is a seriously fast hard drive. Color me impressed. Western Digital is really moving up in my book.

OK, so on it's face, this seems like your basic 1TB external hard drive. It has its own power supply, which many will find to be cumbersome, but for this level of performance I think it's worth it. However, this is not your basic 1TB external. For one, it has a superfast USB 3.0 interface, and it comes with its own USB 3.0 expansion card if your motherboard doesn't already have one (and at the time of this writing, there are less than a handful of new motherboards that do). The expansion card requires a free PCI-E slot.

Setup:

I tested this on Windows 7 Ultimate x64. Windows did not automatically find drivers for the USB 3.0 expansion card, but the WD package includes a driver disc. The drivers aren't just sitting on the disc, you have to run an installer on the disc. The installation requires no restart, which is great, because that's always a little scary when installing strange new hardware. After the card is installed, you can just plug the drive in and go. What's nice is that Windows views the drive as an actual hard drive and not just removable media -- a minor point.

Performance:

Using TeraCopy (which is fantastic file copy alternative), I was able to get between 94 and 101 MB / sec write speeds! That's super fast. By comparison, my WD Caviar Black RE3 1TB drive only does around 63 MB/sec write speeds, and I thought that was nice! I haven't tested read speeds, but I expect them to be pretty high. USB 3.0 has a 4.8 GB/sec limit so the bottleneck here is certainly not the bus.

Sound:

The drive is dead silent, and the white LED on the front is not blinding in any way. It resembles the light on a Mac Mini.

Convenience:

Since USB 3.0 is new, you're not likely to find it around too much just yet. But you can still plug this guy into regular old USB 2.0. You'll get around 25 MB/sec write speeds with that. But just the fact that you can do it is convenient. Having to carry around the power supply, however, is not. And you have to be careful with your USB 3.0 cable because there's only one.

Price:

I think the price is pretty good for this level of performance and also considering they give you a USB 3.0 expansion card. You'd pay about the same for an enterprise-level, internal WD RE3 drive of this size.

Negatives:

I wish there was eSATA because then I wouldn't need a free PCI-E slot or have to open up my computer to install it. But the deed is done, and now I have an extra USB 3.0 port for some other device. Still, eSATA would be nice. Maybe there are USB3 to eSATA adapters...

Only a 2 year warranty?! That's rough for a 1TB drive. WD internal drives run between 3 and 5 year warranties. But I suppose they're not willing to put that kind of warranty on an external drive that gets moved around a lot. Still, a longer warranty would instill more confidence that my data is safer. Backing up 1TB worth of data is not easy or cheap.

Conclusion:

I would absolutely recommend this thing. I was a little skeptical at first, but the numbers don't lie. This thing is fast.

Review by Graeme M. Thompson:

I've had some luck with these guides in the past. They're decent overviews of basic functionality. There are exercises, but mostly I use them as references. I guess it's MSFT's version of the 'For Dummies' series.

The thing about Visio is that much of the basic functionality is intuitive. It seems this book could have done a better job of showing why Visio is superior to other programs by digging into what Visio can do. There are too many gaps. Add to that the typos and at least one illustration that's been misplaced, and you get what feels like a very slipshod effort.

I think there are bound to be a lot of folks who feel that way about this book. There have to be better resources out there, whether it's MSFT's Inside Out series or something else.

If you've never touched Visio or you're just using it for school, this one may cut it. If you're using it for a few different applications at work and you're hoping for a good desk reference, look for something else!

Review by P. Clough:

I got this book after transitioning from Autosketch to Visio Pro due to integration with other software.

I ordered this book after realizing that Visio is based on markedly different concepts than Autodesk products. This book is pretty much a clone of the material that is available for free at the Microsoft Visio website.

Anyone who has dabbled with CAD programs before will know that drawing aids like Snap, Alignment and Guides are rudimentary tools, without which, you have no hope of creating even a simple drawing - Try looking up Snap in the index, it's not there. Instead, the authors think that they can teach you the program by giving you step by step instructions on a few sample applications. These sample applications only take you to the most basic of steps and then leave you on your own.

Looking through the help menu will serve you way better.

Review by Barbara:

I was searching and searching for the "just right" protective cover or sleeve for my new "kindle" and non of them stood out. Most of the reviews were a ton of pros and cons and I was not real sure how happy I'd be with any of them till I saw this one. I knew immediately that this was the one for me without even seeing it in person. It is pricey but it's worth it. You slip your kindle in and "never" have to remove it. The front cover folds back effortlessly. My kindle "light" grips on the front cover while folded back....giving it a much better position then on the kindle itself. The cover has cut outs for all the functions. I also slip my kindle light in the middle of the cover length wise when not in use and close the cover....keeps it handy so I don't have to search for it. This is easy to grip and hold and is light enough that you barely realize it's there. I absolutely love this one. No complaints except for the price...but you do get what you pay for.

Review by T. Lunsford:

I love the product, after researching several covers, I decided to try this. It was the best choice! I love it

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00253MXXM/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title

Review by louiseb:

This is the perfect case for me. I did not want a case with corner straps to hold the kindle. This case holds the kindle in a very secure pocket with cut outs for the screen and keys. It is very well made and I love the material.

Review by Mama Bear:

I am really pleased with this case. I read a lot of reviews and decided I didn't want one that hooks in to the side of the Kindle--too many stories about customers having problems with the kindle cracking. This cover holds it like a glove. I love the magnetic closure too. It makes my Kindle seem protected. I would look for other JAVOedge covers if I needed another one. Stylish.