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Coby 4 GB Flash Video MP3 Player with FM Radio (Black)
See it at Amazon.com for $39.90Average Customer Rating
(3.5 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
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(5 out of 5) by Stanley R. Smith on Dec 6, 2009I like this product, but I wish I would have got the 8 gig modle.
Awesome MP3 Player..!!!
(4 out of 5) by Chaminda Mahawaduge on Nov 29, 2009 (Colombo, Sri Lanka)I bought is as a present for a friend of mine, but got a chance to player round with it a little. i found that the controls were much similar to the i pod.
Great Product!
(4 out of 5) by Tisa on Nov 24, 2009 (New York)I was able to fit all my songs on this with nicely using Windows Media Player. Just one problem, at first I couldn't seem to sync my playlist to the mp3. But after third time it worked. Strange? All around the device is sleek, easy to handle and I love the touch pad controls! :)
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
For the money...
(4 out of 5) by Brian G. Pering on Nov 19, 2009After several months of owning this mp3 player I can say that, for the money, there is no better mp3 player...
...though, there is room for improvement. Long winded version see below.
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There are at least two ways to actually get it to work with your computer. If all you are interested in is playing mp3s then you don't have to install anything just use the windows media player and treat it as a new drive. If you want the full feature set then you need to "install" it.
There is a small and light utility/interface that should install when you first plug it in that must be used for most of the features to work. I say "should" because it didn't actually install the first time I plugged it in but only recognizes it as a storage device. If this happens try unplugging it and changing its power state(if it was on when you plugged it in turn it off and vica-versa) before plugging it back in.
The oft mentioned criticized video capability can be difficult to get to work. This is especially true for someone who isn't very familiar with the difference between a format and a codec. The video feature DOES work, but you will probably need to convert a given video *twice* before it does. First, you should convert a video to something like the wmv format using "Prism video converter"(google what is inside the quotes for a link). Second, you will need to use the special video converter(called Video Converter 5.11) that can be found at the cobyusa website by doing a product search and looking under downloads. It is possible to sometimes skip the the conversion to wmv and use the proprietary converter directly but it will not always work.
Battery life is good for about 10 hours of continuous music listening at normal sound levels which I find to be enough, though some may not. You might be able to watch a 2 or 3 hour movie on one good charge but I haven't tried(it should use the battery up quicker when playing video). Fortunately the battery recharge is pretty quick. As an aside, I highly recommend mp3 players with rechargeable batteries unless you like blowing $20 on batteries in a week.
You should explicitly power the player down when you are not planing on using it immediately. I say "explicitly" because it has a very low power state that it will go into when not in use that looks identical to its off state. You will actually have to "turn it on" to get it out of the low power state. The low power state will go through a full battery charge in about 3 days but the batteries will last for at least a week in the true "off" state.
The player is capable of very good sound quality, admittedly I am no audiophile, though. The included ear buds do not detract from how the player sounds. However, the included ear buds I found to be generally uncomfortable(if I delicately place them they are not uncomfortable) and they refuse to stay in place unless I am sitting still. A real pair of headphones are needed if you are going to be moving about at all, otherwise the ear buds will constantly be falling out. This is my biggest grievance with this player. Most will likely find it any old pair of headphones will be their best options.
The usability and interface are not bad but are a significant departure from something like an iPod. The top power/lock switch may feel loose but actually is secure and I find the looseness actually helps the usability. How to navigate "back" in the menu system is the only real flaw as it is a little contextual, being either the M button or the left arrow depending. There is a little lag in the response(especially if you hold down the buttons which leads to overshooting your target) so it is best to tap the buttons lightly. The organization of the music is best suited for playing albums, pre-made custom lists, or by artist.
Because of the way flash memory works I wouldn't recommend filling beyond about half capacity. This should still be enough for a few dozen albums and a couple video clips though. Really, all of these complaints are more minor quibs that major problems(except for the ear bud issue) and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a bargain.
...though, there is room for improvement. Long winded version see below.
---------
There are at least two ways to actually get it to work with your computer. If all you are interested in is playing mp3s then you don't have to install anything just use the windows media player and treat it as a new drive. If you want the full feature set then you need to "install" it.
There is a small and light utility/interface that should install when you first plug it in that must be used for most of the features to work. I say "should" because it didn't actually install the first time I plugged it in but only recognizes it as a storage device. If this happens try unplugging it and changing its power state(if it was on when you plugged it in turn it off and vica-versa) before plugging it back in.
The oft mentioned criticized video capability can be difficult to get to work. This is especially true for someone who isn't very familiar with the difference between a format and a codec. The video feature DOES work, but you will probably need to convert a given video *twice* before it does. First, you should convert a video to something like the wmv format using "Prism video converter"(google what is inside the quotes for a link). Second, you will need to use the special video converter(called Video Converter 5.11) that can be found at the cobyusa website by doing a product search and looking under downloads. It is possible to sometimes skip the the conversion to wmv and use the proprietary converter directly but it will not always work.
Battery life is good for about 10 hours of continuous music listening at normal sound levels which I find to be enough, though some may not. You might be able to watch a 2 or 3 hour movie on one good charge but I haven't tried(it should use the battery up quicker when playing video). Fortunately the battery recharge is pretty quick. As an aside, I highly recommend mp3 players with rechargeable batteries unless you like blowing $20 on batteries in a week.
You should explicitly power the player down when you are not planing on using it immediately. I say "explicitly" because it has a very low power state that it will go into when not in use that looks identical to its off state. You will actually have to "turn it on" to get it out of the low power state. The low power state will go through a full battery charge in about 3 days but the batteries will last for at least a week in the true "off" state.
The player is capable of very good sound quality, admittedly I am no audiophile, though. The included ear buds do not detract from how the player sounds. However, the included ear buds I found to be generally uncomfortable(if I delicately place them they are not uncomfortable) and they refuse to stay in place unless I am sitting still. A real pair of headphones are needed if you are going to be moving about at all, otherwise the ear buds will constantly be falling out. This is my biggest grievance with this player. Most will likely find it any old pair of headphones will be their best options.
The usability and interface are not bad but are a significant departure from something like an iPod. The top power/lock switch may feel loose but actually is secure and I find the looseness actually helps the usability. How to navigate "back" in the menu system is the only real flaw as it is a little contextual, being either the M button or the left arrow depending. There is a little lag in the response(especially if you hold down the buttons which leads to overshooting your target) so it is best to tap the buttons lightly. The organization of the music is best suited for playing albums, pre-made custom lists, or by artist.
Because of the way flash memory works I wouldn't recommend filling beyond about half capacity. This should still be enough for a few dozen albums and a couple video clips though. Really, all of these complaints are more minor quibs that major problems(except for the ear bud issue) and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a bargain.
Not too bad
(2 out of 5) by Brian Read on Nov 17, 2009 (CT)Plays great sound for music I loaded into it but the radio doesn't get any stations. Wanted it for the radio too but ......bzzzz. Wrong. Very durable which is what I need with kids around and the hectic lifestyle. If you're looking for a durable mp3 player, it's not a bad buy. As for the radio, forget it!