At 1.6 ounces and a quarter-inch thick, the MuVo Slim MP3 player makes Apple’s iPod Mini look and feel like a clunker. The size, comparable to a stack of eight credit cards, lets you easily slip the player into your shirt pocket.
Unlike the iPod Mini, however, MuVo Slim doesn’t have a hard drive, which offers the benefit of a larger song capacity. But with no moving parts, the MuVo Slim’s flash drive is less vulnerable to hard knocks. And its 256MB of storage space means the device can house four to eight hours of music, depending on compression. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll get:
Features
Backlit LCD display, FM radio and recorder with 32 presets, support for MP3 and WMA audio files (iPods accept AAC and MP3 files), voice recorder, equalizer and a rechargeable battery. It also comes in five colors: pink, light blue, dark blue, black and silver.
Upside
– Compact and lightweight design–it’s probably the thinnest MP3 player available.
– Works on Macs and PCs. Just plug it in, drag and drop audio files (stores other data files too).
– Uncluttered display is clear, intuitive and easy to navigate.
– Flash drive withstands jolts and bumps–perfect for active folks.
Downside
– Stores only about six CDs worth of tunes at a time.
– The battery can be recharged only through your computer via the USB cable.
The included ear buds may be big for some.
Bottom line
The MuVo Slim can’t store as many songs as hard-drive players, but its sleek style and size, intuitive interface and controls, multiplatform file support and FM capabilities make up for its minor shortcomings.
To purchase
MuVo Slim portable audio player, $109.99 at us.creative.com/shop.
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More goodies
Shure E3 earphones
$179 at www.bhphotovideo.com
If you demand high-quality sound, those earphones that were bundled with your audio player just aren’t going to do the job. Perhaps it’s time to upgrade to Shure’s E3 earphones. Yes, they are costly, but the price reflects the quality. The micro-speakers produce a wider range of clean sound compared with stock ear buds. Bass is deeper, and treble is brighter. Shure’s earphones also include three styles of sound-isolating sleeves for a custom fit.
Argus DC 1730
$44.99 at Wal-Mart stores (in stores only)
If you only want to e-mail photos, why buy an expensive digital camera? The Argus DC 1730 is about the size of a pack of cigarettes, has a full-color LCD screen (a rarity for low-end digital cameras), can store up to 117 images and costs less than $50. The basic features are nice for a camera at this price, but don’t expect more. Resolution is fairly low, the storage isn’t expandable, and you’re not going to find any bells and whistles.
Wi-Fi Seeker
$29.95 at www.wifiseeker.com
If you’re out and about with your laptop, looking to find a hot spot for a wireless connection to the Internet, check out the Wi-Fi Seeker. Small enough to fit on your key chain, this little gadget scans the area and alerts you when it finds a strong Wi-Fi signal within 300 feet. A clear signal means you won’t have to reboot so often.
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale ([email protected]) and Kris Karnopp ([email protected])