Hard Disk MP3 Players,Top 5 Review

Cowon iAudio6 Archos Gmini 500


Apple iPod 30GB


Sony Walkman NW-A1200


Creative Zen Vision M

Hello,it me again,this is a busy week for me.I got a lot of works and must finish off all the works before this Friday(paper work ect...).Next week I will not post the new article,cause I go back to my home town till Wednesday .

Today I discuss about hard disk MP3 players.Hopefully all of you get the benefit from my writing. Emm.. carry your whole music library with you,along with movies and photos

Apple iPod 30GB( and 80GB) sports a 60% brighter screen and battery life is extended to 14 hours for audio and 3.5 hours for video ( for the 30GB version).It weighs only 156g and sofrware improvements include the new search feature where,like the Creative,you can scroll though the alphabet with the click wheel to save time in long lists.You can now buy games such as Pac-Man and Tetris from the iTunes Store.Video looks good on the 2.5 in screen,but it cannot compete with the Archo’s 4in display.Also,codec support is not as wide as the Creative,lacking WMA and protected WMA.The iPod is a good choice,but only if you do not have WMA files in your library.

The Sony Walkman NW-A1200 tips the scales at 110g.It is similar to the NW-A1000,but offers an 8GB hard disk.It also supports MP3,ATRAC3,unprotected AAC and WMA files.Unlike others here.The navigation pad is no match for the Creative’s touch strip,especially with a large music library.I think the Top100 option and the Artist Link button,which can find songs and artists related to the current song.The problem is the software- Sony still hasn’t introduced compatibility with Windows Media Player.Instead,you use the counter intuitive SonicStage,which is apain when you want to add music.

Neither is the Cowon iAudio 6. It has a paltry 4GB hard disk.But it’s by far the most pocketable here( and weight just 58g). Plus it has come suprising features too.It support Mp3,OGG,FLAC,WMA and WAV files.Despite the 1.3in OLED screen,it supports MPEG4 videos and photos.There is also a line in on top direct recording,and FM radio and atext file viewer.But menus are fiddly and the headphones a poor quality,which makes the FLAC support pointless.But the poor capacity at this price makes the Cowon one to avoid.

The Creative Zen Vision:M is cheaper than the Cowon,but has a 30GB hard disk (a 60GB version is imminent).The 2.5in screen is superb,allowing you to more comfortably watch DivX,Xvid,WMA or Mpeg1,2 or 4 movies,while the battery lasts a shade over four hours.If you are just listening to music ,it will last for about 14 hours.The Zen weighs 164g and DRM friendly;there is also an FM radio with recorder.The touchpad allows quick browsing through lists.While you can also jump to any letter in the alphabet to save scrolling.If an adapter were not needd for USB,power and A/V output the Zen would be just about perfect.Even so it is still the one to buy if you are primarly after an MP3 player.

If video is a priority,consider an MP4 player like the Archos Gmini 500.It costs more than the Creavite,but boasts a 40GB hard disk and a fantastic 4in widescreen TFT with aresolution of 480 x 272. It is bulky at 124 x 24 x 76mm and weighs 322g,but it is a small compromise for the superb video quality.MPEG4,WMV and AVI files are supported,and the screen is so bright that you can comfortably watch a three hours movie without eyestrain.You can expect five hours of life watching movies and 15 hours with MP3.With the extra bulk,I can only recommend the Archos if video ia a priority,but the Gmini is asuperb alternative to the Creative if it is.Ok just all today.I wish all of you enjoy it bye…Happy reading,and for all Chinese around the world ,Happy New Year!