Creative Labs 128 MB Nomad Muvo MP3 Player

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Manufacturer: Creative Labs
Price at amazon.com: $76.99
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Used & new from $59.99




Product Features:

• Fantastic sound quality and versatility for handling MP3s, WMAs, or data
• 2-piece design, about the size of a cigarette lighter
• Easy connectivity via USB supported under Windows Me, 2000 and XP
• No moving parts--ideal for dynamic environments, like jogging or fitness training
• Up to 12 hours continuous play time from one AAA alkaline battery

Product Description:

The Creative Labs Nomad MuVo offers fantastic sound quality as an MP3 player and unparalleled versatility as a data storage device. It's based on the finger-size 64 MB MuVo Memory module, which can store data files or approximately 15 MP3 tracks. Plug the MuVo Memory into any computer USB port and it will show up automatically as a removable storage device on the desktop. Drag and drop your MP3s, WMAs, or any files you wish straight onto the Nomad MuVo. No cables or software are required. Then,... read more

Description from Manufacturer:Combining a high-quality 128 MB MP3 player with a compact USB hard drive, Creative Labs has created MuVo, a logical step in hybrid portable devices.

MuVo is compact (about the size of a cigarette lighter) and lightweight, and it stores images, Web pages, and other documents, in addition to your MP3 files.

Installation is a breeze. Simply plug the MuVo into a spare USB port and your PC recognizes it as a mass storage device. No drivers are needed, although the unit does ship with some drivers and a special formatting tool. Transferring files to the unit is as simple as the installation: simply drag and drop files into the player and you're set to go. Once you've transferred data or MP3 files, remove the MuVo from your computer and slide it onto the battery pack. One AAA battery will net you up to 12 hours of power.

One problem we found was that because the unit doesn't ship with a cradle or USB port extension cable, we had to go around to the back of our computer every time we wanted to insert or remove the device. This isn't a problem if you have a USB hub or are using the MuVo on a laptop.

Although slightly more expensive than a mass storage device of comparable size, the MuVo is ideal for those wanting a compact, versatile MP3 player. --Martin Snelling, Amazon.co.ukAverage Customer Rating:

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Comment: A well designed minimalist MP3 player Rating:
I received the Nomad Muvo 128 as a gift and love it. While it's advertised to support the Windows platform only, I've been using it with ease with my Mac OSX iBook. You can drag and drop right out of iTunes to the Muvo, which couldn't be easier.

I've had no problems with the unit and with NiCad rechargeable batteries, I'd say the 12h playing time is an understatement. Sound quality is great, though the included headphones aren't much good. Plug it into a good quality pair (or your home stereo) and you'll immediately notice the great quality sound.

I'd give it a 5 except that the Muvo cannot remember where it left off each time you turn it off. When you turn it back on, it always restarts at the first song in your play list. The good news is that the Muvo's firmware is upgradeable, so Creative will be able to improve on it in the future. Fixing this issue and adding better mac support would get a 5-star rating out of me. [...]

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Comment: Perfect Product for the Right Consumer Rating:
This MP3/WMA player by Creative Labs is just plain awesome. True, it doesn't have an LCD screen, a clock, an FM tuner, or a built in stop watch; however, in exchange for these "features" what you do get is simplicity, ease of use, incredibly long battery life (12 hours on a AAA), unbelievable size and tremendous flexibility.

This device is so much more than just a portable MP3 player. It is a hybrid portable storage device that can be used to transfer any file type from one computer to another. In addition, it plays both MP3 as well as WMA formats. I have found this to be a very important feature because of the relatively small size of WMA files. The 64 MB model will easily hold 25-30 songs in WMA format.

If I had to sum this player up in two words it would be . . . wonderful simplicity. I had this player out of the box, installed, and loaded with songs ready to go to the gym in five minutes. (NO Exaggeration) There is no tricky software to learn or installation headaches to worry about. You simply plug it into your USB port and then drag and drop the music files you want from your hard drive. (I am running Windows XP; however, software is included in the box for Windows 98 users.)

The bottom line is that different people want vastly different things. If you are looking for fancy menus, jog dials, and a lot of battery-draining bells and whistles, then look elsewhere. However, if you are looking for the simplest, smallest, lightest player on the market to take to the gym and to work that doubles as a really cool file storage device then look no further. This is absolutely the product to buy. I highly recommend it!!

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Comment: broke in 6 months and had a terrible time with support Rating:
well, I bought the Muvo in late 2002 for my son.
within 3 months, problem occurred. We managed to use
it and repair it (reformat, download new drivers)
for another 3 months. But, eventually, it just can't
even be power on.
Called Creative Lab support, they said it's exceeded the
3-month limited warranty. In the hope that they will
find the problem and their
conscience, I sent them the broken device and 20 dollars
examination fee.
The result came back "It can't be powered on. If you

want to replace it, please pay an extra 75 dollars".
I was mad as hell.
In a fury, I canceled my 20 dollars Credit card
bill -- and they didn't contest that. But I still missed
the 9 dollars I spent on Fedex shipping. And I missed
the $150 floppy drive that I could have kept myself (I learned
that I may be able to use the broken MP3 player as a
floppy drive by reading the reviews on this website).

I will never buy anything from Creative Lab.

Posted at November 11, 2003 07:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)