It seems strange to think that one-time MP3-player market leader and current "catch-up merchant" Creative has only just arrived with its first touchscreen player, but in an attempt to appeal to the tactile generation it has upgraded its impressive Zen X-Fi for just this purpose.

The X-Fi 2 ditches the keypad that used to sit alongside the display and now simply offers a "home" button to return to the main menu. The rest of the controls are?operated via the touchscreen interface and aside from a microSD card slot for expanding the generous internal storage (the X-Fi 2 is available at capacities from 8 to 32GB) there are no other notable external features.

Creative has gone the whole hog with touchscreen operation then, and it wasn’t long before we were cursing the lack of a dedicated volume adjuster to avoid the rigmarole of unlocking and trawling through menus. Unfortunately this isn’t too easy to do as this is far from the most responsive touchscreen on the market, paling in comparison to Apple’s (admittedly far more expensive) recent efforts.

While things do improve once you get used to the pressure and angle at which you need to browse the features and settings, it’s fair to say that we were a little let down by what should have been the headline feature of this new player.

Creative appears to have taken a rather token approach to the new operation, preferring to rely on its strengths – namely the X-Fi sound schemes and value for money – to appeal to the modern consumer. Luckily it certainly knows what it’s doing in this area, and the audio quality available by tweaking the range of different effects is excellent. We were also pleasantly surprised by the solid, well-rounded ear-buds supplied, which are far better than you would typically find on a portable player.

One advantage touchscreen adoption does bring is a larger display, and the 3-inch (400 x 240) LCD is certainly clear and colourful enough to do justice to video and photo content, being just about big enough to enjoy feature-length clips on the move.

File support is also very good here and the X-Fi 2 is able to handle a range of conventional formats as well as less common FLAC and AAC audio. There are also a healthy range of additional features that include an FM radio, clock, alarm, calendar, task and contacts list along with a voice recorder via the built-in microphone.

A decent battery life allows for around 20 hours of audio playback and just over 4 hours for video, and it’s fairly slim and light weighing in at 75g.

We were extremely impressed by the audio quality on offer with the X-Fi 2 and suitably comfortable with the large, colourful display, but it’s a shame that the touchscreen operation wasn’t given more attention, particularly as this (along with the slightly larger display) will be the main draw for most. Creative still offers a versatile, solid player at a very reasonable price but those who are expecting it to compete with Apple’s superbly responsive iPod touch from an operational point of view will have to accept this sacrifice for the admittedly substantial savings on offer.

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Verdict:

Creative is up there with the best on the market in terms of audio quality with its X-Fi range, and this new model would certainly suit those who prioritise the viewing of video or photos on the move. These factors are its saving grace as the headline touchscreen isn’t great, and though this would have been forgiveable if common operations such as adjusting volume were catered for using dedicated controls, we can’t help but think Creative missed a trick with its first ever touchscreen player, even if it is significantly cheaper than similar rivals.

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Tags: Audio MP3 players Creative Creative Zen X-Fi2

Creative Zen X-Fi 2 MP3 player originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:49:52 +0000

We'll cut to the chase, the?Sonos?music system is one of the best music systems we've experienced here at Pocket-lint, not just because it sounds good, but because it is so damn easy to setup and use. The trouble is, for most, it's an expensive system to get into with the standard bundle costing ?800 in the UK and $999 in the US.?All that has changed however with the introduction of the Sonos S5 ZonePlayer. But does it work? Will it offer you a cheap way into the world of Sonos?

If you haven't heard about Sonos in the past the best way to describe it is that it's a music system that allows you to connect up to 42 zones, allowing you to play music throughout your house from a central music collection - stored on a computer or a NAS drive connected to your network.

You can choose to play the same song by grouping all those zones or different music in every room, so, for example, you could listen to Def Leopard in the kitchen while the kids listen to Disney favourites in their room. If that wasn't enough to whet your appetite, the system also lets you stream around 25,000 internet radio stations from around the world, as well as letting you connect to music services like Pandora in the US and Deezer in the UK.

Back to the S5 ZonePlayer and although you only get the one zone, it is a considerably cheaper option to get you started (?349/$399).

Designed around the impression of a single speaker, the unit actually has a 5-driver speaker system, including two tweeters, two mid-range drivers and a built-in subwoofer.

Coming in white and silver, like other elements in the Sonos range, the silver speaker grill "is" the front of the unit and the only controls to be found are the volume up and down and mute button on the top.

Thin enough to easily sit on a kitchen window ledge or lounge sideboard, you will require a power socket and if you aren't opting for the optional ZoneBridge (?80/$99) to get you connected, you'll need an Ethernet port close by.

Around the back there is a line-in so you can connect an iPod or CD player to be shared on the system along with a headphone socket.?In our tests we weren't too impressed with the performance of the headphone socket - we got plenty of static and hiss coming through even when we weren't playing songs, and judging by other comments on the Internet we aren't alone. Still you're unlikely to use it anyway.

If there are only volume and mute controls, how do you control it? It's all down to the accompanying software for Mac or PC and for iPod touch and iPhone owners - which comes in the form of a free app.?The software is incredibly easy to use. For listening to your own music, throw that collection into a folder and then tell the Sonos to scan that folder. You can set automatic scans on a daily basis to keep up-to-date with new music additions, management of playlists, favourite radio stations and music services.

The system will support Last.fm, Napster, Pandora, Rhapsody and SIRIUS in the US and Last.fm, Napster, Classical.com and Deezer in the UK. Unfortunately due to the way that Spotify works, you can't get the service here.?Other gems with the software is the ability to set an alarm so you can be woken with your favourite tracks or you even to tweet what you are listening to.

If you've already got a Sonos system, connecting the S5 requires you to press two buttons (it really is that simple) and because the system is setup and remembers the connection, you can drag this around the house (as long as there is a plug) quickly and easily (roll on the summer).

For newbies, and this is clearly where this speaker system is aimed at, set-up is slightly longer - you have to install some software on your computer, but the walkthrough is so basic that we would be surprised if you had trouble.

Back to the S5 and the sound quality is good. It's not Bowers and Wilkin's Zeppelin good, but then the Zeppelin doesn't come with all the connectivity options. That said, it's no slouch, producing a good, if not slightly bassy sound (it can be changed via an on-screen equaliser) that is sure to fill most rooms in your house - especially the kitchen, bedroom or bathroom.

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Verdict:

Where the Sonos S5 ZonePlayer appeals to us is not only in the price, but the ease in which it allows you to get into the system. If you've got a iPod touch or iPhone, the app doubles as the controller and the ability to add more zones throughout your house is so simple you'll want to do it within a couple of weeks.

If you are in the market for an iPod speaker this will likely be better than anything you can get on the market in terms of options. You'll also get to keep your iPod touch or iPhone in your pocket as it's not needed in the dock (there is no docking station).

The system also makes music more accessible. Sonos says that people who own a system listen to music at least twice as much as they did before. As an owner of a BU250 system with two zones already, I would have to agree. Since owning it, my family listens to a lot more music in different parts of the house, sometimes the same, sometimes different.

Where the Sonos S5 succeeds is in its simplicity. It takes all the faff out of listening to music. Combine that with the music services and you are on to a real winner.

Tags: Audio Sonos Networking Sonos Zoneplayer S5

Sonos S5 ZonePlayer speaker system originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:27:58 +0000

You've got days of music stored on your iPhone or iPod, the trouble is once you get in your car you're left with hunting around for a CD or even what's on the radio to remove the drone of the road.

In steps the iTrip, improved and enhanced from its first outings many years ago to offer a chance to stream music from your iPod or iPhone to your car stereo via the wonders of FM.

The size of disposable lighter, the iTrip plugs into your Apple device via the 30-pin dock connector and gets to work transmitting your music to a nearby radio that is tuned in on the same frequency.

The unit itself comes with four buttons, and a mono screen with which to access the rather rudimentary menu system. Pressing Menu a number of times scrolls through the menu options, while three buttons below the screen allow you to scan up and down the airwaves, select presets, or skip to the next track without having to turn your iPod player "on". On the whole the experience is a fiddly one.

Realising that iPod touch and iPhone users want something a little more graphical, Griffin has developed a free app that you can download via the App Store to control all the above with your finger rather the having to get dirty with the hardware. The app certainly makes things a lot easier.

Scanning the airwaves can be done in two ways, manually (normally the easiest) or via something Griffin call SmartScan, which as you might guess scans all available frequencies looking for the cleanest, unfettered, frequency available for you to set-up your mini pirate radio station on.

In the settings option there is a chance to have three preset stations, as well as whether or not to pump out your sound in mono or stereo. SmartSound is a Griffin Technology that enhances the sound and makes it louder. In reality that's what it does - make stuff louder.

In use and the performance of the iTrip, like previous models, will come down to where you live. If you live in a major metropolitan area you are likely to struggle to find a clear enough signal to push your transmission to. We certainly weren't able to run the system in stereo. That means your music will be constantly interrupted and you'll spend most of your drive retuning the iTrip to find a better frequency. Not great.

If however you live in the country or are planning on using this in a static environment around the home placing your iTrip in the right place does get good results. Placement is everything though - we found strangely next to the gearbox worked in one car and on the dash in another.?

As for charging, there is an option to connect a Micro-USB to the iTrip, which in turn will let you charge the iPhone or iPod, however it isn't included in the box.

Verdict:

The Griffin iTrip is a difficult one to mark. The fact that our tests delivered mixed results isn't Griffin's fault, but merely a problem of the cluttered airwaves where we tested it, suggesting you could buy this and experience a far better experience than we have.

If you really must get your music off your iPhone or iPod on your car stereo then this is one way to do it, just don't expect it to be a perfect experience every time.?

Proceed with caution.

Related links:

• Griffin - iTrip

Tags: Audio iPod accessories Car And GPS Griffin iPod iPhone FM transmitters

Griffin iTrip FM transmitter with iPhone app originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:08:11 +0000

There are plenty of headphones available, some good, some bad. But when was the last time you saw a pair aimed at younger children? That's the plan with the Griffin MyPhones, a set of headphones that are aimed at the little angels in your life. But do they work? We plugged in our 3 year-old daughter to find out.

The MyPhones main claim is that they feature an always-on volume limiter so your child can't turn the volume up too loud and blow their ear-drums out. Set to a maximum 85dB all the time, they can still get loud, but not loud enough to do any damage.

To put 85dB into context, you and I talk normally at around 60dB while an MP3 player such as the iPod (without the volume limiter turned on) is around 120dB - the same, indecently, as an ambulance screaming past you in the street.

In practice and the headphones look like your average grown-up headphones. They have big comfortable cans on either side and an adjustable head strap to fit different sized heads, but things are kept small for children.?The cans are well padded and replicate what you would expect on an adult "professional" model, leather or faux leather we can't determine, but either way they are good enough to block any noise (not that it gets that loud anyway).

There is a long cable (127cm) with a 3.5mm jack so the MP3 player can be tucked neatly away in a back pack (kids pockets are usually full of stones or tissues), which is an unexpected but pleasant surprise and should see you right on planes and in the back of the car.

Where the Griffin MyPhones headphones aim to appeal to children is with the interchangeable cover inserts. You get two designs in the box - blue or pink - and before you start to think this is just another marketing idea to sell you more, you also get a further two sets of blank templates so you can colour in your own. The templates are easy enough to copy (it's just a circle after all) and that means your kids can colour their hearts out and put their own stamp on them.

So what about performance? After asking the 3-year-old and getting nowhere without a "they sound great daddy", we tested them out (in the interest of reviewing you understand). The sound isn't anything spectacular, however it's not awful either. There is a good balance of treble and bass with the bass, as you would expect, on the light side. Noise cancellation was good and although we weren't able to test them on an aeroplane they did manage to isolate the noise of our washing machine when standing next to it.?

I listened to everything from The Beatles to Berlioz and would be happy enough with the performance to know that my daughter and son won't be complaining any time soon.

Everything is kept in a large strong plastic carry case, and the marketing bumpf can be removed and the accompanying "These myPhones belong to..." panel inserted instead.

Grumbles? There aren't any.

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Verdict:

As a parent you always want to protect your children, but not go over the top and wrap them in cotton wool. Although some MP3 players (iPod included) do offer a volume limiting system, it's sometimes hard to find the setting and fiddly fingers will always turn it off.?

The volume limiting here is done via the hardware and is always on - there is no off switch – so all you have to worry about is plugging them in. Couple that with the ability to customise, and our 3-year-old was excited about not only colouring them in but then wearing them afterwards.

If you're a parent and need a set of headphones for your little one, these are the ones to get.

Related links:

• Learn more - MyPhonesKids.com

Tags: Audio Headphones Griffin Dad Griffin MyPhones

Griffin MyPhones headphones for children originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Memorex, yes, the people who made those see-through audio cassettes back in the day, have unleashed their latest iPod dock on the world in the form of the Memorex Sound System. But should this grab your attention?

The Memorex Sound System is conservatively designed and constructed from solid-feeling plastics, but lacks the premium looks that some docks give you. It stands approx 15cm high, is 35cm wide and 12cm deep, so is larger than some others too.

It does have an output of 30 Watts RMS, however, from stereo drivers and tweeter domes, which sit behind the front grill. The front also features a reasonably large display and a slot-loading CD drive.

The remainder of the controls can be found on the top of the Sound System and there are plenty of them. In the centre you have the iPod dock that also supports the iPhone, and your main power, mode and volume controls. To the left are five more controls that allow you to set the time, change the EQ and switch the the auxiliary input. Then there are a further four controls to select sleep, dim the display and set repeat and shuffle.

Across to the right you have 5 radio preset buttons, and then play/pause, stop and track forward and back controls. If you like buttons, you are well covered. This covers all the controls that you'll find on the remote, except those that you'd use to navigate the menus on your iPod.

With the controls clearly labelled, the Memorex Sound System is easy to use and we like the big iPod, CD and Radio buttons so you can just punch the button and listen to what you want. Several inserts are provided for the iPod dock at the top so that your iPhone will sit securely.

Navigating and controlling your iPod presents no problems at all, with an additional "B" button the remote to briefly but the iPod backlight on so you can see the menus. The remote is a little on the cheap side, with small buttons, particularly the volume controls which could have been more prominent.

In use and the sound quality is pretty good, with plenty of volume on offer and it remains relatively distortion even up at top higher volumes. The sound isn't perhaps as clear as some more expensive rivals, lacking the premium definition to your music that some docks offer. Bass is well represented with easy adjustment through the EQ settings so your tunes have a good meaty quality to them.

The FM tuner also performed well picking up local stations as expected. There is no auto scan feature, so you'll have to program in your 5 presents from the off and we would have preferred a DAB option to be included. The CD player takes a little time to get going after inserting a CD, but it isn't a major drawback.

Around the back of the Sound System you get an aux in, so you can hook up any other devices using a standard 3.5mm cable.

Verdict:

Unfortunately, despite the presence of a clock and a sleep timer, there is no alarm function, so as a single box solution for a bedroom or dorm room, you'll be missing this feature. However, you could always use the alarm on your iPod or iPhone. There is no headphone jack either which may deter those who on occasion want to keep their music to themselves.

Overall we were impressed with how easy to use the Memorex Sound System was. The audio performance was impressive without being exemplary, perfect for casual use.

There are a great number of iPod docks available and the Memorex is an inoffensive middle-of-the-road offering. You'll be able to get units that are cheaper or have a more interesting design, but there is little go wrong with here.

Tags: Audio iPod docks iPod speakers iPod iPhone Memorex Memorex Sound System

Memorex Sound System iPod dock originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0000

So you've got an iPhone?(who hasn't) and you know that it's probably the worst device on the planet for actually lasting longer than a couple of hours without needing a charge.

In steps the Griffin Simplifi, an iPhone/iPod docking station that is designed for your desk rather than your night stand, the principle aim being to keep your Apple created device powered.

We say principle aim, because the Simplifi has more to it than just charging your favourite phone or MP3 player. Closer inspection actually reveals that the Simplifi is about "de-cluttering" your desk, well at least that's what the box says, so what is it exactly?

Put simply (get it) the Simplfi is a memory card reader, USB hub and iPod/iPhone docking station in one.

The square light grey solid lump of anodized aluminium and plastic sports two memory card slots at the front that support CompactFlash, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SD, and xD formats. Around the back you get two USB ports as well as a power-in so those two USB ports can in turn power devices like portable hard drives or keyboards without complaining.

The top of that lump sports the iPhone/iPod dock and there are, as you would expect a series of different "cups" to fit the device you have.

As you might imagine there isn't much to the operation of the Simplifi. Power is provided via the included power adapter, while PC or Mac connectivity is via the included USB cable. ?

Memory cards are automatically accepted once you connect them and the same goes for the iPhone/iPod too. Transfer speeds are based on your memory card capabilities, but they will be fast enough for most.

Grumbles? It would have been nice to have included a USB socket around the front, and just two seems a bit stingy. The design would have allowed, albeit a bit cramped, more sockets to make this a "Real" hub of merit.?

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Verdict:

If you are short of space on your desk, need a memory card reader for your camera and looking to expand your USB options (the MacBook and MacBook Pro only come with two remember), this is as good a solution as any.

This is Griffin doing what they do best, creating simple and easy to use products that don't necessarily break the mould, but just work.?

We just wish there were more USB sockets.

Tags: Audio iPod docks iPod accessories iPhone Phones Griffin Griffin Simplifi Memory card readers

Griffin Simplifi dock originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:30:00 +0000

Let's face it, your laptop or netbook speakers are pretty drab aren't they? Unless you've opted for one of those Toshiba Qosmio's with the Hardon Karmen sound systems, chances are the noise you get isn't going to make it beyond your desk let alone give you a chance to party in your hotel room.

That's where Altec Lansing is hoping to step in with an update to its Orbit range to allow you to plug it in to your laptop rather than just an MP3 player. Rather than a 3.5mm jack socket as found on the virtually identically named and spec-ed iMT237, it plugs in via USB giving you a digital connection rather than an analogue one.

Looks wise, the speaker is, as we've said, virtually the same in design and performance. You get the same hockey puck styled speaker, but this time it comes with a kick-out stand giving you the chance to aim it in your general direction. The stand certainly aids the speaker's performance over the sound just rising from the desk as before and it means you won't have to have it so loud. ?

When not in use the kickstand can be folded away and the in-built USB cable folded away out of sight for travelling.

Other notable differences over the previous model include the loss of the AAA battery in favour of taking a charge from your computer and a more stylish black and gold colour scheme over the previous silver offering.

The power option will save you having to worry about AAA batteries but it does mean that it will be draining power from your laptop or netbook and it's something to bear in mind if you are worried about power usage.

What about sound performance? As you might expect the Orbit iML237 isn't going to blow you away and audiophiles should probably stop reading now. While at loud volumes the performance is dubious for the price, but for what Altec Lansing set out to do the Orbit iML237 isn't too bad. It is all about giving you volume and the chance to share your music at your hotel bedroom desk rather than being a replacement for your home PC stereo system.

Verdict:

We tested it on a range of music from The Presets to Rolling Stones and while the speaker coped well enough, we wouldn't recommend them for every day listening if you are really into your music.

Of course it lacks any real bass element or depth, but then that's not really the point. This is a way of enhancing your laptop's speakers on the cheap rather than making your tunes sound the best they possibly could.

With that in mind, it's not too shabby.

Tags: Audio Speakers Altec Lansing Altec Lansing Orbit iM237 PC speakers Altec Lansing Orbit iM237

Altec Lansing Orbit iM237 USB speaker originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0100

Napster has had a tough time since "going legit". While it was the foremost filesharing network of its day, and arguably the original source of the explosion in P2P antics over this decade, it's had trouble transferring that brand power into a legitimate service.

Until recently, Napster offered two tiers of subscription: ?10 per month would get you unlimited streaming, and ?15 would get you DRMed downloads that wouldn't work on iPod and would be unlistenable if you let your subscription lapse. But recently the company withdrew these offerings and launched a new service which is cheaper and offers more than both of those options.

For ?5 per month, you can now get a Napster subscription which offers you streaming and five non-DRMed MP3 downloads each month. The idea is that you listen to loads of different music and then download the best tracks so you can burn them to CD or put them on your MP3 player.

The company is undercutting rival streaming service Spotify by offering what appears on paper to be a more generous deal for half price, but how does it really stack up in reality? Can Napster grab a piece of the digital music pie by making its subscription options finally worth the cash?

Napster has two interfaces for playing music - a website and a desktop app. The two resemble each other very closely, and a number of times while testing them both we got confused as to which we were in and had to double-check. Why? Because it all runs at the speed of the website.

And that's not quick. From double-clicking a song to hearing it come out of your speakers means buffering for 4-7 seconds on a connection that can play uncached tracks out of Spotify in less than a second. This is likely because Napster streams all its music itself, whereas Spotify relies on P2P - pulling tracks off other users nearby who've listened to that song recently and have it cached.

Once things are going, transfer is fine. Streams are at just 128kbps, which is rather on the too-low side, but we didn't get a single dropout or buffering experience during our testing. So far, so okay. You can right-click tracks to buy them in 256kbps MP3 format, and once you do, they'll play in the desktop app at the higher quality.

That desktop app also doubles as a music library organiser. Unlike Spotify's client which is stripped-down and just does streaming and playlists, Napster takes a leaf out of iTunes' book. It lets you rip and burn CDs, control your MP3 collection, generate "Genius"-style autoplaylists and access preprepared playlists from Napster, albeit with bizarre and terrifying titles like "A special compilation of tracks about mum", "Songs about being crazy" and "Tony Blair's 10 years in power".

That last bit reflects in a nutshell what permeates the design of Napster. It doesn't feel like it's designed for music fans. It gets in the way of what you want to do - constantly asking if you want an auto-generated playlist of a band, rather than letting you get access to that band's catalogue for you to choose yourself. It takes two clicks to start playing the current top 10 singles in the UK, but five actions to get up a list of songs by a band.

Then there's other strange hoops that the software demands you jump through. It demands that you download and install a plugin as an EXE file downloaded off a website, then restart the software, before you can rip a CD in 320kbps MP3 format - the default WMA encoding (which won't work on iPods) will only go up to 128kbps, bizarrely.

And media buttons on your keyboard, if you have them, will only work if the application has the focus on your screen. If you're writing a word document and you want to skip tracks, you'll need to swap to Napster, then hit the "skip forward" button - completely negating the usefulness of such features.

But let's go back to the original question - is it worth ?5 per month? The answer is "yes". A fiver for an unlimited amount of listening whatever you like in a big catalogue (no real complaints in that department) is worth the asking price, even if it's in low quality on irritatingly slow software. The free MP3s are great, but amount to little more than a conscience boost - they won't win over anyone who's ever used a filesharing network.

But don't click that subscribe button just yet. If you're a music lover and want a tool to listen to the songs that you want, in great quality, on fast software without getting a computer-generated playlist constantly in the way, then Napster isn't as good an experience as its competitors. Spotify gives you far more for the extra that it costs - Napster has said that it has absolutely no plans for mobile streaming, for example.

Spotify has also been undercut by Sky's "Sky Songs" offering, which will give you ten songs per month for ?6.50 or 15 for ?8. Seems better value on paper, but we haven't seen the catalogue or the usability of the service yet.

Verdict:

If you love music and know what you want the listen to the majority of the time, Napster is a little irritating and a pain. If you're a more casual fan, then it's a decent budget option to get more music into your life.

Tags: Audio Software Media streaming Napster Music downloads

Napster UK subscription service originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:00:23 +0100

While the first Zune was just another MP3 player to many, the same can't be said about the Zune HD, the follow-up player from Microsoft. Could the Windows maker finally have a device that will give a new impetuous to the MP3 player market? We've been living with one for the last month to work it whether the hype is justified.

Coming in two sizes - 16GB and 32GB - the Zune HD is sleek, solid, and well-made, with plenty of wow factor. It is light years ahead of the original model: it's Schwarzenegger to Danny DeVito in Twins. It really is that different.

Now you get a thin player, dominated by the 3.3-inch OLED screen with a single button underneath. The screen, which is capacitive, multi-touch and gesture-enabled is crisp, bright and clean in its performance. It will make your video and images come alive to an extent that we haven't seen on a PMP before. It's impressive.

The rest of the design is equally minimalist. The single button is rectangular as not to be confused with another more popular MP3 player on the market, while the power button can be found at the top. A 3.5mm headphone jack can be found next to the dock connector at the bottom, which is used for charging and plugging into accessories. Placing it at the bottom means its ready to use when you pull it out of your pocket - a nice touch. For those who like buttons there is a further side button that gives you direct access to the player controls.

The metal casing, which is held down by four mean looking screws is tough and all in all this is one good looking device.

Power it up and you'll quickly find that it's made by Microsoft. Why do we say that? Well because before you go anywhere you have to sync it with your PC. Once synced, you've then got to update it with the latest firmware version and that's after you've downloaded the Zune software to get the thing working in the first place. It's not the end of the world, but you expect gadgets these days to just work, not to have to be updated from day one.

Mac users with the urge to sign up, take heed: the Zune software isn't Mac compatible and therefore you'll either have to find a friend to install the software or invest in virtualisation software to run on your Mac. If you don't it's a charming looking paperweight. Microsoft has teased with the promise of Mac software, but don't hold your breath.

So you've updated the software and you're up and running. The Zune's interface is stunning: graphically luscious and very fast thanks to the Nvidia Tegra chip inside. That means rather than a 2D menu interface that sees you scrolling from left to right, things pop, slide, shizzle and generally pazzam their way around the screen.

The touch interface only helps in the day-to-day control of the player and we found it incredibly responsive to use, Apple responsive to use.

The Zune HD offers two menu systems to get to your music, pictures, videos and apps quickly. The main menu gives you an overview of what is happening now with a "Now Playing" box starting proceedings. Then there is something Microsoft has called "Pins" that allow you to Pin something to the menu.

The idea, and it's one that works, is if you have a favourite album or video you can "pin" it to the menu for quick access. After "Pins" comes "History" so you can see what you've been listening or watching and then "New" which lists the latest tracks you added to the player - handy if you are wanting to go straight to that new funky track you just bought.

While the system works incredibly well it does look complicated if you don't have all the album art in place - you just get placeholders.

A more traditional menu system, and the one you are more likely to use on a day-to-day basis is the list menu that lists the core functions and features of the player. Here you get access to music, video, pictures, radio, Marketplace to buy apps, social aspects of the player, the Internet browser, apps, and settings.

The main focus here is the music, although it's not the only focus. Pressing the music button whizzes you into the your music collection and you can, as you would expect, list songs as Playlists, Songs, Genres, Albums, and Artists.?

If you don't have your own music collection, or are just bored with it, then you can sign up to get a Zune Pass. Think Napster or Spotify for your MP3 player. For $14.99 you can access thousands of songs to download them on to your Zune HD and swap them out when you are bored. It's not a new idea, but it is a great way to get unlimited music with minimum of fuss, if you are happy to pay the price of two new albums a month. Within the deal you also get to keep 10 tracks a month, so when you exit the programme you at least have something to show for it.

With your Zune Pass sorted (you get a 14 day free trial in the box) you can then go about creating Smart DJ lists. Basically they are like Genius lists from Apple, created in the accompanying PC software rather than on the player itself.

When you think you're just about done on the music front, the player then smacks you with what Microsoft call HD radio. In reality it's a standard FM radio, but the reception is excellent (we tested it in New York). If the radio station provides track details then you get that information on the screen, and the player allows you to seamlessly pause the radio so you don't miss the best bit, be it a song or documentary.?

Better still if you really like the song, and it is recognised, you can add it to your "cart" to buy the track from Marketplace. Clever.

Marketplace is where you spend your money. With a music and apps store, the offering isn't massive at the moment from the player itself. It's more of a "glance" rather than a compressive offering on the go, and you get access to top songs, top albums, new releases.

Apps are a combination of games, productivity tools and bits and bobs. So far there are just 10 available, eight of which are games. The other two are a weather app and a calculator app.

Of course this will grow in size and scope as Marketplace gains momentum. At the moment you can only search via New, Update and All. If you had 85,000 apps in there it would get very complicated to find relevant apps.

With a multi-touch gesture-based screen and a Tegra graphics chip, this should, if the Marketplace can get momentum, have huge potential. But for now it is a bit of a damp squib. Why Microsoft didn't allow developers to port games from Windows Mobile is beyond us. Apps is definitely one to watch, but for the moment not something you would base your purchase on.

Something else you shouldn't base your purchase on is the browser. It might say internet browser on the box, but it is very basic experience. Utilising the on-board wireless connectivity you get a very simple browser based on Internet Explorer. On the plus side it's quick and you can zip around the Internet checking out your favourite websites like Pocket-lint.

There is an on-screen keyboard (portrait and landscape) so you can enter the URL, there is a favourite button so you can access your favourite sites, and finally a Bing search button so you can search the web. There isn’t multiple tab browsing, history, and any navigation elements apart from refresh and back. There is no Flash support for watching video, YouTube or not.

As for the software, the interactive interface is easy to use allowing you to manage your syncing options, and follows the same flow based interface found on the device. It owes more to Microsoft's work with the Xbox 360 rather than PowerPoint.

Verdict:

As a music player this is a pretty compelling offer. The player is small, well priced, and sexy enough to impress. The music, HD Radio, video and image playback on that OLED screen is very cool, and the Zune Pass if that's what you want, is great. However that's where it stops. The Internet browser is pretty worthless for anything other than checking the odd web page and the app's offering at the moment is heavily unrepresentative of what it could be.

So where does that leave you? If you are anti-Apple and just want a decent MP3 player that will grow over time then this is a great choice. If Microsoft had released this as the first Zune it's market share would be very different. Compared to the competition, other than Apple, we would put this in second place.

However just as Microsoft catches up with Apple and it's iPod touch, Apple moves the focus towards gaming and being a device that's more than just music. If you are looking for something more than just a music player and more along the lines of a games console, come internet browser, come app device, come music player, then while the Zune tries, it falls drastically short.

It's a shame, because combined with the Zune Pass, the Tegra 3D chip, and OLED screen the Zune HD has the potential to be so much more than it currently is. The good news for Microsoft is that its a lack of software that's the problem, not something lacking with the device itself.

Lots of potential, but at the moment very much a wait and see unless that Zune Pass really is what you are after.

Sadly, it's only available in the US, starting at $219.99 for the 16GB version.

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Tags: Audio MP3 players Microsoft Zune HD Microsoft Zune HD

Microsoft Zune HD MP3 player originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:05:43 +0100

We make no qualms about Sonos here at Pocket-lint. We think it's an excellent system that allows you to listen to your music from a single source in multiple locations around the house. It's expensive, yes, but then the experience is such a nice one that works first time (over the various different models we've tested over the years) that we really can vouch for the fact that even your Grandma should be able to do it.

Adding a new ZoneBridge as they are called, is as simple as pressing a button and as long as you are sensible in your locating of the devices, i.e., not at opposite ends of the house with nothing in-between, the wireless Mesh network that it creates is effective in delivering you music wherever you are.

So why are we reviewing it again if we've already reviewed numerous iterations of the same device before? After all the main elements of the 250 Bundle haven't really changed. You get two Sonos ZonePlayers - the ZP120 and the ZP90. The ZP120 comes with a 55W per channel built-in amplifier so all you have to do is add speakers. The ZP90 is a smaller box-like unit that connects to an amp you already have. It's a simple way to connect it into your home cinema system for example.

Of course you can add more and more of this units till the cows come home: 42 is the limit at the moment, which means you've got to have a fairly big house before you run out of options.

No, the reason that we've chosen to review the 250 Bundle is the inclusion of a new remote control - the Sonos Controller 200.

Moving with the times, Sonos has ditched the click wheel interface that aped the original Apple iPod to one that now imitates the Apple iPod touch. What that means is you get a full touchscreen remote control that looks like an iPod touch that's just eaten too much, way too much.

You can of course get a Sonos App for the iPhone and the iPod touch, so why bother with the dedicated remote? Well purely for that reason. The reason it is considerably thicker is because it has a battery that can last over a week and a dedication to performing the tasks at hand rather than being asked to play games or make phone calls. The result is a remote control that works on the Mesh network so you don't need line of sight, as well as giving you full functionality over your system wherever you are.

As for the interface, it's virtually identical to the iPod touch offering, after all why wouldn't it be? There are dedicated hardware buttons for quick access back to the home menu, volume and muting. A press of the home button zips you to the Zone selection page where you can select the Zones you want the music to be played in. Once selected you can control, at the press of a finger, whether or not to access your music library, radio, line-in or services like Last.fm, Napster, Pandora Radio or Rhapsody. The list of online music services does change depending on where in the world you are (it's a licensing thing) but you are given options in all cases. Spotify fans will be disappointed though, there isn't any support currently (it's an API thing).

Press a couple of buttons and you're streaming your music to that location, be it the bedroom or the living room. Names can be assigned to any Zone you create, and all can be managed via the remote quickly. There is even a pop-up keyboard for text input and searching. You can of course choose to link Zones or choose to listen to different music in different Zones from the same music source.

Music can be queued, played straightaway or played next with the option to view and manage the queue at any point.? On the Internet radio front you can search for stations around the globe and create favourite presets. A clock allows the system to be turned into an alarm clock and yes you can have it so the kids bedroom Zone goes off at a set time.

Imagine this is a really easy-to-use iPhone app, but with a ?800/$1000 piece of equipment at the back end doing all the work and you get the picture. It really is simple and functional.

Away from the controller everything can be organised via the accompanying PC or Mac software and unlike most streaming systems where the software is an after thought, Sonos continue to create a very clever solution here too. Scanning your music collection really is just a couple of clicks. Awesome.

Verdict:

Okay so we've heaped more than enough praise on the Sonos Bundle and accompanying controller. There must be something wrong? Well there are two gripes, both of which are us clutching at straws to be honest.

The first is that we found the remote control was constantly firing into action, almost to say hello. It didn't make anything happen, but on a coffee table or desk out of the corner of your eye its something you notice and therefore becomes annoying.

Then there is the other gripe. You don't actually need it - the controller that is. If ever there was a device that was a pure luxury element this is it. The iPhone or iPod touch app will do what you need to do and if you aren't bothered about freedom then you can do it all via the PC or Mac.

Of course we don't all have an iPod touch or iPhone and the longer battery and faster processor do make a difference, but if your already stretching yourself to afford the system then you could cut out the controller and survive on the cheap getting yourself a games console (yes the iPod touch we are talking to you) at the same time.

That said, if you are about to pay out almost ?700 for the basic system, chances are adding in the controller at another ?121 isn't going to be an issue, in which case it will be ?121 well spent.

Related links:

• Pictures - Sonos CR200 remote control

Tags: Audio Connected Hi-Fi systems Networking Remote controls Sonos Sonos Controller CR200 Sonos Bundle 250 with Sonos Controller CR200

Sonos Bundle 250 with Sonos Controller CR200 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0100

Despite what the name suggests, Mobi Headphonies are not headphones. Nor are they tipping their hat the wonderful Simpsons episode about the Apple generation. No, a headphony – which I assume is the singular of Headphonies, is around 3-inches high and in the shape of a dumpy middle aged man wearing what looks more like a pair of ear muffs than headphones. It's not dissimilar to a Telly Tubby. Our particular model came in a rather boring matte black, but looking at the website it is available in various interesting decorations with obvious scope for expansion.

The back of the head is grilled, and a dead give away as to what it actually is – a portable speaker. With it being at the back, it means to get the best sound, you'll want it facing away from you – perhaps going against the point of having a fancy design.

There is a power switch on the base of the foot with a notification LED on the front. This will apparently last for 4 hours of playback. There is no volume control – this is instead done on the input device itself. Annoyingly, it's not smart enough to detect a null input and so it's very easy to leave it switched on with nothing playing and drain the battery.

At the rear of the device, where a tail would normally be, is a 3.5mm jack. Supplied is a male-to-male cable of around 30cm for connecting to your audio device – MP3 player, laptop, etc. This port also doubles up as a charging port, using a USB cable that adapts to 3.5mm. Because the charging port is the same as playback – there is no option to charge while you play – annoying if you happen to have left it switched on.

The natural option is to leave the cable permanently plugged into the device. But this sticks out at 90 degrees from the device, so being carried in a bag it gets damaged very quickly and you'll soon find the sound cutting in and out. Disconnect it and you run the risk of losing the cable – either way, you'll get screwed in due course.

This isn't the sort of thing you'd buy if you were worried about sound quality – realistically, it's a toy. However, we were quite surprised with the sound quality, being generally quite balanced and able to produce a fair amount of volume. It was significantly better than the inbuilt speakers on the N97, which we've always been quite impressed with.

There's no denying that the sound is impressive for its size – but having to keep charging it is a real pain. We'd have sooner taken the minor hit in sound quality to have had it un-amplified, as so many external speakers are.?

Verdict:

The Mobi Headphonies have a few design flaws, but once you get used to this – it does what it's meant to. It's a portable speaker that stands out from the crowd. But the question is – when will it get used and who will use it? We've all been on trains where people are blaring out music on their mobile phones – it's annoying and we do all we can to discourage it. We can't help but feel that this attempts to encourage exactly this, with groups of kids sat around tables, showing off their cool speakers and music taste. God help us.

At ?19.99, this is about double the price we'd expect it to sell for. It's not something we'd recommend buying, but it's not a bad product and if it floats your boat – then go for it.

Tags: Audio Speakers Headphonies Audio accessories Toys Mobi Mobi Headphonies

Mobi Headphonies portable speakers originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:00:00 +0100

It's easy to think of on-ear phones when choosing a computer headset, but the Sennheiser PC 300 G4ME solution proves that in-ear isn't only for your MP3 player. The first major advantage is that the canal-tight buds make for an excellent noise isolation, which not all headphones can produce. Closed cup headsets are usually pretty good at this but even they don't always provide that complete seal between you and the outside world.

For people with their games consoles and PCs tucked in away in a quiet corner of the house, that might not be a problem but. if you have to share the room with other people - perhaps watching TV or using the phone or just clanking about in the kitchen - then the PC 300s are something seriously worth considering.

As with headphones of all levels, they do the job, so it's really a case of measuring up just how well they do it compared to the money you're asked to spend. If you look hard, you can find them at around the ?60-?70 mark and the short answer is that they are indeed well worth the outlay.

They're made of a standard, light-weight, black cable material of 1m in length running from the green and purple colour coded 3.5mm plugs at one end through a volume control, then a microphone and finally to the ear buds set at different lengths with the shorter going to your left ear and the longer heading round the back of your neck and into you right. And, at 7g of weight, there are simply no comfort issues at all.

If that's not long enough for you, the PC 300s come with a 2m extension lead which should span the distance between most console and sofa setups. The build is light but strong, the volume control is smooth and easy to use and the choice of three sets of simple, rubber, black ear sleeves will fit any lug holes they meet. The buds themselves are a sturdy, good looking and not too heavy or cold mix of black plastic and metal with a well-chosen protective gauze over the drivers.

One of the best parts of the design, though, is the unassuming looking professional standard microphone that hangs comfortably away from your face. It has a frequency response of 18-15,000Hz which in real terms means that it effortlessly picks up the full details of whatever instructions you maybe muttering to your Call of Duty teammates and just how you feel about their style of play.

The audio coming in the other direction is no disappointment either. The noise isolation means you get don't get any distortion of the sound from over-amplification and the sound scape is very complete. Although a balance, it doesn't sit right in the middle with all the sections equally represented. It's not supposed to. The majority of gaming noises are at the mid-range and at the bass and, accordingly, it's those that are by far the best represented in the PC 300s. The top end may be a little quiet and without personality but the middle is dead on the money and the bottom end is huge, dramatic, if slightly on the spongy side, but are guaranteed to make you jump out your seat when the in-game action hots up.

You aren't just restricted to computers and consoles either. The phones work perfectly well with an MP3-player by using just the one 3.5mm plug. You'll get better sound quality than a pair that came free with your iPod, but the less interesting top notes mean that a dedicated set of buds of equal value would probably offer a better experience on the move.

To top it all off the Sennheiser PC 300s come with a nifty rubber travel case with a magnetic clasp that you can't help but open and close over and over, so satisfying is the action. Lovely touch, just a shame it's not big enough to comfortably fit the full 3m extension.

Verdict:

They're not the world's cheapest gaming headphones and there's something a little weird about going in-ear at home but the experience is a very, very, good one well worth the ?60-?70 outlay. Lots of positives here with not a bad word to say about them at all.

The PC 300s are perfectly acceptable for just listening to your audio tracks too but, if that's a main point for you, then you'd best buy a pair better suited for pure music audio rather than in-game sound scapes. You'll get more bang for your buck on something specialised for that purpose.

The only real question mark above this in-ear headset is whether or not people really want a wired set of phones for gaming and Skype. Regardless of how many metres long the cables are, you're still tethered to a console or PC and ultimately it just means more tangling and more chance of tripping people up. On the plus side, you'll never have forgotten to charge them or run out of batteries during gameplay. So, if you want to go in-ear and you're happy to deal with the cables, then these Sennheisers are most heartily recommended.

Tags: Audio Headphones Headsets Sennheiser Gaming Sennheiser PC 300 G4ME Sennheiser PC 300 G4ME

Sennheiser PC 300 G4ME headset originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0100

The Logitech Z520 speakers are desktop stereo speakers designed to be paired with a computer or hooked up to an MP3 player. There is no subwoofer, remote or battery option - just two compact speakers and the wires to hook them up with.

With no clever functions, shiny widgets or frills of any kind it seems odd that a speaker set up like this would cost very much at all, let alone weighing in at close to a hundred pounds. At least it seems odd until you hear them.

Although the Z520s lack a separate subwoofer, the bass reproduction is still very good. Although this doesn't have the punch of an individual subwoofer, it still sounds great, providing enough rumble to bring some weight to music and sounds in games without being overpowering. At low levels the Z520s provide crisp, distinct sound, and this quality carries on up to higher levels.

Despite being relatively small, the Z520s easily have enough power to provide music at a decent volume for a good sized room. A common mistake with cheap speakers is to provide a subwoofer that over powers the sound and destroying the balance. This certainly isn't the case here.

In terms of design the Z520s certainly look the part, being sleek and understated. The volume control is a simple dial on the front, which doubles as the off switch. There is no means to control the level of bass on the speakers independently of the main volume control, but this is not much of a problem given that the proportions are pretty much spot on by default.

The lack of a remote control is a bit of a shame, not that one is particularly necessary for a set of desktop speakers, but for the price it seems reasonable to expect a few trimmings. That said the speakers do include a headphone and auxiliary connection so they have everything they need to serve in a purely desktop speaker capacity.

Although the Z520s are certainly small enough to be quite portable they are very heavy for their size and this is worth considering if you are thinking of getting speakers to accompany a laptop or MP3 player when travelling.

Verdict:
The sound quality of the Z520s is great, but the price tag is less so. While the lack of a subwoofer means that the speakers have fewer wires, this quite a premium for this luxury. Ultimately, the problem is that if you are really wanting great quality sound, you'll not be put off by the extra wires of a 2.1 system.

At the ?100 price point, there are a lot of options open to you, many of which will have extra features or even superior sound quality. If you do happen to be that rare somebody who really needs good sound quality but cannot have a subwoofer then your prayers may just have been answered.

Tags: Audio Speakers Logitech Z520 Logitech Z520

Logitech Z520 Speakers originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:00 +0100