#284906 - 31/07/2006 00:17
Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
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Okay, so here's what CDN$94 (+14% tax) buys these days:  2GB flash-based mp3/wav/asf/mp4-video/etc.. player, with mic-in record, FM radio, FM-record, USB mass-storage (12mb/sec USB 1.1), colour screen, loads of useful features, and 8-10hr battery life (charges from +5V adapter or USB port). Seemed okay at the time. Cheers
Edited by mlord (31/07/2006 00:33)
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#284908 - 31/07/2006 02:56
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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old hand
Registered: 23/07/2003
Posts: 869
Loc: Colorado
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Yup... that's definitely an interface. Wow. Just.... wow. 
_________________________
Dave
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#284910 - 31/07/2006 11:02
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: webroach]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
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My first impression of the interface was, like wow.. just because it has colour doesn't mean it should *use* all of the colours on every UI screen!
But I got over that within 10 minutes. The important bit (track title) stands out rather clearly from the rest of the clutter, and the tiny Spectrometer visual is nice. Heck, it even has Lyrics display on beat with the tunes, empeg style.
The only downsides for CDN$94 seem to be: (1) USB-1.1 instead of USB-2.0, so downloads are slow, but not as slow as for the empeg, and (2) it uses a 2.5mm headphone jack rather than the more standard 3.5mm variety. I'm off to the local ex-RadioShack shortly to pick up a $5 adapter for that, so I can use other more comfy headphones / earbuds with it.
The included AC charger is absolutely tiny and feather light, and works on 100-240VAC 50-60Hz. It sports a USB-A socket, so I'll use it to charge my bluetooth mouse as well, since it's half the size of the original charger for that device.
Pity my Palm Zire72 wants 5.2V for charging rather than 5.0V..
Cheers
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#284911 - 31/07/2006 11:07
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
Is that battery life for audio or video?
Audio. Less for video due to increased CPU loading. Not sure how much less, though. And the FM radio seems to have much better / stronger reception than other mp3/radio gizmos we have around the place here.
Cheers
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#284912 - 31/07/2006 19:19
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
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Who makes it?
_________________________
Brad B.
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#284913 - 31/07/2006 19:44
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
Who makes it?
Dunno. Totally "no-name", though the iPod-style packaging calls it a "Xi", or "MP3/MP4 Digital Player". Google informs me that it's also known as a "Lisong" unit, so maybe it's from Lisong Electronics, someplace in Asia.
Cheers
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#284914 - 31/07/2006 20:22
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
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Ah, here is a USA link for the same toy! EDIT: Here is a better deal (US$79) for it. And there also seems to be an enhanced version available now (slightly larger screen, minor software tweaks).
Edited by mlord (31/07/2006 21:21)
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#284915 - 31/07/2006 20:24
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 30/10/2000
Posts: 4931
Loc: New Jersey, USA
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_________________________
-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736
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#284916 - 31/07/2006 20:29
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: robricc]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
Here it is for sale on ebay
That appears to be a different model, quite possibly an even better deal (thicker, USB2 and 8GB flash, more expensive).
Edited by mlord (31/07/2006 20:31)
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#284917 - 31/07/2006 20:43
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 30/10/2000
Posts: 4931
Loc: New Jersey, USA
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Quote:
Quote:
Here it is for sale on ebay
That appears to be a different model, quite possibly an even better deal (thicker, USB2 and 8GB flash, more expensive).
I first heard about the one I linked in the comments of a related gizmodo post.
_________________________
-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736
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#284918 - 01/08/2006 10:31
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Oh, I just thought of another question. Mark, does yours have a touch-sensitive wheel? The one in the ebay auction does. And looking at the black one in that auction, I'm amazed that Apple hasn't shut these down  It looks almost as nice as the official ones. I'm tempted to buy one...
_________________________
Matt
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#284919 - 01/08/2006 13:08
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Out of curiosity, have none of you ever used no-name Chinese electronics before? It's going to break in less than three months.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
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#284920 - 01/08/2006 13:13
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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I'm sure you think that "touch sensitive" means the scrolling wheel like the iPods have. I'm of the opinion that "touch sensitive" means you can push each of the four buttons underneath the disc.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
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#284922 - 02/08/2006 01:15
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
Quote:
I'm sure you think that "touch sensitive" means the scrolling wheel like the iPods have. I'm of the opinion that "touch sensitive" means you can push each of the four buttons underneath the disc.
Excellent observation. It does say that it's a "touch sensitive click wheel," which could mean that you have the old style iPod wheel that has tactile feedback, but I doubt it
The "wheel" can be pushed in four places, plus the center -- basically it's five buttons. And they click.
Cheers
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#284923 - 02/08/2006 01:22
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: wfaulk]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
Out of curiosity, have none of you ever used no-name Chinese electronics before? It's going to break in less than three months.
The iPod is also "Chinese electronics", as is probably half the stuff on the shelves of any big box shop like CompUSA ("CompChina").
This gadget at least has very few moving parts (one on-off switch, and the five-switch "click wheel"), so I'd give it better odds of survival than, say, a Rio Karma.
And it's pretty darned cheap, so a paranoid person could just buy an extra "for insurance" (but why bother?).
Took mine canoeing and hiking today (a balmy 35C out there), so far so good.
Cheers
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#284924 - 02/08/2006 12:39
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Yes, but it's notably not no-name.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
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#284925 - 02/08/2006 15:48
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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enthusiast
Registered: 31/05/2002
Posts: 352
Loc: santa cruz,ca
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someone came into my office yesterday with an mp3 player that had the same display(color and icons), but the over all form factor was much different. looked more like a budget unit, no dial, very cheap feeling. the only reason I mention this is that it had "COBY" on the face.
it was a 2 gig unit. very light (for it's size). had built in speakers too.
I just did a google image search for 'coby mp3' and there dozens of units, but they all look much 'nicer'.
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#284926 - 02/08/2006 15:51
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: lastdan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 30/10/2000
Posts: 4931
Loc: New Jersey, USA
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Coby and jWIN are the two premier brands of crappy chinese electronics in the US.
_________________________
-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736
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#284927 - 03/08/2006 00:29
Re: Cheap iPod clone -- I could hardly resist.
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
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Quote:
And it's pretty darned cheap, so a paranoid person could just buy an extra "for insurance" (but why bother?).
Excellent point. I have a Creative Zen Vision:M (can a product name be any longer?) and paid about 300 for it. Then, I had to buy a 25 dollar case for it to protect it. THEN I had to buy one of those screen protectors. Trying to use it while mowing the lawn, driving around or at work was a pain in the butt because I was so paranoid of breaking it! Well... eventually the thing DID die. So, while I was waiting for Creative to replace it, I purchased a $70 1GB Sandisk player so I could keep up to date on my Podcasts. The thing is SWEET because of the big buttons on it (I can use it without looking at it) but the best part was it was only $70 so if it lasts me a year, I'll be happy.
BTW, Creative has sent me a new player, 6 weeks ago!, and I still havn't booted it up. I'll probably end up selling it because a nice cheap, worry free player has done far more to make life enjoyable. Granted, my use is for Podcasting - not music, so my needs were small.
_________________________
Brad B.
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