 The Muvo, at just under one ounce, this small (2.87” x 1.28” x .63”) device is a power player. It is a combination MP3 music player and a portable hard drive – a great combination for the many computer users who love music. This well-designed gadget looks like a cigarette lighter, but is much more functional. The miniscule 128 MB MuVo can hold two hours of MP3 music or over 88 floppies of data.
The MuVo is essentially a two-piece design. The portable hard drive/music-player portion of the MuVo slides out of the battery case to reveal a USB connection. No cables are needed. Simply plug the USB connector of the MuVo into your computer and you can transfer any files to the MuVo device. Then use MuVo to transfer your files between locations like home, office, school, and/or grandma’s house. With Windows Me, 2000, or XP you don’t even need to install any drivers. The device is automatically recognized. (Windows 98 users will need to install the included drivers.)
The small silver part of the MuVo is the hard drive and MP3 player. Downloading music to the player is as simple as copying files to the portable hard drive. When the MuVo is connected to the computer it shows up as a device in My Computer. The user can simply drag and drop MP3 or WMA files onto the MuVo device on the computer screen. MuVo uses one AAA battery which powers the unit for about 12 hours. I like the versatility of using a replaceable battery so there are no recharging worries. If you happen to run out of juice while on the road just carry or purchase another easy-to-obtain battery.
Since there are no moving parts, MuVo is ideal for sports enthusiasts who may jump and run while listening to music. The non-skip music comes through with a surprisingly good sound with little distortion. MuVo comes with a pair of generic earphones, but most music enthusiasts will want to add their own more comfortable, higher-quality ear phones. MuVo has a small key loop that can be used to attach the device to a key chain. There is also an optional wrist band available.
The MuVo, because of its small size, lacks an LCD viewing screen, so there is no indication of which song is playing and no way to choose songs other than by using the forward and rewind buttons. The MuVo does recognize that many people have favorite music that they like to hear over and over. It has a repeat button. Press it at the beginning of the selection that you want to repeat. Then press it again where you want to the selection to end. MuVo will then loop your selection and play it over and over. (Might be useful on a depressing day when you need to hear “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” over and over again.)
If you are looking for a dedicated music player, you may want to look for something with an LCD screen and a little more functionality, but if you just want to have fun and transfer your files at the same time, the MuVo can’t be beat. The affordable price, sleek compact design, and simplicity-of-use will make the MuVo a must-have for many gadget lovers.
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