Product Description
MP3 Player/USB 2.0 Flash Drive! Designed for value, this MP3 player/USB flash drive combines smart styling, small size, cool features, clean imprint area and affordable pricing to fit within your customers' budgets. The headphone style design is perfect for gym, running and any working place
Technical Spec:
- Plays songs in MP3 and WMA music formats
- 7 equalizer modes to enhance music listening
- 8 to 10 hours of play time on a single AAA battery
- USB 2.0 for fast data/music transfers
- Plug and play - no driver needed for Windows ME/2000/XP, Mac OS 8.x up, Linux 2.4.2 up (what is plug and play?)
- Can be used as a bootable USB/HDD drive
- Upgradeable firmware allows MP3 player software repairs and customization
- Flash memory sizes: 512 MB
- Imprint ready surfaces
Package Includ:
- USB MP3 player
- USB cable
- Software driver (for Windows 98 only) CD
- Operating manual
- One year manufacturer warranty
- Gift box
Customer Reviews:
Clever--but in this high-tech age, we should have better options.......2007-10-23
This is an AWFUL little unit. However, like a juvenile delinquent with drunk parents, it actually looks pretty good in the context of what else is going on: i.e., at the moment (and for all the millions of yuppies bouncing up & down on Nikes and ellipticals with overpriced iPods), there are NO high-performance, intelligently-designed MP3 headsets available at any price. The Frisby must be the closest, since the demise of the wonderful, but departed, Evolution Neckphones several years ago.
After reading Dan's welcome review of the Utronix and Frisby MP3-playing headphones, I reluctantly tried the uTronix 512MB Wireless Headphone Style MP3 Player, for the superior sound; I already have full-featured players with folders, FM, etc., that run on convenient AAA batteries--but nothing that sits on my head without wires.
The uTronix is sold on Amazon by an outfit called Unilution Inc., which imports or makes all sorts of devices, from all over. I don't see anyone else selling this headset, anywhere. I searched for the Swedish company uTronix that Dan hinted at, but could only find a company making industrial-grade IP switch boxes. No MP3 players. The only other references to uTronix on the web lead to Amazon or to Unilution.
My headset arrived promptly and in fine shape, with a driver CD (you don't need it with Win XP), instruction booklet, and non-standard USB interfacing cable. Nowhere on the unit, the packaging, or in the instructions, is there any mention of uTronix, any model number, or origin or identifying information of any kind. The packaging looks like it was designed by a teenager in his garage and drop-shipped from a Pacific rim sweatshop in its 3rd week of operation. Grammatical errors in the instructions suggest a Far Eastern, not a Scandinavian, source.
In some ways the headset operates just as Dan described, right down to a fatal crash after 3 minutes of use ("...stuck in Pause mode while the flashing Green L.E.D. was indicating that it should be in Play mode. I could not unstick it. I had to wait about 12 hours..."). In my case it happened just from advancing from one track to the next, one too many times. There was nothing that could revive or reset it. It does indeed have only an non-removable internal battery, so it can be neither reset nor re-powered by this route. You have to let it run out of juice, and then you have to charge it by USB connection. IMHO, this is unforgiveable. No electronic device of any kind (cell phones, Palms, GPSses) should crash from anything but bad user-installed software. Simple gadgets with fixed systems should NEVER fail, ever, no matter how many buttons you press.
The sound is OK with the speakers pressed up against your ears. Unfortunately, the position and angle of the speakers are fixed, apparently, at an ideal angle only for the first reviewer, Dan, which was great, but...for me, 90% of the speakers are held away from my ear, resulting in distant, tinny sound in use. This is no criticism of the electronics or quality, just the physical design. Otherwise, I can't say much from my 3-minute owner experience, but I just know if I don't do this review now, it won't get done.
I haven't spoken with Unilution and cannot say whether they would be receptive to a return. As I said at the outset, you can't blame them or the manufacturer too much; after all, nobody else is doing any better. So which is best--to refuse to sponsor such thoughtlessly-designed stuff and so force the industry to do better? Or to buy it, grin & bear it, hoping that the big boxes will recognize a market exists for similar, but better and more convenient headsets? You decide.
;)
A Comparison of the Utronix and Frisby MP3-playing headphones.......2007-08-12
Having bought both the Utronix MP3-playing headphones with 512MB of storage and the Frisby MP3-playing heaphones with 2GB of storage (both available here at Amazon), I am in a rare position to be able to compare the two for you.
Having researched the web, I found models from Aiwa, Coby, Nextar, Utronix and Frisby (division of Comsis Computer). TDK formerly made one but has discontinued it due to poor sales.
Clearly, the Utronix and Frisby models are the winners in terms of desirability. While some of the others were less (and more) expensive, they all had less storage space than the Utronix and Frisby models.
Unfortunately, both the Utronix and Frisby models are imperfect but in different ways. A comparison follows.
The Utronix (a comparatively new Swedish company) headphone is sturdily constructed in one (unfoldable) piece that fits one's head and ears VERY comfortably and securely over a long period of time.
The Frisby (American, headquartered in Arizona) headphone is flimsily constructed in folding sections that are NOT very ergonomically correct or comfortable to wear for extended periods despite the rotating earpieces. The connecting bar rubs against the bone of your skull behind your ears requiring you to hook the tops of the bars over your ears in order to prevent it from slipping and falling off. This makes the tops of your ears stick out (hopefully not permanently).
Both models play MP3 and WMA files (the most commonly used). The Utronix model also plays WMV audio from video files and several others which are not often utilized.
How do they sound? The Utronix headphone has 7 different equalization settings. The Frisby has 6 settings. The only one of the settings on either model that sounds decent is the one named "Double Bass" (or simply "Bass" in the Frisby). In the Utronix model, the sound is bright, crisp and clear (and generally SUPERB to my ears!) in both the highs and the lows. The musicians sounded as though they were right there in the room with me (even on a CD reissue of an RCA recording Dizzy Gillespie made in 1949!). If you are looking for full, unexaggerated natural-sounding bass, the Utronix phones deliver. If you are looking for the kind of thumping bass that usually emanates from a home-boy's "Pimp-mobile" (no offense intended), you should look elsewhere. You won't find that kind of bass sound in ANY headphone that rests ON the ear rather than IN the ear.
In contrast, the Frisby model has somewhat smaller speakers in diameter than the Utronix model, but somehow manages to deliver about the same amount of bass as the Utronix model does in the "Bass" mode (or even a bit more). The louder you turn the volume, the more bass there seems to be. However, the Frisby model seemed to me to be slightly lacking in the upper frequency range, giving the overall impression of being somewhat mid-range heavy. You may want to experiment with the other equalization settings to find your own personal preference. Everyone's perception is different and you may even prefer a less biting brilliance for certain kinds of music.
I ripped my CD's into WMA files (using Windows Media Player) with a variable bit rate of 85 to 145 kbps (the intermediate setting). The exact same file at this rate sounds better to my ears on the Utronix phones than it does on the Frisby phones. The overall sound quality of the Frisby model is, in my estimation, "adequate but not breathtaking". You may be able to achieve better results by adopting a higher bit rate during the ripping of your CD's to MP3 or WMA files (though it will take up more space on your drives).
Now to matters of playing time and battery life. The Utronix model has a 512MB flash drive which holds about 5 hours worth of music.
Please note that the specifications on the Amazon webpage for the Utronix model erroneously say that it runs on a AAA battery. NOT SO! In fact, it has a built-in Lithium-Ion battery that recharges through the USB port of your computer over a period of 3 hours. Its disadvantage is that in actual continuous use, the Lithium-Ion battery lasts about 4 hours. It is supposed to last about 6 hours. It doesn't. And once it's done, IT'S DONE. You have to take it home and plug it back into the USB port of your computer to recharge it for another 3 hours(unless you have a new car with a new MP3 audio system including a front-USB port). For best results, you should charge the Utronix headphone continuously for 3 hours IMMEDIATELY before use, as it will slowly lose "juice" if stored unused for several hours after charging. The instructions do warn you not to overcharge the battery, more than 4 hours as it may shorten its overall life. There is NO indicator to let you know when the battery has fully charged. The Red L.E.D. that indicates it is charging does NOT turn off when it is fully charged. You just have to watch the clock and remember.
The Frisby model runs on a single AAA battery lasting about 8 hours in continuous use. AAA batteries are small and easy to find and a spare is easy to carry in one's pocket. The Frisby 2GB model (they also make a 1GB model for less money) has a music storage capacity of about 20 hours. So, if you have a spare battery in your pocket, you can listen practically ALL DAY without having to repeat any music.
Regarding programmability, the Frisby is VERY programmable and you can choose to play the tracks in the order in which they were loaded or in random shuffle order and some variations there-of. It even has folder partitioning capabilities so you can jump directly to other music genres depending on your mood without having to crawl and wade through many contiguous files to get there.
The lever on the Frisby model that is used to enter the display menues and navigate through them is flimsy and seems as though it might break if handled clumsily or carelessly. However, I have not experienced any malfunctions in two weeks of use so far.
I did experience a malfunction in the Utronix model but it was largely my fault having accidentally pushed two buttons in at the same time on opposite sides of the earpiece. It got stuck in Pause mode while the flashing Green L.E.D. was indicating that it should be in Play mode. I could not unstick it. I had to wait about 12 hours (with the Green LED flashing and without music playing) for the battery to run down so that the mechanism would re-set (yes, 12 hours WITHOUT the music playing). WITH music playing, the battery runs down in 4 hours. However, once it did re-set and the battery got recharged, it was fine. There was no permanent damage done. One just has to be careful not to push in two opposing buttons at the same time.
The Utronix model has no display panel. It has only a Red and a Green alternating L.E.D. to let you know what mode of operation it is in (play, charge or file transfer). It is not programmable at all. The player plays the selections in whatever the order was in which you loaded them. So, you should take that into account while loading them.
I tried using the database fields for each WMA file in the "E" drive on my computer (in this case, the Utronix headphones) by viewing "Details" instead of "List" or "Icon" to re-sort the selections by other fields such as "file size", "duration", "album", "artist", etc., but it seemed to have no effect on the Utronix phones' playing order after disengaging them from the USB port.
As others have observed, file transfer is simple and easy but somewhat slow (as it is with most flash drives that are not assisted by file-transfer acceleration software).
How do they compare price-wise? You can look that up right here on Amazon. I could not find a lower price anywhere else. The Utronix model was about 36 dollars with shipping. Amazon recently lowered the price on the Frisby model to about $70 with shipping as of August 14, 2007. It was formerly $75. Obviously, the price is subject to change.
I have decided to keep both units as they are useful for different purposes. For short-term, vigorous exercise, the Utronix model is well-suited with up-tempo rock or jazz music. For long walks and picnics in the forest, the Frisby model is better suited with Classical or Easy-Listening music.
I hope this review has been useful to you.
Dan
Product Description
MP3 Player/USB 2.0 Flash Drive! Designed for value, this MP3 player/USB flash drive combines smart styling, small size, cool features, build in 512MB of memory provides you with up to 8 hours of music. Build in FM radio allow you to listen to your favorite radio station.
Technical Spec:
- Memory Size: 512MB
- Built-in voice recorder - 140 hours of recording time
- Built-in FM Radio
- 7 equalizer modes to enhance music listening
- LCD display screen with 7 backlight colors
- 8 to 10 hours of play time on a single AAA battery
- 5 language settings - English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese
- USB 2.0 for fast data/music transfers
- Plug and play - no driver needed for Windows ME/2000/XP, Mac OS 8.x up, Linux 2.4.2 up (what is plug and play?)
- Can be used as a bootable USB/HDD drive
- Upgradeable firmware allows MP3 player software repairs and customization
Package Includ:
- USB MP3 player
- USB cable
- Stereo earphones/neckstrap
- Software driver (for Windows 98 only) CD
- Operating manual
- One year manufacturer warranty
- Gift box
Product Description
MP3 Player/USB 2.0 Flash Drive! Designed for value, this MP3 player/USB flash drive combines smart styling, small size, cool features, build in 512MB of memory provides you with up to 8 hours of music. Build in FM radio allow you to listen to your favorite radio station.
Technical Spec:
- Memory Size: 512MB
- Built-in voice recorder - 140 hours of recording time
- Built-in FM Radio
- 7 equalizer modes to enhance music listening
- LCD display screen with 7 backlight colors
- 8 to 10 hours of play time on a single AAA battery
- 5 language settings - English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese
- USB 2.0 for fast data/music transfers
- Plug and play - no driver needed for Windows ME/2000/XP, Mac OS 8.x up, Linux 2.4.2 up (what is plug and play?)
- Can be used as a bootable USB/HDD drive
- Upgradeable firmware allows MP3 player software repairs and customization
Package Includ:
- USB MP3 player
- USB cable
- Stereo earphones/neckstrap
- Software driver (for Windows 98 only) CD
- Operating manual
- One year manufacturer warranty
- Gift box
Product Description
MP3 Player/USB 2.0 Flash Drive! Designed for value, this MP3 player/USB flash drive combines smart styling, small size, cool features, clean imprint area and affordable pricing to fit within your customers' budgets.
Technical Spec:
- Plays songs in MP3 and WMA music formats
- Built-in voice recorder - 35 hours of recording time with a 128 MB memory size
- 7 equalizer modes to enhance music listening
- LCD display screen with 7 backlight colors
- 8 to 10 hours of play time on a single AAA battery
- 5 language settings - English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese
- USB 2.0 for fast data/music transfers
- FM Radio Recording Function
- Plug and play - no driver needed for Windows ME/2000/XP, Mac OS 8.x up, Linux 2.4.2 up (what is plug and play?)
- Can be used as a bootable USB/HDD drive
- Upgradeable firmware allows MP3 player software repairs and customization
- Flash memory sizes: 512 MB
- Imprint ready surfaces
Package Includ:
- USB MP3 player
- USB cable
- Stereo earphones/neckstrap
- Software driver (for Windows 98 only) CD
- Operating manual
- One year manufacturer warranty
- Gift box
Product Description
Bazzill Basics new square envelopes are anything but ?square?. Use these colorful envelopes for your homemade cards, gifts, trinkets, stickers, journaling, and embellishments. Each pack contains 12 lick and seal envelopes.
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