Almost perfect little package (Cowon iAudio U3 4 GB)

Member Name: geek_squad

Product:	Cowon iAudio U3 4 GB
Date:	09/07/09 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Compact and light, good audio quality, user friendly, suitable software, supports photos and videos,

Disadvantages: Display screen not suitable for watching videos for long period of time

At first glance, the I Audio U3 has an appearance that is roughly the size of a chewing gum. However, its compact size comes with the compromise of having a lower quality display screen.

Its rectangular sized display screen is 260K colour, which allows you to watch videos and view pictures. Realistically it is acceptable to view pictures, but its quality is not sufficient enough to watch videos for extended periods of time other than the occasional video clip. Furthermore, it is not compatible with many of the main video file formats.

When using the supplied headphones, it provides a slightly above the average quality of sound. Upon using a pair of additional headphones, there was a noticeable improvement in sound quality especially with highs being sharper and more accurate. The max volume for this player is not restricted, making it quite loud, therefore it will damage hearing if listening to songs at max volume for long periods of time.

Its menu structure is well designed and easy to understand and use, combined with a miniature joystick placed conveniently on the right side of the screen, making it user friendly.
A simple and powerful software is supplied with this player. In terms of construction, it is sturdy and durable, meaning it is capable of withstanding the occasional knock or drop.

It also has additional features such as a clock, alarm, voice recorders and the capability to record live radio. Although there are no carry pouch included for this player it is recommended to use a case if you want to avoid potential scratches.

In terms of battery stamina, it provides about 17 and a half hour on average of continuous audio playback, and about 8 hours of continuous video playback. It takes about 180 minutes to fully charge the player, which can be done either via a supplied USB cable or mains which is an optional accessory purchased separately.

The player supports audio files in the WAV, OGG, WMA, Flac, gapless file and MP3. Its file transfer speed is only satisfactory taking about 4.9 secs to transfer 10 megabyte of audio files on average.

Summary: Not suitable for users that want to watch videos regularly

Processing/Quality:
Reliability:
Ease of use:
Features:
Sound quality:
Download speed: