Portable Media Players

Review: Audio-Technica ATH-ES3 Headphones

Dennis Gray — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:34:32 -0500

Flat is the word.

They fold flat, they have a flat frequency response, and they sound kinda flat. But flat is a GOOD thing for headphones. Really.

The Audio-Technica ATH-ES3 Headphones are classified as mid-sized over-the-ear headphones that are lightweight (2 ounces without the wire) and the ear cups fold flat for storage or stuffing in your gadget bag of choice, or even the bag the headphones ship with. They have a published frequency response of 10Hz to 25KHz, which basically means that they will play back all the sound the human ear can hear, and the dog will like them, too.

They also ship the ATH-ES3 with a belt clip cable organizer, and they're available in different colors to suit; white with silver accent, white with metallic pink accent, white with metallic blue accent and white with metallic green accent. They have a 3.5mm right-angle stereo plug for connecting to your favorite portable audio source, but if your portable media player is in a carrying case or protective shell (my player of choice wears one), the plug may not fit into the headphone socket, as the right-angle connector is on the large side.

The response curve is very flat - so much so, they have a sound very similar to 'reference-type' headphones audio engineers use. When listening to these, I compared them to some high-end 'reference' headphones from Grado and Sennheiser, and the only distinguishing factor between them was the outside ambient noise from the environment creeping in due to the small earpieces. Bass is NOT boosted in the design, as is common with a lot of smaller headphone designs, and the impedance of the ATH-ES3 is on the low end - 32 ohms - which means you'll need to crank the volume a bit more than with those earbuds that came with your rig. The large 28mm drivers take a bit of energy to get moving after all.

These headphones are smallish for the average adult and style-wise are suited for a woman's tastes - at least my wife says so. The diameter of the earpieces is small-ish to be classified as 'over-the-ear', but its a compromise that aids portability. Put another way, the earpieces are just about the best fit you'll find for younger kids, without experiencing the irritating tendency of full-size headphones to fall off the kid's head and land in their plate of spaghetti-O's...not that something like that has happened in my household.

The downside is the price. These are on the high-end of the price scale, around $70, and as of this wiritng can be hard to find. But if you're looking for a headphone that doesn't fall off your head and doesn't muddy up your listening with bass-blasting and boosting, try these on for size. If you're raising a young audiophile, this headphone is spot-on.

Portable Video for the Car

Dale — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:26:01 -0500

A reader recently asked for our suggestion regarding portable video for the car. Are you going to be traveling in a car for the holidays? What's the best solution to keep your family sane and keep the number of times you hear, "Are we there yet?" to a minimum? Read on.

Portable DVD Players

If you'd like something the entire family (except the driver!) can watch, pick up a portable DVD player. Powered by the accessory port, they include a headphone jack. You can use headphones or run a cord into your car's stereo system via cassette adapter or auxiliary in port. This way, even the driver can at least listen to the movie, and if it's a movie he's seen a few times (entirely likely), he can pretty much visualize the events in his head. That said, don't get too caught up in what's going on in your head lest you lose focus on the road.

For not much more, you can get a portable DVD player with 2 screens, which comes in handy for a couple reasons:

You don't have to turn it just right so kids on both sides of the minivan can see it.
If you have kids in the minivan's "way back," you can have a screen for each seat.

Most portable DVD players also have auxiliary in and out ports, allowing you to run the A/V from your iPod or other portable media player through it or maybe even feed it into the TV in your hotel room or at Grandma's house.

The portable DVD player does have some disadvantages, though:

The kids have to agree on which movie to watch. If you have more than 1 DVD, good luck with that.
If your car only has 1 auxiliary power port which you're already using to power your GPS, you'll need a splitter. They're affordable enough, but it's one more hassle.
Unless you have one built into the roof of your minivan (in which case you're not reading this), they're a hassle to set up. You have to rig the straps, run the cords...eventually, you'll get tired of it and stop using it.
If the adults in the car want to listen to podcasts or music while driving, you need to run headphones to everyone, which means more cords running through the car. Eventually, it starts to look like the back of your entertainment center, but your kids are wrapped up in it.

You can also get a portable DVD player for each kid, but keep in mind that these things eat power like crazy because of the big moving spindle, so they either need to plug in or have a 10 lb. battery attached. We had one, and the battery died in a few months.

Handheld Video

Your other option is to get each person in the car a personal video device like an iPod or the like. These give each kid the advantage of making personal video choices contrary to a sibling's preference. Get tired of something? Easily switch to something else. Batteries last several hours without having to recharge, and no setup necessary.

What are the disadvantages of this option?

Expensive. You can get a portable DVD player with 2 screens for about $150-200. Even a used iPod with video will set you back that much, and you need one for each kid, so if you have 3 kids like us, that gets pricey fast.

The family is isolated from each other. Is it really a family trip when each member of the family is in a separate personal world? You have to decide this for yourself.

Small screen. You can fit about 4 ipod screens onto a typical DVD player screen.

If you have a lot of movies on DVD, you have to use (technically illegal) ripping software to transfer them.

That said, our family opted for the separate iPod option. They can listen to music, watch movies, or set it easily aside to play games on a Nintendo DS or Leapfrog Didj.

Each family is different, so I can't honestly make that choice for your family, but I hope these considerations will help you make the decision that's best for your family. If you have other pros/cons you'd like to add, feel free to post below.

What does your family do for long car rides? Have you found a solution that makes the kids say, "We're there already?!" Post a comment below.

If you're planning to buy Grandpa an iPod for Christmas

Dale — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:04:03 -0500

Harvard researchers have determined that earbuds like those included with iPods and most other MP3 players can be dangerous to pacemakers and defibrillators due to the magnets in them disrupting the pace, causing them to skip a beat or even shut down. The earbuds (not the cords) must come within 1.5" to have this effect, which seems pretty likely to happen at some point.

So, what to do? Were you planning to get Grandma an iPod for Christmas and now have to change plans? Take heart.

While I'm sure they're out there, I've never met anyone over 50 who actually likes earbuds. They're not usually as comfortable as on-ear or over-ear models, and earbuds are also harmful to the eardrum itself. Really, earbuds are to be avoided whenever possible with rare exceptions.

So if you're going to get Grandpa an iPod, get him a nice set of over-ear headphones. I personally recommend the Genius GHP-05 Live DRD 3D Surround Premium Stereo Headphones, but many nice options exist if you're on a budget. These headphones have at least an inch radius of plastic surrounding the magnet, greatly reducing the possibility of heart damage.

So go ahead and help Grandpa rock on this Christmas. It'll make his heart happy.

Episode 59: Send in the Clowns

Dale — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:17:04 -0400

Dale is joined this week by a substitute host: Ringmaster Greg from Dancing with Elephants.

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Music by Kevin McLeod

Apple Announces iTunes 8

Dale — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:51:22 -0400

Features Apple's New Breakthrough Genius Technology

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ Apple(R) today
announced iTunes(R) 8, the next major release of Apple's ubiquitous
music and video player for Macs and PCs which is seamlessly integrated
with the most popular online content store in the world (http://www.itunes.com/).
iTunes 8 includes the new breakthrough Genius feature, which lets you
automatically create playlists from songs in your music library that go
great together -- with just one click. Genius helps music fans
rediscover favorite songs in their existing music library and suggests
related music on the iTunes Store they might want to add to their music
collection. iTunes 8 features new ways of viewing your music and video
libraries, and adds television programs in stunning high definition for
sale on the iTunes Store.

Using Apple's breakthrough Genius feature is easy-select any song,
click the Genius button, and iTunes instantly creates a playlist of
songs that go great together from your own library. You can preview the
playlist Genius creates, refresh the list to choose different songs and
save Genius playlists to enjoy again later. You can even create Genius
Playlists on-the-go with the new iPod(R) classic, iPod touch, iPod nano
and iPhone(TM). The Genius sidebar appears right in iTunes and
recommends music from the iTunes Store that you don't already have,
based on the songs you select.

When you turn on iTunes 8's new Genius feature, information about
your music library is anonymously sent to the iTunes Store, where it is
combined with the anonymously-gathered knowledge from millions of other
iTunes users and processed through Apple-developed algorithms. The
Genius results, specifically tailored to your personal music library,
are sent back to your computer to enable users to automatically create
Genius playlists in iTunes and on your iPods, even when they are not
connected to the Internet.

iTunes 8's new visual browsing interface displays your music and
video libraries using your album and video covers, and also provides a
great way to navigate your movies, TV shows, iPhone apps, podcasts and
audiobooks.

The iTunes Store has become the world's most popular online TV store
and features an incredible selection of over 30,000 episodes from ABC,
CBS, The CW, FOX, NBC and over 70 cable networks including Bravo,
Comedy Central, Disney Channel, ESPN, FX, HBO, MTV, Nickelodeon, Sci
Fi, Showtime and USA. With iTunes 8, television fans can now watch
their favorite programs from ABC, NBC and Showtime in stunning HD for
just $2.99 per episode, perfect for viewing on their Mac(R) or PC, or
on their widescreen TV with Apple TV.

The iTunes Store is the world's most popular online music, TV and
movie store with a catalog of 8.5 million songs, over 30,000 TV
episodes and over 2,500 films including 600 in stunning high definition
video. With Apple's legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as
iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist
sharing, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into complete
albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod and
iPhone, the iTunes Store is the best way for Mac and PC users to
legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.

Pricing & Availability

iTunes 8 for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Store and is available as a free download from (http://www.itunes.com/).
Purchase and download of songs and videos from the iTunes Store
requires a valid credit card from a financial institution in the
country of purchase. Video availability varies by country.

Apple Introduces New iPod nano

Dale — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:47:37 -0400

Fourth Generation iPod nano Features Apple's New Genius Technology

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today
introduced the new fourth generation iPod(R) nano, the thinnest iPod
ever featuring a sleek new design with a curved aluminum and glass
enclosure, in nine vibrant colors. The new iPod nano incorporates
Apple's breakthrough Genius technology which automatically creates
playlists from songs in your music library that go great together, with
just one click. The new iPod nano also features a refined user
interface, a high resolution portrait display and a built-in
accelerometer which automatically switches to Cover Flow(R) when
rotated and automatically goes into Shuffle(TM) mode when lightly
shaken. The new iPod nano gives users up to 24 hours of music playback
or four hours of video playback and is available worldwide immediately
in an 8GB model for just $149 and a 16GB model for just $199. Both
models come in silver, purple, blue, green, orange, yellow, pink,
(PRODUCT) RED and black.

"The iPod nano is the world's most popular music player and we've
made it even better for this holiday season," said Steve Jobs, Apple's
CEO. "We think users are going to love the amazing new design, the
automatic Genius playlist creation, as well as automatically going into
Cover Flow with just a turn of the wrist."

The new iPod nano -- the thinnest iPod ever -- features an elegant
new de- sign that beautifully blends a brilliant two-inch display with
a gorgeous curved aluminum and glass enclosure. The new contoured
design fits even more comfortably in your hand.

iPod nano works seamlessly with iTunes(R) so you can import, manage
and then easily auto-sync your favorite content. You can buy music,
video and games for your iPod nano from the iTunes Store with more than
8.5 million songs available for preview and one-click purchase. With up
to 24 hours of music playback or four hours of video playback on a
single charge, the new iPod nano is the ultra-portable way to enjoy
your favorite music, TV shows, movies and games on the go. The 16GB
model holds up to 4,000 songs, 14,000 photos and 16 hours of video, and
the 8GB model holds up to 2,000 songs, 7,000 photos and eight hours of
video.*

The new iPod nano works with the new iTunes 8 Genius feature,
allowing customers to automatically create playlists while on-the-go
with their iPod nano. Users can preview the playlist Genius creates,
refresh the list to choose different songs and save Genius playlists to
enjoy again later.

The iPod is the world's most popular family of digital music players
with over 160 million sold. Apple's incredible new lineup includes the
iPod shuffle in four vivid new colors starting at just $49; the iPod
classic in one slimline model with 50 percent more capacity for the
same great price -- 120GB of storage for just $249; the fourth
generation iPod nano featuring a gorgeous curved aluminum and curved
glass enclosure, in nine vibrant colors starting at $149; and the
second generation iPod touch now starting at just $229. iPod owners can
choose from a vast ecosystem of accessories with over 5,000 products
made specifically for the iPod including speaker systems, fitness
accessories, fashionable cases and iPod connectivity available in over
90 percent of new car models sold in the US.

Pricing & Availability

The new iPod nano is available immediately for a suggested price of
$149 (US) for the 8GB model and $199 (US) for the 16GB model through
the Apple Store(R) (http://www.apple.com/),
Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Both capacities
come in silver, blue, purple, green, orange, yellow, pink, (PRODUCT)
RED and black. iPod nano requires a Mac(R) with a USB 2.0 port, Mac
OS(R) X v10.4.11 or later and iTunes 8; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0
port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack
3) or later and iTunes 8.

* Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See http://www.apple.com/batteries
for more information. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song
and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; photo capacity is based on iPod-viewable
photos transferred from iTunes; and video capacity is based on H.264
1.5-Mbps video at 640-by-480 resolution.

Apple Introduces New iPod touch

Dale — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:42:11 -0400

The Funnest iPod Ever - Perfect for Music, Movies & Games

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today
introduced the second generation iPod(R) touch featuring an amazingly
thin contoured metal design, a gorgeous 3.5-inch widescreen glass
display, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi wireless networking, integrated volume
control buttons, a built-in speaker for casual listening, a built-in
accelerometer and other advanced sensors, and Apple's revolutionary
Multi-Touch(TM) user interface. iPod touch, now available for just $229
for the 8GB model, is perfect for playing music, movies and games, with
millions of songs, thousands of Hollywood movies and hundreds of games
available on the iTunes(R) Store.

"iPod touch is the funnest iPod we've ever created," said Steve
Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Users can listen to millions of songs, watch
thousands of Hollywood movies and now, thanks to the App Store,
download and play hundreds of great games on their iPod touch."

The new iPod touch is smaller and lighter than the original, with a
sleek new design that features a contoured metal enclosure with
integrated volume control buttons and a brilliant 3.5-inch widescreen
glass display. With its rounded edges, flush display and curved, more
compact design, the new iPod touch is more comfortable to hold and more
portable than ever.

iPod touch users can choose from hundreds of exciting game titles
such as "Spore Origins" and "Scrabble" from Electronic Arts, and "Real
Football 2009" from Gameloft available on iTunes or directly through
the App Store application on the iPod touch. The revolutionary App
Store works over Wi-Fi, enabling users to browse, purchase and
wirelessly download applications directly onto their iPod touch and
start using them instantly. The App Store features an incredible array
of applications in a wide variety of categories, including games,
travel, entertainment, social networking, sports and much more.

iPod touch works seamlessly with iTunes so you can import, manage,
and then easily auto-sync your favorite content. With up to 36 hours of
music playback or six hours of video playback on a single charge, the
new iPod touch is the ultra-portable way to enjoy your favorite music,
TV shows, movies and games on the go. The 32GB model holds up to 7,000
songs, 25,000 photos or 40 hours of video; the 16GB model holds up to
3,500 songs, 20,000 photos or 20 hours of video, and the 8GB model
holds up to 1,750 songs, 10,000 photos and 10 hours of video.*

The new iPod touch works with the new iTunes 8 Genius feature,
allowing customers to automatically create playlists while on the go.
Users can preview the playlist Genius creates, refresh the list to
choose different songs and save Genius playlists to enjoy again later.

The new iPod touch also features built-in Nike + iPod support making
it an incredible workout companion. Users simply place the optional
Nike + iPod sensor ($19 US) in their Nike + shoe to seamlessly connect
with the new iPod touch to track miles run or sync with the latest
generation gym equipment.

The iPod is the world's most popular family of digital music players
with over 160 million sold. Apple's incredible new lineup includes the
iPod shuffle in four vivid new colors starting at just $49; the iPod
classic in one slimline model with 50 percent more capacity for the
same great price -- 120GB of storage for just $249; the fourth
generation iPod nano featuring a gorgeous curved metal and curved glass
enclosure, in nine vibrant colors starting at $149; and the second
generation iPod touch now starting at just $229. iPod owners can choose
from a vast ecosystem of accessories with over 5,000 products made
specifically for the iPod including speaker systems, fitness
accessories, fashionable cases and iPod connectivity available in over
90 percent of new car models sold in the US.

Pricing & Availability

The new iPod touch is available immediately for a suggested price of
$229 (US) for the 8GB model, $299 (US) for the 16GB and $399 (US) for
the 32 GB model through the Apple Store(R) (http://www.apple.com/),
Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPod touch
requires a Mac(R) with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS(R) X v10.4.10 or later
and iTunes 8; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or
Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) or later and iTunes 8.
Existing iPod touch users can update to the latest 2.1 software for
just $9.95 to add the new Genius feature. iPod touch owners who already
have the 2.0 software get the 2.1 software update for free. Simply
download the latest version of iTunes onto your Mac or PC, and purchase
the 2.1 software update via iTunes.

*Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See http://www.apple.com/batteries
for more information. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song
and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; photo capacity is based on iPod-viewable
photos transferred from iTunes; and video capacity is based on H.264
1.5-Mbps video at 640-by-480 resolution.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the
Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the
Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation
with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and
professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media
revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes
online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its
revolutionary iPhone.

Review: Sansa Clip

KevinLeeC — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:07:01 -0400

Nine Miles

My bicycle commute to work is about nine miles in each direction and between the traffic and the various hills I have to climb, it takes about 35 minutes. The Sansa Clip MP3 player makes the perfect companion.

The Sansa Clip is about the size of a typical keyless-entry remote. The visible controls include a select button, a play/pause/fast-forward/rewind/sub-menu button, a home button for quick access to the top-level menu, a rocker-switch for the volume control, and a power/hold slide-switch. All of this is topped off with a bright, clear OLED screen which squeezes the menus, track information, and various other displays into a surprisingly-readable postage-stamp space.

The included "Quick Start Guide" gives scant info on actually using the player, but the control scheme for routine operations like playing music and switching tracks is relatively straightforward. The more advanced features such as setting up playlists and recording will require a bit more explanation. Fortunately, a comprehensive manual is available via tech support on the Sansa website at www.Sansa.com. At that same site, you'll also find links to instructional videos which walk you through just about every aspect of operating the device, including using Windows Media Player to manage your music.

Seven Miles

Transferring music to the Sansa Clip is simple and straightforward. Plug it into an XP or Vista laptop and you'll be asked if you want to open it as a folder or synch it via Windows Media Player. If you treat it as a folder, you can put music directly into the music folder and you're good to go. For more advanced features -- including playlist management -- you'll need to use Windows Media Player. From there you'll be able to rip your CD to the Sansa Clip, buy music through Napster, and (with a little effort) add podcasts to the player. (With the newest firmware, the Sansa Clip actually recognizes podcasts and lists them in a separate category in the music sub-menu.)

One of the nicer features of the Sansa Clip is its flexibility with regards to formats. It supports MP3, WAV, WMA, secure WMA and Audiobook formats. Finding material to listen to won't be a problem.

Five Miles

Listening is a pleasure. Even with the included low-end earbuds, the audio is clear and natural sounding. On a more expensive headset the sound still reproduces beautifully.

If you don't like the default audio, the built-in five-band equalizer gives you the option of tweaking the frequencies to your heart's content. Alternatively, you can use one of the five presets (normal, rock, pop, jazz or classical).

While you're poking around the menus, you can also set the master volume to loud or normal, preset your favorite FM stations for use on the included receiver, choose a default USB mode so that it won't ask you every time you plug in to your PC, check the charge on your battery, or manage your on-board files.

Three Miles

If all it had were the features described so far, the Sansa Clip would beat out the iPod Shuffle hands down. Yet, SanDisk has chosen to add a couple of nifty additional features to up the ante.

The Sansa Clip includes an FM receiver and a voice/radio recorder. The simple controls for the FM radio allow you to scan for stations which you can then add as presets. Perfect for catching the latest news on the ride home from work.

The built-in audio recorder does a good job of capturing voice and storing it as WAV files. The microphone is more sensitive than I would have expected and the audio quality is acceptable. Some users have reported using the Sansa Clip to record lectures. It's also possible to make off-air recordings from the built-in FM receiver.

Last Mile

Power for the device is supplied by an internal battery which charges when the device is connected to a USB port. The product literature rates the battery at fifteen hours, but some users have reported shorter periods between charges. As with all rechargeables, it's probably best to follow the manufacturer's instructions to the letter on the initial charge to prevent problems later on.

Finished!

For anyone wanting a small, portable MP3 player for exercise, the Sansa Clip delivers good value for the price. The current selection of models ranges from $40 (1 GB) to $80 (4GB). The modest increase in price is probably worth it for the increased capacity. With good sound, simple controls, and a broad array of additional features, the Sansa Clip is likely to become a favorite of many MP3 users. And, since it handles podcasts so well, you can load it up with back episodes of TechTalkForFamilies and get caught up on the latest reviews while you're walking, biking, or working out.

The MP3 Cola Wars

Dale — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:27:18 -0400

Both Coke and Pepsi are running specials right now (and have been for a while) that encourage you to collect points with which you can purchase, among other things, free mp3's. But if you, like me, enjoy both Diet Coke and Pepsi One, you may be wondering, "Which is the better deal?"

First off, the greatest difference between the two would be the variety of merchandise. Coke's MyCokeRewards.com promotion includes a lot of physical merchandise, but it's all emblazoned with the Coke logo or other sponsors, and to get anything of real value, you have to use about 1000 points, or 100 12-packs. That's about $300 for a t-shirt, and you become a walking billboard. (Yes, you get the soda, too.) They also have add-ons for games, like Coke seats for your online basketball game, which I consider an even bigger rip-off, since you'll stop playing the game after about a year or so. In fact, the best deal is probably free 12-packs of any Coke product.

But let's look at something we can compare: mp3's. Both offer mp3's as prizes. From Pepsi's PepsiStuff.com promotion, you need 2.5 12-packs to get an mp3. From Coke, you need 4.3 for the same. Both are DRM-free mp3's. Pepsi's are offered through Amazon; Coke's, Real Networks' Rhapsody service. Amazon is cross-platform, but you'll need a Windows PC to enter your Rhapsody codes. Also, it takes a lot more steps to download the music via Coke than Pepsi.

So all things being equal, I recommend the Pepsi Stuff for cost and ease, but remember that you're still paying a lot for that mp3, so in Coke's words, "Obey your thirst."

Review: Sansa Shaker MP3 player...Shake it up Baby

JamesB — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:59:18 -0400

When I agreed to write a review about the SanDisk Sansa Shaker I thought, "how hard can it be? It's just another MP3 player!" And I guess that is the gotcha. It's hard to get exciting about another MP3 player. But when my 7 year old daughter came to me the other morning, asking me to put a new battery in the pink hourglass shaped player, I knew it was time to get this review finished.

I feel like my kids have enough toys that if they give a sidelong glance to a toy that is more than 3 weeks old, that toy must have some staying power. So my daughter asking me to put a battery in the Shaker makes me think that it has a certain je ne sais quoi. That says a lot for a device that can be purchased for $29.99 for the 512MB Model.

The pink Shaker arrived the day before we left for a road trip to Disneyland. My objective was to get it setup so that that the kids could put it through some tests while we traveled. Do you think I could figure out how to open the annoying thing? I almost lost my cool. Okay, I did loose my cool. but in the end I finally figured out how to unscrew one end which exposed the SD card slot, standard mini USB port and the AAA battery slot. After I figured that out, things were a breeze. For what it's worth, it's kind of like opening a child proof pill bottle, not a bad idea for a device targeted at children if you don't want them loosing the SD card, etc.

Once I figured out how to open the Shaker, I loaded the included 512MB SD card full of MP3's from my favorite Liverpudlians and set my kids loose with it. A number of the songs included on the SD card, no doubt in the public domain, were for a much younger audience than the device is targeted. They were quickly replaced by Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane.

Listening to music when you are seven and nine years old is a participatory sport. The Shaker has two headphone jacks, so both can listen at the same time without having to share left and right head phones. This is a great feature.

The Shaker gets it name from a couple of different aspects of the device. First off, it's hourglass design gives it the looks of a Shaker, salt shaker, pepper shaker, music shaker, you get the picture. Secondly, it has a unique system for randomly changing to the next song. You guessed it. You shake it (while pressing a button). The Shaker makes a sound effect and out comes the the next random song. The built in speaker is surprisingly loud and clear. And since the Shaker fits snuggly in a kids hand, they can also pretend to use it as a microphone.

In many ways this is the perfect first MP3 player for kids. It's well designed, well built and the price is right. Now if they could just figure out how to make it a little less "child proof". I really couldn't figure out how I was supposed to get into it.