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Good
Technology's SoundsGood AudioPlayer module snaps into the
Springboard slot on your Visor and turns it into a full-fledged
MP3 player with great sound quality and enough features to put
many competing players to shame.
The device comes with 64 MB of
integrated memory to provide over an hour of MP3 audio, and the
fact that it uses the Visor for an interface means the software
can be upgraded, and adding new features will be as easy as
installing a simple software patch.
The SoundsGood module has an extremely sensible design, fitting
flush with the Visor and sporting a headphone jack, volume dial,
and control buttons along its top edge. Using the buttons, it's
possible to skip tracks and play or pause songs without ever
having to mess with the Visor's touch screen (the SoundsGood
player will run even if the Visor is turned off). Once started, it
will also play in the background as you work with the rest of your
Visor's applications.
Of course, if you really want to take control of your music, then
you'll want to use the touch screen interface, which offers access
to many more controls than are available on the module itself. In
addition to a volume slider and buttons that let you access
detailed track information, there's a section that lets you adjust
the tone controls to get the most out of a particular song or
style of music.
Once we had everything set, we were impressed with the volume and
audio quality the SoundsGood player can generate. Cranked to
maximum volume with a good set of headphones attached, the unit
delivered crisp sound with decent bass that remained clear even
into painful volume levels. Best of all, the unit can run on the
Visor's two AAA batteries for up to 10 hours, so you won't drain
your PDA's power by listening to a few hours of music.
We were able to quickly add and remove songs from the device using
the Visor's docking cradle and the included Good Desktop software.
This software deserves some sort of award for ease of use, as
installing or removing MP3 files was as easy as clicking a button.
It also automatically scours your hard drive to find all of the
MP3 files stored on your system, making it easy to then select
them from a list to add the files to the SoundsGood module.
Good
Desktop reports how much of the module's memory is used and
updates it as you edit your playlist. It also gave us an estimated
time for the file transfer, and the Visor's USB connection made
everything as smooth and fast as possible. On average it took us
about 15 seconds to transfer a 3.5 MB file to the device and a
little over twice as long to transfer the same file back to our
PC.
The SoundsGood player is not without its drawbacks. It's extremely
expensive, considering you already have to own a Visor just to use
it, and its memory can't be upgraded. The included headphones also
leave much to be desired, especially in the bass department. If
you can stomach the price and have a good set of headphones
though, the sound quality, interface, software, and genuine cool
factor of the SoundsGood player are tough to beat. --T. Byrl
Baker
Pros:
Cons:
-
Included
in-ear headphones sound tinny
-
Relatively
expensive considering it uses the Visor for its interface
-
No
way to add extra RAM or swap memory cartridges
Description:
With its sleek, compact design, the Good
Technology SoundsGood 64 MB MP3 player snaps flush into the
Springboard expansion slot on your Handspring Visor. The module
measures in at 2.22 inches high, 2.13 inches wide, and only 0.35
inches deep. But don't let its size fool you--with 64 MB of
built-in memory, you'll get a little over an hour of CD-quality
digital audio.
Reload it as often as you want in just seconds per
track (transfer rate is 250 KB per second) via a USB connection.
(Because the Visor's serial docking cradle does not readily
support the transfer of large digital files, you must use the USB
cradle.)
The SoundsGood module is powered by the Visor's batteries, which
provide up to 10 hours of usage. Use the Good Desktop software to
search your hard drive for available MP3 files to transfer to the
SoundsGood module. You also get the MusicMatch Jukebox for
downloading, recording, and organizing your MP3 collection. Both
applications require Windows 98, 2000, or Me (Macintosh is not
supported). Earbud headphones, a carrying case, and a quick-start
guide are included.
Features:
-
64
MB MP3 player
-
Transfer
rate of 250 KB per second using USB connection (serial
connection not supported)
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Plays
over 10 hours using Visor's 2 AAA batteries
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Includes
MusicMatch Jukebox and Good Desktop software for Windows 98,
2000, and Me
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Compatible
with Handspring Visor
Technical
data:
-
Memory:
64 MB
-
Approximate
playback time: 60 minutes
-
Transfer
rate: Up to 250 KB per second
-
Included
memory cards: None
-
MP3
playback: Yes
-
WMA
playback: No
-
Headset
jack: Yes
-
Built-in
speaker: No
-
Play/pause:
Yes
-
Forward/reverse:
Yes
-
Random
play: Yes
-
Repeat:
1 track and all tracks
-
Volume
control: Yes
-
Tone
controls: Yes, through Palm OS software
-
USB
connectivity: Yes
-
Serial
connectivity: No
-
PC
compatible: Yes
-
Mac
compatible: No
-
PC
system requirements: 166 MHz Pentium or higher processor;
Microsoft Windows 98, 2000, or Me; 32 MB RAM; 35 MB free hard
disk space
-
Battery
type: 2 AAA batteries powering Handspring Visor
-
Average
battery life: 10 hours
-
Software:
MusicMatch Jukebox, Good Desktop
-
Headphones:
Yes, earbud
-
Carrying
case: Yes
-
Size:
2.13 x: 2.22 inches x 0.35 inches
-
Weight:
0.9 ounces

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