Mushkin 128MB MP3 Player / Flash Drive / Voice Recorder

Reviews: Multimedia

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Nicholas Hart
Kurtis
Mushkin
Sep. 20, 2004

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Checking Things Out

The MP3 player is made out of plastic that is painted metallic silver. The buttons have a shiny chrome look to them aside from the "Switch Controller' button which is exactly like the jog wheel on Creative Zen players; roll up and down to highlight options and push in to select. The player is pretty lightweight without the battery installed but doesn't feel too flimsy.

The parts-fit of the Mushkin Flash MP3 player isn't the best. The USB port cover wants to sit crooked and causes the battery cover to move a bit. I also noticed that every time I close the battery cover, there is a gap. If I push on the sides of the cover, the gap disappears and it fits normally. The buttons are all solid, fit well and have good tactile-feedback when you press them.

There is a line of chrome-like trim around the player and the buttons are all similarly finished. The display is also framed with a mirror-like edge. This generally looks nice but is very prone to fingerprint smudges. Fortunately, the screen seems to be pretty scratch resistant as it has held up very well to constant wiping on my shirts or pants to remove those smudges (yah yah, call me a neat freak).

An absolutely glaring defect with my particular player is that the clear plastic cover for the LCD screen was placed upside down. When I turn the player on and hold it so that I can read the screen properly, the "Multi MP3 Player' logo is upside down. I checked the pictures on the box and the instructions and all showed this logo in the correct orientation. I know it's only a visual defect, but it's something you will notice every time you use the player. I doubt that every single player will have this problem, but it is unlikely that this is the only one.

One thing conspicuously missing from the player is the Mushkin logo or name. The package has "Mushkin Enhanced' all over it; it seems strange that player doesn't have at least some small token marking.

I took the player into the electronics section of my local department store to compare its size against other flash players. While they didn't have any of the Creative players to compare to, they did have models from Rio, RCA, Sony and Phillips. Only the Sony Network Walkman player was smaller while the others were about the same size, if not larger.

The battery included is a 3.7v 500mAh Lithium-ION rechargeable in a very compact size; about the size of an Andes brand after-dinner mint. Despite its size, it provides most of the weight of the unit and helps give a substantial feel to the device and let you know that you really are holding something.

The headphones included are pretty standard fare. There are no markings on them, so I can't tell you who makes them. There aren't even markings for Left or Right to get proper stereo functionality. I suppose as long as I hear the sound, I'm not too concerned if it comes from the right or left side.

I applaud Mushkin for adding the USB extension cable, it will certainly come in handy for the user with only rear USB ports and they could easily have left it out as a cost cutting measure. The cable is about four feet long which should be plenty for anyone whether their computer is on or under their desk.

Not much to say about the drive CD, I don't run Windows 98 so I'm not about to put it in my computer. XP detected the device just fine and it comes up simply as a removable drive. No other software is included or needed to use the device, just drag and drop files in Windows Explorer. This of course also means that the player can be used to store files of any type so long as you have free space. The lack of proprietary software just makes this player even more portable.

The quick-start guide covers the simple menu system and all the important functions. Mushkin recommends charging the player for two hours before the first use. The player charges through the USB port so anytime it's plugged in to transfer files, it is also juicing up; no AC adapter required.

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Page 1: Introduction & The Package
Page 2: Checking Things Out
Page 3: Testing & Conclusion

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1 User Comment

1 - Posted by ebizviz on May 4, 2005 - 3:26 pm

This review helped me a lot bying this product.
I found it is exactly how it was expalined in the review.

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