256MB of memory, Slim Stylish design, Built in FM Radio, Voice Recorder
About the size of a credit card and just over 1.5 ounces, the light blue Creative MuVo Slim digital audio player is compatible with both MP3 and WMA files and has a built-in FM radio and voice recorder. The 256 MB memory will store up to eight hours of WMA files at 64 kbps or up to four hours of MP3 music at 128 kbps. With super-fast USB 2.0 connectivity and simple drag-and-drop transfer without software, the MuVo Slim accepts music files as quickly as a song per second. The 256 MB model comes in light blue, black, pink, silver, and dark blue.
With built-in support for Windows Media Player 9 Series, the MuVo Slim offers compatibility with a wide range of popular music services, including Best Buy MusicNow, Buy Music, Musicmatch, and Napster.
The MuVo Slim features an FM radio with 32 presets, plus FM recording capabilities to record favorite radio shows or songs. With the built-in microphone, the MuVo Slim can record up to 16 hours of voice recording, from important meetings to reminders to yourself. You can customize playback with a five-band graphic equalizer with four equalization presets, as well as environmental settings for pop, rock, jazz, or classical.
The removable battery is rechargeable via the player's USB connection, providing up to 17 hours of continuous playtime. The 132 x 32-pixel blue backlit LCD displays file information, and you can scroll through folders, playlists, or individual songs.
What's in the Box
This package includes the 256 MB MuVo Slim (Black) digital audio player), neodymium earphones, carrying case, and CD-ROM with Creative MediaSource music management software. MediaSource is an easy-to-use application for ripping CDs, organizing entire digital music collections, and easily transferring MP3 and WMA files.
1 Fantastic Little MP3 Player
With all of the hype over Apple's IPOD, many people have seemed to overlook the large number of MP3 alternatives on the market. The MuVo Slim is definitely one of the best products out there. The slim and lightweight design is perfect for carrying or putting in a pocket while exercising and the 256 MB capacity is more than ample to store enough songs for numerous workouts. If you're looking for a portable MP3 player that is smaller than any of Apple's options, this is definitely the best product on the market.
2 MuVo-S Blue replaced my Sony NetMD Walkman
My faithful 3 years old Sony Net MD Walkman had decided to retire before the long Easter weekend. After I was told about the hefty repair & part replacement charges by Sony Singapore, it seems wiser to shop for a replacement portable music player.
After some careful research and price comparison, I have purchased the Creative MuVo Slim 256MB flash memory MP3 player [MuVo-S] for USD95 in Singapore.
PROs
1 OVERALL AN EXCELLENT machine from the maker of SoundBlaster PC audio card.
2 GREAT OVERALL PACKAGE is great value for the price & bundled with essential accessories & software.
3 SOFTWARE INSTALLATION is EASY.
4 ULTRA COMPACT SIZE & ROBUST FORM FACTOR.
5 ENERGY EFFICIENT. My unit plays for 15 hours non-stop on first full charge!
6 ECONOMIC to operate, saves tons of money on purchase of dry
cell alkaline batteries! The MuVO-S pays for itself as it works for you!
7 ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY because it uses 1 QUICK CHARGE user replaceable rechargeable battery which charges from the 5 volts USB port of your PC via the accessory USB cable provided. First full battery charge takes 3 hours, subsequent charge takes much lesser time.
8 FEATURE USER FRIENDLY PACKED includes a JOG DIAL for operation, FM radio, Equaliser, built-in Mic/recording...
9 GREAT companion for active outdoor workout without temporary losing the music to movement shakes.
10 ROBUSTNESS,the absence of moving parts like hard disk makes the MuVo-S a tough portable product.
11 DOUBLES as storage for other important computer data files.
12 SLIM CREDIT CARD SIZE, its probably the thinnest any flash MP3 player could be.
CONs
1 USD95 PRICE COULD BE LOWER, but it is already currently the lowest priced branded 256MB MP3 flashplayer with same feature from reputable Japanese & Korean competitors. The latest 1GB silver MuVo-S costs USD180 but I don't need a jukebox.
2 Would be happier if a small matching color HAND STRAP or NECK STRAP is included with the MuVo-S to fit on its built-on eyelet for strap.
3 NICE blue backlight LCD display BUT I would like to see a COLOUR LCD DISPLAY in future MuVo-S if it is energy efficient enough to have one that will be real COOL.
4 You can't compare the sound quality of the MP3 format with audioCD but should be good enough while you are travelling.
6 NOT A STANDALONE PRODUCT, avoid if you are not in tune with the digital evolution and is unfamiliar with MP3.
This end user review would not be complete without some small talk about the close MuVo-S competitor, the chic Apple iPod Shuffle 512MB flashplayer. The MuVo-S is NOT an iPod Shuffle (iPod-S) killer. IMHO, the iPod-S appeals as a differentiated product which is designed to be a premium minimalist fashion accessory cum bare-bone music player. I have avoided the USD99, 512MB iPod-S because it lacks a built-in FM radio which I would have to replicate.Moreover,the plain iPod-S lacks an LCD display and may well cost me the price of a feature rich MuVo-S or another iPod-S just to replace the rechargeable battery of the iPod-S in the future.
Overall, for a little more than the current price of a 512MB/1GB flash plain memory stick or thumb drive, the MuVo Slim is a great choice for an ultra compact portable audio solution and it has successfully replaced my Sony NetMD Walkman, thank you for reading my person user experience of the MuVo-S.
3 Bad quality, worse warranty
The headphone jack went bad after 5 months, and I had to pay $40 for repair - they only give you 3 month wararanty on labor.
4 Creative Needs to Recreate this Model
I received mine for my birthday. It was great for the first week. My recordings were clear with decent quality. The battery was exceptional for an mp3 player. Unfortunately, the latch to close the door on the battery broke after the first week. It will no longer work unless I tape the door closed. I tried to replace it, but the store (Staples) acted like I was a thug who stole it, instead of a professional working on my Ph.D. I'm stuck with a broken model I've had for a week.
5 Now I can hear the Dali Lama chant and much more!
My husband wanted to buy me a fairly expensive MP3 player for Christmas--but I asked for this one instead. It has wonderful sound and I have had great fun downloading the free MP3s from Amazon and listening to them on walks. My son installed the software for me and showed me how to use it in less than five minutes and it is very easy and I can do it all by myself.
I love the small size--but the lit screen is big enough for me to see without my glasses. At first, I wondered about the main settings--two of them are immediate volume control--but after using it with headphones while walking and also in the car--I've found it helpful to have it set up this way.
I have also listened to a audio book on this player which is nice too. It has a little voice recorder which I plan to use to record traditional tunes that I want to learn. I already have access to a professional studio and don't need my MP3 player to be of professional recording quality--just good enough to remind me of melodies. :)
I bought a set of headphones to wear as the ear plugs that came with this MP3 player hurt my ears. I had already read the reviews about this--so was expecting to buy a new set.
My sons all have Ipods and paid about triple what I paid for this, and will pay even more for extra mic hook ups etc. They are very pleased with them--but I could tell that my oldest son was very impressed with the price and quality of my selection.
Many of today's new techie items are wonderful, but have so many bells and whistles that it takes me a long time to figure out how to use them easily. The learning curve on this was really fast. There are still menu functions I have not used yet--but I'm pretty comfortable on the main ones already.
This charges up fast on my computer with a USB cable. I can use the same cable with it as my digital camera--so I just leave it hooked to the computer and it is very handy.
My favorite free MP3 on Amazon is the one where the Dali Lama says a prayer over you. It is very nice to hear some wonderful music while walking, and then to suddenly hear the Dali Lama chant. I have never seen the Dali Lama and it seems a wonder to have a $99 MP3 player bring him to me with enough clarity to feel like he is really there. :)
6 Amazing Player
I don't know how it's possible to give this player a negative review. With all it has to offer, it's most likely the best in its price range.
I admit that I WAS considering an iPod shuffle. However, once I looked past the hype and trendy-factor of the iPods, I realized that I would be buying a completely bare-bones player with no screen or any of the extra features that make the Creative Muvo Slim so great. Also, the Muvo Slim comes with a leather case and looks very stylish. The Shuffle is a little goofy white thing you wear on your neck.
Highlights:
- Has 256 MB capacity and will hold about 55 songs.
- Charges through the USB port in about 10 min (can charge while you transfer songs)
- You can record anything using the built-in microphone(in wav format)
- Has a built in FM radio with about 30 presents. Also has autoscan to preset all the available stations in your area.
- You have the ability to record songs directly from the radio (in stereo, but in wav format with 56 kbps-like quality)
- The player seamlessly integrates with the leather case, all the controls are on top and it's very easy to navigate. The leather case also provides great durability for the player, you can drop it as many times as you'd like.
7 LCD Screen failed in only 1 week of use
I received this as an office Christmas party gift. The LCD screen failed after only 1 week of use. Creative Labs accepted it as an RMA, but refused to repair it without a receipt. Surely customer service would know about gifts around the holidays, but no luck. Even a customer service supervisor could not make exceptions for gifts. A bad product, with worse customer service.
8 Purchased three, all three failed within one week
Purchased one for myself, two as Christmas gifts. They work initially, then fail with in a week. Creative replaced the first one, now the replacement has failed. The two I gave for Christmas have failed also. Stay away from this disaster of a product.
9 Not that good
I am giving two stars for the small size. Here are some of the problems I encountered with this product:
1. Very limited capacity to deal with folders. Only one level of folder is supported. That means, songs that are stored in a folder within a folder is in not accessible to the player.
2. No way to fast-forward or move back when playing a song.
3. Pause feature is very primitive. If you add a song or delete one, the player forgets about where it paused last time.
4. Control buttons are clumsy. Interface and controls are poorly designed.
5. Playing sons in alphabetic sequence doesn't work. This feature, if worked, would have been useful for someone listening to books on mp3.
10 Great Work Out Partner
I have done research on all of the MP3 players I have purchased in the past, both as gifts for myself and others. The Muvo Slim seemed the perfect choice as an upgrade from my current workout player of like 2 years past (Intel 128 Mb Pocket Concert). To make this a fast read, I will just do a pro's and con's list much like some others have done:
PRO'S
- Very slim, light and easy to hold - perfect for the gym.
- Software was easy to use and songs transferred to the player quite fast.
- Quality carrying case with a clever magnetic closure.
- Voice recording capability.
- FM radio capable.
- Straightforward and easy to use controls.
- Plenty of memory for gym use or otherwise.
CON'S
- Those of you who use the player at the gym and need to hear your songs in a particular order as I do when I am running long distance, you must go through an extra step before transferring each track to the player. Unfortunately, once the songs are put on the player, they are automatically put in alphabetical or alphanumeric order. To get around this, you must go to each track you wish to transfer and right click on it and hit "rename". Place a number before each track in the order you want to hear the song. For example, 1 - Where's your head at - Basement Jaxx 2 - Check it out - Beastie Boys.
- The case seems a little unsuited for protecting the player in a gym environment. It seems like it would be too easy for sweat/water to gain access to the player itself through the open ends of the case.
- The headphones that come with the player sound great, but are totally useless for running, especially long distances. They bounce right out of your ears, especially the left one. I had to constantly reach up while running and reposition them. Annoying as hell!
- Volume...Maybe it is my raggedy old headphones (Sony MDR-G52 behind the head model), but in a loud gym environment this player was WAY too quiet - even on full volume. My Intel player was SO much louder. I will try some new headphones and see if this makes a difference.
- The equalizer environments are neat, but some of them further reduce the volume, making it difficult to find a reason to use them at all.
Overall, I am very pleased with the form and function of this device, as long as I can sort out the volume issue somehow.
11 It has its Pros and Cons
I got this for Xmas, so im not saying anything about how long the thing lasts... but in my short term experainces ive experianceds some interesting things...
Pro's
The Sound quality is great, for and Mp3 player that is, since all the music i put on it was a mear 128 Kbps you cant expect lots, but even with that it sounds fine with now pops wizzez or cracks, even in my $150 Boss Headphones... Love that 5 Band Equilazer...
It Looks very snazzy
It has an FM Radio which I think gets great reception, It really shocked me with how good the reception was, and the cool thing is, you can record the radio! Which i have fun doing, get some good songs from your favorite radio statio, at semi good quality, it kinda seems to sound worse lissening to the recording though...
Rechargable Internal Battery, this thing charges quick and lasts a good 10-12 hours of constant play, and did i mention it rechanges Quick! so fast i couldnt time it couse i just left it for a little bit and it was done, and i was impressed...
And the Mic for voice recording, if you can find a use for it... doesnt pick up noise well, unless your speaking right by it.. dont count on recording any Physics lectures from your teacher standing 20 feet away.
Con's
The Battery holter flap is very flimey, it almost felt like i was gonna break it off the first time i opened it. In fact
The whole thing feels kinda flimsey which leads me to another point.
If your looking for something Slim, when you feel how flimsy this thing is, you wont ever want it out of its little casey thingy, which id say about double the thickness. But i guess its still pretty slim...
You need the Cable! To charge it, or transfer files on/off... not like the other Muvo modles where the Plug is on the player, so there is never a cable nessisary... very nice...
Weird playback system, took me a while to figure this one out... try and follow me on this one... So you break your music up into folders, and me personaly, each folder is an album, so in the individual albums folder you put the songs right! but if you transfer the songs on it in the order you want them to play, it will play it backwards..... stupid.. so if you want any order you copy the tracks on it in reverse order to what you want it to play..... very usefull information for someone buying one of these.. it took me a while to get my albums tracks to play in the right order, which is the only way to lissen to music in my opinion...
My nutral opinions...
The earbuds... you cant really complain about poor quality sound from earbuds, its all they do, ive had many sets of earbud headphones, and these sound no worse, maybe better even, probibly just average...
Im pretty happy with what i got... i wish i got the 512 model though...
Hope this review helps some...
12 Great compact mp3 player!
I bought two of these for me and my wife for christmas. This is my first mp3 player and I am very satisfied. The battery has a very long life and is replaceable. I love the fact that you can transfer the music and other files to the muvo without any special software. I love the backlit screen and the tiny size. The sound is great (with my own headphones). The included headphones are okay, but aren't very comfortable. You can't go wrong with the Muvo Slim or Amazon!
13 Major Disapointment
First off, this thing deserves ZERO STARS. I bought the Muvo Slim for my son for Christmas, and I am very sorry I did. It was great for a couple hours. Then it stopped connecting to the PC. The worst thing about this player is the battery retention mechanism is REDICULOUSLY DELICATE and was begining to fail almost immediately. Why do these product engineers use a TINY sliver of plastic where they should use spring steel? I expect better from Creative Labs. DO NOT BUT THIS PRODUCT!
14 absolutely beyond comprehension!!!
I recieved the MuVo Slim for christmas, and have had it for... oh. wait. 4 hours. anyway:
pros: VERY compact, slick carrying case (with all plugs easily accessible), folders which you can browse, etc, shuffle and shuffle repeat, also shuffle folder and single track, FM radio (WOW, this one's the really amazing feature, this thing gets such good reception it's like you're listening to a CD, voice recorder, MP3 and WMA, and especailly the FM recorder.
cons: earphones are not all that great; they fall out if you just think about moving your head. but hey, they're earphones. they're cheap and easy to come by - I know at my house we have more headphones and earphones than we know what to do with.
You know it's a good product when someone takes the time to get up on christmas morning and write reviews of MP3 players. Actually, it's not just good - it's amazing. Definitly worth it.
15 Great package (including Audible)
Have owned many MP3 players over the years, this is by far the best, and the lowest cost. Battery charges quick (though the latch to close it is poorly designed, hope it does not break) with USB port to computer, I found the radio stations to be clear, and the size and shape is ideal for the exercise club. Not much to add to other reviews other than I use with Audible.com, and the download speed was very fast. What really made this a great unit is the fast forward button, which I did not expect it to have. You can listen to recordings, and if you miss something, go back and relisten to any section easily. Other MP3 players can stop, and start at same spot you left off, but here it is like a tape player. I record off of my PC webcasts and other events, and they download perfectly into this unit. So, in one unit, can listen to music, radio, books, or recordings. Only thing I would want more is satellite radio!
16 Snazzy top pocket mp3 player
After having a Memorex mp3 player die on me in the 4th month, I read a lot of reviews and the Muvo series seemed to get top marks for performance and reliability. The Muvo Slim even got the top recommendation from a prestigious Consumer technology-review site. One of the best things about it is the lithium ion rechargeable battery, which even recharges quickly through the USB port. I went through a lot of batteries before. Even if your mp3 player gets 10 hours on one battery, if you work out or walk to the bus stop every day, that can mean 1 battery per week -- that starts adding up quickly, believe me!
I ended up going for the Muvo Micro instead, but that's only because it has an arm band, and I go running. I actually like the credit card shape of the Slim better, and it fits excellently in a top pocket. But I finally got my hands on one in person, and I noticed that the nice leather case doesn't have a place for a belt clip or strap, so even if I had created my own arm strap, there was no place to guide it through.
Hope this helps someone else who was thinking the same thing.
17 Great Product
What a great buy for the money. Very simple to use. Runs right off Windows media player if that is what you are familiar with. I installed their disc but deleted it after finding out about the media player. The sound quality is excellent. It is perfect for running and taking to the gym. The only downer is the ear buds. They don't stay in very well. I am very happy that I bought it!!
18 Cool-and Sounds Great
just received my Muvo. Very cool.
Like the design, the pager like interface, the rechargeable battery, the usb cable (my usb ports are in the back). Little black creditcard size case with view windows and slot for earplugs and usb connector.Like the rock equilizer setting, crisp and hot. Not using Muvo earplugs,already had a sony pair that I like. Radio is ok but not a radio fan.
When I carry it, people ask what it is (pager or phone) Doubles as a conversation piece when not in use.
Using it on a imac in finder osx1.28. Dragging and dropping music folders are a snap. Have not tried it with itunes yet...
19 Overall I am very pleased with my Muvo Slim
I've had my Muvo Slim for about a week now and I've figured out how to use all (or at least most) of it's functions. I've ripped music from audio CDs and transfered them as MP3 files to my Muvo Slim and everything works great. I'm no high-tech audio geek but I listen to music often and the sound output on the Muvo Slim is very good. I'm currenly listening to a Haydn piccolo trumpet concerto and the responce is good in all registers. I love the fact that the Muvo Slim recharges through the USB port, it eliminates the need for a seperate charging cord so I can recharge it at work. The leather case is nice and has a magnetic clasp that keeps it from flopping open. Even with the case it is slim enough to fit in my shirt pocket without looking goofy. My only complaint about the Muvo Slim is that the FM reception could be better. It works OK but I have an old Sony personal radio (powered by two AAA bateries) that gets better reception. I do, however, use my Muvo Slim to listen to NPR while on the bus and the reception is acceptable. If I used it to listen to music from the radio I don't think that I would be happy with the reception. The metal construction and sturdy buttons give the impression of quality and longevity. I hope that this helps!
20 nice sound, very slim body
i feel bit disappointed after listening to some mp3 format songs. the sound is not that good, as if there is a layer right between you and the sound. see? but overall, it's real handy, you dont even feel anything stick on your body while doing exercise, etc. i like this.
21 Great Mp3 player...
This was my second Mp3 player and I must say that I NEVER knew that it was possible for a player to be so easy to use yet of such high quality. I definitly recommend it to anybody looking for a small/simple/high quality Mp3 player. Another great thing about it is that you can purchase interchangable face plates to make it more colorful!
22 I've rediscovered the joy of music with this fabulous MP3!!
I LOVE my MUVO SLIM!!! I'm a 56 year old woman, and when I say this is EASY to use, it really is!! It is SOOOOO user friendly!! I bought it to work out at the gym, but I also listen to it when I'm cooking dinner, scrapbooking, etc. I love the sound, and it's so tiny that I usually just stick it in my bra (in its case) for really easy carrying.
The drop and drag technology is wonderful! Mine holds about 55 songs, which is plenty for me. I love the way you charge the battery by just plugging the player into a computer.
This product is definitely worth the money... and I know I will buy things made by Creative Labs in the future, because they put a lot of effort into making this player absolutely perfect!
23 Perfect!
I bought this MP3 player after researching many different brands and models, and I'm so glad I chose this one. It's small, charges from USB (so I'm not creating battery waste!) and hold enough music to satisfy my commute. The FM reception is excellent!
24 I don't know how I ever lived without it!
A great purchase. I bought it about a month ago, and it still works great. The equalizer allowed me to make the crunchy guitars in my music well...crunchier. The radio was pretty good too. It doesn't have AM, but who listens to AM anyway? The voice recorder is EXTREMELY handy, Especially for people without microphones on their computers, seeing as how this thing comes with one of the fastest ways of file transfering out there. Simply amazing. The quality is second only to my 6 speaker car stereo. If you do choose to buy this, I would recommend that you buy a pair of headsets to go with it. The included ones are very fragile, and constantly fall out of my ears.
25 This thing is F#@%ing amazing
I just got mine out of the box and fooled around with it for a couple of hours. I honestly did not know they made stuff this cool. No it can't hold a week's worth of continous play like an I-pod, but then again it's about three hundred dollars cheaper. The recording mic. works well and you can record stuff off the radio. And it's so damn small. I am completely and utterly satisfied, so satisfied that I decided to sit down and write this review at 1:00 in the morning. If you've even thought about getting an MP3 player, this one is great.
Second Review: This review is written about five months after the above review. I'm responding to some of the negative reviews here listed about the muvo slim. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you guys, but as far as I'm concerned, the muvo slim is still the best MP3 device available for under $100. I am an avid skateboarder. I've taken about five good slams while using my muvo (one time landing more or less directly on top of it) and it's never had the slightest problem. I don't think I'd run over it with a car, but it's pretty tough. Battery life is still very good and it has never malfunctioned at all for me. I love it.
26 Important Note
I bought this item after much deliberation.
After much head scratching I found that this mp3 player can only play tracks in the correct alphabetic (numeric) order if there is an alphabetic change withing the FIRST NINE CHARACTERS.
So if you have an album with tracks:
Band 01 - song name1.mp3
Band 02 - other song.mp3
1234567
thats fine
if you have the following:
Bandrocks1 - song name1.mp3
Bandrocks2 - other song.mp3
123456789X
Then it will play the tracks in REVERSE order (???).
Maybe a future firmware change will fix this.
BTW: this problem is not specific to Creative products - I have seen similar effects with other products too!
Otherwise:
I found that yes; the ear buds are a bit big and uncomfortable but produce clear sound (dont try to take the foam covers off as it is still uncomfortable and no I lost one of them!), the battery latch is fragile but once its on its firm (you should never need to remove it if you charge via usb.
The skipping folder option is really nice!!
27 A slim winner
The Muvo Slim 256 is easy to use and fits easily into your pocket. It is reasonably priced and holds plenty of music on it. The built in mike makes it easy to use as a somple live recorder, and I was amazed at how well the FM radio works. It's a winner!
28 This is simply superb
I think I have taken a good decission in buying this product. After searching over the net for a month, I choose this compact MP3 player as the best one and after using it over a month now, I found it to be the ultimate one when I compare this with other MP3 players those my friends are using.
It gives a harmony sound effect, no need to go for another ear piece. The voice recoding is excellent. I recorded so many songs and sent those to my friends and they couldn't believe that the voice is so much clear when I told them it is recorded by a mp3 player. They felt like I am singing infront of them. Lookwise, it is very nice and very handy for travel purpose. I also carry it with me whenever I go for a meeting. The download is very fast, only you need to attach the cable to the USB port.I don't see any disadvantage of this item. Worth buying it if you are a music freakout person. This item is for someone who loves music and listens to the soft voice. Also, it is one of the best gift items you can think of.
29 Awesome MP3 Player!
Pros:
-Very small and thin, about the size of a credit card.
-Extremely easy to put songs on and very fast with the USB 2.0. It only takes about 5-8 seconds per song to download to the player depending on the length of it.
-The equalizer is really nice especially since you can customize it.
-The battery was fully charged right out of the box and took about 5 minutes to get everything going including installing the software on my computer.
-The volume goes up nice and loud and doesn't loose clarity or anything.
-The radio has very good reception and never has static.
-The screen is very clear and has a nice sky blue backlight.
-The leather case is also very nice and handy.
Overall I couldn't have picked a better MP3 player with all that the MuVo Slim offers for only $160.
Cons:
The only complaint that I have is the ear buds that come with it. They have really good sound, but they are so big that they don't fit into my ear and just fall out. Also the latch on the battery compartment is a little fragile, but that isn't a big problem.
