iRiver iFP799T 1GB Flash MP3 Player The iFP-799 combines advanced iRiver sound quality with a stylish, wearable design. It features 1GB of internal memory for up to 34 hours of music, extended battery life up to 40 hours on one AA, a built-in FM tuner and voice recorder. It also records music from any audio source. Plus, this ultra-light, skip-free player can be used to store music or transfer files of any type.
1 Most Solid Player on the Market!
After owning Sandisk and RCA players, this iRiver rocks them down the river! If your big on integrity like me, you'll be very happy; no loose buttons or sloppy navigation...Solid! Compared to others I actually thought the navi was very user friendly. Remember these are like cell phones, the more features the more functions have to be cleverly placed within the limited buttons. The FM tuner is simple and clear, I recommend engaging the HOLD because FM tuner record is just one click away! The line in recording is a good feature, but the only external source you can really use is a protable CD player, for the line female ports on stereo equip. are RCA. The software is great, but I think Sandisk is better in this area because it opens up as a removable storage device so you can drag and drop files.
2 A few flaws, but otherwise good device.
I, too, did extensive research before making the leap to purchase a device. I had three in mind, iPod Mini 4GB, Samsung YEPP [new compact model] 1GB, and Creative Zen Micro. The cost of the device was also an issue. All the devices were similar in price.
Determining factor was the type of drive and battery life I wanted. The iPod's are flawed by battery but compromised by amazingly simple menu system. The Samsung YEPP physically looks great with a nice color screen and small form factor. I tried out the Samsung at Best Buy and to my discontent, I did not like the menu system and it took me 20min to figure out how to "stop" it from playing, and the flaw of having an internal battery that lasts only 10 hrs. The Creative Zen Micro looked promising but the need to recharge the battery tuned me off - coupled by the manufacturer's forum of discouraged users about the firmware.
Finally, I made my choice for the iRiver after reading reviews and understanding what type of player suited me. It is the least aesthetically pleasing device in comparison to the other three. But, it has what I need, small form factor, replacable AA batteries, and flash memory so there are no moving parts.
Pros:
1) 35-40 hrs of playback is amazing.
2) AA's are brainless. Buy a pack and it lasts a good while.
3) Tons of options - perhaps too many
4) FM Radio, it works well in my metro area.
5) Line-in is a nice feature
6) A good set of goodies such as a neckstrap included
7) Headphones are decent
8) Small form factor
9) LOUD!!
Cons:
1) Joystick and controls were difficult to learn at first
2) The shuffle modes are confusing
3) Plastic carry case was impossible to put on and sheds glittery stuff
4) Cannot make adequate playlists
5) Menu system has a learning curve of a few days
Overall, I do like the player. It is not an as user friendly as the iPod but compared to my brother's iPod, this is much better considering the battery life and features like Voice Recorder and FM radio already built in.
3 This mp3 player is Grrrreeeaaattttt!!!!!!
The FM tuner on this mp3 player is outstanding, the menu, while only 3 lines is easy to read and gives me all the feedback I need. new firmware is now available so that the unit appears as a drive when connected to the PC. That was the one problem I had with the unit when I bought it, but the new firmware came out about 10 days later and it was easy to install. Sound is great once I replaced the headphones that came with the unit, and the battery life is fantastic. Well worth the money, I would definitely buy another iRiver product if this is any indication of the quality of their other equipment. I have had this mp3 player for 4 months.
4 Choose the iriver 899
I purchased the iriver 899 from Best Buy for $199.99 plus tax because Amazon was not offering this newer unit. I am waiting for a $20.00 rebate. I had read reviews of this unit from other websites and decided this was the way to go...mainly because of the size of the unit and battery life. I have Windows 98 on my computer and was apprehensive because it was stated on the package for 98 SE or ME. I previously had a 128 player which only held 5 CDs. This unit holds 10 at best quality (160 kbps.)and it is only half full. It is very important for me to get the best quality sound, so when I tranfered the songs to my computer I choose them to be transfered in best quality, which can be found in the options under tools in the CD audio menu on Windows Media Player. It takes up more room on the device, but the sound quality is superb! It is also extremely important that the enable personal rights management box is not checked. This was a big issue with me because support for Windows 98 is not covered in the instruction booklet. The first time I copied them to the MP3 player, the song titles were transfered, but not the songs. The design of the player is great, the battery door and port door are not an issue, the plastic cover for the player fits well and protects the player. The earphones I feel are great. I was a little concerned about one earphone wire being longer than the other, but I have gotten used to wearing it behind my neck. I have not used the armband, and the belt clip works great. I purchased an extended warranty from Best Buy, because I hope this unit lasts "forever!"
5 Spyware
The item works great as indicated by previous reviews.
That said, the bad news.
1. You cannot use this as a straight USB drive. You HAVE
to use iriver's proprietary interface software.
2. Also when you install the software iriver will install
a nice sleeper (spyware) type program called update.exe.
very uncool.
overall a great peice of hardware with some poor software.
Adam
6 Warning about OGG support and battery life
Many other people have written good reviews about this player, so I won't go on about how great it is. Just thought I'd mention one thing for those of you who bought it, like me, because of OGG support: the battery life is basically non-existant with OGG.
I used to wonder why my battery would die after about 4 hours of playing my OGG (Q6) files, until I loaded up some WMAs and tried playing them exclusively. I've now had at least 20 hours playing and the battery meter still shows full.
Although I was warned about battery life with OGG, no-one ever told me it would only be about a tenth as much. I don't know where the blame lies here, but it makes the player unusable with OGG files!
7 Great sound, small size, crummy options
What I liked: I love the portability of this player. It's so tiny that it's easy to take it running or to the gym but with enough memory to want to carry it just walking around town. For a flash player, there's enough room to store your favorite songs and a few of your favorite albums.
The basic navigation is pretty easy, too. It doesn't take long to be able to do all the basics like find songs and stop and start play. After only a few days, I was able to change songs and pause without taking it out of my pocket.
What I didn't like: Unfortuntely, the shuffle sucks. What is sold in the manual as Shuffle mode that "Randomly play all tracks in the folder and stop" really means that a few songs in the folder will play over and over in the same order that is different than the order that they are stored in the folder. There is no randomness to it. I have a folder with almost 200 of my favorite songs in it, and the shuffle simply selects the same 30 of those songs and repeats them in the same order each time I try the Shuffle mode.
Customer support also leaves something to be desired. When I used their online service to contact them about this issue, they didn't respond for two weeks, at which time they told me that the Shuffle mode is not programmed to be random. Though I have tried to follow up with them multiple times over the last few months, they have never replied.
Other issues: the AA battery helps keep the player small, and the battery life is everything it's advertised, but it is annoying to have to keep a stockpile of AA's if you use the player a lot. Also, I'm 5'3" and average weight and I found the armband almost too small. I can't imagine anyone slightly larger than I am being able to use it. The display screen is cluttered with junk you don't need to see (such as the file format, bit rate, and sample rate), leaving little room for things you actually care about like the song title and artist. Finally, the navi/menu button is not the easiest to use - I ofter find myself accidently selecting something I didn't want because I accidently pushed slightly to one direction when trying to depress the button to make a selection.
If you're looking for something that just plays songs, this player is small, portable, and has great sound quality (don't follow their advice for reducing the size of the file - tracks sound terrible at the smaller size). But if you're looking for a player on which you can shuffle your songs or is designed intelligently, keep looking.
8 Great Player, only 1 Flaw
I researched MP3 players for about 5 months (amazing how much technology changes in that short span of time) and finally decided on this player. It had the Flash memory, so no moving parts to worry about. It was also larger (memory wise) than its much smaller 256 KB companions. I use it for working out mostly but also enjoy it on airplanes.
The only complaint I have is in regards to the shuffle feature. Every time I turn the player off, it always goes back to the same order of songs from the beginning.
Beyond that this is a great deal!
9 This is a great product
I shopped around for a player like this and checked out many reviews. I bought the i-river and have no regrets at all. The software is easy to use, the player is easy to use. I use it primarily when I run and the armband is perfect. Some commented that it is not large enough, but i have large arms and have no trouble at all.
The battery life is long, and I would much rather replace a battery (as you do with this player) than have to worry about recharging. I record songs at 128 mb and there is plenty of space on the player for many cds.
I never tried the headphones that came with the player, as i do not like earbuds--I bought a different set of headphones, so i cannot comment on the headphones provided.
I have absolutely no complaints, and I highly recommend this player.
10 great player for the money
I have had the player for a week.
Over all I love the player. The battery life is at leat the amout they clam. (I use rayovac 15 min recharable batteries) The recorder works very well, the only problem with the recorder is that it eats up battery life. The hold button is great.
The problem with the player is that the arm band is junk. It does not come with a belt clip. though I fixed the problem with to office rings they hold the loop on the case to the loop on my jeans. The softwhere that comes with the player is only ok. it does not keep the titles on my mp3 tracks.
I found it worth the money to buy the 1 gb player.
11 a good first mp3 player
This little mp3 is a great one for travel, running, etc. I really like the shape and the display, and its battery life is pretty good. My only complaint is that it's a bit difficult to learn how to get around all the menus to find what you're looking for. After that, no problems at all!
12 Great sound and styling, poor accesiories
I decided to buy the 512MB unit because I loved the 256K iRiver MP3 player I bought in December.
PROS: These iRiver players deliver perfect MP3 sound, have excellent AM/FM reception, and are very easy to use if you have even just an inkling of technical ability. They are PERFECT for use while exercising because they are so light. You don't even feel like you're carrying anything. Plus, the stick driven control combines volume and song selection in a way that is easy to use while you are jogging etc. The blue colored display is easily readable. The software (XP) is easy to use, and uploading 5 MB songs to the device takes only 2-3 seconds. Stores about 100 songs, more than enough for the average user. Uses 1 AA battery (included!) which lasts for at least 2-3 months of 1/2 hour work-outs 4 times per week. So, you DON'T have to recharge it, and you DON'T have to replace it due to a worn out rechargable battery, a la iPod. Firmware upgradeable.
CONS: NO BELT CLIP! What were they thinking. Yes, there is a belt loop, but who in the hell ever uses that. It's not like I'm wearing slacks and a belt when I'm at the gym. If the manufacturer goes through the trouble to include a belt loop, they should take the extra $1.50 step and include a belt clip. And no, you cannot jog with the neck strap without everyting bouncing around on your chest. The 256MB model comes with ALL of the options: Belt clip, detachable around the neck cord, and arm band. And the case is higher quality plastic without button constriction. I wrongly assumed that the better 512 model would also come with a belt clip. Surprisingly, iRiver offers said clip for $19.99 on their web site.
The case included with the 512 unit is really a pice of plastic crap. I could not secure the two fasteners without constricting the player so much that the play button was constantly pressed. I actually had to cut out a hole for the buttons. Very poor design.
These are really the only negative comments I have about this iRiver product.
13 Very good flash player.
Well, long battery life (yes, really ~40 or so hours; get 2400mAh Ni-MH rechargeable batteries; most camera shops have'em), UMS support (flash drive, need to download firmware), and great sound quality (and lots of power to headphones). As previous reviewer said, you will need to ditch the headphones (I recommend Sony MDR-EX71SL, or 51).
I also own ifp-399; previous model, and this new one is much nicer. much longer battery life and better sound quality.
Love the standard AA batteries, easy USB drive thingie (although you'll have to carry a USB wire with you if you want to use that anywhere), FM radio (after the blackout, I decided to carry around a radio with me all the time), and very very very light design and rugged frame (I dropped it a few times, with no ill effects).
The only possible down side is that the insides appears to be shoddy on the ifp-399---I had to open it to re-solder the buttons; don't know how much better this model is, but so far (in 9 months of everyday use---I got it right as it came out), I haven't had any issues with it.
14 I love this thing!
This is my second MP3 player.
I bought the first one at Costco and returned it within a couple of weeks. It was cheaply built, didn't work as advertised, and was overpriced for what you got.
So then I started looking for a replacement. After reading all the great reviews on Amazon, I decided to get the iRiver 1GB flash player. I love it. The sound is great (I use 3D sound). It has very good FM reception, and so I record American Routes on NPR every week, and save the MP3 files. A gigabyte of storage will let you store 500 songs or more. The battery life is phenomenal and it uses easily available AA alkaline batteries. The unit feels solid and well built. I haven't tried voice recording yet, but I'm looking forward to that; I've heard that it works quite well.
The only quibble I have is that the iRiver doesn't function as a mass storage device, so you have to install an iRiver application on your PC to update the player.
When I purchased the player, I had to upgrade the firmware to version 1.25 in order to get the random number generator to work for the shuffle playback. This was easy.
I notice now that a couple of months after I bought mine, the price has been lowered by $25.
15 iAudio U2 kicks butt
The iAudio U2 is the way to go if you want a flash based player. It has all the features of the iRiver and then some, they even look similar. Voice/mic recording, FM tuner/recorder, line in/line out recording, and it acts as an UMS (USB Mass Storage) device (Which means no software is needed to use this). Also, it supports way more codecs and a wider range of bitrates with VBR (ogg vorbis, mp3, wav, flac, asf). The only draw back is that it's battery life is 20 hours as opposed to 40 hours, but then again are you really going to listen to your mp3 player for 40 hours straight?
In my opinion the iAudio U2 is the way to go.
16 best of its kind by a long shot
Iriver really created something extraordinary with its 700/800 series players. I've tried a bunch ofem and i ended up getting the 799. Everything you could possibly need/want is there, except for one thing: no UMS. In order to transfer files you must use Iriver music manager software - it comes on CD or you can download it from their website at www.iriveramerica.com and install it to see what its like before you buy this thing. I've actually been using it for recording class lectures, and it does this wonderfully. The voice detection is amazing -from the back of the classroom hall it picks up the professor talking. It's got a thing called "AGC" audio gain control or something like that so make sure you turn that on when recording from the external mike to pick up sounds from far away. I can transfer the voice files from the player onto the ocmputer for storage (they are mp3 files). However you can't transfer non-recorded mp3's from the player. Only files that you recorded from radio/line-in/voice. Not that i care to do this - the main thing for me is to be able to take my lecture recordings and put them on the computer/burn onto cd etc. Excellent features for lecture recording.
Anothre thing that I find amazingly useful is you can schedule it to record from radio - just like a VCR. You tell it what day(s) and what time to start recording, and for how long to record and it will do it. I have mine set to record a weekly radio program and i dont even have to worry about it - it takes care of it every week and i can listen to it later when i have time. Also like it has been mentioned this thing does not break. It has no moving parts like the Ipod, so you can shake it all you want and its all good. Great for exercise, travel, you name it. It's built to last. It even uses a common AA battery, so you dont have to worry about any internal re-chargable battery wearing down -plus you can just take a couple of extra AA's with you when you travel and forget about having to find electicity abroad - these AA batteries are so cheap and common, and each one is good for 30+ hours!!
17 Great product
I actually have the 899, but it isn't on amazon. I love this mp3 player. I wanted something small, lightweight, with a long battery life,voice recording capability. Enter the 899. It performs all of these functions exceedingly well. The voice recording is surprisingly sharp. It has been perfect for my uses from the time I upgraded the firmware. Definitely upgrade it, being chained to the included software is a major pain. It may be a little pricey, but my money was well spent.
18 GREAT!!
This is my first MP3 player. I love it. I based my purchase on the reviews that I read on several products. This one seemed to rate high with user ease. I can now agree. The size, sound, and memory storage is great. It took me a few days to figure out how to navigate and download properly. I now have it mastered. It works wonderfully while exercising.
19 Better than iPod
I sold my bulky iPod and purchased a 1GB iRiver 799. It was a great move. The iPod looks like a neanderthal next to the sleek iRiver. Of course, the pod holds a lot more music, but I realized that I don't have much more than a gig of music I actually listen to, and I had my iPod filled with 10 GB of junk.
Here's the negative: It took me 25 minutes to get the stupid thing out of the package. They seal it in that heavy duty plastic that you can only get through with a box cutter. I finally found a really good pair of scissors and cut off the perimeter of the packaging, but it was ridiculous.
Other than that, the player works great, as most people have said here. Awesome sound quality, relatively easy to use interface and accessible controls, very long battery life, etc. I noticed someone here mentioned that you can't make a playlist. That's not true, at least with the newer models. The instruction manual tells you how to do it. It's the equivalent of the On-The-Go playlist that the iPod offers.
I would recommend this product over iPod. It's cheaper and there are no annoying issues with the battery wearing down, etc. Just make sure you have a good pair of scissors on hand when it arrives. Oh, and the guy who said that the accessories suck is right. At least the little case it comes with (which you need to use the arm band). The iRiver hardly fits into the case, and once you finally jam the thing closed, the buttons are not lined up with the holes. Oh well... just set it to shuffle mode and don't screw with it.
20 The Best MP3 Player!!!
This is the best MP3 player out there!
I bought iRiver 128mb about 2years ago. Then I soon upgraded to 1gb when it came out. iRiver MP3 player has probably the most functionality among all other player. They include voice-recording, radio, preset EQ, music info, etc. The shape of the player fits just right into your palms comfortably, which makes it a perfect workout companion.
Even though it doesn't have all the glamorous marketing campaign and flashy colors of ipod, but the quality of this player is beyond its peers.
I worked out with this player all the time. This MP3 player has taken up A LOT of abuses from smashing onto the floor to splashing over by water. But it still operated like the day I bought it. No problem at all. Very impressive! The most important of all, I love the sound quality of this player. It's crispy clean and CD-like quality. For a compact player and affordable price, this player will meet any critic's demands. Highly recommended.
The pros are:
- CD-like sound quality
- Shock resistance. Durable.
- Voice recording
- FM radio recording
- Preset EQ
- Sleek design
- Easy operation
- Long battery life
21 Awsome
The best small electronics purchase I've ever made! I'm not the guy that alway has his headphones on, but when I want music, I want a variety of good music. It's perfect for Tractors, 4-wheelers and lawnmowers because it won't skip and it just hangs from your neck or in your pocket. The sound quality is excellent especially with the Sony fontopia headphones. My dad like it so much too I gave it to him and ordered another. Great features for the same price as the Ipod Shuffle, and with a FM tuner, voice recorder, and line in not to mention the display screen. Great buy.
22 Great Product, horrible accessories
This would be a great product but...
I pretty much read all the reviews and I'm baffled that no one has mention how horrible the accessories are. I'm really thinking about returning the product but the MP3 player itself works great.
This is the deal, the arm band and the case is made of low quality plastic band and cheap metal clasp. The arm band uses a metal hook which needs to be hooked on (instead of a Velcro strap- I don't think I have the biggest bicep but I can't get the hook to work) and the MP3 player case comes belt clip with bulky metal clasps that add some size to the MP3 player. This is iRiver's way to make you by an arm band upgrade and make some extra money (you can buy the upgraded arm band for additional $20+ $10 shipping). When you buy this MP3 player, you need to factor in additional $30 for the entire package.
Pro:
+Long battery life!!!
+Navigation around the MP3 player is pretty good
+Nice screen
+Sound volume is excellent
+Can buy an additional water-proof case
Con:
-Arm band and belt clip is horrible and have to pay $30 to get their upgraded model. -------Earphone is awkward. When I first looked at the earphone, I thought I got a defective earphone because the cord going to the right ear is longer than the cord going to the left. -After reading different sites, I'm told it comes that way so you can run one cord behind you back when using this with an arm band. I think this is silly and the cord just gets tangled even more!
-It's bigger than and thicker than you think.
I'm seriously considering another player but I'm not sure I can find one with an equivalent navigation system and battery life. Why couldn't iRiver just give a decent arm band/belt strap and earphone?
23 Great Idea - Horrible Execution
I bought this device for my 13 year old son. Great form factor, easy to install and use software. We transferred all his CDs onto the device quickly and easily and then the wheels came off the wagon. We could see all the songs on the device but could not get any of them to play. There is no tech support number-you can only send emails which go unanswered. I had a number of folks well versed in other MP3 players look at it with no luck. I returned it to the store and they could not get it to play either. Fortunately they were willing to take it back and we exchanged for another brand. Get an iPod if you can afford it-get any other MP3. Stay away from this it is awful!
24 My First MP3 Player
I got the Philips Nike MP3 player for Christmas, but was not impressed at all. The software was crap, and the volume would have been non-existent at the gym or on the bus.
This is great. Very small. The size is great! SO easy to throw in my coat pocket or purse, so it's easy to access on the bus or when I'm out and about. The Battery life is impressive. I'd say it is right between 35 and 40 hours. The display is great.
I do wish that it played OGG files, like my husband's iRiver (though his isn't a flash player). Although it does play wma files, unlike one reviewer reported.
The armband was impossible to get use. I couldn't get the player snapped in the case. It's small enough that I can stick it in a pocket, or where it on the cord when I'm at the gym. I keep meaning to order the other armband offered at amazon ($18)
Other than that, it is great. I don't know why I hauled around my cd discman and cd's for so long! THe software is easy to use. Sure it'd be nice to just be able to plug it in and it be recognized as external storage, but the software is easy to install.
Overall, great player! I would imagine the price will come down as other flash players expand to one gig.
25 Swimming aerobics in song
I placed an order for the new iPod Shuffle for one reason -- the accessory water-resistant case. I would listen to favorite tunes while doing aerobics in the pool, maybe exercising a little longer for the bargain. My only concern was that the iPod case isn't water proof -- splash-resistant only and not meant for use while swimming, but I figured I would be careful.
While waiting (weeks) for the iPod Shuffle to arrive, I browsed around Amazon and found the iRiver 799T and a companion accessory waterPROOF case by H2O Audio (see iRiver SVi 700 Water Sports Unit for iFP 700 Series). Not for deep diving, but excellent for the pool.
Between player and accessory case, it costs quite a bit more than the iPod Shuffle and case, but for my intended purposes, I would have ruined the Shuffle in no time anyway, translating into a total waste of money. Cancelled the iPod Shuffle, invested in the iRiver 799.
The iRiver is clunkier than the Shuffle, far less fashionable, and with the waterproof case, it's rather bulky. But I can choose the tunes I want to play or shuffle, it is more appropriate to my use plan and is well made. The player and case came with everything you might need -- extra waterproof ear buds, an extra gasket, appropriate wrist straps, lanyards, leatherette and shock absorbing cases, even a Duracell AA battery!
Although you must load the iRiver software into your computer (I guess) for the driver, you can use the Windows Media Player (I use v.10) where all your songs and playlists are probably already gathered. Mine are saved as WMA and at the highest quality, meaning fewer tunes loaded onto the player, but hours of songs on the juke are more than I need for exercise time and they operate beautifully. It only takes minutes to change out a playlist, anyway.
Sorry the review is so long, but I hope it's helpful.
26 Overrated player, there are better options.
Strengths: Lots of features, the IFP line excell like no other in FM and Voice recording quality in a 100% compatible MP3 format Iriver calls REC.
Long battery life. Just buy a set of 4 AA NiMH and charger and you will never run out of power.
Weaknesses: The sound quality is fine but not the best, Incomplete support for OGG Vorbis, No Playlist or Bookmarks for Audiobooks, Complicated PlayModes and user interface. The inline jack is not protected like the USB is but the door is flaky and doesn't remains closed, the joystick will drives you nuts, since is hard to press precisely down, in the same token the Buttoms on top are too prominent so they got activativated with anything pretty easily. The Song Manager is buggy and very primitive. The USB tranfer speed is in the slow side 1.2MB/sec.
I thought this was the best player around until I found the IAudio G3. And that is why I giving it just three stars.
The G3 is everything the IFP is and much much more, with practicaly no weakness. The only aspect were the IFP wins the G3 is obviously in the encoding quality.
If you insist on IRiver then go for the IFP-8XX series instead, which has not the physical design flaws of the 700 series.
27 nice player but the shape
I bought this player for my workouts. Sound is clear, capacity is more than enough and earplugs are not good for workouts. The shape is awkward. AA battery slot is making this thing rather large ( at the back side of the player, they always use a front shot for pictures, check for other pictures on the web), and when I use the armband, I feel like I have a rocket launcher on my arm. By the way, battery life is phenomenal (30+ hours on one battery). I would prefer the same quality in size of MPIO FL300 (I wouldn't mind 20 hour bat. life for a smaller size). Controls require some practice, but that's not a problem at all, basic mp3 playing is easy. My unit came with a defect, and amazon is replacing it, so I shouldn't disclose it.
28 Exceeds My Expectations
I love this puppy. Gets fast downloads with USB 2.0. Sound is superb. I bought my own headphones, but that is a given to me.
I often listen to voice only teaching lessons. With the ifp 799t you can pause and resume. You can skip ahead or backward (to what your listening to) in different time intervals of your choosing. You can increase or decrease the playback speed, which is great if you have listened to something already and want to do a quick review by increasing playback speed. I do memorization, so I can set it to repeat over indefinitly a sentence paragraph or whatever it is I'm learning. It is a voice recorder, one down point is the voice recording internal mike is a wash because any touching of the case makes noise during recording. No problem for me as I use an external lapel mike.
To add to all this sweetness my final cost was only $150. Amazon sale of $200 minus $30 for opening a charge card with Amazon, free shipping, minus $20 rebate from Iriver. Rebate check arrived within 4 YES 4 weeks from time I sent it in. Also I was having trouble with the case that came with it. I called them, and they sent a new one (different and better) as well as a new and better arm band. I have never been more pleased with a tech gadget, and I'm keeping my eyes peeled for another deal. If you're agonizing over whether to get a flash memory unit or a hard drive player. Well 1 gig holds 240 songs at 128k rate. I mean come on if you get tired of 240 songs the downloads are fast. Plus this unit is small and lightweight, and no moving parts. One more thing, I'm sold on being to use AA or AAA batteries in my devices. I can always carry a spare, plus if I don't use a device for awhile I can take the battery out and let it set. I hope this helps, again a great device and a great company.
29 Huge Disappointment
This player was a huge disappointment for the price. Here are the negatives:
- Does not support WMA files, even though it says it does.
- Cannot play long MP3 files - mine cuts off at about 25 minutes into the track
- Support is NON-EXISTENT: I have written support e-mails 3 times in the past month and NEVER received a reply. The FAQ is unhelpful.
- Very difficult to get the player to be viewable by Windows Media Player, even though it is advertised as fully compatible. I did finally get this to work, and can sync to the device from WMP, but it still does not support WMA files (they copy to the device but play back as chirps and whistles).
30 Flawed, but the 1GB of storage is awesome
I like iRiver and upgraded to the 799T after owning the 190T (256MB model). This model has been a mixed-bag. Some comments and comparisons.
Negatives
- It's a pain having to use the supplied "iRiver Music Manager" to transfer files. I wish the 799T would appear as a removable drive and I could simply drag my files there. On the older 190T you have the option of using it drag and drop.
- The navigation button on the 799T is harder to use than the 190T. I've had this thing for a couple of months and am still getting used to it. The older one was more intuitive.
- This player has a glitch when used with VBR (variable bit rate) encoded MP3s. It tends to shut down, reboot, and will continue play on some random song. I reencoded my MP3s using constant 128 and it seems to work fine.
- The $200 I paid seems high now that Apple has released the 1GB iPod shuffle for $150--although the iPod Shuffle completely lacks a display.
Positives
+ 1GB is enough storage space for me--for all activities. I was frustrated with how little 256MB was on my older model.
+ Other than the navigation button, this player is better built and seems sturdier than the 190T.
+ The battery lasts forever! 40 hours is pretty close.
+ USB 2.0 is a nice upgrade
+ Sound quality is outstanding
+ You can adjust every setting on the player. Limitedless possibilities. Though I may prefer a simpler system.
+ The display is clearly laid out and easy to read
31 Horrible and Expensive
This player is just plain garbage. Here's the deal, Apple has just released an MP3 player called the IPOD Shuffle for only $150, which is about $100 less than this is going to cost. This is a really poor quality MP3 player, so redeem yourself, go get an IPOD Shuffle.
32 Great little player
I just received my player yesterday so I don't know all the in's and out's yet, but thought I would share my initial reactions. The sound is great and have no disappointments in that regard at all. The FM signal seems to be very good. Since I didn't have any music loaded as of last night when I was working out, I used the radio and the signal/sound was very clear. I had read many reviews where people talked about the armband being too small. I will admit that it does seem pretty small, but I was able to use it (and the fabric used seems to be the type that will stretch and eventually be a very nice, snug fit) and my arms are average to above average size. What I would recommend, is buying the sport arm band that is sold as an accessory and compare. This is what I did and I will potentially be returning the accessory. The only thing I will caution people on is the headphones. While they do put out incredible sound, they are earbuds and during my one work out (while jogging) they constantly felt as though they were going to fall out and did once or twice. So instead of an armband, perhaps investing in a more secure pair of headphones is the way to go (if you will be running/jogging)
For people on the bubble right now, just wanted to mention that our decision came down between this unit and the rio forge 512 (it is hard to find many reviews on this model). Though I had heard good things about the rio, I heard great things about the iriver. There does seem to be a question about whether you can download music from websites to the iriver, but I have been told by a friend that it can definitely be done...if not then rio may have been a better choice.
Also, definitely do comparison pricing!! My wife had originally bought the rio forge 512 for me for Christmas and paid $240...which I found out was way too much! I did a lot of searching, waited to see what Apple's flash looked like (Apple Shuffle...in the end not what we were looking for) and found the iriver for $223 (including shipping). It looks as though at one point the price was below $200 (4th qtr of last year). If you want a quick comparison of all the mp3 players go to www.consumerreports.org...sign up to be a member (I did the one month) and they have a great chart to compare all of the flash players, mini hard drive players and the larger hard drive units.
Good luck and I hope this helped!
33 My First MP3 Player and..
Not knowing a whole lot about MP3 Players, and predisposed to buying an IPOD because.. well, everyone wants one, I did some browsing on the web and realized the harddisk based units are not all that for what I needed/wanted. Also, I did not want to worry about battery life and/or disc crashes. I am glad I took a chance with iRiver, and this unit in particular. I have stored all the music selections I could possibly want at 128mpbs and it is fantastic. I did not use the earbuds as I don't care much for those, but used my old in-ear headset from Sony. Very light and suits my needs perfectly. I am very happy with this unit and hope that it will bring me years of enjoyment. If you want a good sounding, light weight mp3 player and don't need more than 1gb, this is your player
34 My First MP3 Player
Like so many, I did a good deal of research before settling on the 799T. I have to admit - I liked the ipod best at first. Then I realized it was all glitter and smart marketing. The iriver just does much more. Your not locked into one download source for music like with ipod. I did run into one glitch with this player, newer cd's wouldn't play on it using the iriver software to do the downloads. Finally after reading some of the chat boards, I discovered just using the sync mode in Windows Media player 10 I got around this problem. I still use the iriver software to keep everything in neat folders - works wonderful. The sound is fantastic and just as good if not better than the ipods I checked out. Strongly recommend this player!
35 Almost got the "other" i-MP3 player...but this is better!
I got this product for my boyfriend this year as a gift. He really wanted an Apple iPod, but after doing some research I realized it wasn't nearly as good as the iRiver.
First, if you are a runner, the iPod might not be for you...in addition to being relatively heavy for an MP3 device (lower gig storage on the minis might make them lighter, I haven't held one) but in addition to that, the iPods are hard-drive based. Moving parts can and will skip during jostling movement, such as running. The iRiver is flash based so it won't skip even under high movement. The bf and I spent some time tossing the thing around and sure enough, the music just kept on playing loud and clear. Its awfully light too - most of the weight is just in the AA battery.
Which is another great advantage. The iPod has a rechargeable battery, which gives you around 8 - 15 hours of music life per charge. If you're heading out for a long trip, it probably will die before you get there. If you don't have your recharger, you're screwed. However, the iRiver operates on a single AA battery, which gives you 40 hours of music life. Its easy to replace if on the road, and sure as heck beats the $100 charge it costs for Apple to replace your iPod battery if it dies - as only they can replace it.
1 gig is right now the most you can get in a flash based player, however. Apple has the market nearly cornered on high-volume music players, so if you really have to have all 50,000 songs in your collection at your fingertips at all times, the Apple is right for you (just remember to recharge after 8 hours). My bf managed to spend nearly a whole day filling up his iRiver, and he felt the software made it easy to just plug-and-shuffle based one what he wanted to listen to at that time (there's no space limit on the software - all you have to do is plug it in and move around what you want, music-wise). He has over 500 songs - that's a lot of songs when you think about it. If he flashed the songs at a lower quality, he could get twice as many. The space issue isn't really that big of an issue.
We also have fun with the extras - the voice recorder to record the dog snoring...the inline recording to catch that funny song or commercial we wanted to hear...the FM player to listen to the TVs in the gym. I'd be surprised if this thing didn't do my laundry. Its a great little player and a fabulous alternative to the over-commercialized iPods!
36 Excellent player - you can only nitpick it
If I could, I would have given it 4.5 stars as it isn't PERFECT. Been using it for about a week now, my comments...
Pros :
1. Case will keep it scratch free and clean.
2. High quality audio. I do not hear the hiss people talk about and it has no problems getting loud with no distortion. Also has user adjustable equalizer. I find reducing the 1K band by 3db sounds better for me.
3. The knob is easy to use. Don't listen to people saying it's no good because it is "buried in a pit".
4. Tons of features - FM, voice record, inline recording, multi-format support. There are many things you can tweak in the menus.
5. USB 2.0 is a must when transferring a lot of data.
6. 1 gig is currently as big as it gets for flash players. Shake it ALL you want, it won't skip and you don't have to worry about a failed drive like in the iPod.
7. Replaceable AA that should last about 40 hours. No need to worry about an expensive lithium.
Cons :
1. UMS is now available with firmware 1.28. There are three caveats to the 1.28 release though : Your maximum record bitrate is 96Kpbs. With 1.25, it is 320Kbps. You cannot directly edit you radio station lists and names (this can be done on the player though). Finally, the order of the folders and files cannot be changed by the user. Most people won't have issue with this, but I thought I'd list them out. I currently am using 1.25 with the iriver software as it is rare that I need to connect to it and I prefer my list to be in order. BTW, it works with WMP for transfer if you don't want to user their software.
2. It will not allow upload of MP3 files (you can't transfer the files off the player after you put them on). This does not mean you can't store things on the device, simply change the extension name.
3. Comes with Sennheiser ear buds. They are unequal length - some people like it, some don't. The longer line is designed to go behind the head - I actually like that. Their quality is better then average, but are not terribly comfortable in my ear. From the minor research I've done, the Beyerdynamic DT 231 seems to be an excellent set for the price. Try http://www.headphone.com.
4. Requires custom USB cable, doesn't just plug right in. Can't really complain though.
My opinion on some gripes people have :
1. The buttons are easy to hit accidently - I have not had issue. I use the case all the time and have not hit any buttons by accident yet.
2. Slow display - It will scroll pretty slowly by default, but this can be sped up in the menu.
3. Inline jack next to microphone jack - Let's face it, this is not an issue. Simply remember that the MC jack is on the left when the joystick is pointing up. Even if you get it wrong, it won't blow it up.
4. USB door is weak - I'm not certain if it will weaken over time, but it clicks shut and holds with no issue thus far.
5. The band - I haven't used it and I don't think I will. I'd probably hold it or place it in my pocket if you are running or exercising.
-Alex
37 Iriver is slick
This is my second Iriver. I also own the HP-120.
Some cool features, iriver can play Vorbis Ogg. If you don't know what these are head over to http://www.vorbis.com/ and read about them. Basically you get more quality for smaller space.
This player is wicked small and very slick looking.
The warrenty service is good. I know firsthand because I sent in my old player and they sent me a new 1 with no questions asked.
My only complaint is about the plastic case. It is too snug.
For lots more info go to http://www.misticriver.net/boards/index.php
read the FAQ.
38 Great little MP3 Player for those who don't want/need iPod
Nothing for me to add that other reviewers haven't said already except to comment on the little joystick and the armband. On the joystick, it is great and makes navigation a snap without even having to look at the player! The only reason I can imagine why some reviewers didn't like the joystick is because: (a) they are extremely obese with big fat fingers that don't work little controls, (b) they are uncoordinated, or (c) they are not too good with technology and can't figure out the simplicity and elegance of this great design. If you fall into any of those categories then you should stick to television. On the armband, since the guy who gave a bad review to the armband also gave a bad review to the joystick, I suspect that he falls into category "a", above (extremely obese). Again, if you are really fat you're not going to be able to wear the armband or work the controls. So, bottom line is this is a great player unless you are fat, uncoordinated, or not so good with technology!
39 First (and last) MP3 Player
I did a lot of research into MP3 players before settling on this one, and since the day I got it I have been thrilled. First, it's a flash player, which is ideal for all the traveling I do and jostling it gets in the gym and on the trails. Hard drive based players supposedly skip and don't handle the shocks real well (never had one, so I can't comment on the durability).
The player itself looks real nice, the LCD is bright and the colors are nice (dark purple and silver). You do have to read a little bit to figure out everything it's got, but once you know what all the functions are for each button it's very easy to use. The joystick is a little hard to use, but the more I used it the more I got used to how it behaves. I have small hands and fingers, so for me it's not a problem. I just use the edge of a fingernail to move it around and it's not an issue. I have most of my files saved to it in .WMA 64 KB format and I have a nice little pair of Koss earbuds.....sounds GREAT!!!! You can save them in bigger KBs, but you pay for it with losing space. I have about 20 albums on there now and still have room for about 20 or 30 more.
The software that comes with it is easy to use. Supposedly, a firmware update on the horizon will let it fuction like a mass USB storage device, but I haven't seen it yet. This will defintely be in future models to be released in the U.S., from what I have read on their website (they're already out in Europe).
My only gripe with the whole package was the armband that comes with it. If you're a slender female, it'll fit the arm. If not, invest in the armband they sell on here for an extra 20 or 30 bucks.
40 good unit
The menu and functions are a bit difficult to get a handle on but the sound is Great if you use some decent headphones. The supplied ear buds are very lacking. The supplied armband is also not made for human beings. It will only fit around my forearm (very tiny) The inline recording is what sold me. It made the whole thing worth it. The internal mic also records very well. A belt clip would be better that the armband thing though.
41 Great player
You need a memory player if you need something smaller and more durable than a CD MP3 player or hard drive MP3 player. This player fits the bill.
If you listen to long audio files (books on tape or long DJ sets) this player can FF at a rate much faster than any other device I have seen. It also leaves off where you were playing inside a track when you turn it off or use the radio which is very nice.
42 Great little mp3 player
I recently bought the 799T iriver and i can honestly say it is the best little device i have ever bought.
pros: the sound is fantastic however i found the buds they came with we slightly unco,fortable in my ears. Its very small and great for working out. This winter i plan on skiing with it! From what i can tell it can can hold about 180-200songs (depending how large they are). The software it comes with is very easy to use.
Cons: The joy stick is a litle tricky to use, and i find the usb connection is alittle slow if your tranfering a lot of songs (compared to fire wire)
43 Love my 180T, but the 799T...
I love my 180T, but I wanted more memory for more MP3s, and I read some good things about the 799T. I have to say: I'm disappointed. I'm sending it back.
1) There is a UMS driver, but once music is on it, you can't get it back off of the player -- it's forbidden. (Also I can't get it to work in Linux)
2) The joystick is way too sensitive. I can't recall a single time that my 180T messed up, but when I click the 799T joystick down, about 30% of the time it's registered as a left/right/up/or down instead of a click. Very annoying.
3) The on/off button is extremely sensitive. Any pressure at all will turn the device on. I have to put on the hold when I put it in my gym bag to keep it off.
4) The line-in and headphone jack are right next to each other. Bad idea.
5) The include "Arm" band is more of a wrist band. If you're the size of an average guy or bigger, your bicep will be too big to fit the device comfortably. And, as a necklace it's a bit too bulky.
Like I said, I love my 180T and will miss it, but iRiver dropped the ball on the 799T. In all other aspects, it's a great player, and the price is excellent. But, I'm going to try out the slightly more-expensive iAudio G3 player next -- smaller, better battery life, designed from the start to be UMS, supports OGG, and claims Linux support on the box. A bit more expensive, but it looks like a better design.
44 It's excellant
Just last week my Ifp-390t (128 mb I believe) broke...
So I decided to get a new one...
I debated from getting an ipod mini and the ifp-799.
After researching both, I decided i wanted an Ifp-799.
Reasons?
First it was smaller. Second, it didn't require a recharge (I leave it in the car all day). Third, I move around a lot, so I needed something that would take all the handling. Fourth, I didn't want to get an Ipod because too many idiot people had gotten one. Too many people got the Ipod for vanity rather than usage.
I got it extremely quickly, since I am in the same state it shipped out from (PA). I like it so far. It handles most of my songs. It handles the VBR songs well. I might get an occsaionally faulty song, but its alright. The program is a hassle to use, but oh well.
I borrowed my firneds ipod mini and compared it to this. I like thsi much better. It just feels right in my hands.
This may not be the best mp3 player for you. If you are going to move a lot, don't like rechargin, want to be unique, then get this...
I would research the various mp3 players. Check different websites such as Cnet.com for more information...
The only problem is the case doesn't slide over well lol. The case is on slanted and I can't fix it, but lol who cares...
I like it ALOT!!!
-edit-
Ok I have found 1!!! problem...
The old IFP's had no problem playing VBR songs...
However the IFP-700 series have a small problem...
VBR songs have to be in a certain range, which does not suit me well...
So many of the .ogg songs and mp3 vbr songs should be converted...
Not too much of a hassle for me, but a warning to those who don't know...
Also apparently the play button will break...
Try to get an extended warranty if you can...
Else I love it so far...
45 Why I decided to return mine. :-(
First let me start saying that I love my older IRiver IFP-395 (512 MB), but I decided to upgrade for faster downloads, more storage capacity and timed recordings.
After receiving this new 799, I put it through its paces.
The player is fine especially when considering the price and all the features you are getting, but unfortunately it has some design flaws that are unacceptable IMO.
First, the sound quality is a notch below the older players (no scientific test) but it is my impression. The sound lacks punch or more correctly 'dynamic range', maybe a trade off for the extra long battery life chips?
For the record, my very old Creative Nomad MG still sounds better than the 300 or 700 series.
Second, unlike the ifp-395 the joystick in the ifp-799 is very erratic, and honestly I don't think is a matter of 'getting used to it'.
Third, the 3 buttons on top are very easy to accidentally touch so you have to use the hold switch too many times which is impractical.
Fourth, the in-line jack which gets used rarely remains wide open to the elements like water, dust, etc.
IRiver could have easily solved that problem by providing a $.02 plastic plug for that jack, I was fortunate to have one from an old camcorder so it is safe now.
Fifth the USB door is too flaky, is a good idea at first, but it fails in its implementation, it feels exactly like the door of a car toy, and it won't remain closed.
The IFP-800 series *IS* superior, physical design wise, since it inherit all the best from the previous 300 series like the buttons, the USB door, etc.
Unfortunately for both 700 and 800, the sound quality, which is one of the most important factors for me didn't lived to my expectations.
So I'm no hesitating to return it.
I am getting a Cowon IAudio G3 with 1Gig instead, a bit more expensive, but it has exactly all the features of the
IFP-700 series plus the best sound quality of all Flash based players.
If price is more important to you than the sound quality I think the IFP-799 would be fine despite those design shortcomings.
If you can choose between the 800 and 700 go with --->the 800 series, but unfortunately Amazon doesn't carry them nor the better Cowon products.
I also have to say that I like Amazon for their great prices, quality of service and return policy.
46 800 series verses 700 series
I used to own an iRiver 256mb 800 series player, but I gave it to my sister to buy the 1gb memory 799 player that was on sale. The 800 and 700 are essentially the same players but the physical design of the 800 series is better. The cover stays on better, the access to the headphone jack is better, and the joystick button is more ergonomically comfortable on the 800 series. But the cheaper, bigger memory 700 player I bought was definitely worth the physical drawbacks.
47 Sweet Spot
With the state of the art, this is the right product for my specific needs. I suspect in less than a year, there will be considerable advancement, but this is a big, big step up from CD players. It's also tough enough for my uses.
I teach spinning classes and run. I needed something that worked with various gyms' equipment, held lots of music, and delivered it flawlessly in the precise order. When I'm working out, I couldn't have skipping or a hard drive that might wear out or break. Flash is the right solution -- plenty of memory for my hour-long sessions and durability.
The 1GB seems low, but it holds all of my workout CDs, plus my fun music. I would have preferred 5GB or larger, or at least the option for upgrading memory when flash for it is available. But 1 GB is enough.
This is a tough and tiny package. Wholly adequate sound, at least as good as a CD player. It plugs in and plays flawlessly with the decks in gyms as well as through the earphones.
The earbuds are useless, but I have plenty of good headsets. The unit is easy to load, has a tiny but legible screen, and uses simple software that integrates well into familiar Windows interfaces. It is a marvel for its tiny, light package and full sound.
I'm sorry that ripping CD cuts to WMAs is slow, but that is Bill Gates', not iRiver's issue.
The 20GB and bigger systems are fragile in comparison. This is for jocks.
48 One of the best
I bought the IFP 390T 256MB player when it was first released. I loved it. I guess they don’t manufacture it anymore. After drastic developments in river I thought of trying the 799T. Though the functions and the quality remain the same there has been some changes. I am not going to compare the audio quality with other MP3 players, as it is a relative term, but according to me I would prefer the river rather than the ipod. Iriver sounds much better than ipod “according to me".
Pros: compact, easy to use and awesome sound. Extra features like inline recording and FM are all bonus. They give you all the accessories like the cover, ear buds, arm band etc. with the package unlike other cheap MP3 players. To cut it short, I wouldn't have bought a second one if it’s not really good. They removed the rubber cover (which worn off in a month) of the USB port and replaced it with a cool sliding door.
Cons: The joystick unlike 390T which had a joystick control that was very very easy to use, for some reason they decided to bury the joystick in a pit which kinda makes it tough to control and accidentally selects unwanted control. If it was to avoid the protrusion of the joystick, it was not a problem in the first case and the new design doesn’t help it either. (Approx. each button has three functions with various modes of usage; it takes some time to get used to it).
Verdict: One of the best players, and a good investment in money, but strictly for music addicts.
--Milir
49 Great player with a few flaws
My previous player was a Rio Karma. The hard drive skipped while I was just walking, and I got tired of carrying a paperclip with my one my workouts just to reset the inevitable hang from jostling the player.
I resisted getting a flash-based player because they're not exapandable (why don't they just use cheap CF cards?) and don't offer anywhere near the storage that HD players did.
The IFP-799T was the first player I found with enough storage to appeal to me. I downsampled my songs from 192kbps MP3 files to 48kpbs WMA files and managed to fit more than 500 tunes into the IFP-799T. That's about a third as many songs as I have on my Karma, but it's certainly enough variety to enjoy my workouts. The quality isn't intolerably bad but is noticably worse because of the heavy compression.
After spending a day converting and loading my songs, I took the player for a workout. That's when it really shined: it never skips, of course, even when running with it. It's just bigger than a lipstick, and unlike the Karma it arrives with a useful case, a nie pouch, and a wrist band. (The documentation calls that an arm band--I don't think I've ever met anyone who's upper arms are small enough to use it!)
The player has a few flaws. I'm still not pleased with the limited memory capaity, but I'll just have to wait for that to change over the coming years.
The display is a bit of a problem for a couple of reasons. It just tries to display too much information; do I really need to know the bit rate and sampling rate of the song I'm playing now? That information belongs on different screen so it can be accessed those few times it is actually needed.
Because of the UI noise, useful information (like the song title and band name) is scrolled through over a period of seconds. It's rather annoying to stare at something uninteresting while waiting for the information I want to scroll by.
The LCD panel is a few millimeters behind the plastic faceplate, and that causes some shadowing problems. The clarity and visiblity of the display would be vastly improved if it was flush with the plastic face.
It's easy to learn the user interface and within a few minutes I was correctly controlling the player while it was still in my poket. The Karma interface isn't complicated, but it's appreciably harder to use.
The player is great overall, and I can overlook these flaws for the most part. It's hard to accept the price with these problems, though.
50 Very solid product
This is a very solid product, the other reviews are right on the money. But if you want to get this type of device..I suggest actually waiting till the iRiver iFP-900 series is released. It is available in the Nordic countries (nordic.iriver.se) but not yet in the states. I sugguest waiting because the iFP-900 solves the drawbacks of this model the iFP 799.
Some of the issues with the iFP 799 that the iFP-900 solves is UMS, data storage (beyond mp3), 266k colour screen.
51 Pocketable player with great sound
In all honesty I was prepared to NOT like the iRiver 799T. We already have an iPod in the family, so I expected to be biased by that experience. But this little player really grew on me. If you are looking for a very small MP3 player that does not use a hard drive, you should consider the iRiver 700 series. It comes packaged with a lanyard, armband, Sennheiser earbuds, and even a case: a very nice range of accessories.
Please note that this review is based on firmware v1.25, which I downloaded and installed; it arrived with v1.21. I expect some of the problems to improve over time as firmware is updated, but I never advise people to buy a gadget based on future improvements. Buy it for what it does now, not for what might be added later!
First off: sound quality. It's good! It seems to be as rich and pleasing as my iPod, though of course the quality of your files is a huge factor. The bad news is the included Sennheiser earbuds do NOT do justice to the audio quality. Please, if quality is important to you, plan for some quality budget earbuds, such as the Sony EX-51 or EX-71. (Side note: From my reading, it seemed that these players USED to have a "white noise" hiss problem, but it has apparently been licked in current production.)
Next, features. It has a lot! FM radio; recording from mic, radio or line in; a simple but effective graphic equalizer; many shuffle play modes... even a clock and fun visualizations. I think the EQ presets are pretty worthless, but you can do a custom EQ, so you can get where you want to go. The only major feature this player is missing is on-the-go playlists. Instead, you have to choose to play by directory, or build a playlist with the music manager on your computer.
Third, interface: It's good too. There's a joystick for volume/navigation, a few buttons for basics like play/pause, and a hold button. For most commands, you click the button; for others you hold a button in. It's a good interface which I was able to become comfortable with without cracking the manual.
Fourth, the screen. It's tiny but razor sharp and it displays a lot of useful information. The backlight is nice and bright. I was very pleased.
Fifth, battery life: Up to 40 hours, they say, though 35 seems to be more typical. And that is off 1 AA battery!
All is not perfect though-there are some flaws that buyers should be aware of, though none of them are deal-breakers for me personally. For one, out of the box this device does not work as a USB mass storage (UMS) device. iRiver has an experimental firmware upgrade to enable UMS. Uploading music is slower in UMS mode, but you don't need to use the iRiver music manager, so take your pick. Personally, I am leaving my player in non-UMS mode as the iRiver upload software isn't too bad. If I want a USB thumb drive, I'll just get one of those too.
Either way, I don't think this player lets you copy music files from the player to the computer: it's a one way trip, their attempt to appease the record companies, I guess.
Another wart: some users complain about poor quality on line-in recordings, and with current UMS firmware they are seemingly limited to 96kbps.
Ogg audio files must meet certain minimum and maximum bitrate limitations to play properly. You are probably OK with 128kbps Ogg files, but you may experience problems with very low or very high bit rates. (And Ogg is a VBR codec, so it can be hard to guarantee that the rate is always in the range you want.) I'd choose MP3 over Ogg with this player.
Lastly, some people have problems with VBR MP3 files. I have played a wide range of MP3s on mine and I haven't had a problem yet though, so I don't think this is a common issue.
I did not test WMA files as I don't use them.
In conclusion, this is a very nice little player that deserves a look if you are concerned with size, the ability to make recordings, battery life, or an included FM radio. Recommended for those who like to travel light!
52 Great Product
This is the second iriver MP3 player I've owned and I love them both. The reason I bought a new model was because the old ones did not come with an armband and I wanted more memory. Of all the MP3 players I've looked at I like the look and feel of iriver the most. It is easy to use and the software is also user friendly. The only complaint I have is about finding a good price which I did NOT find at Amazon. The companies own website has this model for sale for $250, over $100 less than sold here. Most other websites sell it for even less. Do yourself a favor and shop around so you don't get ripped off.
53 IRiver Mp3 players-designed by/for women?
I have an older model IRiver player and am very happy with it. If I break it or lose it, I'll get another IRiver. I don't know if IRiver has the easiest user interface or the world's best sound-it works fine for me. But what I like best about it is the size and shape.
I thought it was odd at first, but I spend a lot of time in the gym and traveling, and learned to appreciate the way it's built. I use the neck strap, turn the player on, set the hold button and drop it into my sports bra. It's not only a perfect fit but also invisible except for the headphone wires. It's held securely and padded. It's not bouncing around on my chest and getting caught on things, or slipping down my arm and getting squished against weight machines. The battery door was a little iffy on the model I bought, but even if the AA falls out, all is not lost very far!
I fill the player full of music and set it to "shuffle all directories." Another great feature is that it will resume playing where it left off, so it's awhile before I hear the same songs again.
I think an IRiver would be an excellent choice for any woman who wants to take her music with her wherever she goes.
54 awesome player
with a gigabyte of storage you can do almost anything. plus, 2.0 usb and 50 hours of playback with sanyo AA batteries gives this player a notch. wait till iriver's N10 comes out, which has 512megabytes of storage but way small and CUTE!!!
55 Great Player, but fails to Integrate with Itunes
I love my iRiver 799. I use it every day. I chose the iRiver over the ipod Mini because of the 799's integrated recording capabilities, which I use to keep a daily journal, and to record my chemically enhanced insights on my occasional trips through various doors of perception.
While I bought this unit for its recording, it has quickly become an indispensable music companion. The 799 produces excellent sound with very good battery life. The major flaws which prevent me from giving the player the highest ranking are these:
1. iRiver has yet to support the popular media format purchased from iTunes. This is a serious problem, since I had an extensive iTunes collection of music at the time I bought the 799. There are no easy workarounds for this problem.
2. The 799 does not show up as an accessible HD when it is plugged into a USB port. It requires you to work through the somewhat clunky iRiver software.
My second point is just a gripe, but my first point, the lack of compatibility with iTunes, prevents me from recommending this product. Hopefully, with enough consumer pressure, iRiver will catch up with times and support the iTunes format.
56 Big price, but big sound and storage
I wrote extensively about the 790 version of this iRiver model, so see that review for a comprehensive look at these beauties.
Because I liked the latest iRiver model so much, I returned the 790 and got the 799 1-gigabyte version instead.
I paid $190, tax included, for 256 MB at Best Buy. I figured, why not double the price at Amazon ($360) for four times as much space for my music.
It is a minor fortune, to be sure, but I want to be able to keep 20-30 albums on my player at any one time so I don't have to change my music very often. I find that a small inconvenience, especially since there is no simple drag-and-drop function.
I also figure that fewer music transfers will limit potential wear and tear on the USB connector and thus extend the life of the piece of plastic that covers the USB port.
My suspicion is that the cover would be the first thing to go, an event that would surely shorten the practical life of the player. Can't have that happen with such an expensive piece of equipment.
A few other things. The primary difference between the 799 and 790 is build quality. The 799 is somewhat sleeker and the casing seems a bit sturdier. The buttons are smaller and stick out less, especially the joystick.
The joystick is maybe not quite as easy to use, but it has better tactile feel and seems less likely to wear down from constant use. It's a very good improvement.
The USB port now has a sliding plastic door - much different than the rubberish flap on the 790.
The 799 is a better color, too. LA Raiders black and gray. I wasn't crazy about the red color of the 790.
One seemingly small flaw. The inline jack and headphone jack are on the same end of the player - unlike with the 790 -- so it's not as easy to plug in the headphones in the dark.
Otherwise, I repeat. This is a fabulous player, the best sounding portable on the market. Most of my CDs ripped as WMA files encoded at 64 kbps sound terrific. (Classical music might require VBR recording).
I use the free Real Audio (best music lookup success of the dozen programs I tried) and paid MusicMatch. Yet only Microsoft's Windows Media had VBR for WMA files, but the media player kept crashing on me.
Just make sure you have great headphones to match if you are going to use 64 kbps files.
