Customer Reviews:
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 Micro MP3 player has Big Sound December 13, 2004
66 out of 66 found this review helpful
This little device is the Swiss Army Knife of Mp3 players. I already own an iPod, but wanted something smaller to carry around and load Mp3 to without the hassle of iTunes. I looked at lots of players including the RCA Lyra and iRiver, but what sold me on the MuVo is the ability to record directly from audio sources like tape decks, Turn Tables and the like. I can just hook up the inlcuded stereo mini plug and convert an LP or cassette into MP3 while listening to it! No need to mess with the computer and Mp3 software.
I have a G4 power mac at home, and this little device works perfectly with it. It just shows up as a Disk Volume when connected to the USB port. I can drag and drop Mp3 files and they play just fine on the MuVo. It's nice to be able to bypass iTunes when you're in a hurry or just need a few files dropped on. Of course you can drop other files like jpegs into the MuVo as well.
I also enjoy the FM radio function. It's nice to have handy if you're stuck somewhere or just need to check traffic or weather. I have not yet used the built-in microphone.
Battery life is great, with just one little AAA powering the MuVo. If it dies I can just pop in another one. Unlike the iPod, which you have to charge using a special cable and power outlet or computer firewire port.
This is not a replacement for the iPod, although lately I tend to carry the MuVo more because it's light and convenient. Sound from the MuVo is amazingly good. It's as good as the iPod and even includes a Graphic Equalizer to customize sound. The included headphones are OK, but not very comfortable. At any rate they're easy to replace. The only drawback is the small amount of storage. 256 MB can get eaten up pretty quick....so I find myself deleting stuff a lot. On a per megbyte basis the 20 gig iPod is a better deal, but the MuVo is a great first Mp3 player or even a replacement for a USB flash drive.
 Great workout mp3 player November 30, 2004
197 out of 201 found this review helpful
I own the 512 meg version in black. I saw this white version and thought the color plain looking, but I didn't realize until I came home that the cool protective rubber holder is a frosted white rubber, so the white player actually looks much better in the holder than it looks by itself. Had I known that, I would have considered this less expensive model. Still, though I have it in 512 meg black, I like this player very much.
I wanted an mp3 player for working out and running. I am one of those guys who reads everything they can about something before buying one. What I read about mp3 players was a bit worrisome: countless reports that mp3 players break or have minor problems. So I picked up a Memorex Biomorph (I liked the size and features) along with an extended warranty beyond the 3 month product warranty, and sure enough, with light use, the product died with lots of strange nonsense on the lcd screen after 4 months. (I "reset" the device per technical support troubleshooting, but it didn't help.) I went through the hassle of returning it and getting reimbursed, minus the 40 dollar extended warranty cost. And I set out to read all the reviews I could before buying another mp3 player. I read the most positive reviews and least complaints with the Creative MUVO series.
My requirements: Driverless flash drive [I use it to transfer files between my laptop and desktop, and I want the convenience of being able to plug it into any of my friends' computers, Mac or PC, and share files/music], arm band for working out, FM radio, small and light [so a AAA battery model, not AA], and 1 year warranty (this is no longer negotiable). Microphone recording a plus, but not a requirement.
The Muvo series fit the bill. I wanted a flash memory player, not a small harddrive, because for me it's mainly a workout device, not a home for all my music. I came close to buying the Muvo Slim, because I loved the idea of a lithium ion battery charging by USB, and I think it looks very cool, but the leather cover has no place for a belt clip, and it lacks an arm band entirely, and so I went for the Muvo N200 ("micro").
So far the unit has really impressed me. The Memorex came with a bulky, cheap nylon arm strap that was the size of a belt, and even on its smallest setting, was huge. The Muvo Micro, by contrast, has an excellent arm strap, suitable for a variety of sizes, made from a nice smoky-grey slightly stretchy material. It has a well-sewn extra place to secure the Muvo, too, which they could have skipped, since you could attach the Muvo anywhere, so it is a nice touch. The Memorex used a very cheap thin faux-leather case for the Biomorph, while the Muvo really surprised me by having a case that is not merely a cover to prevent scratches, but is a thick frost-white rubber sleeve that the Muvo slips into. It's pretty cool: clearly if you drop it, and it lands on one of the three corners protected by the sleeve, it will be well protected (it might even bounce). In addition, unlike a vinyl cover, this leaves all of the buttons easily accessible: i.e. it's not like a ski mask with holes for the buttons (this was a pain on the Memorex, as the vinyl kept slipping over the buttons). The buttons are well laid out, too. Even after four months, I always had to think for a second or two to remember which buttons were for what on the Memorex. The Muvo makes more sense. For example, the volume up and down buttons are by themselves (not next to other buttons), and they border the lcd screen. The volume up botton is on the side where the bar increases with the volume, and the volume down button is on the side where the bar begins: so it's easy to make second nature. The play/pause button is also by itself somewhere else, so you don't accidentally hit that. Overall, a very good layout.
The lcd screen is small, but it's sharp, and you can adjust the brightness, contrast, etc. As others have said, there is an audible buzz on the headphones while the backlight is on, but that lasts about two seconds, and it doesn't bother me.
The menus make a lot of sense. One very nice feature is the ability to make the screen appear upside/down. This way YOU can choose how you want to wear the player while working out, and then if the screen appears upside down, just flip it. It's those little things that I was happy Creative thought of.
Another thing: I was quite surprised that the Memorex didn't get very loud. I usually had the volume on maximum. The Muvo, by contrast, is much louder, so I can have control of the volume back, keeping it around 2/3rds, and then adjusting depending on mood, surrounding noise, etc.
The earbuds which came with the Memorex were painful and were garbage, but the Creative earbuds are actually pretty good. I did have problems keeping the right earbud in my ear while running, so I'll probably go back to my pair of padded over-the-ear headphones which I prefer. But I was still pleased with the quality of the Creative earbuds: e.g. they don't hurt.
The USB 2.0 cable that comes with the Muvo is a small-standard USB cable, which means that it's the same cable my digital camera uses, as well as many other devices. This means you can replace it at any store should you lose it and, more practically, it means I can just share the cable I use for the digital camera, thus cutting down on clutter.
I haven't tried some of the advanced features, such as on-the-fly recording of any analog source through the input cable. I also plan on trying some rechargeable batteries. When I do, I'll revise the review.
One final recommendation: I do recommend you consider the size of an mp3 player before buying one for working out. I saw a picture of a Sandisk I was considering, and it looked small, but when I saw it in person, it was huge compared to the Micro.
Impressive! November 15, 2004
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
This little MP3 player has a lot of power and features for its size! While there are many brands of MP3 players on the market, I prefer this model of Creative for its compact style and durability. For half-hour workouts in the gym, it is ideal!
Creative shines with this product, maintaining its reputation for high quality computer sound. The flash drive has no moving parts, so there is no worry that it will skip or be damaged during an active exercise routine.
I would have given it five stars, but the sound buzzes faintly when the display is illuminated. While the faint buzzing lasts only a couple of seconds, I would think a company like Creative could do better.
Overall, this player is a good purchase for the money. I have no regrets!
my new N200 November 10, 2004
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
I'm a non-technophile, I just want to listen to music as quickly and easily as possible, and the MuVo N200 allows me to do precisely that. Its plug-n-play and jog away.
Purchased Nov. 9th, the 256 MB model. Within minutes of getting it out of the box the N200 was on my computer via the provided USB cable and I began dragging and dropping music files into it. Turned the N200 on and music came flowing out, exactly what I wanted. Didnt install the software til later, and didnt need to. Thats how flexible, easy and intuitive the device is to use.
PROS:
1.) Size - its so small, and very light weight too. The Professor/Boss will never know you have it in your pocket.
2.) LED screen - nice back-lighting with easy-to-surf menu.
3.) Sound quality is very good, and the Equalizer can be custom-set so it sounds exactly as you like it. Excellent!
4.) Somewhat less expensive than many others I compared.
5.) 4-button control design is great. One button is for power/play/pause/off, depending how long the buttom is depressed. Two others are dedicated to volume high/low. And the last one is a wheel for selecting menu funtions, press the wheel in to confirm a selection. Brilliantly simple. Fits in the palm of the hand and the buttons are easy to recognize by feel alone.
6.) Every option is included - comes with an energizer battery, an arm band, a nice protective carry case, an USB cable (these arent cheap) and another cable for patching directly into other audio devices:
7.) One can record from any audio source now, even the FM radio. It also has a microphone to record and send message files to your girlfriend...trust me, this helps justify the new toy.
8.) Battery life seems very good so far. 5 hours of loud playing and only 1/3 drop in the battery indicator.
9.) Name of song being played scrolls across screen during entire song. Plus time song has been playing and EQ setting.
10.) Has super fast USB 2 port capability. But still recognized the slow 1.1 USB port on my old computer and that worked fine too. Flexibility, I like that.
11.) *I've heard* that the warranty on this item has been extended compared to previous models, but cant confirm this yet.
See gripes about web support below.
Bottom line: I love this thing. It does exactly what it says it would do and the price is right. Its EASY to use and offers extraordinary flexibility across platforms. You can get music from just about anything now, just dont forget the cables.
CONS:
not to be pessimistic, but this is the most important part in evaluating a potential new purchase:
1.) Earphones - if you've read reviews of other CREATIVE products then you know the earphones are nothing to write about, so I'll end it here. Buy your own, they're not expensive.
2.) FM radio reception only does well with the very strongest of stations. Mildly strong stations cut in and out while moving about and weaker ones are all static. Reception is far inferior compared to my 10 year old Walkman so its not me, its the N200.
3.) Funny, faint buzzing sound every time the LCD backlight is on...which is anytime one pushes a button. Not a bother really.
4.) The order of the songs loaded onto the N200 is instantly alphabetized. Does not retain the order in which you load them or attempt to re-arrange them in Windows. I've heard there is a way around this, but I dont know how to make play-lists. I'm no technophile and I dont want to be, I just want to hear music. This affect/feature is a little annoying.
5.) Web support - so far I have none. Tried to register the new product using the included software and continuously received failure messages. Then it gives the option to register online, so I tried this and found that the N200 is not yet listed as a product on the registration site, so that failed. I sent technical support an email asking what to do. Still waiting for an answer. So I cant determine my warranty details. I'm sure they'll work it out eventually.
6.) The case is fragile looking/feeling. Make use of the nice rubberized carrying case included.
7.) Menu is nice and easy to use, but the organization is a little random. Makes it hard to flip flop between FM music and the mp3. You have to stop jogging and fiddle through the menu. Once I accidentally erased my station pre-set instead of turning it on. This menu might have been more logically organized, and almost prevents a 5-star rating. More like 4 3/4 stars.
8.) The instruction manual is a little sparse on info, but certainly adequate to get a 'Quick Start', since this thing is so intuitive anyway.
Overall I really like this device and recommend it highly. Its' a lot of bang for the buck.
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