Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

awcopus · Feb 2, 2003, 01:35 AM

The 128 MB Nomad MUVO is an extremely cool little MP3 player/portable HD. Doesn't officially support OS X, but since it uses the Microdrive spec, it works perfectly.

The device connects directly to your keyboard via USB (no cables, no drivers, no anything) and shows up as a HD within 5 seconds. It functions simultaneously as an MP3 player and a data holder.

You can store MP3s up to 320 bit rate, and the sound quality is terrific with decent headphones (not the bundled buds). It plays loud. For a 3 ounce device powered by a AAA battery, you get 30+ hours per battery. Very cool.

This is a no frills device that you can have with you anywhere, anytime. Navigation is simply a forward and backward button, which is perfect given that you'll only have about 20-30 songs on there anyway. Because it's solid state, there's no chance of skips.

The iPod is fantastic, but I wouldn't feel comfortable jogging (or making any sudden movements) with a hard drive, especially one that costs at least $300. The MUVO is a steal at $130.

DigitalEl · Feb 2, 2003, 05:20 AM

Doesn't officially support OS X

Why support a manufacturer that doesn't support your platform? There's enough good Mac stuff out there. The days of my scrounging for workarounds are over.

The device connects directly to your keyboard via USB

Firewire vs. USB, no contest. I'll take the Firewire.

For a 3 ounce device powered by a AAA battery, you get 30+ hours per battery

That's okay if you have rechargeables, but expensive otherwise. In any case, I'll take an internal battery anyday.

...you'll only have about 20-30 songs on there anyway.

My iPod is "old" now, but I still have nearly 1,000 songs on it. Variety is the spice of life.

I wouldn't feel comfortable jogging (or making any sudden movements) with a hard drive

The iPod is made for active lifestyles. I've run with mine hundreds of times. It does suck that you almost have to have a case for the thing, but once in a case with some way to attach it to your body, it's fine.

The MUVO is a steal at $130.

You get what you pay for.

I mean, diff'rent strokes for different folks... But I couldn't be happier with my iPod. Thinking different is what the Mac is all about, though. If you're happy with your MUVO, I'm sure others would find it a steal, too. Enjoy!

awcopus · Feb 2, 2003, 11:15 AM

I love the iPod, but I can't help but feel like it's a ticking time bomb for those incorporating it into their jogging routines since it's a hard drive, after all. The idea of running with it (which Apple expressly indicates is a no-no, at least at the SOHO Apple Store) and it not being worn out is myopic.

The MUVO is NOT an iPod replacement. I would never use an iPod this way (essentially while jogging). In fact, I'm waiting to buy an iPod because I want it to include the option of voice recording, among other things. Then it becomes very practical for me, both in terms of its HD size and the Firewire connectivity.

But since you did this head to head comparison, a few observations:

1. When you're out and about, and your iPod battery is running low after a mere 10 hours, you need to find a FireWire connection to recharge. I just pop in a new AAA after 30+ hours.

2. Your hard drive will die, and sooner if you put it through "active lifestyle" behavior. The MUVO's flash memory is good forever.

3. Firewire is superior to USB, *BUT* I connect to my computer without cables. If you forget your firewire cable, D'OH! Also, since my device is merely 128 MB, who gives a crap about transfer speeds, it's over soon enough.

That said, I covet a more feature-rich iPod, and such versions are likely to emerge this year. I simply won't use it while bounding down the track.

daydreamer · Feb 2, 2003, 11:28 AM

dude go get a muvo and stfu , there is now way you will be able to get to a point here that the muvo thing is cooler and better than the iPod, and nothing is "forever".

hadocon · Feb 2, 2003, 11:53 AM

Originally posted by awcopus:
I love the iPod, but I can't help but feel like it's a ticking time bomb for those incorporating it into their jogging routines since it's a hard drive, after all. The idea of running with it (which Apple expressly indicates is a no-no, at least at the SOHO Apple Store) and it not being worn out is myopic.

The MUVO is NOT an iPod replacement. I would never use an iPod this way (essentially while jogging). In fact, I'm waiting to buy an iPod because I want it to include the option of voice recording, among other things. Then it becomes very practical for me, both in terms of its HD size and the Firewire connectivity.

But since you did this head to head comparison, a few observations:

1. When you're out and about, and your iPod battery is running low after a mere 10 hours, you need to find a FireWire connection to recharge. I just pop in a new AAA after 30+ hours.

2. Your hard drive will die, and sooner if you put it through "active lifestyle" behavior. The MUVO's flash memory is good forever.

3. Firewire is superior to USB, *BUT* I connect to my computer without cables. If you forget your firewire cable, D'OH! Also, since my device is merely 128 MB, who gives a crap about transfer speeds, it's over soon enough.

That said, I covet a more feature-rich iPod, and such versions are likely to emerge this year. I simply won't use it while bounding down the track.

People must remember that the iPod HD spins up only when it needs to load data into its 32MB buffer. I excercise with my iPod all the time and I have noticed that the drive spins for less than 10 seconds when buffering a new 32mb. Remember folks, the iPod and its drive were designed for this type of use.

To be honest I am as rought on my iPod as possible. I can afford to get a new one ( an dI would like a new one....) so I have taken no special care of my iPod. I throw it in my backpack when I go to school, I have dropped it while on an eliptical machine onto concrete - no problem...

I can understand people's worries about the hard drive becoming corrupt if the iPod were being bumped too much while in operation. I think that this would be more of a worry when the iPod is writing to the HD, but when using the iPod as an MP3 player it is only reading - little chance there for data corruption unless teh head crashes - which is unlikely with drives these days.

xyber233 · Feb 2, 2003, 12:08 PM

I have a MuVo and I love it. I was looking around for something like a pen drive. I accidentally bumped into the muvo and thought it would be great to buy a flash drive that functioned as an mp3 player.

awcopus · Feb 2, 2003, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by daydreamer:
dude go get a muvo and stfu...

Daydreamer, calm down over there in Belgium. Take a chocolate break. This is the "peripherals" forum, and I'm recommending one.

Hadocon, it is always reassuring to hear from iPod users who are having no problems with their iPods even after prolonged, rigorous usage. Enough testimony like this, and I may overcome my point-of-purchase experience at the SOHO store, where the sales people were insistent that the iPod, although a *portable* player, should not be bounced around, the way it would be while jogging, because of the wear and tear on the moving parts in the drive.

slider · Feb 2, 2003, 05:53 PM

Hey, thanks for the review, not a bad product idea, and yeah I think it has it's place. I recently bought a diskonkey, but if I had known about this player I probably would have spent the extra for it instead. BTW, I am the proud owner of an iPod and workout with it without problems, but your arguement is sound. There is a difference between a ram base MP3 player and a HD based MP3 player, and you're sure it's not supported by iTunes? This ram based MP3 is the most innovative one I have seen yet.

awcopus · Feb 2, 2003, 09:11 PM

As for iTunes support, what can I say. It shows up as a dumb hard drive on my desktop. From within my playlists in iTunes, I drag MP3s over it to copy them on. Then it's out the door with the tunes.

The *support* is NOTHING like the integration you find with the iPod. There are no equalization presets, no playlist syncing, etc. Just a barebones solution that sounds great.

Anomalous · Feb 3, 2003, 02:26 PM

If it shows up as a drive on the desktop, be careful not to reformat it even if you are prompted to. I fried a JaMP3 permanently this way. I wouldn't be surprised if the MUVO has similar issues. I switched to a Rio 600 and have been happy with it.

awcopus · Feb 3, 2003, 02:47 PM

Thanks for the tip, Anomalous!

Ganesha · Feb 3, 2003, 02:50 PM

I jog just over 12 miles a week, I've had my iPod just over 30 weeks, so that 360 jogging miles.

I've also gone walking with my iPOD in the 110+ degree heat and it does just dandy.

Zim · Feb 3, 2003, 03:09 PM

Originally posted by daydreamer:
dude go get a muvo and stfu , there is now way you will be able to get to a point here that the muvo thing is cooler and better than the iPod, and nothing is "forever".

.. including the coolness of the iPod... sniff sniff.. its smelling stagnant to me, and some of us simply are looking for the next best thing... maybe it will come from Apple (I hope so), but *kick* they aren't showing many signs of life lately.

Mike