14 DAY TRIAL // This is another media player, released straight from the Siren labs. At a first glimpse, besides the design, there is nothing to be proud of. In fact, as it sports 0.6 inches of width and 128 x 160 pixels and 65k color 1.8 inch LCD screen display, this cannot be considered a versatile media player, even if its cool metallic cover looks futuristic and fashionable.
However, just as they did with other acquisitions, iRiver managed to pack these babies with a lot of features, meaning this is one DAP that delivers impressive functionality when compared to others of the same kind.
Therefore, when it comes to its capabilities, this Pmp can deal with most of the audio file formats available on the market, such as MP3, WMA9(DRM10) Ogg Vorbis, and AAC (unprotected), in addition to video and pictures in MPEG-4, WMV, JPG, and BMP file formats. The media player's sound performances can also be improved using one of the equalizers integrated in the menu.
Moreover, both MTP and UMS (MSC) transfer protocols can be used and recordings can be made in WAV and WMA from direct line-in. No to mention there is also an FM radio, and a built-in microphone for some voice recordings. It was nicely packed with various storage capacity sizes of 2GB, 4GB respectively.
Sadly, it comes in just two color versions, such as black and white, meaning you won't be able to match one of these to your favorite pink dress.
The built-in lithium-polymer battery life is also quite well rated at approximately 72 hours for the recording sessions on the 4GB device, while the continuous playback time is said to last up to 133 hours for the 2GB and double for the 4GB player. Recharging the player is possible using both USB and AC adapter and it won't take more than 3 hours for a total refresh.
All in all, if you're thinking of buying yourself one of these players, you should also know that the price tags vary according to the internal memory they pack, meaning a 2GB one will cost around 14.000 Yen, while the 4GB one can reach up to 18.000 Yen a pop! But hey, after all, Siren is iRiver's brand!
