14 DAY TRIAL // LG Labs are the ones responsible for setting an obsessive chocolate trend in the electronics industry. It put chocolate in almost every gadget they roll out and the FM33 media player is no exception.
However, if you happen to get hooked on the idea of mixing gastronomy with gadgetry, you should check out this portable media player. The device was first introduced to the public in September, during IFA and since then it has become really popular. In fact, the makers claim to have achieved the perfect combination of style and functionality.
But, with the trends changing so fast today, allow me to believe this is probably just a phase LG is going through. After all, too much chocolate can make you sick.
Casing and design details
To start with its looks, the first impression says the player's shape form is nothing to drool for, as a matter of fact, the device looks kind of bulky for its minimal size, therefore it cannot be considered a real accessory. Not to mention it can get really uncomfortable if used under the shirt, and not recommended to joggers, as it might actually cause bruises.
Since the giant company targets the Asian market, one shouldn't expect the design line to be sophisticated in a European way, but more like simple and futuristic, as only the Asians know how.
Besides that, the FM33 Mp3 player follows the steps of the already famous LG Chocolate cell-phone series, by revealing the same minimalist patterns. The player only comes in a piano black version with no other alternatives as pink or other "electrifying" colors.
As you'll notice, when handling the rather uncomfortable and a little-too-big joystick, the player activates four hidden arrow-shaped LEDs located around it, making it look the same with the handset. And hell yeah, red goes great with black, so that nothing will make your eyes sore in disgust.
Even if much of the credit should go to the designers - which by the way are being kept away from the media - when it comes to the icons and the display, their gadget does feel kind of awkward because of its rounded corners and chunky shape. Some might actually find the vertically oriented controls distracting especially when using the device on the go.
Since small size is a must when choosing a portable music device, I suppose FM33's dimensions of 42 x 70.5 x 12.5mm should do just fine in your jeans pockets.
The black front panel frames the right-angled small display, but loses big points and sex-appeal because of its tendency to become a fingerprint trap. The panel features device information, while the bottom end part of it holds the Reset button. There also some control buttons mounted on the right panel. So, on the left, the user will find on/off Hold switch and fine-wire mesh of the built-in microphone, which does its job remarkably well.
As you might guess, there's also an audio jack and holes for a carrying strap you may find useful. As with most of the LG mobile communication devices, the player also sports an USB socket covered by a rubberized plastic flap.
Display
Not much to say about it. The player's screen has a diagonal of only 1.77 inches with 262K colors and an average resolution of 128 x 160 pixels. I found the specs arrangement on the screen to be not so interesting as I expected. The contrast and brightness definitely improve the appearance, but if you try to use the player in daylight, the image fades and you don't get any information on it. There is no way you can take this to the beach, as it will melt like candy. Just kidding.
Control Scheme
The only issue I've encountered when testing the player's controls involves the same joystick I keep telling you about. Regardless of it, sensitivity is good but not impressive and the devilish sexy red to black contrast lasts only half a second.
Another thing I find annoying is the accidental press which may occur when your finger tries to get that jolly joystick. But there are some other control buttons located on the casing's sides, which stand for browsing the intuitive menu or recording content. The built-in buttons sport relatively good size and click whenever you press one of them. As long as you don't use it in crowded places where it's much more difficult to move fingers, it should do just fine.
Menu
I've got one word for you regarding that: simple. The FM33's built-in menu doesn't show anything original, just the usual stuff such as: Music, Video, Photo, Radio, Record, Text, Setup and Total List. The first option allows easy setup management, meaning the user will be able to adjust all the integrated features effortlessly, such as playback mode and speed, sound and tags settings, rewind speed, wallpaper and more.
Other features include the time per slide settings, video recording modes, microphone recording quality and voice activation, font color and scrolling speed. Oh, the player automatically switches off after a couple of minutes, but also when holding the pause button pressed or if it runs out of juice. However, do not worry too much about these details, as most of them are adjustable.
Moreover, you're be given the possibility to reset the device, to wipe the memory, change the language, check out the system information, adjust display brightness and have UMS mode activated. And if that's not enough, there is an extra micro sized menu available for other stuff like brightness, bookmarks and playmode settings, but what's really cool is that it basically contains the most frequently used stuff.
Battery Life and Storage
As most of the electronics today, LG FM3 is juiced up by a single built-in Li-Ion battery with an average 600 mAh capacity. The makers claim that on a single charge, the player remains alive for about 35 hours while listening to music, and more than 8 hours for video playback, which is not true at all! FM33 player dies after about 10 to 15 hours of continuous playback session. Still, the device is also recharged via the USB cable, which looks so damn good with the engraved LG logo on it. In fact, all the accessories you may receive in the same package are LG-branded.
The player can double as an USB Mass Storage device, acting as a removable drive and allowing faster and easier uploading of just about any files.
When being set in MTP mode, the player will be recognized as an external/mobile device and not as a mass storage one. The LG MP3 player requires Windows XP / SP1 or higher OS, and Windows Media Player 10. Just as most of LG players, FM33 also allows TXT file upload.
Extra Stuff
The FM33 player is also fitted with an FM radio that allows manual tuning and channel memorizing of about 20 preset stations. Apart from that, FM 33 also packs an integrated voice recorder via the built-in microphone. The sensitivity is decent but not spectacular, and the recorded content is saved directly in MP3 file formats, for later listening.
It can also deal with JPEG file formats, but if you try to load some high-resolution images, it will take some extra seconds to process.
But hey, it does allow slideshows with a nice suggestive musical background, though I suppose watching video content on such a ridiculously tiny screen display would be nonsense. If you want to watch video files, you'll have to convert the files into LG AVI prior to uploading, with the help of bundled software. As a consequence, you'll notice the resolution gets scaled in order to fit the display well, whereas FPS figure gets dropped down to 15.
Sound
FM33's sound performances are nothing to die for. Sound customization is possible with one of the 9 on board equalizer settings. You can also use the manual 5 band tuning, as well as the 3D sound stereo enhancement. FM33 PMPs come packed with a pair of headphones, but some professional ones would probably suit it better.
Still, with or without the professional pair of headphones, FM33's audio performances are average, as it features a Signal-to-Noise Ratio of about 85dB, which is relatively poor. Creative Zen Vision: M, considered a good-sounding player has a SNR of up to 97 dB. No to mention the iPod is said to have a SNR value of around 98-100 dB, at least in theory. The audio maximum output is also an issue, since it can deliver only 18mW per channel, which explains the low sound output.
Conclusion
FM33 gave me the same feeling as after eating too many cookies of the same kind and having to say which one was the best. It's a good looking device, it will suit the same people who buy iRiver, Samsung and many more that fit the same criteria. The only issue is that heavy brands should only label coolest stuff.
And this MP4 player offers the same goods other low-profile ones do, but adds a higher price tag and some other tricky "aromas" to the recipe to hide the faults...in a sweet way though! These aromas, however, do not compensate for the poor sound performances and the fiddly controls.
Photo: Tudor Raiciu for Softpedia.com