Ultra Cool Gadgets

The reason Sonos works so flawlessly all over the house is because Sonos has designed a complete multi-room music system from the ground up. From the flexibility of the ZonePlayers to the ubiquity of the handheld and desktop Controller, no other company gets multi-room music like Sonos. The Sonos system lets you play the same song in different rooms with perfect synchronicity. Or you can play different songs in different rooms and please everyone in the house.
The Sonos ZonePlayer 90 lets you play all the music you want, all over your house, on all the audio equipment you already own — your home theater receiver, stereo system, powered speakers, and more. Just connect the ZP90 to any amplified audio device in any room and it’s instantly part of the wireless Sonos system. The ZP90’s digital and analog outputs deliver superior sound to every room. And with the ZP90’s superior wireless range, no room is out of reach. The ZP90 is super small, so it will fit just about anywhere. Plus, every ZP90 includes the Sonos Desktop Controller software for the ultimate in control and convenience.

Technical Details

- Connects to all your favorite audio equipment.
- Best-in-class wireless technology for multi-room music.
- Instant access to endless music.
- Simple setup.
- New features and music services with automatic updates.

Customer Feedback

Overall, I did feel the Sonos setup offered the best usability. The setup was a breeze, the software very use-friendly and easy to quickly find what you want and play it on the appropriate player(s). Another real treat was the iPhone application, which lets me use my phone as the remote and eliminates the need for the costly and bulky controller. Rhapsody, Pandora, and Last.fm are the 3 major music services offered, and all work very well.
However, there were two shortcomings when compared to the Squeezebox. The first is the requirement that at least one of the Sonos players be hard-wired in to the network. The Second was not having support for the Slacker music service.

The Toshiba FM transmitter broadcasts music from your Gigabeat over any FM radio frequency from 88.1 to 107.9, allowing you to listen to music on your car stereo system. It is completely ready out of the box without any installation needed; just plug it into your vehicle’s power outlet. The included 4-foot removable USB charge-and-sync cable is great for use at home or on the go, and it automatically charges your mobile media player when plugged in.
The built-in auxiliary input port allows you to connect the transmitter to any other MP3 player or device with an audio-out, such as laptops, Sony PSP systems, or travel DVD players. With a stylish black-and-white color that complements any car interior, the transmitter also features a bright, dash-based LCD readout and four programmable preset stations. The transmitter is compatible with Toshiba Gigabeat T-Series and U-Series players and comes with a 90-day standard limited warranty.
The Toshiba FM Transmitter transmits your Gigabeat music over your car stereo system and broadcasts your Gigabeat music to any FM radio frequency from 88.1 to 107.9 while charging your mobile media player. No installation is required, so you’re ready to go right out of the box. It features a removable USB charge and sync cable that can be used at home or on the road. Its modern black-and-white color scheme complements any car’s interior as well as your Gigabeat.

Technical Details

- Broadcast your Gigabeat music to any FM frequency in your car.
- Removable charge-and-sync cables to charge at home or on the road.
- Bright, dash-based LCD readout with up to 4 programmable preset stations.
- 4-foot dock cable allows flexible, easy access to your Gigabeat.
- Compatible with Toshiba Gigabeat T-Series and U-Series Mobile Media Player.

Customer Feedback

I have enjoyed listening to my Gigabeat at home and at work where I could plug in to power often enough to charge the unit. Now I can play it on the road through my radio instead of ear phones and not worry about the battery dying. The FM Transmitter is easy to use and reliable. As I have travelled to different areas the only problem I have encountered is the transmitter being over-powered by a local FM station, which is easy to counter by switching frequencies by the push of a button. I have no regrets about purchasing this unit.

Listen to your tunes anytime, anywhere with the slick Gigabeat MP3 Player. The PlusTouch sensor control lets you scroll through all of the easy-to-understand menu systems with a touch of your finger. Gigabeat is Microsoft’s Windows “Plays for Sure” certified and will operate with any “Plays for Sure” download site or management software simply by connecting it to your PC. It is automatically recognized by Windows Media Player 10, so there’s no need to install drivers. The Gigabeat even gives you the option of using Napster To Go, Windows Media Player or Gigabeat Room Management Software.

Features:
- 2.2″ diagonal QVGA LCD color screen with 320 x 240 resolution lets you create slideshows and view downloaded album covers and digital still images.
- Photo viewer with slideshow capability.
- “PlusTouch” sensitive control.
- 20 GB 1.8″ hard drive for up to 10,000 songs.
- Audio formats supported: MP3, WMA and WAV.
- 16-hour lithium ion battery.
- Gigabeat room management and Napster To Go software included.
- USB cradle allows one button file transfer and ripping of entire CD with RipRec.
- 28 user selectable equalizer settings including SRS’ WOW.
- One-year limited warranty.

Technical Details

- 20 GB Toshiba hard drive (5,000 MP3s); 2.2-inch QVGA LCD (240 x 320); JPEG photo/album cover viewer with slideshow capability.
- Plays MP3, WMA, and WAV files; compatible with Windows Plays for Sure and Napster To Go.
- Up to 16-hour battery life, USB charging option; 28 equalizer settings and SRS WOW simulated surround sound.
- Supplied Gigabeat Room software helps you manage music and images; docking cradle fosters 1-button CD ripping and file transfer.
- Measures just 2.5 x 4.1 x 0.63 inches (W x H x D).

Customer Feedback

Overall I’m extremely happy with buying the toshiba gigabeat. The toshiba gigabeat takes a while to learn how to use, but the flexibility of the device is great and allows a high level of customization.
The player has an amazing amount of flexibility and settings, being able to chooose different screen settings (horizontal/vertical), different wallpaper settings, power up settings/battery settings, play settings, goes on and on.
Battery life is fine… once I learned how to set the player to automatically turn off the screen after 40 seconds of non use.
The main problem is simply learning the ins and outs of the device.

Sleek and modern PMP, Light and rigid Aluminum Metal body. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION: Display: 4.3” TFT + Touch WQVGA, Display Resolution: 480X272, Storage Type: Flash Memory, Built-In Storage Capacity: 8/16GB, Expansion Memory Slot: Micro SD Digital Audio Formats: MP3, WMA, OGG, ASF, FLAC, APE, WAV, AC-3 and AAC, Digital Video Formats: MPEG, DivX, RM, RMVB and H.264, Digital FM Radio Tuner: 76.0MHz ~ 108.0MHz, Equalizer Presets: 7 Preset EQ, User 5EQ, SRS WOW, Battery Type: Internal 2500mAh battery (Li-Polymer), Battery Life: 50 Hrs Audio Playback/ 7 Hrs Video of Playback,Weight: 6.1 oz (173g), Dimension: 2.88” x 4.4” x 0.5”, Connection Type: USB 2.0, Ultra Fast Data Transfer. Required O/S: Windows 2000 / Windows XP/ Vista,*Windows 98 / ME not support. FM radio and FM recording, Voice Recording, Firmware Upgradeable. PACKAGE INCLUDES: P7 Device, Stereo Earphone, Stylus Pen, USB 2.0 Cable, Installation CD, Quick Start Guide, Warranty Card.

Technical Details

- Display: 4.3 TFT + Touch WQVGA with Display Resolution: 480X272.
- Light and rigid Aluminum Metal body.
- Built-In Storage Capacity: 8/16GB and Expansion Micro SD Memory Slot.
- 50 Hrs Audio Playback/ 7 Hrs Video of Playback.
- Digital Video Formats: MPEG, DivX, RM, RMVB and H.264 and Digital Audio Formats: MP3, WMA, OGG, ASF, FLAC, APE, WAV, AC-3 and AAC.

Customer Feedback

This player has style. Not everybody may fall in love with it, but it has more style than any small gadget I’ve used in a long time.
Playing music and videos is simple and straightforward, the main thing I was looking for in a player. Boot-up time is very short, thumbs up. Subtitle support? Check! Battery life? Excellent.
I have three complaints. First, the player is too picky about video format encoding. Second, a proprietary USB port… not again! There is no reason to use yet another unique cable to connect to a USB port. A mini-USB would work perfectly well for this device. Finally, touch sensitivity of the screen is terrible. You have to touch, then press, then press again, then jam your finger into the screen really hard and hope it works.