Rio's Carbon MP3 Player
Supersleek 5GB digital audio player is set to challenge Apple's IPod Mini.
Tom Mainelli, PC World
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Rio's new 5GB Carbon is the sleekest MP3 player I've laid eyes on. Happily, the device, which hits stores this week, isn't just about looks: A simple interface and amazing battery life make it the new mini to beat.
The Carbon targets music lovers who want something more pocketable than today's larger, higher-capacity 20GB hard-drive players, but who are unwilling to settle for lower-capacity, flash-based devices. At $249, it's not inexpensive, but it is comparable in both size and price to Apple's much-adored IPod Mini--and it offers a full 1GB more storage space.
The Carbon's wedge-shaped design is truly a sight to behold. It weighs just 3.2 ounces, and its dimensions--2.4 inches wide, 3.3 inches tall, and 0.6 inches deep--make it insanely easy to slip into a shirt, pants, or jacket pocket. The front is a scratch-resistant gray plastic, and the back is a metallic, fingerprint-prone mirrored surface.
The evolutionary cousin of Rio's still-shipping 1.5-GB Nitrus, the Carbon replaces that unit's mini-joystick with a smooth-operating directional pad. Using it in conjunction with a clickable jog dial and menu button, each located along the right side, I found the Carbon a breeze to navigate (although lefties may feel differently).
Rio keeps the rest of the external buttons to a minimum. Besides the power button, there's just the headphone jack, USB port, and a built-in microphone for recording memos. While most players include a sliding locking mechanism to prevent accidental input, Rio chose to implement this feature through the menu system. I found this annoying at first, but quickly got the hang of it.
The Music Inside
Transferring music to the Carbon is easy. You can plug the unit into any USB 2.0 port and the PC will see it as an external drive, allowing you to drag and drop tunes (or other files) onto the player. You also can use Rio's solid Music Manager app.
I encode the vast majority of my music as 192-kbps MP3s, and I managed to squeeze 906 songs onto the player. (Note: The little rascal was actually hot to the touch when I finished.) In addition to MP3s, the Carbon also supports WMA files and Audible.com's Audible codec. Additional codec support would be nice, but as is the unit should support downloads from most of today's online music stores.
The Carbon makes choosing your tunes a snap, letting you select songs by album, artist, genre, and track. Other playback options include the venerable Play All, as well as the ability to play back songs based on when you last listened to them. You can choose to hear stuff you've accessed in the last day, two days, week, or month.
The Carbon's greatest weakness: There's no way to generate your own on-the-fly playlists. To enjoy your own best-ever set, you have to create a playlist on your PC first, and then transfer it to the Carbon. For some this will be a deal-breaker, but for me it's not a huge loss. The software also features the PC version of the excellent Rio DJ auto-playlist generator that's found on board the 20GB Rio Karma.
Extra-Long Lived
If the Carbon's ultrasleek design doesn't impress you, its battery life will. Despite its tiny size the unit's rechargeable lithium battery ran for an impressive 20 hours and 37 minutes in my informal test.
In a move I'm not thrilled about, Rio's included USB cable does double duty as a power cord when you plug it into the included AC adapter. I've never been crazy about this approach because it means if I want to charge the unit away from the PC, I have to unplug the syncing cable to do it.
Rio throws in a pair of serviceable earbuds that demonstrate the unit's ability to put out a fair amount of sound. As with most included ear wear, however, you'll enjoy the Carbon's solid audio quality more with an aftermarket set of headphones.
The unit itself feels well built and sturdy. Rio includes a modest case, and while I hesitate to whine about it (I cried foul when the company neglected to ship a usable case with the Karma), I did find myself wishing it was a bit more functional.
Despite these minor nitpicks, I found the Carbon to be a truly impressive MP3 player. More than just flashy good looks, it offers up a solid interface, quality sound, and outstanding battery life. If 5GB of storage suits your needs--and playlists aren't your thing--then this is the player for you.
Rio Carbon
Impressive 5GB player looks great, and works even better.
Street: $249
www.digitalnetworksna.com/rioaudio/default.asp?cat=35
