- 2006.12.14
The key to my happiness with the digital media collection I am
continuing to amass, particularly digital audio, is to avoid being
trapped by vendor lock-in. While many Mac users stick with some
version of the iPod (and I can't blame them - as I mentioned
previously I have a 20 GB fourth generation iPod), the iPod is not
the only digital audio player on the market.
Yet the iPod is a safe bet when checking for Mac compatibility
and is one of the nicer digital audio players, while still
remaining competitively priced. Easy to use, sleek in design, and
every iPod I have played with has felt comfortable and well
constructed in my hands. The market leader has earned its position
on the quality of the product and continues to set a high mark for
competitor's to try and surpass.
Missing from the iPod
Even still, the iPod doesn't have all the features I would
prefer out of a player. Primarily, those features absent from
Apple's device are the lack for support of open audio formats such
as the lossless FLAC or lossy Ogg Vorbis and not providing a way to
add music without being forced to launch an application. The
official method is to use iTunes to sync media to the iPod,
although there are other applications providing iPod support.
Clearly, I am not an expert in the matters of digital music
licensing terms, and I apologize in advance for any mistake I may
make when discussing these concepts. It is my understanding that
developing decoders or encoders for MP3 playback in addition to
distribution of MP3 content requires paying a licensing fee. In
contrast, content distributed in AAC, the logical improvement to
the MP3 standard and the iTune's default encoding format, is free
from such licensing concerns for content distribution, but there is
still the fee for developing encoders and decoders.
By using FLAC and Ogg Vorbis for my lossless and lossy needs
respectively, I hope to avoid the whole issue of what platforms can
legally ship with decoders and encoders for those other patent
encumbered formats.
The unfortunate bugaboo is the surprising lack of support for
these free formats in mainstream software and hardware, such as
iTunes and the iPod. I would have thought Apple could have enhanced
QuickTime to support Ogg Vorbis and FLAC, which would allow iTunes
and other applications tapping into QuickTime to also support these
open formats. Once QuickTime support was enabled, I'm sure iPod
support would follow, at least in the mythical fairy tale realm I
inhabit.
If I had to guess, Apple's rationale for not supporting Ogg or
FLAC lies is their desire to infect iTunes Store music with DRM,
consequently ensuring only the devices licensed for FairPlay can
function in the iTS ecosystem. Happily for Apple, the iPod is the
primary device enabled with FairPlay compatibility.
Openly licensed formats such as FLAC and Ogg Vorbis cannot be so
infected without violating their license. For Apple, supporting an
industry standard like AAC, which so happens to be able to be
locked down with DRM, probably makes better business sense.
Similarly, while Apple's competitive lossless format, Apple
Lossless, has not currently seen any DRM implementation, there is
conjecture that DRM can be similarly implemented as in the FairPlay
AAC files.
The iAudio G3
Enough mumbo jumbo already. I'll get to the meat of the matter,
which is my experience thus far with my open box iAudio G3
1 GB digital audio player.
I purchased the iAudio G3 via the
COWON eBay store on account of the PayPal "spend $50 or more and
get $20 back" promotion (more on this later). The total price came
to $73.49 in American dollars.
Shipping was prompt. I did a "buy it now" on Sunday, 2006.12.03,
and it arrived Thursday, 2006.12.07. Estimated delivery was not
until Monday, 2006.12.11, so imagine my surprise when the package
was sitting on my doorstep on Thursday.
The package was well protected, and the G3 with included
accessories came in the original box. The iAudio G3 comes with a
plastic carrying case, two plastic screen protector sheets, a neck
cord, a mini USB to USB cable, a line-in cable, earphones, an AA
battery, a software CD (not Mac or Linux compatible), and a thick
user manual almost 300 pages long - but really own containing 27
pages of information repeated in nine different languages (the PDF
manual from the COWON website may be a little more informative, as
it is 38 pages in length, although I have only given a cursory
examination of either manual).
My only nitpick with the delivery process was that the AA
battery was missing from the packaging. Customer support let me
know they would ship me out a replacement AA battery, but I may
simply ask for the reimbursement of the expenditure it would take
to get the AA battery to me. I'm thinking a $1 refund would be
sufficient. I have not received a reply to the latter request, but
I'll update when this minor issue is resolved.
Classic Support Disappeared
I'm quite fond of the player, and I don't want to start out as a
negative Nelly, but there has been a potentially significant change
which is not yet reflected in the various information available on
the Web about iAudio products. Contrary to the text on the G3's
packaging, COWON's eBay store, COWON's JetMall web store, and every
review and piece of reseller information I have read, the iAudio
G3 is no longer compatible with any version of the classic Mac
OS. In fact, every iAudio device now has newer firmware which
only works with Mac OS X - in addition to Windows and Linux
support, of course.
There is talk of flashing the firmware back to an older version
that does support the classic Mac OS. I believe firmware 1.51 is
the last version with support for the classic Mac OS, but not only
is a Windows computer needed for the task, I think you may have to
go back to an even older firmware revision first and then upgrade
to 1.51. Either way, it's not really easy or even possible if
you're an exclusive Mac user.
The actual product pages on the COWON America website do reflect
the newest system requirements, but I somehow missed this tidbit in
the barrage of old information. Lack of Mac OS 9 support is
not a deal breaker, but I have to admit I was a little
disheartened.
A Flash Benefit
An interesting note tying into the music loading experience. The
nice thing about the G3 - and possibly most other flash players -
is that the absence of a battery doesn't render the player useless.
While waiting for a set of rechargeable AA batteries to finish
charging, I decided to connect the player to my iMac with the
included USB cable. Sans battery, the little G3 player gets its
power over USB, and transferring songs to and from the player
doesn't take very long, even over my anemic USB 1.1 ports.
The iAudio G3 has support for USB 2.0. Transfer speeds should
improve accordingly on computers equipped with the faster bus. The
G3 is not functional over USB except for supporting the transfer of
files, and while connected it acts like any other USB mass storage
device.
There is a hinged port cover on
the left side of the player that keeps the line-in and USB ports
safe from dust. Although the little cover doesn't have the most
robust feel, this component feels strong enough to withstand
repeated (but careful) use.
Solid
In fact, the whole device gives me a similar sensation. While
the G3 is mostly plastic with a few metal pieces, everything feels
solid enough to withstand average careful use. While an iPod
features very little in the way of moving parts, the iAudio G3 has
the aforementioned port cover, the battery compartment door and
hold button in the rear, the lever on the right side of the face,
and the three top buttons.
The iAudio G3 has a nice enough appearance, given the design
considerations and inherent compromises inherent with finding space
for a AA battery. The shape is a chunky, yet slightly rounded
rectangular appearance. The whole unit about the size of a small
box of matches. The bottom of the player is the roundest part of
the case, which is understandable, as that is where the cylinder
shape of a AA battery will sit.
My G3 is the Sky White color, white in the front and rear, light
blue on the sides, each accompanied with silver highlights. While
clearly not the sexiest player, I find the player charming, with a
pleasant, if simple, exterior.
It's not iPod shuffle elemental -
after all, the G3 has to accommodate an LCD screen and AA battery -
but everything is functional and easy to control. I'm not sure how
the various components will hold up with long term use. I'm eyeing
the port cover door, battery cover door, and navigation lever, but
the player feels tightly constructed while all flaps are
closed.
The potential liabilities of the design are exacerbated by the
plastic carrying case having an aggressively tight fit when
removing and inserting the G3. The little toggle lever on the face
sticks up high enough to catch on the plastic if not careful when
sliding the case on or off.
If ever asked, I would propose a redesign. Instead of one snap
on the right side, how about a snap on each side. Now if I were to
unsnap the two buttons, the top could act as a flap which folds up
and backwards away from the lower half of the case. The iAudio G3
could then slide downwards or upwards for less travel into a case,
which would allow the headphones to remain plugged in when
inserting or removing the player. Please notice my improved case
should no longer have opportunity to snag the toggle switch as the
flaps folds back and away from the player.( Ingenious, no?
Apparently so, as I later discovered a very similarly designed
player to the G3, the incredibly long lasting 153 hour MobiBLU
B153, which has the same basic outer shell and navigation elements.
Yet, its carrying case looks exactly like what I was attempting to
describe.)
The easy fix to give the current case some wiggle room is to cut
out the plastic covering the top buttons on the carrying case with
an X-acto knife. While the case still requires a little effort to
get on and off, it's much easier now with a side benefit that the
navigation buttons on the top are now unobstructed and easier to
click while the G3 is in the case.
I should note that once the carrying case is on the G3, the
lever is now almost flush with the case, so the worry of catching
the lever on something is much reduced. Another option is to simply
affix one of the included screen protectors and forego the carrying
case altogether. While the lever may still catch on something while
stowed away, the LCD will have a reduced chance of accumulating
scratches while the screen protector is affixed.
Navigation
Once a AA battery is installed and the G3 powered on (press the
top right Play/Pause button to turn it on and hold the same button
to turn the G3 off) the basic navigational functions quickly become
clear, except for the most obvious - actually navigating the audio
hierarchy. To reach the audio navigation menu (or Navigator, in
iAudio speak), the lever needs to be held down for a couple seconds
- one click will simply bring up the Menu, the home for the G3's
system settings.
The easy fix for those users who desire quick access to the
Navigator instead of the Menu, you can switch the behavior under
Menu -> General -> Menu Button for one lever click to bring
up the Navigator and a held down click will then bring up the Menu.
Overall navigation is not iPod scrollwheel easy, but interacting
with the G3 is consistent once the basics are understood.
The most basic function of the lever is to control quick
navigation by toggling right or left to get to the next or previous
folder, song, or station. When in MP3 mode (the mode for playing
any digital audio files, not just MP3), holding down the lever
either right or left will fast forward or rewind the audio file. In
the same mode, pressing the lever up or down will adjust the volume
higher or lower.
When in the Navigator or any menu granting a list of files or
folders, a right or left toggle will dig you deeper into the
file/folder hierarchy or push you back a layer. An up or down
toggle when in the Navigator or any menu granting a list of files
or folders, will scroll up or down the list. Pressing the lever
inward will bring up a submenu consisting of relevant actions to
the selected entry.
In a menu where the lever is navigating a hierarchal structure
(Navigator or Menu), pressing the top left Record button will exit
back to the current mode without saving any relevant changes,
a.k.a. the cancel button. Pressing the right Play/Pause button will
either play the selected audio file or exit back to the current
mode while saving any relevant changes, a.k.a. the okay button.
Pressing the top middle Mode button will bring up four modes:
MP3 Player, FM Radio, Voice Recorder, and Line-in Recorder, with
the Record and Play/Pause buttons continuing to act as cancel or
okay buttons. Pressing the lever inward also acts as an okay
command to the selection.
If you press the Mode button while in the Navigator, three
differing options appear: Music Files, Dynamic Playlist, and
Bookmarks. Selecting Music Files allows you to dig into the entire
collection of audio files stored on the G3. Dynamic Playlist is a
listing of all the files tagged for inclusion in a list similar to
the On-The-Go option found on the iPod, the difference between the
two being that the G3 only allows one Dynamic Playlist at a time.
The Bookmarks option displays a list of all the files tagged with a
bookmark. By tagging a file with a bookmark, the G3 can resume
playback of a desired file from an exact point at some time in the
future - a great way of taking a break from a podcast without
fumbling for the exact spot to resume after listening to other
music.
Recording and Podcast Support
The iAudio G3 brings a nice selection of features besides just
playing back the various audio formats. The FM tuner has been
surprisingly handy for those moments when I want a weather or
traffic update or to listen to the local ESPN radio affiliate. The
FM tuner also allows for recording broadcasts as well as scheduled
recordings, although I haven't yet had much use for either
feature.
Voice recording is possible with the built-in mic. Adding an
external mic isn't possible, because the line-in jack doesn't
provide any power, but an external powered mic should work fine. I
have used the voice recorder to make a few memos to myself, and
although not great sounding with the default settings, a little
tweaking seemed to improve things.
The G3 can also record audio over the line-in port from a
variety of sources, but again I have not used this feature. The
maximum encoding rate for the FM, voice, and line-in recording is
128 kbps MP3. Lower bit rate MP3 and WAV setting are also
available.
The last interesting extra is COWON's support across their
digital audio player lineup with preloaded support of Podcast
Ready's myPodder software. Not having a chance to actually test
this software, I have no idea how good a feature this may prove.
Having yet another way to easily streamline subscribing to and
managing podcasts would be nice.
I don't use iTunes at all for my podcast listening. Since I
spend at least half the time, if not more, listening to a podcast
from my computer, I simply subscribe to the RSS feeds for my
favorite podcasts from the built-in Opera RSS reader. Being on
dialup, I prefer to manually download those episodes I want and
then delete the link from the RSS feed when I'm done. Not a great
system, but easy enough when managing only a handful of podcasts,
and my browser is always open, while iTunes is not.
Perhaps the myPodder support will prove a better system.
My Use and Random Notes
How do I like the iAudio G3? Quite a bit, actually. While the G3
doesn't support my much desired FLAC, it does fine with MP3
(including VBR), WMA, protected WMA, Ogg Vorbis, and WAV. I don't
have any WMA files to test, and although protected WMA will require
a Windows computer to load onto the G3, I see no reason why
dragging and dropping WMA audio files from a Mac or Linux box
wouldn't work just fine.
Sound quality is quite nice and perfectly acceptable to my
average ears. Even when plugged into an external source, such as a
stereo or small speaker set, I found the sound to be on par with my
4G iPod - perhaps better after fiddling with the audio enhancements
and equalizer settings.
Once I changed the default setting for invoking the Navigator,
navigation went from solid to quite good. Ergonomics of the
controls are comfortable, but not as streamlined as something like
the iPod. Then again, the G3's increased feature set over the iPod
certainly calls for some added complexity.
Music navigation doesn't have automatic presets for artist,
song, album, or any other ID3 tag shortcut. Instead it sticks to
order of files/folder downloaded (ascertained from a time stamp),
file name, or file time. Adding music is as easy as connecting the
G3 to my iMac and then dragging and dropping lists of files or
folder to the player.
The quirk with the older iAudio players is their support for a
maximum of 50 folders and 650 files. For 1 GB of music from my
collection, folders could be more of a problem, since the G3 uses
six folders by default. My solution to this issue is to make a
folder on my the G3 via the OS X Finder for each "playlist" I
desire. I can manually fill the folders, use some AppleScript
shortcuts, or simply use iTunes outstanding organizational ability
to make smart playlists. I would like to dig deeper into the
playlist creation tools I use, but I figure things can wait until
my next article to detail my iTunes Smart Playlist method and the
AppleScript method.
The iTunes solution may seem odd coming from someone such as
myself, who has previously decried being forced to use a big
hulking application like iTunes just to load music onto a digital
audio player. However, my reasoning is really not so strange. The
G3 gives me the ability to have choice, and the flexibility found
within this choice is much appreciated.
When I download a new album from eMusic, I know I want to listen
to the whole album, and being able to plug the G3 into my iMac and
drag and drop the new folder to the player is a much simpler
solution than launching iTunes. Being able to use iTunes and its
smart playlist ability is also a welcome choice when I have
specific requirements to meet with synching music to my iAudio G3.
The possibility of using AppleScript to script a shortcut will also
be wonderful and potentially much more flexible than even iTune's
smart playlist.
Battery Life
Let me briefly touch on battery life. COWON rates the iAudio G3
for 50 hours from a single AA battery. In several tests with
different MP3, WAV, and/or Ogg Vorbis Files, with the various sound
enhancements turned on and off, and fiddling with various setting
and navigation elements, I could get 18-21 hours on one 2300 mAh
NiMH AA battery. Alkaline batteries reportedly have better battery
life, and I know at least one user who has gotten 34 hours from a
single 2500 mAh NiMH AA battery while solely playing MP3 files.
The unit is rated for 50 hours, but different formats, higher
bit rates, higher volume, more audio enhancements, and other
factors can effect battery life. Still, anything over 16 hours is
gravy for me, as I rarely spend more than 16-18 hours awake - and
if I wanted to, I could listen to the player every second of a
16-18 hour day and still be okay the next morning after I pop in
another rechargeable AA.
Bottom Line
I am essentially using the G3 as an iPod shuffle, yet I get a
whole host of extras when I need them, far and beyond what a
shuffle can offer. An iPod would be the sleeker and easier to
navigate choice, but the iAudio G3 is reasonably priced in its role
as transitional link between something like the iPod shuffle and
iPod nano. If one desires more nano than shuffle in their iPod
alternative, I would suggest taking a look at the iAudio U3.
The U3 is nearly everything I
would want in a digital audio player, except that it lacks AAC
support and an easily replaceable battery. The U3 has a built-in
rechargeable unit which is tested to last about 20 hours, a color
screen, photo support, movie playback, and the welcome addition of
FLAC support. I'm guessing the silly folder/file limitation in
earlier flash iAudio devices has also been rectified with the
U3.
The COWON eBay store has dropped the price of the White 1 GB U3
to $64.99 for the open box model and $69.99 for the new model. If I
were to make my purchase decision this week instead of last, I
would probably go for the open box 1 GB U3 instead. The additional
feature set and the price being the same as the open box G3 makes
for a great deal.
$20 PayPal Rebate
It is worth noting that PayPal account holders can register
their email before Dec 15 and make a qualifying purchase before Dec
31 to take advantage of the $20 rebate for any single purchase of
$50 or more. It's worth reading the fine print, but eBay is listed
as a qualifying merchant, and I expect my iAudio G3 purchase will
qualify. Remember to register your email before making the
purchase.
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