random thoughts:
In the file navigation screens, they made a bad choice to put the File icon on the left hand side of the screen instead of at the top.. though its not needed at all. I say this because the space provded for the icon consumes 20% of the screen, and the font is fairly large, so you really can't see much of the filename (without selecting a file so the filename can start scrolling). In a list you can see the first 14 characters only. So for a track named "Faith No More - Epic.mp3" .. all you can see is "Faith No More "... Stupid file icon.
The build quality, while it seems good at first sight, is only average. There are 10 micro-screws visible on the exterior. (Dell DJ, Apple iPod: 0). The Front, Back, Sides, Top, and Bottom are all seperately molded pieces and obviously, stuck together. The sides are grey and do not match the front. The surfaces are all slick and don't provide a good grip. In comparison, the DJ has a nice rubberized molding around the circumfrence that helps keep it from slipping out of your hand. The backside of the iHP is made ugly by 2 large stickers that take up most of the surface area. One reminds you not to drop it, swim with it, or use near a powerful magnet. NO ****. But they forgot to remind me not to use it near weapons of mass destruction, so I'll have to write that one down. The other sticker tells you important things like "Multi-Codec Jukebox (MP3 player)", "WOW is trademark of SRS Labs", and "Firmware upgradable!"...
an uncluttered backside would be classier; think iPod.
The iHP's hold button is tiny, and cheap. It wiggles even. The other buttons are unusually small as well, only a few millimeters in diameter.
only 4 buttons:
1. On/Play/Pause - or "Select" in file navigation screen
2. Stop/Off - or "Up directory" in file navigation screen
3. A/B-Mode - or "return to Now Playing screen" from any folder where there is also music files stored.
4. EQ/Record
the IHP would really benefit from dedicated Volume buttons, and a dedicated Menu/Now Playing button like on Creative's players. But too late for that. The play/pause and stop buttons should _not_ change function while file browsing since they only duplicate functions allready provided by the joystick. The A/B button should take you back to the Now Playing screen from any folder, with or wihout music files in that folder
The design of the frontside is OK, but nothing special. I pay close attention to design, and the elements could use more cohesion. The joystick is accented with a silver plastic "X" insert that is gimmicky and serves no function. Keeping it all-black, perhaps with LED illumination under the joystick would have been more polished and professional looking. The backlit buttons on the Dell DJ/iPod add a lot to pride-in-ownership.
The remote needs a separate dongle to allow most full-size headphones (with larger plugs) to connect to it. If they would simply have placed the jack a centimeter further out so it was flush with the remote's exterior, it wouldn't have needed a dongle. The remote has odd configuration as well. The in and out wires seem to be on the wrong end, on the bottom, in relation to the clip. This is hard to describe, but consider, if you have the iHP in your pocket or backpack, and the remote clipped in normal fashion on your jeans pocket/belt, then the in and out wires are facing your feet. So, both will have to be looped back up toward your midsection. Dell DJ remote is the same.
Some remotes have one end input and the other end output, so you could have the player in your pocket and the remote in your jacket pocket, with the input wire facing your pocket and the output facing up towards your ears for short-length earbuds. Like MD players.
I havn't got the ID3 tag database function working at all. I have the function turned on in the config, but when it boots up, it goes straight to the File View. I know it won't read any files longer than 52 characters, but I assumed it would read the ones that were shorter and ignore the rest. Will look into that when I break down and read the manual.
Onboard playlisting, and file deletion are two very useful features that are missing. Certainly more useful than lyric display! Since the IHP's have been on the market more than 6 months, I would guess that iRiver does not intend to add either of these features. Maybe they will surprise us, but my money says thier engineers are completely focused on the upcoming model lines.
Now there a lot of things the iHP does right, but those have been discussed. Detailed screen, polished GUI, highly-advanced remote, OGG support, full Mass storage device compliant, no music management software required, analog/optical line in/out (though, not true line-out), MP3 encoding, Mic recording, file-tree navigation _and_ ID3 tag database capable, FM radio, and the iHP-140 is the only other player on the market with a 1.8" 40gb drive aside from iPod. But, price reflects this, making it the second most expensive player on the market.
I am satisfied with the sound quality at flat EQ, though I havn't done any A/B testing yet. Power output is strong. The battery seems to last forever, one of the very best I've seen. On par with Dell DJ. Maybe a marathon is in order?
I'm still trying to decide if I want to keep it or go with an Xclef HD800, but I'll have to import one first and compare them. I do want one player with folder navigation instead of ID3 tag databasing, and the iRiver may be the best choice currently available in the US. The only competitors with folder navigation are Archos players and Pogo's Ripdrive (rebadged Xclef HD500). The Gmini220 has its own goofy issues and the Ripdrive is frikken huge. But CES and CeBit displayed a whole range of new-generation DAP on the way.
Personally, I would not recommend the iHP for most users since it's not very intuitive to use, quirky operation, and relatively pricey (though - still a better value than iPod if ease-of-use is not factored). But it might be the right solution for people with a large collection of mp3's with crappy/missing ID3-tags. Or if OGG was your codec of choice. Or if you primarily need a portable hard drive or voice recorder. Or if you want to use a remote for primary operation, the iHP has no competition.
Otherwise, I'll point you towards a Dell DJ for the value-conscious (Dudebox mandatory), the iPod mini for the casual user and for sport/gym use, or the Nomad Jukebox 3 for the power-user/audiophile.
(just putting together my thoughts a proper review in the near future)
