So, about that Sansa View I wrote about last week. It suffered a complete hardware failure within that week, and so it was promptly returned. I do have to point out though, that I think the failure I suffered was uncommon, and Dave with Sansa customer support was the polar opposite of my MS support experience. He spent about 45 minutes on the phone with me walking me through some fairly sophisticated options to try to get the view back and working. He was also very clearly an enthusiast (talking to me about Rockbox, third party cables enabling hidden features like tv out, etc…) and the overall experience still made me comfortable recommending their products.
I hear a Rhapsody, an Ibiza Rhapsody:
When I got the View, I decided to try the free trial of Rhapsody (since the Zune pass is a closed world limited to zunes). I was totally blown away by how much more robust the subscription concept is with Rhapsody. Not only did I have access to all of the same music as the Zune Pass, but Rhapsody would store a list of my library which I could access from anywhere via their website and my log in, Has channels which automatically update with new music every time you listen (which can be synched to you device a la “slacker portable,”) and lets you share and browse user created playlists. In addition to that, they throw in a custom channel based on your listening patterns (somewhat like last.fm), and recommend new albums to you based on your preferences. I really cannot express enough how truly astounding the depth of Rhapsody is. That said, the software itself is buggy, and prone to crashes and hiccups, and should be approached by those who demand features and flexibility over simplicity and elegance.
Because I’ve been converted to the subscription/Rhapsody way of life, I decided to check out the new “Ibiza Rhapsody.” Well, yesterday morning my Amazon box arrived, and, at the risk of eating these words, I will never look at another MP3 player again (except a second generation Ibiza). I’ll skip going through all of the features as there are a lot of reviews that summarize them. What’s important to know is that this player uses wifi to connect directly with the Rhapsody service, and allows you to browse the entire Rhapsody catalogue, including channels and your library, directly from the device without syncing to a computer.
Additionally, it lets you subscribe to podcasts directly from the device (both from an extensive list of podcasts, and by entering the URL manually). The device will then automatically update the podcasts whenever its near wifi access and there is new content to be added. When you’re listening to a channel, if you like the song, simply click the touchpad and it will be automatically saved to your library. If you click and hold on any song, you can bring up more songs/albums by the artist, and download any of the music you see.
The sound quality is stellar, easily besting the view in my subjective tests. The interface is completely skinnable based on linux, and the developers have even created a java based tool letting you customize most elements of the design (including icons, images, colorization, and more). It’s not a reason to buy the device, but it is a reason why more devices should be based on open software. Library navigation is speedy, and at the top there’s a text entry bar (with a simple alphabet slider) that lets you drill down directly to an artist if you have a ton of music. This is something I really wish the Zune had gotten right out of the gate, but the fact that it’s here is just one more reason why the Ibiza beats the pants off of every other player out there.
Downsides? A few. It’s expensive, mine weighed in at 278.00 after shipping for 30 gigs. It’s also currently limited to 30 gigs, which is not a lot of storage in today’s hard drive marketplace. The interface occasionally hangs for a second or two when going to a new menu reminding you that it is an interface and not a seamless appliance. There’s no gapless playback (also lacking on the Zune and the Sansa View), and the battery life isn’t great. Although I ran it overnight last night streaming a channel, it was pretty much dead this morning. It does use a standard usb connection to charge and sync, which makes it a little easier to give it a sip of power without remembering to haul around a proprietary cable, but that doesn’t mean the 8-10 hours of real time battery life is cool.
Overall, I’ve never been this happy with a device meeting and exceeding my wants, desires, and expectations. I’ve already started testing the latest beta of the firmware, which adds audible book support, as well as a number of other features. There’s just not enough praise I can give this thing. If you just want to put your mp3s on a big drive to go, then this is probably not the best value for your money. But, if you’re a new music junkie, or just a believer in subscription music, this is your killer app.
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