Cowon iAudio U5 (8GB, black)

Manufacturer: Cowon Systems, Inc. Part number: U5-08BS

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Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 1 review

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Description:: PRODUCT FEATURES: Supports Windows Media DRM 10, MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) MP3, WMA, WAV playback / FM radio, recording / voice recording High-speed USB 2.0 interface 1.8-inch TFT LCD display with 128x160 resolution and 65K colors Long continuous playback time: Up to 24hours Enhanced music file browser Various EQ and sound effects Support clock, alarm, scheduled recording, sleep timer, auto ... Read more

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store	customer rating	inventory	tax & shipping	price
PREMIER SOURCE of cutting edge electronics since 1973.	Rate this store See store profile	In stock SHIPS IN 24 HR. Auth Cowon dealer w/ warranty	Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price	$104.95 Shop now as of 10/11/2008
Amazon.com	Rate this store See store profile	In stock	$103.31 Shop now as of 10/11/2008

PREMIER SOURCE of cutting edge electronics since 1973.

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SHIPS IN 24 HR. Auth Cowon dealer w/ warranty

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$104.95

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as of 10/11/2008

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*Total price for the Cowon iAudio U5 (8GB, black) are estimated and may vary slightly based on exact tax, shipping, manufacturer rebate or any sale/promotion on the merchant site.

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Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 1 review
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6 stars

Adequate overall player with excellent sound and a nice form factor

by MikeyBWindsurfer on June 16, 2008

Pros: Extremely thin and fairly robust

Cons: Navigation can be difficult, some annoying software glitches

Summary: I chose the IAudio U5 for a number of reasons. One of my primary needs in a player was a sound recorder. I also had no need or desire for ...

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Summary: I chose the IAudio U5 for a number of reasons. One of my primary needs in a player was a sound recorder. I also had no need or desire for a video capable mp3 player.

The U5 serves these limited needs very well and the price was reasonable for an 8-gb device. Recording of lectures was excellent. Clarity was great even in a large lecture hall with a number of distracting nearby sounds. The 8 gb allowed me to record a full week of all-day lectures without having to download each day.

Music sounds great, but there are some annoying glitches.
1) Navigation is extremely difficult. The navigation pad is extremely fickle and sometimes can't distinguish between rewind / previous track. I think that this is likely a hardware issue with my particular device and as such shouldn't be judged overly harsh.
2) The device has required a reset on a regular basis. While no data was lost, it was still a major inconvenience.
3) There's no way to bookmark your place in an MP3 if you should want to move to another directory, (I listen to quite a few audiobooks)
4) The player forgets where you were in a file when you plug it in to re-charge. This requires you to navigate back to the file and find your place again.
5) The device holds a charge fairly well, but nowhere near the 24 hrs claimed by the manufacturer. I'd estimate that I get 12 hrs of listening at moderate volume, (of course this likely depends on a number of settings relative to screen brightness, duration etc).

It should be noted that I've owned it for approximately 6 months, and have done every firmware upgrade offered.

The above issues aside, the device sounds great and sound is adjustable to make the most out of whatever type of file or narrative you might be listening to. The design is attractive, although I find the black case, (not the screen) gathering scratches, and the finish showing most every fingerprint and/or smear.

Good luck with yours

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Specifications

Manufacturer: Cowon Systems, Inc.
Part number: U5-08BS
Description: PRODUCT FEATURES: Supports Windows Media DRM 10, MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) MP3, WMA, WAV playback / FM radio, recording / voice recording High-speed USB 2.0 interface 1.8-inch TFT LCD display with 128x160 resolution and 65K colors Long continuous playback time: Up to 24hours Enhanced music file browser Various EQ and sound effects Support clock, alarm, scheduled recording, sleep timer, auto power -off Auto display off feature to save battery power and screen burnout Supports M3U

General
Width 1.6 in
Depth 0.4 in
Product type Digital player / radio
Height 3.3 in
PC interface(s) supported USB
Weight 1.3 oz
Color Black
Digital player signal-to-noise ratio 95 dB
Available body colors Black, Silver
Flash memory installed 8 GB Integrated
Dimensions (W x D x H) 1.6 in x 0.4 in x 3.3 in
Voice recording capable Yes
Included accessories USB cable
Packaged quantity 1
Software type Microsoft Windows Media DRM 10, Drivers & Utilities
Radio
Tuner type Digital Radio tuner
Station preset qty 24 dBi
Tuner bands FM
Digital Player / Recorder
Digital player supported digital audio standards WMA, WAV, MPEG 1 Audio, Protected WMA (DRM 10), MPEG 2.5 Audio, MPEG 2 Audio, MP3
Digital player response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
Digital player ID3 tags support Yes
Battery
Required Qty 1
Rechargeable Battery Rechargeable
Battery Enclosure Type Integrated
Technology Lithium polymer
Recharge Time 2 hour(s)
Battery Lithium polymer Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Mfr estimated battery life 24 hour(s)
Audio System
Sound output mode Stereo
Additional features FM radio recording capability
Cable(s) / Peripheral(s)
Cable(s) included USB cable -, 1 x External
System Requirements
Peripheral / Interface devices USB port
Min Operating system Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows 2000, Linux 2.2.x or later, Apple MacOS X 10.x, Microsoft Windows 98
Min hard drive space 40 MB
Min RAM size 64 MB

Connections
Connector type 1 x Headphones, 1 x USB
Built-in Display
Audio system built-in display TFT
Diagonal size 1.8 in
Resolution 128 x 160
Backlight display Yes
Audio Features
Sound effects MP Enhance, BBE, Mach3Bass
Amplifier response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
Timer Yes
Built-in clock Alarm, Digital clock, Timer
CD System
Playback modes Play/pause, Fast forward/Fast rewind, Next rack/Previous rack, Record/pause
Digital audio standards supported WMA, WAV, MP3
ID3 tag support Yes
Equalizer
Equalizer type Built-in
Equalizer factory presets Vocal, Classic, Normal, Rock, Jazz, Pop
Equalizer band qty 5 bands
Microphone
Microphone type Built-in
Headphones
Headphones type Binaural
Sound output mode Stereo
Connectivity technology Wired

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