Rio MP3 Players Review

Below you’ll find helpful information and reviews on some of Rio’s most popular MP3 players, including Nitrus, Carbon, Cali, and Forge. Neither of these MP3 players are perfect, but each offers a unique set of strengths and weaknesses that should be considered before purchasing any of them. Be sure to compare the price, ease of use, and overall performance of each.

Rio Carbon 5GB MP3 Player

Manufacturer’s Description: The Rio Carbon is capable of storing up to 80 hours of MP3 music (160 hours WMA) and with up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge, music lovers need not worry about running out of power.

With an ultra-slim, sharp design and 25 percent more memory than the iPod Mini, this small, business-card-sized MP3 player will slip into any pocket, virtually unnoticeable. The Rio Carbon is capable of storing up to 80 hours of MP3 music (160 hours of WMA), and with up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge, music lovers need not worry about running out of power. By supporting USB 2.0 and a host of file formats, users can download music efficiently and easily from most of their favorite online music sites. Rio Carbon also includes voice recording and provides seamless integration and compatibility with Windows and Mac platforms.

Features:

– 5 GB of memory stores up to 80 hours of MP3 music or 160 hours of WMA music

– Plays MP3, WMA and Audible audio formats

– Built-in microphone for voice recording

– Easily drag and drop data and music files onto your player

– Rechargeable battery offers up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge

– USB 2.0 for faster downloads

– Charge from USB or the included power adapter

– Compatible with Windows and Mac

– Includes Rio Music Manager, the most intuitive way to create and manage your digital music library

Comments: Users tend to agree that this is one of the best mp3 players Rio has developed. It is really quite small and slim, and it can fit in your pockets. The 5GB memory doesn’t sound like much anymore, but I think most new users will find there is a lot of space. The long battery life is nice (20 compared to 12 on the iPod) and the interface is quite easy to use. One small disappointment is the inability to press the buttons on the device when in its carrying case. Also, it has some compatibility issues with Mac music programs like iTunes. If you really love Macs, you may want to consider the iPod or Shuffle instead (this applies to all Rio products).

Price: $ 230

Rio Cali 128 MB Sports MP3 Player

Manufacturer’s Description: Wrapped in grippy protective rubber, the Cali 128 is designed to play hard. Solid state electronics carry over 30 songs without skipping, ever. Comfortable Sport Clip earphones, armband pouch and integrated stopwatch with stopwatch make the Cali a functional sports accessory. The adjustable 5-band EQ gives you more control over your sound than most musicians. The built-in FM tuner means you always have something to listen to. An empty expansion slot allows you to add up to 512MB of additional SDTM or MMCTM memory. Simple menus and intuitive controls facilitate one-handed operation.

Features:

– 128 MB of memory plays more than 2 hours of MP3 or 4 hours of WMA music (more than 30 MP3 or 60 WMA songs) *

– Expansion slot to add up to 512MB of additional memory using SD or MMC cards (sold separately)

– USB 1.1 connects to almost any computer

– Transfer content between multiple PCs

– 18-hour continuous playback with one AAA Energizer battery

– Adjustable 5-band EQ with presets

Comments: Anyone considering buying this device should be aware of some strange functional issues that can be frustrating. First of all, when changing memory cards, many users have had to remove the batteries for the device to recognize the new memory card (another note: some users have had trouble getting the device to accept third-party memory cards). . Also, it seems that the player may not be able to play the normal mp3 formats that you have on your PC hard drive. Rio admits that these mp3 files must be converted through its own software for them to work. These, and other weird quirks, pretty much undermine this particular player. On the plus side, the device has good battery life, plays crisp, clear music, and has a good radio feature too.

Price: $ 120

Rio Forge 512MB Sports MP3 Player

Manufacturer’s Description: The Rio Forge series is our latest generation of flash-based sports players. The Rio Forge was designed for people who like to play hard and use music to play even louder. The new design integrates the grippy protective rubber of previous models with a new shiny stainless steel faceplate for added durability. Up to 20 hours of battery life gives you hours of uninterrupted work. Comfortable Sport Clip headphones and a newly designed armband sleeve keep your player and music safe and accessible. Simple menus and intuitive controls facilitate one-handed operation. The stopwatch and lap timer make the Rio Forge the best running or gym buddy. In addition, the new FM recording function allows you to record radio content on your player to listen to later.

Features:

– Contains 16 hours of music

– Storage capacity can be upgraded up to 1GB

– Durable stainless steel face

– 512 MB of storage

– Stopwatch function for workouts.

– Up to 20 hours of battery life

Comment: This latest generation of Rio sports mp3 players is perhaps the best yet. What we really liked about this device is the intuitive and easy-to-use user interface and the clear LCD screen. The only downside is the 512MB upper storage limit (although it can technically be upgraded to 1GB), which is a bit low compared to the market average. Still, features like the FM tuner and stopwatch make this a really cool little sports mp3 player. It’s as durable and easy to use as it comes, plus the battery life is friendly for those long workouts. Approved by this.

Price: $ 180

Rio Nitrus 1.5GB MP3 Player

Manufacturer’s Description: The revolutionary Rio Nitrus packs 1.5GB in a slim, stealth design. With the capacity to carry more than 375 songs, never before has so much capacity been offered in such a small player. The fast USB 2.0 connection charges the player quickly. Simple menus, thoughtful controls, and a clear screen make navigation instinctive. An adjustable 5-band EQ provides a personalized listening experience. Quality components at all times give a player without compromise.

Features:

– 1.5GB hard drive plays more than 25 hours of MP3 or 50 hours of WMA music (more than 375 MP3 or 750 WMA songs)

– USB 2.0 for fast transfers

– Transfer content between multiple PCs

– 16 hours continuous playback with rechargeable LiIon battery

– Adjustable 5-band EQ with presets

Comments: This is a pretty solid mp3 player overall with some design and engineering flaws that need to be mentioned. First, the buttons are not as easy to use, nor are they as well laid out as some of the other Rio players. Specifically, the volume buttons are smaller and closer together than they should be. Another thing is the problems with battery life, some users get significantly less time from their batteries than is supposed. And you can’t really hope to get the full 16 hours. Also, the scroll function doesn’t seem to help much. On the bright side, the device has a large enough storage size (1.5GB) and a small enough physical size to attract a lot of potential consumers. The sound is also quite good and almost all volume levels.

Price: $ 175