Package is nicely sized for the unit. It is not overpackaged and doesn't come in a big plastic bubble you have to hacksaw your way into. The E150 has good form and fit, a clean appearance and unusual for any mp3 player or small electronics, it has fitted covers for its USB and sD slots to keep out dust dirt and moisture.
Quality of output sound from the player is very good, and output power is comparable to the iPod but earphones are minimal, below quality of average mp3 player units especially at higher frequencies. No big deal if you already have good earphones.
It is too big to be a clip-on type of unit. It is about twice the size and mass of the iPOD nano. It has a comparable play-per-charge. It has too many functions to be simple. It has six major modes of operation: Music, Video, Picture, FM Radio, Text, Record.
The interface is clutzy and non-intuitive. The main controls are 4 directional buttons which are beneath the plastic surface of the unit, centered on a square select button. The controls often do not respond on first push, maybe bad debouncing circuitry? User Manual is basic but could be clearer. For instance, the main navigation buttons to be used are installed as I said below the flat plastic cover, around the square select button. They are indicated by small barely visible caret figures made up of black dots. It wasn't obvious to me that you push on the flat surface where the caret symbols were and the manual didn't make an effort to clue one in.
Radio has awkward tuning controls, one must hit the 'up' button for higher freqs instead of the more intuitive 'right', 'down' instead of 'left'.
But if you are patient, the E150 does many tricks, plays many formats of music, has a good radio, plays videos, stores and shows various data formats.
AND It has two notable interfaces in addition to all the others:
1) It has a slot for microsD cards- the same idea as on the Sansa clip+. The E150 manual indicates that a card is to be installed when the E150 is off. in order to hear music on extenal card you must go to MUSIC>Dir List and select External (versus Internal). This is awkward.
2) It has a line-in input. It can take 2-channel input from an external source and capture it for playback in Windows Media format. I am not aware of ANY other comparable unit with this feature.
CONCLUSION: Well worth the money if you use it, but not likely to remain in the marketplace because it is not obvious how to use it and it isn't being promoted heavily. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that it isn't being made any more.
Construction Quality is adequate but I suspect not durable.Get more detail about
iriver E150 8 GB Digital Media Player (Black).
