MelodiStik SD6256 MP3 Player (256MB)

Rating:
Summary: Feature heavy, though difficult to use.
Review: Size: It appears a lot smaller in the photos on the website. I was disappointed that the battery cover protrudes ¼ inch!, enough so that it doesn't slip cleanly in tight pants pocket.

Features: Jmtek did very well in this department. FM tuner, mp3, WAV, Voice recorder, back lit display, 5 audio modes, power save, key guard, even EXPLANDABLE SD/MMC card slot.
Unfortunately not all work so well. FM reception is spotty even with the `special,' ear buds that have a range extending antenna built in. I found myself holding the player in the air to get an adequate reception half the time. Back light creates interference when on.

SD/MMC card reader is a very cool feature (not sure why others haven't picked up on this yet?). Songs on your SD card will automatically be added to the play list no matter what format they are in.

Uploading: Uploading is very straight forward. Player needs no drivers and is instantly recognized by your system. My only gripe is the USB cable is NOT small standard as you might find on digital cameras, etc. So if you happen to forget it, or want to take your player to work you won't be able to upload without it....:-(

Battery life: I was disappointed to find the power save mode which is supposed to turn off the display after a preset time didn't seem to make a difference in battery life. I average about 6 hours on a single AAA battery, not that great considering Creative's MUVO micro gets about 12hrs and has nearly identical features.

General usage: I found that even changing tracks, play/ pause buttons were VERY difficult to use unless I was actually looking at the display. Additionally navigating the menu is dreadful!! The boneheads at Jmtek apparently tried to simplify the design and thus use only 3 buttons, with which to navigate through the menu, play/ pause, volume control, etc. The display is nice and bright and text is easy to read.

Overall: I would NOT recommend this player. There are many players on the market that offer nearly all the same features for less money in a smaller package.