Review Of SoniqCast's Aireo Player

[Suhit Gupta]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=reviews&id=471' target='_blank'>http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=reviews&id=471</a><br /><br /></div><i>"There are now hundreds of MP3 players on the market. They range greatly in size, storage capacity and feature sets. Calling SoniqCast's Aireo Player another MP3 player would be akin to calling the F-22 Raptor another airplane. How about WiFi with your MP3 player, along with an FM transmitter? SoniqCast has done a wonderful job of packing a tightly integrated set of features into a very functional and easy to use player/software combination. Is this your next iPod, or just another face in the crowd? Listen up, and find out."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/AireoAll_.jpg" /><br /><br />This review makes for interesting reading about a wonderful MP3 player that has received little attention in the last few weeks/months. It is the WiFi enabled Aireo which also has an FM transmitter and an SD/MMC Memory slot for quick media changes. If only the look of the unit was better.

[sylvangale]

This has been mentioned here before. It looks like a great product and is reasonably priced, but its selling point is the built in FM transmitter... which isn't a very good one (and it's rather big and ugly).

You are probably better off getting another MP3 player with a separate FM transmitter.

[Suhit Gupta]

This has been mentioned here before.
Yeah, I remember posting on it a month or two ago. But still, I haven't see many others saying much about it.
You are probably better off getting another MP3 player with a separate FM transmitter.
Probably, though the integrated WiFi and SD slot are fairly unique to this device right now which makes it stand out from the thousands of mp3 players currently available.

Suhit

[sylvangale]

Probably, though the integrated WiFi and SD slot are fairly unique to this device right now which makes it stand out from the thousands of mp3 players currently available.

True, but the SD slot is limited to 1GB expansion. So it has 1.5GB built in and can be expanded to 2.5GB via SD card. The 1.5GB player sans SD is $200.
For around $250 (and less as time goes by) you can get a 5GB player from Applie, Creative, or Iriver with much better sizing and capabilities... not to mention accessories.

The WiFi is a nice option, but a cradle is preferable as you would be synching AND charging. But I suppose you can sync via WiFi and charge in the car.

[dkackman]

But I suppose you can sync via WiFi and charge in the car.
I've got one of these and that's exactly what I do. I haven't had to bring it into the house from my car since I bought it (and got done setting it up) which I find quite nice.

I'm a music buff, but not really an audiophile, so I just want my music to follow me around without me having to intervene.

The Aireo does a really nice job of that.

As for the FM transmitter: I get a little bit of interference (especially from the transit buses in my area) but all in it does the job.

[sylvangale]

You mean to say that you leave your Aireo in the car and sync from the house to your car wirelessly? That's pretty cool. How long does it take to rotate music that way?