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Toshiba GIGABEAT MEG-F10S (10 GB) MP3 PlayerThe first thing youll notice on every gigabeat is the big, bright, crystal clear 2.2-inch LCD screen. Its there so you can experience the...
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The first thing youll notice on every gigabeat is the big, bright, crystal clear 2.2-inch LCD screen. Its there so you can experience the visual as well as the audio. Gigabeat lets you Download album covers and set them as your background image, or create slideshows using your Digital still pictures from your PC. 240x320 Resolution and over 65,000 colors mean that youll get all of those images as clear, sharp and crisp as they appear on your PC screen. Gigabeat is flexible, but easy. The PlusTouch sensor control lets you scroll through all of the easy to understand menu systems using only a soft touch or pass with your fingertip. Microsofts Windows Plays for Sure certified, simply connect your Gigabeat to your PC to operate with any Play for Sure download site or management software. Easily rip your favorite CDs to your Gigabeat with the touch of a button thanks to the new and unique CD RipRec feature.
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5 Reviews from Epinions.com
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10GB Toshiba gigabeat MEG-F10S
Well it happened, I lost my coveted Philips GoGear HDD1630 Digital Audio MP3 player at the gym (I think) and I had to replace it; no really I had to replace it. I liked the Philips GoGear HDD1630 but its black acrylic body attracted a lot of smudges, while the rubber case attracted a lot of lint. So this time around I decided to go in a different direction, but I wanted to keep the same price point ($199.99). After a little research I found the Toshiba Gigabeat MEG-F10K Black Acrylic Digital Audio Player.
In the Box
• Toshiba Gigabeat MEG-F10K Digital Audio Player
• High quality earbuds
• USB cable
• Power adapter /charger
• USB cradle
• Installation CD
• Quick start guide
• MEG-F10K Digital Audio Player Owner’s Manual
• Gigabeat Room Management software Owner’s Manual
Toshiba ups the MP3 player ante with the introduction of the Gigabeat series of digital audio boxes. In addition to the MEG-F10K Black and Pale Blue Acrylic Digital Audio Players with their 10GB capacity, there are also 20, 40, and 60GB versions. Checking in at $199.00, the Gigabeat MEG-F10K is a serious iPod contender, especially when the comparably priced iPod Nano holds only 2GB of data.
The Gigabeat MEG-F10K is about the size of a fully grown iPod and like the iPod, is equipped with a large, bright, crystal clear 2.2 QVGA LCD screen and a resolution of 320x240, which offers astounding picture quality. The main controls for the Gigabeat MEG-F10K are arrayed along the right side of the player; the power, menu, volume and A-button (specialized button that is user programmable) are arranged in a neat row and glow blue when the unit is powered on.
On the top of the Gigabeat MEG-F10K you’ll find the power plug-in, along with the headphone jack and hold slider. On the bottom is a small switch for turning the 16 hour lithium ion battery on and off (nice touch), a USB port, and cradle connection. Oh yes, the Gigabeat MEG-F10K ships with a cradle (another very nice touch), in which the unit can be placed to recharge and transfer music. The cradle is equipped with power input port as well as two USB ports; one on the back (USB 2.0) for connecting a computer, and one on the left side (USB 1.1) for connecting a digital camera for transferring images to the Gigabeat MEG-F10K. The cradle is also equipped with an Audio Line Out port on the back for connecting a set of PC speakers. A slider switch of the right of the unit allows you to switch between the USB and the Line Out connections on the back of the unit.
Toshiba equipped the Gigabeat MEG-F10K with a PlusTouch sensor control that lets you scroll through all of the easy to understand menu systems with a touch of your finger. I must admit however that the PlusTouch took little getting use to, but I soon mastered the operation.
The Gigabeat MEG-F10K is Microsoft Windows Plays for Sure certified and will operate with any Plays for Sure download site or management software simply by connecting it to your PC. It is recognized by Windows Media Player 10 automatically; there is no need to install additional drivers. The player ships with its own software suite however, called Gigabeat Room Management Software that allows you to upload music to the player via computer hard drive or directly from a CD (another nice touch). When installing Gigabeat Room I was given the option of installing and using Napster To Go, Windows Media Player or the Gigabeat Room Management Software to upload music. I decide not install Napster To Go, but I did install Gigabeat Room. When placed in the cradle and powered on, I have the option of choosing which software I want to interface with; I usually chose Gigabeat Room because I feel it gives me more control over the unit.
The Gigabeat MEG-F10K’s A Closer LookFeatures 2.2 diagonal QVGA LCD color screen lets you view downloaded album covers, digital still images and create slideshows, though I have yet to download any images onto the player; it’s not what I bought it for after all. The Gigabeat MEG-F10K’s 10GB 1.8” internal hard drive allows you to store up to 2,500 songs. The player supports the following audio formats: MP3, WMA and WAV.
Use
Once the Gigabeat MEG-F10K was fully charged (after approximately 6 hours), I installed the Gigabeat Room Management Software, connected the cradle to my laptop and slid the player into place and powered it on. Windows XP recognized Gigabeat MEG-F10K immediately and assigned the unit a drive letter. I then chose to use the Gigabeat Room software to transfer music to my new MP3 player. The Gigabeat Room software found the local My Music folder and displayed all of my Ripped CD’s. Transferring the CD was a very simple matter indeed, and quick! A typical ten track CD took less than a minute to fully transfer to the player complete with album art.
I could also choose to sync the Gigabeat MEG-F10K with My Music folder if I chose, via a button within the Gigabeat Room software, or via a push button on the front of the cradle.
The sound quality issuing forth from the Gigabeat MEG-F10K is comparable to most of the MP3 players I have used. The unit ships with a quality pair of ear-buds, but over a short period of time they started to hurt my ears; there was something about the way they sat in the ear channel. So I replaced them with an after-market set of lightweight quality ear phones that I am very happy with. Though the Gigabeat MEG-F10K features a built-in user selectable graphic equalizer with three SRS® WOW settings I was under whelmed by the performance of the feature. Indeed I notice little if any discernable difference in the sound quality as a moved from setting to setting. Disappointing, but we are not talking about an amplifier here, but an MP3 player, so not much can be expected I suppose.
Manipulating the controls on the Gigabeat MEG-F10K is easy to master. Though the unit ships with a rather lengthy manual for both the player itself and the software (very unusual these days), I was able to find my way around the menus within a few minutes. The nice thick manual is a nice touch however.
I use the Gigabeat MEG-F10K mostly at the gym when I work out at 5:30 in the morning for an hour. As I mentioned above the lithium ion battery is rated at 16 hours, but of course your charge will vary. As I write this it has been three days since I charged the unit and the battery indicator still reads full.
Conclusion
Though I morn the loss of my Philips GoGear HDD1630 Digital Audio Player, I replaced it with a unit with almost twice the storage capacity (10GB vs. 6GB) for the same price. Add to that the Gigabeat MEG-F10K’s USB cradle and its functionality and what you end up with is a MP3 player that is next to impossible to beat at this price point. For me purchasing the Gigabeat MEG-F10K was a no-brainer; at this price point ($199.00), iPod need not apply.
Specifications
• Internal Storage: 10GB;
• Display Type: 2.2" Diagonal QVGA Color Low Temperature TFT LCD;
• Interface: USB 1.1 & USB 2.0;
• Inputs: USB;
• Outputs: Docking Station (Audio Out) & Earphones;
• Special Features: 6-Language Support, Intro-scan, Photo Viewer, Plus Touch, Sensitive Control, 16 Hour Battery Life, 28 User Selectable Equalizers/including SRS WOW;
• Dimensions: 2-1/2” x 4-1/8” x 5/8”
• Weight: 5.75 oz
Features
• 2.2" diagonal QVGA LCD color screen with 320x240 resolution lets you view downloaded album covers, digital still images and create slideshows;
• Photo viewer with slide show capability (Gigabeat Room Management software is required for transfer of photo images);
• "PlusTouch" sensitive control;
• 10GB 1.8" hard drive for up to 2,500 songs;
• Audio formats supported: MP3, WMA and WAV;
• 16 hour lithium ion battery;
• Gigabeat room™ management and Napster To Go™ software included;
• USB cradle allows one button file transfer and ripping of entire CD with RipRec
• 28 user selectable equalizer settings including SRS® WOW;
Minimum System Requirements:
• OS: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition;
• CPU: Pentium II 300MHz or faster (Pentium III 1GHz or faster recommended);
• RAM: 128MB or more;
• Available Hard Disk Space: 100MB, excluding tracks;
• 2.0 & 1.1 USB Port;
• CD-ROM Drive;
• Internet Explorer 5.01 or later;
• Windows Media Player 10 or later
Toshiba Ups the Ante in the MP3 Player Wars
| Author's Rating: |
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Pros: 10GB of storage space; USB cradle; display.
Cons: Ear-buds hurt my ears after only cursory use.
The Bottom Line:
For me purchasing the Gigabeat MEG-F10K was a no-brainer; at this price point ($199.00), iPod need not apply.
Well it happened, I lost my coveted Philips GoGear HDD1630 Digital Audio MP3 player at the gym (I think) and I had to replace it; no really I had to replace it. I liked the Philips GoGear HDD1630 but its black acrylic body attracted a lot of smudges, while the rubber case attracted a lot of lint. So this time around I decided to go in a different direction, but I wanted to keep the same price point ($199.99). After a little research I found the Toshiba Gigabeat MEG-F10K Black Acrylic Digital Audio Player.
In the Box
• Toshiba Gigabeat MEG-F10K Digital Audio Player
• High quality earbuds
• USB cable
• Power adapter /charger
• USB cradle
• Installation CD
• Quick start guide
• MEG-F10K Digital Audio Player Owner’s Manual
• Gigabeat Room Management software Owner’s Manual
Toshiba ups the MP3 player ante with the introduction of the Gigabeat series of digital audio boxes. In addition to the MEG-F10K Black and Pale Blue Acrylic Digital Audio Players with their 10GB capacity, there are also 20, 40, and 60GB versions. Checking in at $199.00, the Gigabeat MEG-F10K is a serious iPod contender, especially when the comparably priced iPod Nano holds only 2GB of data.
The Gigabeat MEG-F10K is about the size of a fully grown iPod and like the iPod, is equipped with a large, bright, crystal clear 2.2 QVGA LCD screen and a resolution of 320x240, which offers astounding picture quality. The main controls for the Gigabeat MEG-F10K are arrayed along the right side of the player; the power, menu, volume and A-button (specialized button that is user programmable) are arranged in a neat row and glow blue when the unit is powered on.
On the top of the Gigabeat MEG-F10K you’ll find the power plug-in, along with the headphone jack and hold slider. On the bottom is a small switch for turning the 16 hour lithium ion battery on and off (nice touch), a USB port, and cradle connection. Oh yes, the Gigabeat MEG-F10K ships with a cradle (another very nice touch), in which the unit can be placed to recharge and transfer music. The cradle is equipped with power input port as well as two USB ports; one on the back (USB 2.0) for connecting a computer, and one on the left side (USB 1.1) for connecting a digital camera for transferring images to the Gigabeat MEG-F10K. The cradle is also equipped with an Audio Line Out port on the back for connecting a set of PC speakers. A slider switch of the right of the unit allows you to switch between the USB and the Line Out connections on the back of the unit.
Toshiba equipped the Gigabeat MEG-F10K with a PlusTouch sensor control that lets you scroll through all of the easy to understand menu systems with a touch of your finger. I must admit however that the PlusTouch took little getting use to, but I soon mastered the operation.
The Gigabeat MEG-F10K is Microsoft Windows Plays for Sure certified and will operate with any Plays for Sure download site or management software simply by connecting it to your PC. It is recognized by Windows Media Player 10 automatically; there is no need to install additional drivers. The player ships with its own software suite however, called Gigabeat Room Management Software that allows you to upload music to the player via computer hard drive or directly from a CD (another nice touch). When installing Gigabeat Room I was given the option of installing and using Napster To Go, Windows Media Player or the Gigabeat Room Management Software to upload music. I decide not install Napster To Go, but I did install Gigabeat Room. When placed in the cradle and powered on, I have the option of choosing which software I want to interface with; I usually chose Gigabeat Room because I feel it gives me more control over the unit.
The Gigabeat MEG-F10K’s A Closer LookFeatures 2.2 diagonal QVGA LCD color screen lets you view downloaded album covers, digital still images and create slideshows, though I have yet to download any images onto the player; it’s not what I bought it for after all. The Gigabeat MEG-F10K’s 10GB 1.8” internal hard drive allows you to store up to 2,500 songs. The player supports the following audio formats: MP3, WMA and WAV.
Use
Once the Gigabeat MEG-F10K was fully charged (after approximately 6 hours), I installed the Gigabeat Room Management Software, connected the cradle to my laptop and slid the player into place and powered it on. Windows XP recognized Gigabeat MEG-F10K immediately and assigned the unit a drive letter. I then chose to use the Gigabeat Room software to transfer music to my new MP3 player. The Gigabeat Room software found the local My Music folder and displayed all of my Ripped CD’s. Transferring the CD was a very simple matter indeed, and quick! A typical ten track CD took less than a minute to fully transfer to the player complete with album art.
I could also choose to sync the Gigabeat MEG-F10K with My Music folder if I chose, via a button within the Gigabeat Room software, or via a push button on the front of the cradle.
The sound quality issuing forth from the Gigabeat MEG-F10K is comparable to most of the MP3 players I have used. The unit ships with a quality pair of ear-buds, but over a short period of time they started to hurt my ears; there was something about the way they sat in the ear channel. So I replaced them with an after-market set of lightweight quality ear phones that I am very happy with. Though the Gigabeat MEG-F10K features a built-in user selectable graphic equalizer with three SRS® WOW settings I was under whelmed by the performance of the feature. Indeed I notice little if any discernable difference in the sound quality as a moved from setting to setting. Disappointing, but we are not talking about an amplifier here, but an MP3 player, so not much can be expected I suppose.
Manipulating the controls on the Gigabeat MEG-F10K is easy to master. Though the unit ships with a rather lengthy manual for both the player itself and the software (very unusual these days), I was able to find my way around the menus within a few minutes. The nice thick manual is a nice touch however.
I use the Gigabeat MEG-F10K mostly at the gym when I work out at 5:30 in the morning for an hour. As I mentioned above the lithium ion battery is rated at 16 hours, but of course your charge will vary. As I write this it has been three days since I charged the unit and the battery indicator still reads full.
Conclusion
Though I morn the loss of my Philips GoGear HDD1630 Digital Audio Player, I replaced it with a unit with almost twice the storage capacity (10GB vs. 6GB) for the same price. Add to that the Gigabeat MEG-F10K’s USB cradle and its functionality and what you end up with is a MP3 player that is next to impossible to beat at this price point. For me purchasing the Gigabeat MEG-F10K was a no-brainer; at this price point ($199.00), iPod need not apply.
Specifications
• Internal Storage: 10GB;
• Display Type: 2.2" Diagonal QVGA Color Low Temperature TFT LCD;
• Interface: USB 1.1 & USB 2.0;
• Inputs: USB;
• Outputs: Docking Station (Audio Out) & Earphones;
• Special Features: 6-Language Support, Intro-scan, Photo Viewer, Plus Touch, Sensitive Control, 16 Hour Battery Life, 28 User Selectable Equalizers/including SRS WOW;
• Dimensions: 2-1/2” x 4-1/8” x 5/8”
• Weight: 5.75 oz
Features
• 2.2" diagonal QVGA LCD color screen with 320x240 resolution lets you view downloaded album covers, digital still images and create slideshows;
• Photo viewer with slide show capability (Gigabeat Room Management software is required for transfer of photo images);
• "PlusTouch" sensitive control;
• 10GB 1.8" hard drive for up to 2,500 songs;
• Audio formats supported: MP3, WMA and WAV;
• 16 hour lithium ion battery;
• Gigabeat room™ management and Napster To Go™ software included;
• USB cradle allows one button file transfer and ripping of entire CD with RipRec
• 28 user selectable equalizer settings including SRS® WOW;
Minimum System Requirements:
• OS: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition;
• CPU: Pentium II 300MHz or faster (Pentium III 1GHz or faster recommended);
• RAM: 128MB or more;
• Available Hard Disk Space: 100MB, excluding tracks;
• 2.0 & 1.1 USB Port;
• CD-ROM Drive;
• Internet Explorer 5.01 or later;
• Windows Media Player 10 or later
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