| Transcend 128MB JetFlash MP3 - Page 2 of 2 |
Controls and Layout (continued):
The image below is taken from the Transcend website, and provides a summary of many of the menu functions previously described...
The Jetflash was instantly recognized as a removable drive in Windows XP, as it will be in Win 2000. For those still running Windows 98SE, drivers are included on the mini CD. When I plugged the Jetflash in, the blue button lit up and the display indicated USB connectivity. I transferred a few dozen MP3s, a few documents and some pictures.
Testing and Listening
 
Sandra benchmarks indicated a combined index of 600 operations/minute, right in the middle of the samples tested. Writing a 126 MB folder to the Jetflash took just under one minute, writing that same folder back to the computer took a bit longer at 1 minute 20 seconds. All this translates to plenty of speed, so waiting for file transfers is not going to be of concern.
Now its time to play some music and do some recording. Sound quality was on par with the same MP3s played through the computer. The headphones that are included surprised me. Without having a high end manufacturer name on them, I was expecting the normal tinny, hollow earbud sound. While there is not the bass response of a full size headphone set, the Transcend earbuds did impress. I also tested the Jetflash using my trusty pair of Sennheiser headphones. As I expected, it was difficult to tell I was listening to a small portable and not my main computer.
The voice recorder function stores recordings in .WMA format and playback was impressive. The small MIC hole on the face of the Jetflash was extremely sensitive and able to pick up normal conversation while sitting in the middle of a small room. On Low quality settings you are able to record almost 8 hours of voice, enough for a lecture, a speech, or your voice journal for a week. High quality will get you around 1.5 hours.
The FM radio feature was not so successful. I live in an area with pretty poor radio reception as proven by most of the other radios and stereos in my house. However, I do receive a few stations on a cheap alarm clock and I was unable to get any stations until I took the Jetflash on a little drive. Some stations came and went, but very few of them came in clear enough for me to say radio reception is adequate.
Conclusion:
Now lets get back to the part about Transcend doing it better than anyone else. Right off the bat I noticed something that I did not like. This device requires the cable to upload and download. Thumbdrives usually have a USB connector integrated into the device. MP3 players usually do not. This means you have to pack the cable around with you wherever you go, if you think you may need to interact with a computer. This is not very user friendly. I would have much rather have seen a USB port tucked under a cover somewhere that would allow me to just plug it into a port. So I guess the Jetflash is more an MP3 player that can store files than a thumbdrive that can play music.
With that said, the Transcend Jetflash MP3 does exactly what it is supposed to do and does it with a sound quality that was unexpected. The controls work flawlessly, transfer rates are quick, added accessories make for a complete package. I get a sense of a well built piece of equipment that will last for many years. The joystick protrudes just above the surface enough to be useful but not high enough to break off. The price seems to be just a touch on the higher side for a device with this amount of storage.
A quick search of the internet shows the 128MB Jetflash MP3 is available directly from Transcend, and at quite a few retailers including Newegg.com, Meritline.com and Outletpc.com for around $70.00. The 256MB unit goes for around $90.00, the 512MB unit for about $112.00, and the big 1 Gig SeaBlue version lists for about $150.00.
Transcend has created a quality built multi-purpose MP3/FM/Voice with file storage capabilities and I give the Jetflash 128MB MP3 player 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Final Rating (4.5 out of 5 stars):  
Pros:
Feature Set
Sound Quality
Headphone Quality
Ease of Use
Pair of Duracell Batteries
Cons:
Requires Cord for Computer Access
Special thanks to Transcend for providing the 128MB JetFlash MP3 to BigBruin.Com for review!
Please drop by the BigBruin.Com forum and feel free to discuss this review.
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