Though it wasn't the first MP3 player to offer a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection, the Creative Nomad II (AU$699; Shipping in May in Australia) is still one of the few that does. This, along with a sleek design and some extra features, puts the Nomad II ahead of most of the competing MP3 players on the market.
What differentiates one MP3 player from another is the way features and simplicity are combined. The Nomad II is extremely easy to use. The Nomad II Manager software provides a very intuitive interface for exchanging files between your system and the Nomad II. With a two-pane view, the left pane displays what is currently loaded on your player while the right pane lets you explore your system for files. As with an FTP application, you simply select files and then choose the appropriate transfer button.
The USB connection is an absolute must, letting you quickly connect and transfer 30MB of music in about two minutes. And for encoding your own CDs to MP3, the box also includes the Creative Digital Audio Center (a customized version of MusicMatch Jukebox 5.0).
The device is small, with well-placed buttons, and includes additional controls on a tethered remote control. The LCD is one of the best we've seen on a portable MP3 player. It lists a variety of information, such as artist and track title, and provides icons and menus for controlling such things as DSP settings.
Unlike the Diamond Rio 500, which includes 64MB of on-board memory and can be expanded with removable memory, the Nomad II does not include any on-board memory. Though the version we looked at did come with a 32MB SmartMedia card (a 64MB version of the Nomad II is also available), this inconvenience limits the amount of memory you can have installed at once. Ultimately, however, it is expandable (unlike the Sony VAIO Music Clip, for example, which does not take any expansion memory).
The Nomad II, however, delivers some extras the Rio does not. The Nomad II, for instance, has an FM tuner with support for 32 presets. And the built-in record function is suitable for quickly taking voice notes at a high compression rate. Creative is touting the Nomad II's upgradable firmware, meaning that you'll be able to download support for additional audio formats, including WMA (Windows Media Audio).
The Creative Nomad II is a full-featured MP3 player that supports flash memory and a USB connection. While the Diamond Rio 500 remains (barely) in the lead because it offers the convenience of on-board memory and support for expansion memory, the Nomad II offers some strong competition.
Product:Ã, Creative Nomad II
Rating:Ã, 4 Star
Price:Ã, (AU$699; Shipping in May in Australia)
Company:Ã, Creative Labswww.australia.creative.com
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