Creative Nomad IIc
Editors' Choice
When we tested MP3 players a little over a year ago, the Nomad II was brand new. The new IIc looks the same as the II, and has pretty much the same features.
While not the smallest or lightest of the units tested, the IIc still has the same lovely clean look about it. This is a solid, robust unit, but not too big to put in your pocket while you go for a jog. Total weight without battery is 86.4 grams.
In the latest incarnation, Creative added 32MB of internal memory, and the Smart Media slot is available for 32 or 64MB cards. The display is a crisp high-resolution backlit LCD and, while last year it was "easily the best of the displays", many of the competitors have started to catch up. It is still a very good display, however. When you are playing a track the following is displayed on the screen: battery indicator, volume indicator, play indicator, track time, track title, artist, file type (MP3/WMF), bitrate, sound quality, sample rate, track number, and total tracks. This is really very good--there is not much more that you could ask for it to display.
The main controls are still the same, accessed through a four-way disc with play/pause, fast forward, rewind, and stop functions. There are also menu, repeat and A-B (loop) controls on the front panel, and DSP (Digital Signal Processor, the EQ), erase, record and volume controls on the right side. The left side has a lock switch and the USB connector, and the back features an eject button for the SmartMedia Card. Another new addition is a docking station connecter on the bottom of the unit.
The basic controls are easy to use, though the sheer number of menus means it takes some time to learn to use all the options.
The Creative PlayCenter software comes with a built-in LavaPlayer MP3 player for the PC. It also has a CD ripper--the Creative Digital Audio Centre--made by Music Match. The Nomad IIc, however, does not include the FM tuner that was in the Nomad II. A microphone is still provided, as is 32MB of memory for recording.
The link to the computer is a standard square USB port. This is important as it means you can easily replace the cable if it is lost. The download speed has improved since last year and the transfer of our 28MB of test files took just over a minute. Windows 98/Me/2000 and MacOS 8.6 and above are all supported, although we only tested with Windows Me. The software was a little confusing at first as the initial screen displayed the info for the IIc. We had to switch to the screen that displayed the internal memory before it would allow us to upload the test files. There were some problems with uploading files as the system would occasionally stop because it could not find the player in the middle of a transfer (to any of the systems). It turned out that the test machine was suffering a little from having too much software installed on it.
The IIc ships without headphones. While this makes it an incomplete package, it also gives you the opportunity to use your existing head/earphones, or it gives you the opportunity to buy headphones that you really like.
Battery life is rated between eight and 10 hours on a single AA battery. Rechargeable (NiMH) batteries and a docking station are available.
This is quite a basic unit, so there are no accessories included, but you can complement your Nomad IIc with the Nomad II Accessory Kit. This includes a wired remote, carrying pouch, headphones, and cassette adaptor.
The Nomad IIc is excellent value for money in the Pocket MP3 player category. It is very fast to upload to, easy to use, and has a good overall mix of features.
Creative Nomad IIc
Company:Creative Labs
Ph:02 9666 6100
Price:AU$399
Speed Rating:
Earphone Quality: N/A
Features:
Ease of Use:
Overall Score:
4%
4%
