Features
- MusicGremlin service is no longer available; however, this device works with other music subscription services, including Rhapsody
- Personal digital music player with Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless file transfers and music sharing
- 2-inch, color, LCD screen with 220 x 176 resolution; includes FM tuner for radio reception
- 8 GB hard drive stores roughly 2,000 songs; embedded IEEE 802.11b Wi-Fi networking
- 10-plus hours battery life; measures 2.4 x 4.05 x 0.77 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty
Price: $319.99
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Amazon.com Review
Amazon.com Review Digital music has always placed the PC at the center of the action--the place where you go to download or rip your music and then transfer it to a portable player. The Gremlin, which looks like any other digital music player on the outside, seeks to change all that by adding one crucial component on the inside: Wi-Fi connectivity. Using clever networking technology,
The Gremlin's user interface does a good job of presenting all the information you need, where you need it. View device details. the Gremlin can download music directly to its embedded hard drive, help you catalog and organize it, and, of course, play it. Folks who don't want to fuss with managing their music on a PC, or those who like instant gratification when they want to hear new music, will find much to like in the Gremlin.
We put the device through its paces, downloading and listening to songs, navigating the menu system, and using the MusicGremlin Web-enabled music management application.* There are a few gotchas and rough spots but, all in all, MusicGremlin manages to bring some sophisticated technology together in an easy-to-use package. The Gremlin wins big points for being the first device of its kind, and for getting there with great functionality.
Design, Interface, and Sound
At first glance, the Gremlin looks like just another digital music player that's trying to peel away some of that darn iPod market share. At a little over 1.5 inches wide, the color screen isn't huge, but it's clear and bright. A headphone jack is placed on the top of the unit, while line-out, power, and USB connectivity is provided on the bottom. The line-out port is a big plus, as it offers connectivity with stereos and powered speaker systems.
On the right side you'll find volume control, play/pause, and track selection buttons. You'll spend most of your time with the five-way center control pad that's just below the screen. While the player is a tad on the beefy side, at 2.5 x 4 x .5 inches (WxHxD), it's very pocketable. Plus, the inclusion of Wi-Fi makes the added girth forgivable, as it's what makes the Gremlin truly special.
Overall, the Gremlin's menus and user interface are fairly easy to operate. We'd like to say the user interface is "seamless" and "intuitive," and in many ways it is, but there are some nagging problems. Every now and then, we got the feeling the user interface designer forgot to talk to the button designer. For instance, it's not entirely clear how to exit some menus, and this proved most frustrating when searching for albums, as it wasn't clear how to back out of the text entry mode once we'd begun. Another annoyance: pressing a button to wake the display not only turns the display on, it executes the function of the button, leading to unintended operations. Lastly, in a few cases, there was just a bit too much lag
