Creative Labs has taken the concept of the USB key and added extra functionality in the form of a digital audio player. The initial reaction to a player with only 128MB of space can be one of skepticism, but for those who like to change their music often, this lack of space won't necessarily be a problem. The largest section of the unit contains the battery, while the actual drive houses the headphone socket and menu controls. As you would expect from such a small device, navigation is limited - there is no LCD display - with play, forward, reverse and volume buttons.
While drivers and software are bundled with the MuVo, because it's a USB key, it acts as any other storage device and allows for files to be dragged and dropped onto it. Capable of supporting MP3 and Windows WMA files, sound quality is reliant on the frequency at which you record the original file. Opting for the standard 128Kbps, we found that sound quality was good and the volume control is wide enough for those who like their music loud.
In comparison with larger hard drive-based devices, the 128MB capacity of the MuVo may seem limited but as a day-to-day device that slips seamlessly into the pocket, the unit is capable of holding four albums' worth of music, so it more than lives up to its aims.
RATING: 8
PRICE: £110/£130 (EX/INC. VAT) REQUIREMENTS: WINDOWS XP/50MB HARD DRIVE USB 1.1 CONTACT: 0118 934 4744 WWW.EUROPE.CREATIVE.COM
