Aus, FWIW:
CES: Who Stole The Show?
Intel steps up and schools everyone with their 128MB MP3 player, the Pocket Concert.
January 10, 2001
Product: Intel Pocket Concert
Classification: MP3 Player
Price: $300.00 - $350.00
Availability: February 2001
Comments: There were tons of slick new devices at CES, but not many of them really blew me away. In fact, few of them were truly surprising. I mean, I am as much a fan of gargantuan high-def plasma TVs as the next slob, but they are no longer shocking. I am actually more impressed by practical advances that are likely to end up in the hands of your average consumer. Anything with a 5-digit price tag is automatically off the list. And this is why I was so taken by Intel's Pocket Concert.
The Concert is a digital audio player scheduled to hit a street near you in a little over one month. I got a chance to get behind closed doors and check out the Concert for a good long while. I didn't even have an appointment, but the bum rush worked. You'd think that their awesome size would make Intel a bitchy company – a la Sony – but they were some of the friendliest folks at the show. Even more stunning was the knowledge of their floor people. They actually knew what the hell they were talking about. But back to the player…
The Basics:
128MB internal memory
FM tuner
MP3 and WMA support
Upgradeable firmware
USB connection
11mW amplifier
Optional cassette adapter
Optional docking bay
MusicMatch software
The big news was the internal memory. Most players currently hold 64MB and have an expansion slot. Unfortunately nobody buys expansion cards because they are prohibitively expensive. 128MB means 128 minutes of music when it's fully loaded. This is what we've been waiting for. Intel left out an expansion slot because their market research had led them to the conclusion that people don't use it. For once I agree with "market research." Plus, you don't need it with two hours of internal memory. And if you are really an MP3 freak, then there are plenty of MP3/CD or jukebox players. However, for the size, nothing can touch the Concert.
Next is the power of the Concert. I usually pay little attention to the amplifier ratings, but 11mW is a lot of power. The Concert is easily the loudest play around. But besides ear-splitting volume, the sound is pristine. You can run it at about 75%, which is way too loud for extended listening, and everything is clear as a bell. I was really stunned by how good this little player sounded.
The clarity is only appreciable because of the headphones included in the package. Stock cans are usually disposable. (I never do a full review of an MP3 player with the ones it comes with.) Hopefully Intel will start a trend with this player. The headphones are fantastic. They wrap around the back of your head and are fairly large, but sound terrific, even at very high listening levels. The low end was very present and the overall sound nicely balanced. Typically smaller models lack bass and have a bizarre frequency response. The Concert's cans were basically flat.
The casing is real brushed aluminum, not just similar looking plastic. The unit seemed to very tough and the design looks as if it could take a beating without failure. Speaking of design, Intel has some real talent working for them. The Concert shares the look of Intel's wireless PC line, which includes a mouse, keyboard, and controller. As you can see, the Concert has a smooth, capsule-shaped look with few buttons on the front. The layout is very simple and very intuitive.
The software package is comprised of two programs: MusicMatch and Intel's own audio manager. You can actually use MusicMatch for everything – ripping, CD creation, and transfers - but the Intel program makes transfers easy as pie. The interface is as basic as it gets. There are two windows, one representing your computer, one representing your Concert. In between the two is one arrow. Intel made this software because, apparently, many people get confused by MP3 software.
I didn't get to use the radio, but hey, it's a radio.
For an extra $50.00 you can get an accessory pack that is well worth the expenditure. Included are a docking bay, cassette adapter, neoprene case, and rechargeable batteries. The real bonus in the package is the docking bay. This bay has two functions: computer and stereo. You can connect it to your computer and use it as a transfer station. However, thanks to composite outs, you can also connect it to your stereo and use the package as a stereo component. This is really slick. Since you can connect the Concert directly to your computer, you could just leave the docking station connected to your home A/V system. This is about the cheapest and easiest way to have an MP3 connected to your stereo.
The Concert is due out this February. The player and software were both done and fully operational, so nothing seems to be in the way. If you are in the market for an MP3 portable, then I would wait a bit longer, because this is going to be one hell of a player.
- M Wiley |
