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Rio One personal MP3 player

ITEM	Rio One
MANUFACTURER	SONICblue
MSRP	$ 100 US $ 170 CDN
RATING	This item is not yet rated

CATEGORY	Personal MP3 player
COMMENTS	· Easy-to-use portable MP3 player with a good set of basic features · USB port interface · Solid-state electronics
Pro	· Easy to use interface · Lightweight and compact size · Software to rip and load MP3 files included · Expanded file format support · Lower price than original Rio 300 · Apple Macintosh-compatible

Con	· Only 32 MB of memory -- enough for 30 minutes of CD-quality music · SmartMedia memory expansion cards expensive

Additional information	· earphones included · uses USB port cable (included) · grey colored with silver accents · requires 1 AA battery (included)

PREVIEW DATE
First look	September 2001

Three years after the runaway success of the Diamond Rio 300 portable MP3 player, SONICblue (which acquired Diamond Multimedia) has updated and re-released the Rio 300 as the Rio One.

The Rio One has added support for the Windows Media file format (WMA) in addition to the standard MP3 support. SONICblue has ensured a longer working life for the Rio One by making the unit's software upgradeable to support future audio file formats.

SONICblue has also changed the way the Rio connects to your computer by replacing the parallel port connector with a USB connector. This decision addresses some of the key criticisms of the original Rio 300. Using the USB port instead of the much slower parallel port to transfer files, the Rio One reduces the waiting times when compared to the Rio 300. The addition of the USB cable also makes it possible for Apple Macintosh owners to use this entry-level device.

However the biggest complaint about the Rio 300 is unresolved in the Rio One. The paltry 32 MB of standard memory is barely enough to store 30 minutes of MP3 music, or a few minutes more if you are using slightly less bulky Windows Media file format. The supported SmartMedia memory expansion cards are still very expensive and it is surprising that SONICblue did not add support for other, less expensive memory expansion options.

Even with those complaints, it is hard to overlook one of this MP3 player's key advantages. The Rio One is half the price of the original Rio 300.

Based on the time-tested design of the Rio 300, the Rio One is likely to find similar success, especially among younger teens who will now find that MP3 players have finally come into their price range.

[Read the Rio 300 review]
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