(3 out of 5) Such highs. Such lows.
I'll try to be frugal with my words, since I'm sure that most just want the pros and cons.
<br />
<br />Pros:
<br />-Best codec support for portable device.
<br />-Excellent sound quality for portable.
<br />-Excellent display quality.
<br />-Larger HD than most.
<br />-Bundled JetAudio software is robust and great, when it works...
<br />
<br />Cons:
<br />-Unit began locking up after only a few weeks, and upon reformatting and sending to Cowon, I was informed that they could not replicate the ...
unknown,
2008-02-20
(5 out of 5) PMP with a super sized battery
I was skeptical when I bought this that the battery life could possibly be as good as they say.
<br />
<br />It is. I managed to have videos nearly the entirety of a flight to Hong Kong.
<br />
<br />My only complaints are that it can't charge through USB while playing and the battery isn't removable. That means, you can't use an external battery to charge/power it once the internal one dies. But, considering the stellar batter life of the internal, that's not a big problem.
Flyboy,
2008-02-09
(4 out of 5) cowon a2
Ive had the cowon for 1 month now and am quite satisfied with the overall quality of the unit. The battery life supprised me. The picture is very clear and colorful and the 30gb hard drive has proven to be more than enough. I use clonedvd to mobile to convert all my movies without any compatability issues. Very simple drag and drop . I really enjoy the ability to record directly from the satellite with time recording. I would have given the unit 5 stars if the TV function would work in the US. ...
unknown,
2008-02-09
(5 out of 5) Excellent PMP, but relatively hard to find.
I bought this item for my girlfriend for her birthday back in May and have used it a bit myself(mostly reading ebooks, but also the occasional tv show/movie). She loves the thing. She hooks it up to the TV using the supplied composite/RCA cables and watches/records shows. She brings it to work and listens to music, and store data on it. Since it supports so mnay codecs its great as a music player but it is quite bulky/heavy compared to an ipod, but, of course, it isn't marketed against the ipod/...
twillb,
2007-12-10
(5 out of 5) An Awesome Personal Video Player!
Because I hate boredom when I travel, and I have a lot of digital media, I decided to look for a personal video player. Through a lot of searching, I stumbled onto the Cowon A2. While I had never heard of the company before, its screen size, build quality, video support, long battery life, and positive reviews all convinced me to try it out. Here's what I've discovered:
<br />
<br />Pros
<br />-- Excellent video quality
<br />-- Plays XVID/DVIX files up to 720p
<br />-- Awesome sound quality; co...
Currently in Germany,
2007-11-25
(2 out of 5) reddoggie
This is a wonderful media player with loads of features. The problem
<br />I have had is that it breaks after just a couple weeks of use. I have
<br />had this model replaced three times and my thrid one broke the first
<br />day I used it.Cowon A2 30 GB Portable Multimedia Player
unknown,
2007-11-19
(1 out of 5) Worst customer service ever!
First of all, I wish I had done a little more testing of this unit before the 30 day Amazon return period was up. Tried it out and was very satisfied with the picture quality and sound through the demos. After owning it for about 5 weeks, finally loaded music on it and took a road bike trip for about 4 hours. Battery died at 3.5 hours. Fully charged it up and tried again, this time dead in an hour. Charged again and did a test playing only music, made it about 10 hours this time. Haven't found a...
Macguyver,
2007-09-26
(2 out of 5) Do not buy it
This product was great until it started freezing all the time, even during recording. All this in less than one month after purchase.
Sexy Techie,
2007-09-22
(5 out of 5) Why would you want an Ipod?
I had very specific criteria when I was looking for my next MP3 player. It had to have
<br />1)at least a 29gb hard drive, 40GB preferred
<br />2)no software necessary to transfer files, and no restrictions on transferring or playing files
<br />3)video capability without a complicated encoding program
<br />4)built in microphone
<br />
<br />For these features, I was willing to pay up to about $400. My Cowon A2 cost about $270 and met all my expectations. You don't need to install iTunes, o...
unknown,
2007-09-21
(1 out of 5) Dissatisfied
The unit is good looking and the LCD screen large clear and bright. I bought this unit to record videos w/camera attached. The toggle button used to navigate switches between icons easily but when you try and select one it jumps to another. The same way it does when selecting folders. When in record mode it fades out to a gray screen and turns to snow. Several times when powering up the top of the screen would appear in the middle of the display and the top part would be fuzzy. The most fu...
Motoman,
2007-09-13
(2 out of 5) I bought a brick
I had read a review for another Cowon product and thought that the A2 would be a better purchase. After purchasing I read that firmware upgrades were difficult. That is true. I downloaded the upgrades but have not been able to move them to the A2. I also found their music source has a limited selection (don't expect to download Bob Dylan music, for example). I am sorry that I let my daughter take my Sony product to college.
R.T.,
2007-09-03
(4 out of 5) Cowon Rocks!!!
This is a Master piece. Though it has been in the market for 2 years it really lived upto the current trend. I would definitely recommend this over the 30GB Ipod. Coz of its flexibility and easy transfer system they have. The music quality is definitely better. Not to mention about their 4" display. Good companion for anyone who travels everyday on a train or bus.
<br />
<br />Cons: A little bulky and so inconvinient to slip into ones pocket. But if you are carrying a backpack then hat shouldnt...
unknown,
2007-08-31
(1 out of 5) Terrible -- Didn't work from the start
Well, I was really hoping to love this like so many others have. I ordered it for a long trip to Asia, and looked forward to watching videos and listening to music during the 24 hours I'd be spending on a plane.
<br />
<br />Unfortunately, the A2 was dead on arrival. It turned on only to show a big red "X" over a picture of the unit. It wouldn't connect with my computer, so a firmware update wasn't even possible. I don't know if that was even the problem -- I'm thinking now that it was just...
unknown,
2007-08-27
(5 out of 5) Why would anyone buy an IPOD for viewing video?
I recently purchased the Cowon A2, and instead of expounding on its technical specs (because I'm not a techno-geek), here are some basic observations potential customers may find useful...
<br />
<br />1) Side-by-side, the A2 is far superior in the quality and size of its video screen over the IPOD Video, Creative Labs' Zen Vision, and Zune. The IPOD and Zen have 2.5" screens and the Zune has a 3" screen. The A2's is 4". I specifically purchased the A2 because I travel a lot and seeing the sc...
Rocket Ops,
2007-08-26
(1 out of 5) Dead Cow
I purchased the Cowon A2 a few months ago at Amazon for the purpose of viewing educational vidoes during the daily commute to/from work. Don't get me wrong, this player has the best overall features in its category, and performed superbly the first week. Then the bottom half of the display turned into semi-transparent lines. Cowon's website was no help. A firmware upgrade didn't help. Now today, less than 3 months after purchase, the unit died and will not reset. My usage was less than 1 hour...
unknown,
2007-08-26
(4 out of 5) Big thing!
Cowon A2 with all its functions is really a piece of modern technology - no doubt about it. The quality of both audio and video is stunning. Recording and USB/host functions make it very useful in the sudden need of documenting something or downloading data from another device. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, is that the leather case cannot be carried by the belt. I think, I will need to sew me another bigger pocket to my trousers - this PMP is simply too big for a standard one.
wcieplik,
2007-07-30
(5 out of 5) Great buy!!!
I have been very pleased with my Cowon A2. Battery life is great and I am able to play all the media I have stored on my computer. I do think the battery life is the trade off for its thickness. A little on the heavy side but not much of a complaint for me.
<br />
<br />I would like to see in a future model a larger gig size and wifi built in.
unknown,
2007-07-26
(4 out of 5) Very Happy
I am very happy with the Cowon A2. The picture is beautiful and the interface is easy to use. The only reason I gave it 4 out of 5 stars is because the USB Host doesn't work with all USB devices. It will not recognize my HP camera or my Lexar Pen drive. I tried it with a ScanDisk Pen drive and it worked fine. It would be nice if the case that comes with the A2 also held all the wires and cables. Or a bag that holds both the A2 and the cables.
Gadget Geek,
2007-07-16
(5 out of 5) Nearly perfect in every way
In looking for the best media player, I had a very short trial of the Video iPod. The screen was way too small. Then I thought I had found a great player in the Archos 604 WiFi. Much better, since I like to watch movies, but I decided to give this one a try. After a few days, the Archos is going back to the store. Here's why:
<br />
<br />Screen: The Archos screen is good, but not nearly as bright at the highest setting. There's an anti-glare coating on the screen, which makes images much...
Cubfan,
2007-07-06