Olympus m:robe MR-100

Author: Chris Pickering
Published on: 12-08-2005
Views: 85973


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Introduction

An introduction to the m:robe MP3 player

I think it’s safe to say that the time of real portable music listening has truly hit us. Just take a look around you next time your utilising public transport (those of you with the cash to make your own ways of travel, give it a go just to see what your missing!), and I can guarantee that you’ll spy at least half a dozen people with a pair of earphones stuck into their heads. Usually, of course, with the delightful white cord outside their jackets, so they can show off the fact they possess an iPod to the world.

But here come Olympus making there way into the world of the tiny MP3 player with the m:robe MR-100. A 5GB MP3 and WMA player.

Specifications

Full specifications of the MR-100

• 5 GB internal hard disc storage
• Touch panel control
• Audio support: WMA, MP3
• Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port
• Up to 12 hours of music playback

Included

Items bundled with the MP3 player

• Hard Disc Drive Music player
• Docking station with Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port
• Earphones with extension
• Soft case
• m:trip multi-media software
• USB cable
• AC adaptor
• Instruction manuals
• Warranty card

Features

Features of the Olympus MR-100

The big selling point about the MR-100 is its aesthetic appearance. With its small, but most certainly well formed design, it’s quite easily the most visually appealing MP3 on the market. The single piece of glass that covers the front of the unit looks and feels almost perfect. There are no poorly constructed edges, obviously Olympus haven’t scrimped on the cost of putting the whole unit together. The back of the unit is metal coated with a touch of white paint, which compliments the pure black front quite nicely indeed.

The 12 hours of music playback seems to be a little optimistic, with playback testing resulting in a time nearer to 10 hours. Perhaps the lighting up of the screen takes up more juice than you’d first predict.

Track selection on the player itself can feel quite unwieldy at first, with a not so simple method of backtracking through menus. After a few hours though everything becomes second nature of course, but it doesn’t feel as easy to use right from the off as some other players on the market.