Dell DJ (20 GB) MP3 Player

It seems like everyone that I know has some sort of MP3 player. I've seen dozens of iPods popping into the hands of my friends, but recently one of one of them purchased a 20 GB Dell Digital Jukebox off www.dell.com. I have gotten an ample of opportunities to try it out, fool around with it and fully explore all of its functions, so I've decided that I should write a review about it.

The first thing that you notice when you hold this unit in your hand is its elegance. The two-inch (diagonally), blue backlit screen is gorgeous. Below the screen you see the Dell logo, as well as the words 'Digital Jukebox'. In the center of the unit we see the scroll wheel/barrel, as well as the home and back buttons (resembling those in Explorer) on each side of it. Below these buttons, there are three more metallic strip-like buttons that are the play/pause, forward and skip buttons. All of these buttons and the screen are surrounded by a metallic-gray background color, which is then followed by a white layer and then concludes with a dark blue 'outer ring' that forms the sides of the player. The back of the player has four rubber protrusions sticking out, which prevents sudden falls. The top of the unit is where you will the headphone jack as well as the 'hold button', which prevents unwanted buttons presses. The left side of the unit is home to the record buttons, the power button and the volume +/- buttons. The size of the Dell DJ is 2.7 x 0.9 x 4.1 inches, and its weight is 7.6 ounces. Although this is heavier than the 20 GB iPod, which weighs in at 5.6 ounces according the Apple website; the difference is not that great, yet noticeable.

One of the main advantages of the Dell DJ over the iPod is the price. Many consumers consider price as one of the most important aspects when buying electronics, and the price difference between an iPod and Dell DJ is huge. The 20 GB Dell DJ, which can be purchasing virtually only through official Dell website, is priced at $279. Similarly, the 20 GB iPod is priced at $399.99, which is more than $100 more expensive than the DJ. Also, the Dell DJ features a voice recorder, and if you wish to have this feature on your iPod, you must add $50, which bumps up your total price is $449.99 in comparison to the $279 Dell DJ.

Another key selling point of the Dell DJ is the battery. This MP3 player runs off a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which is now probably the most common battery in everyday electronics. To recharge the battery, you hook up the player to the AC adapter (provided) and hook that up to a power outlet. It takes approximately three-four hours to fully recharge the battery, yet what's amazing is the fact that the player will run for a bit more than 15 hours! This unbelievable, considering the fact that the iPod falls a few hours short of even reaching 10 hours.

Yet another great feature that the Dell DJ contains is the voice recorder. The iPod lacks one (sold separately), and it is a very useful thing despite the fact that mics are sold separately. To record something, just hook up a mic, hit the record button and talk. You cannot transfer you recordings onto your computer however, which is something that I wish was possible. A TV/Weather/FM/AM tuner is sorely lacking, as this is one feature that I have grown accustomed to and is found on my Sony MD player.

The 20 GB version of the Dell DJ comes with two extra accessories: an in-line remote as well as a case. The case is nothing too special, just something to protect your MP3 player from unnecessary scratches. The only problem with this case is that it makes selecting options on the unit a bit more different, and this is where the role of the remote comes in. The remote (only comes with 20 GB version) are very similar to the playback controls on the actual player, so you can easily change tracks, adjust the volume and do similar tasks with this extra similar and handy remote.

Transferring music onto the player is done via a USB port (included) with the bundled MusicMatch Jukebox Plus 8.1 software. Here you upload music from CDs or music that you 'came across' in any other way and then transfer this music directly onto the player. Transfer speeds are very fast, and the software is very easy to use. You can also arrange the music into playlists while working with MusicMatch Jukebox Plus 8.1. The Dell DJ supports MP3, WAV and WMA files. Also, something that I amazed with when I found out about it is the ability to use the Dell DJ as an external hard drive. By connecting the player to a computer and not opening the MusicMatch software, the player will be recognized as a separate drive and you can store various files and thus transfer them to other computers. This is a very useful function.

The player itself is fairly easy to use. When you first turn it on, you will see 7 different functions: Music Library, Now playing, Play mode, Voice recordings, Settings and Information. When you select Music Library with your scroll barrel, you can view your music arranged by playlists, artist, album, or category. The only disappointing thing is that when you choose to play an album, it will play the songs in alphabetical order instead of the pre-determined order. Also, if you select a song from the middle of an album, it will stop and will not continue playing songs from that album. Although you can create playlists on the go, it takes a lot of time.

When you go to the Play Mode screen, you can select Normal, Random play, Program play, Repeat shuffle, One track repeat or All tracks repeat. This player has eight equalizer presets (ranging from disco to pop), as well as a graphical four-band equalizer.

The sound quality coming out of the Dell DJ is very good, although I recommend picking up another pair of earphones to replace the cheap-feeling ear-buds that are provided. At the moment, I am using a pair of $40 Sony ear-buds that are very clear and give off awesome bass and treble. The maximum volume on the Dell DJ is definitely sufficient.

Overall, the 20 GB Dell Digital Jukebox is a top-quality portable MP3 player. It can hold up to 5000 songs, which is more than enough for almost everyone. This MP3 player is very easy to use, has many great features, has a long-lasting rechargeable battery and comes at a very affordable price. Despite a few minor setbacks, the Dell DJ is an audio device that you should consider when looking for a new portable audio device.