Philips GoGear Jukebox HDD6330 (30 GB) Digital Media Player

Like: features FM Stereo Tuner, Radio Recorder, Voice Recorder which iPod doesn't have, not easily scratches, includes wall outlet charger, supports both WMA & MP3.

Dislike: uses Windows Media Player for pc music synchronization, lack of video support, small display screen, not recognizable on many PCs (can't use as a USB hard drive at most public computers), unrealistic MSRP.

Philips Gogear HDD6330 could have been a strong contender against iPod and Creative. However, its lack of intuitive PC sync software makes it a player for frustration. Simply put, Windows Media Player draconian DRM scheme is not the most friendly software to use if you have a large MP3 collection that you want to be able to play all your MP3s on. Of course, you can drag your files to the device but you can't create Playlist without WM.

Also Philips is slow to release software/firmware updates which meant that this device is NOT on the company's priority list. For a device of comparable pricing to 5th generation iPod, it should be able to play video. Philips is trying to make up for its video deficiency by including FM tuner and voice recorder. These are nice features that other manufacturers should make standard. The voice recorder is good at close distance but don't plan to use it to record lecture if your speaker is far away. FM tuner utilizes the antenna on the earplugs. The earplugs has a nice fit and is better than the cheap Apple iPod's set.

Aesthetically, it is appealing with a tough coating not easily prone to scratches. Accessory is limited to what the manufacturer has to offer; so far it is mainly Philips.

Recommendation: Until Philips get serious about creating better software for their MP3, I say avoid it. Personally I would get a Creative Zen due to Creative's expertise as a sound hardware manufacturer. iPod would be my second choice since it must convert all WMA to MP3 which takes time.

I am giving this MP3 player a perfect score. I couldn't be happier with it and it looks so cool with the touch-pad controls. I've had it for over a year now and it still works great. Battery keeps a charge and it functions perfectly. I found that 30 GB is A LOT of music. Too much to easily scroll through. Now what I do is create playlists ahead of time and limit the amount of music I have on there. Whenever I want to add/subtract it's very easy to do.

Why this is far superior than an ipod:
When I was researching mp3 players, I found the ipod to be inferior. The Philips GoGear also has an AM/FM radio and Microphone for recording. Also saw the Cnet gave it a GREAT rating.

In addition to the unit, I bought the docking station to play through my home stereo. Also bought a skin case for it off of ebay.

This MP3 player is great!

-In today's modern technology, it is ridiculous to have a product that freezes often with no recourse to revive it.
-This product will stop responding on startup and at other moments during use (don't count on that On and volume button trick to work all the time either). At that point your only option is to wait for the product to automatically turnoff then you can try again.
-Occasionally the product will continue to play but the buttons will stop responding. then you must simply wait for the battery to run it's course then recharge it.
-The most infuriating occurence I've had was when the player stopped responding to the on/off button. I attempted to charge it with no result. Moments before I retuned it to Phillips to get a new one I plugged it in one last time (just for giggles) and it decided to return to life (no it was a problem with the other outlet either).
-I have constantly checked for firmware updates to see if Phillips has any interest in fixing these continual problems, after 6 months of owernship not a single update has been released.
-Additional nuisances include the constant smugging during use, and the inconsistant auto scroll lock that can occur when rapidly flipping through songs (sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't)

-There are a few positives: this device is very easy to use with a computer-all you need is Windows Media Player 10 which comes on the installation disc, it will automatically transfer all your songs and pictures if you want it to.
-This device is very slick looking I've receive many compliments on its appearance (if only they knew how unpleasant it is to use)
-Outlet charging is far superior to the I-Pod's USB Charging

Bottom Line: The lack of reliability is an absolute deal breaker for me, I want to know I can use a device without any hassle. My last hard disk MP3 player was the Creative Zen Xtra (no color screen, no picture capability). I would trade back at a momemts notice given the opportunity.

THE PROS:
this player is the ultimate! its "windows play for sure" software has made file transfer a breeze, and it is compatible with windows media player,as opposed to other mp3 players such as ipod, which FORCES you to use only the software that comes with the player. customer service at philips.com is easy to understand. with no hassle downloads of updates. it also has a docking station (sold seperately) which can connect your mp3 player to outside sources, such as a television: to view pictures in a slide show format, or to your home audio system: to play uninterrupted hours of music.
THE CONS:
its usb cable comes ATTACHED to the ac power cord,i wish that philips would introduce a SEPERATE usb cable, the reason i say this is because i have purchased an auto adaptor and the ONLY cord available is the one that comes with the system. can you imagine the CLUTTER of the cords in your car? i contacted philips, and at the present time, no seperate cords are manufactured.

The HDD6330 is the first mp3 player I've owned and it suits my needs perfectly. I mainly bought this to listen to at work and it's great. I've got so far 1200 songs and 500 pictures on it and have only used 6 of the 30 GB of space on it. The ability to record from the FM tuner or from the mic is handy also. With the Philips dock, you can record from any audio source. The only things that slightly bug me about it is that the FM radio is doesn't always work in the building where I work and that the power always comes on when it is plugged into the charger, which doesn't bother it but I would think it would stay off. Overall I am very pleased with this product and would recommend it to anyone who wants to carry along music and pictures but don't have a need for the video playback.