Inovix IMP-5500 IPocket (1GB) review

What you need to know

Reviewed by: Chris Stevens

Reviewed on: 28 June 2006

Tags: Inovix, Inovix IMP-5500 IPocket (1GB), songs, menu system, LCD screen

We like:

Relatively scratch-proof chassis (although we did manage to disfigure it by accident)

We don't like:

Counter-intuitive interface; proprietary headphone connector

You might also need:

You could buy better headphones, but then you'd have to use the adaptor cable because the IPocket doesn't use a standard 3.5mm jack

CNET UK judgement:

If you don't want to be held to the standards of another gadget, you probably shouldn't dress like it. The IPocket's iPod nano-like chassis begs for comparison to Apple's player, and it falls far short. While the IPocket is sonically fairly competent, it lacks the fluid interface and attention to detail of its body double

Full review:

It's tempting to copy Apple's designs, but usually the process is a little more guarded than this. The 1GB IPocket (also available as a 2GB model for £87) is one of those MP3 players that has taken the idea of homage to its natural conclusion: imitation. The similarities between this chassis and that of the iPod are difficult to ignore. Inovix has put itself in a difficult position -- in highlighting the player's relationship to the nano, it invites direct comparison. When you consider that some of the most innovative non-Apple MP3 players we've tested have failed to match the ease-of-use that Apple's simple Click Wheel design offers, it's a risky proposal. Continue Reading...