Taking MP3 players in the water is not a new concept. First, we saw underwater cases -- initially aimed at scuba divers -- for iRivers and iPods. And then came the standalone underwater MP3 players for surfers and swimmers.
Nu Technology's Dolphin DAP MP3 player straddles the line between the last two, offering a compact device that can be strapped onto goggles for swimming laps or secured in an armband for hitting the surf.
Design
The Dolphin DAP is perhaps the most unassuming MP3 player we've ever seen. It's a small -- 61mm long and 20mm in diameter -- simple cylinder that looks more like a pill case than an audio device.
The player is wrapped in a smooth, brushed metallic casing that is seamless and unsurprisingly offers no place for a screen. The giveaways that this is indeed an MP3 player can be found on either end of the device.
One side features a recessed, 2.5mm headphone jack that has some ridging along the opening that allows you to screw in the included headphones for a watertight fit. This is a pretty neat feature, actually, because it allows the unit to keep water out while not using any sort of rubber flaps or seals, which would take away from the sleek feel of the device.
However, we're not so thrilled with the non-standard headphone jack as it means that you'll need an adaptor to use regular headphones while outside the water -- something we definitely recommend.
The other end of the Dolphin DAP features a tactile, rubberised control pad with five raised buttons: track forward and reverse, volume up and down, and play/pause/power. The raised keys coupled with their orientation -- track and volume buttons surrounding the slightly lower, rounded play/pause/power key -- make them all easy to activate, even by water-numbed fingers. It's a small design detail but it makes a difference.
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User reviews1
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mrallankey 3 April 2009
Good: Nothing at all
Bad: Headphones, Design
Comment: This is a review of the Dolphin Mp3, not the above supplier.
I bought the dolphin mp3 with high expectations, and I was highly disappointed. I have enough flaws that I can list them.
1. The player is not compatible with Windows Vista. After receiving the item I was excited and wanted to start using it. However when I came to charge it I found that it was not compatible with Vista. There were no patches available to remedy this.
2. The player is only compatible with certain files, I think WMA and Mp3.
3. When I finally got to the pool I found that the left earphone would not work if it got the slightest bit wet. I spent a few sessions listening to it though one headphone before deciding to send it back. However when I sent the headphones back they got 'lost' in the post. Therefore I could not get a refund.
3. Headphone design is cheap and tacky. The design of the headphone is horrible. There are no ear clips so in order for the speakers to remain in your ear, you have to keep your head incredibly still, the designer obviously forgot that humans cannot breathe underwater. The sound quality is also below par.
4. The headphone jack is not universal. After my headphones were lost in the post I decided to seek out a new pair however then I remembered the jack size on the Dolphin is unique therefore I would have to buy a pair of Dolphin specific headphones. Therefore I would have to pay nearly £20 for a new pair. I think you would agree what a complete rip off!
The underwater Mp3 player is a relatively easy and simple concept to get right, however Dolphin have exceeded in getting it wrong. The product itself looks cheap and I doubt any testing was done prior to its release to the market.
I wish there was a detailed review that prevented me from buying this item. It would have saved me £50. So to prevent anyone suffering the same misfortune, here is my review in a short clear sentence: This is a poor product, avoid it at all cost, it is not worth the risk.
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