Toshiba Gigabeat MEG-F60S (60GB) review

Features
Toshiba brings three innovations to the Gigabeat F series: CD RipRec, battery disabling, and compatibility with Napster To Go and other similar subscription services.

CD RipRec, accessed via the Gigaroom program or the CD RipRec button on the cradle, allows you to rip CDs directly to the player without first storing them on your PC. You need to have the Gigabeat connected to a PC, of course. But considering the myriad of software issues facing all Windows-based players, this CD RipRec feature is fast -- around a couple of minutes for a standard CD -- and convenient.

As noted, on the bottom of the Gigabeat is a notched battery-on/off switch. Switching it off cuts even the slow power trickle that stores your settings -- you have to set up the player from scratch when you switch the battery back on. But keeping the battery off means you can pick up the Gigabeat and start playing even if it's been sitting around for months without being connected to a power source. We've seen this feature in another Japanese MP3 player, namely Sony's HD series.

In terms of ease of use, Napster To Go compatibility isn't all it's cracked up to be. Neither Gigaroom nor Windows Media Player (WMP) 10.0 can be used to transfer your leased Napster tracks, requiring you to use at least two separate pieces of software. Adding to the software confusion, Gigaroom transfers only ripped tracks, not licensed content. Napster To Go users will have to use three different software programs to initially load all their files to the player.

Toshiba's bundled Gigabeat Room software is a real lemon, thanks to a paucity of features and a confusing icon-driven interface. Unfortunately, you need it for transferring digital photos and for USB 2.0-speed transfers

Viewing photos is almost standard on HDD-based players now. Where the Gigabeat excels is its large, bright 56mm LCD screen. That extra screen real estate makes a significant difference when comparing the Gigabeat's LCD to the iPod's. And the Gigabeat screen has deeper blacks, higher contrast, and more saturated colours than the iPod's. But while the iPod shrinks your pictures down to 720 x 576 pixels regardless of their original size, the Gigabeat isn't compatible with files larger than 4,000 total pixels -- not a high pixel count at all.

While you can transfer photos to the Gigabeat directly from most digital cameras, you won't be able to view them; in order to use the Gigabeat as a photo browser (and a decent one at that), you must transfer photos with the bundled Gigabeat Room software. Oddly enough, you cannot copy photos using WMP 10.0.