NOMAD MuVo NX Review: A Memory Stick with a Penchant for Music - How Does it Feel?
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The NOMAD MuVo NX is built with a minimalist mindset. Simplicity is the name of the game with this tiny unit. And that’s something they’ve done quite well. The unit is essentially a memory stick with a penchant for playing music.
I was surprised to see that an FM tuner was not included. One feature I did appreciate, however, was the recording capabilities of the unit. Although the sound quality isn’t too great, it’s good enough for basic voice recording. I am curious as to why Creative decided to record things directly into WAV format, as opposed to MP3. True, the encoding mechanism would be a drain on the battery, but it would also make the size of those files 1/10 smaller. (If you’re interested in listening to the quality of the voice recording, here’s a little message I left during a coffee break taken at the time of this writing.)
Usability in this unit is based on the premise that less is more. The unit has a total of four (4) buttons which control all functions within the player. Most functions (other than On/Off, Play/Pause, and the volume) are controlled by the Scroller. While playing music, a quick twist of the scroller to the right (in relation to the screen orientation, which can be controlled) skips to the next song. Twist to the left and you go to the beginning of the current song. Hold it for a couple of seconds and you begin to fast forward or rewind in three second intervals. Press the scroller, and you’re now navigating the options menu. It shouldn’t take someone more than a couple of minutes to get accustomed to how the MuVo NX operates.
Unlike many of the MP3 players out there, the MuVo NX is a wonderful sight to behold. It’s cute, sleek, and small enough to fit on a keychain. Luckily, it’s also laid out in a way that allows my fat fingers to use the unit without needing call my 3 year old niece to help uncle Gnorb press the buttons on his new toy. The NX is also comfortable to hold, although you’ll most often have this thing in your pocket, or strapped on you via the arm band. Note that if you have big arms, you’ll find the arm band a bit constricting, especially if you’re doing strenuous exercise or work with your arms.
The only fall back to this wonder of miniaturization is the included headsets. Although the sound is of an acceptable quality, the included speakers were first and foremost very uncomfortable to wear. This led to an unacceptable degradation of sound. Additionally, they kept falling out of my ears; using these while jogging proved annoyingly cumbersome. Users will probably want to spring for a new set of headphones as soon as possible, preferably ear bud style, since they don’t drain as much power from the batteries.
On the bright side, these weren’t totally bad. The quality of sound is good enough for people who just want a portable music player, and they are suitable for someone doing any type of stable activity, like light hiking, gardening, or working out at the gym. In addition to this, the unit is built well enough that it could withstand a few falls. In fact, I dropped the unit a few times. It never skipped (not surprising with a flash drive), and the only time it stopped was when the battery module separated from the memory stick, the battery lid flew open and the battery fell out. (Hey, I said it was sturdy, not a tank.)
Next: Using the MuVo NX >>
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