Some questions from an interested person

[Cymric]

After a long absence from MP3-players, I find myself leaning towards the purchase of a new one for the times that I want to listen a few hours to music while en route to somewhere. I really like the S10, despite its rather small battery life, but this isn't going to be a device to which I'm going to listen for days on end. Nevertheless, my last iRiver (an IFP-790) had some nasty quirks which I do not want to experience again with a new purchase: it soured the brand iRiver for me. Therefore, some questions from an interested party to those who already own a S10:

1. So what is the battery life in practice (VBR MP3's, somewhat above average volume, equaliser in use, display unlit)? Can you still retrieve and store data if the battery is flat? (Think USB stick here.)

2. What is the transfer speed to the player, in other words, how long does it take to upload music (or data)?

3. Are there any silly limitations in the firmware with for example not being able to transfer MP3s to a computer? I plan on using the S10 as a glorified USB stick (my old one is a wee bit small) and then such behaviour can not be tolerated.

4. From what I can make out from the pictures is that the S10 has a single connector which is used by both the earphones as well as the USB interface; the latter via an adapter. Correct? Does this also mean that I can plug in any ordinary AC/DC adapter featuring the proper plug to recharge the battery with?

5. I like the clock function. When the alarm goes off, is the volume loud enough to wake you?

6. Is it a sturdy gimmick? (The IFP-790 felt quite cheap due to its matte gray plastic casing with connector lip which always opened of its own accord, and a battery door requiring a crowbar.) Does the case scratch easily? (Screen can be protected with stuff used for PDAs of course.)

7. Are there any other issues or strong points I should be aware of, especially those which are / seem to be firmware related?



Thanks a lot for reading and answering my questions!

[BBD]

Here's a pretty in-depth review of the S10 from a trusted member here. The link is in the first post.....

New review of iriver S10