Aigo P880 20GB MP3 photo player

However you run through your pictures, manually or in an automatic mode, the reproduction isn't bad, but the device's image-scaling algorithm renders some portions of the full-screen image blocky and/or blurred, so the more quality-conscious user may prefer to scale them to the right size in Photoshop first.

But then a 2.2in display isn't really the kind of thing you want to while away an hour or two perusing your family album, is it? Not for me, at any rate. It would be better if Aigo provided a way of connecting the P880 to a TV, but it doesn't.

The manufacturer has, on the other hand, made it relatively easy to get photos onto the player. There's not only a built-in SD card slot, but the player also supports USB To Go, allowing it to suck piccies straight off a suitably equipped camera. Alas, my digicam isn't thus endowed, so I couldn't test this, but I did copy a stack of shots off an SD card I had lying around.

You use the player's file browser, Files, to access the card and/or the camera - select the storage medium, hit the Menu button and choose the Upload option. You can't select specific images to transfer - it's an all-or-nothing option. Nor can you preview the images on the card - Files doesn't display photo icons, and Photos, which can show icons, can't look beyond the confines of the Photos folder on the P880's hard drive. The Upload process also copies the entire folder structure with the card to the hard drive.

The P880 only supports baseline JPEG files, so more complex version of the format, and GIFs, BMPs and so on are useless here. Music support is a little more comprehensive, with the usual MP3, DRM-less WMA and WAV handled. Playback isn't bad, but it's not exceptional either. There are 23 EQ pre-sets, none of which did much to improve the sound, and neither do the terrible, boxy-sounding earphones Airgo bundles with the product. With a range of other phones - iPod, Neuros, Sennheiser - the results are much better.

The built-in FM radio was a disappointment. I found reception to be poor, even though the Griffin Technology RadioShark receiver I was using for side-by-side comparison was picking up broadcasts perfectly. If you do manage to get your favourite station coming through loud and clear, pressing the red button on the left-hand side of the P880 allows you to record the programming direct to MP3. The device has a microphone for voice recording too - you select which input you want to use via the Recordings menu option.

Verdict

The P880 isn't actually bad, but neither does it inspire. It works, and that's about the best you can say about it. It's the software that lets it down, largely because it's just too awkward for a Western consumer electronics device. Importing pictures, say, should be a single-click action and not force you to navigate through two separate menu options.

Keep it simple, guys, and you'll be on your way to seeing why Apple and others are leading the game. ®

Related Reviews

Creative MuVo V200
Creative MuVo Micro N200
Nintendo DS handheld games console
Netgear MP101 wireless music player
Apple iPod Shuffle
Aigo P750 20GB MP3 Player

Recent reviews

Intel Pentium Extreme Edition dual-core CPU
Dell Latitude D410 sub-notebook
HP iPaq hx2750 PocketPC
Sapphire Radeon X800 PCI Express