Electronics : Philips GoGear SA2820 2Gb MP3 Player

Rating: - Why can't engineering firms write software?
I bought this item early November.

It's got great volume and sound (at least when used with Sennheiser CX 400 - High Quality Noise Isolating Ear-Canal-Headphones - Silver).

You can synchronise it with WMP or drag and drop with Explorer (no need to use the likes of Sony's appallingly bad software).

I would have given this item 5 stars if it weren't for one bad point: whichever version of the Philips Device Manager I use, I cannot get it to update the player's firmware. I emailed Philips, from their support site, on 8 Nov and they promised a reply 'within 4 working days'. I'm still waiting.

Having said that, the player works fine and I'd still recommend it if you want a small, light, no-frills shuffle-like device.

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Rating: - Don't drop it!
I bought this MP3 player for my husband. On the whole he liked it but it did take him a little while to work out how to use and he couldn't get it to read Vista MWA files (MP3 were fine).

However, he did find it a bit fiddly because it was so small and that's what led to its demise after just 4 weeks. He lost grip of the small, smooth little thing and it fell to the floor. It did not bounce! We now have a perfectly formed but dead MP3 player.

So if you are a bit of a butter fingers or have grip problems, think twice before buying this one. Otherwise this is a cracking little device that can slip into the smallest of pockets and works a treat.

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Rating: - Inaudible - avoid!
I bought this because £30 for 4gb seemed like a good deal. I wanted a basic, temporary mp3 player to keep me going till I've got the cash for a better one.

The player is as described by others: quite attractive, small and light, and easy to use. It does NOT have a radio, even if the description above mentions one.

But I am tremendously disappointed. The output volume of this player is ridiculously low, at 3mw per channel (compare that to the iPod's 30mw!). It is impossible to hear music anywhere near traffic, on the train etc, and even on a quiet street it's quite irritating to constantly want the music just a bit louder. (Note that I don't have the volume limiter setting turned on - I am listening at absolutely the maximum volume this thing can produce.)

If you want to listen to music in a library, then this may be the cheap player for you. Otherwise avoid!

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Rating: - Disappointing Player
I've had my SA2840 about a month. The form factor and controls I find very convenient. That's as good as it gets. The sound output level is very low, and moving the volume beyond halfway only serves to distort the bass end of the spectrum. I have now found a set of headphones that allow me to listen to music using this device, but even that is not loud enough to allow listening on a train (and yes, this is with the volume limit disabled - why did they bother with the pointless feature?). Startup takes forever. The supplied Device Manager incorrectly reports the device firmware version and even its own version. There is a firmware upgrade, but the Device Manager will not install it (I have been trying for the whole month) and it now appears from Phillips website that the Device Manager is not actually compatible with Vista. OK, this device is now quite cheap, that's the only reason I have kept it. I can at least listen to music in a quite room and it is OK through an adaptor into the car cassette player, with the cassette player volume turned up. Very disappointing.

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Rating: - Disappointed
Firstly I was very impressed with everything about this neat, simple and tiny little player if all you every want to do is listen thro headphones. However in my case I often use an mp3 player either thro my small powered speakers when travelling on my bike (much safer than headphones) as well as thro my stereo at home, as well as headphones of course. It was when I tested this part of its operation I became disappointed, the output volume is extremely low, it turns out having spoken to Philips that it only has 3 milliwatts per channel output which is very low. So this equates to having hardly any volume on my mini powered speakers and even when my home stereo is turned up to its maximum the volume is still relatively low. So if you intend to use it like this then I cannot recommend it but if not and you will only ever use it with headphones then it is great. Unfortunately I had to send mine back, and please note you need a minimum of 10 milliwatts but ideally 15+ per channel for good output volume on external speakers