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By Ling Hu Fei, ZOL.com.cn
Sep 21, 2006

In a teeming MP3 player bazaar, there're so many different models that it can prove daunting for the average consumer to make a selection. Especially since most of these MP3 devices are using the same RK2606 chip, which results in even less differentiation in an overcrowded marketplace. If that's the case, what should a consumer be looking out for? Besides good design and features, there are also certain pertinent details that can serve as reliable purchase guidelines. (Editors' note: This article was translated and edited by Edvarcl Heng)

	Expansion slot? Cool.

aigo's latest MP-F958 uses the same RK2606 chip as well. Encased in a white plastic facade, it feels comfortable and handy. A USB slot with a protective grey rubber bund and power input are placed on the left side, while the earphone input and an SD/MMC expansion slot are on the right. A quad-directional control with a clickable center resides on the right of the screen. The MP-F958 is obviously meant to be viewed on a horizontal plane.

During a hands-on navigation on the MP-F958 was responsive with no lag and though we felt the 2-inch LCD to be relatively clear, colors were oversaturated. On the audio side of things, the MP-F958 displayed clarity on the mids and the highs but it lacked presence on the lower end. Video playback was smooth on the MP-F958 with no lags.

	All white, but no iPod.

The MP-F958 has a built-in text reader where we found the fonts to be sharp and clear. There are built-in games as well.

Conventionally, earphones pull double duty as FM antenna. As a result, the user can use the earphones only as the sole listening device. The aigo MP-F958, however, does allow the user to switch over to the mono speaker instead of relying on the headset, though the tradeoff will be no stereo FM.

In our FM autoscan test, the MP-F958 did rather well. Out of the 11 radio stations caught, only one suffered from slight hiss.

The aigo MP-F958 has a rated battery life of 10 hours for music playback. In our battery drain test, the MP-F958 lasted 19 hours 40 minutes, which is above average and almost twice as much as what aigo claimed.

In transfer speed tests, the MP-F958 achieved a read speed of 7.04MB per second and a write speed of 4.65MB per second.

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