I've always been a fan of Cowon. I think they typically make great mp3 and video players, and their D2 is my favorite mp3 player of all time. When the O2 was announced, I knew I would be buying one. Overall I'm satisfied with the O2, but there are a few rather glaring problems with the player that cannot be ignored.
Cowon has always been better at making hardware than writing firmware to support it, and this trend continues with the O2. Things that should be there aren't, and things that should work better don't. There is a lot to love about the O2 anyway, but it just feels like Cowon keeps just missing. I'm still waiting for that perfect PMP that I know they're more than capable of producing. I'm hoping that as the firmware matures for the O2 that they fix some of the problems and make this a good PMP into a great one.
Before addressing what makes this player good but frustratingly imperfect, here are a few technical details from my experience using the O2:
File upload speed: internal memory, using provided USB cable plugged directly into the computer (no hub) is about 6.5 - 7.4mb/second. I tried large batches of files (3-4gb) and small batches (200mb - 500mb) and they all uploaded at approximately the same speed. Single large files like movies upload slight faster, in the 7.5-8mb/second.
Firmware updates have been made much easier than in previous Cowon players. No more Copy file, reboot device, copy in 2nd file, reboot device, etc... The firmware can be updated with a single collection of files uploaded to the main directory. Reboot the O2, the system loads the new firmware and you're done. Updating from 1.9A (preloaded when received from Amazon) to 1.4b took about 20 seconds tops. This is a great improvement from the D2.
A strange difference between the O2 and the D2 is that when connecting to the computer via USB, you can only access the internal or external memory at one time. When you plug in, the O2 will give the option of selecting internal or external. This is different from the D2. The major disadvantage to the only being able to access internal or external in isolation is that you cannot transfer files from one directory to the other.
Now lets get on with the good:
1. 16gb of flash memory (about 14gb accessible).
2. Support of many audio and video codecs, including FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) which is what I use for all my music files.
3. Slick, sexy design. Understated cool. The O2 feels solid in your hand and is just quality all the way around. Has a very thin bezel. Almost the entire device is touch screen.
4. Expandable via SD or SDHC card which is PERFECT for a PMP because you can add movies to an SDHC card and swamp them in and out as needed. This is especially nice if you're taking a trip and want to have a good number of movies available.
5. Great resolution and very pretty screen. Movies look nice on the O2.
6. Very fast boot up. My O2 starts in about 8-9 seconds, which is 3 times as fast as my D2. That is an excellent improvement.
7. Simple, intuitive GUI (Graphic User Interface). The O2 uses icons sort of like what you would find on a smart phone to navigate through menus, select media files and play them. There O2 also allows multitasking; you can simultaneously listen to music while using the notepad for example.
8. 10 band EQ. This is simply fantastic, and easily the best EQ I've ever had in a PMP. You can adjust to your hearts content and make your music sound the way it should. I love this feature!
There are some real problems with the O2 however, a few of which are beyond silly in a PMP of this caliber.
1. No support for meta tags. Seriously Cowon, what were your designers smoking when you decided to leave out support for tags? Especially since Cowon has offered support for them in every other PMP they've put on the market! The D2 supports tags (albeit after several rounds of firmware to get it to do it correctly) so why the heck doesn't the O2? Because my media files are all tagged perfectly (download mp3tag if you need a great tag editor) and also organized very logically in files, this doesn't affect me that much, but it could be devastating for someone who keeps their files all in one big mix and relies on meta tag information to keep them sorted.
2. No support for DRM files. While I don't personally own any, this is a bit of a travesty considering how many people have extensive libraries of DRM files.
3. No FM receiver. The D2 has it, and the O2 should as well.
4. Finicky GUI in certain situations. I have larger fingers and find touch screens to be a pain. The O2 is no exception. The size of the some of the menus, and especially those in the audio and video playing area, are small and hard to access.
5. Firmware bugs. Even the most recently released firmware has bugs. Check out the official O2 forum (google search iaudiophile) for details. Since Cowon changes firmware for their players like most people change socks, it would be pointless to point out the current bugs. As time goes by, they will evolve. Fortunately, Cowon also has a history of steadily improving their firmware, so if you have a bug now, chances are it will be fixed in the future.
6. Flap that covers the SDHC card slot and USB access is connected by two flexible plastic bands. I hate when phone makers do this (Razr2) and its even worse on a media player. They always wear out, especially since they have to be used ALL THE TIME when charging the device, and once they break off they are impossible to repair. They should use steel bands (or anything other than plastic!) to make sure these covers don't wear out!
Conclusions:
The number of files supported, over all excellent GUI, sexy design, and high quality audiphile touches like the 10 band EQ make the O2 a great PMP option. Sadly, it isn't perfect, and while firmware updates may improve it, they can't add an FM receiver nor replace the plastic bands that hold on the SDHC card slot cover. If they manage to fix my other complaints and provide support for meta tags, tweak the GUI, and add support for DRM files, the O2 would be unchallengeable as the best PMP on the market. Here's hoping that happens.
Additional thoughts:
I've added a few photos to the Amazon page. One is a size comparison to several other PMPs (Ipod 4th generation, Cowon D2, Iriver Clix), on of the included accessories, and the last a picture of the SDHC and USB port and its cover.Buy Cowon O2 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)!
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