Unpacking the Pez MP3 player

It's here! Yes, it may not be the most technically advanced portable audio player on the market. But just in time for the holidays, one of the year's most eagerly awaited MP3 players has arrived: The Pez MP3 player, testament to the power of sugar-fueled nostalgia and one man's dream, is everything we hoped it would be. Ours arrived by mail today, and we're ready to (virtually) share it with you.

Yesterday, we received an e-mail from Pez MP3 impresario Pat Misterovich, letting us know that the first batch of players had shipped. Sure enough, when we opened our mailbox today, there it was. Talk about fast service! In the first picture above, you can see everything that comes with the player, including a carrying strap, ear buds, USB cable and owner�s manual.

As you can see, the player is blister-packed, with the front of the pack marked �1st Edition.� Whether or not that means these early versions will be worth a bundle on eBay at some point in the future remains to be seen (though, just in case, we ordered two � and, yes, we paid for them!). Also on the blister pack: word that this holds �120 candies songs.� Personally, we would have liked it if Pat had found a way to squeeze the player into the shell and keep the candy, but maybe that�ll be the second edition.

The side of the player is where you�ll find the USB jack, along with an iPod-esque wheel, which controls all playback functions. The hole to the right of the P is a green LED, which illuminates when the player is initially turned on or off, when the playback controls are activated, and when the player is connected to a PC.

Here�s what happens when you open the head and feet. The switch inside the head turns the power on and off, while the feet slide off to reveal the battery compartment (the player takes a single AAA battery).

So, once it�s all unpacked, how good a player is this? A better question would be, how good is SigmaTel�s player-on-a-chip, since that�s what takes the place of the candy inside this box. And it works just fine. Non-DRM�d music files can be installed via drag-and-drop, and DRM�d ones can be transferred using any application that can verify your Windows Media 10 license (we tested it with Yahoo Music Engine, and had no problems). Sound quality is adequate, and we had no trouble cranking this up loud enough to rock out. The overall build of the player feels a little cheap and flimsy, though we like the fact that the head locks in place, so that it won�t inadvertently flip up and snap off. We also found the controls a bit unresponsive and tricky; consistently being able to pause a song was definitely an iffy proposition. The problem is mainly due to the diminutive size of the play button and outer control wheel; anyone with large fingers may have a hard time using this.

Our overall take: While there�s no question that $100 is a little steep for a 512MB, display-less player with bare-bones functions, it�s about the same price you�ll pay for an iPod shuffle with a similar set of features. Sure, the shuffle is smaller and lighter; but it doesn�t have this one�s novelty appeal. This will definitely be our player of choice for gym outings, if only for the looks we�re sure we�ll get when we prop it up on the treadmill control and run our headphone cable from its back.

[Jvijil @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

wow i will never buy that thing in my life. can't even see me shoving out $100 for something ugly and feature-less as that.

[teh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Hmm.. interesting. Might go down a treat here in the UK

[bernadette @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I received mine today as well and I have to say it is totally cute. I love it!

[teh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Hmm.. interesting. Might go down a treat here in the UK

[Arnel Mejia @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

no candy? thats not right. i'll wait for the next edition.

[alex @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Can we change the head? I like it to be Boba Fett or maybe Stormtroper.

[butkus @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

nice review.. now if you wanted to plug in headphones, they would go where? by elimination i'm guessing back of the guys head? bluetooth? ..where's the mini-jack?

[Pixelantes Anonymous @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I got mine in the mail today as well.

The headphone jack is indeed at the back of the head. No bluetooth, USB only.

The unit feels a little flimsy. I'm 100% sure I will break the little hinge lid that covers the battery slot at the bottom of the unit, and tilting the head back to reveal the on/off switch feels like you're gonna behead the sucka any minute.

Great novelty factor though. Coworkers were sufficiently impressed.

I wouldn't buy it as my primary music player though.

[TZK @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

You guys go to the gym?

[Glenny @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

What a crappy unit. I live in China....a place where there is a lot of manufactured crappy gadgets.....this one beats the rest!

[Rich @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

This is a much better concept:
http://www.geeksware.com/blog/comments.php?y=05&m=11&entry=entry051113-113408

Pez head for the shuffle

[Japala @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Nice to see once again that Metku can provide sound ideas for the manufacturers :)

http://metku.net/index.html?sect=view&n=1&path=mods/flashpez/index_eng

[Cranky Media Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Maybe Version 2.0 will use one of those giant Star Wars Pez dispensers that I keep seeing on sale at my local supermarket. They're about a foot long--think of the batteries you could stuff inside one of those!

[Kay Dee @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

what! so this thing doesnt actually dispense pez then? useless!

[Apple 4 eva @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Wow,
Talk about an apple rip off.
this things like a crappy shuffel
take a look:
............apple......Crap pez thing...
APPLE -plays music CHECK BAD THING- Check,(prob bad quality)
APPLE-looks cool CHECK BAD THING- If you love da look of M$
APPLE- made by apple.CHECK BAD THING- NOPE
APPLE-WHITE CHECK BAD THING- NOPE
APPLE- BLACK VER CHECK BAD THING NOPE
APPLE- IpoD 'PHONES.CHECK BAD THING- NOPE
APPLE- COOL BOX CHECK BAD THING- NOPE
APPLE- SHINY CHECK BAD THING- NOPE
APPLE- ITUNES CHECK BAD THING- NOPE.. well u could but that would be cheatin
APPLE- COOL BUTTONS.CHECK BAD THING- SORTA... STOLE THE FREAKEN DESIGN FROM APPLE... ARG THESE GUYS SHOULD BE SUED, BUT AUTHENTIC APPLE PRODUCTS NOT FREEKIN PEz SUCKSOR PROB MADE BY M$. APPLE THOUGHT OF A PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER FIRST... ALL PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYERS SHOULD BE sold with payment to apple.
ALso appple thoguht of the cool sleek, shiny stick design first this is a total rip off with out the sleek and shinyness.
APPLE FO LIFE
NOT C**PLASTIC PEZ ripoff music player!!!

I have an I.Q. of 250!!! Trust me, i am smarter than you guys... Listen to me apple is the only way to go... ALL apples competitors are people trying to rip apple off, or steal an american market elsewhere.

ALL PEOPLE AGAINST APPLE ARE AGAINST AMERICA
BUY APPLE!!!
M$ IS REALLY MEXICAN DONT BUY ANYTHING M$!!!