MobiBlu's Cube2 "world smallest multimedia player" reviewed
By Thomas Ricker 
posted October 13th 2006 9:05AM
posted October 13th 2006 9:05AM
Sure, we like our DAPs small. However, audio devices which pull extra duty as video players and photo viewers can only get so small before limiting themselves to nothing more than a novelty. CNET got their hands on the diminutive MobiBlu Cube2 which features 2GB flash, FM radio/scheduling, OGG/MP3/DRM'd WMA and MPG/WMV support, voice recording, and the dubious distinction of being the claimed, world's smallest multimedia player. To view video or images though, you have to use the included MJPEG/MSV conversion software which worked tolerably well in CNET's tests. Still, that tiny square, 0.6-inch (diagonal) screen cropped images even along the top and bottom requiring a lot of scrolling around to bring the edges into view. As you can imagine, CNET found image and video viewing to be a real "hassle" after awhile. The Cube2's menu system in general was found to be "a pain" to navigate requiring too many clicks on those tiny buttons. CNET was also miffed by a "fairly staticky, but listenable" radio and "mediocre" battery life squeezing out only 6 hours audio playback of the 10 hours estimated. However, they left the player's backlight on so they could, uh, "tell it was working" -- er, the music wasn't enough of a clue? Still, with that massive feature set packed into such a stylish cube and the much appreciated ability to move files via USB Mass Storage in addition to MTP, CNET awarded the MobiBlu Cube2 a 7.3/10 very good rating. [Thanks, nana]
Too bad the iPod shuffle is smaller. Even the older iPod shuffle (if you don't count the USB plug) is smaller even with the plug counted it's only marginally bigger (did the math once and it wasn't very much at all). Which would you rather have a little POS cube that has so many features crammed into it, it forgets what it originally was since none of them work particularly well. Or, an iPod that does one thing really, really well. Which would you rather have in your pocket anyway, a cube that will poke you and will stick out or a flat iPod?
Anything but iPod.
The Q-be (v1) was a truly tremendous piece of kit, Dixons (UK) were selling the 1Gb ones for only £40 last year, however the UK editions appeared to lack the voice recorder or FM radio (perhaps a flash upgrade would sort this?)
Compared to the rubbish being to people who'd by poo in a tin so long as it said "apple" on the side, it's truly refreshing to see something as innovative as this.
The display seems quite a change from the original q-be. Though the only possible reason I can fathom for having it display photos is just to use it as an extra 2Gb backup to your digicam if you use it with a USBUSB adapter.
I doubt I'll buy one 'till my old q-be breaks, but if I reflash it and it does, I'll be in line!
This player would be alot better if the screen took up an entire face of the cube. I think a one inch display would be alot more tolerable than the .6 inch one currently in place.
Leave it to CNet to give high regards to a non-Apple product that can play video on a screen smaller than my thumbnail. Great job. LOL.
I thought apple had claimed the title of "The world's smallest player" with the most recent Nano.
The shuffle claims to be the world's smallest MP3 player, while the cube is the world's smallest PMP.
Diversity is [usually] good. I'm sure there exists people that will find this device to be a good fit for their needs, preference, environment, or what ever it is that drives a purchasing on the basis that she did not want something that was ubiquitous. She's got no feelings for or against apple or any of the other makers of media players.
In the end I would not say that her device was better than the iPod or that the iPod was better than her device in and of itself. But I would say that her choice was better for her. The possible motivations and needs of people are a numerosity.
I'll never buy a MobilBlu product again. Their original player was faulty, but even worse was their customer service.
@Mark Fleser:
Too bad you sound like just another mindless Apple fanboy.
First of all, in case you didn't notice, the mobiblu device does a bit more than regurgitate (in quasi-random) a list of songs. It actually has 1 more feature than the full-sized Video Ipod (why Apply can't stick an FM radio into their flagship product after all these years and millions of complaints is beyond me)
Finally, you are quibbling over tenths of a single cubic inch, all to serve what purpose: putting down a product that challenges your beloved iPod. Very mature.
I would go blind trying to watch a video on this thing.
That's USB Mass Storage, not Universal Mass Storage. What *do* they teach them in these schools?
How do you watch letterbox movies on this thing?
CNet's reviews baffle me. Sometimes they're not very vigorous, er, rigorous.
@ az,
Dude, stop bashing the iPod and people that like them for no reason whatsoever. The Cube2 has one more feature than the 5th Gen iPod. Big deal. Is it actually possible to do any of those things on a player so small? Apple made the shuffle screenless because it is impossible to make anything do-able on something that small other than play music, and if you didn't notice, you can get the radio remote for the 5th Gen. An added expense, yes, but most users don't need a radio. I haven't listened to it for years. And if users do need it, they can pay a small fee for the extra. genius. features for the sake of features is why all the other MP3 makers aren't getting marketshare.
In what way does the Cube2 challenge the iPod? a complicated user-interface, too many features for the average user to handle, and rubbish battery life at only 6 hours. Get a grip.
as a side-note, I reckon they packed all these silly features (for such a small player) in to retaliate Apple's "Worlds smallest MP3 player" statement that MobliBlu previously held.
Is this really all of the review?
They could have at least compared it with the DAH 1500i (Cube, the first, will be referred to as just Cube), over things like sound quality, screen brightness, interface. I mean, I'm assuming it has the same interface as the which is extremely easy to navigate (and since the buttons have the same spacing, I don't see what their complaints there are about).
Seriously, and this is rediculous. They left the backlight on, which under defalt settings turns itself off, so that it just wastes battery, and they publish that as their official test playback time. Also, according to other sources, this format compatibility list is incorrect, but if they tested each of them personally (which I doubt) then it's right. And they didn't say if videos play back like the images (where you have to pan around), although if they did, I would assume that they would have made a bigger deal about it. And no 2 minutes of research to find the final retail price? My complaints go on....oh, well. This is the only review I've been able to find, so I was just hoping it would have been more in-depth.
I really like the Cube2 but I just wished they made the screen size about as big as the face of the cube, I already watched an episode of the flintstones on it that I copied from my DVD to the hard drive of my PC then converted it then loaded it in to my cube2,and the cube plays the Picture and sound very good! it is a sweet litte gadget. it's a piece of cake to navigate on it after you learn how. the new rubber buttons also makes it easyer to navigate with. I now hope mobiBlu is working on cube3 with a bigger screen :)