Toshiba's gigabeat U202 supports direct-to-MP3 ripping

If you passed on Toshiba's first few U-series DAPs due to their lively color schemes and substitutable feature sets, the new 2GB U202 goes a long ways to correct both of those quibbles. The exceedingly simplistic device dons a silver / black motif, an uncomplicated "PlusPad" control scheme, and a 1.1-inch color OLED display. Furthermore, this unit sports the same 20-hour battery life, FM tuner, and MP3 / WMA / WAV playback capabilities as its predecessor, but the newfangled direct-to-MP3 CD ripping ability enables users to "record audio tracks digitally from a CD player directly to the gigabeat." Consider it yours in one to two weeks for $99.99.

[Alex @ Jul 24th 2007 9:49AM]

Direct-to-MP3 ripping??!!? GTFO!

My Archos FM Jukebox 20 from six years ago had that feature. The thing functioned perfectly until I left by my open window in a rainstorm a few months ago. Damn shame, really.

[Rick @ Jul 24th 2007 10:01AM]

I was all prepared to say this looked pretty nice for what it is but had no idea alex had an archos six years ago with that feature. The new gigabeat is clearly garbage given these new details being brought to light. I for herald alex for having the courage to come out with this information.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 24th 2007 10:09AM]

Don't leave it on your window sill!

[Zarniwoop @ Jul 24th 2007 10:29AM]

Actually, you didn't say what feature, so you simply sounded like a git. "What feature?" I was thinking, "Built-in FM??? What a git!"

[Iain @ Jul 24th 2007 2:16PM]

The archos recorded audio in one large mp3. (or a tedious song by song method) Audio in, push play, push record.

I believe this has a more automated method of ripping.

Don't get me wrong I loved the Juke20, still can't find a player that has "Queue" mode.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 24th 2007 9:57AM]

Will it rip VBR?

-I mean...blend?

[Nick @ Jul 24th 2007 10:27AM]

I don't think it has the same affect as when applied to Hello Kitty robots.

[Nick @ Jul 24th 2007 10:28AM]

I don't think it has the same affect as when applied to a Hello Kitty robot.

[Nick @ Jul 24th 2007 10:29AM]

Oops, commented twice.

[compubasic @ Aug 1st 2007 11:41AM]

You actually commented three times there buddy ;-)

[ejordan @ Jul 24th 2007 10:27AM]

So how does it rip it? 1x speed through an rca input?

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 24th 2007 11:05AM]

Looks like it's though the headphone jack which doubles as a line-in.

Read much?

Do try.

[ejordan @ Jul 24th 2007 11:13AM]

It's cool that you can record music on the go, but it sucks that you'll spend 80 min. recording a whole cd. I guess that opens the door to "straight from tape deck to mp3!" or whatever else you want.

It sucks how nasty the internet allows people to behave.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 24th 2007 11:14AM]

Indeed.

All that snarky commenting without a clue to the facts.
(which are easily accessible)

Deplorable.

[Tavis Veighey @ Jul 24th 2007 11:28AM]

LMAO Direct to MP3 ripping. I have done that using CDEX and my Sandisk 512mb player! In fact it works with ANY mass storage based MP3 player!

1) Plug MP3 player into computer.
2) Run CDEX (Or any other CD Ripping software.) and tell it to save the files to the drive letter from step 1.

DONE!!!


However this is a pointless feature for a 2gb MP3 player. If the player was 20 or more gig then maybe. However who want's to rip, then later re-rip the same CD over and over again? It is always best to rip to your HD, then if you have limited space, burn the MP3 files ro CD or DVD for future use.

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 24th 2007 11:30AM]

Wow, direct to MP3 ripping. Now that saves me the hassle of downloading it all! Oh wait... it'll take 4 minutes to record a 4 minute song...as opposed to downloading it in 15 seconds....

[Tomas @ Jul 24th 2007 12:20PM]

Reported on this when the player was available in Japan back in March: http://www.mygigabeat.com/2007/03/gigabeat-u-new-player-from-toshiba.html

Nice to see that it is making it over here. Been awfully quiet from Toshiba lately except from the news regarding the MET401 a couple days ago. Maybe the fact that the Zune has been able to sell +1 million units have made Toshiba reconsider the US market again?

[ejordan @ Jul 24th 2007 4:53PM]

The RIAA would unleash a firestorm of amazing fury if there were more devices like this. Think about it..

This device records any audio output to mp3. So an ipod/zune/whatever + gigabeat = much love. However, at real time speeds and need for them to plug up this isn't convenient enough for more than one song, not to mention quality/interference. Do-able but not enough.

So I guess the ultimate would be something like the zune + gigabeat. Gigazune. (maybe Beatzune) Then you could connect to other Gigazunes and transfer music. The zune has work-arounds, but they aren't easy or efficient. The Gigazune would tout this as a feature, maybe even have software to make it easier, like comparing libraries and creating trading tables or 'wanted' lists.

But what we might lose by adding zune abilities is being able to interface with any device. Of course we would gain interference and wire free transfer at much, much greater speeds.

Be careful Toshiba, you are headed down a dangerous path. Don't ask Microsoft for directions. They are lost beyond hope.

[Emi @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:18AM]

Please and thank you!

[JackSprat @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:43AM]

Now all it needs is a internal mic and it might almost be as cool as the iRiver H300 .

[Jai @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:50AM]

Go Free stuff.
-Jai

[04wrb @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:56AM]

Cool enough for me!

[edlarkin @ Nov 23rd 2007 10:36AM]

Sounds like a good solution to a common problem.

[Scott Adams @ Nov 23rd 2007 10:41AM]

comment please...

[Advocate @ Nov 23rd 2007 11:00AM]

DAMN! if i'd have stayed up just a little longer i coulda gotten the server :(

[Lance Chang @ Nov 23rd 2007 11:19AM]

All I want for Xmas.....

[Tom @ Nov 23rd 2007 11:45AM]

this is great

[Mark @ Nov 23rd 2007 2:19PM]

how does this work?

[Lance J. Martin @ Nov 23rd 2007 6:10PM]

Nice small player.