MSI Mega Stick 1

The name is a bit tacky and conjures up images of unhealthy seaside sweets, but MSI's first foray into the heady world of MP3 players does pack in the features. Like the MuVo NX, it's essentially a 128MB thumbdrive that connects to a PC via a USB port, providing removable storage. But no Taiwanese product is complete without a word like Mega in the title, and the Mega Stick 1 deserves it more than most. Not content with adding a dictaphone function, it also includes an FM radio and a Language Learning mode - but don't get too excited about this.

The Mega Stick uses an USB 1.1 interface, which means the data transfer rate is a less than speedy 12Mb/sec. Filling the Mega Stick with MP3s therefore takes about four minutes; not a terribly long time, but long enough to be slightly frustrating.

Build quality and overall feel of the device leave a bit to be desired too. The battery compartment and USB connector both rattle, and the display, while perfectly usable, looks indistinct in comparison to the MuVo's.

The Mega Stick's sound playback quality is good, but no match for the MuVo NX, and the equaliser only offers Rock, Pop, Jazz and Classical presets rather than a graphic EQ. The crude volume control is a major pain as well, lacking enough adjustment steps and going from too quiet to too loud with no in-between stage - a sign of a first-generation product.

Like the MuVo, the Mega Stick's 128MB will hold a couple of albums' worth of MP3s at 128Kb/sec, with support for both MP3s and WMAs. The single AAA battery lasts about 12 hours. Usefully, there's also a Hold switch, so you can put the Mega Stick in your pocket without worrying it's suddenly going to switch itself on.

The Mega Stick has an integrated microphone plus a line input mini-jack socket to allow you to use the device as a dictaphone. Again, the quality isn't marvellous, but it's more than good enough, and the Mega Stick's slim size makes it a flexible audio recorder. The FM radio function is the most original feature here, although we could rarely get a fuzz-free signal. Still, we managed to find all four FM BBC channels, as well as XFM and Classic FM, and the Mega Stick can store up to ten favourites.

The final function, Language Learning, is pretty useless, as it simply replays a segment of a sound file over and over again. But we did tell you not to get excited.

Despite this, the Mega Stick is a decent unit with some nice features, but the new MuVo is our favourite of the pair.

Author: Alex Watson