Rating: 
Summary: I love it!
Review: Well, first off, I read a press release from Iomega today saying that they will release a 100MB version of the pocketzip drive which can also read the 40MB disks... not sure if they new disks will be readable in the older drives... we'll see. ;)Anyway, as some other people have said, besides being a great mp3/wma player, the hipzip is a perfect portable disk drive. I keep the USB cable in my backpack so that if I forgot to do an assignment or need to finish one in the computer lab at school, I can just plug in the hipzip and save/edit documents on a pocketzip disk. :) Sure beats buying a $1 regular floppy disk from the computer lab people. I also love how i can take a bunch of disks with me wherever I go. I personally haven't had a problem throwing 4 to 8 disks in my pockets or in my backpack when I go somewhere. They are small and thin enough to fit almost anywhere. Plus, they're cheap. Would you let a friend borrow or keep a flash memory card if they liked the songs you had on it? ::grin:: The sound quality is better than I expected, but be sure to go out and buy new earphones... the included ones are only there so that the player is usable out-of-the-box, I'm sure... they really don't do the player justice. :) Overall, this is a great digital music player that I would recommend to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: I've been in the market for a good MP3 player for a few months now, and after looking at all the reviews posted here (which you are doing now!) I decided on the HipZip, and I'm very glad I did. After looking at the prices for memory expansion for other models, I was shocked at how expensive it was, but then I came across this and was amazed at how cheap the media was. When I bought it and pluged in my own headphones, I was *AMAZED* at the sound quality...I truly never expected what i heard. Set up was a breeze, and really isn't even necessary if you already have an Iomega USB Zip or Jaz Drive. The cons that others mention are there: 1) the rewind takes you to the previous track, not to the beginning of the current track, 2) the backlight doesn't light long enough, and 3) the unit powers down if paused or stopped for 30 seconds...but these are easily overlooked, and might be fixed with a later firmware upgrade. I also highly recommend the use of a higher quality set of headphones, the ones packed with it are poor, and don't do the player justice. Another great feature of the device is the ability to use it as a data transfer device, which is great to transfer files from work to home. While it doesn't show up in iTunes, I simply create a playlist for each PocketZip disk, which displays the amount of space the MP3 files use. I then drag the files to the desktop icon and it's done! File transfer is rather fast as well through a USB connection. Also, having the included belt hoster is nice too... While the price is higher then other players, go ahead and take the plunge, Iomega is known for it's quality devices, and this is no exception.
Rating: 
Summary: post script to Disappointed
Review: After I wrote my first review, and 10 days after I bought it, I accidentally dropped my Iomega hipzip onto a cement floor from a height of about five feet. It struck right where the purple lid opening contacts with the metal case. It rendered it useless. (It no longer registered when disks were in it and it emitted all sorts of whirring, clicking noises trying to find them.) I figured the warranty was as void as I could possibly get for such carelessness but I contacted Iomega anyway. Even after I told them (twice) that I had dropped it, they swung into action, faxed me out some forms, told me where to send my unit and voila... what looks eerily like a BRAND NEW replacement unit arrived on my doorstep just FIVE days later! (It certainly wasn't the same unit I sent them as it was missing an obvious scratch I had added.) Now that's after-sales customer support you can't beat anywhere. For this alone I have to give the unit an extra star. Had I dropped any other brand, I'd be looking mournfully at a pile of expensive junk, with no recourse. NB: The unit was replaced through the south-east Asia/Australasia/Sydney branch of Iomega, but I am assuming that this company philosophy translates elsewhere. As customers, I think we should support companies like this which do the right thing -- and more -- for consumers, instead of always being solely after the almighty buck.
Rating:
Summary: Improvements make the HipZip a great buy
Review: With the improved paylist and bookmark capabilities of the newer releases of the HipZip, not to mention the $50 rebate, it's just a great value. As a Clik drive and disk user for a couple years already, I found the HipZip a natural fit for me and rarely if ever use the USB port, but just copy the MP3 or WMA files directly to the Clik disk through the Clik drive in the PC card slot on my notebook computer. The other advantage is that I can use the USB port to connect the HipZip to my desktop at work to use a drive for transferring files between my notebook and desktop. Finally, something to use all of my Clik disks with. I would throw out the Koss earphones, don't even use them. I just plugged in my earphones from my portable CD player. Great sound with decent earphones. Very happy with the unit overall. Great software, I have used both the Windows Media Player software and the MusicMatch Jukebox software and both are easy to use. I get about about 40 minutes of play time per 40 meg disk. Great for running and skip free.
Rating:
Summary: No buyer's remorse here -- this thing is GREAT!
Review: I toiled for weeks, trying to decide which MP3 player was for me. The price (I got mine minus a $50 rebate) and features like the inexpensive 40MB Pocket Zip disks, along with the awsome sound quality made this player the only choice in my eyes. Despite CNET's claim that the unit is big, it's still smaller than the Discman it replaced and not much bigger than the other players I looked at. My only complaint is with the headphones -- it takes two hands to clip the earpiece on an ear (I will be replacing them). Iomega has a hit here! If you are looking for an MP3 player, buy this one NOW!
Rating:
Summary: Great, but replacing can be a problem
Review: THis thing is wonderful, except for the fact that nearly all have a defective headphone jack. After about 2 months of continous use, the sound seems "to be played through a tunnel, or tinny." The good thing is that it has a 1 year manufacturer waranty, so you can replace it. I'm waiting for mine, just sent it out yesterday. The interface is incredibly smooth, the firmware updates make it VERY versitile, and it runs like a dream. Overall, i say to buy it, and if u get a defective one, replace it in 2 months. :)
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed and yet still can't hate it
Review: I waited for so long to get this device, I was so excited and had read every review on the planet, or so it seemed. Now I guess I should have paid more attention to one thing that kept coming up over and over again: the hipzip's re-set foibles. Picture this -- you're plugged in and enjoying your music; the phone rings so you hit pause. You're on the phone for **less than a minute** and when you return the screen is blank. You hit play and it starts at track one again, not where you were at. You have to scroll through all the songs again to find the part you were at. There is nothing else on this whole unit more annoying than its 30 second automatic switch off. I can adjust to the idea of it going back to track 1 when you deliberately turn it off and later turn it on. But to go dead in less than a minute drives me nuts. That's the only huge negative, apart from the lack of accessories available (where are the carry cases to hold both the unit and maybe three or four disks??). One other small negative: you have to hold your finger quite solidly down on the play button for a second to get it turn on -- if you don't it won't start. Took me ages to work out the device wasn't faulty, I was too quick in hitting and releasing that button. Everything else is an absolute positive. Sound quality - brilliant. I mean BRILLIANT. You can not beat it. Disk slot - easy to access, funky color, no problems. A disk can be taken out at any time without giving the device a terminal seizure (not always the case). ... The USB connection just blitzes everything -- I blinked and virtually three songs had downloaded. Wow. Installation is a breeze -- once you fathom that the unit has to be plugged into the computer briefly during the installation before installation can be fully complete and thus can recognize your USB drivers. Those buying the hipzip, do this and it'll be dead easy. It's absolutely simple to download songs to the hipzip from Windows Media Player or MusicMatch jukebox... I didn't have to crack the instruction notes once. Your PC also treats the hipzip like another drive so it's always easy to get to and move files about your main computer. This means if you also have a handheld PC as I do (a Cassiopeia E115) it's simple to drag and drop songs from this Iomega program into that unit, too. It's skip free -- man, I have been trying to make this sucker skip for ages -- been shaking it like a baby's rattle and nada... still just beautiful noise. The headphones, what can I say, they do the job but get something better for a full sound experience. The batteries seem to just keep going and going and I have yet to run them down. The device has great feel -- that rubber is so nice under the fingers and slip resistant, and the volume is easy to find in the dark. So in summary -- if you don't care about the auto-off and re-set thing mentioned above, I have no hesitation in recommending this unit. But before you think this isn't something to fuss about, really stop and think how annoying it would be to restart the unit virtually every time you pause it -- and bear in mind re-starts from the blank screen are not instant and take about 5-10 seconds. If you can't live with this then buy ANYTHING else and you'll be happier. If you can, get set for some lovely sounds.
Rating:
Summary: The Best
Review: I have had various mp3 players because I am really into music. By far these are the best. Even though the headphones suck the crisp sound totally makes up for it. I love it. i have had it for about a year and use it every day. If you like music and can afford it you should buy it with out a doubt.
Rating:
Summary: still love it!
Review: It's been about two months now since I got my HipZip,and it is still behaving nicely. It has never skipped for me, even with slightly rough handling,and the discs are still sounding awesome even after zillions of file transfers. I find that the controls are very easy to use,find and remember, even in the dark! All in all, I am very happy I am the owner of one of these little beauties. (Thought it might be helpful if someone who initally loved the HipZip wrote to give another review.) Get one!!!
Rating:
Summary: Iomega HipZip Pros and Cons
Review: I purchased an Iomega HipZip Player and had problems downloading music onto the player. The two problems I had were (1) the player drive would disappear while I was trying to transfer music from Musicmatch to the player requiring me to download the software again which reinstalled the drive and allowed me to resume transferring music to the player; (2) during downloadsto the player, the download was interrupted with a message that indicated I should insert a specific disc into the player. I called Iomega technical service and they immediately indicated the problem was with the player and offered to send me a new one if I provided my credit card. I did that and a brand new player arrived very quickly. I found that the "disappearing drive" problem still occurred with the new player but the "insert a certain disc" did not occur again so I kept the new player. So, when I download music onto the player I also go through the repetitive downloading of the software so I can repeatedly reinstall the player's driver until I have transferred the music to the disc. This has been the big negative with the player. However, downloads are otherwise very quick with Musicmatch and if you don't experience the disappearing drive problem you will be very happy with the ease of downloading music to the Hip Zip. A small negative were the headphones that came with the player but those are easily replaceable by headphones of your choice. I use a Koss set which works fine. On the other hand, the relatively cheap discs provide an easy way to change the music you want to hear and the sound quality is quite good. The player is bigger than many MP3 players but is still on the small side and has proven a good companion on my commute and during my workouts. No need to keep replacing batteries-just recharge for about 2 hours when the battery runs down and you are ready to go. Just make sure you recharge or you are out of luck as you can't just pop new batteries in. The case is nice and convenient and comes with the Player. In summary, the HipZip Player is a good choice of MP3 Player if you want the luxury of popping new music into the player whenever you want to at a relatively cheap price with relatively good sound quality. Hopefully, you won't have the problem of the disappearing drive!
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