NU Dolphin Touch – Waterproof MP3 Player Review

There is a few choices out there for underwater MP3 players; more than I would have thought and there is even cases for iPods, of course.  However, size was the main deciding factor for me, and this kit caught my eye because it appeared that it was designed by someone who gave a damn about style and function.

This is my second Nu Dolphin Touch, the first one had some firmware issues and the touch buttons stopped working. I bought it from Advanced MP3 Players retailer through Amazon, who were very reasonable to deal with during the warranty issue and had a great price to boot.

First off, the unit is very obviously Taiwanese (based on the engrish used on the box and in the instruction manuals) but it actually works quite well. One could criticize that menu/functions are a little complicated – which is very true – but it’s only because the screen is so small, 96 x 24 pixels to be precise.  And the screen is so small because the unit itself is so small – like chapstick tube spec – 66.4mm long and 21mm in diameter. But you can use it underwater! I think you get the point..

The reason I purchased this was for my swim training, I usually swim at least 2 km a day and boredom sets in very early. Now i can listen to sweet beats, audiobooks, or FM radio. It sounds really good too, all frequencies seem to be represented with some strong bass. There is an equalizer as well if you really want to fuss about. The touch buttons actually work even when wet, and the ‘enter/play/pause/lock/unlock’ button on the end is easy to find when its strapped to your goggles on the back of your head.

Overall this is a great little unit, slightly buggy at times and it takes some practice to master the navigation. But it works for what i want it too, swimming, and staying out of my way. If you are doing anything else – like surfing – you should look elsewhere.

The 411:

1.Plays MP3/WMA files

2.FM stereo radio(87.5~108MHz)

3.Build-in180mAh/3.7V rechargeable battery (rated at 6hrs – optimistically i think)

4.Dimensions: 66.4*21*21mm

5.Accessory: Waterproof earphone/USB cable/ Clip / Fastening bands / Armband /Cleaning cloth/High-End stereo earphone/ User manual disc

6.Memory capability: 4GB (it also comes in an 8gb model, which is probably a waste because i don’t think the battery would last anywhere near that, and you probably couldn’t swim that far if it did)

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