Mobile Tunes

Everywhere I go, chances are I'd spot someone using an MP3 player. The iPod's signature white earphone wires catches my eyes, drawing my gaze to where the wearer stashed the iPod on his person. Sometimes it's an iPod, other times it's not, but the wearers have something in common - they're usually alone.

I guess that's not surprising because that's the only time when wearing earphones in public wouldn't seem rude. I wouldn't be wearing earphones if I'm out with friends. And even if I'm alone, I'd remain alone because who would want to start a conversation when the person is wearing earphones. Then again, it may not be such a bad thing if I'm not feeling particularly chatty that day.

I found myself wanting an MP3 player - something that uses iTunes to transfer my music because all my MP3s are already organised by iTunes. Apple's iPods are probably the only MP3 player that natively works with iTunes, but they're not cheap. So what are the alternatives?

I surprised sp, and myself, when I set my sights on the Motorola Razr V3i. It was everything I wanted in a mobile phone, and has iTunes support! The Razr V3i is a clamshell design that's very slim and looks great. The body is aluminium with micro engraving that catches the light and makes the whole phone shimmer. The effect is very arresting and adds glamour to the already good looking phone.

Best of all is the iTunes support. The interface is pretty similar to the iPod's, but is not as smooth on the Razr. Transferring music to the Razr is a test of patience. It's slow. Very slow. The Razr is limited to 50 songs with a 256MB miniSD card, and transfering all 50 songs takes roughly 20 minutes. I didn't time it, but it felt like 20 minutes, maybe more.

These are minor faults for me. I'm enamoured by the good looks of the Razr and enjoy listening to my music with the iTunes player with the stereo handsfree kit from Motorola. The handsfree kit is uncomfortable to wear for long periods but the volume is more than adequate and the audio quality is pretty good for my untrained ears. I had no choice but to use the clumsy Motorola stereo headset because the Razr only has one mini-USB that does the charging, synchronisation and audio output.

I can't bear earphones so I decided I needed to be able to use my headphones with the Razr. Imagine my disappointment when a Motorola representative told me bluntly that there is no adapter for a 3.5-inch audio jack. Several emails and phone calls later, I had a buddy of mine who's in the US to get me an adapter from a Cingular outlet. The adapter is pricey but I think it will be worth it in the long run. I don't know when I'll receive the adapter, so I'll bear with the Motorola earphones for now.

I'm perfectly happy with my Razr V3i. I use the iTunes function the most. Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?