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Overview
Taking the Eratech EMP-Z 2 MP3 Player in my hand
the weight difference to
other MP3 Players I reviewed is very apparent. The wearable MP3
Player weighs only 24g with battery. It is small like a bigger
jewelry pendant measuring 45x53x17mm. It is shaped like an egg but
flat. The front shows the 4096 STN display in a round window. The
screen is smaller than the round area and on top and bottom is a
black stripe. The front cover is mirrored and bronze colored, giving
the player a nice shine - "high tech bling bling" so to say.
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The Eratech MPZ-II looks like
jewelry with its mirrored bronze colored front. |
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The headset acts as necklace. The
audio cable itself is the necklace. I reviewed other
necklace style headsets that had a separate string which
looks not as nice as this one. There is also a rubber neck piece
to keep the cable in place and make it comfortable to wear. The
necklace can also be adjusted in length with the rubber piece.
The Eratech or Beatsounds Player is designed to be comfortable
wearable all the time and be more seen as a fashion accessory or
jewelry piece. |
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The EMP-Z2 comes with a
comfortable necklace earphone. |
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Besides its looks and size the color
screen enhances the EMP-Z2 quite a bit. Below are several photos of
screens from the user interface, which uses fun 3d icons. The player
features a built-in Li-Ion battery that provides 10 hours of play
time. The battery recharges via USB. The USB cable plugs in instead
of the headset cable. It plays only MP3 files. No other formats are
supported. This is limitation that comes with the small size I
assume. The frequency range is 20-20,000hz and output is 6mW. The
player can come either with 128MB or 256MB.
A 5 mode equalizer, repeat play
options, Folder Management (max. 7) and ID3 Tag support are amongst
the main features. The EMP-Z II sounds decent.
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Earatech MPZ-II branded with beat
Sounds showing an uploaded image. |
Display Photos
This player can display
uploaded images during music playback, which is a fun feature. Nokia
has its line of
Medallion jewelry that also allows users to display digital
images on wearable technology. The
Smart
Watch (available at
ThinkGeek) also has a STN color screen to display photos. The
Eratech supports image sizes of 100x65px to be displayed on its
stamp size STN Color display. I tested it with some small jpgs as
seen in the above photo. The player comes with a little software
tool called Z-II Logo Editor. With the software the prepared images
are stored in a .raw file that needs to copied onto the player. The
tool provides a preview of the images. Images which are to large a
scaled, which also can change the aspect ratio and distort the
image. It is best to prepare 100x65pixel size images before loading
them into the Logo editor. I can upload more than one image. They
are stored all in the .raw file and the EMP-Z 2 is cycling through
them like a slide show, every couple of seconds.
This is a great way to personalize the device. To have the image
visible the backlight should be on. To have it visible all the time
during playback is of course going a "bit" on the battery.
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The Eratech MPZ-II logo Editor is
used to create a .raw file to upload to player. |
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Sample of a uploaded Image. Size:
100x65px |
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Usage
The tiny MP3 Player features
5 buttons on the bottom side. Play/Power On, Stop/Power Off, Mode
Setting/Flip Screen, Rew/Volume+ and FF/Volume-. On one side is also
a pinhole for reset. By default the mp3 player shows the song
display. The song title scrolls through. Battery life, repeat mode,
equalizer mode, file information and play time. Via the mode button
I can enter the graphical menu. I can also flip the screen with this
button to adjust the screen orientation, if I have the player around
my neck or hold it in my hand - good thinking here from Eratech
engineers.
The user interface of the menu uses
cool looking 3d icons. The player uses a rotating disc interface
metaphor, meaning the selected icon is bigger and looks closer then
the two next ones on the left and right. With the REW and FF button
I can either turn the disc left or right and bring the next icon to
the front. There is also a small animation effect that supports that
feel of turning this 3d icon disc. The icons are also animated and
some have two states. The icon is selected with the Play button.
Usually behind an icon is then a 2d options screen. This is the most
advanced User interface I have seen on an MP3 Player so far. It is
easy to use and for lack of a better words - ueber cool. See the
photos of the screens below for some samples of the menu UI.
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Information Display during Song play
back. |
Entering the Menu shows the Repeat
option with a 3d animated icon. |
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The equalizer icon is a headset in
the main menu disc. |
Entering the Equalizer each mode is
shown as a icon. |
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The system icon in the main menu. |
In the system menu is for instance e
the backlight configuration.. |
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Selecting the door icons exits the
menu. |
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Conclusion
This is my most favorite MP3 Player so far I have
reviewed. It stands out through several aspects like the shape and
size and low weight, color screen, image display and the fun 3d
menu. It is definitely, as Eratech calls it, a wearable MP3 player.
I can imagine to have this player around my neck all the time, and
with that have it always with me and its fashionable high tech bling
bling. Teenagers should go crazy over this device, but it also is
cool enough for the older target groups.
Only real downside is
that it only plays MP3s. Playing music with WMA DMA (Microsoft) or
Apples AAC (Apple itunes) is not possible.
Check out our Review Center for the latest MP3 Player Reviews
How to Buy
Beatsounds has distribution deals with Fry's
Electronics and Target (OEM).
The Eratech EMP-ZII is now on
sale in the USA at the
CoolMP3Store for $159 (256MB).
If
you see it somewhere else on sale please
email us.
Shop now for MP3 Player
About EraTech
ERATECH
(US: Beatsounds) suggests both "ERA" for making a new ERA and "TECH"
for superior TECHnology and is intended to imply leader of the
quickly changing digital world. ERATECH
has been established with advanced technologic and competitive
products since Feb, 2001 and being perfectly positioned to be one of
the world's recognized leaders in digital audio industry. Now
ERATECH is making amazing advances in research and development of
digital audio devices including voice recorder, audio recorder, and
MP3 player.
Bundles Accessories
- Earphone Adapter
- earphone necklace
- USB cable
- DC to USB connector
- CD
- Manual
Specifications
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MPZ-II's white back-side shows the
nicely designed headset plug that is a segment of the case. |
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Side view showing the 5 function
buttons. Play, Stop, Mode, Forward and Backward. |
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