I've had this MP3 player for years and have recommended it to several friends and family members. Even those less technologically minded have enjoyed using it, albeit having to refer to instructions occassionally! It has been consistently high-quality, apart from one instance of a crash early on, which was quickly remedied using the given instructions and has never recurred. I use it pretty much everyday and have never regretted purchasing it. Sound Quality I don't have a highly tuned ear for sound, but I've never noticed any tinniness or other sound problems. Performance I've had one of these crash on me once, but it's easy enough to reset and it has never done it again. Battery Life Battery life has been very good! Durability Brilliant - been using it for years now. Ease of Use Pretty easy to use - even my Nanna could work it and that's saying something. She liked it so much that I bought her her own! Design I like it, although it is pretty simple. If you like things a bit more jazzy, it isn't for you.

IsThisMe

USA

I love listening to music, and this mp3 player works so well! I've had other players before, but they just did not stand up to this one. The sound quality is fantastic. I can sync all of my songs to it without any issues; the storage is great. It's very easy to navigate my way through.

Leigh1779

USA

I was in the market for a new MP3 player/ipod 3 years ago.  After researching and reading reviews on several products, I finally settled on Philip's GoGear 8GB model.  I have found it to be an excellent MP3 player, and it's lived up to the reputation I read about it! It is quite easy to load music, videos, and pictures onto the player.  I was able to purchase Nim's Island when it first came out (yes, I have owned it for a while now!) and several other movies to watch on it.  The screen is small enough to not make the player bulky, yet big enough to the video is clear.  I can also store plenty (hundreds) of pictures and songs.  Though I don't use it on a daily basis, I do enjoy using it on long plane rides - which I take many of! - and for listening while exercising or laying in bed.  It still looks brand new, thanks to the thin yet very-protective case it came with.  Overall I would definitely recommend it to a friend.  Oh, and did I mention that the battery life is GREAT?? 

allaround

Warren, MI

I bought 2 of these MP3 players, one for my 16 yr old daughter, and one for me. We couldn't be happier. We bought the 4GB and we can fit around 1000 songs on it. You can also put movies and TV shows on it to watch, which is what my daughter likes to do. That way no matter where she happens to be she has music and something to watch if she chooses. This is great for going to Grandma's! But I think the best thing about this awesome little device is how long it stays charged! You can listen to this thing all night long and it will still be going in the morning! Trust me, my teenage daughter has put this to the test! With it being so small, it's convenient to take absolutely anywhere that you want to go. This device can also hold pictures, it has a built in radio, and a voice recorder. I also like to put audio books on mine and listen to them while I work out. 

Pamelasb

Dayton, OH

This MP3 player was purchased for my husband. He owns the original, basic iPod that doesn't have a screen. He rarely uses it because he doesn't enjoy it and it doesn't hold very many songs compared to the newer models. Price wise, I wasn't about to purchase a newer, better iPod. This MP3 player was, however, a great alternative. The nice thing about this is (I bought the Raga) it comes with a sport cover and a sports band as well as earbuds that also wrap around your ear. Those aren't very cute, but they stay in better and are far more comfortable than traditional ear buds. If you like those, though, they can work with the Raga. This is a 4GB MP3 player so it holds a TON of songs which is ideal for not having to change out your music frequently. It comes with the Phillips songbird program. This MP3 player cannot be used in itunes but it can be used to convert songs from your itunes to play on your MP3 player so you don't have to relaod all of your music from itunes to a different program. You do, however have to wait a while for it to convert your songs and then load them onto the player. The screen is a little fuzzy. There is a locking mode, which is perfect if you have little kids or if you are worried about it getting bumped and changing songs which is nice, but seems a little pointless. Overall we have been very happy with this purchase and think it is a really great alternative to an ipod.

boachs

Lehi, UT

When looking for an MP3 player, most people just run out and grab whatever latest i-Product Apple has in stores no matter what absurdly overpriced amount they happen to be asking for old tech that has the same features as many other lesser known brands of mp3 player. One of those lesser known brands happens to be Phillips, and their lesser known line of what basically can be summed up as i-pod lites. Phillips Gogear players have any of the same features as the more costly alternatives with a much cheaper price tag. They also have plenty of hard drive space for songs, as a player with a larger storage amount, such as the 4gb and 8gb varieties will cost much less than an i-pod with a similar amount of space, thereby allowing a model with a larger HD to be purchased in the first place. Personally, I get an mp3 player to listen to tunes, not to do 3973893 different things I care little about. As long as it does what its supposed to well, I could care less about other features. While the Phillips GoGear players also have video capabilities, I rarely use them, and the useable video formats are both obscure, and annoying to convert video into. Also, the earbuds that come with the players are simply horrible. Cheap, hard, and for some strange reason waaaay too wide to properly fit comfortably in my ears, or the ears of anyone else I've ever met. Who exactly were they made for, I wonder? Extraterrestrials? Ear-Fisting Enthusiasts? Ross Perot? Perhaps time will tell. Until an answer is found, I'd advise the additional purchase of a decent pair of earbuds/headphones of the buyer's choice to be used with this player. On the plus side, the player is quite resilient, as I've had mine for nearly three years now and its still kicking. Most people I know with pricier i-pods can't say that. 

residentevildoer

Atkins, VA

  I entered the MP3 world about 5 years ago with a refurbished 2nd generation 2G iPod.  I was really happy with it and it met my needs until a couple of months ago when I went to put on more music and it was full. Oh, boy.  I am pretty tech-savvy, but I still wanted the advice of my 24 year old, Air Force son.   I was leaning toward an iPod until he told me that the new ones could only be used on one computer.  If your computer broke that you originally used it on, you would be out of luck.  He is a Google-ite and recommended some items to me, but non got very good reviews.  He did start me thinking of iPod alternatives, so with research, I landed on the Phillips Go Gear 16G.  With a memory card, I now am packing 32G.   The Go Gear is much simpler to use than an iPod.  Its touch screen can be a bit sensitive, but having never had a touch screen before, am getting used to it.  I no longer have to go through iTunes anymore, unless I want to, to load it.  I can simply drag-and-drop.  It also supports MANY more file types, so there is less need to convert files to a readable version.   The screen is crystal-clear, the sound is awesome.  I still use my 2G for workouts, as I am not sure how the Go Gear will hold up to jogging, but I do use the Go Gear for everything else, from plugging into the car speakers, plugging into portable speakers in the kitchen, having on the go for kids to watch movies, or plugging straight into the TV (through an HDMI plug) to watch.  This is one great little item.

schoolinall3

Saint Clair Shores, MI

I love my Philips GoGear MP3 player.  Some may overlook it because it isn't the brand name they are used to hearing when it comes to MP3 players, but it can do everything the others can do and then some.  I like the sleep look and the small size.  I love that I don't have to have my library on my computer and I love that I don't have to sync it.  I take it with me everywhere, in the car, in the office, to the gym.  It had the ability to play the radio long before others.  It was so easy to use, it took nothing to set up.  I can get music and videos from almost anywhere.  There don't seem to be as many accessories like covers etc... available, but I don't really need the extra stuff anyway.  The battery life is awesome.  I am not a big fan of how long it takes to shut off.  I really like that it works very much the same way as a flash drive so it is easy to organize songs, videos and pictures into categories.  It would be nice if I could download in more formats.

cygrider

South Bend, IN

So I really wanted an IPOD for Chrirstmas a few years ago but instead I got a Philips Go Gear.  The thing works but there are a few quirks with it. It freezes up sometimes, if you dont tap the play button just right it shuts off, and the reset button doesn't always work right. Other than that it has a standard Micro usb charging port so I can charge it with my PS3 cords or most charging cables I have around the house.  It holds over 200 songs. It has a unique playlist option.  It holds my pictures too.  It has a small lcd, but it is portable and light weight for the gym.  It syncs well to my car stereo with a standard auxillary cable.  It is no IPOD, but you dont have to sync it to Itunes to get your music. It syncs well with Windows Media player and it is pretty easy to do. If you need something for functionality not looks or the latest and greatest, than this is the way to go. The price is right and it plays music, what more could you ask for.   If I need my MP3 player to have cool applications etc. I just use my Android Phone.  The good thing about a cheapy is if you lose it at the Gym etc. you are not out 200 bucks.

chizenista

Toledo, OH

I bought this mp3 player at about ten pm. I really just wanted something that played music. It as my intention to use it that night. First problem was you had to use software to get music that you had to pay a monthly fee for. After it charged I couldn't get the software to work. I called customer service of course it was closed but to my delight they had an online chat until 2am. So I asked my question to a representative. After waiting twenty minutes for a response, she asked me for all the details (serial numbers, brand, etc..) Afer all that her answer was to call customer service in the morning. I finally got the mp3 player to work after a few hours. But as I was putting songs on it I realized that every ten songs either the software or the mp3 player locked up. I continued to try to put songs on it and after about three days got about a hundred on it. Then it wouldn't let me put one song past a hundred on it when it was supposed to hold around four hundred songs. I imediately went and returned the mp3 player and I will never in my life buy another Phillips product. Funny thing is customer service finally replied to my question today, about six weeks after calling.

vsullaway

Edmond, OK