The Finis Swimp3 and the iRiver Underwater MP3 Player-Which is the Best?
It was only a matter of time before technology invaded our underwater recreation. After all, if runners and cyclists can have their music on long rides, why wouldn’t swimmers and divers want the same thing? Fortunately, several options have appeared on the market to fill this gaping void. Two of the best waterproof mp3 player choices, or at least best-selling, are the Finis Swimp3 and the iFP-380T iriver mp3 player.
Finis Swimp3
Finis Swimp3 underwater mp3 player
Inspired by a veteran professional swimmer with multiple Olympic credits and other titles to his name, this underwater mP3 player has a big fan club. The self-proclaimed ‘worldwide leader’ in swim equipment, Finis has a feature packed product fans rave about.
Bone Conduction Headphones
The 1 GB storage on this slick mp3 player is more than ample to make it through a mile or two in the water (about 15 hours of songs,) and the Swimp3 technology provides clear sound without the need to stick earphones or ear buds in your canal. Since the Finis Swimp3 has no need for waterproof headphones, it attaches to the goggles with secure clips and rests on the cheekbones. The technology takes advantage of ‘bone conduction,’ with sound waves traveling from the cheek bone to the sound receptors, as far as mp3 underwater technology goes this is on the needle point of technological advances, if you don’t believe it do yourself a little ‘ol mp3 searchy on other waterproof player reviews, you’ll find that this is the case wherever you look.
It is compatible with MP3 and WMA, and can be converted for iTunes. Considering the popularity of the Apple phenomenon, it would be nice if it were simply iTunes ready, but at least they included the option. Although the finis stores up to 250 songs, it has an eight hour battery life and does not come with the wall outlet charger, which needs to be purchased separately.
iFP-380T iRiver MP3 Player
The iRiver iFP-380T is really an iriver music player with a waterproof case. As far as mp3 waterproof cases go, this one is solid enough construction without being exorbitantly priced. It uses waterproof speakers and headphones to deliver the sound of whatever media the wearer is playing, and uses a single 9 volt battery for power.
Like the finis Swimp3, this underwater music player is ready for MP3 and WMA files, but this is where the comparison ends. In contrast to the Finis masterpiece, the iRiver only has enough juice for four hours of playing. Unless the wearer is swimming the English Channel, this is more than adequate, but may fall short if this device is also used on long car rides.
The iRiver also falls short on memory; only 128 MB compared to 1GB from its competitor. It does offer additional features not available from finis, though. One is the FM tuner, and the other is the built in Dictaphone (voice recorder.)
Which of these waterproof mp3 players is the best depends on what features are preferred, and which waterproof mp3 player reviews are to be believed. Is the familiar feeling of traditional earphones rather than waterproof earphones and the option to listen to FM radio important? Or is the idea of using the latest technology and minimizing superfluous equipment more appealing? So what are you waiting for? Get on you’re best swim fins and do what’s right, test both out in the store before making the final decision.