Monday, June 29, 2009

Latte Espresso Touchscreen Media Player, 16gb. My Review!

Latte looks like they want to move up the ladder in the touchscreen player market. Target.com sells this beautiful 3" touchscreen Espresso model in 8gb and 16gb versions for $120 and $150 respectively. No cutting costs on hardware features, as this player features a G-sensor, Haptic Feedback, Voice and FM Recording, and FM broadcast to any nearby FM radio. Target listed a microSD card slot, but my Espresso DID NOT have one. Target also lists a calendar app which doesn't exist on the Espresso.
The packaging is a nice change from plastic blister packs. Slide the top off to find the player. Lift out the player to find the normal contents beneath. You'll find a standard USB to mini-USB cable, some nice sounding in-canal earbuds, a user manual, warranty card, and coupon for 50 free songs. The earbuds appear to be well made and designed to compliment the Espresso's style. They come with uneven length cables to the buds which makes them easy to wrap behind your head. They also came with a nice net bag and spare set of tips. As a bonus they also sound Great. Good bass, plenty loud, external sound isolating, no audible noise, and expressive across the audio spectrum. They are on sale for $5.99 at Lattezone.com (regular $14.99) though, so don't be upset if they sound or look cheap to you. The only external control is the Power/Play/Pause/Hold slider. On the same end you'll find the USB and headphone jack. There is a small reset hole just around the corner. I love the way the Espresso looks, with a clean simple bronze body evenly framing the 3" touchscreen. The back and sides appear to be aluminum with a fine bevel between them . The front screen surround is plastic. The back is brushed, and the overall finish does a good job at not showing fingerprints. If you care about where your headphone jack is, then the Espresso has the perfect solution. The internal G-sensor knows where down is, and no matter how your rotate it the icons and apps all rotate to stay upright. The main menu is a simple array of icons. A tap takes you to either the files list for the app or right into the (radio) player. There is a nice haptic vibration to confirm your selection. Music. This Latte will play back MP3, WMA, FLAC, APE, and AAC (no DRM) files. I've tried MP3, WAV, WMA, and FLAC with success, although it wouldn't play lossless WMA files. The music app is nearly complete. Missing is the ability to advance to any part of a song. There doesn't appear to be gapless playback. I couldn't find any playlist support in the manual or on the device, but there is an option to add songs to a single favorites list. The now-playing screen lets you tap between album art, a graphic equalizer, EQ/bitrate/repeat/shuffle info, or the ID3 info including title, album, and artist. There is a large PLAY/PAUSE button, with track and volume buttons smaller and along the right side (or top in portrait view). You also get an A-B button, lyrics toggle, settings icon, and BACK (previous screen) icon. Finding a single song in a long list is a tedious process. There is no reliable way to jump to a relative position in a list, and with no swipe or fast scroll of the list the touchscreen capabilities are underutilized. Yet this music app is better than most I've seen on budget Chinese media players. I've been enjoying a shuffle though my music collection as I write this. Music gets a B+.

Video. Video format includes AVI, WMV, RM, RMVB, and FLV. Video is the only visual media to not rotate to portrait view. You can still flip the headphone end from right to left and the video will flip. I've tried WMV and AVI files on the Espresso, and although they play there is occasional frame drop. Audio will also get slighly out-of-sync. This may be no problem with videos formatted to fit the native resolution of the screen. My videos were all 480 x 272 or larger. The screen resolution is 420 x 240, but the user manual claims videos up to 800 x 480 (AVI) will play. This is no OLED screen, but videos look decent, and are certainly watchable. The resolution is slighty below what other 3" players feature, but on such a small screen the difference is not apparent. On a side note, the new (and expensive) Sony Walkman 3" t0uchscreen player has the same resolution yet worse video codec/format support. Video playback gets a B-.
Photos. You can view JPEG, BMP, and GIF images. You can rotate the screen, but images don't auto-rotate to fit the screen, nor will they reliably rotate as the screen rotates. There is a one-step zoom option. You can pan around a zoomed image, but screen response is slow and a bit unpredictable. Images looks fine on the screen though, when you can avoid glare. This app is immature, and my experience suggests it won't be updated. Photo display gets a C+.
Text. TXT files can be read. You get three font sizes, as three font colors to choose from. The text will rotate as you turn the player for landscape or horizontal views. Legibility depends on the background and font color you choose, but text is crisp on the 420 x 240 screen. Moving through a large text file isn't as easy as it could be. It should be easy enough to throw a grocery list on the player, though you can't create one on the player itself. Text gets a C+.

FM Radio. Works as expected. You can tune manually or let it autotune and select by preset stations. The presets page irritatingly doesn't let you pick a preset and jump to it, but it does let you delete or add stations easily. No RDS info. No HD radio tuning. Reception will vary depending on your headphones and orientation, as the headphone cable serves as the FM antenna. You can also record off of FM. You get two quality settings. To my ears the high quality WAV recording produced sounds just like the song did playing over the air. It take RDS to get an A from me, so FM Radio gets a B.

Voice Recording. There are two quality settings and five level settings. Recordings are in the .WAV format. I have no idea where the mic is on the Espresso but facing the screen the pickup seemed to be fine. There was noticeable 'static' in my recording. I could hear it through the headphone both while recording and playing back what I'd recorded. Not enough to make the recording useless, but something that will keep this feature of the Espresso from replacing your dictation machine. You can pause and resume while recording, and choose to save or not save a recording you've just made. You'll need to go into the music app or explorer to find an play back your recordings. Voice Recording gets a C-.

Stopwatch is your bonus app. Very basic. No lap times, and only a single timer. It displays time down to 100ths of a second. You can pause and resume a timing. There is also a reset icon. The display will rotate as the device rotates. That's it. Nothing special. C.

Explorer is what explorer does. Have a grand tour of the files you've put on your player.

Settings. Among other things the Settings option lets you turn on or off haptic response and the G-sensor. You can change or disable the backlight and power OFF timings. You'll also find your background choices here. Photo slide show timing is also here, although it would have been more useful in the Photo app.
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Summary. I strongly suggest you use a soft tipped stylus with the Espresso. It's hard to be precise enough with a fat finger as the small icon/targets demand. Otherwise I find this Latte a good value for the money. FM broadcast from a media player is very convenient, and it works well on the Espresso. You can set the frequency you want to broadcast at, and any FM radio with 30 feet or so should be able to play your music. A cheaper alternative to wireless audio than Bluetooth although not as versatile. It's not as nice a player as the Samsung P2 or P3, but you get twice as much memory capacity for the same money. Target seems to have the best price on them right now, but don't trust their description. There is NO memory slot and no calendar on the Espresso. If you can get over that, I highly recommend Latte's Espresso.
4D

165 comments:

  1. does it come with a stylus?

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  2. No stylus included. I have several from other devices so I used one of those to test screen response. I'll admit that after calibrating the screen the stylus is no longer needed. Screen accuracy improved considerably.

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  3. I just bought one and when I plug it into the computer it is not recognized ... and eventually an error message pops up to the effect of "usb device power overload..."

    I have several other devices (mp3s, pmp, etc.) that work fine... think I have a defective unit!

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  4. Thanks for the review. Was wondering about it, since the format support sounds great (can even play my Oggs!), but one had written a review on Amazon yet. Seems like a reasonable device.

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  5. Cheers for the review,it looks like a pretty good device to get.

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  6. I'm enjoying mine, Hugo. Thanks for your comment. It's not as fancy or full featured as the Cowon S9 or Samsung P2/P3, but for the money it's well made and perfectly functional.

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  7. Does it have flash memory or an internal hard drive?

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  8. Flash Memory. No Hard Drive. Thanks for visiting, Sciblerus.

    4D

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  9. Thank you so much! im saving up to get one. i mainly dont use the voice recording, fm radio, and video as often I most others would. But the Photo, setting, and music/lyric/txt section is alot of help! THANK YOU!

    bamboopakiipanda

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  10. Hi, great site.
    Quick question, does it come with games or has the option to download games?

    Thanks. Jose.

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  11. No games included, and I don't expect Latte to provide any in a firmware update or for download. It's a nice little player with more potential than it uses, but at the low price it sells for I wouldn't expect anything more.

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  12. I'm really looking forward to getting one,just one question. Does it sync up to your Media Player or iTunes libraries?

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  13. J3T, it will work with Windows Media Player, and several other media apps. Not iTunes though. The music from your iTunes library will play (drag and drop it to the Latte) so long as it isn't DRMed.

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  14. Whats the loest price and or gigabyte

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  15. You'll have to shop around for the best price. At the time I write this Target.com has the 16gb version for $110. Check between Amazon.com and Target.com.

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  16. Iam waiting for mine to ship. Good review. I previously had an 8gb Latte Communications M3. It was very good. Only problem was files eventually went corrupt after staying on the player.

    Gavin

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  17. how do you know when the device is charging.Because when i connect it to my computer it shows a computer and a play sign

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  18. That graphic simply means it's connected, and if it's connected it will be charging. The only exception would be if you had it plugged into an un-powered USB hub.

    4D

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  19. "You can set the frequency you want to broadcast at, and any FM radio with 30 feet or so should be able to play your music."

    I just got one and am having issue with this. I can't get it to work.

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  20. Frances: You'll need have the headphones plugged into the player when broadcasting, as they act as the broadcast antenna. Reception will improve greatly, but vary depending on the placement and length of the headphone cable.

    4D

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  21. Can you put games on this device from the itunes app store and play them like on the ipod touch?

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  22. You'll need an iPod Touch or iPhone to play iTunes apps. As far as I know there are no other devices besided Apple products that play ipod games.

    The Latte is a media player, and at this moment in time it doesn't have any games.

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  23. I love the Review! I think that the Espresso could have been found at a lower price though, so I check on amazon and them lowest they have it is the 4Gb version for... $74.99

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  24. would this be a good gift for a 12 year old?

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  25. I don't have a 12 year old so don't accept my advice as law, but I would have loved one when I was 12.

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  26. while you are chargin the device, can you use it?

    also, what is your best recomendation of headfones to use with this device?

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  27. I Like Sennheiser and Sony branded headphones. I suggest researching them at amazon.com by reading user reviews. What you can get varys greatly with the money you have to spend.

    I can't find away to play mine while it's plugged into my PC, but it may be playable when plugged into an AC>USB charger. You'll simply need to test it yourself.

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  28. Can I buy a USb wall charger adapter?

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  29. Uhm... yes. Just get one rated at 5v DC, 500ma (or higher). It should have a USB jack on it you can plug any USB powered device into.

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  30. My mom bought me the player for Christmas. How do you add videos to the player?

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  31. 1. Find a Video you want to watch on the Espresso.
    2. Make sure it's in one of these formats: AVI, RMVB, RM, FLV, WMV, 3GP, MPG, DAT, or MP4.
    3. Make sure it's resolution doesn't exceed 400 x 240. 30fps.
    4. If 2 and 3 are true, then copy and paste the video into the Video folder on the Espresso.
    5. If one or both of 2 and 3 are not true, then you'll need a converter to convert the video you have to one that matches 2 and 3.

    Do a Google search for Handbrake. It is software that can convert videos.

    I hope that helps. You may need to do some more research to get it all figured out. Good luck.

    4D

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  32. It also runs FLV video files.

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  33. I just received my Latte. Can anyone help me with downloading music. I transferred music from iTunes and the music appeared in the explorer section.There is no option to play music in the explorer section. If anyone can help me with this I would appreciate it.

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  34. Itunes DRMed files won't play. Music files that will play should open in the Music app if you tap on them in the browser.

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  35. I can't get AAC files to play at all on my Espresso 8GB, is there anything I can do?

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  36. iTunes AAC files that have DRM in them won't ever play. iTunes has an option you can replace than with DRM-free versions for 30 cents each. That or you can burn your DRMed files to a CD, the rip them back off to AAC no-drm or some other format like MP3.

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  37. Hi, I just bought the 4Gb Latte Espresso and it's currently in shipping, and I kinda just found out it has no playlist function except for the "favorites" option. I can't find a software upgrade on their site either. Is there any other possible way to organize playlists/ music in the player, like separating folders while loading it from the computer? I'm a bit bummed out.. lol

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  38. Is there a tv out?

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  39. It comes with "FM Transmitter"
    It's cool to play your songs on the radio.

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  40. does it have a built in stereo speaker??

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  41. No, Mactavish. You'll need to bring your own speakers if you don't want to wear earbuds.

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  42. do u recomend for a 11 year old?

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  43. I think most 11 year olds would love to have this player. If your the parent, you might want to get some volume limiting ear buds for them though. Kids can damage their hearing without realizing it by playing the volume too high from any MP3 player.

    4D

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  44. I am thinking about asking for one for my birthday, and do you think it would be a good media player for road-trips, or long drives? Because that is mainly what I want it for...

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  45. Sure it will. You might want a 12 volt to USB Charger.

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  46. if i have i tunes and windows media player can i transfer music from windows media player even though i have i tunes on tht pc?

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  47. Yes. There is nothing about iTunes that stops Windows Media Player from working. Some of your itunes music may not play on the Latte. It depend on if it has DRM in it. DRM'ed songs won't play.

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  48. Walmart doesn't stock them, but if you go to walmart.com you can order it site to store. $88 for 8GB $98 for 16 GB

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  49. Did you say there was no fast forward function?

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  50. Ive read several reviews for this and is it true that skipping ahead in videos cause thr soundto unsync with the video?

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  51. There is no simple FFwd. There is a red slider bar at the top edge that works unreliably to let you slide to a relative position in a video.

    Yes, you can get out of sync. It mostly happens with videos that are larger in resolution than the native resolution of the screen.

    4D

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  52. i got 1 and don't know if i can add backgrounds on to. HOW!?

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  53. You have a choice of wallpapers in the Setting menu. I haven't found a way to use my own photos though.

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  54. is there a place to load backgrounds for my latte espresso touchscreen media player?

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  55. what do i do when one side of the g-sencor is not working?

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  56. how do you get the lyrics on there

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  57. I'm sorry, but I don't bother with lyrics.
    As for the G-sensor, try sticking an unbent paper clip end into the reset holes on the bottom. There is also a calbration option under Settings>System Setting, as well as a Reset All Settings option. Give them a try. If nothing works, take it back for a refund.

    4D

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  58. great site, thanks for the info! really helps.

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  59. what are some of the things u can make the pmp better?

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  60. How to make a better PMP? Three parts:
    1. Ergonomic physical design. It should be easy to hold and the access to controls should be obvious and simple.
    2. Every Media app it offers should be first rate. Great codec support. Great output quality. Complete access to info and related settings/options within each app.
    3. The Price should be fair for the features you get.

    Those three things are a good place to start. Then throw in some original thinking. Try and set your PMP apart from all the others with some unique feature that is very valuable.

    4D

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  61. i know u don't bother with lyrics, but can u tell me how to put on lyrics?

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  62. I'm sorry, Anonymous. I am not technical support for Lattefone or any other manufacturer. If I could help you I would, but I know nothing about how to put lyrics on the Latte. From their online manual:

    Lyric: This player support “LRC” type lyric files. Lyrics can be displayed isochronously while playing music. The Lyric file must be in the same folder as the music file and have the same name as the music file. E.g.: Track1.MP3 and Track1.LRC. When a song is selected and the lyric file for the song is available, the lyrics will be displayed. Touch icon to display lyrics.

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  63. do you know whats up when the player doesnt charge even after like three days on the computer

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  64. Sorry, Anonymous. Have you tried charging it with an AC>USB adapter? Without seeing your Latte and PC in person I don't have any way to figure out why.

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  65. i have heard reports of this freezing alot, is it true? if so how do i prevent it?

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  66. Whenever mine has frozen up it was due to an invalid file type that I tried to play or a defective file. After a reset I'd plug into my PC and delete whatever I'd been playing (or tryied to) and that would eliminate the problem. The best way to avoid defective files is to make sure nothing is being written to the Latte when it is unplugged. Properly (Safely) eject it each time.

    4D

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  67. mine will not load album art work, i was really excited to get this so i am hoping some one will help.

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  68. You'll need your art embedded in the music files. Look for MP3tag or similar programs to find and insert art into the MP3 files, and then reload them to the player.

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  69. I just bought my 10 yr. old daughter this MP3 Player and when I plug it into the computer it is not recognized ... and eventually an error message pops up. I seen where someone else is having this same problem any suggestions? It happens on both of my computers when I connect it. HELP Please!

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  70. Sounds like either a bad cable or a bad player. Since you tried on two computers we can rule out your USB ports. If you happen to have any other device with a similar cable you should try that. Another possiblity is that the battery is completely discharged. Plug it in and leave it for an hour or two. It may come alive once it gets some charge and then your PC will see it. If none of this works, send it back for a refund. If you bought it through Target you should be able to take it to your nearest store for a refund.

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  71. I thoroughly enjoy mine! I agree that the earbuds sound great, but have switched off to regular earphones (hate having things in my ears--feel like they are going to fall out). I would like to find firmware for it that would allow me to change from 24 hour time, but I'll survive :) Thanks for the great review!

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  72. WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY,THE ABILITY TO ADVANCE TO ANY PART OF THE SONG? DO YOU MEAN THAT IF I WANT TO GE TO THE MIDDLE OF MY SONG I CANT JUST FAST-FORWARD???? PLEASE TELL ME BEFORE I BUY.!

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  73. I mean there is no way to fast forward or jump to another part of a song when it is playing. To get to the middle of a song you have to wait for it to play to that point.

    4D

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  74. Well thankyou that was very helpful. I am still considering purchasing the item, thats only one negative to about 20 postives.

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  75. I'm thinking about getting this is a good player

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  76. Good review; also about the only place on the 'net to find real info about the player. I just bought the 8gb Espresso and I find it a decent replacement for a more expensive toy. One thing i've found: you can fast forward through a song, just hold the "next" button (the >> button) and it advances 10 seconds at a time.

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  77. Thanks for your comment, Stretch. Yes, the posts of mine that get the most hits/comments are those for devices that are sold cheap and nobody else cares to review them. And thanks for the 10-second tip. It is greatly appreciated.

    4D

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  78. okay i have some questions...first i was on youtube veiwing videos of what this mp3 player could do and everyone i saw they had to keep going to this thing called frequency out and then click on, do you have to do that every time?? Also can you download the songs from my itunes playlist from my computure to it??

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  79. Re-read my Summary. The Latte has an FM transmitter which will brooadcast it's audio to a nearby radio. Intended for and great in a car. The Youtube videos were either simply demonstrating it, or using it for audio output so no headphone or speaker cable had tobe in the shot.

    The Latte plays AAC non-drm files. I don't know if it will play M4A files.

    4D

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  80. I mainly listen to podcasts on my mp3 player, some of which are 1-2 hours long. So I like to have the ability to bookmark a podcast if I have to stop listening in the middle and be able to start back up from the spot where I stopped. Does this have a function to bookmark a file and start from that spot next time you listen?

    Thanks.

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  81. This Latte doesn't have bookmarking that I can find. It offers to resume videos at the last spot played, but not MP3 files.

    You might want to consider the Cowon J3. Not as cheap, but a far better player with up to 256 bookmarks per music or video or text file.

    4D

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  82. 2002 xp pc, itunes music with mpeg and aac kind of music, found one at target for 59 bucks, 4 gigs, just a casual listener, is it worth it

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  83. For $59 the Latte isn't a bad deal. Hang onto your receipt though. Target stores don't usually carry them and that may be a returned one.

    4D

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  84. I was wondering which was the overall all better mp3 player the Latte ivu or the Latte expresso ??

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  85. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  86. It is very good comment.
    I have a 16Gb model that does everything it promissed. The only problem I have is that txt files in russian (even the ones created using a notepad) cannot be opened. Do you know a solution to this?
    Thanks

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  87. Sorry, Vladimir. I don't have a Russian TXT file to test, but imagine the document reader simply doesn't have russian character support.

    4D

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  88. Can you get a different color? Im not sure if i like the "gun metal"

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  89. Color? Not that I know of. Feel free to paint one though. Most people never thing of that, and in reality the surface is already nothing more than paint. Just carefully mask off the screen and ports, and wipe it down with alcohol or lacquer thinner first.

    4D

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  90. Does anybody know how to do a factory reset where it erases everything. I have been getting issue with the fm radio not playing so I want to reset it factory settings to see if that resolves the issue. I've try the reset button and reset all but I want to wipe clean

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  91. I have a cracked screen. I would like to know if you could provide me with pictures of and/or give me step by step instructions of each menu when you turn on the player. I know this sounds cheap of me but i am a full-time student who work part-time! I have a library that is dear to me and would like to retrieve it. Please Help!

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  92. To remove the files all you need to do is plug the device into your PC and copy them back to the PC. If it is your content, then all the content should already be on your PC, as the Latte has no way to get content on its own.

    4D

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  93. Walmart has the best price for 16GB, and a compatible accessories kit by Ematic.

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  94. Good review, thanks for the info regarding the SD slot. Close call, with respect to quality -vs- price. I really like the Samsung player but the price is steep. I would agree it comes down to what you want to do with the product.

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  95. I am looking to buy one of these, the only thing I am worried about is the screen not being big enough. Is the screen big enough? Is it very responsive?

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  96. The screen is 3" inches diagonally. I don't know what "big enough" has to be for you, Jonathan. For such an inexpensive player I find it responsive enough. Please note my comment to use a soft-tipped stylus. Some of the targets are very small. I blame that on the software, not the size of the screen.

    4D

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  97. I know you already answered a previous question about bookmarking mp3's, I too listen to voice podcasts and audiobooks in mp3 format, these are often very long, much longer than songs. I don't need to bookmark multiple audiobooks, I just want to know if I stop any mp3 file in the middle of the file, or turn off the player in the middle of a mp3 file, will it start playing at the point where it left off or will it restart at the beginning of that mp3 file?

    Thanks!
    Wretha

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  98. I just tested mine, and it has a "resume play" option in the music app that does exactly what you want, Wretha. It starts up the last played MP3 file right where you left off. That is after turning off the player when the file was playing.

    4D

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  99. Thank you so much for testing this, for me, that's the most important feature, I appreciate what you are doing here, I'll check out your other reviews too. :)

    Wretha

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  100. Oh, almost forgot, what is the website URL for this company and this specific player?

    Thanks,
    Wretha

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  101. Lattefone.com is their website.

    4D

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  102. a have broke screen can be replace

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  103. nice player overall. however, only ceratin flv files will play and with text files, only with certain files will be shown thouraghly. half of the files will go a few pages into the files and then act as if it is the end. help???

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  104. Thanks for your comments, Anonymous. FLV files that play on the web but not on your Latte simply are trying to do something that the Latte doesn't allow (like accessing more data on the web). Delete them and keep looking for others that do play.

    TXT files can not have any formatting info in them. The Latte won't know what to do if it find a "new paragraph" command in a file and would probably just quit as you describe. Make sure the content is simple ASCII text, and not a DOC or other wordprocessed file just renamed as a TXT file.

    Hope that helps.

    4D

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  105. Does this thing have text messaging?

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  106. No Text Messaging. You would need at least WiFi to send a message. It supports viewing of TXT (simple text) files though. Not the same.

    4D

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  107. omg thankyou so much wait if you have wifi can you send someone a message on it yes or no plz i need to know

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  108. No Susan. The Latte does NOT have a WiFi radio in it, so no text messaging.

    4D

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  109. Can you view lyrics while listining to music?

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  110. Can you block your files? like.. put a password or hide them?

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  111. How long of a battery life does it have? and how long of a charge does it need before it's fully juiced? How long can I watch videos on it before it drains?

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  112. Marsh:
    From http://www.lattefone.com/newproduct/pmp_espreso_tech.html.

    "Music : Approx. 8~10 hours
    Video : Approx. 4 hours"

    From the user manual you can find on their site: "Charging time is approximately 4 hours for a fully charge."

    4D

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  113. Great review! Have you found any way to get more playlists on this thing besides the "My Favorites" list? This is my only big gripe with this player. Thanks.

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  114. Thanks, Anonymous.

    Sorry, but I haven't even been looking for a playlist hack. I'll agree a great player should have better playlist support. This is still a good value at it's price point though.

    4D

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  115. Is there any way to create folders instead of playlists that can be played? I REALLY need a playlist feature/some way to organize some songs.

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  116. Yes, the Espresso will play through a folder of songs if you find the folder using EXPLORER, an app you can get to by tapping on OTHERS from the home screen. It is not perfect, but will work.

    4D

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  117. Could you use it with an ipod touch speaker?

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  118. Only if the speaker has an AUX input and you have a 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo patch cable.

    4D

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  119. Will notepad work for creating compatible text files? Also how do you embed the cover art and lyrics to a song in the audio file its self so that they will be displayed when the file is accessed by the player? Is it different for every file format? Can it be done without any software?

    Mersaveous

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  120. Mersaveous,

    Notepad should work fine. I can't answer about lyrics as I don't use them. The best was to add album art to songs is to use MP3tag or iTunes IMO. They will look on the web for art and add it. Just looking at a file's properties will reveal and let you edit many other details contained in a music file.

    4D

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  121. I am considering buying the latte espresso. its seems fairly decent for the price however i have a few questions before i spend my money. first, is it easy to buy iTunes music and switch in onto the device? ive never done so before on other devices and i want to make sure its possible and not a frustrating task. Also, what are the screen dimensions? Ive seen 3" but how big the other way? are there other ways of uploading music other than iTunes or cd's, that is still simple?

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  122. iTunes music with no DRM can be played on the Latte. iTunes itself will not work for transferring music to the player though. You can use Windows media player to sync media to it, simply drag and drop media to the player using windows explorer, or research other media players available on the web that might work with most non-Apple players. You have choices. That makes it simple.

    4D

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  123. My Latte Espresso fell the second day I got it and it wouldn't work, that really irritated me. Is there any way to fix it?

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  124. Not knowing what isn't working, your best bet would be to send it back as defective. If you bought it through target.com, you can take it back to your local Target store. Show them your receipt, and tell them it is not working.

    4D

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  125. Can you upload songs and games for this mp3 player from itunes?
    --By the way, great site

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  126. Not from iTunes directly, d0fb. Drag and drop, or use Windows Media Player. No games that it will play, just media.

    4D

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  127. hi!

    i am having problem with my latte espresso, i received my espresso last dec 2010 and i enjoyed using it especially the radio and mp3, but just two weeks ago when it started to have an error. it can't search for any frequency on radio. i've tried to change the search location but sadly, nothing happen. i dont know why and what to do. please help me guys.... (errors occurs even with headset) thanks in advnce!

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  128. Sometimes electronics fail. One minor short in a contact could be the problem, but without a microscope you may never find it. I'd recommend keeping it as a music player, but start saving for your next device with a radio.

    4D

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  129. would burning cds on itunes let you transfer them to the player?

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  130. Burning iTunes songs to a CD simply gets you a CD with those songs on it. If they were copy protected, then re-ripping them from that CD into MP3s will get you songs that aren't copy protected. This won't help if iTunes simply doesn't see the Latte Espresso as a destination to sync to.

    4D

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  131. if you put a cd on your computer and add the songs on it to itunes will you be able to download it from there onto the espresso?

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  132. You'll need to find where iTunes saves the songs on your PC. Open the folder, then you can drag and drop those songs from your PC to the MUSIC folder on the Espresso.

    4D

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  133. can you confirm that i can use it in car with the fm transmitter (no headphones). also that can do a resume play within an mp3 file (eg within long podcast)
    tahnsk . great comments on your blog !

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  134. Can't guarantee FM connection. Cars, radios, and their antennas vary so much. Works in my car though.

    Resume should work. Not sure how well it works on long files though.

    4D

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  135. My espresso 16 gig screen cracked. Can anyone tell me if they are replaceable. The screen that is. I was thinking of finding a used 4 gig and putting screen on my 16.

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  136. Hello, I was wondering, I have a picture I would like to upload as my wallpaper, but have no Idea how to. Any help? I have read feedback and reviews for the past week but have found nothing that deals my problem. I have posted my question on answers.yahoo.com and have searched for it on ask.com, but have gotten no feedback.

    Thank you,
    Anonymous

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  137. Apparently the included wallpaper choice are system level which users have no access to. I could find no way to use a photo I added to the Latte as wallpaper. Sorry.

    4D

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  138. Well, this IS a nice review. I bought the 4GB version of the Espresso before I read this, but I do have question about it, and since this is the only place I've found with any sort of troubleshooting, I figured the i'd ask you:

    I've had my 4GB player since March for about $60, and it normally works fine. However, in the past few days, when I connect the device to my PC (a Windows XP computer that's about 5 years old), it shows the connection graphics (with the laptop, dots, and then the "play" symbol) for a few seconds, the computer registers it as being connected, and then the device acts as if I used the "safely remove hardware" function and left it plugged in, with the "charging" graphic (just a battery with three bars).

    I figured that this was a glitch in the player, so I pressed thh "reset" button, yet this didn't fix the problem. I know it's not the USB cable, since I've used 3 different cables so far, and I'm fairly certain that the computer isn't the problem because the device still recognizes that it's charging, so it is still connected.

    Do you have any ideas as to what the problem might be, and how I might fix it?

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  139. Power comes over different lines than data does. Ypu've eliminated the cable as the problem, so that leave the USB port on your PC or the USB port on the Latte as the problem. If possible try the cable and the device on another port or even a different computer. It could be a bad connection in the USB ports on either end. If you have the same result on another PC then it sounds like the connection port on the latte may have a short. If it connects fine on another PC then it is your XP's USB port to blame. Some things just wear out.

    4D

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  140. Okay, I'll try that. Thanks!

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  141. i just got a latte expresso plug the usb in and it dont read it what do u think it is thanks

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  142. @Anonymous: Try a different USB port. If that doesn't work, try a different cable. If that doesn't work try a different Expresso.

    You didn't mention what OS your PC uses, to that could even be the problem. In general, if it doesn't work with your gear then take it back for a refund.

    4D

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  143. hi im 12.i just saved up enough to get this.but i`ve been hearing alot of bad things about this.is it worth my money.i`m just worried because i like the look and everything else about it it`s just that some people say it is a peice of crap.

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  144. It's a decent player for the price. Most complaints come when you compare it to more expensive players. I enjoy mine. Keep your receipt just in case. If it doesn't please you then send it back for a refund.

    4D

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  145. Uh, can you send me a copy of the warranty cause I kinda threw it away by accident and I broke my screen and I'm pretty sure I had this for at least 7 months. Thanks sooo much I'll be your best friend forever <3 lol Well anyway, cool blog (;

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  146. I suggest you email support@latteglobal.com. If I had or could find a digital copy of the warranty I would post it here. All I could find was a user guide. Broken screens are usually not covered by warranties. Good luck.

    4D

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  147. Where can i find parts online for my espresso 16g? i need the screen and connections.

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  148. Parts? Sorry, but I don't have a clue. I'd contact support at www.lattefone.com. Might be easier to just invest in a new one.

    4D

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  149. You cannot put your own picture as your wallpaper! You can only use the wallpaper in the settings!

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  150. Great review. Very thorough and I wish I read it prior to purchasing my Espresso. None the less, I just got my player from Amazon for around $70 and so far the biggest disappointment was the lack of playlist capabilities.

    Coming from a Sansa View I've been pretty spoiled and have several playlists created.

    I figured out a work-around for the Espresso (although it is a bit time consuming). I created files with the title of my playlist in Explorer on my pc then copied the music files into that playlist.

    Then from Explorer I copied the entire file onto the player. It lists it as its own file and so I can play just like selecting a playlist. Hope this makes sense as an alternative option.

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  151. Mine is broken its stuck on the screen with the laptop and play symbol and wont turn off or do anything and its unplugged

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  152. Cory,

    That's unfortunate. Scan the body for a small reset hole. If that can't be found try holding down the power button for 10-15 seconds. Sometimes that will reset a device. Often a reset will "clear" a confused device to make it work again. If neither idea helps, it is probably time to look for a new player. Samsung has several android-based touchscreen players now that are all good investments.

    4D

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    Replies
    1. mine did that and i got a new one they just kept breaking ill never get another one try the zune or the trio they work amazing

      Delete
  153. How do I put music on there?

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  154. hey i have some questions is the audio quality good please reply my email spakundomundo@gmail.com

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  155. Audio quality is fine so long as good headphones are used.

    4D

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  156. Post is nicely written and it contains many good things for me. I am glad to find your impressive way of writing the post.

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  157. Is it easy to put music on the player? I have had the issue in the past with having to go through specific software to transfer music and I'm looking for a simple process like drag and drop for music.

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  158. Hi, I am planning on buying this mp3 player and I was wondering does it have the function when you can like go into the lift of songs and like scroll down the list by simply dragging your finger (kinda like on an ipod touch) or do you just have to click click click down the list?

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  159. i meant list...not lift

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    ReplyDelete