I Gave Up My iPod for a Music Phone

The Tester
Darin R. Gehrke, 35, New York
Studio Potter and Art Instructor, Darin R. Gehrke Ceramics

The Challenge
Before replacing my iPod with the LG Muziq for a weekend, I was a bit cautious and skeptical. My music library has grown to about 9,000 songs, and using my iPod has become a daily ritual. I sometimes play drums with various bands, so I have playlists on my iPod customized for upcoming shows to help me rehearse in my head. But as the adventurous type, I decided to give this music phone a try.

 

Facing the Muziq
Shortly after I received the LG Muziq phone, I started downloading tracks from the Sprint Music Store, since I wasn't near my computer. Reluctantly, I disconnected my headphones from my iPod and plugged them into the Muziq's adapter (which has a built-in microphone for hands-free use). The phone has limited built-in memory, but it comes with a 64MB microSD Card. You'll have to buy your own larger-capacity card if you want to enjoy a mix with any variety.
 
Navigating the Sprint store and purchasing music is fairly easy using the Muziq's color screen. But using my computer to purchase songs through iTunes is still easier. Like iTunes, Sprint sells songs for 99 cents, and even offers some free songs-from up-and-coming bands. Sprint also has a collection of "Exclusive" songs, but I'm not sure what makes them exclusive-I was able to find the same songs in the iTunes Store.

iTunes vs. AirTunes
Oddly, when I searched the store by artist name, I found a large number of albums available, but several of them had no actual songs to buy. The songs I did purchase downloaded surprisingly fast, thanks to Sprint's EV-DO network. Although I'm a longtime iPod user, I have to admit it's cool and convenient to be able to download music anywhere.
 
Unfortunately, the music purchased from the Sprint Music Store didn't sound as robust as my iTunes tracks. On the other hand, I liked the ability to beam a song to my home stereo using the Muziq's built-in FM transmitter, which would require an add-on if I wanted to do the same with my iPod. Finding an unused FM station in New York City was a bit of a challenge, however.

 

Quirky Transfers
After I arrived home, I connected the Muziq phone to my PowerBook G4 using the provided USB cable. For some reason, when connected to a Mac the phone is recognized as a camera, and iPhoto opens automatically. Unfortunately, the bundled Sprint Music Manager software is only compatible with Windows. When using Mac OS X, the only way to manage your music is by dragging and dropping files into the music folder on the microSD Card.
 
Even more troublesome, Sprint's music format can't be played in iTunes; likewise, the Muziq doesn't recognize tunes purchased from iTunes. Most of the music in my library was ripped from my own CDs, so I was able to play those files once they were transferred to the phone's microSD Card, but I miss the iPod's smooth connectivity.

 

The Verdict
Windows users tired of carrying multiple gadgets will find the LG Muziq to be a quality convergence device. Mac users, or those who have been using iTunes on a PC for a while, will probably want to stick with their iPods.

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