Rio Forge 256MB
Here it is guys - the Rio Forge 256MB MP3 player.
I like the layout of the player. It fits my right hand nicely and I can easily use my thumb to control playback.
As you can see, Rio covered the screen and its shiny bezel with a clear protective sticker. This effectively protects the screen from any possible scratches during packaging and delivery. You do, however, have to take the sticker off before use as it interferes with the display.
If you look at the lower end of the picture, you will see a tab. That's the cover for the USB connector.
Let's take a look at the back of Rio Forge.
It has a simple and interesting design at the back. If you noticed, there are two notches at the top of the player as well as its bottom. That is where you connect the unit to the clip. All of the darker areas are rubberized plastic. That gave the Rio Forge an excellent grip, no matter how sweaty your hands get.
Let's take a look at the top of the Rio Forge. Here, you will find two switches and a button, all surrounded by rubberized plastic.
On the left, you can see the rocker switch with the "+/-" symbols. That is the volume control. The small button in the center is the power button.
Last of all, at the very right end is the lock switch. If you push the switch into its "Lock" position, it disables all buttons on the Rio Forge. That is until you move the switch into its "Unlock" position.
Let's look at the underside of the Rio Forge.
The underside is where the input/output ports are located. On the left is the headphone jack. On the right is the USB interface port, which is hidden by its cover. Here, the surface is also made up of rubberized plastic.
Here's a picture of the USB port with its cover removed.
It is the small USB port common on many digital cameras and other peripherals. You can actually use the cable interchangeably with other compatible devices.
This brings me to my first gripe about this product.
The USB cover is actually a small plastic insert! I don't really know about you, but I have a high tendency of misplacing small things. So, as far as I'm concerned, such small plastic pieces are a big no-no, especially in a mobile device like the Rio Forge.
I mentioned earlier that the darker areas are all rubberized plastic. Here's a shot to show you what I meant by rubberized plastic.
As you can see, the plastic shell is covered by a layer of rubber. This is a good thing as it ensures a very good grip at all times.