The Creative Muvo Slim is available in three memory sizes, starting at 256MB (512 and 1GIG are also available). Included in the package is a protective case, headphones, Muvo Slim, USB cable, CD and battery. Upon opening, you will find that you are able to test the product as the battery is pre-charged and there is an introductory track on the player - this is particularly important if you are purchasing at a Duty Free Shop in an airport.
Creative indicates that the battery life is approximately 17 hours, but in actual use is closer to 15 hours - great compared to the Apple iPod which lasts 8 short hours. The battery is rechargeable via USB or an external battery charger (not included). Charging via USB is excellent if you regularly use a PC, however, laptops and other mobile devices may find it difficult to charge a device without being connected to the mains.
The display is small but has ample room for what it needs to display, including track time, song title and play mode. The menu is built of a series of icons which can be scrolled through using a snap-action button which is also used for moving through tracks. Interestingly, the device can also display Chinese and Japanese, and song titles which are titled accordingly, will be displayed in the appropriate language on screen. It is lit by a blue backlight, considerably invisible under sunlight.
Sound quality is satisfactory but supplied headphones may not be up to the standard of audiophiles; excellent for those who aren’t too fussed about sound. Supplied headphones are relatively comfortable but are larger than most and may cause discomfort after long periods of use.
It is also extremely lightweight and the protective case is cute. However, build quality is questionable, particularly the battery flap which feels as though it’s going to snap off any second - so don’t open/close it too often or remove the battery unnecessarily.
The style is definitely a great point of the Muvo Slim, compared to Apple’s new iPodShuffle, it outclasses it by miles. However, it does come at a dearer price than the iPodShuffle (a 256MB version of the Slim costs approximately the same as a 512MB Shuffle).