[CLUE-Tech] More on MP3 players - The Rio Karma

[Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier]

Hey all,

Since I didn't get any feedback on successful and happy use of the iPod
with Linux from any CLUEbies, I decided to take a different route and
try the Rio Karma player. 

The reason I picked this device is because it comes with a docking port
with an Ethernet port, so I surmised it was likely I'd be able to
connect with it over the network using Linux and not have to use Windows
to interact with the device. This was mostly guesswork, because the
folks at Best Buy acted like they'd never even heard of the device. So
much for those commercials where the Best Buy folks know everything
about all the products... 

The price is pretty much the same as the low-end iPod: $300 at Best Buy 
for a 20GB model. Of course, the reality is that "20GB" really means
"18.5GB" when all is said and done. I've already filled about two gigs,
and will probably have it fully stocked by this time tomorrow... 

It's not quite as sleek and sexy as the iPod, but it's not
overwhelmingly clunky, either. It's about the size of a portable
mini-disc player, and slightly heavier. 

It supports MP3, WMA (*gag*) and Ogg files. 

It does, in fact, work well with Linux -- without having to utilize
third-party software. The Karma ships with a Java-based client that
allows you to copy over MP3s and such to the device over the network.
The Karma picks up an IP address via DHCP or you can program an IP
address into it by hand if you do not have a DHCP server on your
network. 

The java client can be downloaded from the player itself after you plug
it in and connect via http. There's a newer version of the client out,
though, and it's available from the Rio website. It works with the JRE
that ships with SUSE 9. (java -jar rmmlite.jar). 

I haven't had the chance to test the battery life just yet -- it's
supposed to have up to 15 hours of battery life when fully charged. It's
a built-in rechargeable battery, so it will probably come to a point
in a few years when it's a paperweight without being plugged in, but by
then I'll probably be eyeing a 100GB model or something...

Best,
Zonker
--
Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, 
responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and 
immature. ~ Tom Robbins