mobiBLU Cube2

The original MobiBlu Cube (also known by the less catchy moniker of DAH-1500i) was a marvel of engineering in that it packed a boatload of features into just one cubic inch. The next-generation Cube2 is physically identical to its predecessor, except for rubberized buttons, a different color scheme, and a full-color OLED screen. This new Cube's feature set has been expanded to include video and photo playback, but these abilities are not very practical on the device's 0.6-inch screen. As an audio player, however, the Cube2 is fairly versatile and capable of producing very good sound.

Available in five different color schemes and two capacities (1GB for $99.99 and 2GB for $119.99), the Cube2 measures 1 inch per side and weighs just 0.6 ounces. It has small black rubberized lock/repeat and menu buttons on one side, playback and volume buttons on the other, and a combination headphone/charging jack on the top. Gracing the front is a 0.6-inch (diagonal) full-color OLED screen. Behind the headphone jack is a lanyard loop that pops out for use with the included necklace-style headphones. The package also includes a case that protects only the edges of the player, as well as a USB charge/sync cable, a travel USB charge/sync adapter, and a mini CD with MJPEG conversion and playback software on it.

The buttons on the Cube2 are very small, but they give good tactile feedback when pressed. The player's shape and button size can make it a little awkward to use the player with one hand. The menu navigation and file browsing is a bit quirky, but once you've used the player a few times, you should be able to navigate quickly.

To change modes, you hold down the Menu button. Once you choose a mode, you can browse files by folder, and in music playback mode, you can also browse by ID3 tag (Artist, Album, Song, Genre, and Composer). Note that when you browse in Music mode, you can see folders for items like photos and videos, but you can't see the files themselves unless you actually switch to the appropriate mode. The tiny screen makes it a challenge to browse a lot of files, though the auto-scroll feature, which engages when a file is highlighted, helps somewhat.

The player works with both Macs and PCs, but for Macs you must put the Cube2 in USB MSC mode by going into the Settings menu and selecting USB Transfer. In MTP mode, you can sync the device with Windows Media Player (or other compatible software like MusicMatch) on a Windows PC. The Cube2 supports MP3, WMA, and protected WMA audio files and is PlaysForSure certified. Like all non-Apple players, the Cube2 does not work with iTunes or content purchased from the iTunes Music Store.

Photos and videos must be converted to a proprietary format via the included MJPEG Converter software and transferred in USB mode. The program worked fine for photos, but video conversion required installation of an extra codec package that will be included on the CD in retail packages. The video conversion went smoothly, though there's no 16:9 option, so widescreen video gets squished.

In my listening tests, I found the Cube2's audio quality clear, though the bass was somewhat weak. The included earbuds were designed by the company that created SRS sound enhancement, and they sound better than many stock earbuds, but I strongly dislike the odd-looking necklace style and the clunky adjustable sliders. I think most users will want to upgrade to "normal" earbuds. The player had no trouble driving my Etymotic ER-4P headphones, and I didn't hear any decoder problems or system noise.

The Cube2's ample sound enhancement options are a tweaker's dream, including SRS WOW HD and TruBass, which can really beef up the bass and make highs sparkle when properly configured. There are also seven equalizer settings, each of which is customizable using the 5-band graphic equalizer. You can even adjust the virtual speaker size, which is a fun setting to play around with. The Cube2 also has some interesting playback capabilities, including variable-speed playback and A-B repeat (also called section loop). But this cornucopia of enhancement and equalization options may overwhelm users looking for a simple, cute music player.

My frequency response tests confirm that the Cube2's sound thins out in the bass region below around 200 Hz. But the signal remains mostly distortion free until you hit maximum volume, at which there's some harmonic distortion that muddies up the sound.

Not surprisingly, photo and video viewing aren't exactly practical on the minuscule screen. Colors are very drab, and plenty of compression artifacts are visible. You can't even view entire photos on the screen, though you can pan around still images using the volume and track skip buttons.

The Cube2's FM tuner is slightly better than average. It was able to pick up even fringe stations reasonably well, at least in New York City. Stronger stations came in loud and clear. You can save up to 20 station presets, and you can record FM signal at up to 128 Kbps in MP3 format. You can also create voice recordings (up to 128 Kbps MP3 files) using the pinhole mic on the back of the Cube2.

The MobiBlu Cube2's built-in non-removable battery is rated for up to 10 hours of continuous audio playback. My testing revealed, however, that the battery lasts only for about 7.5 hours when used with the included earbuds at a comfortable listening volume and with the default settings enabled. Keep in mind that you'll get even less if you enable features like shuffle, equalization, or SRS sound enhancement.

The MobiBlu Cube2 is cute, inexpensive, and very small, but the big question is: Can it compete with the iPod shuffle, which costs just $79, or the iPod nano, which starts at 2GB for $149? The shuffle comes in only a 1GB capacity and lacks any features save music playback. So for the extra $20, the Cube2 gives you a screen (and video/photo playback), flexible sound enhancement, a voice recorder, and a built-in tuner, not to mention the 2GB option. On the other hand, the shuffle is impressively small and certainly won't overwhelm users. The 2GB iPod nano is significantly more expensive and also lacks many of the Cube2's features, but the player's shape and controls are far more practical and user-friendly. Ultimately, the Cube2 makes a good stocking stuffer for people who aren't tied to iTunes and who will be won over by the cuteness factor.

Compare the MobiBlu Cube2 with several other flash players, side by side.