Customer Reviews
Lot of Bang for the buck 
2008-10-02
I have had mine for about 3 years. It was recomended to me by a friend.
The main thing I wanted is something that I could take to a meeting, record the speaking and copy it to my computer.
Let me tell you this thing picks up the speaker without any problem. I have a set of 12 audio books on it, lots of music and still have enough space for 16 hours of audio recording.
I do get confused about the three buttons at the top along with the joystick. Sometime I go in circles getting what I want it to do. I just need to get the book out and fimilar myself with it.
I did get the 1 gig Model 799 and I am glad I did.
Like I said, I have had mine for 3-4 years.
This is a nice rugged unit.
iRiver 1GB MP3 
2007-11-17
Hey what can I say. Nothing fancy but it works for what I want. A small and inexpensive mp3 player for short play use. No problems after several years. If you are looking for something to carry you through a week of travel and heavy play, get something bigger.
MP3 Player 2007-08-23
Timely delivery,packaged well,a great price. Well designed - good quality.
wish you did not need their software to update music on the unit
The bad, the good, and the in between 
2007-04-15
I use it regularly at work for 6+ hrs a day and I love the sound and reliability it has given me. While I do love it, it is easier for me to point out what I don't like about it, or where I think it could be improved.
1. It has an FM player and a recorder.
The FM player worked great, though I hardly ever used it, and now that the last button doesn't work anymore I can't access it.
I've never used the recorder and would have no problem with it, if only it didn't reserve disc space for the folders! I can't use all 1GB for my music files as it reserves space for two folders I can't delete or remove, one called VOICE and one called RECORD. I can fit around 320 songs on the player which is pretty good imo, but if it didn't reserve that 1/4 space for those dang folders I could get more music on it, which is what I got it for.
2. To put music on it you have to install software on your computer. The software isn't hard to use, but it would be great if I didn't need it. To update/upgrade the firmware you have to go to iRiver's website and find the appropriate download then update/upgrade through the Music Manager. It would be nice if the Music Manager downloaded from the site automatically instead.
3. It would be great if it allowed you to upload files, it doesn't so instead of deleting one file and adding one at a time(Which leaves your songs out of order for some reason), I'm always formatting the player and slapping all of my music on to it at once, which takes about 30 mins, and for some reason always leaves out some songs. The song skipping seems to be getting more and more pronounced, so I've started adding less songs at once which helps but it still skips songs.
Some positive points I like about it:
1. It holds 300+ songs which is better than the 512MB Sony player I had before(duh), though as it reserves some space possibly not as much as other 1GB players.
2. The battery life is long, I get about 20 hrs of play on a fully charged AA battery. I use Rayovac rechargeables.
3. The sound is awesome.
4. It is reliable, I have never had any problems with the player playing music no matter how abusive I've been to it for the past two years(EDIT 2/08: It's still alive). The third button doesn't work anymore, but that button isn't necessary to access my music.
As much as I've enjoyed this player, I'll probably look at other brands when I get another MP3 player. I may wind up with another iRiver though, we'll see.
good sport player 2007-01-17
I bought this to replace my dated CD player, and man what a step up! While the software is poor and diffucult to use, the player itself is great. easy navgation, good sound, great battery life. best player you can have for sports. i swear it is nearly indestructible. good buy if your looking for an alternate to a breakable ipod nano
Iriver products lack Plug and Play with Macs 
2006-08-13
The iFP-799 combines advanced iRiver sound quality with a stylish, wearable design. It features 1GB of internal memory for up to 34 hours of music, extended battery life up to 40 hours on one AA, a built-in FM tuner and voice recorder. It also records music from any audio source. Plus, this ultra-light, skip-free player can be used to store music or transfer files of any type.
I love this player! 2006-07-31
For those of you who bought MiniDisc recorders to move away from analog tape recording, this product is wonderful. Especially good for recording lectures, voice lessons, etc. It works quite well with the built-in mono mike, or you could use an external one.
One of the few players that lets you record from a line input or an external mike -- you toggle which setting it is in the settings section.
I record my radio shows by plugging in the line-out from the station's tape deck to my iRiver.
For those who recorded live music with their MiniDiscs, it's a little trickier. You have to set the record input before -- you can't change it on the fly.
I've recorded live DJ shows with the built-in and AGC on. Of course, the booming bass distorts horribly, but overall an easy record of the show. Very easy to keep in a pocket rather than to be obviously recording a show.
I've also tried external mikes with the record input turned down very low with very good results. A bit of trial and error which I'm still refining with later iRiver products.
The single AA batter lasts a good long time. Summer School involves 2, 2-hour classes, and I can record several days of them before battery is low. If the battery runs out during recording, fear not, the file is saved!
The negatives are the requirement to go through the special iRiver music program, but there are now firmware updates that will change your iRiver into the typical USB external drag-and-drop drive.
Files are recorded in a .REC file which one then converts to a .mp3 file after transfer to your computer. I don't know how different this format is because it takes up exactly the same amout of space as the .mp3 file. But you can't trasnfer .mp3 files off your iRiver, even if you made them yourself, so don't think you can use this to transfer .mp3 files from one computer to another.
Also, the molding where the line-in input is sometimes gets in the way of certain plugs such as some RCA to 1/8" adaptors, so make sure you pick one that alows it to fit in securely all the way.
I've had mine for just over a year now and use it every day, whether just playing mp3s or recording classes. I'm only just starting to have some trouble with the on/off/play/pause button. After so many presses, it's starting to wear out. But it's still working reliably. I just have to press a little more precisely and pay more attention.
I have the 1G model (iFP-799) which is great. I was able to record a 12-hour radio show marathon I produced with it. Previous marathons required a stack of cassette tapes or minidiscs.
I'm quite happy with iRiver and plan on buying from them in the future.
Garbage - Buttons wore out in 14 mos. 2006-04-01
I loved this player until the day I really, really needed to use it for recording, when I discovered that the MODE button no longer worked. This is the button you need to use to switch from mp3 player mode to voice record, line-in record, or FM radio.
The device is now permanently stuck on mp3 player mode with no ability to shuffle or repeat, which is not the worst thing in the world, except that I specifically bought it for its recording capabilities which are now, for all intents and purposes, non-existent. And 14 months after I bought it, too; conveniently post-warranty.
The screws holding the case together are impossible to remove, so there's no way to attempt a DIY solution to this maddeningly simple but nonetheless irreperable device-crippling problem. This thing is of no use to me now; a $200 paperweight. I'm never buying another iRiver product again.
Perfect 2006-03-23
It got to me quickly, even before the estimated arrival date, in perfect condition. It blows away my last MP3 player. And best of all, Microsoft and/or Apple don't have their hands in this device. No playsforsure. No i-tunes. That's the best part. I pity all of you with i-pods and playsforsure mp3 players. You'll never know what it's like to not be a corporate lacky unless you get an MP3 player like this one.
It's worth the price.
I Love my iRiver! 2006-03-23
I had this exact iRiver and when I loaned it out, it got lost. So he offered to replace it with even a "better" mp3 player that would show photos, etc. I asked for an exact replacement because I love everything about this mp3 player, it fits my needs perfectly.
The features I love are that it has both voice and radio record and you can also record from your stereo or cassette or whatever audio source using the line-in feature. It has tons of space more than I've ever used, and the small size and sound quality is great!
I have seen some people write that they didn't like the buttons or had problems with turning it off and on accidentally, but I personally have never had that problem, as long as I slide the hold button over to the lock position. I like that it gives a cord to hang it around my neck, or to put it on my arm.. however I rarely use the armband.
The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because you cannot view photos on it, even tho you can store and transfer them. I personally don't need that feature, but others may prefer it.
I Love my iRiver!
