Becomes easy to use and is a new appearance! Toshiba gigabeat G21
Now, the world of a portable music player cannot be told without a personal computer. A personal computer serves as a music server, and if it gets used to the style of taking out music from there, and these facilities, a relapse will be impossible any longer.

In such an HDD music player, it is 20GB. (* Note 1) moreover -- in this class -- the smallest in the world and the maximum lightweight (* Note 2) It comes out and is popular Toshiba "gigabeat G20 " renews and new-appears. The name of a new model is "gigabeat G21 ". Although it sounds also like minor upgrade apparently, it is said that user-friendliness was raised further, using as a base G20 which was highly complete.

Then, I will check the new gigabeat model of attention, the charming G21.

The body which increased the high-class feeling
First, a body design inherits the former model G20. An outside size, operation buttons and HDD capacity, continuation reproduction time, etc. are completely the same. However, a body color is changed into "Cosmo Black" from "Whitish Silver", and has been a more intrepid impression this time. Although there was a "Sapphire Blue" model of WEB limitation in G20, a WEB limited model is also released this time. "The new color model named Myst Gray Metallic" is the delicate tone in which green is impressed a little, though it is a gray, and it is associated with high-class audio apparatus this time, it is likely to be popular with the user who wants to collect smartly

PHOTO PHOTO
Sold in the shop.
"Cosmo Black" model
  The limited edition color of only WEB
"Myst Gray Metallic"

Now, as for this G21 and design-change, the hand is contained in internal software being various only for the color but. The kind of built-in equalizer increased sharply by 28 kinds from four kinds on G20 including FLAT.The contents are as follows. Although 2 variation is prepared for every music genre, in the touch which the writer heard, "1" is light, "2" is stronger. But what is necessary will be not to adhere to especially a name but just to choose its favorite thing according to music and environment.

FLAT BASS+ BASS++ LOUDNESS
ACOUSTIC 1 ACOUSTIC 2 CLASSIC 1 CLASSIC 2
DANCE 1 DANCE 2 HARD 1 HARD 2
HIP HOP 1 HIP HOP 2 JAZZ 1 JAZZ 2
LATIN 1 LATIN 2 PIANO 1 PIANO 2
POPS 1 POPS 2 R&B 1 R&B 2
ROCK 1 ROCK 2 VOCAL 1 VOCAL 2

Moreover, once an equalizer kind is selected, an effect does not start but an effect understands it immediately only by choosing (?? japanese translators needed!). It is the delightful consideration which allow to try many presets efficiently.

Although it was the beautiful blue backlight display which was the feature of the previous model, visibility rose further this time. The setting of backlight ON/OFF -- negative / positive -- it can choose now which display it is. For example, in a backlight ON, the negative display which stops, a positive display legible also in a place bright in a backlight OFF, a favorite combination can be chosen with 4.

PHOTO
A backlight is chosen from four kinds of combination.

For the first time! Strap remote control
It is newly developed "strap remote control". Since it is visible at least to a free pocket strap if it glances, where may be considered to be remote control ?. In fact, the pressure sensor is taught to the portion of this strap, and control called of volume control and skip of music will be able to be performed only by pinching!

PHOTO PHOTO
Although it is a strap, it operates as remote control!   It is thin in a button part.

- When it touches, there is no projection part etc. only by there being a printing part of the mark used as a mark. Of course, user-friendliness will change volume gradually, if it pinches repeatedly and will pinch with one every step like the conventional remote control. Music operation include fast forward and rewind if it pinches with duration and will pinch quick if it wants next track / previous track.

With this strap remote control, even if it does not see the button, it is good only by pinching slightly. Since there is a sensor range about 5cm per one button, it is O.K. and "being overly huge remote control" enough in groping.

There is a combination button of a play and a pause in the root, and when someone addresses into listening, it can also use it like a MUTE button. Moreover, general operation is possible, like "ON / OFF of a power supply" by pressing more than 2 seconds on this button, and swithing off the main unit.

Furthermore, the headphone terminal is also attached to this strap. It is the portion which becomes behind a head and opposite side exactly. The strap will also make the audio cable serve a double purpose. It is the feeling of cyber which is not understood at all from appearance.

PHOTO PHOTO
In a root portion, they is a "play / pause" button.   It is a headphone jack to the back portion of a head.

In addition, since a terminal is a standard stereo mini jack, favorite headphone are also connectable separately. Since all cables turn to the backside, it is good that a hand is not confused and is collected shapely. Furthermore, since the main part is thin, it is settled shapely, without protruding also in a chest pocket. Probably, the point that a silhouette does not change even if it slides into the inner pocket of a coat will be OK.

PHOTO
Thinness allow to settle in a chest pocket.

Corresponds to a network.
Not only the remote control has become new. This G21 became network correspondence! No, although it may not come with a pin what thing or more even if it attaches to a surprise mark, saying, "It became!" and is emphasized, here and I want you to think. The conventional HDD music player is connected with USB or an IEEE1394 terminal. These terminals are the standards for tying to PC directly. That is, in order to use a music player, it is the reason for something having to determine an one-set machine and having to carry out to music stocks only which could only be the relation of 1 to 1.

If it becomes network correspondence, what does it change? A user can bring now freely music files scattered all over two or more PCs together in a music player. Need to decide and strike a machine and it is not necessary to carry out it any longer.

I will look at the structure of G21 concretely. One of the mechanisms of hardware is a charge stand. Although this was the same as the previous model in design, 2 ports of USB 1.1 were attached to both the sides.

PHOTO PHOTO
The new charge stand equipped with the USB terminal   A USB network adapter can be attached.

Naturally wireless LAN is an ant (very slow). That is, G21 functions as strike REJI which hung down from the network, and the so-called NAS (Network Attached Storage).

The transmission software "TOSHIBA Audio Application (henceforth, TAA)" of exclusive use is used for transmission of a music file. This was also improved to Ver3.0 and became network compatible. If this is altogether installed in PC which works in LAN, it is the Explorer-like feeling of operation which got used and is familiar, and the music file in each PC can be enciphered and transmitted.

IMAGE IMAGE
Music transmission software "TOSHIBA Audio Application"   A setup of LAN is also performed by TAA.

In addition, four models of network interface card which are supported by G21. Since no other adapters than these can be used, I want you to be careful. Then, it says : a set with the Buffalo wireless LAN adapter is also sold.

[The compatible LAN adapter at this time]
Maker Part number
Buffalo Wli-USB-KB11 (radio)
LUA2-TX (cable)
I-O Data Device WN-B11/USBSL (radio)
USB-ET/TX-S (cable)

Original URL (Japanese) : http://ad.impress.co.jp/tie-up/toshiba0404/