Hey folks, Valkor here. This next piece is actually a pre-CES nugget that arrived in the Val-cave some time after pre-CES, but before the CES big show. What took so long to get this up was that fact that we needed one piece of gadgetry to get things started: an Ipod Video. Believe it or not, Krush and I don’t know anyone who owns an Ipod Video. It took some time but the Valkinator finally tracked one down and I’m ready to get this review started. Introducing the Myvu: personal media player.
We here at TOV are not really big fans of anything Ipod, nothing against it either. But it seems that so many people own an Ipod something, naturally accessories will be made to revolve around it. Some good, some bad, some just so-so. Myvu I put in the so-so category. The Myvu takes watching your videos, on your Ipod video, away from its small screen and puts it directly in front of you for that somewhat big screen enjoyment. The glasses are mad sleek. Imagine if you will Robocop’s visor, minus the helmet. I’m talking seriously futuristic. I give plus points for the design. The earbuds hang off the side and extend long enough to be placed into any wearers ears. And from there you get a nifty remote control. Once you have everything situated, you then pop your Ipod video into the Myvu’s cover, which also serves as a charger for both the items. Plug the Myvu into the Ipod and you’re off.
I gotta admit, its nice being hands off when watching movies on the Ipod. I can be sitting in a chair, laying back in bed, chillin on the front porch, or kickin back on a flight. Having the Myvu in that sense is a joy. Plus the ear buds do a decent job handling the sound. And another plus point goes to the fact that Myvu is not completely immersing. The sides of the glasses are clear so you can see what’s going on around you. However a big minus goes toward the screen size. The Myvu is supposed to give you the impression that you are watching the equivalent of a 27” screen. And I simply didn’t get that feel from it. It felt like watching an Ipod small screen on much farther away. And we won’t even go into letterboxed films. Honestly I’d rather be immersed in the film, if it makes it seem like the screen is bigger than this.
So while the Myvu is big on ambition, its execution could use a bit of tweaking. If the screen can be adjusted to give it a bigger screen appearance then I am all for it. The only type of person I can see wanting to own this would be someone who has to have every Ipod accessory. However I would totally recommend the Myvu for frequent travelers, because it’s perfect for flights. Because of the clear sides, you can see the flight attendant when she’s yelling at you to put the damn seat up!