RipGO! Mini CD-R Burner and Digital Audio Player
Review

HOW NOW

I had to fiddle with Nero to get it to burn, but thanks to George on Imation’s tech team, when NeroMAX worked it performed beautifully. RipGO is USB, meaning it’s S – L – O – W in every way imaginable, especially when you’re used to working with FireWire accessories.

Whatever you do, DO NOT use Nero’s Wizard to burn your MiniCDs, because it doesn’t work as well (if at all) as clicking on Record in the Menu Bar. Dragging MP3 files “CLICK-HOLD-DRAG-RELEASE” into Nero’s top window is similar to doing the same thing in Toast, as are the progress screens that follow. Working with NeroMAX at length, it soon becomes nearly as automatic a procedure as does Toast, fortunately for Imation.

Nero names each completed disk “ROOT,” and I can’t figure out how to rename them. At the end of each recording session you’ll be asked if you want to delete an image file. Get rid of it, and don’t ask me why.

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

MiniCD-R is a delightful format, but don’t let your dog swallow them. Each one has roughly 200MB capacity, meaning you can record over THREE HOURS of MP3 music on each blank. Your completed music discs can then be played on every computer that has a CD tray or drawer, as well as slot-loading iMac DV’s, according to this Apple Knowledge Base document. My wife’s tray-loading iMac 266 handles RipGO QuickTime music playback without a burp or complaint.

Imation sells blank MiniCD-R in a five-pack for under $7.00, meaning the disks are both smaller and more expensive than their full-sized CD-R siblings. Don’t let price scare you, because convenience and MP3 playback are the major factors here.

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER

When I think of Imation, the company, I think of “imagination” and “innovation.” These think-different Minnesotans must eat a lot of powdermilk biscuits, because they are certainly not shy about being “out standing in the field” of computer accessories.

Imation became famous for their SuperDrive, sold to umpteen thousands of original iMac owners (plus bazillions of PC users). Their go-it-alone business model (does this remind anybody of Apple, perhaps?) involves creating unique products for developing technology markets, and RipGO is no exception.

NeroMAX is the weak link in the admirable RipGO product realization, and not until Imation gets cozy with Apple and Roxio will Mac persons adopt RipGO in any quantity. Apple may not be in a hurry to compete with iPod, albeit in a different format and mode of operation, but MyMac.com urges Imation to embrace the Mac-way of software-hardware consistency.

ENVELOPE, PLEASE?

Meanwhile, we want RipGO to succeed. The more the merrier is the trend with exciting peripherals in the CD-R family of gadgets. Our wish list includes:

MyMac.com will remain focused on RipGO as its story unfolds. Watch this space for future developments and product evaluations. Thanks, Imation, for getting us to first base with RipGO v.1. Our in-progress rating is:

MacMice Rating: 3 out of 5

Shows promise! Could be better, but a product worth watching.

Nemo’s MyMac.com “Q/D/S/V Standard” for all product reviews:

Q = QUALITY, including ease of installation, performance, stability, and general happy relationship with everything on my system;

D = DOCUMENTATION, both printed and electronic, plus appropriate website material;

S = SUPPORT, in the form of email, phone, and web updates;

V = VALUE, which includes both original cost and subsequent expenses

John Nemerovski