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The Nomad 64 is the same as Nomad 32 with the extra memory. Poor quality ratio? Anything above 85db ratio (Nomad has 90 while Creative has 95) is good, so this factor is miniscule.. Slow is much of an understatement, Rio 500 is just 9 minutes faster than the Nomad when downloading files, the timing factor is not really big here unless you are the lazy type that does everything at the last moment. Cheap design and ugly look? On the contrary, Zdnet/Cnet consider the Nomad the most stylish and smallest of all mp3 players. The backlight lcd? Well, Nomad doesn't have that yet. The Nomad II is coming out in the next few months and will challenge Rio 500 even more. It is an improved Nomad 64 with internal 64mb memory and expandable to 32 just like the Rio, it will also feature a backlighted graphical lcd. It also has a new look, dumping the small cigarette box size and looking more like a Rio 500 with a bigger lcd screen. It'll also be using USB.. and I'm not sure of the db ratio for that unit yet. It'll continue to support Creative Labs Live cards (which you can play 3d audio encoded mp3s)
The Nomad 32/64/II also includes a digital voice recorder which can do 2-4 hours of recording (not bad, uses SC4 technology), it also has an FM Tuner with presets available. Also another useful feature is that it provides a recharging/docking station. The Nomad can also transfer data as well which the Rio cannot do. I think these added features outweigh the somewhat useless USB, backlighting lcd, and a tiny 5 db to output ratio. Also be reminded that Creative Labs is master of the Sound Cards and is the standard for all sound cards for that fact. The Soundblaster Live Value/Gold which can encode mp3s with 3d positional audio can be played ONLY on the Nomad and not on the walkman like Rio.
Now if Nomad was stripped of the following features : Docking Station, Soundblaster Live modified mp3s, Voice Recorder, FM Tuner. Features is what people look for, Diamond Rio does one thing but it does it excellent for only mp3s. Go grab the Rio if you just want the mp3 player exclusively, but if you like to play with other things that I mentioned earlier about the Nomad...
Rio 300/Nomad 32 = Nomad
Rio 500/Nomad 64 = Nomad
Rio 500 with iMac gay alliance colors/Nomad II = Nomad
As you can see, the Diamond Rio really has no advantage over the Nomad, face it Rios, put down your pathetic ego and bow down to your Nomads.
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