Review - Coby VZon MP957 HD Media Player

I've been on the prowl for some great products for our upcoming trip in December. Since we are traveling with the entire family, we need things to keep my 5 and 9 y/o siblings entertained during the 6+ hour flight. Naturally, a portable DVD player came to mind, but when I got the chance to review Coby's media player, I didn't know which would be better! We received the Coby VZon MP957 HD Media Player to review. Off the bat, this thing looks great, handy size, but with a small 5" screen, I didn't know if it would be worthwhile. I'll start off with the contents available in the box, and this was a big plus for Coby, as the VZon MP957 comes with handy cables. Included were Stereo Earphones, USB Cable, AC Adapter, Black Protective Pouch, Remote Control and an HDMI Cable.

This small but powerful device packs 4gb of internal flash memory with an additional expansion for micro SB cards. The internal memory was enough for me to pack 2 seasons of Are You Afraid Of The Dark, which has a total of about 22 episodes about 25min. in length, with room to spare. All this is viewed on a 5" TFT LCD screen (800 x 480 resolution) that has the ability to display movies in 1080p HD quality. One thing I love about it is that it is a true MEDIA player, I have loaded a couple ebooks to read, it has a functional calendar, FM radio and storage to view pictures and listen to music. Loading media on the device is simple, you can also load it onto an existing microSD card and pop it in.

The Coby VZon MP957 comes with handy cables, ports and outputs, including 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD slot, video output, MiniUSB port, and HDMI output to watch your content on a big screen. That is where the handy little remote control comes in, and handy it is. It feels a bit delicate to me, but we don't really use it. The device also has integrated stereo speakers, and the volume is quite loud when set at highest volume. I've tested out its rechargeable internal battery and have gotten about 3-1/2 hours of play time on the highest brightness setting, which isn't really enough, I wish it were able to give more play time on its charge. Its small size is what I love about it. It will surely be on my carry-on luggage loaded with movies and shows for my siblings to watch.

As for the MP957's interface, it takes some time to get used to it. Holding it in your hands you can't help but touch the screen to click something, but it is not a touch screen. Everything is done with the handy navigational button on the top of the device, where the power button, ESC, forward, back and menu button are located. Its interface is difficult for kids to use, my little brother who is 9 had a hard time, and he is very handy with electronics. The screen, despite only being 5", it surprisingly accommodating. Also, big pro is that the LCD is NOT glossy whatsoever, which tends to glare when watching or reading off the screen. No messy fingerprints to wipe off either. A huge thanks to Coby for the opportunity to review their MP957. Although we have found a few cons with the product, we think the pros outweigh them. This is a great little device with a wonderful high resolution screen that will surely keep little eyes busy and entertained when traveling in any form. It retails for about $99.99 but can be found cheaper on Amazon or other online retailers.

Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.