Are you looking for an all-in-one player for your local media, podcasts, and live internet radio? Well, look no further because there’s Mobiola xPlayer Pro, from SHAPE Services.
We gave this audio player a check and here’s what we think.
Continue reading for more.
Installation
The Mobiola xPlayer Pro installs just 1.3MB on your phone, one of the pleasant surprises we got from this app. This lets you save on valuable application storage space, which we all know is very important, so you can install as many apps onto your BlackBerry smartphone. Installation was also quite problem free, not bringing up too many individual pop-up notifications asking you to allow the app to do this or that.
Interface and Playing Local Audio/Video Files
As a player for local media files, the Mobiola xPlayer Pro is quite simple to operate. The interface is very simple and resembles your Windows Media Player (assuming you’re a Windows user). Pressing on the Menu Button of your BlackBerry (yes, it’s that one with the BlackBerry logo) brings up your access to the app’s main features.
Accessing and loading your local media files is a breeze. You can either choose “Open Files” on the menu or just click on “Click to add files” if your player’s list is still empty. Doing either provides access to your locally stored media files. Simply navigate as if you would with your PC’s file explorer. Once you’ve successfully added your media files, the Mobiola xPlayer Pro remembers the location and allows you to load more files from that location, or choose another folder location. You also are given the choice to mark individual media files, or all, for inclusion in the playlist. Once you’ve loaded your playlist, you can now start enjoying your media.
Note: For purposes of this review, we focused on playing audio files, as we encountered a slight bug when playing videos. Sound was there, but the video could not be rendered on the screen. You can read details on what happened at the last part of this review. Now let’s get back to reviewing the xPlayer Pro’s playback functions.
PlayBack controls on the Mobiola xPlayer Pro are simple. The bottom portion is where they’re located: Play, Back, Forward, Repeat, Shuffle, and Volume. Once you’ve started playing your media file/s, just press the Back Key and you can resume what it is you need to do with your phone, with the music continues to play. We tested how it would respond to multi-tasking, and it performs excellently! We tried browsing the internet, reading/writing emails, viewing photos, and it did not significantly slow down the phone’s reaction time. There was a tiny bit of delay, milliseconds worth maybe, but not enough to be irritating. The only time it stops is if the action you chose involves (or could involve, depending on app permissions) using the phone’s microphone. These include the Phone Calls, Camera, Video, etc. Opening these applications would automatically pause the player. Normally it resumes after you’re done using (exited) the applications mentioned. In case it doesn’t, simply access the player and select Play, and your listening pleasure continues.
Playing Live Radio
Choosing Live Radio from the Main Menu brings up your choices for internet radio stations. All these are properly organized according to Genre (i.e. Pop, Rock, Soundtracks, Techno/Electro/House, World, Blues, Classical, Country, Hip Hop and R&B, and Jazz). Simply select a station from the list and enjoy. Note though, that this feature will require much data, so WiFi Internet and unlimited Data Plans are recommended to enjoy the feature fully. Also, not all stations, sadly, may be available. Our experience with the internet stations was not so good, because a lot were unavailable for the current region. However, do remember these are independent of Mobiola xPlayer Pro, and SHAPE Services should not be in any way faulted for these restrictions. It’s a content issue, rather than a player issue.
Assuming you’ve found the station that you are allowed access, playback is quite good. We encountered usual pauses for buffering, but it was more likely due to the data connection/transmission.
Playing Podcasts
Choosing this option from the Main Menu brings up your choices, similar to your Live Radio choices. Podcasts are categorized accordingly (News & Politics, Sports, Technology, Business, Health & Science, and Music). If the listed podcasts do not meet your needs, you can choose “Find a podcast” from the Main Menu, and enter the keyword in the popup window. Noticeably, searches were quite quick, and suggestions were being provided as we typed in the keyword. We’re not sure, though, if they were being provided by the player itself, or if they were being taken from the phone’s search history. In either case, it makes searching for podcasts easy.
Once you’ve selected your podcast, the player immediately begins downloading the content, and you’re off to your listening pleasure.
DropBox Integration
One of the pleasant surprises we noted with the Mobiola xPlayer Pro is the integration of DropBox. Sure, a lot of other apps integrate DropBox, but this is a player that allows you to play audio files straight from DropBox! After setting up your login details under “Main Menu -> Settings”, your DropBox account is reflected as a separate location (i.e. SDCard, store, DropBox).
Support
Remember we mentioned encountering a slight problem with video playback?? Well, we reported it to Shape Services Support, and we were able to get a glimpse at how well they responded to concerns. After reporting the problem the first time, they responded within a few hours and we attempted to troubleshoot, exchanging email messages for a couple more times, but still unsuccessful at resolving the problem. The case was then elevated to another support team, who then informed us that there was a “known problem” with OS 7 devices. We then suggested that they revisit the app description provided on the MobiHand store, and revise it to forewarn people of the problem. Immediately they revised the app description, which now lists the OS versions supported. Overall, the experience we had dealing with Shape Services Support gave us the impression that they are eager to help customers in resolving problems. Their immediate action toward our suggestion was also worth noting.
Overall Review, Considerations, and Recommendations
Overall, the Mobiola xPlayer Pro proves to be a powerful media player, integrating several applications in one. The integration of DropBox was a welcome feature, allowing one to store audio files on the DropBox account, and save storage space on the phone. Playback performance was great, as we’ve mentioned, allowing you to multi-task while listening to your audio content. Unfortunately though, we were unable to fully evaluate its performance in playing videos. The support team was eager to help, but objectively, the response could have been better. The reduced price tag on the Mobiola xPlayer Pro of $7.99 (originally $9.99) makes it a little expensive. However, considering how it performed in playing audio files while we multi-tasked, the $7.99 seems worth it. If it had played videos on our OS 7 device, and performed the same way it did playing audio files, then it would be safe to say that $7.99 would be a bargain.
You can purchase and download Mobiola xPlayer Pro for $7.99 at the BlackBerryEmpire MobiHand Store.
Editor’s Note
When purchasing applications for your BlackBerry smartphone, or your PlayBook, it always helps to read the description carefully, and take note of device and OS requirements. Developers also often include changelogs. Reviewing the changelog can help you better evaluate the value-for-money on your purchase. Some developers also include notes on compatibility, or known conflicts with other apps. These are indicated to manage your expectations with the app you are purchasing. Read them as well. Lastly, some developers offer Trial options for the full app, or Lite versions (limited functionality). If you want to be sure, grab those options. Take the app for a spin, then decide. These tips can help you get the most out of your App shopping experience, and get the best value for your money.