DietMP3 Review

DietMP3 accomplishes what it sets out to, and it does it as well as any other program out there. It shrinks the file size by decreasing the amount of bytes played per second on a given audio file. This is fine on small or inexpensive systems where the difference is negligible, or where size reduction is absolutely necessary, but on a stereo, the quality reduction is very noticeable and interferes with the overall listening experience. This product's usefulness is therefore determined by which way a user typically enjoys his or her audio files, and is also contingent upon the user's particular purpose. It would, for example, be useful for web designers who wish to insert music into their web pages, and want to make sure that any viewers on low speed connections do not have too much trouble viewing the page.

Surprisingly, DietMP3 supports Windows Vista without having to make any modifications to administrative settings or to the executables compatibility settings. As more and more computers are shipped with Vista, developers will have to make the appropriate modifications, and having that compatibility already is definitely a step in the right direction. Another positive aspect of the software is the user interface which is intuitive and easy to use, thereby making it ideal for the novice user. Unfortunately, there are numerous textual errors in the help file that give the software an amateur and unpolished feel. Should those errors be corrected in a future update, the software would be all that much more a better purchase.

If the errors in the help file can be overlooked, and the services rendered by the software are desired by the consumer, then this product would be a fair offering, with the only other drawback being the high cost based on it's limited capabilities. As it is a stand alone product and is designed to perform just a single operation, consumers could acquire free software that performs the same function, at the same level of quality, without costing any money. The product's cost, in the face of its competition, remains its most glaring weakness, and the buyer should take that into consideration before purchasing this product.