tecnowraith
First Post
Anybody know any good portable MP3 player that is out there now? Nothing too high price tag but has good features and good amount of space for music. Thanks
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Looking for a good portable MP3 player
- Thread starter tecnowraith
- Start date
tecnowraith said:
Well what do you consider a "good amount of space"? The smallest iPod HD based model has 30 gigs worth of storage. You can get Flash memory (solid state storage) based players with up to 8 gigs of storage. The Flash based players have better battery life on average and are immune to shock, but cost as much as HD players with vastly more storage (the 30 gig HD iPod costs the same as the 8gb Flash based iPod Nano).
What features are you looking for past the ability to play music? The one weakness in the iPod line up is that none of them have a built in radio tuner (though there is an addon available that gives you an external AM/FM tuner). The current iPod Nano will not play video (though with the size of the screen would you want to?).
Also what do you consider a "high price tag". $150? $250, $350?
As far as iPod compeditors goes. I would avoid the Zune. It's only advantage is the "Wifi" and as implemented it's more of a liability (significant hit to battery life) and it's crippled to the point of near uselessness (you can only use it for sharing files that are DRMed to self destruct in 3 days or 3 listens, unless you are prohibited from sharing them at all, which many are).
I'm not familiar enough with other MP3 players to recomend one.
tecnowraith
First Post
That's the thing, not which would be better, one with a Flash drive or HD. Something affordable. Features would include able catorgize music, or edit playlist on the go.
Steel_Wind
Legend
Dude - you are just not helping us - help you.
"Quite affordable" to me may be "bloody expensive" to you.
State your price range and help us get on with it please.
Absent any further info, personally, I would recommend a 30GB video iPod to anybody asking this question - or get as decent an iPod refurb as you can.
It's the best product in the marketplace. That's why it's kicking the crap out of the competition and why its success is so remarkable that it persuaded Apple Computer Inc. to change its name simply to "Apple" after 27 years or so.
I expect you knew there a large number of people (70% or so) who have portable Mp3 players own iPods. So you expected that answer.
Tell us why you didn't want to hear it.
"Quite affordable" to me may be "bloody expensive" to you.
State your price range and help us get on with it please.
Absent any further info, personally, I would recommend a 30GB video iPod to anybody asking this question - or get as decent an iPod refurb as you can.
It's the best product in the marketplace. That's why it's kicking the crap out of the competition and why its success is so remarkable that it persuaded Apple Computer Inc. to change its name simply to "Apple" after 27 years or so.
I expect you knew there a large number of people (70% or so) who have portable Mp3 players own iPods. So you expected that answer.
Tell us why you didn't want to hear it.
Rl'Halsinor
Explorer
I highly suggest going to www.Anythingbutipod.com and peruse the boards and information to your heart's content. Seriously, it is a fantastic sight for every company and their MP3 offerings imaginable -- except iPods. 
Now I don't have anything against iPods but there are some terrific other offerings out there such as Cowon's iAudio line. Never heard of them before? Neither did I until I started doing serious research. They have some of the best sound offered in their models. Period. I finally settled on their iAudio G3 2GB flash drive with BBE enhancements, equalizer, etc. It has great sound quality.
Check out the sight.
Now I don't have anything against iPods but there are some terrific other offerings out there such as Cowon's iAudio line. Never heard of them before? Neither did I until I started doing serious research. They have some of the best sound offered in their models. Period. I finally settled on their iAudio G3 2GB flash drive with BBE enhancements, equalizer, etc. It has great sound quality.
Check out the sight.
John Crichton
First Post
I shall dissent!
Buy an iPod! Buy 4!
But seriously, what is a price you want to pay? I've owned iPods, iRivers and had experiences with a few others. It breaks down to this: iTunes is a smooth piece of software and works seemlessly with any iPod. The hardware ranges from cheap to expensive and has the most accessories on the market for it.
However, it does come with drawbacks that you can find out about on other websites. If you don't mind the weight, I would recommend the older model iRiver 120 not knowing any more than you have posted already.
Buy an iPod! Buy 4!
But seriously, what is a price you want to pay? I've owned iPods, iRivers and had experiences with a few others. It breaks down to this: iTunes is a smooth piece of software and works seemlessly with any iPod. The hardware ranges from cheap to expensive and has the most accessories on the market for it.
However, it does come with drawbacks that you can find out about on other websites. If you don't mind the weight, I would recommend the older model iRiver 120 not knowing any more than you have posted already.
Last edited:
Mycanid
First Post
Hey ... gotta agree with John on this regarding the Apple mp3 -> iTunes interface. The mp3 to computer interface via software is the biggest bugaboo with these players, in my admittedly limited experience.
I have owned an iPod Mini (4gb) and enjoyed using it. I currently own a 20gb iRiver H10. Previously the interface with Windows Media Player 10 was a major pain in the AHEM! ... but it appears MS has fixed some of the connection bugs in Windows Media Player 11. I cannot speak for the file organization effectiveness of WMP11 though.
For the H10 organizing software I use a freebie prog developed by an independent programmer called "Easy H10". The result is that I can pretty much use the H10 as an external hard drive AND find and play my mp3 files with great ease. Boy was it murder getting there though....
So ... I greatly prefer what I have to anything else out there, but it was a long road to get there. If you do not want to go through the hassle of tweaking and configuring an mp3 player like I did, then stick with an iPod. Once you get the knack of the iTunes interface it is pretty easy.
I have owned an iPod Mini (4gb) and enjoyed using it. I currently own a 20gb iRiver H10. Previously the interface with Windows Media Player 10 was a major pain in the AHEM! ... but it appears MS has fixed some of the connection bugs in Windows Media Player 11. I cannot speak for the file organization effectiveness of WMP11 though.
For the H10 organizing software I use a freebie prog developed by an independent programmer called "Easy H10". The result is that I can pretty much use the H10 as an external hard drive AND find and play my mp3 files with great ease. Boy was it murder getting there though....
So ... I greatly prefer what I have to anything else out there, but it was a long road to get there. If you do not want to go through the hassle of tweaking and configuring an mp3 player like I did, then stick with an iPod. Once you get the knack of the iTunes interface it is pretty easy.
Rl'Halsinor
Explorer
The problem I have with Apple is their propriatory iTunes. As for software I have a Creative MuVo V100 and an iAudio G3. Both are 2GB flash drives and they download via USB. I have absolutely no issues with downloading songs at all. The Creative software is a breeze and the G3 works with Windows Media Player quite well.
Come to the light, Myconid and John Crichton, come to the light! Cast off the iPod shackles!
Come to the light, Myconid and John Crichton, come to the light! Cast off the iPod shackles!
Steel_Wind
Legend
Rl'Halsinor said:
ITunes is proprietary in the sense that if you buy something on iTunes, you must play it on iTunes (PC or iPod).
iTunes does not require DRM protection though. It will import any CD, mp3 or mp4 (and several other formats) that you have on your computer without difficulty. Its proprietary nature - to an iPod owner, is so transparent as to be meaningless. You simply do not notice it and it never cramps your style.
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