Portable MP3 Player reviews

[cookiepuss]

Who would like to advise me on what type of MP3 player to buy? Should I get an Ipod or is there something better? I'm looking for something in the low to medium price range and I'm not sure how many megs to get. Basically I'm clueless, so help me out. thanks!

[jabumbo]

a 5gb one will hold around a 1000 songs. (which i'm guessing is plenty for you)

i really like my creative zen micro, although the headphone jack needs fixed (that seems to be a more common creative error)


i have hear that the iriver is a good model, and i really don't know shit about the ipod besides the fact that it was a lot more money (at least at the time) for a comparable model when i got mine last year

[hpdrifter]

The ipod is trendy and thus expensive. It has definite pros, you can put like 4,000 songs on it or something depending on the size/quality of the files. But they keep selling out and they're pricey.

I've heard the ZenMicro and iRiver are good alternatives.

[synch]

I can highly reccomend getting a cell phone that plays mp3's. I've got a sony ericsson d750i/k750i and have put a 1gb card in it. You can use it for 2mpixel snapshots and listen to music on it. Me likes. Saves me from carrying several devices.

[cookiepuss]

Thanks. I'll get to researching....

It seems like I've heard about trouble with the zen headphone jack before. But I do like that some of the models allow you to add songs from a cd player and other sources besides a PC.

The I river looks good too, but I think I'm running windows 2000 at home not XP so I'm not sure if it will be compatible.

[DandyFop]

My parents got me an ipod shuffle for christmas, which I was happy about, but it doesn't have a screen so I couldn't figure out what the hell was going on with it. They were like "oh we can upgrade it", so I was thinking Ipod mini or nano. My mom got me a damn video ipod - 30 gig! It can hold like 17,000 songs or something ridiculous - I was like, I've listened to the same music for the past 10 years! I'm never gonna need that much room.

Regardless, I really like it so far. If you can afford an Ipod nano or mini I would go with one of those, I guess, but if you research I'm betting you can find something the same for about half the price.

[jabumbo]

^ i'm pretty sure most windows software is based off their NT stuff, and so it's usually compatable for most versions of windows.

i actually perfer 2000 for a lot of things myself, but i think some games made me upgrade. but if it says minimum requirements are win98, then its all good.



as far as the headphone issue. all i had heard about was their 20gb ones had the issues (my roommate had it happen tohis), until more recently i've seen more people say their micros had the problem. i've heard they are pretty good about fixing that problem though...which thanks to your reminder is on the agenda for the next few hours (y)

[Tzar]

I have the 20gig Creative Zen (black case with blue backlight).

it is great although the battery seems a lot shorter than the proclaimed "11 hours of playtime". i haven't had any problems with the headphone jack YET! but i did loose the fluffy things on the creative headphones so i don't use them anymore. they're great headphones. really nice and powerful.

which reminds me... i really should put my new music on there (!)

[jackrock]

This is just my opinion: When you buy an ipod, you never know what your gonna get... it could be awesome and not have a flaw, or it could be horrible (bad battery life, doesnt really hold as much music). I've heard the stories, "My ipod sucks, the battery life only lasts like 30 mins after a full charge"... "i love my ipod, it's awesome".

so i just thought i'd share.

I've always wanted an iriver H10 ... it has (i think) 5GB of space (i don't know how much you need, but like jabumbo said round 1000 songs)... plus i really enjoy iriver's website, it's funky!

[B4BY 4NN]

YOOO

DO NOT GET iRiver!!!

It's shit, and really annoying.

"17 Hours of Batt. Life" my ass.

Constantly freezes up

[TurdBerglar]

anything Creative Labs puts out. stay away from ipods. the best bang for the buck is the Creative Labs Zen Extra. It's getting a bit old and is large by mp3 standards(still smaller than a walkman) but you can get the Zen Extra 40 gig(40 fuckn gig!) for the same price as most of the 5 gig mp3 models out there. and the creative labs zen models are considered to have the best sound quality out of all the mp3 players on the market.

[BryanFerryRocks]

My 30 GB iPod video's battery only lasts about 3.5 hours before going kaput... I reckon I should go complain to the retailer or manufacturer.

[miss_bhaven]

Don't get an ipod! They're shit :mad:

[minton]

Just picked up a Creative Zen Vision:M (http://www.creative.com/products/mp3/zenvisionm/). I'd recommend this over anything else if you want something like the iPod but not an iPod.

[kaiser soze]

I just hum to myself and on the rare occasion tap on things with my fingers

it's worked for centuries

[DJ_Skrilla]

my iriver is pretty sweet. fuck tha haters

[DandyFop]

Why don't people like Ipods? You're all worrying me now, like mine is going to spontaneously combust or something. Even though I hate the damn headphones, they don't fit my ears, and the others I put on weren't nearly as loud.

[THRILLHO]

Fuck the ipods. Apple has been shutting down Mom and Pop Mp3 manufacturers for too long. :mad:

[TurdBerglar]

Why don't people like Ipods? You're all worrying me now, like mine is going to spontaneously combust or something. Even though I hate the damn headphones, they don't fit my ears, and the others I put on weren't nearly as loud.


ipods are incredibly expensive. probably the most expensice and yet are far from being the best mp3 players out there.

[jabumbo]

looking at that version m that minton posted, i really want to upgrade mine to get that.

i honestly don't need the extra stuff, but it would be totally badass if i had it!

[Parkey]

I'd go for an iPod Nano. I got sent about 9 different mp3 players for a magazine piece I was writing, and the Nano won overall. It doesn't hold a huge amount, but it looks good, sounds great and was NO hassle at all. I barely touch the other ones now.

[jabumbo]

you wanna send one my way then, parkey?

[Cooky Puss]

Ipods are for trendy folk.
I have a Creative Zen touch, I've had it about a year now and i can honestly say it's the best purchase I've ever done.
It's 20 gB, so it holds about 5000 songs. And if the battery is fully charged you can listen to music non-stop for about 24 hours (I've tried.)
The only cons are that the touch pad is something you have to get used to, and sometimes, if for some reason your zen gets shaken about, it can crash (like any harddrive can) But there's a reset button and everything works perfectly after that.

[CJM]

I swear (http://www.beastieboys.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=60101&highlight=mp3s) by sony mp3 players (http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_BrowseCatalog-Start?CategoryName=audio_mp3players_style_core&Dept=audio). it works like a charm, and i havn't had to charge it since i got it (it automatically charges when you plug it into the computer to put songs on).

[jackrock]

this is something you might want to come to your attention! (http://www.gadgetreview.com/2006/01/ipod-radio-remote-announced.html)

like i've said, i dislike ipods, but here anyways.

[Deep_Sea_Rain]

The PSP makes a nice little MP3 player, if your willing to shell out the extra cash.

[Documad]

Why don't people like Ipods? You're all worrying me now, like mine is going to spontaneously combust or something. Even though I hate the damn headphones, they don't fit my ears, and the others I put on weren't nearly as loud.
I feel like we do this thread once a week.

People don't like the ipod because they're "trendy," and it's not cool to be trendy (or they can't afford them, I guess, but it depends on what you're comparing). I love my ipod so much that I'd like to have it hardwired into my spine and I don't care who knows it. The standard headphones suck and I sometimes wear the other ipod ones that have smaller earplugs and sometimes I wear the old ones from my old Sony walkman and sometimes I wear full sized DJ-style headphones.

I have an ipod, most of my friends have ipods, no one has had trouble (except for my friend who dropped hers on concrete without a case and hers has a slightly wonky screen now). I've never had battery problems. You might have them if you put it in a drawer and never use it. I use mine every single day.

Mine froze on me ONCE in the middle of a song, and I didn't know what to do. I was on an airplane and it was all better when I plugged it into the charger. There's an easy fix if that happens that has to do with holding down two buttons at the same time but I didn't know that. There's an ipod website with tips like that.

I have 40 GB and it's been full for ages. I wish I had video because it would be nice for travel. itunes podcasts are getting better all the time.

Get a rubbery iskin. Not so much because it protects the ipod, but because it makes the ipod stay put better on a table, or on a car seat, or in your lap.

[TurdBerglar]

don't get an ipod


you can get something better for much less money. that's a good thing, right?

[Parkey]

don't get an ipod


you can get something better for much less money. that's a good thing, right?
depends what your criteria is I suppose. In terms of sound quality/storage capacity most players are pretty similar, but with iPods a bit more expensive.

If you have any notion of asthetics though, you're going to go with the iPod surely? Sony are making some effort, but Apple are SO darn pretty.

[TurdBerglar]

so pay an extra hundred dollars for a "pretty" looking mp3 player?

[jackrock]

so pay an extra hundred dollars for a "pretty" looking mp3 player?
i guess that's what the world has come to, man (n)

[Documad]

What would a non ipod 40GB mp3 player cost me?

It doesn't matter. They apparently don't even make my ipod anymore so I have nothing to compare it to.

Anyway, if it doesn't work with the itunes library, I'm not interested. I've got a mac.

P.S. I would pay an extra $100 for a pretty purse.

[TurdBerglar]

What would a non ipod 40GB mp3 player cost me?


about a hundred dollars less. didn't i say that?

[marsdaddy]

It's also ease of use. You just plug the thing in and it works -- if you have a Mac. Those others need software installs, upgrades, etc.

I don't have an mp3 player, but I'll probably get an iPod, someday. I like to buy the old top of the line, when a new top of the line comes out.

[King PSYZ]

Just picked up a Creative Zen Vision:M (http://www.creative.com/products/mp3/zenvisionm/). I'd recommend this over anything else if you want something like the iPod but not an iPod.
They are quite rad, if I wasn't poor I could have gotten one for $50 off retail at CES.

[Cooky Puss]

It's also ease of use. You just plug the thing in and it works -- if you have a Mac. Those others need software installs, upgrades, etc.


Ehm, no.

[Parkey]

i guess that's what the world has come to, man (n)

Welcome to capitalist society!

[ms.peachy]

I like my iPod. It continues to serve me well and yes, it is pretty. I'm hardly going to deny myself of something I like because some internet dorks think it's 'too trendy'. And what does anyone else care what I spend my money on? My wedding dress cost a lot more than my iPod and I've only worn that once, so comparatively, I'd say the iPod is excellent value, personally.

[ASsman]

Click Wheel
Easy to use filing system
Large Capacity
Large Screen
Insanely thin
Great looking


Yah, iPods do suck ass. Otherwise if you want a half inch thick player with only 10 or 20GB capacity, yah go ahead and get that...

Also you can't beat the amount of accesories you can find for these buggers, and online communities with software, tips, hints, DYIs. Can't wait to get mine.


about a hundred dollars less. didn't i say that?
Heh, what kind of mp3 player would this be?
VOSONIC? Cheapy cheap cheap. And the 40 gig Zens are like 20 dollars less than the now discontinued 40gb model iPod.

[Leonie]

I have an 20 GB iPod (about 5000 songs).. It is expensive (i bought mine for 280 euros), but it's a pretty small and good looking model (you can use the back of it as a mirror :rolleyes: .You can also navigate very good through the music thats on it. I didn't have any problems with it yet. i have it since november.
The price isnt much higher than alternatives like iRiver or Creative.. some are even higher.. you should deside for yourself what is important.. I you don't care about the size and want to put a lot of music on it you could check the Creative Zen Touch.. it's about 200 dollars and theres 20 GB space.. dont now if its good shit but its one of the cheapest.