Community Newsletter: Q&A: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed!
- 12/7/07 8:11 AM
i-pod therefore I am!
by Tony Wood retired - 11/19/07 12:20 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Nancy,
I am 65 and just retired. Like you I was apprehensive about going portable. I treated myself to a 60GB i-pod last year and haven't looked back.
I had a large collection of CDs and as the i-pod comes with it's own program, i-tunes, I was able to convert all my CDs to small mp3 files. I now have every CD on the i-pod. My entire collection only takes up half the available space.
Photographs and converted DVDs can also be added.
The 'young things' I see jogging every day have a smaller i-pod than mine strapped to their arms. If you fancy doing away with bulky CDs and their cases then I can recommend the i-pod for its ease of use and the famous Apple style and reliability. You can effectively take your entire music collection with you.
I hope you find my personal experience helpful.
Good luck!
Tony
I'm with Nancy
by oregonviewer - 11/19/07 12:21 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Nancy is not the only reader who is flummoxed by the MP3 player isues: the IPOD or what else debate. I am up to speed on other digital technology, but am clueless on MP3 and related tech. Inasmuch as Beratles, Stones and Motown tunes also ring a bell with me, I hope this doesn't sound like complaints of lame boomer tech-phobes. That isn't me-- and probably isnt Nancy, either. Thnx for discussion.
iPod is not your only option.
by vxt - 11/19/07 12:25 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The current generation hard drive iPods are known to have bad audio quality. Google "best sounding mp3 player" to get an idea of what players are being considered to best when it comes to sound. 2nd generation iPod Nano had really good sound. You can still find then on ebay.
MP3 Player
by jenolesh - 11/19/07 12:32 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I don't have an Ipod but I have purchased several Sandisk MP3 players. I have a 6G and 3 of my children have the 4G and the 512MB. I also purchased one for my mom and she can use it just fine. They are fairly inexpensive and the Sansa e series players can hold pictures and video. There is also a slot for a memory disc which lets the player hold even more video and music. The sandisk is easy to use. We use ours with Windows Media Player which is probably already on your computer. These players are flash players which means there is no hard drive in them so there is no chance of the music skipping. The players are fairly small although not as small as the Ipod nano. I had a problem with the 4G player but eventually Sandisk technical support helped me fix it and it has worked fine since then.
Recommendations for your first MP3 player
by bdavison - 11/19/07 12:32 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
First off, Im very glad to see that you arent just considering becoming a lemming and going for a Ipod or Zune. Congradulations you have an IQ higher than 5.
Things to consider. Ipods have the broadest range of accessories. These accessories arent necessary to enjoying a MP3 player, but they can be very nice luxury additions. Things like additional speaker boxes, alarm clocks, cases, faceplates, etc.
I would suggest going with more "universal" MP3 players. Accesories can also be found for these types, although they are not "drop-in" modules like the Ipod. Search for MP3 players that arent limited to ITunes, or Rhapsody downloading.
Check out the Insignia NS-DV4G from Best Buy. Its an explosively rich MP3 player that includes many features that the Ipod does not. Two headphone jacks so that you and a friend can listen. Its not limited to specific MP3 vendors. Expandable memory, Video playback, Standard Radio, E-books, etc.
Go your own way. You are not a sheep!
by Truckles - 12/1/07 1:32 AM In reply to: Recommendations for your first MP3 player by bdavisonHi Nancy.
There've been two consumer revolutions since the early 1950s: the advent of clothing that is ready-to-wear. And the advent of clothing that is ready-to-read.
The hidden label that once testified to the provenance of the clothing has become the overt label that testifies to the provenance of the wearer.
Many wearers think that's great. "Look at me, folks. Look what I can afford because of the amount of money I've available to spend." Or: "Look at what I've got, folks. I'm exactly the person all those glossy ads were desperate to attract." (Insert: rich / discerning / sophisticated / young / attractive.)
There's just one word missing. Sheep. As in: "Look at me, folks, I'm a sheep that will follow any other sheep anywhere."
(Or even 'sheepish': because that's how you'd feel, were someone to insist you spent your life walking up and down Main Street in a sandwich board.)
To what extent the iPod's massive success is due to the number of sales to sheep is impossible to fathom. But sheep purchasers there most certainly are -- people who really are naive enough to think they are asserting their individuality through the adoption of ready-to-read clothing and consumer items.
When in fact, they've just lost their identity in the herd.
So: don't be a sheep. Don't be a sandwich board carrier. Don't buy anything because its advertising is glossy and the people in those ads, even glossier.
Buy an iPod for what it actually is, not the lifestyle-statement-of-a-sheep.
But only do so after identifying your specific individual requirements. And only after trying out, if possible, as many short-listed players from as many shortt-listed manufacturers as possible.
Me, I can't say if an iPod is good or bad nowadays. All I know is that when I looked for my first MP3 player, the iPod was out-matched by several rivals. And so I and my family plumped for a brand to which we've stayed loyal because we've stayed happy:
Cowon / iAudio.
It doesn't have the dubious cachet of iPod ownership. It doesn't have the $millionsworth of advertising the iPod has (advertising, ironically, that is funded from the excess profits Apple takes from the pockets of purchasers content, for whatever reason, to pay a price much, much higher than the darn things are actually worth.)
What the Cowon / iAudio range offered us was play-back file versatility, superb sound quality, radio reception infinitely better than anything Sony ever managed, and unfailing reliability.
I don't know if it still does because we've no reason to junk our existing equipment. (And certainly, we've no interest in looking at still or moving images on tiny screens. Not in the era of 50" TVs.)
Best thing, then, would be for you to Google for Archos, Creative, Zen, iPod, Cowon and iAudio (though the products are the same, the Cowon name only appears in some markets, only the iAudio name in others.)
Read the reviews. Don't rely on 'em exclusively though, rather view them as road signs along the route you're travelling to your hoped-for destination.
And if at the end of your journey, you settle on an iPod, then all well and good.
Because you'll know you really did follow your own star -- rather than the posterior of that big dumb sheep in front.
Good luck.
re: Go Your Own Way - Sheep - Cowon
by xarophti - 12/9/07 12:33 PM In reply to: Go your own way. You are not a sheep! by TrucklesWhen I first got interested in mp3 players, Cowon/iAudio was seriously in the running. Then I heard about their firmware file restriction problem. No matter what the capacity of the player, the firmware limited the number of files and folders that could be stored. Hopefully, they've solved that problem now...
By what you will use not what's poplular
by Naxman - 11/19/07 12:47 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
One of the biggest mistakes most people make in getting portable entertainment systems (units that do more than just play mp3's) is to buy features that they will never use. Before you jump into the pool of options on mp3/video/internet etc units, make up your mind all the features that you want to address and then shop for the best deal. Also be aware that in all probability whatever you choose today will be
surpassed by the next model in 3-6 months so just be prepared to put your stake in the ground and have the unit meet you needs now and what you project you will need in the future.
IPODs are great. I have one and I love it but there are less expensive solutions. You mentioned that you want to listen to mp3 music and watch photos as well as hold your entire Elvis and Beatles collection. That last item could push you into the IPOD family on storage alone. There are several products with large capacity storage but when combining ease of use with that, IPODS are going to probably come out on top. It doesn't sound like you are a real techo gadget person so the IPOD classic is probably your best choice. Depending on the size of your music collection you can go with the 30g or larger. The other units might be too small for your storage needs.
But look at the future. Will you want to browse the internet as well as play music, look at photos and maybe even watch a video? Then consider the IPOD touch. The limiting factor here is that largest one only has 16g of storage. For just music and photos that might fit your needs but if your going to consider carrying some videos around with you 16g can go kind of fast.
There are other products like Zune, Archos, etc and each has its strong points and weak points. But the major key is what are you going to use it for now and what do you anticpate using it for in the future (+3yrs if that long because everything will have changed by then).
I wish you luck in your choice..
Mp3 Selection
by marvells - 11/19/07 12:52 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Sounds like you and I share some of the same interests and thus have similar uses for an Mp3 player. I recently bought an iPod Classic with 160 Gigs of memory. It is more than able to handle all of my classic music, pictures of my grandkids, movies and I've even backed-up the data from my laptop hard drive onto it. Oh, did I tell you that I still have 130 Gigs of memory space available.
get a zune
by lifelonglego - 11/19/07 12:58 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You should get the new zune. It has the same review rating as the ipod but it has a much higher average user rating than ipod. the zune has a bigger screen, fm radio, podcast support, wireless sync, wieless music sharing, and more. If you get a zune through zuneoriginals.net you can get a picture with text, picture, or text laser engraved for free. And it's the same price as ipod.
Go Cowon Iaudio
by N2XKQ - 11/19/07 1:00 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've done a lot of research on MP3 players and I find Cowon's line of Iaudio products to suit me the best. I currently have the G2 MP3 player which also performs as a voice recorder as well. I would love to someday upgrade to the Cowon D2 which would add video capability like you indicated. Show pictures, watch movies, listen to music and podcasts. Then add in the voice recorder and you have an incredible shirt pocket device! The iPOD never appealed to me in looks or functionality. I'm glad I took the time and did the research. I hope this answer helped you. Enjoy!
POD CASE
by ricnwolf - 11/19/07 1:02 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Apple does make it easy. Any MP3 player is going to require some type of program to get the music into it – in your case either by converting from your CD collection, or downloading purchased music from the net. For the iPod, Apple utilizes iTunes, a simple (and free) set up program - you can download it now and see if you like it before you ever purchase an iPod!. iTunes will take your CD and automatically convert to MP3 tracks which will then automatically load onto your iPod. This program is also wonderful for creating playlists (a collection of songs that you select from your larger collection) – you can pretty much create a playlist for every mood! You can also use iTunes to play your music/ playlists on your computer. Other conversion software for other players will do this, but Apple has brought it together into a very simple, intuitive format. You would also use iTunes to download your picture files (in JPEG format).
Some people have indicated that iTunes will not allow you to share your music (or at least allow a minimal number of copies). This is true for tracks purchased from iTunes (copyright protection), but has NOTHING to do with your own CD collection – you are the owner, so there is no copyright applied through iTunes. You can make unlimited copies from your collection to CD’s, and copies of the MP3 files that you have ripped from your own CD’s.
Battery life has not been a problem - my oldest iPod is three years old and still going great - it lives permanately in my vehicle.
Other players may offer radio listening, voice recording, blue tooth wireless (stereo), interchangeable SD card memory – these are things the iPod was not designed for. If any of these features are important to you, then the iPod is not your choice. I personally have not found any of this to be a problem.
As it sounds like your music collection is not large, you can probably get away with the iPod nano – the midsized version of the group. It has a small screen for pictures and enough space to hold (conservatively) 60 albums worth of music. The iPod shuffle
is the smallest, excellent for walks and other activity, but no screen. The iPod "Video" give you plenty of space for just about any quantity of music/ video/ pictures you may care to download. If showing off pictures of the kids is really important, then try out the Touch (or even the iPhone) which undoubtedly has the coolest picture viewing ability, and would still probably be more than adequate for your music collection. Good Luck.
re: Do I really need an IPOD??
by krwag - 11/19/07 1:04 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Dear Nancy,
I am a 48 year old professional who works with people. I am a also a bit of a techno-freak...that is...I have learned how to build my own computer, have an HDTV home theatre system, upgraded the stereo in my new car within 3 days of owning it (and had an automatic car starter installed at the same time). All of my friends call me when they are having any trouble with anything electronic or technical because I really enjoy figuring things out in a realm that I am not supposed to know very much about(by trade, at least). All of that to say that I am someone who cares about quality of experience with electronics/gadgets/and sound.
My niece, Amy, is a graphics artist in Washington D.C. and has always teased me about owning a P.C. (with all of it's 'glitches') instead of a mostly problem-free Mac. But then Mac's and graphic designers go hand-in-hand, or so I'm told. Given that Amy loves and promotes anything made by Apple...and does so while "ribbing" me...(and given the fact that she was always talking about HER IPOD...I decided AGAINST getting an IPOD. (just to get her back) 
So instead I got an RCA MP3 Player for just under $60 at the time- and was impressed by how good the sound was on it.
Over time, however, I noticed that I became increasingly irritated with it's lack of "user-friendliness" and my usage of it began to decrease.
Eventually...I will confess (Don't tell Amy) that I broke down (for some reason I don't remember) and purchased an IPOD at Costco. I got the 4Gb Nano. Let me just say that I still own the P.C. but I will from here on out ALWAYS buy an IPOD. I love love love it. It is user friendly, easy to navigate and once I figured out how Itunes works...(which just took a little patience and concentration for an hour or so)I was incredibly joyful about my decision. That was about 6 months ago. I have never looked back.
So, Nancy, I imagine there are several really good MP3 options out there that other users can tell you about. But I am very happy with the IPOD and just wanted you to know that...and that the product itself won me over after being an initially unhappy "convert". I've even eaten a little humble pie and told Amy how much I like my IPOD...to her credit...she did not gloat beyond her initial "SEE, I told you, Auntie!!"...
Take care,
Karen
iPods are good, but there is better out there!
by joelstanier - 11/19/07 1:17 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Nancy, first of all, you are right to be suspicious that the iPod is something of a 'trend'. Like many things, they sell primarily based on name/image, as they are very well marketed and therefore are the first MP3 player that pops into the average buyer's head.
iPods these days are actually quite good (although there is some debate as to how reliable they are - you get lots of reports of premature breakdowns, but this could be a law of averages thing due to the sheer amount sold). They are very easy to use, as per your requirement, and they do look attractive. The main issue is that there has always been better out there for roughly the same price.
The new kid on the block is the 2nd generation Zune, which offers better performance on pretty much all counts (battery life, sound quality, picture & video quality). The main gripe with us gadget geeks is the lack of an EQ feature (in which you can adjust the levels of bass, treble and mid-range to suit your tastes), although this may not be a major concern for you if you will be using your MP3 fairly casually.
My personal advice would be to go for the Creative Zen Vision, which pretty much since its earliest incarnations has had the upper hand on the other MP3 players, and particularly the iPod. It has the best sound quality on the market (although you may want to consider upgrading from the stock headphones to make the most of that), a far superior screen to the other players, and better than average battery life, more than enough for your usage.
The clincher for you, though, is going to be the sheer ease of use - whereas the iPod and Zune tie you down to their own software for transferring music, the Zen gives you the option of supplied software, synchronisation with various Windows-based music players (Windows Media Player, Winamp etc.), or you can even drag and drop files, so long as you are careful to keep them in organised folders.
It's perhaps not as attractive as the iPod or Zune, but that is really the only negative, and I very much doubt that will matter to you. It shouldn't.
why I never buy ipods
by jeannetteld - 12/1/07 8:06 PM In reply to: iPods are good, but there is better out there! by joelstanierI have owned 4 different creative products over the last several years as they have evolved in physical size as well as gig size.
I am almost 50 years old and taught myself the music download process. I am no novice when it comes to audio quality, however. Ipod will always be the leader because they burst out with an incredible marketing plan and they are trendy and thought to be sort of the harley's of mp3 players. They are not however the best sounding player and i would challenge anyone to compare a creative zen to an ipod blindfolded and with some high quality noise cancelling head phones. Hands down, creative's audio quality is better than the ipod. Soooo, bottom line, if you are trendy and want to follow the herds, get yourself an ipod. If you are a true audiophile, and believe that all the fluff aint nothing if it don't sound good get something else.
Oh and last but not least, i go anywhere i want to get my music- the choices are endless.
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