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Community Newsletter: Q&A: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed!
- 12/7/07 8:11 AM
60GB Zen is out
by davinp - 11/30/07 7:03 PM In reply to: MP3 by PVanamanA 60GB is out. It came out months ago. Check out http://www.epizenter.net - the #1 Creative Zen Fan Site
I gotta zen m too
by adrienne50 - 11/30/07 7:12 PM In reply to: MP3 by PVanamanI love it and would recommend it to anyone.
The only thing that I didn't know about mp3 players is that they play back limited kinds of files. Check to be sure that your player plays the kind of music files you have lest you end up as I did, buying software to change your files into the supported versions and spending a lot of time converting them. I thought that because the Zen is more like a hard drive, I could download Realplayer to it and have all my tunz with me. Since I'm a novice at this, I guessed wrong. I should've googled this before buying. Turns out you can lock yourself out of your zen if you try it.
Ministry of sound mp4
by melvynlaycock - 11/23/07 5:55 AM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I can recommend a Ministry of Sound mp4 player, because you can fit it with a 2GB SD card so plenty of space for music. Also it has a 3 inch ( diagonal measure ) screen so you can watch music videos on it.
about to buy Mp3 player
by gjq007 - 11/23/07 6:28 AM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Nancy
Hello,i'm glade to know you.I think that if i need to store pictures of everyday of my life and listen to the music in my walks,i must to buy a Mp3 player which have a big storage space. trust me,you need one.just like iPod.
MP3 players
by wouisy - 11/23/07 6:29 AM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I am a tech lover but not highly skilled. I got a Samsung 2GB YP-K3J or a K3. It has the radio as a bonus. It works well and so far I have had no problems. My daughter is on her second IPOD and is again experiencing battery problems after just over a year of use. Because of her IPOD problems and because most of my cellphones have been Samsung which have never had problems I made my decision. You can get a higher amount of GB if needed.
Is an MP3 all you want and need from life ...
by The Smoking Man - 11/30/07 8:39 PM In reply to: MP3 players by wouisyNancy,
When I purchased my MP3 player, I too took note of the things I needed when I traveled outside of my home.
Often, I ended up with several devices and I found myself carrying a bag of gadgets: phone, camera and mp3 player.
The solution I opted for was actually a Motorola mobile phone, the E6.
This phone takes 2 gig flash memory cards and can be loaded either through the phone or by using a card reader through a USB port.
I have a library of differing flash cards loaded with different styles of music to suit my moods.
Although you can use the supplied headset with a cord, the phone has the ability to use A2DP enabled Bluetooth headsets. (I have two, one is a MotoRokr set of sunglasses with external controls and the other a set of earpods so I don't have to 'wear my sunglasses at night'.
I never miss a call since the playback pauses while a call comes through and I can respond through the headset. (I may look like a madman talking to an imaginary friend, however).
All told, the iPod, which was my previous solution is limited because it lacks Bluetooth capabilities. It is also only loaded with the iTunes application which I find highly intrusive and limiting. It also tends to take over your computer.
The phone itself is loaded with RealPlayer and will intrface with numerous other software applications on my computer including MusicMatch which just got taken over by Yahoo Music.
My phone plays video, takes video, stores pictures, takes pictures and it has a built in browser and games.
Seriously, what can you do with an iPod? Apple hasn't even seen the sense of adding a Bluetooth option.
Ipod, older model
by boogeyman64 - 11/23/07 8:17 AM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Nancy, I have had a 60 gig I pod that I use for audio books and its great! It has the room, I don't know about all the features you want.
There is a waterproof case on the market and dozens of things to but to customize it for your kind of use.
Nancy´s mp3 problem
by miamihairfashion - 11/23/07 8:29 AM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Well Nancy I seiriously douth that you want to look at pics.while walking.I have had lots of mp3 players but just 2 iPods and let me tell you a sony mp3 player well last you a lot longer than a iPod would,for instants on a mp3 format you can store pics.and music.You can listen to music while you walk and see your pics. on your computer at work.Sony has saved me so mush money with ther sterdy products.You can drop them,i´m sure you will,you can get cought in the rain whit one,which will most likly happen,you can run with one and it won´t skip,but most of all it will LAST.
ipods-you cant wet them,you cant keep viruses out of them,and most of all they wont last you one year.
So learn from my mistakes go SONY WALK-MAN you won´t be sorry.
Jose Houston TX.
iPod
by Don Sheehan - 11/23/07 9:56 AM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Last Christmas, I bought 5 iPod with videos for my children or their spouses. Since then, a son bought an iPod with video for himself and his wife, and two children bought iPod Nanos for their children.
I am anticipating an iPod with a larger screen, perhaps as part of a clamshell, like some cell phones have.
Ipod
by arinkarolweitzman - 11/23/07 11:43 AM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I recommend an Apple Ipod for one important reason. I own a 4GB Nano and I would buy another Apple because of the sound. If you live near an Apple Store, you can go in and listen. The sound quality of the music is by far the very nicest that I have ever heard.
iPod is the one for me.......Here's why............
by hans1791 - 11/23/07 12:13 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Not being a trendy person myself, I try to look at products for their ease of use and the accompanying items (software, accessories, etc.) ease of use. I have owned several earlier versions of mp3 players and I can say without a doubt that the iPod is my favorite. Let start off by saying that I own absolutely nothing else made by Apple, so I am not an Apple nerd. My iPod is the black 30gb and plays video, pictures, movies, music, etc. I have taken this thing on all of my travels and enjoyed every mintue of it. Its compact size makes it easy to throw in a bag and take with you anywhere. The latest versions are 80gb and 160gb. Trust me, unless you plan on putting your movie collection on this thing, you will probably never fill the space available to you. And what a bargain just a few years ago we paid $300 for my 30gb now you get 80gb for $250! You will have no problem navigating through the menus using the wheel on the iPod. The only minor feature that the iPod does not have is an AM/FM tuner on it. You can purchase an attachment that makes this possible if you really need it. I don't because I get way more than enough of local radio with all of the lovely commercials every 5 minutes.
Now the software. To me iTunes is what makes the iPod truly stand apart form the other mp3 palyers. It makes adding music a snap and completely painless. You download all of your favorite music to iTunes and if you want it on your iPod you either check the box next to the song or uncheck it if you don't want it on your iPod, that simple.
I would suggest that you purchase a few accessories for your iPod (if you decide on buying one): First purchase a decent set of in ear headphones, I recommend a pair that Sony makes (sorry I cannot think of the model number) but they sell at Wal-Mart or Best Buy for about $35. Second invest in a nice armband for walking or running or a nice plastic or metal hard case to help protect it. They usually range anywhere from $15 - $40. Hope you enjoy your new mp3 player whatever it may be.
Jason H.
Katy, TX
Stay away from iPods, start small (and inexpensive)
by tpond76 - 11/30/07 8:13 PM In reply to: iPod is the one for me.......Here's why............ by hans1791Nancy-
I cannot disagree more with a significant portion of the advice given here. First, I would stay away from iPods for two reasons- 1) Apple's software is NOT user friendly 2) proprietary designs/interface/battery and cost are recipe for disaster
I will give them credit for customer service and popularity- everyone seems to have one, and they are good at customer support (but, I would argue that you're paying a HEFTY premium for that support)
The "dirty little secret" is this: you can get the same functionality & performance for much less, and without the frustration of using a complicated piece of software and an MP3 player that you can only BUY songs for from Apple!
Since you're "trying" the whole MP3 player thing for the first time, I would keep your investment to a minimum. Pick up one of the low cost, pen drive MP3 players you can find online or in any electronics store. Most have 1 or 2gb of storage space- enough room for 3-500 songs, and you can get one for under $50. In fact, I just bought a Sandisk C250 w/ 2Gb memory at buy.com for $30.
I would also recommend not including your desire to view pictures in your MP3 player decision. It will only drive up the cost, and you'll likely be disappointed with what you get. Screens are tiny on all but the most expensive players.
MP3 Players
by fgfsumh - 11/23/07 12:18 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The saying when in Rome do as the Romans do isn't always right but in the case of the ipod it's a can't miss. I started acquiring these little hard drives when I was in my 50's, it started when I was asked to load up some songs for my daughter on her 6gb. After that I was hooked, I couldn't load some of the songs back in the 60s, 70s, 80's and 90s fast enough and with an ease that I could understand. I know that some people have hard feelings about apple writing protective programs for the device and the library that you keep on your computer but that's part of business. Since then I have 4 ipods I keep with different kinds of listening on them, I have one that is loaded with nothing but podcast from some of my favorite program (yes cnet security podcast is one), I use this when I travel and want to keep up with news, science, ecology etc. I have one that has nothing but old time radio programs from back in the 30s, 40's and 50's. I have one that is (4gb) for exercising, small enough for an armband and one that has the music I so love. I know that this is a bias opinion and have looked at the zune but I do have a good working knowledge of this device. I have an external hard drive that I save all the libraries I have so if and when I do need to change out prgrams it's pretty easy. Believe me coming from a non tech person it was fun and easy to work this device. As far as what you said that your use would be I believe that the 30gb 5th gen ipod would be nice although it is with the older hard drive technology. A good website to learn about the ipod is http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/ipod.htm. Hope this helps and have fun.
WHY AN MP3 PLAYER? Why not a new phone with MP3?
by BobLA90069 - 11/23/07 12:22 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If your music is Beatles and Elvis, and you think small electronics are "for the long run", I know you are somewhere near my age.
I cant imagine carrying two devices, and I certainly would not tell a woman to go walking without a cell phone nowadays.
The cell phone stores pictures, but it might not plug into the dashboard of a new BMW, like an Ipod.
BOB
MP3 Players
by lexx384 - 11/23/07 12:57 PM In reply to: Buying my first MP3 player, advice needed! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've had two MP3 players, a DEll Jukebox, which died after 3 1/2 years and now have a CREATIVE Zen Vision M 30GB - $299. Lots of space for tunes, pictures and video. Great sound, easy to use. Screen size is decent, a little hard to see in sunlight though. Easy to use disk manager. I never really checked out an Ipod, just because, like you say, everyone has an Ipod it seems. Best to check prices on all.
Doesn't come with a wall charger, but I got one off E-Bay for cheap. Can also hook up to TV, or home stereo, FM transmitter or cable to use in your vehicle.
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