Is running with that insidious armband for your phone cramping your style?
Paranoid about phone snatchers on your commute?
Does the possibility of dropping your phone and cracking your screen make you anxious every day?
Yes.
If you suffer from these common nuances.
You may be the right candidate for an mp3 player.>> Really?>> Remember those?>> Why would anyone need an mp3 player?>> Well its a useful supplement to your phone.
Downloading music onto your phone takes up valuable space that could be used for apps or dog photos.
And streaming music services eat up your data plan.
As a stand-alone accessory, you can leave your phone in your bag and use it for uninterrupted listening when you need it the most, exercising, commuting, or relaxing.
Do they even make those anymore?
Yeah, they actually do.
If you want something cheap to play music and podcasts in your ears, there are a few options, including the iPod shuffle.
It's perfectly sized for taking with you on a run, and its built-in clip securely keeps it in place.
It's easy to press the buttons on the front.
And since it doesn't have a screen, you can't quickly pick what you want to listen The iPod Nano, on the other hand, does have a screen.
It also has Bluetooth.
So you can pair it with your Bluetooth headphones for listening wirelessly.
If you don't like using iTunes or need something that can hold more music, the SanDisk Clip Jam is an affordable alternative.
It has a no-frills low resolution screen.
Convenient built in clip and a microSD card extension slot to add more storage.
It's plastic design doesn't feel as solid as the aluminum clad iPod but it's cheaper than both of them.
It's important to note that none of them have Wi-Fi.
They don't work with popular streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, or Pandora.
And that's a deal-breaker for me.
I use Spotify and rarely download music anymore.
So I am better off using my phone instead.
However, if feature models include wi-fi and stay priced pretty cheap, that could very well change.
Hold on.
Right after these people leave.
Go.
Hey, remember those?
Who ever needs an MP3 player today?
[LAUGH]
I think that was good, though.
I think we got that one.
