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General discussion

Clueless about MP3 players, need help!

Dec 5, 2008 7:12AM PST
Question:

Hello there. I hope your community of members can help this novice out. For the holidays, I'm planning to surprise both my grandkids (ages 11 and 14) with an MP3 player each, but the sad thing is I don't know a thing about them. I went to the local store and I was quite shocked to find how many of these players there are. For instance, I thought the iPod was just one type of player, but to my surprise there are a few different models just from the iPod name, which makes it even more confusing. I know it would be difficult for you to determine what is best for my grandkids, but I would like to get them something that they will enjoy for years to come. I don't want to buy them a cheap one, nor do I want to overspend (budget is $100 to $200), but I do want them to be happy with what I get them and be the coolest grandma who is hip with what's in. It's a big surprise for them and bigger challenge for me because right now I'm clueless. If you can help me out and explain with simple terms the overall differences between the varieties of MP3 players there are, what makes a good and bad MP3 player, what features are favorable or unfavorable, I would be forever grateful.

Submitted by: A lost grandma, Louise T.

Here are some featured member answers to get you started, but
please read up on all the advice and suggestions that our
members have contributed to this member's question.

The MP3 player rundown --Submitted by MehStrongBadMeh -
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7595_102-0.html?forumID=71&threadID=319109&messageID=2921723#2921723

MP3 players... --Submitted by Watzman
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7595_102-0.html?forumID=71&threadID=319109&messageID=2921728#2921728

MP3 purchase... --Submitted by forkboy
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7595_102-0.html?forumID=71&threadID=319109&messageID=2923013#2923013

If you have some additional suggestion, advice, or tips for Louise, please click the reply link and share it with us. Please be keep it in simple terms and when necessary in details when appropriate. Thanks!

Discussion is locked

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Cool MP3 player

I would suggest an ipod touch for them, if your comfortable going a little over your budget as it is the coolest mp3 player right now. However if that's a bit on the pricy side for you I would recomend an iPod nano in their favorite color. Also if your grandchildren like to watch a lot of movies than I would suggest an iPod classic as it would be able to hold all of thier movies. I'm suggesting these players because not only do they have good feature sets but also scream "coolest grandma".

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There is no longer a thing called "years to come"
Dec 6, 2008 8:07PM PST

Dear Grandma Louise,
When I read your question, I recognize myself. When I buy something, I would like it to be long term sustainable, good quality and value for money. Despite endless market investigations, me and my husband usually turn out disappointed. We have entered into an era where product life cycles are SHORT and quality is moderate. The technology develops so quickly, so whatever you buy, there will be significantly better products around in two years time. Think about what you would like to pay for a product with 2-3 year life cycle at maximum.

When I bought players for the teenagers and myself, I bought IPOD Nanos. These has stayed quite ok. The previous version of IPOD's we had, lost ability to load the batteries, which could of course not be changed, so they went to the garbage. BUT, going for anything starting with an I, means different and proprietory file formats. I choose this because this format is a bit better than the others, and the availability of old music is great. But I find that my huge library of music is quite unmanageable, so if I would start over today, I would go for a more simple solution, and definately for the teens. I would choose Creative Zen, since they have been around forever in this business.

Good luck
50+ Mother of teens

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Recommended MP3 player
Dec 6, 2008 10:24PM PST

I don't consider myself the expert on digital audio players (being an old codger myself), but I have been using a Sony Walkman for the last year and I have been very happy with it. I chose this player because it is a small, higher quality player and it seems to be more geared towards the user who is primarily interested in listening to music (mp3's) as opposed to looking at video's, pictures, etc. To avoid getting into anything technical, let?s just say that it offers more control over the playback of the music, allowing for a better quality sound. But what is best suited for me is not necessarily best suited for your grandkids. Frankly, both my daughters have Apple iPod Nano's and they've been very pleased with them. I would recommend an iPod in your situation also for several reasons. First of all, Apple rules the market in digital apple players. Probably 90% of all peripheral devices available for digital audio players are made for Apple devices. In addition, Apple?s iTunes software (the program used to control and load music onto the players), despite what some people think about it, is very easy to use and is a very capable program. Finally, I believe your grandkids will relate to the iPod better since this is the player that most of their friends will have also. In your situation, I recommend a flash memory based iPod (either the Nano or the Shuffle) as opposed to the larger hard drive based iPod Classic model. The Nano or the Shuffle models will be less expensive and are better suited for children who might be prone to dropping the devices, etc.

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Differences between MP3 players
Dec 6, 2008 10:35PM PST

Most people find a MP3 player and really like the brand they have. Some are only for certain MP3 players because of the brand. iPods are the most popular because they were some the of the first out there for people. Now, there are quite a few different versions of MP3 players even in the under that same brand (Ex: iPod touch, iPod Classic, iPod Nano, etc). Each player provides something over the other with the bigger names. A good list of things to compare can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_portable_media_players.

Choosing a MP3 player depends on what you want for features: Video, iTunes compatibility, expansion slot (Micro SD), radio, etc.

In my opinion, I have found the SanDisk Sansa series to be the brand I prefer. SanDisk has been top notch in flash storage and I heard (but not verified) audio. But those reasons weren't the ones I liked the best when buying my player. The SanDisk Sansa E200 series had everything the iPod Nano provided (except the iTunes compatibility - that is exclusive to iPods) and more. Besides the video, MP3 playback, playing capability, and scroll wheel, the player also had a Micro SD expansion slot, Radio Receiver, and Audio/Radio recording capability. This allows me to keep expanding my player with more space when I need it, switch to Radio when I am tired of my music, and allows me to save messages or songs I hear for later reference.
I now have 2 Sansa versions (one for my spouse) and plan to get my kid one later on. If I had to choose a new player, I would choose the SanDisk Sansa Fuze or View with 8 GB of storage or more.

I hope this helps. If you do get a player, I suggest you check out websites like www.buy.com or www.pricegrabber.com to find a good price.

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ipod mp3 only.
Dec 7, 2008 3:25AM PST

Buying a good mp3 player for grand kids is a good way surprise them. They may differ in size of capability to price. But this only best player which they can spent using itunes and listen for hours with single charge. It has best feature like they can listen to it while displaying the lyrics. plus more. I remember most cause my brother gave me to me when it was first release and back of ipod's body there was a message written and my name on it. It's not only the player but the name matter to me mostly. Thanks.

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MP3 Player
Dec 7, 2008 5:03AM PST

Hey I bought a real cheap one at wal-mart for less then $30(cnd)just to try it out about a yr ago and its still working just great.
Its 1 gb and holds 500 songs and takes 1 AAA battery which last app. 8 hrs and it came with everything I needed.
Compared the sound to a friends ipod and this 30 dollar one sounds every bit as good.
Expensive is not always better I have found and as far as I'm concerned ipods are overrated and overpriced.
When this one goes kaput I will buy a little better one with a bigger screen as I find the screen on this one a little small.
It will more then likely be a Sandisk as I've had good luck with their products

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MP3 purchase...
Dec 7, 2008 5:49AM PST

Hello Louise.

Your desire to purchase MP3 players for your grandchildren should be greeted with great fanfare on Christmas day. It?s a wonderful choice and hopefully you have come to the right place for some help. So?on to the task?.

Keeping your budget in mind you should be able to find two very nice and competent players in today?s market. Apple, and its ubiquitous iPod line, would undoubtedly serve your grandchildren quite well. In addition, the software necessary to run these players, iTunes, is a competent piece of software enjoyed by millions around the globe. Keep in mind that your grandchildren will have to use iTunes with any Apple MP3 player as their players do not work with other software (this is neither good nor bad, but just a fact of life). However, Apple MP3 players do tend to be more expensive than non-Apple products. Not only are they more expensive in general, but they typically have fewer features than non-Apple products. Apple MP3 players eschew FM radio, voice recording and other such features, while costing the same (or more) as other comparable products. Again, this isn?t good or bad, but simply the way Apple prefers to make their products. If the lack of FM radio and such won?t bother your grandchildren then it?s a moot point.

Your budget of $100-$200 is, I?m assuming, for both players. This budget restriction makes the purchase of Apple products a bit easier in that it is only the iPod Shuffle you could afford to purchase two of. Unfortunately for your budget the current iPod Nano starts with 8GB of memory, but also comes with a price tag hovering around $150/each. The Shuffle is competent, but very, very basic, coming with no viewing screen. Your grandchildren?s needs might be met by the Shuffle, but it will seem lacking when compared to so many other MP3 options. As such, you may need to reconsider your budget, if possible, or look at non-Apple options.

In the world of other MP3 players there really are so many from which to choose. Many companies have good to great reputations and include the likes of, but not limited to Creative Labs, Microsoft, Archos, Samsung, Sony, SanDisk and Philips. Amongst this crowd I myself have owned units from four different manufacturers and I have no complaints about any of them. They all provide roughly the same features and abilities, all sound good (better with third-party headphones) and each offers a nice return on your dollar.

A model from any of these companies will likely make your grandchildren quite happy. SanDisk offers very competitive pricing thanks to the fact they are a memory manufacturer and flash memory is the heart of these MP3 players. Some of the more recent Sony models have received very positive reviews for their sound quality and battery life (as can be found on the CNET Reviews web site). Archos has long offered great sounding players, but isn?t as well known as the other players in this field. Having owned a few Creative Lab products I can personally say that I like the way they work, they sound good and offer plenty of battery life.

If forced to offer the most direct advice I?m going to use my personal experience to state that I would consider products from one of the following three: Microsoft (the Zune line), SanDisk or Sony. The 4GB Zunes can be had for around $100 and have received much in the way of positive press for their sound quality and interface (the touchpad that allows the user to interact with the player). The SanDisk Sansa Clip or Sansa Fuze offer plenty of features at a very reasonable price and you could possible get the 8GB versions for roughly the same price as 4GB models from other manufacturers. And the more recent offerings from Sony in the way of the 8GB Walkman models are receiving plenty of positive feedback in the press and would suit anyone?s needs very nicely. I like what I?ve read so much that I have one on its way to me right now.

Keep in mind that turn around in the MP3 world is pretty quick and that these devices, regardless of the manufacturer, can be damaged rather easily and we all know that kids (11 & 14) can or will be rough on them. It is quite possible that they will want or need new players in only 18-24 months so don?t be offended if your lovely gift is yesterday?s news in short order!

Hope some or all of this helps and have a Merry Christmas with the grandkids!

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Flash MP3 payer
Dec 7, 2008 1:21PM PST

Hi,

1. The MP3 is one of the file formats how the songs are compressed and stored.
2. AAC is another little bit better format than MP3.
3. It would be nice, if you can watch video the same player too.
4. Should have at-least 20hours or more non-stop music.
5. Should be small enough to carry in pocket.
6. Out of all, should have the best bang for bucks with top-notch audio quality/clarity.

If you look for the above things in mind, then, I would recommend Creative Zen 2GB (It comes with expandable memory slot ? if the 2GB space I n not sufficient on later date you can add extra 2 GB memory card) The latest max 32 GB (its bit expensive).
And 16GB will cost around 180$. where as a 2GB you may find on line for 70$ + Shipping.This is player is flash memory player, meaning it has no moving parts. So no skipping of songs while doing Gym / jogging. Even if its dropped accidentally not much damage will happen.

http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=16999

Review of it is here :
http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/creative-zen-2gb/4505-6490_7-32824134.html

But there are other hard disk based players, where you can get 80+GB like that. But, it consumes more power, needs frequent charging. If dropped accidentally, there is every possibility that they fail permanently.


Happy Holidays,
Greetings,
Swami.

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MP3 [player
Dec 7, 2008 9:26PM PST

I purchased the Sansa view (8GB) a few months ago and absolutely love it. It cost around $80 at walmart (on line) and has so many features. It is very easy to use and down load music to. It is small and holds tons of music. I have over 500 songs downloaded to it and barely touched the amount of memory. I looked at several reviews and they were all very positive. I think for the price it is a great investment. It even has an FM Tuner as well and you can also down load photos to it. I hope this helps.

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Get the I-pod
Dec 7, 2008 11:10PM PST

While there are many brands of MP3 players, what the kids want is the Ipod. They are more $, but go with the 8gb Nano and you will be OK with plenty of memory for songs and video. With the new bright colors, the kids love them. I have 4 kids ranging in age from 10-15 and they love their Ipods. I buy within my budget and then give them the option of spending the extra $50 or so if they want to upgrade to the next model, which in this case would be the 16gb Nano I believe. If you buy an off-brand, the kids will not like it!

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Clueless about MP3 players - I can relate!
Dec 7, 2008 11:54PM PST

Until recently, I was clueless about MP3 players too. I understand computers, but I've never been one for gadgets. A couple weeks ago, I went to Best Buy and purchased a Samsung MP3 player (normally $79.00 but there was a $30.00 instant savings on it). It had a 4GB storage capacity and was less than the iPod that only had 1GM of memory. It also has video and a FM Radio functions, as well as the ability to read text documents -- options that the iPod in the same range didn't have. The downside was that I had purchased a whole bunch of music over the years from iTunes, which I wasn't then able to put on my MP3 player without jumping through hoops to do it. However, I discovered that music can be purchased from Amazon so I've switched to using them for my music downloads.

It took me several hours to get things downloaded to my player and to figure out how to use it. Of course, I was researching about iTunes and finding additional things to download, so that took time. However, it was fairly easy to use. My 11 year old son picked it up while we were driving to visit family and he figured out how to use it without even reading the instructions. They adapt so easily to technology.

Overall my advise would be to buy something that has good storage capacity. Unless they already have a bunch of music from iTunes, I wouldn't suggest buying them an iPod -- that'll create more headaches for the parents than it's worth.

I hope this helps you to become the coolest grandma ever!

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Even if they have music from iTunes
Dec 8, 2008 12:04AM PST

Even if they do have music from iTunes, they can always burn it to a cd, then rip the music back off of the cd for the other player.

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Avoid ipod, itunes etc
Dec 8, 2008 12:45AM PST

I'm not expert, but my daughter got an ipod and downloads songs on itune. I have a generic mp3 player and found out that it will NOT play the files downloaded from itunes, apparently because they are a different format (mp4?). It turns out you can get around this problem by burning the songs you want onto a cd, then ripping them back into the computer as mp3 files, but this is slow and a waste. I see no reason to use itunes when it's a limited format. Get a mp3 player.

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an iPod is an mp3 player
Dec 8, 2008 1:34AM PST

For those who are considering an iPod, here's a little advice:

1. Change settings in iTunes so that when you rip cds, they will rip into mp3 format rather than aac. The default setting is aac. They are unprotected aac, so they can be easily converted to mp3s. But save yourself the trouble by changing your settings.

2. Do not buy music from iTunes. Buy from Amazon's mp3 downloads store. If you d/l the Amazon Downloader, then the tracks will go straight into your iTunes library. If you feel the need to buy from iTunes, try to buy the un-DRM'ed iTunes Plus tracks. That way, you can easily make mp3 copies without burning to an audio cd then ripping back to mp3s as well as put them on players that can play unprotected aac (such as the newer Sony Walkman players and ironically, Microsoft Zune).

Apple has been in talks with the other (3?) major record labels so that they can sell their songs DRM free. Hopefully this will happen in the coming year. Currently, only EMI lets Apple do this. All of the majors already have deals with Rhapsody, Napster, Amazon, and Microsoft to sell their songs DRM free and they have done so for the last 6 months or longer.

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Digital Music Players; Which to Buy
Dec 8, 2008 2:25AM PST

Don't worry. It's not as hard as it sounds. My short answer would be a 4 GB+ iPod w/a nice big color screen and the click wheel. (My girlfriend has been happy with that level of iPod for years.) You can get 'em cheap on the net, Cosco, Sam's Club, etc.

Background on my music device use:
I'm a musician/music-freak, and don't use my iPod for games, etc., only music and videos of live concerts.

Many kids will probably want digital music players, phones, etc. that they can play games on, watch movies, use the internet, etc. That's one reason so many music players have such huge memory capacities. (Video takes way more memory space than audio.)

So, the first real question is how your "gift-ies" will want to use their new music device. Would they rather play games on another device? Etc.

I have been Very happy with my Apple iPods. They have great screens and hold tons of songs. (I had a 40 GB iPod for 5 years, and now Love my 160 GB iPod which is only half full, even with tons of music and concert video on it.)

The only reason I would consider a device other than the iPod is that the iPod doesn't play nice with my Great subscription service, Rhapsody. Rhapsody is only $34/quarter, and I can listen to anything I want 24/7, on my computer. I can pay $0.78/song to buy/download/own the songs on my machine and put them into iTunes/iPod, etc. w/little trouble.

However, with a Rhapsody approved device (not the iPod), you can take part in there Rhapsody-to-go program and constantly swap the music on your device. - A Very cool feature.

Again - It's not as hard as it sounds. My short answer would be a 4 GB+ iPod w/a nice big color screen and the click wheel.

I, sincerely, hope that helps you. Happy

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freeze
Dec 8, 2008 5:23AM PST

updates is the first one. all updates are not realy compatable with your computer xp and all your hardware and sofeware when your computer auto-updates it mtte not be compatible with one of your software or your hardware you have to understand verizon,yahoo,comcast,hotwire,and all other company there updating and making changest.and one more things virus,malware,go to start and then go to run type msconfig and run dieagnus and then run normal and then run a full virus scan. if that dont work restore your computer to an early date. it work for me. i have an xp pro.

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The best help comes from within
Dec 9, 2008 12:31AM PST

You're absolutely right about the number and types of MP3 players available. Ask yourself this.

Are you buying them MP3 players to "keep up with the Joneses" or because it's what they want. If it's so they have what they're friends have, then an iPod is what you'll want. Anything less will subject them to ridicule from their iPod owning peers. Yes, kids can be extremely cruel, and if you don't have "the brand" then you're better off having nothing at all.

The "Nano" starts about $150 or a "Shuffle" around $50. They hold different amounts, but function virtually identically. Even with in the "Nano" there are different storage capacities and the price increases accordingly. A full fledged iPod or a "Touch" start above the range you mentioned ($100-200), so I won't mention them. Something in the 4GB to 8GB range should be plenty of space, shop around to see how much you can get for the least amount. Since they come in a variety of colors, that is something else to consider. If you're not sure, check with their Mom, I'll bet she'll have an idea.

But, in addition to the player, there are accessories. Cases, chargers, etc... that should be considered. Most come with a pair of earbuds (small headphones that fit in the ear) and a cord to connect to the computer for loading music and charging. There are wall and car chargers also, and a carrying case is a must. It not only gives them a place to carry it, but helps protect from damage also.

I'm not a huge fan of the iPod, personally. I think they're overpriced and overrated. I have a Rio Nitrus, which is less than half as much, that I've had for four years now, and it's still chugging away. Meanwhile my daughter has been through an iPod and now has an iPod Nano, both during the same timeframe. It all depends on how well they are taken care of, hence the plug for a case!

I hope that helps somewhat. Whatever you get them, they should appreciate, but with today's kids it's not always the thought that counts... Happy Holidays!

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Mp3 player advice
Dec 9, 2008 4:30AM PST

You cannot go wrong with the apple ipod! The nano is affordable and very popular with the teens. My daughters got a nano last christmas and they are still very happy with it. Apple has new versions of the nano out this year. Almost all the children in our extended family own an ipod in many of the ipod generations from the first introduced to last years models ( in both nano and ipod touch) they are all still used frequently. You can pick the nano up for about $140 and they have the video feature on then to download music videos as well as tv episodes. I really like the itunes to download music and videos. well worth the money, and a reputable company when you run into problems with the product. hope this helps, happy holidays! Happy

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iPods
Dec 9, 2008 5:07AM PST

I have three mp3 players, an iPod Nano, an iPos Shuffle and an obsolete Samsung YP-Z5.

I found the Shuffle to be inexpensive, yet the sound quality isn't too great, and it doesn't possess a screen.

The Samsung (iPod Killer in it's hayday) is awesome, only lacking Videos and Apps, although I think that newer Samsung MP3s come with those.

Yet the iPod nano, the thing that practically trademarked the color white, comes out the best, and at the same price as the YP, but with far more features.

I hear that there are lesser known companies that make iPod Killers for half the price, and I'm sure that the reviews section of CNET will provide some help with deciding.

Sincerely,
--an unconfused (just) Grampa

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Recommendation
Dec 9, 2008 11:16PM PST

I would heartily recommend the Sandisk Sansa E200 series, E250, 260 etc. They are all the same except for memory (for example E250 has 2GB of data, enough for hundreds of songs). They are all expandable using micrSD cards for more memory. They are very easy to use, have FM radio built in, and you can put photos and short videos on there too. Best of all you can get them for about $25-$30 each if you are willing to buy a recertified model. I bought one about a year ago and have not had any issues. Look at buy.com, they always have them cheap.

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Horses for courses
Dec 10, 2008 2:16AM PST

I would agree wholeheartedly with a number of those who've replied about the need to put yourself into the mindset of 11 and 14 year olds. I personally would never buy an iPod, as they're over-priced and don't do what I want, but then I'm already in a minority, as I'm a classical music fan. Don't try to second-guess your grandchildren - you'll only end up getting them something un-cool, even if all the experts advise otherwise. I really think that the best suggestion is to take them to the store and surprise them with letting them choose what they want. If you've got a price limit, then they themselves will have to decide if they'd rather have a Creative with more features and storage or an iPod for its street-cred. If you stick to the big names (iPod, iRiver, Creative, Sony, etc), you won't go wrong in terms of quality of the physical product.

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Ideas for Clueless about MP3 players
Dec 10, 2008 6:17AM PST

ipod is the most know but unlss they have access to Cd's to add musice to @ $.99 per song it can get expensive

Sony Walkman or Ibiza Rhapsody players with access to about 3 million songs are good choices and very easy to use.

My whole family use them
Good luck

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MP3 Players
Dec 12, 2008 12:14PM PST

Grandma, take it from a Grandpa/Great-Grandpa with experience.
I commend you wanting to be a HIP GRANDMA, however, sometimes being a hip grandma just isn't the best thing. What will happen is, those grandkids will take those players, stuff the earpiece in and crank the sound up as loud as it'll go. What happens? In about 30 years, probably less, they will be having tinnitus and going deaf. The Hip Grandma will be more hip to forget getting them anything that would damage their hearing. Oh yes I know, they all do now-a-days, but that doesn't mean it's ok and you should contribute to the demise of their hearing. I wish I had someone to help me understand this when I was young enough to stop the damage. I pay for it every day now and there isn't anything that can be done about it. Believe me, I would not contribute. It's your choice, I've warned you what WILL happen.

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iPod
Dec 12, 2008 12:14PM PST
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Go ipod
Dec 12, 2008 12:15PM PST

I've had a few MP3 players and I think you should look at Apple iPods, probably an ipod nano. They seem to be the best price/feature. My wife has one and loves it. I have the bigger/older Ipod 3G (now Ipod classic), which I love, but the way its built, its not shock-resistant, which you might need for kids. The Nano might be better for kids.

Some reasons for the ipod suggestion:

If they break, you can get them fixed. There are Apple stores who can fix a broken iPod. If you buy something from almost any other brand, service is roulette. MP3 players don't break often, but some of the ones I've had were poorly build and difficult to use. If they did break, I'd never get an answer from anyone, in English anyway. Ipods are well built. My wife's and mine have lasted a few years already.

Ipods are really easy to use and iTunes software makes everything easy, fun, and opens up other avenues to music (like buying singles online, instead of buying the whole CD for one song). Songs are .99 and easy to get through iTunes. You get to hear snippets of songs if you'd like before you buy. I'm sure the other online music catalogs probably have this as well, but its integrated nicely with the Ipods and easy to use.

Also, ipods are very popular, so you can look online for any help you need or get a book at the bookstore on using ipod/itunes. They are pretty easy to use, so I doubt anyone needs a book, but its an option if you need it.

My non-technical wife loves hers, so kids should do just fine with them.

I agree with the poster who said 4GB is probably the smallest memory size you'd want to get. Any smaller than that is a battle dragging things on and off your player to make space for new music/pictures/video. Managing space isn't fun and can be confusing for kids and adults as well.

I had a 1GB Creative Nano (funny that Nano name gets around) and it was annoying dragging music back and forth when I wanted to listen to something new.

A good place to look for reviews for electronics is Amazon.com. People buy a product and then write what they like and don't like about it. You have to take the comments with a grain of salt, because many people have an ax to grind with just about any product. If I bought something and it didn't work when I got it, I'd be mad too, but that doesn't necessarily mean the product is bad, it just means I got a bad one and have to sent it back for an exchange. That happens sometimes with online shopping and people will complain in reviews, so you have to use your best judgment. Overall reviews are helpful though.

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iPod
Dec 12, 2008 12:30PM PST

I've owned a few non-Apple mp3 players over the years, and while they've been more than satisfactory, they just weren't as ridiculously easy to use or as polished as my fairly new iPod Touch. Apple really knows their stuff when it comes to portable music players. I highly recommend Apple's iPod line.

The lineup consists of

1. The iPod Shuffle ($49), which is cheap and meant to play a small selection of songs randomly, and will even auto-sync a new random collection when you plug it in to the computer.

2. The iPod Nano ($149) is small, and stores a fair bit of music. It's the most popular of the crowd, and allows you to easily navigate through your music library and play what you want, when you want, as well as build and sync custom playlists.

3. The iPod Classic ($249) holds a ginormous amount of music. It's huge, and meant for people with vast music libraries. It's like the iPod Nano, but bigger in size and capacity.

4. The iPod Touch ($229) is far more than an mp3 player. It's an iPod, yes, but it's more like the iPhone's little sibling. It allows you to surf the web whenever you walk near a WiFi access point, play games you can buy from Apple's online store, and so much more. It's beautiful screen is great for watching movies on, too.

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I agree with others - iPod nano is way to go.
Dec 12, 2008 12:39PM PST

Yes there are some great wma/mp3 players out there but hands down the easiest to use is the iPod line. The nano can sync whatever play lists or audiobooks you want quickly and easily and its intuitive interface is genious. But it's best selling point is the iTunes store and player. It's far easier to use and understand than Windows Media Player (which ironically crashes constantly on Vista but iTunes runs flawlessly on Vista) and for purchased electronic songs and books its a one stop shop and player that just makes it easy.

Realplayer and it's associated WMA/MP3 players could be a close second though if they didn't have a subscription fee.

Whichever you choose though - iPod or WMA ones stick with only it! Having both on your computer can become a real library nightmare. Until Apple agrees (which will never happen) to let other makers use their protectedAAC scheme we will have this betamax/vhs like format war ongoing.

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some iriver mp3 players will record
Dec 12, 2008 1:05PM PST

as a musician, the ability to use my iriver mp3 player to obtain a high bitrate digital recording from line-in or optional stereo microphone is an amazing feature. i record off my synthesizer; i record off my XM radio; i record off of old cassette tapes and vinyl. i recorded the fire in my fireplace to burn onto cd's to give to friends with gas logs this christmas.

the ifp-899 i use is no longer in production. the price on ebay has actually doubled over the last year as the supply is shrinking. happily iriver's new 8GB X20 also has line-in, though sadly also a proprietary battery and is about $150 new on ebay.

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Don't waste your money on an I-Pod!
Dec 12, 2008 1:45PM PST

Don't waste your money on an I-Pod, when there are better (and/or just as good) choices available at half the cost. I have friends with I-Pods and while there "ok", they cost an arm and a leg and don't have all the features that other less expensive players have. You're basically paying for the Apple name, just like with their Mac computers.
I purchased a Creative Zen and it has more features, a bigger screen than the Nano (same size as the original IPod) and it cost half as much. You're going to pay anywhere from 150 to well over 200 dollars for an Ipod (especially for the ones that have the color screens that show video) but you can purchase a Creative Zen for anywhere from 59.99 to 79.99 depending on where you buy it. I purchased mine at Wal-Mart for 59.99. You can even download Apples format "ACC" from ITunes without having to convert the file to WMA or MP3. It also has a 2.5" screen that displays 16.7 million colors so you can watch everthing from videos at tv quality. Aside from the numerous other features, it also has a built in FM tuner (which no model of the Ipod has) and an SD slot to add more storage space. Plus the battery lasts longer than an Ipod Nano and the Ipod Shuffle. The Zen lasts 30 hours of music or 5 hours of video on a single charge. The Ipod Nano has a smaller screen size with less resolution and only lasts 24 hours on a single charge listening to music and 4 hours watching video, and again, the Nano doesn't offer an FM tuner so you can listen to the radio. The Ipod classic has the same size screen as the Zen, but like the Nano lacks all of the above functions. Only the Ipod Touch has a larger screen than the Zen at 3.5 inches, but even the touch doesn't have an FM tuner.
The cost of the Ipod classic is 249 dollars, the cost of the cheapest Nano is 149 and most expensive 199. So you do the math. Zen has almost twice as many features as the Ipod at less than half the cost, or buy an Ipod and pay for both the Apple name and less features.

Trust me when I tell you I did a ton of homework both online and by listening and comparing with friends who all have a number of different MP3 players. For the money, there is no better MP3 player on the market, in my opinion. Like Apple notebooks and Mac's, why spend twice as much money, when you can purchase a PC for half the price and be able to do twice as much on it? The same goes with the IPod.

Whatever you decide, good luck and have fun. While an MP player is a great device, they are also going out of style real quick, which is why I don't suggest spending all that money on an Ipod. Reason; more and more cell phones are coming out with built in MP3 players so you might as well purchase something inexpensive (like a Zen) and wait a year and upgrade your cell phone to a newer model. Why carry around a cell phone, a camera and an MP3 player when you can have one device that does all three plus surfs the net.

Just an FYI: I don't work for Creative Labs or any other MP3 player company. But I am a Network Administrator and am very computer/tech savvy. I just don't like to see people spend their hard earned money on an item in which their really only paying for that little Apple icon. Don't be fooled people! You may think you're getting the best MP3 player on the market, but think before you buy. Apple spends billions of dollars a year on pretty, flashy & sexy advertising. They do this for one reason and one reason only, to move their over-priced products.
Be a smart consumer, and more importantly, dont be a conformist and buy a product for the brand name.
Brand names are important when it comes to a quality LCD or Plasma HDTV. But thats another comment for another time.
Happy

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Ahem, iPods are not the only players out there folks.....
Dec 12, 2008 1:53PM PST

I just recently ordered a Nationite S-Flo from mp4nation.net and have been amazed at the cost to coolness/usefulness ration. Costing $109 and change when I ordered it and has been much better, in my opinion, than any iPod on the market.

First, it has a touch screen. A great touch screen at that. Picture a player the size of the iPod nano that instead of having a tiny little micro screen, you have a screen that covers most of the front of the player that has the "ooh-aaah" of a touch screen, right on par with the accuracy of the iPhone/touch, and has a better resolution than the Nano. Capacitive touch screen, multi touch, good resolution, high color , need I say more?

Secondly, the player has the very popular Wolfson audio chip, the wm8987, and produces one of the best audio playback experiences in a portable media player (since most will play videos now, it is kind of getting useless to call them "mp3 players). Also, the player comes with some decent earbuds as well (but I recommend the Vmoda Bass Freqs if you can find them, best factory buds ever) that are surprisingly comfortable and produce a better sound than the iPod "standard" buds.

Third, this player also has a built in fm radio/fm transmitter. Yep, play radio, RECORD radio, and transmit your music via fm frequencies. Can you get that on an iPod without buying another accessory? Also has a document/ebook reader built in. Nice.

Fourth, this player also has a large amount of customization abilities as well, as far as themes go. As far as I know, the only way to customize anything about the touch is to jailbreak it and possibly void your warranty.

Fifth, NO MORE ITUNES REQUIRED TO PUT YOUR MUSIC ON YOUR PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Files are easily added by hooking it up to you computer (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) and dragging and dropping any and all music and video files you could want (supported files are listed on the site, many to choose from).

Finally, 8GB of storage goodness, a case, screen protector, earbuds, and more is included in the xmas package. And before any of you nay-sayers start saying "awwwhhhh, it's made in China, it must suck...." check and see where your iPods/iPhones are manufactured. The S-Flo specs and review are listed here: http://mp4nation.net/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_36&products_id=151

Simply put, I'd take this, or any Nationite (Teclast) player over any iPod, any day. My two cents.

James.