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General discussion

Small MP3 player for car stereo

by Ms.Gadgettes Apr 27, 2008 1:15PM PDT

For mother's day my brother and I got my mom a car. We decided to upgrade the stereo with the THX II sound system, with the MP3 jack and sirius radio.

We were wanting to also get her an MP3 player to use in the car, but weren't really sure what to get. She doesn't like complicated things, just something simple that does what it is supposed to do, but does it well. So I would like something that is pretty basic, has good quality, and is also fairly small, with good battery life. We plan to get her a bunch of CDs and also a giftcard to get some more music, so we were thinking 4gb may be a good size, but weren't sure if that may be too small.

I've been looking and I think that the Create Stone Plus looks like a good option, based on size. I also like that it has a small screen so she could select a playlist if she wanted to. The battery life doesn't seem great and the capacity seems a little low, but overall it looks good. I also like that it has the small speaker attatchment that can be purchased, in case she would want to use it in the house. I'm not sure if this is the best option, but from my research tonight it seemed like a good choice.

If anyone has any other suggestions, that would be great!

Thanks!

Discussion is locked

17 Posts
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I came across two other options
by Ms.Gadgettes Apr 28, 2008 4:10AM PDT

I looked around a little more and found two additional creative MP3 players that look like they may work well.

Creative Zen (probably 4gb maybe 8gb, I don't think I would need to get one that large, especially since it is expandable)

Creative Zen V (4gb)

The main reason I like these over the stone is because they do have more capacity, and I do like the option of exapanding them. I was also thinking that the larger screens may be nice. I like the size of the stone because it can just be tucked in the console and doesn't take of an space. At the same time, it will be out of the way and not seen, so it really doesn't need to be that small. With the larger screen, it would be easier for her to see and navigate.

The only reason I don't like these as well is that the Zen doesn't have a dock that is made for it and the one for the V is larger than I was hoping. I like the small dock for the stone, but I'm not sure if she would even use it, I just like to have it as an option. If there are any small docks that would work with these players, not necessarily made for them, that may be an option as well.

Any suggestions and/or opinions would be great!

Thanks!

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26 bugs can do
by shallweshare May 4, 2008 4:02PM PDT
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Oh I am just dying with envy!
by ahtoi Apr 28, 2008 7:17PM PDT

Whatever mp3 player you get would be just icing on the cake.

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Do you have any specific recommendations?
by Ms.Gadgettes Apr 29, 2008 5:38AM PDT

Right now it seems like Creative has the best options, for what I want, but I don't know if this is the best choice and/or if they are a good brand?

I've got a Zune and really like it, but I was looking for something a little different for her.

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Creative Stone Verses the Zen V Plus
by luvshihtzu Apr 30, 2008 10:18AM PDT

If you are wanting to be able to read the screen easily, the Zen V Plus is a better choice and it is easier to navagate. I am also unhappy with the Stone in that it seems to be frequently spending a huge amount of time being recharged. It seems to lose a lot of battery power when not in use.

luvshihtzu
A Creative Fan

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Creative Zen
by Karyzma Apr 30, 2008 12:09PM PDT

I'm not an mp3 expert by any means. But I have a Creative Zen V Plus 4gb & I love it! I have a ton of music & pictures plus a few videos on it, not to mention podcasts & the organizer & it's nowhere near capacity. (It also has an am/fm radio too) The battery life is excellent. It says 16 hours but I get at least 20. You can charge it with the included usb cable, but I bought both home & car chargers for it. I almost never use them though because of the long battery life. It charges quickly when I connect it to the computer to transfer music & podcasts. It's perfect for me & the price was right. I did buy higher quality ear buds, the ones that come with it are mediocre in my opinion, and they don't fit well. Otherwise it was an excellent purchase! Good luck!

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Thanks for your replies
by Ms.Gadgettes Apr 30, 2008 2:50PM PDT

This really helps with my decision. I definitely think I will get a creative player, I just need to decide which one. The stone is definitely out now, but now I just need to look into my options with their other players. They all seem to offer something great, but I have things I like about each one. So, it should be easier now to make my choice.

Thanks, also, for the accessory suggestions. I plan to get a wall charger, case and dock. As for the earbuds, probably won't need them. It will be using car speakers in the car and a dock when at home, other than that, I don't really see it being used.

Now, as for playing it in the car, will I need anything special? The dealer said that it has a jack in the center console, I believe. So I already bought the cable, looks like a headphone jack on both ends, but is that all I will need? The car hasn't arrived yet, so I can't test anything and see exactly what it offers until it gets here.

Thanks again!

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that's all you need for the car
by ktreb May 1, 2008 3:14AM PDT

The jack in the console probably isn't player-specific, so it's just a garden-variety aux input. You might want to get a car charger, but it may not be that important unless your mom takes really long trips.

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Thanks
by Ms.Gadgettes May 1, 2008 5:21AM PDT

I thought all I needed was the cable, but thought I better check.

I don't really think she will need the car charger, longest trip would be around an hour and that would be once a week, at the most. But, I think it is a good idea to get anyway, just in case!

Thanks again!

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Confused again
by Ms.Gadgettes May 1, 2008 2:39PM PDT

So my brother and I were just about ready to place the order for the Creative Zen player when we decided to look at the reviews more closely. It gets pretty good reviews, with an average of a 4 star. However, we noticed among the sites that there were several negative reviews and almost all of them with the same problem, it seems a lot of people experience the player freezing on a while screen and from that point, it seems like a lot of problems.

So now we are thinking this may not be the best player. Everything really seemed like it would be perfect for what we need, we like that it is a flash player, but there is also the ability to expand with additonal memory. Between the screen size, flash, capacity and the ability to upgrade, we thought we had things decided, but now aren't so sure.

So we've been looking around tonight as some other options. Now we are wondering if we should go to Apple instead of Creative, they've been around a while and users seem to be happy, so it seems like a good idea. My concern though, is the sound quality of an iPod good? I've heard quite a few complaints that they don't sound great. Not sure if this is an issue since we will put it on the car stereo anyway, but it is a concern.

My other question, is the iPod touch a good player? And, is it pretty easy to use. I love the look of the touch, the size, the screen, etc. so I think it may be a good option, but also realize I need to be shopping for my mom and not myself.

Once again, any ideas of suggestions are much appreciated!

Thanks so much!

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there are always going to be problems
by ktreb May 1, 2008 3:15PM PDT

For a small group of people and they may be the same problems. And people with problems tend to be more vocal than people who are totally happy. So, it will seem like it's "everybody." And this post might be the perfect opportunity for unhappy iPod users to vent. Creative has been in the game a while, almost as long as Apple has if not longer. Actually, longer I think. Since late '90s. I'm surprised you haven't seen all of the negative comments on this forum about iPods.

While I wouldn't ignore the negative reviews, I wouldn't totally discount the Zen either. I actually wanted this player, but what I was really waiting for was the iPod Touch. I really wanted a phone-less iPhone (didn't want apps, just the larger screen and compatibility with iTunes as I already had 5 iPods). I still may end up getting the Zen. Hey, I just bought a Sony because it was on sale.

The Touch is a nice player, but in my opinion is overpriced for the capacity. The 32GB is a better value, but overkill for your mother. If properly set up, it's very easy to operate in the car while driving. I wouldn't recommend it, but you can. Three quick touches with barely a glance and I have my favorite playlist. And the abundance of accessories is a plus.

I think you should still go with the Zen, but get it from a store with a good return policy.

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I think you are right
by Ms.Gadgettes May 1, 2008 3:35PM PDT

The creative seems to be the one player that is just about everything we want. I've always thought they were a good company and almost bought one myself, but went with a Zune instead.

I was wanting to actually get the player ready to go for her before I give it to her so she can use it right away. The problem is, I don't know if she will want to keep it. I think she will, after some explaining and talking her into it, but I don't really want to open it and not be able to return is so she can get something else.

I was just planning to get it from Wal-Mart because they are local and the only store I can get it from that wouldn't require me to drive over an hour if there is a problem. Do you think Wal-Mart would be okay, or would I be better of getting it somewhere like Circuit City?

As far as reviews, I know that personally, I always read the negative reviews. If there is a positive review, then I know it is good and see no point in reading it. If it is negative, then I want to know what they didn't like and see if it is relavent or common. Normally, I would brush it off and say, no biggy, but it just seemed like a lot of people had the problem, which made me a little more concerned than normal.


Thanks again for all your help!

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Wal Mart over Circuit City
by ktreb May 1, 2008 4:19PM PDT

I think WalMart has a fairly generous return policy, but you should double check specifically for mp3 players. I don't really like electronics store that much...they always seem to be pushing for the extended warranty...to the point where I want to walk out without buying.

I don't brush off negative reviews, but I do know there will always be a small percentage of players that are defective, regardless of the manufacturer. It's the luck of the draw whether or not you are the person who gets the bad one. Sometimes, rather than sway me against a product, negative reviews show me what could potentially go wrong, so I know what to look for when I first get something.

Anyway, good luck!

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Creative still a good choice.
by luvshihtzu May 1, 2008 4:43PM PDT

I have quite a few Creative players of my own, given many as gifts, and only one has ever had any problems. Also I belong to the Creative forum and yes, you will get people who make complaints, but that is normal for any player. If you really plan to get an iPod, be sure to checkout their complaint forums. They all have problems too.

My recommendation is to buy the refurbished Zen V Plus from the Creative site. The Savings Center on that site has the refurbished Zen V Plus 2GB for $35.99 and the 4GB for $49.99. They come with a 90 day warranty. This makes the player basically a disposable, as they have a built in battery.
One other thought, is that the Zen Creative allows you to buy audiobooks from Audible.com and use any subscription service that you want. With the iPod you are basically stuck with their very expensive and exclusive service to buy any audiobooks and music.

Anyway, best wishes. I am happy you plan to have the player ready for your mothers use. It will make her happy and you can teach her later how to do the downloading. It is hard if you don't know what you are doing.

luvshihtzu

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Zen V Plus problems
by Karyzma May 2, 2008 2:39AM PDT

Hi again. I agree with the reply above. Walmart is very generous with returns. I've bought & returned electronics & appliances without a problem, including a coffee pot that I used for a week & didn't like. Just keep the receipt & make sure your mom tries it out for at least a week; it might seem confusing to her in the beginning but she could easily get the hang of it if given enough time. (I remember thinking, when my mom bought her first cell phone, that it was very likely to end up in the trash can because she just couldn't understand why there wasn't a 'dial tone' LOL)

I also agree that you can find unhappy buyers & negative comments on just about any product you can think of, especially electronics. Before I buy I always read reviews from several sites to get an overall idea of brand quality. It's also worth mentioning that for many people, when they buy something for the first time they become loyal to that brand (ie. pc versus mac, Chevy versus Ford etc) and will always prefer it over the competition. I've had my Zen since September and haven't had one problem with it. This was my first time buying from Creative & I'm happy. For me personally I couldn't justify spending alot more money for an ipod. Hope this helps!

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Thanks again everyone
by Ms.Gadgettes May 2, 2008 4:46AM PDT

I think I am going to go ahead and get the creative player. Overall, it seems to get higher ratings than all the other players I've looked at, including Apple and it just seems like the perfect fit. Down the road, if she really likes having any MP3 player, than a touch may be a good idea, for now, I think this will be the best choice.

I also contacts Creative, last night around 1:30 and they replied by 6:30, so they seem to have good support. They actually informed me that the product did have some problems at the beginning of the year, but they have worked on it and the problem should be corrected now.

My mom is actually pretty good with the electronics, she uses a computer everyday for her business (about 14 hours a day) and she uses a Blackberry as well. So it isn't like she is technilogically challenged, I just want to make things as easy as possible, things are already too complicated.

Thanks again for all your help and making my decision easier!

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simple car mp3 player
by shallweshare May 4, 2008 4:03PM PDT
Back to Headphones & Mp3 Players forum

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