MP3 Player

What's your MP3 player of choice and why?

I've delayed getting one, but I don't think I can wait any longer. I want one with decent capacity (at LEAST 4gb), good quality, plays mp3s, good price, etc. I don't care about video or fancy display. It should look decent (not neon green or pink or whatever the latest fad is). The SanDisk Sansa e280 looks like it might be a good buy. It does all I need and more but it sounds like it requires WMP10 for music transfer... which is a bit of a bummer (might transition away from Windows in the future). It is selling for ~$170ish, so that seems to be a really good price.

Hmm.... thoughts?

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I have a 20 GB third generation iPod and it was worth every penny. I've had it for about three years and it's still running great (yes, with the original battery). I don't have any plans to buy a new MP3 player any time soon but when I do it will almost certainly be another iPod.

Here's my own experience and my two cents' worth:

I got a 512MB stick-on-a-string (iRiver IFP-795) that uses one plain AA battery and refuses to break. I'm happy with it; I don't need my entire music collection but just a reasonable sampling for the road, and it can hang from my neck with the nifty headphone-strap. I wonder why all the iPods need to be carried by hand.

I'd say, just choose something that you can afford losing(!) and that is practical to bring along. Also consider if you want to be locked into iTunes or be able to play anything you like.

I have an old iMac DV/SE as a MP3 player. It's a little bit bigger and heavier than an iPod, but the Harman Kardon Odissey speakers sounds better than anything else.

I have the ipod nano, but also have an mp3 player on my cell phone. the nano has, by far, a nicer sound, but I don't always remember it when I leave the house...my cell phone is always with me.

: )

I have a Cowon iAudio M3, and have had it for a year or two. It's great. I like to have all my music with me, and with 40GB, that's no problem. And it plays ogg vorbis (and flac), which was a criteria for me. And great sound! They've got some small players as well, without fancy stuff like video playing.

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Also consider if you want to be locked into iTunes or be able to play anything you like.

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My iPod plays MP3s from any source. Perhaps your complaint is actually with the iTunes Music Store rather than the iPod or iTunes (the application)?

You may be right. I have used neither iPod nor iTunes, so I don't reallyl know. I'm just aware that Apple gets a certain amount of bad press from the DRM in it. But if it can also play plain MP3&WMA, then it's probably great.

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But if it can also play plain MP3&WMA, then it's probably great.

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You can not directly play WMA files on an iPod, although I believe you can convert (non DRM) WMA files using iTunes.

However, if you intend to buy DRMed music online, from any source other than Apple, then an iPod may not be the best choice.

Personally, I wouldn't buy any MP3 player that did not support simple drag/drop of music from within Windows Explorer (without the addition of 3rd party software), but I realise that others have different requirements.

Mark

The iPod video is a pretty slick little device... There's just something cool about watching Diggnation while waiting for a movie.