Suggestions: portable music player

[Sergio Zamora]

I've been looking into getting a portable music player so I don't have to lug around three or four wallets full of CDs and don't have to scramble through them to find what I'm looking for. It's also a pain to change CDs in an airplane.

For the longest time, all of those little devices seemd way overpriced, but I guess I'll just bite the bullet.

As I see it, my options are to get a hard-drive-based device or to buy an external hard drive and get a flash-memory-based little thingy, which holds no more than maybe a gig. But I can rip all my CDs to the external hard drive and just copy over whatever I think I want to hear for a flight or whatever.

Another consideration is that since I am traveling, it would be nice to play stuff in the car - so if there's a car adapter or something like that, that would be sweet.

I'm kinda leaning towards the hard-drive-based. Of those, it's either the regular ones (20 to 60 gig or so) to the mini-hard-drive ones with 4 or 5 gig. The price discrepancy isn't so much that I think it's a big deal, but I honestly can't imagine needing 20 or more gig of music with me at any point in time.

Of the ones I've seen, the Creative Labs Zen Touch , the Apple iPod, and the Dell DJ seem the most appealing. The Sonys I've seen use mini-disc, which is kind of a turn-off, but I think the new ones have a hard-drive.

Having said that, if someone can convince me to get a flash-memory thing, please do so.

So, any suggestions?

(note: my sources so far have been CNET and another site - I'm not looking for online reviews or reports, but rather more personal experiences and opinions)

[Rob C]

I've had my 40 GB Creative Nomad Zen Xtra for about a year, and have been really happy with it. Not as sexy as the iPod, but I just checked Amazon and the 40GB iPod is $400, while the Zen is $235. To me, it's hard to justify the extra cash for a slightly more styling exterior.

I think I'm about two albums from maxing it out, but I currently have 540 albums ripped onto it (mostly at 160 kbps--some higher). It's awfully nice to have that much music with you to pop on at a moment's notice.

I did have to return the first Zen I got, because the battery wasn't staying in place properly and the power kept cutting out. But Amazon replaced it toot sweet and I've had no problems with the second one I got.

I wouldn't get less than 40 GB, personally.

[Sergio Zamora]

Thanks, Rob. I'm not really considering the iPod, because it does seem so damn overpriced, but since it's the most popular one and most highly rated, I figured I'd throw it in the ring too.

How is the software on the Zen. I really want to be able to organize by artist and album. I don't want to have to scroll through song lists to find stuff.

[BFrank]

Forget the iPod. Especially if you are going to use it with a PC. My girlfriend got an iPod mini, and it's been nothing but trouble as far as interfacing with the computer.

Definitely NOT worth the extra money. There are plenty of other MP3 players out there that do a fine job. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about, but somehow Apple always suckers people into paying up for "cool". I have an Archos 20Gb player/recorder that's a year or two old now, but still works fine. No complaints.

BTW, as far as organization, it's just a folder-related interface. You create your own folders, copy your files into them and scroll & click into whatever you want. No special software required (which is another irritating thing about the iPod - you really need to use iTunes).

[Vince Kargatis]

I disagree with the above, I'd recommend the iPod myself. I currently use an old Archos 20GB (the best deal 3 years ago), but will replace it with an iPod when it dies, or I get sick of it. BFrank, in terms of interface, there's no contest between the archos and ipod, imo - and I use both daily. I bought my wife an iPod, so have plenty of experience with it. I'm guessing you get what you pay for - the iPod interface and ergonomics are very nice, very slick, which makes a big difference during frequent use. I have not used contemporary competitors, though, so can't compare on that score.

iTunes is indeed necessary, but that's not a minus - it's a very slick player, and its smart playlists rock (I'm not sure if other players can use them). Smart playlists are built dynamically based on criteria, very useful if you listen to shuffled music. For example, my master playlist I use balances new stuff (which I am presumably less familiar with), and older "catalog" stuff, in this way:
- ~half unheard old stuff
- music added since last April and heard less than twice and not heard in the last month
- music added since last June and heard less than 3 times and not heard in the last month
- music added since November and heard less than 4 times and not heard in the last 2 weeks

(dates are just chosen after big orders/ripping sessions)

Then I shuffle that, getting regular exposure to unheard stuff and newer stuff without ever worrying about manual playlist manipulation. Now, dunno if other players can do that, but I've not heard so, and it's a powerful method of listening organization. (The criteria can be any metadata, genre, title, comments, playcounts, whatever.) Plus iTunes has a fairly fast database (sorting, etc) - only downside is its memory footprint. I have not had any trouble using a PC.

Sergio, iPods are so common these days, surely you can get a friend to give you a tour of theirs?

I'd suggest 20GB minimum, just to prevent your having to sync often. Depends on what you want on there tho. 20GB or more allows a decent variety of full albums (say ~350).

[Ron Thorne]

Here's my take, for what it's worth.

I saw this thread, a subject I've been thinking about personally, and thought ... hmmm. I read the first four posts and decided to not reply, just moments ago. Then, Vince chimed in and I found renewed vigor, so to speak.

I've been considering acquiring some sort of portable music storage/player myself. Our youngest son just got an iPod and is very happy with it. He's a pc user, though he has a definite and sustained appreciation for much of what Apple has done.

On some significant fronts, Justin got his (40GB) iPod for FREE and then purchased a very inexpensive used computer on eBay to act solely as his music storage device. Oh, and I should point out that Justin is very particular about these sorts of devices, and, like me, is a musician. While home for Christmas, I got a brief trial listening with my Grado SR-80 headphones. In a word ... remarkable!

He's informed me that I can get a FREE iPod, as well. So can you, I'm sure. No, he didn't fill out lots of forms or subscribe to anything. That "price" could make a whole lot of stuff pale in significance. Huh?

[Coda]

I still recommend buying one of the older mp3 players where you put in a cdr. They're under $100, each CD at a medium mp3 quality can hold about 12 CD's worth of music. The sound quality is the same as an ipod, dependant on the quality of the mp3 conversion and amount of compression.

Use your existing media player on your computer to store your complete library of music - they all do a decent job but not all allow you to burn to mp3 format without purchasing and add-on. Also, burn to the quality you need - if it's car listening you'll be fighting car and street noise so you can get away with a lower quality and thus more tunes per CD. All of the media players allow you to create favorites or categories so its easy to burn a bunch of cds.

If you have a tape drive in your car, you can purchase the accessory to allow you to use your car speakers - it's like $15

Pros: Cost. No one wants to steal one. As versatile as your access to burned mp3 cds. Sufficent time per CD. Versatile. CDs are cheap and not a worry if lost. Won't crash.

Cons: Size, good ones are slightly larger than a CD.

[Rob C]

Thanks, Rob. I'm not really considering the iPod, because it does seem so damn overpriced, but since it's the most popular one and most highly rated, I figured I'd throw it in the ring too.

How is the software on the Zen. I really want to be able to organize by artist and album. I don't want to have to scroll through song lists to find stuff.

The Nomad lets you organize by Album, Artist and Genre, in addition to listing all tracks. I also like having playlists, which I have mainly used to organize various boxsets into the original album formats. (I think iPod probably organizes similarly.)

My wife has an Archos that she got about two years ago. Not as slick as the Nomad, but not bad. The firmware that comes with it sucks, but there is an open-source firmware available for download called Rockbox that improves things significantly.

The Nomad comes with software for your PC that allows you to rip, organize, and create playlists. That's not so hot, actually, IMO. I only use it to create playlists anymore. I use Exact Audio Copy to rip CDs to my computer's harddrive, then just copy them over to the Nomad. (The computer sees the Nomad as just another harddrive, although the interface looks slightly different, showing frames for the genres, albums, artists and tracks.)

One other thing, the Nomad comes with a decent little leather (or facsimile?) case with a belt clip. iPod doesn't--a friend who recently got an iPod just ponied up another $25 for a case.

OTOH, if you can get a good deal on an iPod, you probably can't go too wrong with that. I've never heard anything but good things about them, apart from the cost....

[Enforcer]

I'm no expert on them, but I bought my daughter an iPod for Christmas and she figured it out and is enjoying the hell out of it.

[hearsay]

I got a 10 GB Ipod from ebay a year ago for about $200 and it has changed my life! I used to try to carry around a few CD's and a CD player and switch them around on the subway, what a pain in the ass. I don't know much about the other brands, my brother has a clunky Rio, but the the shape and sleekness of the Ipod is a definite plus. I can easily slide it right into my jeans pocket and access anything I want very easily. I have about 50 GB of music on my computer, but 10 GB is plenty to have with me, 200 albums or so and I just swap around anything I want to hear. If you're going to be walking around with it, taking it on the bus or in crowded places, the Ipod style is worth considering the price.

Ron are you going to give us a hint on how we can get a 40 GB for free?

[Scott Dolan]

Oh, and re:Sergio's initial post. Sony does indeed make a 20GB mp3 "jukebox". It it goes for around $300.


http://www.circuitcity.com/IMAGE/product/detail/son/PC.SON.NWHD1.CN.JPG

[Tom Storer]

Yeah, Ron. If your son is handing out free iPods, put me on the list! ;)

[Vince Kargatis]

I still recommend buying one of the older mp3 players where you put in a cdr. They're under $100, each CD at a medium mp3 quality can hold about 12 CD's worth of music.This recommendation strikes me as coming from someone who hasn't lived with an HD-based player. Have you played with a large capacity player? Really, the thought of being restricted in a single play session to 12 albums, after having 30 times that available in a player, seems incredibly restraining. MP3 discs are much closer to single CDs than they are to portable HD players, imo.

[Ron Thorne]

I may have confused the storage capacity of my son's iPod, but not the fact that he acquired it absolutely free in a promotional scheme. I've sent him an e-mail and will share his response, if useful.

For clarification, neither he nor I are "handing out free iPods." :eek:

[Coda]

Yes, I actually own a FastTrax. This is a 40gig capacity handheld that is primarally used to download photo images. Ipod is just now getting around to adding this feature. It has an input slot that accepts my camera chips so I take it with me when away from the computer. It features a 3" x 2" screen for viewing images, has built in speakers and headphone jacks. It has the same file saving capabilities as all the hand held harddrives.

It also features full mp3 capabilities, although the Ipod has a better user interface.

Honestly, I never found changing CDs to be that big a deal. I can usually find the time to swap a CD within a 12 hour period but really have never listened with headphones for that long a stretch. I keep mine (the CD based mp3 player) in the car along with my burned CDs. I don't worry about scratching the originals and wouldn't lose sleep if it was stolen.

[Rob C]

I had an MP3 CD player (trying to remember the brand...) and was very unhappy with it and returned it. It was pretty fine for MP3 CDs, but I got an annoying "clicking" sound when I would play regular music CDs. I think I returned it and got a second one, then returned that and bought the Nomad instead.

[Pete C]

This recommendation strikes me as coming from someone who hasn't lived with an HD-based player. Have you played with a large capacity player? Really, the thought of being restricted in a single play session to 12 albums, after having 30 times that available in a player, seems incredibly restraining. MP3 discs are much closer to single CDs than they are to portable HD players, imo.

I use a TDK Mojo MP3-CD player (they no longer make them). I'm quite happy with it. I have over 500 albums already on MP3 CDs, which I had to do to offload them from my hard drive, and I can also play them through my system in a DVD player. I don't need any more compactness. Close to home I hardly need more than 10 albums at a time, and when I travel I take a wallet wth maybe 6 MP3 CDs. The most important thing with a CD-based unit is skip protection. The TDK mojos have 8 minutes for MP3. I guess there wasn't enough demand for these.

If I didn't already have so much music in MP3 CD format (mostly from Emusic, and other downloads), I probably would go for a HD unit. Right now I don't feel any need to make my regular CD collection portable since I have so much other music on MP3 CDs.

I don't understand why anybody would buy one of those 128 or 256 meg things. The idea of constantly swapping & reloading music seems like such a hassle.

[Scott Dolan]

For clarification, neither he nor I are "handing out free iPods." :eek:

Flip-flopper!!!!!

:mad:

[clinthopson]

I love my 40g ipod, I have over 200 jazz cds loaded on it. I don't download music.

I found that itunes created havoc on my 5 year old pc but the Musicmatch software seems to work just fine.

The only times I use it is when we're traveling or when I'm lying on the beach in Mexico. (4 weeks and 4 days from now!)

[shrugs]

I-Pod.
There are cats who'll download soundboard quality bootleg concerts onto Ipods for a minimal fee. Some of the best live stuff I have ever hoid.

[Enforcer]

Ron,

You can hook me up with one of those free iPods, too.

Carrying the joke too far as usual,
Larry

[BFrank]

I dunno. Still having "issues" with the Mini on my PC. My girlfriend just went to the Apple store and talked to one of their "geniuses" (I swear, that's what they call them). He tested it in a Mac (what's the point of that?) and it worked fine. His diagnosis: "it's a Windows problem".

Thanks, "genius"! :mad:

[Coda]

BFrank,

Apple is at war with RealNetworks. They keep tweeking the software to force folks to buy music at iTunes by making other web site downloads not compatable with the iPod. You can expect this to continue for several more years. It wouldn't surprise me if they have also blocked out other download services. It may not be your windows machine.

You should be okay if you burn your own CDs, although I understand that Europe is already adding security to their CDs to stop this practice too.

[Sergio Zamora]

Apart from pricing, two recurring iPod issues I keep reading about are:

- It has unreplaceable batteries which start wearing out after a year or so, thus making it basically a disposable item.

- Battery *charge* life is not very impressive (compared to, say, the Creative Labs one). I don't remember the number of hours, but it was about half of other devices.

The latter is not as big of a deal as the former. I'd like to have a device like that be good for at least two years.

[Jim Dye]

iPod. No contest.

I have owned 3 different models, a 10 gig gen 2, a 15 gig gen 3 and a 20 gig gen 3. I have used them on both Macs and PC's. I have not had any problems with either software or battery life.

Wait a week or two. Apple will be announcing a new flash memory based iPod. There may even be a price drop on existing models.

Also, the batteries are replaceable. You can buy a 3rd party battery here (http://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_Page.cfm?Parent=1225&Title=Apple%20iPod%20Batteries) starting for only 30 bucks.

[Enforcer]

Sergio,

Seeing as how I just spent significant coin purchasing one of those for my kid, would kindly revise your post in such a way that I am left feeling like I made the right choice. You can include outright lies if necessary, as long as it sounds persuasive and convincing.

Thanks,
Larry

[Jon Abbey]

Sergio, I'm not an expert, I don't have one yet, but I was under the impression that Apple resolved the battery problem within the last year, maybe with the more recent models, not sure.

[Sergio Zamora]

I should have been a little more careful in my research. Apparently, they now have a battery replacement policy (with a fee, of course)

http://www.ipodsdirtysecret.com

[Rob C]

Apart from pricing, two recurring iPod issues I keep reading about are:

- It has unreplaceable batteries which start wearing out after a year or so, thus making it basically a disposable item.

- Battery *charge* life is not very impressive (compared to, say, the Creative Labs one). I don't remember the number of hours, but it was about half of other devices.

The latter is not as big of a deal as the former. I'd like to have a device like that be good for at least two years.

My understanding is that you have to ship your iPod to Apple to have them replace the battery.

The Nomad's battery is removable and replaceable, though how much a new one costs, I have no idea.....

[Rob C]

Oops, took too long to write my response, I guess. Darn work interrupting my posting.....

[Coda]

How's this for a reason Larry?

Playboy (search) is again proving again the axiom that sex sells.

The adult-entertainment giant is offering digital downloads of its sexy models in varying forms of undress to be viewed on Apple Computer's newest gadget — the iPod Photo hand-held viewer (search).

The downloads of Playboy models — called "iBods" — will be a regular for iPod Photo owners.

To get the exclusive shots, users must be members of Playboy's Cyber Club (search), at about $19.95 per month. Free photos involve only semi-clothed models with no nudity.

Playboy said the iBod feature is meant to show techies how readily available Playboy's content has become for the new portable devices.

[Pete C]

You'll want more storage for when downloads become available from Juggs.

[Scott Dolan]

I steadfastly refuse to buy an iPod simply because I hate Apple products so much.


Think I'll check out this Zen player based upon the opinions I've read here.


I really want the Sony, have used their products since I was a youngin. Solid shit. Hell, my comp of the last 4 and a half years is a Sony Vaio. Rock solid, ultra fast, not a single fucking issue in all that time. But alas, the Sony seems a wee bit on the expensive side.


*sigh*

[Enforcer]

I don't hate Apple products, but I do hate the self-righteous assholes who can't open their mouths without going on an anti-Microsoft tirade or cramming some kind of pro-Apple propoganda down my throat.

Hey, if Apple products are that great, good for you. You're smarter than I am, and so are the other 74 people who buy them.

[Jon Abbey]

say what you want, but Apples don't get viruses (I'm sure there are exceptions, but I believe they're remarkably infrequent).

[Jim Dye]

Is it because Steve Jobs is a liberla?

[Pete C]

say what you want, but Apples don't get viruses (I'm sure there are exceptions, but I believe they're remarkably infrequent).

If there were more Apples than PCs, the viruses would be targeted at Apples, which is a disincentive for Apple owners to evangelize.

[Scott Dolan]

say what you want, but Apples don't get viruses (I'm sure there are exceptions, but I believe they're remarkably infrequent).
Neither has my machine.

It's up to the user ultimately.


Is it because Steve Jobs is a liberla?
Nah, although it doesn't help.

I've just the ultimate displeasure of having to use those nasty pieces of shit.

[BFrank]

BFrank,

Apple is at war with RealNetworks. They keep tweeking the software to force folks to buy music at iTunes by making other web site downloads not compatable with the iPod. You can expect this to continue for several more years. It wouldn't surprise me if they have also blocked out other download services. It may not be your windows machine.

You should be okay if you burn your own CDs, although I understand that Europe is already adding security to their CDs to stop this practice too.
Coda - the problem we're having is that ever since I "updated" the iTunes software, it fails to recognize the iPod. I tried installing the iPod Updater, but I get some sort of message about too many Apple applications running (I'm not running ANY). I've un-installed and re-installed both of these apps several times and still nothing.

FWIW, "My Computer" recognizes that the drive is attached, but it's just the Apple software that's bugging out. So, I can't copy any music to the iPod.

About 10 years ago I picked up one of those first generation digital cameras from Apple. It never worked right. Mostly just crashed my machine.

[Jim Dye]

BFrank,

You probably have multiple iPod services running in the background. Hit ctrl-alt-delete, open up the task manager, click on the processes tab and tell us what you see.

[BFrank]

I think I did that one already, but I'll give it another shot when I get home tonight and let you know.

Thanks.

[Tanager]

There's always the Nike MP3 Run if you need a GPS with your MP3 player...

[BFrank]

I was able to turn off "iTunueshelper.exe", but not "iPodservice.exe". It wouldn't let me shut it off. Anyway, the message I get now is "Can't mount iPod" - no explaination.

BTW, I think the key is that when I plug in the Mini, the screen flashes the "Ø" and says "Do not disconnect".

[Ron Thorne]

I'm very close to providing some exciting news, guys and gals. And I ain't just woofin'.

[Vince Kargatis]

I was able to turn off "iTunueshelper.exe", but not "iPodservice.exe". It wouldn't let me shut it off. Anyway, the message I get now is "Can't mount iPod" - no explaination.

BTW, I think the key is that when I plug in the Mini, the screen flashes the "Ø" and says "Do not disconnect".No, that message is normal for all mounted ipods. I'd search the relevant apple forums for help, perhaps it's a bad registry value or something.

[BFrank]

No, that message is normal for all mounted ipods. I'd search the relevant apple forums for help, perhaps it's a bad registry value or something.
Well, glad to know that's the normal message. Must be something else. Someone suggested I try here (http://www.ipodhacks.com/). I'll check it out tonight.

[BFrank]

OK. Based on a suggestion on the iPodHacks site, I tried using RealPlayer to load tunes.

Guess what??! It WORKS!

iTunes blows ...

[Sergio Zamora]

I gotta tell ya, despite BFrank's recent technical problems, I'm starting to tilt towards the iPod. I'm gonna make up my mind this weekend.

[Ron Thorne]

Sergio (and others), if you're in a hurry to get a machine in your hands in the next few days, cool. Otherwise, I have some info regarding iPods which may alter your approach and save you a bundle. I'll try to provide an update tomorrow (Friday, 1-7-05) with details. Ok? It's not really that much of a secret, but ...

http://www.freeipods.com/Content/Admin//Products/6/314547_Image.gif

[Sand]

http://www.freeipods.com/Content/Admin//Products/6/314547_Image.gif Is it the image of the Ipod that is for free - or is it the Ipod itself?

[Sand]

Aren't you satisfied with what you've got, BFrank. Does it have to be as long, narrow, and flat as the Ipod?

[Ron Thorne]

http://www.freeipods.com/Content/Admin//Products/6/314547_Image.gif Is it the image of the Ipod that is for free - or is it the Ipod itself?
Oh, it's the physical iPod itself that I'm talkin' about. Remember that I described listening to my son's unit with my Grado phones during the holidays? Some may not be interested in what I propose, but that's cool, too.

[Sand]

Oh, it's the physical iPod itself that I'm talkin' about. Remember that I described listening to my son's unit with my Grado phones during the holidays? Some may not be interested in what I propose, but that's cool, too.
I'm interested. Did you listen to mp3s(128,256,ect), aiff(wave files), super audio?

[Jim Dye]

Sergio, you may also want to wait a couple more days. The Macworld convention is next week. Rumor has it that Apple will be announcing a new flash-based iPod in 1 gig and 2 gig models.

[BFrank]

Aren't you satisfied with what you've got, BFrank. Does it have to be as long, narrow, and flat as the Ipod?
Good point.........but the iPod is my girlfriend's, actually. I told her never to buy an Apple product again without checking with me, first.

[Jim Dye]

It's here!

The iPod Shuffle. (not to be confused with the Icky Shuffle)

http://images.apple.com/ipodshuffle/images/specstop20050111.jpg

$99 and $149

[Pete C]

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jan/11shuffle.html

[vibes]

No LCD display, no equalizer...No thank you. But, for a newbie who doesn't care about those things, the price on the Shuffle is right.

[Coda]

Those new products look disposable. How long before that cap is lost and the USB bent? You also better have one of the newer computers with the USB in the front of the box, otherwise get used to crawling under your desk to find that little slot.

Not every new product is progress.

[Sergio Zamora]

Still waiting for Ron's grand announcement.

[Rob C]

There's always the mighty iReel:

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2005/1/6richards.html

[Jim Dye]

Those new products look disposable. How long before that cap is lost and the USB bent? You also better have one of the newer computers with the USB in the front of the box, otherwise get used to crawling under your desk to find that little slot.

Not every new product is progress.

LOL. How many USB plugs have you bent? I guess you've never used a flash drive before.

[Chris D]

LOL. How many USB plugs have you bent? I guess you've never used a flash drive before.

And uif you had a Mac keyboard, your USB plug would fit right in on top.

I got one of the new Motorola MP3 players for Christmas. Wouldn't have been a purchase for me, but I'll certainly give it a spin. Now I finally have a real reason to upgrade the home iMac to OS X.

[Coda]

Yikes, of course I've used a flash before. I've actually bent a USB device - a sandisk flash stick was in my computer and I kicked the USB, bent the hell out it. I bent it back and it still works.

The cool Apple product announeced today is the $499 computer. It's a small square box that you could plug headphones into. Oh yeah, you can use all the other apple software in this little box. It beats the hell out of all the iPods in my opinion. Why pay the same for the large iPod when this costs about the same but does so much more?
http://www.apple.com/macmini/

[BFrank]

Aren't there already lots of MP3 players out there in that price range???

[Pete C]

Aren't there already lots of MP3 players out there in that price range???
Most under $100 are 128 meg, maybe a few 256. So all of them will have to come way down due to market pressure.

[Deke]

Personally I don't see the point of these things. To me it looks like a bunch of fashion victims playing with their latest toys. MiniDiscs can hold up to 320 minutes, and that's more than enough to store a nice wide selection of stuff to listen to at random, or to store carefully catalogued musical gems that must be listened to chronologically. (I'm told they're about to increase that by about 10 fold, but to me that destroys the whole point of the thing).

MD players are much cheaper than iPods, so if someone swipes your player (Which happens a lot with gen-u-ine iPods) it costs less to replace, and you only lose one MD's worth of music. Just like iPods, MDs will load music from the net at a vast rate of knots, and they will also record from any onther source as long as it has an output.

I'm no great fan of Sony (I really dislike them in fact) but credit where it's due. MD outshines the self-contained drives on every front that I can think of, except...

They're not fashion items.

[me wag]

Another consideration is that since I am traveling, it would be nice to play stuff in the car - so if there's a car adapter or something like that, that would be sweet.

I don't think anyone has addressed this issue, yet. I can only tell you about the iPod since that is all I've ever had and, subsequently, don't care about the other portable music players. I play my iPod in my car all the time but I still live in the stone age with nothing but a cassette player. However, the plus side is that I can use any garden variety cassette adapter to make my iPod function in my car. You only have to put the connector in the same slot that you put the ear phones in. I could be wrong but I believe you are pretty much out of luck if you have a CD player in your car unless it happens to have, and I sincerely doubt it would, a way to connect other players to it like your home receiver has. However, there is an accessory you can buy (and Apple loves to charge you lots of money for accessories) that is essentially, I guess, an antenna that allows your iPod to play on any radio including the one in your car. I thought this was really cool but was kind of disappointed because I would get radio static occasionally and the connection would go in and out sometimes. Not to mention that I felt the sound quality was lacking as compared to how it sounded with the cassette adapter. Actually, I would be curious to know if any of the other portable/digital music players have the ability to play in a car.

All in all, I love the iPod. I even have got to the point that I use it on my home stereo because it's so much easier to play my iPod than spend time rotating CDs in and out of my CD player. It's like having a remote control for hundreds of your CDs. One thing I haven't seen mentioned that is a big selling point for iPods is how easy they are to use. Their maneuverability. Once you get used to the fly wheel, getting to where you want to go is a snap.

Oh, and, by the way, iPods have went down a hundred bucks since I bought mine, i.e. what was $399 for a 20 gig is now $299.

[Ron Thorne]

NEWSFLASH-

Earlier in this thread I mentioned that I might have some potentially good news to share with you regarding iPods. There are numerous iPod offers on the internet, but this is the only one with which I'm comfortably familiar (via my son), so feel confident in sharing it with you. It's totally legitimate, as far as I'm aware, and they have delivered, as promised, repeatedly.

I fully realize that the following won't appeal to everyone, but for those willing to do minimal leg work and be reasonably patient, the payoff is ... a FREE 20GB iPod or 40GB color Photo iPod. I say that with confidence, since I listened to my son's free 20GB iPod when he was home for Christmas. That unit is already virtually full of music (approx. 400 albums) and he's awaiting his new FREE 40GB Photo iPod at this time. That one takes a little longer to acquire than the 20GB unit, but if you're not in need of it tomorrow or next week, the bottom line is ... they're both FREE!

Here's how this works, in simple terms.

You go to the designated website (see links below) and register, agreeing to sign up for one offer listed. When asked marketing questions during the registration process, feel free to ignore and say NO to all of them. Optional items are not required to receive your FREE iPod.

Several offers are at no cost or minimal cost, others cancellable. My son acquired an eBay credit card, which takes longer (2-3 weeks) than e-Fax (no cost to sign up) or Video Professor (shipping cost $6-7), but it's (obviously) your choice. Once signed up, share your link with friends, family and co-workers, and encourage them to register and sign up too. When they do, you receive credit for their signups. Pretty simple and painless, really.

If you already have a collection of MP3 files, you can enjoy them immediately. The iPod also supports latest generation formats such as MP4/AAC and other high-end audio formats which use similar compression yet yield higher fidelity.

I've registered for a 20GB iPod and will patiently await its arrival. I hope you'll help me, too.

20GB iPod = 5 signups


http://www.freeipods.com/Content/Admin//Products/6/316673_Image.gif

The Brand New Apple 20 GB iPod


Holds up to 5000 songs!
Mac and Windows compatible!
Super-Fast FireWire and USB 2.0 interface!
Earbud headphones, AC adapter, FireWire cable, and USB 2.0 cable included!
Get 12+ hour battery life on a 3 hour charge!
Uses the "click wheel" found on the iPod Mini!
These are brand new iPods!
Here is my referral link. To help me get my 20GB iPod, click this exact link (http://www.freeiPods.com/?r=13785858) to join, or copy and paste it into a browser:

http://www.freeiPods.com/?r=13785858


______________________________


40GB Photo iPod = 10 signups


http://www.freephotoipods.com/Content/Admin//Products/11/330484_Image.gif


40GB Apple iPod Photo
The Brand New 40GB Apple iPod Photo. A delight
for the ears. A feast for the eyes. Though it’s no
bigger than a pack of playing cards and weighs in
at just over 6 ounces, iPod Photo delivers a
one-two sensory punch. Letting you carry an
entire library of your favorite music — up to
15,000 songs — or enough photos — as many as
25,000 — to fill nearly 200 slide trays or cover
nearly 5,000 square feet of wall space. Store and
play photo slide shows set to music on your iPod.
Use the included AV cable to connect iPod Photo
to a projector or TV.

http://www.freephotoipods.com/Content/FPI/Images/samples.gif


One of the coolest things about the color iPod is its ability to store and display digital photos. You can make it into a jukebox/photo album fairly easily.

Here's a usable link (http://www.freephotoipods.com/?r=12797812) to get started if you're interested in the 40GB color Photo iPod. This is my son's link, so by using it you will help him in obtaining his new 40GB iPod.

Thanks, and good listening.

Peppercorn~

[Rob C]

Hmm....

iPyramid?

[Deke]

Another consideration is that since I am traveling, it would be nice to play stuff in the car - so if there's a car adapter or something like that, that would be sweet.
You can get MD or MD/Cassette players (And indeed, MD recorders, although that sounds a bit dangerous to me...) for the car, but I use the same cassette adaptor that I used for my portable CD player. I also now have audio out leads hanging out of my computer, TV, and hi-fi so I can just plug the MD into whichever source I want to record from, and I've put spare audio in leads into my hi-fi so I can listen in glorious whomparound-sound. I guess a dedicated MD hi-fi component would look better, but my way is far cheaper! :)

[picsou]

Yikes, of course I've used a flash before. I've actually bent a USB device - a sandisk flash stick was in my computer and I kicked the USB, bent the hell out it. I bent it back and it still works.

The cool Apple product announeced today is the $499 computer. It's a small square box that you could plug headphones into. Oh yeah, you can use all the other apple software in this little box. It beats the hell out of all the iPods in my opinion. Why pay the same for the large iPod when this costs about the same but does so much more?
http://www.apple.com/macmini/



How about taking the thing in your jeans?
:D

[Ron Thorne]

Hmm....

iPyramid?
I suppose iPyramid is one way to look at it. :cool:

I've discovered that the offers change fairly often, so if you don't see something which appeals to you immediately, check back on the Now Complete An Offer (http://www.freeiPods.com/?r=13785858) page frequently. Last night I completed my offer so am now qualified to receive my free 20GB iPod once five others have completed their offers.

I decided to opt for a $1.00 60-day trial subscription to Complete Home, a home improvement resource. That included a $20.00 gift certificate at Lowe's, automatically. I'll cancel the 60 day subscription and be $19.00 ahead. Those are the kind of deals to look for, obviously.

[Ron Thorne]

Thanks to the JC posters who have registered for their FREE iPod, thus helping me along on the way to get mine, too. Registering is the 1st important step.

Remember, that you also need to commit to one of the available offers to be fully eligible for your free iPod. If you don't see something which appeals to you on first inspection, check back often, as they change frequently. I found a great offer on the 2nd day.

Here is my referral link. To help me get my 20GB iPod, click this exact link (http://www.freeiPods.com/?r=13785858) to join, or copy and paste it into a browser. This will put you on your way to get your own FREE iPod, as well.

Thanks very much!