Technology NON-iPOD talk

[sunny123]

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For those of us who don't want or have an iPod, what other products have you been considering? Back in the day (5 years ago ), I was considering the Creative Nomad Jukebox, but the bulkiness was the main factor that made me wait. So I've got two choices now:

iAudio M3 (20gb)

iRiver H-320 (20gb)

I wasn't too keen on the carbon fiber skin of the iRiver, but when I went to the store, it didn't look that bad at all. Anyone give Sony's HD player any thought? I just heard that there was some problems on the device caused by the ATRAC3 format. But it is very slick.

 

[Stroganoff]

I take it you're looking for a hard drive based music player? I've read good stuff about the Dell Jukeboxes.

 

[sunny123]

Yeah, the Dell Jukeboxes aren't bad, neither are the Creative Zen Touch.

 

[file014]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/357885.jpg

I dont want/need an Ipod either. I tried and hated Itunes. My Sandisk was $125 shipped from ebay. It rocks. Uses the same USB 2.0 cord as my digital camera, so I just leave on hanging out the front of my comp. I have a $70 80GB external USB hard drive with 40GB of music on it. So thats about $200 total. I have 1GB of music to take with, 39GB in reserve, and 40GB more space to fill up.

 

[Idiopathic]

Why wouldnt anyone want an ipod? I tried and hated every other player out there a year ago at this time. The ipod is the only one that has never given me a single problem...and I am not a Mac person either. No real allegiance there.

 

[notJERRYFALWELL]

I think that iPods are the obvious answer for mac owners, since iTunes is much better on the Mac platform... though almost every person i know with a PC has some kind of iPod. I went through 4 dinky mp3 players before i got my dinky shuffle, and I'm happy with it.

Anyway, back to the topic-- I have a friend who got the mp3 player you posted first (the iRiver). She loved it, until she dropped it. Now its only somewhat functional. If you don't drop it, its an ok alternative to iPod. If I was in the market for a non-iPod mp3 player, I would go with the sony one.

 

[sunny123]

The reason I wanted to go with the iRiver, was because if it's recording capabilities. But I didn't know about the whole, dropping it -> resulting in partial functionality thing.

 

[notJERRYFALWELL]

Don't base your decision on my stupid friend. I'm sure she went all out when she dropped it (she is a klutz, and probably dropped all of her books on top of it as well). Even if it was just a gentle drop, dropping/bumping/swimming with your player is a bad thing for ALL harddrive mp3 players, even iPod, which is why i have the flash one.

why are you going to use the recording capabilities? For lectures and such?

 

[sunny123]

^ Yep, for lectures. A couple classmates have the original iRiver 20gb models, and they love it.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I think that iPods are the obvious answer for mac owners, since iTunes is much better on the Mac platform...

It's no different between platforms. Of course, it LOOKS better on a Mac...
😀

 

[notJERRYFALWELL]

It's no different between platforms. Of course, it LOOKS better on a Mac...
😀

Everytime I try to use it on a PC, it gives me error messages, and then quits randomly. Perhaps it was just the particular computer I was using...

 

[atlanta_pharm]

Why wouldnt anyone want an ipod? I tried and hated every other player out there a year ago at this time. The ipod is the only one that has never given me a single problem...and I am not a Mac person either. No real allegiance there.

Amen!. I own 2 Ipods ( 4g 20gig and 1gig Shuffle) and have never had any problems. Plus I hooked up my 4g to my Kenwood with the new IPOD adaptor and I have 1000 songs at my fingertips. The adaptor plugs into the cd plug at the back of the headunit. Alpine makes on too. And I used it to store Word and Excel documents and porn files lol..Just my 2 cents.

 

[sunny123]

Amen!. I own 2 Ipods ( 4g 20gig and 1gig Shuffle) and have never had any problems. Plus I hooked up my 4g to my Kenwood with the new IPOD adaptor and I have 1000 songs at my fingertips. The adaptor plugs into the cd plug at the back of the headunit. Alpine makes on too. And I used it to store Word and Excel documents and porn files lol..Just my 2 cents.

What part of the title of this thread do people NOT understand??????? 😛

 

[snowhite]

I just purchased a 1GB USB/flash-type mp3 player myself. Hopefully will be getting it in the mail soon. The main reason I wanted this was that it was something light I could put around my neck while running (and since I'm training to do a half-marathon, this was of highest importance. I didn't want to be carrying or tacking something on to my clothes that could easily be swayed in the run). I looked into the Ipod shuffle, but they were more expensive than what I wanted to pay.

However, in the future I would like to get something that'll hold a lot more songs. Maybe something 20gig so I can clear out all of the music files from my computer. It hurts to spend more than like $200 though. i wonder if it'll get cheaper in time. Sunny, how much are the ones you listed above? Did you decide on which one to get?

Another concern I have is the sound quality. I didn't really think about this when I bought the mp3 player but when I went to Best Buy and asked the sales guy whether the sound quality changes based on the type of mp3 player he said "No, it just depends on your headphones." Is this true? I guess it's not THAT big of a deal, but if it sounds like I'm listening to music like from an old FM radio or phonograph, I'm going to be severely dissapointed.

 

[sunny123]

Well, since I'm in Canada, the models that I listed are around 400 dollars (including taxes). But, if you join one of those freemp3player websites (I'm sure you've seen the "get a free ipod" signatures), you can get the iRiver model (which I really want, and am seriously considering of joining up for). The ipod shuffle is really not worth the money, because you can't even see what songs are being played at the moment. The entire lcd interface is removed. Sure, purchasing the smaller units (1gb flash drives/512mb) or good, if you want to conserve on space in your pockets, but make sure you can see what you are playing (that is just my preference though).

The sound quality does matter with the type of headphones you use. There are a lot of companies that try and make a profit, by trying to sell you something that looks great and does all these snazzy things, but in reality, you really got a bunch of stock items that aren't up to par. I know the quality on the Dell earbuds are not that great, and I wasn't impressed with the ipod ones either. After doing some research, these are the best earbuds you can get for your money: Shure E2c Sound Isolating Earphones . Although they are 99 bucks (US dollars), I'd buy them cause I'm an audiophile.

But in all honesty, the stock earbuds that come with the unit shouldn't be that bad (ie. sound like a phonograph ), but if it is, then check out some other brnas (Sony has a nice pair for about 50 US dollars),

 

[file014]

I cant stand earbuds at all. Ive yet to see a pair that could hold a torch to some big Koss TD/65 earmuffs I have. Or even the Sony Sport (behind the neck) headphones I have. The headphones definitely make a difference. Another good thing about my Sandisk 1GB (and the iRiver I think) is that it actually has an equalizer in it. You cant do that with an iPod Shuffle. Really the ONLY thing better about a shuffle is that you can use it without an exteral USB cord.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/357885.jpg

 

[Hercules]

I just purchased a 1GB USB/flash-type mp3 player myself. Hopefully will be getting it in the mail soon. The main reason I wanted this was that it was something light I could put around my neck while running (and since I'm training to do a half-marathon, this was of highest importance. I didn't want to be carrying or tacking something on to my clothes that could easily be swayed in the run). I looked into the Ipod shuffle, but they were more expensive than what I wanted to pay.

However, in the future I would like to get something that'll hold a lot more songs. Maybe something 20gig so I can clear out all of the music files from my computer. It hurts to spend more than like $200 though. i wonder if it'll get cheaper in time. Sunny, how much are the ones you listed above? Did you decide on which one to get?

I've been looking into getting a new mp3 player for a while now, too. For me, I needed something small that could go on long runs with me. I also needed it to have a good amount of storage and the ability to play Audible.com content. The Rio Carbon is what I decided on. It's got 5GB and uses the Seagate ST1 micro-hard drive which Seagate says will hold up to jogging just fine. I know conventional wisdom is that you shouldn't run with hard drive players but Seagate has come out and said their product has been designed to take it. It's also nice and small for runs. Right now I run with a Rio Cali (2.5" x 2.6" x 0.8") and the Carbon (3.3" x 2.5" x 0.6") is not much bigger. You can pick up a Carbon for under $150 right now too since they're getting ready to release their 6 GB version soon.

I cant stand earbuds at all. Ive yet to see a pair that could hold a torch to some big Koss TD/65 earmuffs I have. Or even the Sony Sport (behind the neck) headphones I have. The headphones definitely make a difference.

What all earbuds have you tried? They're the only headphones I'll use for the gym and running. It took me a while to find a pair I liked, but the Sony MDR-EX51LP have been great for me. They have great sound quality, block out the crappy music my gym blasts, and they stay in my ears during long runs.

 

[Pakorah]

For those of us who don't want or have an iPod, what other products have you been considering? Back in the day (5 years ago ), I was considering the Creative Nomad Jukebox, but the bulkiness was the main factor that made me wait. So I've got two choices now:

iAudio M3 (20gb)

iRiver H-320 (20gb)

I wasn't too keen on the carbon fiber skin of the iRiver, but when I went to the store, it didn't look that bad at all. Anyone give Sony's HD player any thought? I just heard that there was some problems on the device caused by the ATRAC3 format. But it is very slick.

Hey georgieboy, these IRIVER you speak so highly about do they have a microphone included? so i can use it in lectures? My only problem is the concern for longer battery life. I've read reviews on both sides that its not as good as iPod and some say it is better. Another question do you really like this style? The U2 one kicks @ss. These look like old '92 sega genesis.

 

[snowhite]

I've been looking into getting a new mp3 player for a while now, too. For me, I needed something small that could go on long runs with me. I also needed it to have a good amount of storage and the ability to play Audible.com content. The Rio Carbon is what I decided on. It's got 5GB and uses the Seagate ST1 micro-hard drive which Seagate says will hold up to jogging just fine. I know conventional wisdom is that you shouldn't run with hard drive players but Seagate has come out and said their product has been designed to take it. It's also nice and small for runs. Right now I run with a Rio Cali (2.5" x 2.6" x 0.8") and the Carbon (3.3" x 2.5" x 0.6") is not much bigger. You can pick up a Carbon for under $150 right now too since they're getting ready to release their 6 GB version soon.

Hey Hercules - It's funny that you mention the Rio Carbon b/c this is the exact one I was also seriously considering. It was on sale for about that price at Best Buy (including rebates). The main reason I didn't decide to get that (although it would hold 4GB more music than the one I got 🙁 ) was that I still thought it was bigger than I wanted to carry running with me. The sales guy at the store said that there was a clip that you could attach to it, but I don't think I'd want something hanging on my side. I'm basically looking for the lightest less obstrusive player right now. I know they also make armbands, but for some reason it bothers me having something attached to my arm. I used to have a Sony FM armband sports radio and it kept slipping off or if I put it tighter, would cut off my circulation. But with that, how do you run with your Rio? Oh and does it have a mic too? I wanted something I could tape lectures with too. I did think that the Carbon was very nicely styled and lighter than the others for the most part. I think I'll wait a few more months to see if some others come out or if the ones out there get cheaper. Meanwhile, i guess I'll have to be ok with my 1 gb

 

[masterMood]

why buy anything other than an ipod when they're consummatley made?

the only thing i don't like about the ipods is the whole battery life issue. I mean you can get the battery replaced, but that's just a hassle. I think the ipod's battery should be releaseable like a laptop battery and not "disposable." But besides that, why go with other players when ipod works so well?

Wait til the new ipods come out (in like 4 months?) they're supposedly going to have bluetooth, and maybe one high end video player ipod.

 

[vikaskoth]

My recommendation is for the Creative Zen Touch
I bought a 40gb one for 300, online using pricegrabber.com, Battery life is great, I haven't used it till it dies but i usually get 18-20 hrs ( i have lots of wma that eat up life)
Scrollpad is a little finicky at first, but you get used to it quick, easy interfaces, you can use dell jukebox, windows media player, real player, or the given software to manage it.

Battery is not replaceable, but hopefully it will last a few years.

 

[southerndoc]

Wait til the new ipods come out (in like 4 months?) they're supposedly going to have bluetooth, and maybe one high end video player ipod.

I have a feeling that the Bluetooth iPod will interact with car stereo systems, but not incorporate Bluetooth headphones. I think Bluetooth headphones would be too bulky and have too short a battery life. Then again, I could be wrong.

The funny thing is I sent Apple a letter requesting that they incorporate Bluetooth into the iPods. I'm a runner/rollerblader, and it would be nice to have wireless headphones when you exercise. How did they react? I received a letter from their legal department stating that Apple doesn't accept unsolicited suggestions. That's not entirely true because all of their programs have options where you can suggest features electronically. That letter gave me more reason to believe they were already working on a Bluetooth iPod.

Regarding battery life, I'm still using my 2nd generation iPod without problems. Going on two years now.

 

[snowhite]

why buy anything other than an ipod when they're consummatley made?

the only thing i don't like about the ipods is the whole battery life issue. I mean you can get the battery replaced, but that's just a hassle. I think the ipod's battery should be releaseable like a laptop battery and not "disposable." But besides that, why go with other players when ipod works so well?

Wait til the new ipods come out (in like 4 months?) they're supposedly going to have bluetooth, and maybe one high end video player ipod.

Why not get an ipod? Well, how about they're usually a lot more expensive for similar specs. I admit they do have a cool sleek design, but if I can get the same basic thing for cheaper I would (the one I bought has more to it for cheaper although doesn't really look as snazzy). It's like brand name vs. not brand name. You may say it's about quality, but I hear just as many complaints (from all the sites and reviews that I've read) of Ipods as other mp3 players. I don't really see it being a problem of quality since I'm sure Rios or Irivers or the like probably work just fine. I have nothing against ipods and would probably buy one if I had the money, but I'm about to start med school and am trying to live cheaply from now until finish.

 

[sidewalkman]

I've had the iRiver since last Christmas, and it rocks! I've casually dropped it plenty of times, and no problems here. The included FM radio and mic work great, and it's really nice having a color screen - I can't stand looking at those monochrome iPod screens anymore. All that, and my 20GB model was $50 less than the comparable iPod model after rebate. Yes, the iRiver is a bit awkward to navigate at first, but you get used to it, and I've found that turning your thumb 4 degrees to change something like on the iPod is far more awkward than hitting a button like on the iRiver. And I wish the iRiver had a nice cheap case instead of the crap case it comes with, and a dock I could buy for it. Still, I'd rather have the $50 savings and the additional features the iRiver has, so it gets my vote.

But if the iPod gets Bluetooth... I'm not sure what my decision would be.

 

[Chimera]

What are your guys thoughts on the new Dell 30gig Jukebox, now on sale in the mid 200's?

 

[masterMood]

but isn't the difference like 50 dollars or so which is kinda negligible in the long term?

 

[file014]

why buy anything other than an ipod when they're consummatley made?

the only thing i don't like about the ipods is the whole battery life issue. I mean you can get the battery replaced, but that's just a hassle. I think the ipod's battery should be releaseable like a laptop battery and not "disposable." But besides that, why go with other players when ipod works so well?

Wait til the new ipods come out (in like 4 months?) they're supposedly going to have bluetooth, and maybe one high end video player ipod.

I get 24 AAA alkaline batteries for $3 at Menards for my Sandisk 1GB (1 AAA). I havent timed how long a battery lasts, but Id guess at least 8-10 hours. Im still on my original battery about 2 weeks after purchasing. I guess you have to figure in the disposable battery cost of the flash MP3 players, but its negligible.

 

[Hercules]

Hey Hercules - It's funny that you mention the Rio Carbon b/c this is the exact one I was also seriously considering. But with that, how do you run with your Rio? Oh and does it have a mic too? I wanted something I could tape lectures with too. I did think that the Carbon was very nicely styled and lighter than the others for the most part. I think I'll wait a few more months to see if some others come out or if the ones out there get cheaper. Meanwhile, i guess I'll have to be ok with my 1 gb

I'm sure 1 GB will be fine for running. The main thing for me is that I wanted an MP3 player to do double duty as workout music and also be my source of music in the car (which requires more storage for me). I'm waiting for my Carbon to be delivered so I can't actually comment on running with it yet, but once I take it out, I'll post here. My Rio Cali is roughly the same size and I've taken it for a 10 mile run before with no trouble. I use a belt clip as it would drive me crazy to run with an armband or having to hold it in my hand the whole time. I don't really notice it on my hip while I'm running (and I also like the stopwatch feature on both the Rio Cali and Carbon). There is a mic on the Carbon, but I don't really know how functional it is.

why buy anything other than an ipod when they're consummatley made?

Because they're not consummately made for athletes. I take my mp3 players to the gym and on long runs with me. Apple says that their ipods are not designed for serious runners. It's got a 25 minute buffer, but that doesn't do much for me for 2 reasons. (1) I don't ever run for less than 25 minutes right now. (2) The buffer won't keep me from damaging a hard drive with moving parts that isn't designed to withstand the jostling and vibrations of a workout. I've heard lots of anecdotes about people who exercise with their ipods w/o trouble, but I've heard lots of anecdotes about people who destroyed their ipods by running with them. I'm more comfortable using a product that was designed for my needs.

 

[SuitsYou]

If I was flush with cash I would go for the iRiver, as it is i use my PDA as my music player, works pretty well but the switching between songs is kinda annoying. Now all i need is a 1gb SD card (luckily I can have both CF and SD on my pda so I can put programs on one and games and music on the other)

 

[sunny123]

Hey georgieboy, these IRIVER you speak so highly about do they have a microphone included? so i can use it in lectures? My only problem is the concern for longer battery life. I've read reviews on both sides that its not as good as iPod and some say it is better. Another question do you really like this style? The U2 one kicks @ss. These look like old '92 sega genesis.

Yeah Pakorah, the mic is built into the unit. Although I can't remember whether the recording is done in stereo or mono (I'm guessing its mono).

 

[EvoDevo]

Anyone have any thoughts on the Rio Carbon? Can you get an armband for running with???

 

[sunny123]

Anyone have any thoughts on the Rio Carbon? Can you get an armband for running with???

No probs with the Carbon. Good unit, with built-in recording capabilities, and you want an armband? Look no further: Ebay

 

[sunny123]

but the armband does not come stock with the unit...

 

[EvoDevo]

Thanks, Sunny. You just made my decision a whole lot easier.... 😀

 

[sunny123]

Thanks, Sunny. You just made my decision a whole lot easier.... 😀

😉

amigo

 

[southerndoc]

I'm sure 1 GB will be fine for running. The main thing for me is that I wanted an MP3 player to do double duty as workout music and also be my source of music in the car (which requires more storage for me). I'm waiting for my Carbon to be delivered so I can't actually comment on running with it yet, but once I take it out, I'll post here. My Rio Cali is roughly the same size and I've taken it for a 10 mile run before with no trouble. I use a belt clip as it would drive me crazy to run with an armband or having to hold it in my hand the whole time. I don't really notice it on my hip while I'm running (and I also like the stopwatch feature on both the Rio Cali and Carbon). There is a mic on the Carbon, but I don't really know how functional it is.



Because they're not consummately made for athletes. I take my mp3 players to the gym and on long runs with me. Apple says that their ipods are not designed for serious runners. It's got a 25 minute buffer, but that doesn't do much for me for 2 reasons. (1) I don't ever run for less than 25 minutes right now. (2) The buffer won't keep me from damaging a hard drive with moving parts that isn't designed to withstand the jostling and vibrations of a workout. I've heard lots of anecdotes about people who exercise with their ipods w/o trouble, but I've heard lots of anecdotes about people who destroyed their ipods by running with them. I'm more comfortable using a product that was designed for my needs.

The iPod Shuffle is a better mp3 player for runners than a traditional iPod. I take my iPod to the gym, but when jogging, rollerblading, or jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, the iPod Shuffle is where it's at.

(iPod, iPod, iPod -- for you non iPodders out there)

 

[sunny123]

The iPod Shuffle is a better mp3 player for runners than a traditional iPod. I take my iPod to the gym, but when jogging, rollerblading, or jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, the iPod Shuffle is where it's at.

(iPod, iPod, iPod -- for you non iPodders out there)

ARRRRGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Damn ipodders!!!!!!