iPod/MP3 users, some advice please - which to buy?

[Patiod]

S.O. as a HUGE CD collection - about 200 CDs. He goes to the gym about 3-4 times a week for 1 1/2, and wishes he had music to bring with him.

Which MP3 player would cost less in the long run when you factor in batteries, etc. Which is easiest to use? I don't have an extra $250 for the top-of-the-line iPod, am I going to regret not getting the 8gb?

He doesn't need anything that plays videos or doubles as a phone!!!!


(also, does Apple keep prices in line, or are deals available?)

[ghostsofgiants]

1. iPod doesn't have replaceable batteries, it ahs a built-in rhargeable batery.

Pretty sure most of them have that nowadays.

I've got the 4gb ipod nano and it's fine. It holds and plays my music, so that's what counts, haha.

http://www.apple.com/ipod/
http://www.dapreview.com

[Dude_CalmDown]

2. Well I'm no iPod expert but I do go to the gym about 10 times a week

and I get away with a 512 MB MP3 player. This one in fact. So I think you'll be able to get away with anything that has between 512MB - 1G. Then again I'm kind of a lunatic because I could listen to Sublime every single day and never get sick of it. I've only done so for the last decade.

[Patiod]

3. Well, the entire Clash oeuvre

and a little Peter Gabriel would probably keep him going...

[Coventina]

4. If all he wants is something to use at the gym, a small one will do.

Like a shuffle or a nano.

(Sorry, all I know is the iPod world)

Right now, I have 350 songs in my gym playlist, and that is less than 2 gigs of memory.

[Patiod]

5. So 4gbs should be plenty, it sounds like

No need to go to $250 - that's a relief.

[Coventina]

7. Just some more FYI: DH has a 1 gig shuffle.

He has about 300 songs on his.

He's had it more than a year now, and he just now is starting to change out the songs on it (putting on new ones).

So, 300 songs kept him entertained for a year! :-)

Of course, YMMV!

:hi:

And your question about prices: Apple makes their retailers keep their prices in line. So no one should be advertising "sales" AFAIK.

[Omphaloskepsis]

6. I would get the new Shuffle... 79$

iTunes can load him up with random tracks. It is tiny and would work well for the gym.
http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/
I have one and it rocks.


edit--I skateboard with mine. It is a tank. I fall all of the time.

[hunter]

8. I have two. A Creative Zen and a little SanDisk -- both bought on sale.

The Zen has a hard drive big enough to hold ALL our family's music (the CD's are stored) and the little SanDisk is small and inexpensive enough that I won't be horribly upset if I lose it.

[grace0418]

9. I have an ipod and I love it, BUT I don't bring it to the gym. Why?

First, it's expensive and I just can't risk shorting it out with my sweat or accidentally bashing into the weight machines.

Yes, the smaller and less expensive models (the nano and shuffle) are great but I have an issue with them as well. Namely, they need to be recharged. You can't just change a battery in them. So if you forget to charge it the night before and it goes out 10 minutes into your workout, you're SOL.

So that's why I have a super cheap mp3 player for the gym that holds a couple hundred songs and takes a AAA battery. If it breaks, no big loss. If the battery runs out, I have an extra in my pocket (I use rechargeable AAAs of course). If I get bored of the songs on it, I change it up a little.

I think the best thing is to have an ipod to hold your music collection, and to use at work, in the car (great for long road trips) and at home. Then buy a cheap mp3 player with a battery for the gym. If something happens to it, you're out $50 instead of $300.

[sbj405]

10. I have a Zen Micro and have been happy.

I have the 5 gb version. It has a removable battery which is nice. I have two, so I can get 24 hours of play time (good for traveling). It also has an FM radio, which he may like for the gym (some gyms broadcasts the tv sound via an fm channel). The Creative software is pretty good and very userfriendly - rips, transers, plays, etc.

[LeftCoast]

11. Here's a review of the new Zune - they didn't like it.

http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/147048,CST-FIN-Andy23.article

I have a 60gb iPod and I love it. It might be a bit big for most people though.