MP3 Player

[ManxSeagull]

I am looking to buy an MP3 player. What should I buy ?

I am cautious of the IPOD range, due to the poor battery life.

One possibility is the Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra 30 or 40GB. Has anyone got first hand knowledge of these model ?

What are your recommendations ? I am looking to spend upto £200

 

[Cian]

Do not get an iPod, or a Hewlett Packard one, or I will be on the next flight to Douglas to disembowel you

iHP iRivers are pretty good, as are the Creative ones.

 

[Wilko]

All this Ipod bashing is silly, I have got one and is absolutely class, have not got a single complaint about the snazzy piece of kit.

 

[Cian]

right, I'm going to charter a plane to Shoreham it seems

Using an iPod makes you look like a wanker

The iPod has a serious battery fault

The iPod is very overpriced

The iPod has an unreliable HDD, although this isn't as commonly known as the battery issue

The iPod division of Apple was given the Kiss of Death because they put Steve Sakoman in charge of it, and everything he touches rots away - the Apple Newton, the Apple QuickTake, BeOS, PalmOS 6, etc.

 

[Wozza]

I'm no Mac or iPod fanboy - far from it - but your Apple-bashing is tedious MYOB - and very predictable coming from a PC techie.

The "serious battery fault"!? You mean the fact that it supposedly dies after 2 or 3 years (it doesn't) and can't be replaced (it can)? Old news. No different from other MP3 players.

"Very overpriced" (not just overpriced!) Er... did you miss the major price cuts?!?

"Unreliable HDD"?!? Evidence please!?

"Kiss of death"? iPod sales are increasing week on week, with each model more popular than the last.

PS Gary, the iRiver HP series is great for PC bods, if you can live with the shite user interface.

 

[Another Berkshire Seagull]

I recently bought a 4th generation iPOD and have been delighted with it. Battery life seems no issue to me, simple to use and with an iTrip addition allows easy use with the car stereo.

 

[ManxSeagull]

I have looked at the iRiver range but I have not heard much feedback about them.

 

[Wozza]

I have looked at the iRiver range but I have not heard much feedback about them.

PC Pro review

User ratings

 

[ManxSeagull]

Cheers Pal.

Starting to look at the IRiver 320.

£80 more than I was going to spend. Colour screen, nice but is it essential I ask myself !!

 

[maidstoneseagull]

I've got a Rio Karma. Plays WMA's and MPEG's. Can store upto 10000 WMA's.

Been very impressed with it. In reading reviews seems to be thought of higher than IPOD.

 

[Cian]

I'm no Mac or iPod fanboy - far from it - but your Apple-bashing is tedious MYOB - and very predictable coming from a PC techie.

The "serious battery fault"!? You mean the fact that it supposedly dies after 2 or 3 years (it doesn't) and can't be replaced (it can)? Old news. No different from other MP3 players.

"Very overpriced" (not just overpriced!) Er... did you miss the major price cuts?!?

"Unreliable HDD"?!? Evidence please!?

"Kiss of death"? iPod sales are increasing week on week, with each model more popular than the last.

PS Gary, the iRiver HP series is great for PC bods, if you can live with the shite user interface.

Firsltly, I own, use a develop for PowerPC hardware made by Apple. Not nessacerily under an Apple OS, but they've all got a hidiously multicolouered Apple on the front.

The "Kiss of Death" is a term used for any project Steve Sakoman is involved in. He's a wonderful engineer and manager, but everything he touches withers and dies. He's working on the MK4 iPod. The iPod Mini and MKIII were not his work.

The battery death is 18 months, and proven. Most players use industry standard Li-ion cells and can be replaced either by the user with easily available replacements.

The HDD death is not as common, but a lot of MKI iPods have had headcrashs.

The price is still way way too high.

 

[Cian]

Actually, now that I think about it, the MK4 wasn't much Sakoman either. The MK5 will be entirely. Which means it'll be excellently engineered but sell none.

 

[Wozza]

I'll leave others to decide whether your comments have any relevance to the real world.

 

[Cian]

Well, my one about "Using an iPod makes you look like a wanker" does, and I note you didn't refute it.

Whipping out any white polycarbonate bodied product with an 'i' at the start of the name on a train, bus, plane, etc maks you look like a TOSSER with too much money.

Now, my silver-blue aluminium laptop isn't much better but at least it isn't as wankery

 

[ManxSeagull]

Well, my one about "Using an iPod makes you look like a wanker" does, and I note you didn't refute it.

Whipping out any white polycarbonate bodied product with an 'i' at the start of the name on a train, bus, plane, etc maks you look like a TOSSER with too much money.

Now, my silver-blue aluminium laptop isn't much better but at least it isn't as wankery

I was going to buy an iRIVER H320 MP3 PLAYER, but that has an 'i' at the start, will I look like a tosser. It isn't white plastic

Seriously, does anyone on here own a iRIVER H320, Is it any good ?

20GB should be enough storage, the 40GB model is another £50 taking the price over £320 which is £120 more than I intended to spend.

 

[Cian]

Don't own one, used one though, works great.

Because its not white polycarbonate and its not made by Apple (or Hewlett Packard, who make iPod clones) its fine.

 

[ManxSeagull]

Don't own one, used one though, works great.

Because its not white polycarbonate and its not made by Apple (or Hewlett Packard, who make iPod clones) its fine.

I am glad to hear it !!

 

[Wozza]

Well, my one about "Using an iPod makes you look like a wanker" does, and I note you didn't refute it.

Your iPod bashing makes you look like a wanker.

Someone asks for advice about MP3 players on NSC and you wade in with a load of crap about iPod Mk1 hard disks (not relevant), a guy called Steve Sakoman who, you now admit, has had nothing to do with iPods on shelves (so not relevant), and misinformed crap about batteries and prices (G4 20Gb is cheaper than, say, iRiver HP120).

And you don't even bother to recommend any alternatives.

Great!

 

[Cian]

Err, I recommended the iRiver iHP, check my first posting

 

[Cian]

Also, I said Sakoman has little to do with the MK4's, not nothing

The software on the MK4's was down to Sakomans division. The hardware was not, but will be on the MK5's