mp3 player

[chrisvenus]

I'm wanting to get a proper mp3 player for use at the gym. Currently I'm using my phone but I'd rather have something a bit more practical and stuff.

My current thought because of the fact that marketing means I'm not actually sure of the alternatives is a ipod shuffle. I believe they are about 30 quid or so (but apple can't work out how to update their store without taking it offline so I can't check the official price right now).

So, my question for LJ is what sort of recommendations you might have for mp3 players that I might want.

My rough thoughts on spec are:

1) cheapish - the 30 quid ballpark sounds fair. I'm fine with cheaper.
2) capacity - I'm not that fussed about keeping all my music collection on it. I believe shuffles are a couple of gig and this seems fine. I don't need the 40+gig capaicty of the big hard disk based ones.
3) size - something that will either fit in a pocket easily or clip on somewhere would be good. I suspect that is probably goign to be automatic. I like the idea of belt clip or other clip though.
4) compatibility - I want it to take standard headphones and work with any computer. I'd like the option of just dragging and dropping files if I want to or maybe using some software to manage what is on there. am I right in thinking that ipods *only* work through itunes?

Is there anything else I should be thinking about with respect to spec?

Edit: Other specs are for track control I'd like more than minimal control over track listings. Nothing fancy but random fucntions and skipping back (if I want to hear the previous track again) and forward (I'd hope a standard). I've a vague feeling I've seen some that are just plug in and it will start playing with no control at all...

Also if anybody wants to put forward the case for apple products I am willing to listen. :)

Comments

[mejoff.livejournal.com]

Matsui do some wonderfully cheap 'usb stick with headphones' type players with better sound quality than any of apple's shit for a third of the price...

[chrisvenus]

Sounds most intriguing... Got any specific recommendations or shall I just go a googling?

[mentalfirewall.livejournal.com]

'Creative Zen' is a good make.
Very easy to use (even I can manage it) and very small and light.
I've got a Zen Stone - from amazon it's about £20 with a 1 gig capacity. Only problem is not being able to easily control which tracks come up but I think other Zen products avoid this problem.

[chrisvenus]

I think that's the same with the shuffle and all the really cheap ones. I assume it has simple options like random play and skipping forwards and backwards though? I should have added that in to my requirements really... :)

[mentalfirewall.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it shuffles, goes forward and back and fits standard headphones (you'll probably need ones that won't fall out in the gym).
It's also incredibly small and light.
I've had my current one for nearly 2 years and it's not let me down yet. Its got an internal battery of about 10h and charges up via a USB port in about 2 hours.

[taimatsu]

I have the cheapest mp3 player Argos do (or did when I bought it maybe a year ago). It cost me £10.99, and it's called a 'reddmango'. It holds a gig of music, has no clip but a lanyard, takes normal headphones, and works like a USB stick. It doesn't work with my (Mac-based) iTunes but it will interact with Amarok on Linux iirc. It's got no LCD screen, and so you can't really select specific tracks to listen to, but it does have a random mode. No playlist function, obviously.

I used to have an iriver T60, which cost about £50 then and was bloody wonderful. Sadly I left it in a taxi and never got it back, and couldn't afford a new one. Though I think they might not make them any more anyway.

[innokenti.livejournal.com]

I've actually been thinking of buying a new MP3 player for myself, and at a low price...

So this is what I found.

http://www.cdiscount.co.uk/SoundVisionandSatNav/MP3MP4/MP3Players/sandisk-sansa-clip-with-fm-radio-4gb-silver/f-428-179249.html?refer=PGB&cm_mmc=PGB-_-MP3%20players-_-MP3%20Players-_-Sandisk%20Sansa%20Clip%20With%20FM%20Radio%204GB%20Silver

Looks good, cheap and efficient, and I think satisfied all your wassnames.

1) 33 quid.
2) 4GB
3) Small. Has clip.
4) Copy files over as onto any flash-carrier. Use own headphones.

Advantages over evil evil iPods (inc. Shuffle) - interface to actually navigate around your music collection. Larger capacity. No evil evil iTunes.

So yeah. Hope that helps.

[chrisvenus]

That does look pretty shiny. A little over budget but the screen might well make that worthwhile. Any idea on battery life and charging style (ie is it batteries, just charging via USB, etc.).

[innokenti.livejournal.com]

I believe it charges over USB. I think one of the reviews I've read said that the average is something like 15 hours, although apparently that's middle-of-the-road these days.

[neoanjou.livejournal.com]

Also if anybody wants to put forward the case for apple products I am willing to listen. :)

They are really pretty. And apple products seem generally well made. Plus if you have any DRM coded iTunes purchases I *imagine* that it would be able to play them.

Also if you decide you do like the shuffle then check out your local Gamestation (if there is one in Oxford) as they have second hand examples.

[davedevil.livejournal.com]

I've had a ipod shuffle for a few years and it works well. Solid state good bettery life no screen. It has a big clip built int hat locks onto just about anything.

[cultureofdoubt.livejournal.com]

I love Apple products, but I don't think one would be the best choice here. iPods will basically only work through iTunes. You can no doubt futz around with other software to make one work, but I do not think it's worth the bother.

[innokenti.livejournal.com]

Actually, thinking about the whole iTunes thing - you can pretty reliably configure both MediaMonkey and FooBar to interface with your iPod. Both are incidentally excellent music player/libraries.

[tyasante.livejournal.com]

I've always obtained my mp3 players from Argos, I can't find the exact model I always go for, but the benefit of Argos is that you can get this nice cheap replacement service for 3 years added on.

I'll have a better look later, but you can get some nice mp3 players from Argos for not so much money. :D

[childofatlantis.livejournal.com]

I've heard Zen is a good brand for small ones. I personally am a big fan of my 80G iPod solely because there is nothing else on the market with that storage capacity for that price, and I am the kind of person who MUST HAVE MY ENTIRE MUSIC COLLECTION WITH ME AT ALL TIMES OMG.