One of dozens of these new devices
iPod20Killers — This is the best round-up and collection of oddball MP3 players and music devices I’ve ever seen. Wild, wacky stuff.
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IPods have always been totally overrated fad gadgets.
I should say, I own two IPod Minis and one full size IPod.
Complaints:
1. ITunes is horrible software! I try to delete a 100 mp3s off an iPod and it appears to lock for 20-30 seconds.
2. iTunes is too stupid to sync my a dynamic PC library. (Works well if your paying for songs, but its a pain if you rip with a better ripper than iTunes or get MP3s through other channels.
3. You don’t get the choice to see your iPod as a folder structure instead of a sync type device. (Yes, I know you can buy software to do this, but then you take it to someone elses house and you no longer have the ability).
4. We have 2 iPod mini’s not because we love them so much, but because we have needed to have 2 to keep one running.
5. The stupid security design leads to “fixing” the device by wiping everything off of it! This thing should be a simple appliance. Could you imagine the howling from Apple-heads if you had to reformat your PC if your mouse stopped working?
6. Stupid format restrictions. Everyone complains about Sony players restrictions on days of old, but why can’t an IPod play a Divx .AVI? My Archos doesn’t mind.
The bottom line is that I rarely you a mini. I prefer my Archos-GMini when size doesn’t matter.
When size is important we picked up a Scandisk 1G for its simplicity and reliability.
I looked for 6 weeks in search of an alternative to the iPod and could not find a device that could top the 30gb 5G iPod for value.
Consequently, that is what I bought.
Is there some company out there working overtime to come up with stupid names?
I’ve worked for sporting goods companies that had the perpetual debate — do we use place names or try to sound like Mercedes and use numbers and letters? It looks like the latter wins most of the geek battles — and manages to make the results even more complex and irrelevent.
Besides one-less gizmo to carry, the MP3 can be directly downloaded via the cell phone.
Ah, yesss… One MORE item to OVERCHARGE for, for a substandard quality compared to stolen or even a music-service download…
Then you can look at dying batteries, ’cause ya just HAD to have that 17 minute Iron Butterfly Opus (just before ya crashed ’cause ya had the damned EARPLUGS in to hear it in your car. After all, “YOU’RE Special”! Why should YOU miss a phone call?!?).
Then, if ya read Dvorak’s PC Mag. columns, music AND phones go together like phones AND games….
(Browse the PC Mag web-site for the reference)
Tod >>Then, if ya read Dvorak’s PC Mag. columns, music AND phones go together like phones AND games….
I haven’t seen the article but it would take a whole lot of convincing to refute what I see everyday in this part of the world…. people playing games on their phones. Lots and lots of people.
… and sending text files.
… and taking pictures.
Millions of them, all the time. (Goodness know what they do with all those photos.) If their phone comes with a camera, they aren’t going to buy another one.
Adding an MP3 player is so obvious, it is inevitable.
Yes, serious music fans will drop big money for a dedicated player but the average person will just use their phone.
After MP3s will probably be streamed TV, especially sports. (and, of course, porn.)
While we’re talking of MP3s, I just noticed that American pop tunes abound in Russian websites. Why is the RIAA silent about these sites and more importantly, who is adversely affected: the music industry for having their pop tunes widely availabble in Russia, or the Russian people for this cultural invasion?
Hi everyone.
What's a good alternative to the IPOD?
I'm wondering if any of you can recommend a good MP3 player that is comparable to the IPod but WITHOUT they hype and price tabe to go with it.
I was at the apple store a few days ago, and really liked the new 40GB or 80GB IPods that also show video, but was wondering if I could get the same kind of funcationality without that heftly price tag.