Advice wanted please re MP3/Ipod

heatherneedshelp

Hi all,

I'm looking for either an Ipod or a good MP3 player. What I basically want to do is put all my cds on it, so then I can get rid of them all and have them all on one device.

I would like something that I can have a docking station with so that I can just play my music instead of using the stereo, if that makes sense?

My question is (and I am not technical in the least), what would be best for me to buy?? Its my 40th birthday next week, so I will be dropping not so subtle hints to my partner!

Thanks for any help and advice for this complete technophobe!

MrsBartolozzi

Did you know that if you no longer have the CD you should delete the digital copies of the music? The right to copy the contents goes with the CD, you don't retain these rights, just so you know...

Have you any experience of Itunes at all? You must use this to put music onto an Ipod and the tunes must be in mp3 format, so wma etc need to be converted via itunes (not always straightforward).
Are you expecting to just drag and drop your music from one folder to the mp3 player's folder? If so then an Ipod is not for you (not possible, must go through Itunes).

My son has an Ipod touch and an Iphone4, and while they are fun to use the biggest headache is when it needs to be connected to Itunes, it's a right faff (always needing an update, doesn't always "see" music downloaded from other online music stores etc). I am looking for a new mp3 player and while I've not decided which to get it definately won't be I-anything.
This may seem like a one sided biased review but I just wanted to give you things to think about before Apple fanboys convince you they are the only things worth considering.

dmg24

What kind of budget do you have? If you want a quality device with good audio and battery life, go for a Sony. If you're looking for something of mediocre quality but very gimmicky, go for an ipod.

DigForVictory

So far, noone's speaking up for the iGadgets.

Fair enough, it is a matter of personal taste.

What I'd point to though is the fact that there are a LOT of people with iGadgets, websites are devoted to them, & Apple themselves are not utter crap at customer support. Microsoft doesn't help with a product over 5 years old. Apple does.:j

I can't speak to audio quality - I had a cheap ghetto blaster as a student, got a cheap onelump "system" when I got a house & still haven't graduated to separate tuner & amplifier setup. (Eldest only 12, not yet desperate to rock the structure with volume...)

For bare naked portable fun, available in a range of sizes and colours & prices, snaffle an iGadget. Treat yourself to a putter around an Apple Store sometime, play with as amny as you can get your hands on, see what you like by way of heft, colour etc - ask their Experts!


Yes, iTunes is a bit of a sod, but like so many grouchy interfaces, you learn to humour its ways like an elderly relative & get on well enough. (There is even a Dummies book, which I borrow from the local library when utterly stumped.)

Technologically, you might want to get a standalone hard disk as well as a gadget - makes keeping all that music tidy simpler, and provides family with a handy Second Present... Seems like too much money? A second hand iGadget - only one version back, more if you have a really finite budget, may be sold with a guarantee, even by Apple themselves.

All the best & have a happy birthday whatever you're listening to! :beer:

jenniewb

I would start by space, think about how much space you may need on a device (that is assuming you have decided on an MP3 player rather then an MP4 or one which plays both MP3 and MP4s which are music and videos respectively).

I just got myself a new MP3 player with my Tesco vouchers I found I already had over 8mg on CDs alone and I don't think I have that many CDs! I have below 50 thats for sure and I want to be able to put on new music so I made sure I had more space. Something else to consider is 8GB isn't 8GB, its something like 7.5GB or similar as space gets taken up with bits of software.

If you want recommendations for brands I'd say Sony or Creative Zen both of which are very easy to use as they work with Windows Media Player which features a drag-and-drop facility, you just see what you want, click and hold your mouse clicked down and drag to the picture of your MP3 player or the playlist you have created/are creating and its done. Beautful!

I have had an apple nano before and its not so simple, I still use it from time to time and well, apples don't like PCs, my PC software in return is a bit hostile towards Apple not allowing any updates, if I want to use apple software I have to take off all my firewalls which itself is a massive worry and don't get me started on the speed of itunes or worse- the apple help screens, they take about 3-5 minutes to load each page!! When it works it works well, smoothly and does what I tell it to but its not always easy to get to that point. It could be my PC which is about 5 years old but lets face it, not everyone has a brand spanking new PC or a Mac for that matter. In a nutshell I would say the Apple products are a joy to use but the software on the computer is not so great.

Check out reviews on Amazon, there are so many brands of MP3 around and I have only experience of a few of them, if you visit Amazon or even Advanced MP3 Players there are plenty more reviews on those sites.

And remember to save a bit of cash for earphones: the sound of your music depends a great deal on the quality of your earphones. Apple being the worst, Shure, Monster Beats and Ecto being the best with Seinheisser (sp!), Sony and Bose being inbetween.

devizes18193

make sure you do back ups of the music though . One hard drive faliure and you would be stuffed