Best MP3 Player on the market right now?

[cbloom]

Apple's done a really amazing job of creating a brand where people will pay more for an inferior product because it's "quality" without even comparing the specs of other products. I wonder if it will last. Sony used to be in a similar spot but has pretty much lost it.

The iPod still has the best interface (in terms of ease of use) of any player but in terms of price/features they've been way behind for a long time.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
Apple's done a really amazing job of creating a brand where people will pay more for an inferior product because it's "quality" without even comparing the specs of other products. I wonder if it will last. Sony used to be in a similar spot but has pretty much lost it.

The iPod still has the best interface (in terms of ease of use) of any player but in terms of price/features they've been way behind for a long time.

[/ QUOTE ]
The thing with the iPod is they were the first ones to really get the whole package. iPod + iTunes is such a polished product that got such a jump on all the other small-time players. Add in the fact that Apple was already a well-established company with a cult-like following and they had/have quite an advantage.

[maryfield48]

[ QUOTE ]
Apple's done a really amazing job of creating a brand where people will pay more for an inferior product because it's "quality" without even comparing the specs of other products. I wonder if it will last. Sony used to be in a similar spot but has pretty much lost it.

The iPod still has the best interface (in terms of ease of use) of any player but in terms of price/features they've been way behind for a long time.

[/ QUOTE ]

You say that like the interface isn't one of the features. That's what Apple does better than anyone, and if the iPhone succeeds it's the interface that will be the difference there too.

FM radio, voice recording, all the things that manufacturers use to fill out their feature lists, each are significant to only a minority of users. But the interface affects every user.

[kerowo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Apple's done a really amazing job of creating a brand where people will pay more for an inferior product because it's "quality" without even comparing the specs of other products. I wonder if it will last. Sony used to be in a similar spot but has pretty much lost it.

The iPod still has the best interface (in terms of ease of use) of any player but in terms of price/features they've been way behind for a long time.

[/ QUOTE ]

You say that like the interface isn't one of the features. That's what Apple does better than anyone, and if the iPhone succeeds it's the interface that will be the difference there too.

FM radio, voice recording, all the things that manufacturers use to fill out their feature lists, each are significant to only a minority of users. But the interface affects every user.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly, I'm not looking to listen to FM radio or record stuff, most people aren't. It will be interesting to see what the next gen of iPods are and when they come out. If the iPhone sells crazy numbers initially they could come out early next year.

[KotOD]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Blarq,

Excellent choices !!!

I just picked up the Sansa Sandisk e280 on Sunday. I have downloaded close to 200 songs and it hase not even made a dent in my memory space.

I looked at the Creative Zen vision, however decided to go with the Sansa.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll second this. The interface is easy to work with and the plug and play is great. The mini cards with 2 GB each are a nice feature.

[guids]

no way Id ever buy an ipod, I dont get the appeal, a heavily proprietary device that is expensive as [censored], and who needs 60gigs of music to carry with them anyways? I like the solid state players, cheaper, more durable, and more functionality.

[Arito]

[ QUOTE ]

You say that like the interface isn't one of the features. That's what Apple does better than anyone, and if the iPhone succeeds it's the interface that will be the difference there too.

FM radio, voice recording, all the things that manufacturers use to fill out their feature lists, each are significant to only a minority of users. But the interface affects every user.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. I couldn't care less about FM radio or voice recording (I mean seriously?). All I want is a player to play my music and videos from. The Ipod does just that. I can use it in my car (which is also the reason it is never low on battery) without too much hassle so I don't crash trying to navigate the menus.

Finally, I haven't done any research on it so take this with a grain of salt, but I believe the inferior sound quality is a result of the headphones, not the player. When I connect it to my stereo, car stereo or sennheiser headphones the sound is great.

[guids]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

You say that like the interface isn't one of the features. That's what Apple does better than anyone, and if the iPhone succeeds it's the interface that will be the difference there too.

FM radio, voice recording, all the things that manufacturers use to fill out their feature lists, each are significant to only a minority of users. But the interface affects every user.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. I couldn't care less about FM radio or voice recording (I mean seriously?). All I want is a player to play my music and videos from. The Ipod does just that. I can use it in my car (which is also the reason it is never low on battery) without too much hassle so I don't crash trying to navigate the menus.

Finally, I haven't done any research on it so take this with a grain of salt, but I believe the inferior sound quality is a result of the headphones, not the player. When I connect it to my stereo, car stereo or sennheiser headphones the sound is great.

[/ QUOTE ]


All I want is a player to play my music and videos from.


exactly. This is why I would never buy an ipod, there are much better, more versatile + cheaper things out there. The ipod is a status symbol type device.

[Arito]

I agree that it is a status symbol device, and that it's relatively overpriced. But when I went looking for MP3 players, I found the Ipod to be the most easy to use (especially because I have a Mac and itunes. Also, what's with all the I-tunes hate? It's a great program especially compared to the windows media players) for me.

When you say other MP3 players are better, what do you mean? Do they have a better sound quality? Because like I said, I think that's a problem with the headphones (earplugs). Do they have more storage capacity? Don't really know but the Ipod gives you plenty. Is it easier to use? Doubtful. Does it support more file types? Probably. But is that it?

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
no way Id ever buy an ipod, I dont get the appeal, a heavily proprietary device that is expensive as [censored], and who needs 60gigs of music to carry with them anyways? I like the solid state players, cheaper, more durable, and more functionality.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a particular disgust with proprietary batteries, too, especially ones you can't change yourself. ipods are designed to crap out in a couple years because of that if you don't send in your player and pay, what, 65 bucks to change the damn battery. This just feels like contempt for the consumer. I really don't dig throwing my money at companies that do that unless there aren't other choices out there, and even then I really grit my teeth about it. I want to be able to go on a trip and carry a second battery around with me, and not pay a fortune to get it either. And I do not want to have to send my item back to the factory and be without it and hope it doesn't get damaged or have old parts swapped into it.