Are there any MP3 Players that hold data?

[swamyg1]

Hi All,

I'm thinking about getting another flash pen drive... something large like 2gb or something, but would I be able to use a 10 or 20gb mp3 like a creative vision or ipod for data storage instead? No sense in shelling out $100 for a pen drive when I can get a better solution with more space. Thanks for your input!

 

[SUOrangeman]

I won a Shuffle a month or two ago and can use that as a flash drive. I'm not sure if that carries over to other iPod models, as the Shuffle caps at 1GB.

-SUO

 

[swamyg1]

That's good to know... any input on larger devices like ipod and creative zen would be good know. On another note, what is the most decent large sized flash based MP3 Player that could hold data... I'm not so crazy about the moving platters as my creative muvo had a microdrive die on me. Any ideas?

 

[ubercaffeinated]

i'm pretty sure all the ipods can just hold straight up data, like a flash drive.

 

[Cobalt]

My iRiver H120 is drag and drop and is picked up by the computer as a regular external hdd. If you can find something like that, it would be best as it doesn't require drivers or software. I :heart: my H120.

 

[swamyg1]

OK GREAT... but it still sounds kind of iffy. Does anybody have any experience with the Creative Zen and/or Ipod? Thanks in advance.

 

[shortylickens]

When I broke down and bought the Shuffle, I was able to use it like a regular flash drive. Didnt like it for a number of reasons. Ended up in RMA land.

Keep in mind that many people have reported losing all their music when hooking up iPods to computers without their iTunes and their playlists.

My two MSI players worked like regular flash drives as well.

 

[hans030390]

Originally posted by: swamyg1
OK GREAT... but it still sounds kind of iffy. Does anybody have any experience with the Creative Zen and/or Ipod? Thanks in advance.

I have a creative zen sleek. as long as its running in the storage mode (dont remember what its called, but its just a thing you open up in the main menu), it acts just like a flash drive and is recognized as one too.

 

[Ika]

Most of the korean companies' players are UMS-capable (meaning when you plug them into the computer, the comp recognizes it as a large external hard drive instantly through Windows). I believe creative has this with their older models. I myself have a sleek (alright, another sleek owner in hans! woot!) and sleek owners need to go through the menu and select External Disk mode (which allows the comp to recognize the player as a storage device of selectable capacities). If you're going to use your player mainly as a storage device, look into the Creative Zen Xtra.

 

[RallyMaster]

Basically all MP3 players are just flash drives/portable HDDs that can play music (and sometimes movies). I've used my Samsung Yepp as a flash drive before. Not the best use of batteries but it doesn't matter.

 

[kevinf2090]

i have an ipod and imo its pretty easy to use it as a flashdrive to store data.
btw its a 5gen 30gig ipod

 

[Trevante]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
When I broke down and bought the Shuffle, I was able to use it like a regular flash drive. Didnt like it for a number of reasons. Ended up in RMA land.

Keep in mind that many people have reported losing all their music when hooking up iPods to computers without their iTunes and their playlists.

That happens when you set the iPod to automatically sync with the library... I'm not sure if you can change that option on the shuffle, but on the nano, mini, and regular iPods, you should be able to set it ot manual sync and you'll be able to keep all your music when going from computer to computer.

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: swamyg1
Hi All,

I'm thinking about getting another flash pen drive... something large like 2gb or something, but would I be able to use a 10 or 20gb mp3 like a creative vision or ipod for data storage instead? No sense in shelling out $100 for a pen drive when I can get a better solution with more space. Thanks for your input!

yes the creatives work just like a USB hard Drive.. they use windows explorer.

i use mine as a portable 40 gig hard drive.

 

[bassoprofundo]

Check out the IAudio X5. It shows up as a normal hard drive in Explorer. I've also used a Creative Xtra Zen for the same purpose, although with the firmware at the time, it was a bit more complicated to store data on.

 

[ForumMaster]

my ipod mini doubles as a storage device for me. i only have about 1 gb of music. i use the other 2.7 to store stuff. you just need to enable the setting in the iTunes iPod preferences. then the ipod will work in any computer and show up as a removable hdd. you just drag and drop.

 

[HN]

Another confirmation on ipod (mini) as portable hdd. i use it to transfer files regularly. so, a bit of space for music, a bit of space for file storage, and a bit of space for notes (Ipod bartender)

 

[DanStp]

The Sandisk flash players do. On some of them you can expand the capcity with an SD memory card too.

It's drag & Drop. No DRM issues either