Converted a person about to buy an ipod...

[mchammer187]

Originally posted by: Mildlyamused
No I referred her to another player because I have an ignorant sister who bought and iPod and it's utter shit. Just because I've never used anything else but an iPod, doesn't mean I'm not allowed to assume the iPod is shit. I know people who's iPods have broke after 4 months.

While most people have plenty of money to waste on an iPod and it's just another commodity, she doesn't. She saved up for this device so I don't want her to waste money on a device that will not last longer than a year. I want her to be able to replace the battery, I want her to have a device with a still working screen, I want her to be able to copy files back from the MP3 onto her computer agian.

I don't have an MP3 player at all because I think it's a waste of money. I mean a device JUST for playing ONLY mp3s! I mean at least the Zen micro has RADIO for christ sakes! Instead of using an MP3 player, I just use my phone to play all the music/video I want and its small.

I don't see how it cannot last for a year

i have a 2nd gen ipod still working (well gave it to my brother when I upgraded)

and a 4th gen that i have owned a little less than a year

both work perfectly

if you want an mp3 player that you can treat like sh|t and still work than I'd suggest a flash based model

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
ugh you don't know these basic things and yet you think you know enough to tell her to not get an ipod? you've wasted time forcing her buy what she didn't want in the first place for reasons she probably doesn't care about.

But getting the less mainstream player is cooler!

whatever makes her happy. and thats what matters. not what makes an alpha geek happy with his rather different criterial for buying something. ipod does what it does well, and its built with quality. she will feel her money is spent well on a device that looks good, not some second rate wanna be. i doubt she cares whether she can hax it

oh the mini ipods got longer battery life too and is SMALLER too.

 

[chiwawa626]

The creative line of mp3 players only has a 90 day warranty...your more likely to get something fixed on your ipod :roll:

 

[Mildlyamused]

Originally posted by: saltedeggman
if you are a student, you can get 10% from apple education store

shes not a student. I told her to go to bestbuy to try out the Creative Zen Micro and if she likes it we'll buy it online. I also emphasized the fact that she should try all of the mp3 players and it's really her preference but told her all the disadvantages of it. Shes not a child so I don't think she will get too caught up in the looks.

 

[Caesar]

So many iPod threads today and Gurck is no where to be found

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: mchammer187
encode her own mp3s in a lossless format etc.

Mp3 is a lossy format

OP, :thumbsup: for your intervention. As for your questions: 1) Yes. 2) Yes, it doesn't get any easier than managing your player like the hard drive it is, via a file manager. Only iriver, iaudio (jetaudio), neuros and archos, afaik, offer full universal mass storage support. 3) As with ipods, you need software for creative's players. As I mentioned in 2, irivers' contents can be manipulated via a file manager, no software needed, and with any OS; Windows, Linux, OSX, etc. Also, the big 3 (CC, BB, CompUSA) aren't necessarily bad, so long as the customer is wary. In fact, a few months ago, one of them had what was, afaik, the best deal in history on a 40gb Creative Zen Xtra - $199 after MIR.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: mchammer187
encode her own mp3s in a lossless format etc.

Mp3 is a lossy format

OP, :thumbsup: for your intervention. As for your questions: 1) Yes. 2) Yes, it doesn't get any easier than managing your player like the hard drive it is, via a file manager. Only iriver, iaudio (jetaudio), neuros and archos, afaik, offer full universal mass storage support. 3) As with ipods, you need software for creative's players. As I mentioned in 2, irivers' contents can be manipulated via a file manager, no software needed, and with any OS; Windows, Linux, OSX, etc. Also, the big 3 (CC, BB, CompUSA) aren't necessarily bad, so long as the customer is wary. In fact, a few months ago, one of them had what was, afaik, the best deal in history on a 40gb Creative Zen Xtra - $199 after MIR.

alpha geeks untie!

 

[mchammer187]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: mchammer187
encode her own mp3s in a lossless format etc.

Mp3 is a lossy format

OP, :thumbsup: for your intervention. As for your questions: 1) Yes. 2) Yes, it doesn't get any easier than managing your player like the hard drive it is, via a file manager. Only iriver, iaudio (jetaudio), neuros and archos, afaik, offer full universal mass storage support. 3) As with ipods, you need software for creative's players. As I mentioned in 2, irivers' contents can be manipulated via a file manager, no software needed, and with any OS; Windows, Linux, OSX, etc. Also, the big 3 (CC, BB, CompUSA) aren't necessarily bad, so long as the customer is wary. In fact, a few months ago, one of them had what was, afaik, the best deal in history on a 40gb Creative Zen Xtra - $199 after MIR.

whoops looks like forgot an OR

my bad

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
alpha geeks untie!

Actually, geeks generally want to be limited to more difficult-to-use software. Seeing as how managing one's DAP gets no simpler than using a file manager, UMS DAPs would be less geeky. Not that there's anything wrong with geeks *nerdy laugh*

 

[Mildlyamused]

http://product.samsung.com/cgi-bin/nabc...tail.jsp?eUser=&prod_id=YH-820MC%2fXAA

She seems to like this one but I'm a little iffy about it.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: ElFenix
alpha geeks untie!

Actually, geeks generally want to be limited to more difficult-to-use software. Seeing as how managing one's DAP gets no simpler than using a file manager, UMS DAPs would be less geeky. Not that there's anything wrong with geeks *nerdy laugh*

itunes popping up when you plug in your ipod, finding all your mp3s and having a great search, is way easier than using windows explorer.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: Mildlyamused
http://product.samsung.com/cgi-bin/nabc...tail.jsp?eUser=&prod_id=YH-820MC%2fXAA

She seems to like this one but I'm a little iffy about it.

Ooh...that one's pretty :thumbsup:

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
itunes popping up when you plug in your ipod, finding all your mp3s and having a great search, is way easier than using windows explorer.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this, I guess.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: ElFenix
alpha geeks untie!

Actually, geeks generally want to be limited to more difficult-to-use software. Seeing as how managing one's DAP gets no simpler than using a file manager, UMS DAPs would be less geeky. Not that there's anything wrong with geeks *nerdy laugh*

For neophytes, using itunes is easier than using Windows Explorer to keep track of 5000songs.

Deal with it.

 

[suse920]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: ElFenix
alpha geeks untie!

Actually, geeks generally want to be limited to more difficult-to-use software. Seeing as how managing one's DAP gets no simpler than using a file manager, UMS DAPs would be less geeky. Not that there's anything wrong with geeks *nerdy laugh*

For neophytes, using itunes is easier than using Windows Explorer to keep track of 5000songs.

Deal with it.

QFT! let her get the ipod if you want it. It is a great device and it sounds like you are dissong it because its the "cool" thing now.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: mchammer187
encode her own mp3s in a lossless format etc.

Mp3 is a lossy format

OP, :thumbsup: for your intervention. As for your questions: 1) Yes. 2) Yes, it doesn't get any easier than managing your player like the hard drive it is, via a file manager. Only iriver, iaudio (jetaudio), neuros and archos, afaik, offer full universal mass storage support. 3) As with ipods, you need software for creative's players. As I mentioned in 2, irivers' contents can be manipulated via a file manager, no software needed, and with any OS; Windows, Linux, OSX, etc. Also, the big 3 (CC, BB, CompUSA) aren't necessarily bad, so long as the customer is wary. In fact, a few months ago, one of them had what was, afaik, the best deal in history on a 40gb Creative Zen Xtra - $199 after MIR.

file manager? sorry, but if you've got more than 100 songs, file manager becomes unwieldly. just typing the first few letters of the bands name brings em up in itunes. in exporer either you strain your eyes scanning or try to remember which sub catagory of rock directory you threw that group in.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: suse920
it sounds like you are dissong [the ipod] because its the "cool" thing now.

Sorry you feel that way, I have very valid reasons for disliking the ipod, but they're beyond the scope of this thread, have been gone over ad nauseum in other threads, and would just devolve this thread into a flamewar. Popularity doesn't figure into my opinion of things, I even like many popular things, such as the Yankees. If you're interested in the specifics of why I feel the way I do, search for "ipod" in this forum and General Hardware. Please don't assume I feel the way I do for reasons of popularity; it's the easy way out of giving the issue thought.

 

[Mildlyamused]

Well I referred her to the iRiver telling her to look at the interface and everything and appears she really really likes the sound quality, the interface and everything. She says shes "sold on it" so I will be looking for some hot deals on it.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
file manager? sorry, but if you've got more than 100 songs, file manager becomes unwieldly. just typing the first few letters of the bands name brings em up in itunes. in exporer either you strain your eyes scanning or try to remember which sub catagory of rock directory you threw that group in.

An argument would be unnecessary & redundant, let's also agree to disagree here. Personally I have no trouble whatsoever finding my music, but I'll admit it might be more difficult if my collection weren't meticulously organized. I have a folder for each album in my music directory. In addition to that, I have a folder for singles and one for mixes. I don't play the genre game, thus I'd never have trouble remembering, say, whether I put NIN in Rock, Metal, Industrial, Electronica, etc. - I sort into very few genres. F3 to search in foobar2k is every bit as fast as in itunes, and as an added bonus is the same standard key used to search in web browsers and other Windows applications, so it's something people are used to.

 

[0roo0roo]

but as a simple matter of speed, itunes would beat you out when finding songs. you just can't click that fast. and when you start to type the name of a song, it brings up all songs by that title, so you don't have to make separate trips for each version. if i want to bring up a decade of music.. its done instantly. genre etc. thats impossible in file explorer. heck when i do use file explorer i use copernic desktop search first to find the files, its so fast and easy theres no reason not to use it. labor saving devices are here, noneed to do things the old hard way. sorta the point of pcs

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: mchammer187
encode her own mp3s in a lossless format etc.

Mp3 is a lossy format

OP, :thumbsup: for your intervention. As for your questions: 1) Yes. 2) Yes, it doesn't get any easier than managing your player like the hard drive it is, via a file manager. Only iriver, iaudio (jetaudio), neuros and archos, afaik, offer full universal mass storage support. 3) As with ipods, you need software for creative's players. As I mentioned in 2, irivers' contents can be manipulated via a file manager, no software needed, and with any OS; Windows, Linux, OSX, etc. Also, the big 3 (CC, BB, CompUSA) aren't necessarily bad, so long as the customer is wary. In fact, a few months ago, one of them had what was, afaik, the best deal in history on a 40gb Creative Zen Xtra - $199 after MIR.

file manager? sorry, but if you've got more than 100 songs, file manager becomes unwieldly. just typing the first few letters of the bands name brings em up in itunes. in exporer either you strain your eyes scanning or try to remember which sub catagory of rock directory you threw that group in.

iTunes is great. hit the browse button and three scrollists appear, genra, artist, and album, so you just go right through your artists, click on the one you want, it narrows the song list and the album list, its great.

I really am a fan of the way iTunes is organized, it makes it so easy.

and I've got a 4g ipod, its a solid player. Is well built, I really dig the interface.

Using it to move data is easy . . once you check the button in iTunes you can just access it like any other portable harddrive, drop anything you want on it with a simple click-drag.

I've used it im some fairly harsh environments, too (pocket while I'm doing yard work, etc.) and it hasn't had any problems.

I've no complaints. Battery life is decent, sound quality is as good as I need (read: i don't hear any problems with it).

I'ts got mp3s, apple's format, and a couple other types of songs on it, no problems there.

It really doesn't surprise me at all that they dominate the market.

 

[suse920]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: suse920
it sounds like you are dissong [the ipod] because its the "cool" thing now.

Sorry you feel that way, I have very valid reasons for disliking the ipod, but they're beyond the scope of this thread, have been gone over ad nauseum in other threads, and would just devolve this thread into a flamewar. Popularity doesn't figure into my opinion of things, I even like many popular things, such as the Yankees. If you're interested in the specifics of why I feel the way I do, search for "ipod" in this forum and General Hardware. Please don't assume I feel the way I do for reasons of popularity; it's the easy way out of giving the issue thought.

no i wasnt talking to you Gurck, i understand and have read many a thread why you do not like the ipod. However it seemed to me like the OP told a friend not to get one for stupid reasons. As you know whether or not it is a good device the ipod's image alone is the deciding factor in a purchase for some people. I was only saying that the OP shouldnt get into something like this because another device, although it may be superior probably will never live up to what the OP's friend expects. I admire the marketing apple uses and i am in no way an ipod fanboy, but this seemed like a situation where the OP should not interfere.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
but as a simple matter of speed, itunes would beat you out when finding songs. you just can't click that fast. and when you start to type the name of a song, it brings up all songs by that title, so you don't have to make separate trips for each version. heck when i do use file explorer i use copernic desktop search first to find the files

foobar2k's search feature works this way as well.

Sorry for any misunderstanding suse

 

[suse920]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
but as a simple matter of speed, itunes would beat you out when finding songs. you just can't click that fast. and when you start to type the name of a song, it brings up all songs by that title, so you don't have to make separate trips for each version. heck when i do use file explorer i use copernic desktop search first to find the files

foobar2k's search feature works this way as well.

Sorry for any misunderstanding suse

no problem gurck

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
but as a simple matter of speed, itunes would beat you out when finding songs. you just can't click that fast. and when you start to type the name of a song, it brings up all songs by that title, so you don't have to make separate trips for each version. heck when i do use file explorer i use copernic desktop search first to find the files

foobar2k's search feature works this way as well.

Sorry for any misunderstanding suse

that you have to recommend something like foobar2k which is clearly inferior to itunes in terms of interface is sort of the point