When Do You Listen to Your MP3 Player?

[MrControversial]

I'm debating on whether or not I should get an MP3 player or a PDA. The only time I listen to music is in my car, on the computer and occasionally in bed to put me to sleep. However, I don't ride the bus, jog, but I do go to the gym and do the treadmill thing. However, can I use an Ipod on the treadmill? Can I strap it to my arm? It's hard spending money something that I only use occasionally.

 

[imported_Kensai]

When I travel.
You should be able to leave it resting on the treadmill, though I wouldn't suggest having it on your body as it might damage the HD inside of it.

 

[Matthias99]

I'm debating on whether or not I should get an MP3 player or a PDA.

Get a PDA that can take a memory card and play MP3s (which is almost all of them these days)? Works fine as long as you don't need multiple gigs of MP3s with you when you go to the gym.

 

[NiKeFiDO]

yeah dont bother with expensive mp3 players for only occasional use, esp if you can find a pda that is capable of playing them for you.

 

[Sqube]

In your case, if the choice is between an mp3 player and a PDA, you should get a PDA.

And while I don't think strapping an iPod to your arm would be the best idea, you could most likely rest it on whatever part of the treadmill they provide to rest your hands.

In your case, I wonder if a Flash-based mp3 player might not be the best of all worlds for you? Since you don't listen to music for extended periods of time, a 512 MB Flash player could be just the ticket. You can also strap it to your arm while doing the treadmill dance and listen to it while going to sleep.

So, IMO, it's either get the PDA or get a Flash-based mp3 player. I don't really think you listen to music frequently enough to justify an iPod.

 

[corkyg]

My car CD player is my MP3 player. I burn a CDR a week, that has about 7.5 regular music CDs of my choice - average about 90 tunes. That lasts me a week in the car. It just lives there.

Someday I may get a stand alone MP3 player - but right now it is not a necessity. I travel with my laptop, and it plays them nicely.

 

[CalvinHobbes]

I use mine at work, mowing the lawn, out by the pool, shoveling snow. If you just need it for the gym, go with a flash based player.

 

[biostud]

When I bike 2x30-40 mins everyday + when I shop

 

[ZobarStyl]

For actual running (not on a treadmill), my old mp3 player is great. No moving parts means it has taken a thousand beatings with no ill effects. An iPod's hard drive would've been ruined by now (I've dropped it pretty far), as well as a PDA screen being cracked/shattered. However, for what you're doing, an iPod or even an MP3 CD player would do nicely.

 

[MrControversial]

Originally posted by: Sqube
In your case, if the choice is between an mp3 player and a PDA, you should get a PDA.

And while I don't think strapping an iPod to your arm would be the best idea, you could most likely rest it on whatever part of the treadmill they provide to rest your hands.

In your case, I wonder if a Flash-based mp3 player might not be the best of all worlds for you? Since you don't listen to music for extended periods of time, a 512 MB Flash player could be just the ticket. You can also strap it to your arm while doing the treadmill dance and listen to it while going to sleep.

So, IMO, it's either get the PDA or get a Flash-based mp3 player. I don't really think you listen to music frequently enough to justify an iPod.

Could you reccomend a good flash-based MP3 player?

 

[mooncancook]

can't find any use for it that's why i don't buy one. I'll probably get one when i start going to the gym.

 

[daniel1113]

I use mine while walking in between classes and while in my car. However, I made sure I got my PDA long before I ever got an mp3 player. I couldn't live without my Axim.

 

[imported_bum]

check out iriveramerica.com for flash mp3 players. I don't know about their new stuff, but they have made good flash products in the past.

 

[AtlantaBob]

And of course there's the iPod Shuffle -- Apple's flash-based MP3 player-- it's small, and you don't need a screen when working out at the gym...

However, be warned, some people love it, some hate it. Search for "ipod shuffle" and you'll see a bunch of threads about people praising and hating them.

 

[NuroMancer]

Personally, I have a Mini Ipod. Which fyi is flash based as they use compact Flash cards. At 250 dollars (CAD) the 4gig model works amazing for me, I use it in the car, at the gym, running, ATVing etc. I have also gotten from the creative rep a 512meg version which sells for around 150(CAD), the nice thing about it is that it's smaller and lighter, so for running I notice it less. Oh, and IRiver products are something I would stay away from personally, we had nothing but trouble with their last series and as such, stoped carrying them.

 

[Rapsven]

Umm, the iPod mini is hard drive based...

 

[SNM]

iPod mini's got a HD.
About the mp3/PDA, thing, though: I'm a competitive high school runner, and I when I work out alone I tend to listen to mp3s on my PDA. It works well for me, since my library is fairly small and I don't mind manually dragging files onto a Memory Stick. If that kind of thing irritates you, though, it's a bad idea.
Also a bad idea is attempting to use a newer Palm that can't turn off the screen all the way. I have an "old" Sony Clie SJ-33 with a pseudo-hardware hold capability (for disabling the screen and such, but leaving music playing) that works very well, but most newer models reactivate if you put any pressure at all on the screen. :?

 

[daniel1113]

As Rapsven has said, the iPod mini uses a Hitachi Microdrive, which is basically a compact flash card with a 1" hard drive inside rather than flash memory.

 

[yokomo]

I use my Mp3 player when I go skiing.. It gives you that little bit more adrinalyn you need some times to make it over a really big table... or to pull that last bit of a 540 when you thought you could only pull a 3 off that little kicker... Just my 2 cents on it...

 

[HuddaDudda]

I have a 256MB Creative Labs Nomad TX - they come in 128MB/256MB/512MB/1GB - However I like most want the newest and greatist but I couldnt justify in my head all the hours at work to purchase something I wouldnt use outside the gym. I also like this MP3 the best because you can just unplug it and plug it directly into the usb - not extra cables and things. Direct connection - opens up like a folder and you just copy the music to it. I hold about 30+ or more songs on a 256MB - plenty of songs for an hour or two at the gym (depends on bit rate, etc). Refresh it once a week with new stuff takes me 5 mins tops! Plus has a nice FM tuner and at my gym the tv is connected to certain stations so if I want to watch tv just tune into that radio station and I can hear the tv in my player. Plus its flash and like people have already said no moving parts - I have dropped mine a few times and its still going strong. Also battery life is awesome. There is my two cents Oh and one more thing is SUPER small and clips on strong! Nice for the gym so you dont carry around this huge player or worry about where your going to put it.

 

[Praytus]

I would recommend the iPod shuffle as well.

 

[Siddhartha]

If you consider my laptop to be type of a mp3 player I listen to it: all the time except when I am walking.

 

[cryogenic666]

Originally posted by: daniel1113
As Rapsven has said, the iPod mini uses a Hitachi Microdrive, which is basically a compact flash card with a 1" hard drive inside rather than flash memory.

as I recall, it uses the Seagate ST1 in the new generation of them. I do believe the older ones used Hitachis, but only the Seagate ST1 is available in 6GB capacity. Regardless, it uses a HD. As far as when I use my mp3 player? I have a 1.5GB Rio Nitrus that I use while cycling to and from work (15 miles) everyday.

 

[Michaelbgrant]

I dunno, I got my ipod for free for signing up for some blockbuster online offer which was also free for a few weeks. It has 60GB which is more mp3 than I have but I can use it to transfer files which is cool. If you want to get ahold of a free ipod, I'll hook it up, it takes about 15-30 minutes of your time. PM me.=)