MP3 players, 2nd. try

[jmarie]

My family wanted to give me an MP3 player for Mother's Day. They decided to allow me to choose. I wanted a 30GB or 60GB, because with my computer, I always run out of hard drive before I run out of anything else or anything breaks.

When I got to looking, I saw a Creative Zen Vision M 30GB MP3 Player...I like it. Personally, I don't like iTunes because everything converts to their format and you can't use the music for anything else. Today I was reading in the paper that Microsoft has finally come up with their solution for iTunes. A full page article, that was quite interesting....and what wonderful timing.

So, my question would be: Is there an MP3 player that you like better than iPod, do any of you have experience with the Creative Zen Vision M 30GB MP3 Player, just general advice, on this purchase. Or the reason you chose iPod?

Thanks in advance.
Joyce

[funnybone]

Personally, I don't like iTunes because everything converts to their format and you can't use the music for anything else.

Not sure what you want to use the music off of itunes for? You can burn CDs, download on your iPod, listen to it on your computer, etc.

I like the iPod because I find it and iTunes user friendly. We have 3 in our house. We hook up the ipod to our house or car stereo and listen to music off of it to. I can't see what more I would need iTunes to do for me, but to store my music. Just my opinion.

[greysangel]

I have an old dell jukebox that I love that unfortunately they stopped producing...lucky for me, mine has lasted about 3 years now with no problem.

Chaz has an IRiver and he loves it:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...Fencoding=UTF8

I like Laura B has a Creative..hopefully she will chime in!

[erinl]

I have SanDisk's sansa m200 series MP3 player. DH did some research before getting it for me for my birthday. Lots of people at his office (IT industry) recommended it and it has gotten good reviews (one that sticks with me was in a recent issue of Runner's World). My mom saw the same one on sale later and got it for BIL for his birthday. He liked it so much he bought one for my sister for mother's day. BIL found an adapter to use in his car, so he listens to that instead of the radio. I've been very happy with it. I use Windows Media Player to rip my CDs and put them onto my player. BIL has been using Rhapsody (a music download service). Anyway, I think mine is only 1 GB, but they have several models with higher storage capacity. 1 gig is more than enough for my needs.

I just checked their website (http://www.sandisk.com ) and the largest capacity is 4GB.

[aggie94]

DH has a video iPod (30G) and loves it. I have an iPod nano, so we use iTunes and have found it very user-friendly. I'm not sure how you would be using your music that iTunes wouldn't allow you to do. iTunes is very versatile. In the past, we were both Rio users and have found the conversion to be very easy and worthwhile.

My best friend and her husband both have Creative Zen players, and I know they are both happy with theirs.

[mcgeiger]

I had a Samsung player. It was quite possibly the worst purchase I have ever made in my entire life. Not exaggarating, it was horrible...I could fill pages with the problems I have had with both the product and their customer service!
Now I have a Shuffle that I use for running, and it has been great.
My DH got a Nano for graduation from his aunt, and he loves it.

Know nothing about any other brands

[imloulou]

Joyce,
I have a Creative Zen Xtra 60 GB (or maybe 40?...either way, it's full ). I really like it. Mine is an older player so I cant compare it with the newer players but I have been very happy with mine. My husband has one also!

Here are a few links that helped me when I was buying mine:

Creative website

Creative Forums

Amazon reviews

Good luck and have fun with it!!

[jmarie]

Thanks for your responses! This is exactly the kind of information that I was looking for. To answer a question:

Not sure what you want to use the music off of itunes for

I use ProShow Gold to make slide shows and the music won't transfer over. I burn the slide shows to CD's (family viewing, only) and there is no point in purchasing music, at least for me, if I can't use it in my other applications.

After reading todays news....this is the online gist of the article. Microsoft is unveiling this tomorrow. The Creative Zen caught my eye, Saturday and after reading this...I just think I will be happier with something like that...ScanDisk was also mentioned in today's paper...wish I had the article, but the online edition doesn't have the article.

Update: After promising to launch a digital music service for several years, MTV said Tuesday that it is close to releasing an online music mart that will throw it into competition with iTunes and Napster.

Although offering few details, the company said it has worked closely with Microsoft to build a service called Urge that will let listeners experiment with new music, as well as offer "original, hand-crafted content" from MTV and its other cable channels.

"As with everything we do at MTV Networks, every element of URGE will be developed with our audience in mind," said Jason Hirschhorn, MTV Networks' chief digital officer, in a statement. "Beyond providing a simple transactional service, Urge will provide a musical playground where fans can experiment, customize, discover and download new music."

The company's anticipated entry into the music business could help shake up dynamics that have long favored Apple Computer's iTunes. A host of companies allied with Microsoft have trailed behind.

MTV first announced that it would enter the digital music market in late 2003, not long after Apple launched the first version of its iTunes store for Windows.

Since then, Apple has consistently maintained a market share in the digital download business of more than 70 percent. Recently, it added a range of music videos and television shows to the iTunes store, encroaching on MTV's territory.

Subscription-based services have also evolved substantially as entrants such as Yahoo, Virgin, and Napster have joined RealNetworks' Rhapsody, tapping Microsoft technology to enable subscribers to bring their music to portable devices.

Nevertheless, MTV does bring a strong music brand to the market, as well as a potential deal sweetener: years of content produced for its television networks that could be distributed through a joint music and video download service.

The company said Urge would include a subscription component, as well as allowing individual song sales. A spokesman declined to discuss pricing, saying full details would be announced next month. The company gave no specifics on launch date beyond saying it would be sometime in 2006.

In a joint release with Microsoft, MTV said the two companies had worked closely together on the design of the new service and that it would be promoted inside the Windows Media Player.

Today, a handful of other services, including Napster, MusicNow and Microsoft's own MSN Music, are available through the Windows Media Player. In its recent antitrust settlement with RealNetworks, Microsoft agreed that it would promote no other music service more heavily than that company's Rhapsody service

This all sounds good to me.
Joyce

[tbb113]

Joyce - my younger son has a Creative Zen (different model though) and has been very happy with it. Older son had a Dell and now has an IPOD. He was happy with both of them as well.

[Beth]

We got both of our boys and ourselves smaller Zen players at Christmas (thought about a larger one for DH but kept it simple). All the research I did was very good on Creative Labs, and we've been very happy with them. I specifically did not want to get into the ipod thing -- I wanted something less expensive and more reliable for the boys especially. For them, I also wanted a flash drive and not a disc drive so that it would hold up to kid abuse better. I wanted a removeable battery so a battery that wouldn't recharge wouldn't mean a lost player. They've been great.

[sarah2397]

I have a Zen Micro 6GB and DH just got the new Zen MicroPhoto 8GB. His 8GB holds up to 4000 songs and has a pretty color screen. We love them. The reasons we went with the Creative Zen's over iPod is:

1. Can store .wma and other music file formats other than just .mp3, which takes the most space.

2. Removeable (replaceable if necessary) battery.

3. FM radio and other options (voice record and outlook downloads which we don't use -- as well as DH's ability to store pix, which he does not use)

[blazedog]

I have a Zen Micro 6GB and DH just got the new Zen MicroPhoto 8GB. His 8GB holds up to 4000 songs and has a pretty color screen. We love them. The reasons we went with the Creative Zen's over iPod is:

1. Can store .wma and other music file formats other than just .mp3, which takes the most space.

2. Removeable (replaceable if necessary) battery.

3. FM radio and other options (voice record and outlook downloads which we don't use -- as well as DH's ability to store pix, which he does not use)

Just for the record, IPOD's store and play mp3's.

All music stores have to encode the music they offer with anti-piracy technology as part of the license with the music companies. The song files sold by iTunes are in the AAC format which is actually higher quality than mp3's. However, AAC file can be converted to an mp3 file -- Really any file can be converted to any other file -- i.e. wma to mp3.

As to pictures and video, iPOD does have that capability of course. And third party addons give FM radio capability as well as various other neat little things like microphones, flashlights. iPODs can also be used as a portable external hard drive for storing and transporting data of all kinds and have software that can be used for calendars, contacts etc. This can all be synched with one's computer of course.

As to one's choice of actual player, go for whatever rocks your boat -- I haven't read any reviews that rate anything other than the iPOD as the best player on the market.

[sarah2397]

Just for the record, IPOD's store and play mp3's.

I may have miss-stated what I was trying to convey. What I wanted to say was that in addition to the MP3 file format that iPod stores and plays, Zen also stores and plays WAV and WMA file formats. WMA files offers the same sound quality as MP3 but in smaller file sizes, thereby taking up less space and able to give you more songs per GB of storage.

I think iPods are great. Was just chiming in on my reasons for getting and liking my Zen.

[Beth]

I haven't read any reviews that rate anything other than the iPOD as the best player on the market.

I read a fair amount about reliability problems with iPods -- especially the batteries. The music play is as good as any and Apple does seem to be driving to keep iPod at the leading edge of technology. A lot of that technology comes in the form of attachments and gizmos. And you pay a premium for every piece of it. If you need all that, then that's the way to go -- they have the most and best.

If not, the Zen has an awful lot to offer. I had forgotten about the voice recording, but the fact that we had FM radios and the voice recording capability were other factors in chosing the Zen. I don't remember if any of the models we got have the data storage capability -- I'm thinking at least one does, but that was less important. Neither of my sons would be allowed to use them to carry documents back and forth to school at this point.

I read a lot of reviews, including old threads here, magazine reviews, online reviews -- Zen and iPod seemed to have the strongest records and followings. Compare the features and prices with what you need -- I don't think you can go wrong with either one as long as you keep in mind what is most important to you.

[SusanMac]

I've read some very good reviews on the Creative Zen lately. It has a ton of features, good design & usability for a good price point.

I have the Creative Muvo and absolutely love it. DH has an iPod shuffle...and wishes he had my player :-) While I use it for a lot of things, my priority is for running. Creative has great navigation while you're running. I don't even have to look at the player b/c the buttons are easy to find and navigate. The folder setup and navigation is also really nice.

I have read that some people find the screen too small, but it doesn't bug me at all.

[jmarie]

Again, THANKS!

I have another question, and that is regarding the battery in the Zen vision:M. You can't take it out. It is rechargable, but I cannot find anywhere what you would do if and when the battery finally dies.

The Zen Vision came with a removable battery, you could purchase two and keep one charging all the time and just swap them out. With the Vision:M, the battery stays in the unit and you recharge, but won't the batter eventually die? None of the reviewers addressed this.

Trying to look at all angles before my purchase.
Joyce

[erinl]

Wow, I never would have thought about the whole battery issue--other than which player burns through them faster. Mine just uses plain old AAA.

[Beth]

If the battery doesn't come out and it won't recharge, you have to send it in for repair opr replace it. That was the issue I saw most often commented on with the ipods -- and the reason we went with Creative. BTW, the boys are MuVo's and DH got a Zen -- not sure which mine is, but the basic features were the same -- just size and color differences.

[jmarie]

Thanks to you all again for ALL of your advice!

When we started looking, I never dreamed that there were so many MP3 players out there and that they could do so much! I have never even owned anything like this, never saw the need, but kept hearing people talk, read posts, saw people using them and decided I wanted one...but then the chosing!

SO! I decided that I should start small...I purchased tha Creative Zen Nano Plus 1G.....I decided that if I liked it then I would then go on to the bigger and better things...but that I needed to see if I was going to like it. All I can say is WOW! My CD player just went out on my car and now I find that with the larger units...and maybe the smaller ones, I will have to check into that....but there is a little device that I can plug into my MP3 player and the music will play over my car speakers! (Probably old hat to you, but I am pretty excited about it!) YES! My son just brought in his wireless device and showed me how it would work on my tuner here in the house....

This Nano I purchased was 149.99 at Christmas, but Circuit City had them on sale for $69.99 last week when I finally decided, so I also think I got a pretty good deal.

I figured out how to transfer the music, that took me two days And such a compact little thing...It is going to be GREAT at the gym!

Again, thanks....This has been a lot of fun and you guys were a BIG help!
Joyce

[Gumbeaux]

SO! I decided that I should start small...I purchased the Creative Zen Nano Plus 1G....

This is what I have.

I purchased it for the same price as the iPOD shuffle and the Nano has a built in radio, a display screen, microphone, and a lot of other features that the iPOD didn't.

[jmarie]

Well, then. I know for sure that I made a good choice! Thanks for sharing that! Now, when I show it, I can say "I got one just like Gumbeaux's." And who, pray tell, is Gumbeaux? "Well, who do you think? He is This dude from Louisianna, that we all just gotta love!"
Sincerely,
Joyce

[mobear]

I did the same as JMarie! After reading everyone's posts, I bought the Creative Zen Nano Plus for $70 at CompUSA.

Jmarie- What device are you using to play it over your car stereo? I would really like to do the same, but did not see a device yet to do that with the Zen Nano.

[jmarie]

Jmarie- What device are you using to play it over your car stereo?

My son got it at Wal-Mart and he said he only paid about 15.00 for it, but that was two years ago.



The maker is Belkin. And you just plug it into the MP3 player, in the same port as the headphones go, tune the radio to a FM frequency that isn't used....(which would be most of them in our area) and it plays right over the speakers. It is really cool.

Hope you like yours as much as I like mine!
Joyce

[Laura B]

I have a Creative Zen player. It is about a year old, so they probably have newer versions now, but I am very happy with mine. I have the 40G and am having no trouble with storage space at all.

[mobear]

Joyce - Thanks so much for the info! I might go to walmart tonight! It seemed at CompUSA they only had accessories labeled as working for IPod Nano, so I did not want to risk buying anything without more research. And the Creative website was not helpful.

Thanks everybody for the input. Like Joyce, I am starting out small and will work my way up. I can always give my husband the Zen Nano when I "outgrow" it. Ha!

[imloulou]

Joyce...My kids have saved up enough $ and they each want to buy an MP3 player. We have looked all over and they decided on the Creative Nano Plus 1G. My husband and I have the Zen Xtra's and love them. I was wondering if you are happy with your Zen Nano Plus?

We have had a VERY hard time finding the light blue in stock. We have searched all local stores (Circuit City, Best Buy, Sams, Radio Shack, etc) We cannot find the color anywhere. I found them online at Amazon, Creative, CompUSA, Walmart, and others but cannot find the light blue anywhere! Does anyone have a good online source that I may be missing? The creative site says that the light blue is on backorder so maybe that is why we cant find them.

My son is easy..we can find black. My daughter is set on this light blue...she is 8 and very picky with her purchases (which she should be ) but she said she would settle for the bright green...maybe (LOL!)

Thanks !

[mobear]

So far I love mine. I recommended it to a friend, and her only complaint was that she could not load her entire reggae collection onto it!

I told her, you did not tell me you wanted to put all of your CDs on it!

I also bought a Belkin transmitter to play on my car stereo, and that is working well too. I bought it at Walmart.

[jmarie]

Ditto on what Mobear said!

I love my Creative Nano Plus 1G! Not sure about the colors...Did you try Circuit City online? Mine is blue, but probably not the light blue that you are talking about. I don't like the earbuds that came with it, they don't stay in my ear....but the little gizmo does great, the sound is awsome.

Joyce

[Gumbeaux]

I love my Creative Nano Plus 1G! Not sure about the colors...Did you try Circuit City online? Mine is blue, but probably not the light blue that you are talking about. I don't like the earbuds that came with it, they don't stay in my ear....

The earbuds work better for me after I removed the foam covers.

[imloulou]

Thanks guys!!!

I tried Circuit City and they had the dark blue but not the black. I saw that the light blue was on backorder from Creative but looking at the forums they could not say when a backorder will come in and if it will even be easy to get one.

We ordered a blue and black one from Amazon...when I went to get the black one for my son it had the "Better together" for 69.98 each. My daughter cracked under pressure and is really excited! Plus they have the warranty that was reasonable (2 years replacement plan for 14.99 and the "Better Together" price of 12.49 each for each plan)

Sooooo...we did it...my kids are very excited. They are 8 and 10 and have never spent this amount of their own hard-earned money (they work at our business doing chores to earn money) so this meant a lot to them.

Thanks for the input!