# Is it worth getting an i-pod...



## StuarTT (May 7, 2002)

...or should I go for an another make?

I know that music downloaded from i-tunes can't be played on other players, but I'm a complete novice at this stuff and I'm thinking about getting into it now.


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## Private Prozac (Jul 7, 2003)

Yes.

You can load any MP3 on to it. Whether downloaded from i-tunes or 'another source'! :wink:


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## whirlypig (Feb 20, 2003)

Had the same dilemma when shopping for an MP3 player for my girlfriend. In the end I went for a 30GB Microsoft Zune.

I'd had a chance to look at a Zune and was impressed by the screen, a built-in radio which works well without any antenna and the robust but stylish case (not in brown I hasten to add). I wasn't keen on going for a software managed (library) player, I'm not keen on iTunes and had problems getting used to the Zune software too. Fortunately the learning curve was quick and it's been easy to rip her existing CD's (though there really should be a taste filter for stuff like "Take That" ). It was also easy enough to pull existing MP3's across into the library. We won't use the marketplace, all our digital downloads from other sources. Another factor in choosing the Zune was that I'm told, rightly or wrongly, that a new generation iPod would be out next year.

Personally when I come to change my player I may well go for a Zune though I'll certainly be trying out a Creative Zen player first. I'd certainly recommend having a look and a play with the iPod, Zune and Zen and see which best suits. If PCWorld stock them then always a good place to try before you buy (elsewhere). :wink:

Also worth getting some unbiased opinions, if that's possible. A few friends, iPod owners, had told me that the Zune was rubbish despite never having actually seen or used one. :?


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## cuTTsy (Jan 31, 2003)

If you can wait a month I would. Mac expo is on at the begining of Jan and there are rumours of new ipods/ iphone coming so should be worth waiting as this is when Steve Jobs usually launches new products.


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

I bought a Creative Zen Jukebox about 3 years ago and immediately regretted it, and hardly ever used it.

Recently bought myself an iPod and am inseparable from it. Bought my Mrs one for Christmas too.

Something I heard about the Zune on one of the TWiT podcasts (Leo LaPorte, John C. Dvorak etc) is that if you import your own music to it, it ADDS copy protection to it! So not only is copy protection present in music you buy from Microsoft, but anything of your own also gets the copy protection inserted, whether you want it or not.

TWiTs conclusion was that the Zune is a turkey.


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## muTTley (Mar 15, 2004)

think about the sony range - the link software is a bit dodgey, but the sound quality is excellent - which is what you really want. i've had the previous model for about 18 months now and rate it highly plus the standard headphines are good , while the ipod's are rubbish and annoy the hell out of everyone around you...


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## TTonyTT (Apr 24, 2006)

muTTley said:


> think about the sony range - the link software is a bit dodgey, but the sound quality is excellent - which is what you really want.


I generally love Sony stuff. BUT NOT their mp3 hardware. The link software is worse than a bit dodgy. It's total cr4p! That's ok if you're going to link your mp3 player to your PC once and once only. You might just survive the experience. But if there's the slightest chance that you'll ever need to connect again, don't touch Sony!

Sorry to say that, but I tried for years with their minidisc players, then tried again when I bought my wife a Sony mp3 player. Bad, Bad, Bad software.


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## whirlypig (Feb 20, 2003)

Carlos said:


> I bought a Creative Zen Jukebox about 3 years ago and immediately regretted it, and hardly ever used it.


I've seen some good write-ups on the latest Zen 60GB player, it's on the PC-Pro A-List so I'm guessing/hoping it can't be all that bad.



Carlos said:


> Something I heard about the Zune on one of the TWiT podcasts (Leo LaPorte, John C. Dvorak etc) is that if you import your own music to it, it ADDS copy protection to it! So not only is copy protection present in music you buy from Microsoft, but anything of your own also gets the copy protection inserted, whether you want it or not.


I believe it is possible to configure the software so it adds personal copy protection to your *own* music however I've got it configured so that it doesn't. All the music I've ripped using the Zune software and all the MP3's I've imported into the library are still marked as "Not Protected" and play on another PC and iRiver player just fine. It really would have been a "turkey" if they'd enforced protection.

I know it's from those evil people at Microsoft and it's probably crafted by a hoard of enslaved monkeys from the teeth of a particularly endangered species of whale, but honestly, so far, it seems to be a pretty darn good MP3 player


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## raks (Sep 7, 2003)

I just use my mobile. Got one of those sony walkman phones. They great it meets my needs.


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## MarillionMan (Jan 18, 2008)

I refused to jump on that ipod bandwagon, and instead got a Creative Zen.
I've never downloaded any music, just load it up with tunes from my CD collection.

I do wish there was a headunit with a USB interface which would give greater control of the Zen. :x


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

had a archos mp4 player before, but didn't use it much.

the ipod as it's new, trying to use it more.

went for the 160gb classic in the end, as i thought i'll upload films for holidays and trips

i looked at others, but the hype of ipod got to me and gave in.


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## ezzie (Jul 2, 2004)

The reason ipods are so prevalent is they have a very good user interface, they look nice and purchasing music and getting podcasts is relatively seamless. As to the zune, as far as I'm aware its still not available in the UK, but it has had good write-ups and is likely to be made available here during the course of 2008. As to new ones out next year, all manufacturers tend to update and renew their models annually, so try not to let it affect your purchase decision overly.


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## barton TT (Nov 13, 2004)

MarillionMan said:


> I refused to jump on that ipod bandwagon, and instead got a Creative Zen.
> I've never downloaded any music, just load it up with tunes from my CD collection.
> 
> I do wish there was a headunit with a USB interface which would give greater control of the Zen. :x


Another fan of the best band in the world.  Marillion.


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## Hev (Feb 26, 2005)

I can't bear to be parted from my Ipod. We have got the Ipod dock in both cars so I can easily move my '[email protected]' (so _he_ says) choice in music from one car to another. I bought Phope a Bose Soundock for chrimbo and my Ipod fits in perfectly (unfortunately his pod is an older version and does not charge on the Soundock :twisted. I'm not sure how easy (if at all) that other MP3 players can fit onto these kinds of units but I suppose it depends where you want to play your music.

Hev x


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

raks said:


> I just use my mobile. Got one of those sony walkman phones. They great it meets my needs.


I've done this for years. I think my first was a Siemens SL45 around 2000-2001. I've always had a mp3/radio capable phone sinc then and normally have 2Gb in them including my K800i, K810i and now my current Nokia.

However.... at Christmas all the employees got an 8Gb Nano. It was my 1st iPod so I thought I'd investigate and see why people buy them instead of using their phones.

I'm impressed with it but it does mean carry an extra piece of kit and headphones. Music selection is no easier than using Media Player and exporting a playlist. The iPod seems to be everything the phone is without the phone (why do people put their contacts in an iPOd???)

So having said all that you'd assume I'm using my phone instead... but currently I'm not. Even though I hate the iPod headphones I've found that iTunes makes getting Podcasts very easy. I think I may actually use iTunes for that and then just copy them onto my mobile....but time will tell. I'm still playing with the iPod in case I'm missing something but I don't think I am.

p.s. In my car I have a 60Gb Phatbox so perhaps without that it may make more sense....but then I wouldn't want a small 8Gb iPod.


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## Guest (Jan 20, 2008)

Dont think the ipod will catch on to be honest.


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Hev said:


> I can't bear to be parted from my Ipod. We have got the Ipod dock in both cars so I can easily move my '[email protected]' (so _he_ says) choice in music from one car to another. I bought Phope a Bose Soundock for chrimbo and my Ipod fits in perfectly (unfortunately his pod is an older version and does not charge on the Soundock :twisted. I'm not sure how easy (if at all) that other MP3 players can fit onto these kinds of units but I suppose it depends where you want to play your music.
> 
> Hev x


Same here Hev, my hubby bought me the Bose portable docking station with an ipod nano 3. Bestest gadget I've had in a long long time 8)  . Highly recommend the Bose Portable Docking Station also for anybody that has an ipod that will fit it. The sound quality is outstanding and being portable can be taken anywhere in the house


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## BreTT (Oct 30, 2002)

barton TT said:


> MarillionMan said:
> 
> 
> > I refused to jump on that ipod bandwagon, and instead got a Creative Zen.
> ...


I bumped into the big man himself twice in the last year. Once in a pub called Tiles in Edinburgh, and yesterday whilst going from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 at Heathrow.

I'm in San Francisco for the next 36 hours, so will be visiting the Apple shop at some point as one of my customers desperately wants to...should be interesting to see how prices compare!


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## Major Problem (Jan 9, 2007)

barton TT said:


> Another fan of the best band in the world.  Marillion.


They've never been quite the same without Fish, and he's never really been the same without them - though Raingods With Zippos is a great album! 

I'm still using a 3 year old Sony as my main player, and I still can't understand why people find the software so difficult to use. Sonicstage worked easily for me from Day 1, and though I have access to iPods and iTunes I'm not convinced that the Apple system is any easier to understand and use. My Sony still has better sound quality than the latest generation iPods. The great advantage that the iPod has is, of course, the fact that it's become the new Walkman and ALL manufacturers of aftermarket gear have chosen to model their equipment on the iPod interface.

If I was starting from scratch I'd pick the iPod Classic 80Gb, as the storage/cost formula works best for this model. The Ipod Touch looks great, but sound quality is worse and providing 16Gb of space for Â£260 is just miserly. Whatever system you buy, record everything in as high a bitrate as you can (eg Apple Lossless), and budget for a decent pair of headphones (eg Sennheiser) as all manufacturers provide terrible freebies with their players.


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## clived (May 6, 2002)

TT2BMW said:


> Yes.
> 
> You can load any MP3 on to it. Whether downloaded from i-tunes or 'another source'! :wink:


Um, surely that's not quite right. If you download a "normal" track from iTunes, it is DRM'd and you can only put it on your iPod or play it from iTunes, or burn it to CD a few times. If you buy a (relatively new offering) iTunes Plus track, there is no DRM, so you can do what you like AND the bit-rate is higher - bonus


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## MarillionMan (Jan 18, 2008)

Major Problem said:


> They've never been quite the same without Fish, and he's never really been the same without them - though Raingods With Zippos is a great album!


If you haven't heard 13th Star, the new Fish album, then you're in for a treat.
Try it, I'm sure you'll like it.


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## barton TT (Nov 13, 2004)

MarillionMan said:


> Major Problem said:
> 
> 
> > They've never been quite the same without Fish, and he's never really been the same without them - though Raingods With Zippos is a great album!
> ...


No they are even better without fish they are the most underated band going 25 years and still going strong.As MarillionMan says listen to fish last album its pure class as well.


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## BreTT (Oct 30, 2002)

Prices only 10% better on iPods so spent my money on kids clothes for my wee boy instead. Muchos cheapos.


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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

BreTT said:


> Prices only 10% better on iPods so spent my money on kids clothes for my wee boy instead. Muchos cheapos.


I found that the year before last :?


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