I Pod question

[Sigarms]

I'm in my mid forties, and I know more about 8 tracks than I do about IPods.

Misses mentioned she would like one for Christmas.

I have NO clue what to look for.

What's the "best bang for your buck" I Pod out there?

Don't want to go cheap, but don't want to spend more than I have to because I don't know what I'm looking at (I don't always go by what costs more HAS to be better).

Thanks!

 

[kennyd]

If you are looking for a true "iPod", then the Nano is the best bang for the buck IMHO.

If you are looking for a "MP3" player, then the market is wide open, you will have to go "test drive" then at the stores.

I resisted Apple products for years because they are so proprietary, but now we have 2 16G Nano's, a 32G Touch, I have have a 16G iPhone.. I am glad I finally saw the light, they are great products.

 

[MikePA]

Does your wife have a lot of CDs she'd want to put on the iPod? If so, she'll need more memory.

Would she want to take videos with the iPod? She'll need the Nano, plus the model with more memory.

Would she also like to listen to FM radio? She'll need the Nano.

Would she like to use it while exercising? Smaller is better, then the Shuffle.

The Classic iPod is being phased out, so you might be able to get a deal. But if she likes colors, then the Classic wouldn't be for her, it only comes in black or white.

I have an 8 gig iPhone and a 120 gig Classic and I was able to get 60 full CDs on the 8gig iPhone.

Also, an Apple product will mean installing iTunes (free) to move songs to it.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have a small Sony Walkman with a few hundred songs on it. It's smaller then a lighter, fits easily into my pocket and will most of the day on a charge. It doesn't take batteries. I plug it into my computer at the end of the day to charge it up. The ear phones that it comes with are not very comfortable, so I bought some that were.

I would only buy a name brand, but that's how I feel about all electronics. There are so many clones and cheap copies out there, and all of them will disapoint you.

With memory so cheap nowadays, it's real easy to get something that will hold more songs then you can listen to in a week. Look at the features they offer, and compare them to what she's into. Some will play videos, store photos and play games. Mine is bare bones, which is great for when I'm out mowing. If I destroy it, I'm not out very much.

I'd go to Best Buy or someplace like that to see what's available. Then go to Amazon to read some reviews that people have left. I really like the reviews there. Then narrow it down to what you want before you start searching for the best price.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[Ken_CT]

Sigarms,
If she said she wants an iPod, why not go to their site and let her look at the features and colors, then pick the one that she wants. That way you can't make a mistake.

Here's the Apple Store site:
Shop iPod - Apple Store (U.S.)

 

[Willl]

I resisted Apple product for years because they are so proprietary

Me too, and will continue to do so. I refuse to drink the Kool-aid.

Been using a RCA Lyra for years, can only fault its battery life.

 

[randy41]

I've gone through a few mp3 players. so far the best is the ipod touch I now use. My wife is using my old sandisk and she likes it.you have to decide what capacity you want and if you want replaceable batteries or rechargeable batteries. and be prepared to replace the headphones/earbuds that come with the player with something decent.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

For just MP3 music I use a creative, 2GB MP3 player that cost me about $20. It holds hundreds of songs, and is easy to load with music as you plug it in USB.
I would love to have an I pod touch, but can't bring myself to pay the outrageous price. Costco does have good prices on them, but in my area they are selling out of them fast.

 

[Scooby074]

Ipod all the way.

I was leery at first myself, but IPOD has the most market share which means better selection of accessories and software support.

I have a 30 GB Classic, but if i was buying new id say the new Nano.

Apple is a class act all around IMHO. My classic was 600 days out of waranty when it stopped working (would only play if the face was squeezed, a known issue on some models).

I called apple for giggles, and much to my surprise they sent me a box by air, complete with return postage!!! I sent the ipod in, it was assessed and a new one was at my door within 10days!

Some of the best customer service ive ever seen from an electronics manufacturer. It was totally unexpected, and the Ipod owed me nothing.Matter of fact i was planning the purchase of a Nano or Touch for after xmas as ive been that satisfied with their products.

If you dont like Itunes (I dont) theyre are many other ways to put songs on an Ipod without using it. Theyre are Ipod control plugins for Winamp for one.

 

[Willl]

Are I-pods still very proprietary like they first were ?

Can you just dump mp3's on to its drive and get it to work ?