oh, i-tunes
Oh, sorry, just noticed you were asking about problems with i-tunes, not ipod.
With i-t, the problem is that songs purchased there can’t be played on regular mp3 players. Thus, once you start buying there, you’re sort of locked into the pricier and more limited ipod line of players.
I didnt say this but
there are sites that you can download free songs (most kids know these sites which aren’t totally on the up) some are not quite perfect but…not bad.
Some current deals
– Last Updated: Dec-29-08 11:17 PM EST –
As with PCs back in their retail heyday, you can often find some incredible sales on MP3 players from the super-discount outlets like buy.com. (Note: sometimes these are “factory refurbished” models.) Apple models are seldom if ever offered at such deep discounts, presumably because Apple keeps tighter control on the retailing of their products.
Some current deals:
Sansa c250 2GB with microSD expansion slot – 16.99 incl shipping
Kingston 8GB microSD card – 18.44 incl shipping
Note – I’m not sure the c250 can use an 8 GB card, but I would guess that it can.
Visual Land vl877c 8GB mp3/mp4/photo-player – 37.99 incl shipping
For comparison:
Apple 4GB shuffle (no expansion slot) - 34.98
Apple 8GB iPod nano Silver – 139.88
[edit - added sale on shuffle found on google]
Just bought our …
daughter and Ipod Nano for Christmas. Downloaded the iTunes software and that was it. You can download songs from other web sites to your music folder but you have to send it to your ipod/iTunes folder for it to download onto the iPod. iTunes has been very easy to use and we just downloaded more songs the other day. She did have a Sansa model that held 250 songs. Still works and has been handed down to her sister who greatly appreciated it. It was cheaper but then again, it looks and feels cheaper too. Electronics wrapped in a cheap plastic covering but it does the job. We’ll see how long it lasts with daughter number 2. Lots of extras to go with the iPod too as others have mentioned…
virsues and fakes
True, but these sites were more fun in the past. In the last several years the record companies have started getting dirty enough that may just have figured out how to beat them. They hire their own hackers to plant dummy files on these sites, under the names of popular songs. Sometimes the dummy files are simply screeches and howls; other times, reportedly, they also contain viruses.
I don['t have any first hand knowledge of this; just repeating what I have heard.
ipod shuffle
I’ve had quite a few different mp3 players over the years. For my money, the ipod shuffle at $48 was far and above the best. To my ears the sound quality of the ipod is much better, and even though it’s not designed to be weatherproof I have never had any issues. I clip it to the back of my cap when paddling or xc skiing - it’s been dripped on and snowed on - and it keeps on running. The clip works better than what I’ve used in the past- little drybags or armbands. Those just seem to get in the way. Don’t sweat using itunes, it’s no big deal and works fine.
I have personally experienced the
high quality standards that Apple requires of its’ suppliers , as in 0 failures.I find that impressive.
nobody has really used sites much
First it was IRC (still going), then the first iteration of Napster came along and it was AMAZING. Some of the stuff I found on Napster, just unbelievably rare live recordings, remixes, imports, I haven’t seen anything like it since. Then other decentralized P2P clients took it’s place (Kazaa, Limewire, etc.). These days it’s all torrents.
The sites that cropped up after digital music established itself were never really the way the mass of music was being moved. From day one they were pop-up, adware/spyware heavy, unreliable. Because the people who knew where to find the music weren’t looking on websites, and these websites knew it, they were more looking to take those who didn’t know better for a ride.
FWIW, many online retailers are selling DRM free music. Amazon, for example. This is the best way to combat piracy. Make the music cheap, easy to use, and convenient.
DRM never had a chance. iTunes has teetered on the brink of dropping DRM a few times, it’s only a matter of time. DRM never really had a chance, there were always crackers 5 steps ahead (as always).
Same little plug everyone uses
3.5 mm or 1/8" (same thing)
I’ve used every cheap MP3 player
out there over the years Sansa- Creative etc. For my birthday a few weeks ago my wife gave me an 8gb iPod Nano 4g. There is no comparison between the two variants I used previously and this iPod. The ipod is so far the superior choice and the iTunes software kicks the WM10 all over the place. I love jazz and iTunes let me import all of my cds directly from the hard drive and the selection at the store is astounding. I hope this helps.
My son’s response:
Unless you buy other software, yes, they are limited to itunes interaction. Apple uses itunes to update the ipod, store music/stuff, and interact with it. Its not a bad application, and its free, but typically ipods are just more money than the competition. Most other makers you can still use mp3s as you normally would, but you can move files from your windows computer.
One catch is that no other mp3 player will read a file you download from the itunes store online. All of them will play mp3 files if you drop your CD in the computer and have it converted to digital.
Some other makers… Sansa, Zune
iPod has two “connectors”
The iPod has two “connectors”: the proprietary data plug and the headphone jack.
The headphone jack is standard (all players, iPods and others, have the same jack).
The iPod jack isn’t standard but each iPod comes with a USB cable. Thus, you can use an iPod with any computer that has a USB port.
Just don’t buy music from iTunes
– Last Updated: Dec-30-08 11:17 AM EST –
"the problem is that songs purchased there can't be played on regular mp3 players."
Buy your music elsewhere then, just like you would do with any other player.
The iPods are really not significantly more expensive than other players.
As long as you use MP3 files, you are not "locked in" to the iPod.
Load mpt3 into iTunes from anywhere.
– Last Updated: Dec-30-08 11:25 AM EST –
"but you have to send it to your ipod/iTunes folder for it to download onto the iPod"
This isn't required.
The iTunes database cam keep the location of the music file without having to copy the file. I think there is a way of getting iTunes to copy the file but I don't do that since it would use-up a lot of space (double copies of each file).
Basically makes sense
“but typically ipods are just more money than the competition”
iPods are often only a little more expensive than the competition.
The other players do typically allow you to add music files just by copying like any files to any hard disk.
It depends
– Last Updated: Dec-30-08 12:05 PM EST –
In some cases, the iPods are really no more expensive.
Zune 120gb $250
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcat17080&type=page&qp=cabcat0201000~~nf651%7C%7C5a756e65&list=y&nrp=15&sc=audioSP&sp=-bestsellingsort+skuid&usc=abcat0200000&DCMP=KNC-TLC&ref=30&loc=KW-0868
iPod classic 120gb $250
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcat17080&type=page&qp=cabcat0201000~~nf651%7C%7C5a756e65&list=y&nrp=15&sc=audioSP&sp=-bestsellingsort+skuid&usc=abcat0200000&DCMP=KNC-TLC&ref=30&loc=KW-0868
Anyway, all I was saying is that you should not choose something else because the "iPod doesn't play mp3s" (because the iPod does play mp3s just fine).
====================
"Then in a few years, when the market settles on a single do-everything portable device platform (probably a phone), you can spend a few hundred dollars and get an awesome portable music/movie/+ system."
Unless the phone is like the iPhone (a pretty-general computer that is also a phone), the phones tend to be pretty crappy. The phone companies are also very interested in trapping you into their proprietary networks. Maybe, Android will be what you are looking for in a few years.
Which doohickey is best in car?
Easiest UI to find the music that you want while driving? I’m thinking of getting an mp3 player for my wife’s car, since her CD exchanger died and we can’t find a replacement.
iTunes is free
"When I tried they asked for my creditcard so that they could charge me $10! Yeah right."
??
I have no idea how you were trying to download it but iTunes (from Apple) is free.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
The Garmin Nuvi GPS includes MP3.
Zune here
My Zune, at least for me, can’t be beat. I don’t have an IPOD, but all my music is easily managed, podcasts are absolutely great…including some audiobooks like Harry Potter and some others. I use it to paddle, store some movies, pics and it even has a few games like Texas Holdem. Never had one before this and have really enjoyed using it on long paddles and when I’m in the car, tired of radio. I’m sure it has many of the same stuff IPOD’s do…again, kinda like the PC vs Apple.