Jasmine France,
Senior Associate Editor
June 25, 2008
Obviously, an MP3 player's foremost purpose is music playback, but these days people are using their devices for much more than just that. You can view photos, watch videos, even play games in some cases. But perhaps one of the most popular side dishes people like to enjoy is podcasts--heck, it's the main dish for some. Podcasts are great for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that they're free. Plus, you can count on finding someone talking about just about any topic known to man, so there's something for everyone. Of course, not every MP3 player handles podcasts equally, which is why I've rounded up some of the best options for you here. The criteria? At the very least have a separate menu sort dedicated to podcasts and some decent software available for managing them. Advanced features include bookmarking capability (whether active or passive), accelerated fast forwarding, and the ability to delete podcasts on the fly once you're done listening.
For more details on why each of the players below was selected, head over to the MP3 Insider blog.
| Product name | ||||||
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| Price | $11.59 to $16.22 | $298.70 | Check Prices | Check Prices | $89.99 to $124.95 | $139.99 to $249.99 |
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| Review date | November 12, 2007 | September 17, 2007 | September 14, 2007 | February 27, 2007 | March 12, 2008 | June 17, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | The Zune has blossomed from an ugly duckling into a worthy iPod alternative. | The iPod Touch is a beautiful product, inside and out, but prepare yourself for sticker shock. | We're hard-pressed to find anything not to like about the Creative Zen. It's a great option for anyone looking for a great-sounding, pocketable MP3 player with an excellent, video-capable screen and plenty of extra features. | If you can get on board with the Cowon D2's PDA-like touch screen interface, the reward is great-sounding audio, a smorgasbord of features, and a fantastic battery life. | The SanDisk Sansa Fuze is a great value--a slim design, simple interface, plentiful features, memory expansion capability, and solid sound quality all come with an easy-to-swallow price tag. | Haier America's flash-based Ibiza Rhapsody is pricier and larger than the competition, but its straightforward interface, excellent wireless integration, speedy processor, and plethora of features should appeal to those looking for a player that does it all. |
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| Features | ||||||
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 2.4 in x 0.5 in x 4.3 in | 2.4 in x 0.5 in x 4.3 in | 3.3 in x 0.4 in x 2.2 in | 3.1 in x 0.7 in x 2.2 in | 1.9 in x 0.3 in x 3.1 in | 2.4 in x 0.4 in x 4.1 in |
| Resolution | 320 x 240 | 320 x 240 | 320 x 240 | 360 x 240 | 220 x 176 | 320 x 240 |
| PC interface(s) supported | Wi-Fi Hi-Speed USB | Wi-Fi Hi-Speed USB | Hi-Speed USB | Hi-Speed USB | Hi-Speed USB | Info unavailable |
| Battery technology | Lithium ion | Lithium ion | Lithium ion | Lithium polymer | Info unavailable | Lithium polymer |
| Weight | 4.5 oz | 4.5 oz | 2.3 oz | 3.2 oz | 2.1 oz | 3.2 oz |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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