Drop, charge, and lose the cordsDitching the iPod, but sticking with iTunes--Ask the Editors
Q: Now that iTunes has FINALLY become DRM-free, I am looking to try out a different type of MP3 player. I have been stuck to iTunes because I have a couple thousand purchased songs, and I really like the setup and use of iTunes overall. I have always wanted to try a different MP3 player. Now that I can, can you tell me what you think is the number-one-sounding MP3 player that you have tested?--Mark, via e-mail
Samsung P2
A: There are a couple of things you will want to keep in mind in your situation. The first is that the files that you have already purchased through iTunes are still going to be protected AAC--and only compatible with the iPod--unless you choose the upgrade option in iTunes. This will replace the DRM-protected tracks with DRM-free versions at a cost of 30 cents per track. Next, any music you continue to purchase through iTunes is going to be in AAC format, which is not as universal as MP3. As such, you'll want a player that supports the format, which is not so hard to come by nowadays. Finally, you said you really like the iTunes interface, so if you want to continue using it, you'll need to find a way to integrate the new player into that jukebox, which is optimized to only work with the iPod.
So first things first: get iTunes to work with non-iPod MP3 players. Try a software program like iTunes Sync or iTunes Agent. Either app should do the trick, although you're going to get a better experience with your player if you use a jukebox that is meant to work with it. Almost all non-iPod MP3 players (with the exception of the Zune) work well with pretty much any Windows jukebox: Windows Media Player, Media Monkey, Napster, Rhapsody, WinAmp, etc.
Sony S-Series Walkman
Once you've gotten that taken care of, it's time to talk players. My two top candidates for sound quality are the Sony S-Series Walkman and the Samsung P2, which both also happen to support AAC audio. (You may want to note, however, that the P2 is about to be replaced by the P3.) The Sony E-Series Walkman also offers comparable audio quality and support for AAC.
MP3 Mailbox Monday is a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, but if you prefer to remain completely anonymous, please state as much in your e-mail.)
For more than five years, Jasmine France has covered a variety of tech products for CNET--from scanners to keyboards to GPS devices--but she's happiest where she is now: sitting atop a pile of MP3 players, "testing" every music service known to man, and jamming a variety of earbuds in every shape and color into her absurdly small ears. E-mail Jasmine.
Donald Bell is an electronic musician, a veteran record store employee, and a fearless hardware hacker. He's also CNET's Senior Editor for MP3 and digital audio.
Jasmine France is CNET's resident digital audio doyenne, writing and editing product reviews, crave blogs, and feature stories on all things MP3. And if you need advice on headphones, she's your girl.
As far as im concerned, the only thing iTunes has going for it these days is its sorting abilities, that's all I really use it for. Besides that its junk, cant even play music files properly, certainly not to any decent standard anyway :) I would take the writers other suggestions and go with other software.
As for depending on iTunes...yes it does do quite a few things very well...but I'm still waiting for a fixed version that will allow it to play more than two songs off of a CD without freezing up.
is the Kenwood Mp3 player with has a digital Amp
it improves sound quality by a huge margin
the Zune is decent too because of the 15$ rental subscription
but you never know when MS will discontinue it
and all the money spent will become worthless
plus it's ugly as hell {typical MS style for you}
but IPods r affordable and Resale value is high
when compared to the competition
But the Best All round gadget to have is the Ipod touch
nothing else even comes close to the stuff it can do
Apple seriously need some decent competition right about now
they r running away with it
For just about every other iPod junkie: "You ain't stylin' if-n you ain't got the latest thang..."
can the P2 browse the internet or do email
does the P2 have simcity ,need for speed quality games
BTW the ipod touch can actually make free calls by itself using Skype{Fring}
Sure the FM radio has been missing from the ipod since the beginning
But the touch now has pandora,last.fm and streaming internet radio apps like XM radio
there's literally 1000s of things you can do with the Ipod touch because of the app store
it's like a mini-computer I would go as far as comparing it to a Net-book
Why would you want to do that?
I have a 16gb iPod touch (1st gen) and I love it! There is no denying apple makes some good hardware, although part of the reason I purchased it is because it was one of the few higher capacity flash players at the time. HOWEVER the worst part of my day is having to open iTunes. I think it is a terrible, bloated, useless, slow piece of computer crud ( although I must also say I run windows). the only reason I even keep it installed on my machine is due to Apple's tyrannic, walled-garden ecosystem which prevents me from using pretty much any other software with my iPod (iphones and ipod touches are not recognized as MTP devices and are not compatible with much of the software that "regular" (classic, nano, etc.) iPods are.
Although if I were to choose something else than the iPod, it would probably be a creative - cheap and full featured
Frankly, why do people get SO worked up about being a lemming, anyways? Whether AAPL or MSFT, what IS IT about you folks that makes you so willing to be such a tool?
Enjoy stereotyping.
There are utilities out there that will change your purchased iTunes collection into DRM-free MP3s (I will leave the legality/morality of this out of the discussion). That's a one-time effort and at that point there's no reason to try to use a hacked iTunes given the other available alternatives.
I've tried Media Monkey, Windows Media Player, Winamp, Rhapsody, and RealPlayer, and I can't tfind one that compares to the Zune software. As a result, I have to recommend getting a Zune. It supports AAC codec, has an FM tuner, better sound quality, and decent features (thought not near that of iPod) Microsoft will be updating the hardware players this year, and I firmly believe they are the best chance we've got for rivaling Apple right now.
Like Apple, Zune doesn't work with other Generic Media Player software, but once you try it, I firmly beleive you'll love it. Try downloading it at www.zune.net and see for yourself.
As far as music managers go, I've owned other DMPs from Creative, Iomega, iRiver, Samsung and Casio and none of the supplied music managers hold a candle to iTunes (in fact, they outright sukked!).
I used to loathe iPods (or their owners?) but I can vividly remember the time it took all night to fill up an 8 Gb iRiver. I had to found out the hard way after I bought my first nano that iTunes can do it in a few minutes. As an offside, let me tell you about the day I lost two (yes two) iPod nanos that fell out of my briefcase during an airline flight--one of the worst days of my life. How about the time that my 60Gb iPod video was stolen from my glove compartment from the AviStar parking lot at JFK--a close second. That's the day that I ran out and bought my first iPod Touch and I'll never look back! Oh, and how about the time I fried my Touch with an old FireWire sync cable? I went to the Apple store and they gave me a new one with no questions asked! Try getting that kind of service from any other DMP manufacturer!
Don't feel like paying top dollar for iTunes tracks? It takes me seconds to import my eMusic MP3s into iTunes and it does a far better job with track management and album art than anything else I've tried (including WMP X.XX ad nauseum).
All of you Apple haters out there, get a grip. I'm not a fanboy by any sense of the word but I know a great product when I actually use one.
I am not loyal to any brand in particular. Honestly, if I could use an iPod with the Zune Software, I'd be sorely tempted to make the switch in Hardware players. But the Zune is simply amazing in terms of its software, radio, UI, and the sound is better then the iPod, although not up to par with Sony and Samsung.
I guess my point is that too many people are passing judgment on other products like the Zune without fairly testing these devices and their software. iPod, in their apparently infinite wisdom, has had a huge head-start in the PMP market, but that gap is closing, especially if they don't undergo a major face lift with their software.
I have an Itouch and a Sansa Fuze. Between the two, the Fuze is my first choice to listen to music. the itouch sound is not great. It is only passable, and I guess that is enough to keep it popular. I use it to do the other nice stuff you can do with its wi-fi. like keeping up with podcasts, and maybe some casual gaming (very casual as the batteries drains really fast).
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by 3rdalbum
February 14, 2009 5:14 PM PST
- My mother's got an iPod. Just about every MP3 player we've ever had has been better than the iPod, starting with a 128mb Lexar Jumpdrive player and ending with an 8gb Sony Walkman. If you need to start up a freaking music manager with integrated web browser just to put a song onto your MP3 player, then I'm not interested. Especially not when said music manager doesn't transfer music from MP3-CD and the driver's installer crashes 50% of the time.
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