(The Funeral March by Ellis Wilson)
I received a call from a young lady in Brooklyn who had not too long before just laid her 3 year old mp3 player to rest. She was now in the market for a new player and wanted to know what was best.
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As usual. I thought it was important to ask some important questions before beginning my quest.
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How much are you willing to spend? $250 to $300.
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How technically savvy are you? Would you consider yourself a computer novice, intermediate or advanced user? Intermediate.
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I find the above to be an important question as there are many great devices out there but many people do not have the technical know how to use them. A big reason easy to use products outsell the products with lots more functionality.
Okay then. Here we go…
Here are the specifications of her old m(R.I.P)3 player:
Okay then. Here we go…
Here are the specifications of her old m(R.I.P)3 player:
The Creative Zen Touch (20GB)
Size: 4.12" x 2.7" x 0.866"
Weight: 7.05 oz with battery
Storage Capacity: 20GB (10,000 songs)
Battery Life: Up to 24 hours of continuous playtime
Playback Format: MPEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3), Windows Media™ Audio (WMA) and WAV
Display: 160 x 104 pixel resolution, blue EL backlit LCD
CNet.com editor's review: Very Good - 7.3 out of 10.0
The good: Awesome battery life; innovative Touch Pad; excellent sound quality; simple and durable design, decent value.
The bad: Battery is not removable unlike another Zen model; some convenient menu features found in past Zens not included; LCD contrast could use work.
The bottom line: Lately, Creative has been churning out players with great battery life and excellent sound quality. The Zen Touch offers all this and more, making it a legitimate challenger to the Apple iPod.
http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/creative-zen-touch-20gb/4505-6490_7-30907933.html?tag=prod.txt.1
A very good player for it’s time. I have a friend that swears by it. Like,’I swear on my mp3 player man!’
As you may or may not know, there are a lot of mp3 player options. I figured that as her last player was a 20 gigabyte player, the best thing was to find her a player with at least 30 gigs. That would exclude a lot of great players like the (i.e The Sansa Connect, The iPod Nano, The iRiver Clix and the Samsung YP-K3). In the end, here’s what I thought her best options were:
The ‘new’ Apple iPod Classic - $249 to $349
80GB (20,000 songs) or 160 GB (40,000 songs) models
Size: Height 4.1 in Depth 0.4 in Width 2.4 in Weight 0.3 lbs
Display Type: LCD 2.5 in Display type - 2.5 in Still Images,
Supported Still Images Formats: JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD, PNG Digital Audio Supported audio formats AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible 2, Audible 3, Audible 4, Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF Audio output Headphones Video Playback Formats: MPEG-4 Video Capture - 640 x 480
Battery: RechargeableType Internal Technology Lithium ion Battery Lithium ion Rechargeable 30 hours (80GB) or 40 hours (160GB)
Software: Included Drivers, iTunes 7.4 or later System Requirements
Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP Home, Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP 2 or later, Apple Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later Miscellaneous Included Accessories Earphone, USB cable, Docking adapter
80 GB - Approx $3 per gig, 160GB – Approx $2 per gig.
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CNet.com editor's review: Excellent - 8.0 out of 10.0
The good: The iPod Classic is just like the fifth-generation iPod with video, only slimmer, tougher, and injected with a more visually rich graphical user interface.
The bad: Video output now requires a proprietary cable; audio quality has not improved; some older iPod video accessories may not be compatible; users are required to use the latest version of iTunes, which may not work on some older computer systems.
The bottom line: The iPod Classic is a refinement of the formula that put the iPod on the map. Few can match its combination of storage capacity, battery life, and advanced user interface.
http://reviews.cnet.com/portable-video-players-pvps/apple-ipod-classic-80gb/4505-6499_7-32595955.html?tag=prod.txt.1
Apple’s iPod remains king especially with the recently introduced line of new players from the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPod Classic and new stubby iPod Nanos, the popular girl on the block remains ever popular. One thing kept her from just going out and buying an iPod. She stated that she liked the iPod but wanted a player with an FM radio even though I advised that she could buy an FM radio attachment, she wasn’t convinced.
Some other great alternatives:
The Creative Zen Vision: M - $249.99
Technical Specifications
Size: 4.1" x 2.4" x 0.7" (30GB)
Weight: 5.7 oz (30GB)
Display: 2.5" High Resolution Color Screen (320 x 240 pixels)
Storage Capacity: 30GB (7,500 songs)
Battery Life: Up to 17 hours of continuous audio playback; Up to 5 hours of continuous video playback;
Battery Charge Time: USB 6.5 hours; Power Adapter 2.5 hours
Audio Playback Format: MP3, WMA, WAV and Audible
Photo Format: JPEG (GIF, TIFF, PNG and BMP)3
Video Playback Format4: MPEG1/2/4-SP, WMV9, Motion-JPEG, compatible DivX® 4 and 5, XviD and AVI
A/V Output: 3.5 mm mini-jack composite TV-out (NTSC and PAL) with stereo audio
Organizer: Syncs with and views Microsoft Outlook® Contacts, Calendar & Tasks
Approx $8 per gig
CNet.com editor's review: Excellent - 8.0 out of 10.0 (A January 2006 editors choice)
The good: Available in five colors, the Creative Zen Vision:M has an incredible screen, a simple interface, excellent video battery life, an FM tuner and recorder, and a voice recorder. It features a customizable Shortcut button, and it supports a wide range of online music stores and subscription services, as well as video formats. It has excellent audio and video quality.
The bad: The Creative Zen Vision:M has no iTunes-like video content--yet. Some will find the touch-pad controller frustrating. The black model scratches easily. The documentation is skimpy. You must use an adapter for transfers and power, meaning that occasionally you need two cables and the adapter. A dock and an A/V-out cable are not included. Finally, the Zen Vision:M isn't as elegant as an iPod.
The bottom line: The dazzling, DRM-friendly Creative Zen Vision:M gives the iPod a run for the money as the current high-capacity WMA champ.
http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/creative-zen-vision-m/4505-6490_7-31632700.html?tag=prod.txt.1
A strong contender if it wasn’t for the price. Gig for gig. The iPod Classic is a much better deal.
The Microsoft Zune - $199
Capacity: 30GB Stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 100 hours of video.
Size: 4.4 in. x 2.4 in. x 0.6 in. (h x w x d)
Weight: 5.6 ounces
Battery: Music, up to 14 hours (wireless off), up to 13 hours (wireless on); pictures, up to 4 hours; video, up to 4 hours Charge Time: 3 hours; 2 hours to 90%
FM Radio: Built in, Presets: 30
Display: Size: 3.0 inches, Orientation: Vertical and Horizontal, Resolution: 320 x 240 pixels
Audio: Windows Media® Audio Standard (.wma): Up to 320 Kbps, CBR and VBR, up to 48-kHz sample rate
MP3 (.mp3): Up to 320 Kbps, CBR and VBR, up to 48-kHz sample rate
AAC (.mp4, .m4a, .m4b, .mov): Up to 320 Kbps, Low Complexity (LC), up to 48-kHz sample rate
Pictures: JPEG (.jpg): All resolutions (desktop software will automatically convert to 640x480 at sync time)
Video: Windows Media Video (.wmv): Main Profile, CBR or VBR, up to 1.5 Mbps peak video bitrate, 320 x 240 pixels, 30 frames per sec., with Windows Media Audio up to 192 Kbps, 44.1 kHz, stereo audio; Simple Profile, CBR, up to 736 Kbps video bitrate, 320 x 240 pixels, 30 frames per sec.
Wireless: Connectivity: 802.11 b/g, Range: Up to 30 feet, Share select tracks, playlists and pictures - Zune to Zune.
Approx $6 - $7 per gig
CNet.com editor's review: Excellent - 8.0 out of 10.0
The good: The Microsoft Zune has very good playback performance of audio, video, and photos; intuitive and colorful interface; good FM radio with RDS; works well with Zune Marketplace software; integrated wireless allows sharing of songs (limited) and photos; many accessories available at launch. +
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The bad: The Microsoft Zune is not backward compatible with WMA-DRM9; weak native video support (cannot play protected content) and no video offerings from Zune Marketplace; cannot be used as a hard drive (and no UMS support); proprietary USB; cannot use Wi-Fi to sync, stream, or purchase content; minimal bundled accessories; no podcast directory; maximum capacity is 30GB.
The good: The iPod Classic is just like the fifth-generation iPod with video, only slimmer, tougher, and injected with a more visually rich graphical user interface.
The bad: Video output now requires a proprietary cable; audio quality has not improved; some older iPod video accessories may not be compatible; users are required to use the latest version of iTunes, which may not work on some older computer systems.
The bottom line: The iPod Classic is a refinement of the formula that put the iPod on the map. Few can match its combination of storage capacity, battery life, and advanced user interface.
http://reviews.cnet.com/portable-video-players-pvps/apple-ipod-classic-80gb/4505-6499_7-32595955.html?tag=prod.txt.1
Apple’s iPod remains king especially with the recently introduced line of new players from the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPod Classic and new stubby iPod Nanos, the popular girl on the block remains ever popular. One thing kept her from just going out and buying an iPod. She stated that she liked the iPod but wanted a player with an FM radio even though I advised that she could buy an FM radio attachment, she wasn’t convinced.
Some other great alternatives:
The Creative Zen Vision: M - $249.99
Technical Specifications
Size: 4.1" x 2.4" x 0.7" (30GB)
Weight: 5.7 oz (30GB)
Display: 2.5" High Resolution Color Screen (320 x 240 pixels)
Storage Capacity: 30GB (7,500 songs)
Battery Life: Up to 17 hours of continuous audio playback; Up to 5 hours of continuous video playback;
Battery Charge Time: USB 6.5 hours; Power Adapter 2.5 hours
Audio Playback Format: MP3, WMA, WAV and Audible
Photo Format: JPEG (GIF, TIFF, PNG and BMP)3
Video Playback Format4: MPEG1/2/4-SP, WMV9, Motion-JPEG, compatible DivX® 4 and 5, XviD and AVI
A/V Output: 3.5 mm mini-jack composite TV-out (NTSC and PAL) with stereo audio
Organizer: Syncs with and views Microsoft Outlook® Contacts, Calendar & Tasks
Approx $8 per gig
CNet.com editor's review: Excellent - 8.0 out of 10.0 (A January 2006 editors choice)
The good: Available in five colors, the Creative Zen Vision:M has an incredible screen, a simple interface, excellent video battery life, an FM tuner and recorder, and a voice recorder. It features a customizable Shortcut button, and it supports a wide range of online music stores and subscription services, as well as video formats. It has excellent audio and video quality.
The bad: The Creative Zen Vision:M has no iTunes-like video content--yet. Some will find the touch-pad controller frustrating. The black model scratches easily. The documentation is skimpy. You must use an adapter for transfers and power, meaning that occasionally you need two cables and the adapter. A dock and an A/V-out cable are not included. Finally, the Zen Vision:M isn't as elegant as an iPod.
The bottom line: The dazzling, DRM-friendly Creative Zen Vision:M gives the iPod a run for the money as the current high-capacity WMA champ.
http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/creative-zen-vision-m/4505-6490_7-31632700.html?tag=prod.txt.1
A strong contender if it wasn’t for the price. Gig for gig. The iPod Classic is a much better deal.
The Microsoft Zune - $199
Capacity: 30GB Stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 100 hours of video.
Size: 4.4 in. x 2.4 in. x 0.6 in. (h x w x d)
Weight: 5.6 ounces
Battery: Music, up to 14 hours (wireless off), up to 13 hours (wireless on); pictures, up to 4 hours; video, up to 4 hours Charge Time: 3 hours; 2 hours to 90%
FM Radio: Built in, Presets: 30
Display: Size: 3.0 inches, Orientation: Vertical and Horizontal, Resolution: 320 x 240 pixels
Audio: Windows Media® Audio Standard (.wma): Up to 320 Kbps, CBR and VBR, up to 48-kHz sample rate
MP3 (.mp3): Up to 320 Kbps, CBR and VBR, up to 48-kHz sample rate
AAC (.mp4, .m4a, .m4b, .mov): Up to 320 Kbps, Low Complexity (LC), up to 48-kHz sample rate
Pictures: JPEG (.jpg): All resolutions (desktop software will automatically convert to 640x480 at sync time)
Video: Windows Media Video (.wmv): Main Profile, CBR or VBR, up to 1.5 Mbps peak video bitrate, 320 x 240 pixels, 30 frames per sec., with Windows Media Audio up to 192 Kbps, 44.1 kHz, stereo audio; Simple Profile, CBR, up to 736 Kbps video bitrate, 320 x 240 pixels, 30 frames per sec.
Wireless: Connectivity: 802.11 b/g, Range: Up to 30 feet, Share select tracks, playlists and pictures - Zune to Zune.
Approx $6 - $7 per gig
CNet.com editor's review: Excellent - 8.0 out of 10.0
The good: The Microsoft Zune has very good playback performance of audio, video, and photos; intuitive and colorful interface; good FM radio with RDS; works well with Zune Marketplace software; integrated wireless allows sharing of songs (limited) and photos; many accessories available at launch. +
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The bad: The Microsoft Zune is not backward compatible with WMA-DRM9; weak native video support (cannot play protected content) and no video offerings from Zune Marketplace; cannot be used as a hard drive (and no UMS support); proprietary USB; cannot use Wi-Fi to sync, stream, or purchase content; minimal bundled accessories; no podcast directory; maximum capacity is 30GB.
The bottom line: The Microsoft Zune, with its intuitive interface and solid playback performance, will please most users. But lukewarm format support and the cool but limited Wi-Fi capability will have advanced users seeking more. The Zune is a very good start, though.
http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/zune-30gb-black/4505-6490_7-32068976.html?tag=prod.txt.1
This was supposed to be the ultimate 'iPod Killer'. It was different at the time, wi-fi, music sharing, a large screen. But it didn't quite do that well selling far short of the numbers that microsoft had hoped to. Perhaps it was that 'Ugh!' ugly doo-doo brown color?
It has actually made PC Worlds 'Ugliest Products in Tech History' list http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,137988-page,1-c,electronics/article.html. With the recent price slash, this isn't such a bad deal however. I wasn't really feeling it. I mean, It looks like a really good option but I have probably only seen like 1 Zune in the streets of NYC??
Okay so none of the above seemed like a perfect replacement for her dead player. I wasn’t satisfied. While looking around the websites a little more I found the below interesting additional options.
The Apple iPod Generation 5.5 - $199 to $219 (Refurbished)
Storage/capacity 30GB (7,500 songs) or 80GB (20,000 songs)
Battery life Up to 14 (30GB) or 20 (80GB) hours of music playback; up to 4 hours of slideshows with music; up to 3.5 hours of video playback
Display 2.5-inch (diagonal) color LCD with LED backlight (60% brighter display than previous generation iPod)
Ports Dock connector, stereo minijack, composite video and audio through minijack
Connectivity USB through dock connector; composite video (with AV cable, sold separately) and audio through headphone jack or line out on the iPod Universal Dock (sold separately)
Charge time About 4 hours (2-hour fast charge to 80% capacity)
Audio support AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF
Photo support Syncs iPod-viewable photos in JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG formats
Video support H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Low-Complexity Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; H.264 video, up to 768 Kbps, 320 by 240 pixels, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
Size (in inches) 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.43
Weight 4.8 ounces
Included accessories Earphones, USB cable, dock adapter, case
30 GB - Approx $6 - $7 per gig, 80GB – Approx $2 - $3 per gig. (Refurbished)
The Apple iPod Generation 5.5 - $199 to $219 (Refurbished)
Storage/capacity 30GB (7,500 songs) or 80GB (20,000 songs)
Battery life Up to 14 (30GB) or 20 (80GB) hours of music playback; up to 4 hours of slideshows with music; up to 3.5 hours of video playback
Display 2.5-inch (diagonal) color LCD with LED backlight (60% brighter display than previous generation iPod)
Ports Dock connector, stereo minijack, composite video and audio through minijack
Connectivity USB through dock connector; composite video (with AV cable, sold separately) and audio through headphone jack or line out on the iPod Universal Dock (sold separately)
Charge time About 4 hours (2-hour fast charge to 80% capacity)
Audio support AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF
Photo support Syncs iPod-viewable photos in JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG formats
Video support H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Low-Complexity Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; H.264 video, up to 768 Kbps, 320 by 240 pixels, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
Size (in inches) 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.43
Weight 4.8 ounces
Included accessories Earphones, USB cable, dock adapter, case
30 GB - Approx $6 - $7 per gig, 80GB – Approx $2 - $3 per gig. (Refurbished)
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CNet.com editor's review: Excellent - 8.3 out of 10.0 (A September 2006 editors ch0ice) *
The good: The enhanced iPod has the same sleek design with improved video battery life and brighter screen; it brings gapless playback to the masses; up to 80GB; new features such as instant search and enhanced games; movies now available in iTunes 7; excellent overall value.
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The bad: The Apple iPod has added no major functions such as FM radio, wireless, recording; small screen not conducive to movie viewing; proprietary USB cable; narrow native video-format compatibility; body is still scratch prone.
The bottom line: The amazingly low priced updated Apple iPod gets many under-the-hood improvements, but it's still not a true video player.
The bottom line: The amazingly low priced updated Apple iPod gets many under-the-hood improvements, but it's still not a true video player.
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These models can still be bought, (albeit refurbished) from Apple. A great deal in my opinion. I have nothing against refurbed purchasing. They are good as new, come with a warranty.. It's not like buying a used car and taking over someone else's issues.. Really.. It's not. Heck I bought one of these myself.
And.. from the Creative website..
The Creative Zen Vision: M - $149.99 (Refurbished)
Tech specs above.
And at this price approximately $4 - $5 per gig.
Wow! That was a really great deal. And a gigabyte to dollar ratio that I think she could live with.
I called her up and gave her options.
The Winner!
The Creative Zen Vision: M
Although I thought.. think.. that the refurbished 80 GB 5.5 gen Apple iPod is a better deal at approximate $2 per gig, I knew she didn't want to go iPod. So I emphatically pushed the refurbed Creative Zen Vision deal. She’d receive a 90 day warranty, it’s a company she’s familiar with, creative provides great accessory support and she wouldn’t have to stop using the software she was currently (basically dragging and dropping her music) using minimizing a learning curve. Given, iTunes is a great music store, but she didn’t want to have to worry about re-organizing her music files (although iTunes does make it easy.)
She was so pleased with the price.. She bought another player.
The Creative MUVO V100 $29.99 - $39.99 (Refurbished)
Dimensions (WxHxD): 2.93" x 1.44" x 0.59"
Weight: 1.64 oz
Storage Capacity: 1GB: (500 songs), 2GB: (1,000 songs)
Display Blue Backlit LCD: (96x32 pixels)
Battery life: Up to 18 hours of continuous playback
Battery type: AAA Battery
Audio Format: MP3 / WMA
Approx $20 per gig
For under $200 (free shipping), she bought 2 mp3 players. Lots of bang for her bucks.
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