Considering an mp3 Player

[TexasF355F1]

I need some opinions. I finally got a membership to a gym so I'm looking more seriously into getting an mp3 player.

My question is, should I get an Ipod or not. And if yes, should I get the 8gig mini, or 30 gig video? I think the mini would be perfect for the gym, but just seems like it would break easy.

If not the ipod, what other suggestions?

Thanks!

[Damien]

Get a small one if you're only going to use it at the gym and I'm sure it'll do fine. most people don't and won't reach the capacity of their Ipod. I hate Ipods by the way so i will recommend something else. Um...check www.woot.com every now and then till you decide. They like to sell MP3's a lot for cheap and they're good ones. Not always but mostly.

Dell has some good 2GB ones for less than $100. I wish I could suggest ones int he stores, but hit up anything online. it's been awhile since I've looked. If you have a Ritz nearby, see if they have the Toshiba Gigabyte. I just got one for $150 and it's 30GB. Love it and it's small.

[lakwo]

I'm no expert on MP3 players. My boyfriend got a really nice one as a birthday gift to my daughter last year. It's small enough that when we go running during the summer, she tucks it in her arm band. No discomfort. It's actually a neat little thing, I might get one for myself.

[l_eclipse_l]

The iPod mini would probably be your best bet if all your going to use it for is in the gym since it's so small and light. However if you plan on using it in any other situations, I would suggest a Creative Zen Vision: M. I have the 30 GB video version and it is FAR SUPERIOR to the 30 GB iPod, and cheaper if you shop around.

[Polygon]

Don't buy an iPod. You're spending more for something simply because it's trendy. If you want something for the gym just buy one of those little SanDisk MP3 players. Cheap, and they hold enough music for working out.

Any iPod is a rip off.

[nismogt_rfreak]

Creative Zen micro is really good and is compatible with Napster, so it's cheaper assuming your downloading more than 10 songs a month.

[Polygon]

Originally Posted by nismogt_rfreak

Creative Zen micro is really good and is compatible with Napster, so it's cheaper assuming your downloading more than 10 songs a month.

I'd agree. If you're going to spend the money on a really nice player the Zen is the way to go. From a pure numbers standpoint it should sound better than an iPod as well.

[sickcallawayc12]

Get an MP3 player with a flash drive/memory card.

Don't buy a Creative product with an HD. They fail.

I won't comment on Ipod stuff since i've never owned one and don't plan to for a while.

[TexasF355F1]

Thanks guys. I'm gonna hit a a few stores today just to view some of the players in person.

I don't really plan on buying any mp3s. I just buy a cd when I feel like it and rip it to the comp.

I've been looking at the Toshiba Gigabeat Damien mentioned. I've read several reviews and it seems to be a good player.

Thanks for the help.

As for the ipod, all the reasons mentioned are why I don't want one. And it seems everyones breaks after, what I consider to be too short of a useful life.

[drunken monkey]

i've been using the one that comes on my phone.
everything i got that i listen to fits nicely on a couple of 1gb mini sd cards.
sure it's not the easiest thing to use but it's just there for "background" music when i want it.

i don't like carrying too many things on my person when i go places.

[l_eclipse_l]

Originally Posted by sickcallawayc12

Don't buy a Creative product with an HD. They fail.

I've had my Creative with a 30 GB HD for 6 months now and it runs extremely well and I use it daily. If you can find documentation of your claim feel free to post it up.

[sickcallawayc12]

Originally Posted by l_eclipse_l

I've had my Creative with a 30 GB HD for 6 months now and it runs extremely well and I use it daily. If you can find documentation of your claim feel free to post it up.

Just bad history with them. I've wasted over $1100 on Creative mp3 players in the past year and a half. Most failed within 6 months, so i say f$@* Creative. Sorry.

[Shpyder]

I personally like Rio Forge MP3 players for the gym. I only have about 2 dozen songs, so the 256MB model suited me fine, but they have a 1G one too. This is a nice player just for the gym.

[2.2 Straight six]

Bleh. i had a 4gb Nano and a 4/8gb SanDisk Sansa.

Both were huge pains and head f**ks. i just go with the CD player now. never fails, and i don't have to charge it.

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by Damien

Get a small one if you're only going to use it at the gym and I'm sure it'll do fine. most people don't and won't reach the capacity of their Ipod. I hate Ipods by the way so i will recommend something else. Um...check www.woot.com every now and then till you decide. They like to sell MP3's a lot for cheap and they're good ones. Not always but mostly.

Originally Posted by Polygon

Don't buy an iPod. You're spending more for something simply because it's trendy. If you want something for the gym just buy one of those little SanDisk MP3 players. Cheap, and they hold enough music for working out.

Some other places besides woot.com to find good deals on mp3 players is: newegg.com,fatwallet.com(click on "hot deal news" at top of page), or mwave.com . I bought a SanDisk 512 mB player from woot a few weeks back for my daughter for $16.99 + $5 shipping ( all shipping on woot is $5 no matter how big the item). My son then wanted one when he saw his sister had one and I found a similar player from mwave for $23.99. The following week I found a 1GB player from SanDisk on woot for $28.99 for myself. Deals on these are out there to be had, you just have to do a little searching for them.
EDIT: SanDisks are easy to load music onto. My 7 year old son can do it just by watching his old man do it once for him. Now he justs finds a song he likes and transfers it to his player.

Here is a link to the one I bought at mwave.com . Apparently, the sale is still going on:http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch...=done&nextloc=