STi-Frenchie

As the title suggests, I'm looking for a portable MP3 player but with such a large range on offer, which one is worth going for?

Needs:

- I have about 60GB of mp3's and will probably only want 20GB of those readily available
- Longest battery life possible
- Not needed for car, just for everywhere else!
- something that is small and looks good
- would prefer solid-state but with the amount of space I need, is that possible?

I hear the iPod is prone to battery failure after a while and it's cheaper to buy a new iPod than replace the battery. The mini-iPod...has it really only got 4Gb of disk space?

What are you folks using? What would you recommend?

JackClark

iPOD, batterys should last a good few years and cost £50 to replace.

farmer1

Or else the creative zen xtra cheaper and more memory also £50 for new battery. (Models up to 60gb-harddrive based)

It is highly unlikely that you will find anything solidstate with more then 1gb of memory.

ozzy

Here's the spec of the iPods and yes the mini has a 4Gb capacity.

Do you really need to carry 20Gb of MP3's around with you? I have an in-car MP3 hard disk player and admittedly I'm just spoilt for choice with the number of MP3's. I tend to just carry a few GB's of MP3's now at the very most.

The only issue I have with the iPods are the price. I can get them cheaper through my brother, but even the Dealers get cr@p discount so it's still pricey. Have to admit after playing with one it is the best one I've used to date.

Stefan

STi-Frenchie

Cheers chaps - food for thought there. I probably don't need the extra weight of 20Gb of mp3's but as I swap CDs in the car twice a day at least, I figured I'd get enough space to cover most eventualities. I calculated that I'd need 20Gb to hold my most popular albums. I love the look of the iPod but as you say, the prices are a bit on the high side.

stevem2k

Ipod mini. 4G is <>1000 tracks , and you can swap the entire collection in about 10 mins.

I have a blue one 'tis a thing of beauty.

Steve

Philip Attaway

I have a classic i-pod.

Had it for two years and commute with it every day with no battery probs.

I also plug it in my poota at work and listen to tunes all day and it charges via the firewire cable so it has never run out.

Can't beat them IMHO

Phil

GotRice?

Hi steve, if you don't mind me asking where did you get yours from and how much did ya get it for?

Thanks

PG

I have the 5gig pod (fairly getting on a bit) and no probs here.
Excellent bit of kit !!

angrynorth

I've got a 20GB iPod 3rd gen. I wouldn't swap it for anything. They are just a joy to use and look at.

By the way the battery thing was a scam by two publicity hungry idiots called the Neistat brothers. The press saw it and ran with it. See http://ipodbatteryfaq.com/ if you are worried.

stevem2k

apple store online in the US as I have a mate who lives over there. Came to about 170 with the two lots of postage. Laser etching is free

Steve

bonkers

'Fraid not, the most you're gonna get with solid state is about 512K.

Don't underestimate the value of an FM radio though - unlimited music (and other stuff) for 0K.

Bonkers.

ScoobyDriverWannabe

i baught me self a 20gig ipod last week battery already screwed gonna have to take it back this week ;o(

angrynorth

You must be the worlds most unlucky person. There are 12 people with 20 gig iPods at work, ranging in age from 2 months to almost a year. Not one has a battery problem.

Sounds to me like thats a basic error or whihc you will get a straight exchange.

ScoobyDriverWannabe

1st day i got it put it on charge for about 9 hours then added som songs went down to 2 bars on batter so charged it up again next morning when turned it on was back down to 3, me m8 has 1 his battery lasts about 5 days i gotta re do mine every day and dont even use it as much as him

will have to take it back only thing is i live in sunderland and baught it in newcastle so gonna be trek to get it replaced ;o(

bonkers

Is the iPod battery a NiCad? Sounds like it - those things are a bugger if you don't take care to discharge and recharge 'em fully.

Lithium-Ion are much better for frequent use stuff. Though they will discharge over time if left on the shelf, they are easy to recharge and don't suffer from the "memory effect" of the NiCads.

Note that you can recondition NiCad batteries with a good battery charger by doing several full charge-discharge cycles but that don't help with things like the iPod where the battery is proprietary and built-in. Personally I think that's either a serious ballsup or a cynical money-making ploy on Apple's part. Shame really 'cos everything else I've read about it has been positive.

Bonkers.

imlach

Don't be silly. Hardly any hi-tech equipment uses nicads any more, and hasn't done for years.

IPod is Lithium-Ion much like most hi-tech equipment these days.

http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html


You should really find out the facts before posting potentially libellious stuff like that. If you don't know the facts (easily found on http://www.apple.com), then why speculate?!?

bonkers

Oh nos, I haev slandard teh mitEe Appel! Steev Jobbys will send teh boyZ round 2 my house 2 kiX0r my ***!!1

I was at work and feeling lazy, Hell I'm still feeling lazy.

Bonkers.

(If anyone's wondering, my bad diction is an unworthy ripoff of Jeff K's l33t h4x0r siet! - a bit old but still amusing)

joni

This happens with most 3rd generation iPods. The battery indicator actually goes higher initially five minutes after finishing charging. An empty battery indicator does not , as you might expect, indicate an empty battery. This is only an issue on the latest ipod software and should be fixed as a known problem when the next upgrade takes place.

STi-Frenchie

Well, I'll be off down to the stores when they open after Easter to pick up a mini iPod and get me one of those iTrip accessories which I was reading about in the other thread in this forum. If I understand correctly the iTrip will let me play back mp3's through an FM station in the car radio...well cool ! Gotta get me a holder for it so it doesn't fall off the dashboard, a docking station, and I think I'm sorted

stevem2k

a brilliant plan, with just one small snag.......The Mini Ipod is not released in europe until July.

Steve

angrynorth

June, now.

Fatman

Do we know the official UK price yet?

STi-Frenchie

OWWW ! Cr@p ! Folied again !

Guess it's a 20GB pod for me after all ! I want to get it all sorted before the end of the week if possible as I've got a 600km run with folks from the french scoob club organized and wanted some sounds to listen to on the way. Also, the suction holder for the car isn't available for the mini iPod so that pretty much decides it for me.

About the mini iPod - I read that it costs (or will cost) 199 quid. How much truth there is in that is anyone's guess however.

Kiwi

Iriver IHP 140 40gb

or Iriver IHP120 20gb.

I got the 40gb model. Works very well. Battery lasts for 16hours.

Very pleased with it.

See www.misticriver.us for forum site for the above