# mp3 player help, pleas **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054 "2005-12-04T17:58:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/21 "2005-12-06T18:25:04Z")
Hit submit too soon, meant to add that I don’t mind iPods not having an FM tuner because I don’t need it to. I have a Walkman if I want to listen to local radio and all the inane commercials contained therein. For me, it was an iPod or satellite radio and the iPod is cheaper in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/22 "2005-12-06T19:42:49Z")
> [@Apos](#): > > On the other hand, I’m not at ALL sold on the video iPod, simply because I can’t see watching video on that screen when I have a laptop and better ways to watch. I mostly use the ipod driving and walking places and doing other things: it’s meant to be a background activity freeing you to do other things, not a foreground one you have to focus on exclusively. At this point, I’d consider video a huge waste of money. It’s not really a waste of money, since the price is the same as it was before it did video. Unless, of course, you thought the non-video iPods were a waste of moeny, too. But really, the 60 Gig iPod has the best dollar per gig ratio of any of the iPods out there, at $6.67/gig. The 30 Gig comes in at 10, the 4 Gig nano is 62.5, the 2 gig is 100, the 1 gig shuffle is 150, and the 512 MB is ~200. I think those are right, (going from memory, the 60 gig is $400, 30 gig is $300, 4 gig is $250, 2 gig is $200, 1 gig is $150, and 512 MB is $100.) I have one currently (a gift, I can’t afford one myself) and I love it. I have some videos on there that I watch part of while on the can at work. I don’t watch an entire episode of someting in one sessnio, bvut over the course of a day I might get a full thirty minute sitcom (which, without commercials, is only 22 minutes, on average.) ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/23 "2005-12-06T20:04:20Z")
I use the FM tuner on my SanDisk player if, for example, I am working out at the gym and there is something I want to watch on TV while I’m cycling…they have TVs and they broadcast the audio on FM radio stations. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/24 "2005-12-07T03:34:58Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > If you are directing this bit of snarkiness at me, you can back down now. I started this thread admitting that I know nothing about any of them, really. They certainly are ubiquitous, and they certainly do convey a hipness factor. There are also other players around with as much storage space and as many features, for less money. Is it possible that iPods are _superior_ mp3 players? Sure it is. That’s why I wanted to get everyone’s opinion. You weren’t implying that buying one is an indication of a lack of knowledge, so, no, it wasn’t directed at you. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/25 "2005-12-07T12:17:04Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > You weren’t implying that buying one is an indication of a lack of knowledge, so, no, it wasn’t directed at you. Oh. OK. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DrLoveGun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@DrLoveGun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrLoveGun)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/26 "2005-12-22T05:52:17Z")
Is there another type of mp3 player that works with itunes, or more importantly, MAC? Very important 3 days before Christmas. Nothing is fun if you can’t wait 'til the last minute ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/27 "2005-12-22T08:26:02Z")
> [@DrLoveGun](#): > > Is there another type of mp3 player that works with itunes, or more importantly, MAC? Very important 3 days before Christmas. In the past, iTunes (the software program) will sync with third-party non-iPod players; I think it still has that functionality, though I can’t find a list of compatible players to refer you to. I don’t know of any third-party MP3 players that will play the Protected AAC files sold by Apple through their iTunes Music Store, however. > [@DrLoveGun](#): > > Nothing is fun if you can’t wait 'til the last minute Eh, then just get the iPod – guaranteed compatible and guaranteed to be easier to use than any other player anyway. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/28 "2005-12-22T12:44:49Z")
Well, we ended up with a Toshiba. I can’t give you the model number, etc. because it’s already wrapped! We had originally bought an iRiver, but when we got it home, found out that it needs WindowsXP, which we don’t have. So we took it back and got the Toshiba, $30.00 cheaper. Nice color display, and 10 freakin’ megs of space! Everything we currently have downloaded will fit on there, with plenty of space left over for her to download new stuff! It also came with a docking station, and it seems like it will be easy for her to learn to download her own stuff onto the player. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/29 "2005-12-22T13:31:30Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > You weren’t implying that buying one is an indication of a lack of knowledge, so, no, it wasn’t directed at you. After having to explain to multiple people the lack of difference between “an iPod” and “an mp3 player” (hint, it’s the same difference between a Merlot and a bottle of wine), I’d say that in its ubiquity, the iPod does have more unknowledgeable purchasers than any other player. They buy it because it is “the” music player. However, that is not to say that there aren’t people who purchase iPods after careful deliberation across a number of brands and models. Three years ago, I thought carefully before finally deciding on a 20gb Creative Zen, when the only real options out there for hard drive players were the iPod, Zen, and Archos Jukebox. Now, since the market has matured and iPod is clearly the winner when it comes to accessories, knowledge base, and to a lesser degree cultural touchstone (and now that I’m gainfully employed and not just a broke college student and can afford to spend the extra $50 or $100), I’d probably go for an iPod myself, though the iRivers are certainly rather tempting on the basis of player quality and features. So please cool your jets, **Yookeroo**. Nobody’s insulting you (even if they are insulting some iPod owners). ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/30 "2005-12-22T14:29:05Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > Well, we ended up with a Toshiba. I can’t give you the model number, etc. because it’s already wrapped! We had originally bought an iRiver, but when we got it home, found out that it needs WindowsXP, which we don’t have. So we took it back and got the Toshiba, $30.00 cheaper. Nice color display, and 10 freakin’ megs of space! Everything we currently have downloaded will fit on there, with plenty of space left over for her to download new stuff! It also came with a docking station, and it seems like it will be easy for her to learn to download her own stuff onto the player. I really hope you meant gigs, not megs, because otherwise you just bought her enough storage space for maybe three songs. Heck, I’ve been using computers so long that I remember when a 10 megabyte hard drive was huge. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054/31 "2005-12-22T14:53:45Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I really hope you meant gigs, not megs, because otherwise you just bought her enough storage space for maybe three songs. Heck, I’ve been using computers so long that I remember when a 10 megabyte hard drive was huge. Oops! You can tell that I’m not the technical one in the family, can’t you? OTOH, my hubby didn’t know until a couple of weeks ago that there’s three teaspoons in a tablespoon. _And_ he has to consult with me most mornings to figure out which tie goes with which shirt goes with which pants. So I’m still good for _something_. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-player-help-pleas/334054.md?page=1)