Chip Tarver's Ipod Information - Battle of MP3 Players

Story courtesy of http://www.theeastcarolinian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/01/18/43cd752650606


Battle of the MP3 players

Which one is right for you?

By Sarah Campbell, Staff Writer - January 18, 2006

Walking around campus you may notice that almost everyone is jamming along to their favorite music via mp3 player. These music systems have transformed the way we live our lives, now people can listen to their favorite songs whenever they want, without having to lug around a heavy CD case or flip through endless radio stations. If you are in the search of the one most suited for you, there are several things to consider such as cost, capacity, size and accessories.

Apple iPods are the most popular mp3 players right now not only because of the quality of the product, but also because customers can easily find accessories such as skins, speakers, fm transmitters and docks for syncing and charging in stores like Best Buy, Circuit City and Target. "iPods are handy because you can find accessories for them almost anywhere, most other mp3 players require you to order them online or out of catalogs," said Jenny Ayers, junior English Education major.

The top selling iPods right now are the Video iPod, iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle. The Video iPod is the updated 30 GB version of the original 20 GB iPod that is 30 percent thinner than the original. This iPod holds up to 15,000 songs, 25,000 photos and 150 hours of video in a sleek black or white design. The starting price of $300 may be a bit pricey for the average college student, but for the avid entertainment lover it may be worth the extra cash considering you not only get to listen to your favorite tunes, you can also watch your favorite shows.

The iPod Nano is offered in 2GB (500 songs) and 4GB (1,000 songs) versions as well as two colors, black and white. This items claim to fame is that is weighs only 1.5 ounces, while still offering the complete design of the original iPod such as viewable play lists at a price around $200.

On the other hand the iPod shuffle is the most lightweight iPod, coming in at a mere .78 ounces. The only drawback to these is that you can't see what song you are listening to or pick from a selection of songs - you just have to flip through until you find something you are in the mood for. The auto fill selection makes it easy for customers to allow their computer to randomly fill it to capacity with their favorite songs. These players start at $100 and are offered in 512MB (120 songs) and 1GB (240 songs).

The iRiver U10 offers to some of the same capabilities as the Video iPod for about $100 less. Don't run out and buy one just yet though, because although it stores photos you have to use conversion software and video formatting software that is not included.
The Dell DJ Ditty is very similar to the iPod Shuffle, however the main differences are the fm radio and screen that accompany this player. This player can hold up to 120 songs and costs about $100. The scroll wheel is sometimes difficult to maneuver and when skipping from song to song there is a substantial lag time between them.

Other options that can be purchased here in Greenville include players from Creative, Philips, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony, Toshiba and more. These companies, like Apple, offer a wide variety of players with many different prices and features.

The bottom line when searching for the perfect mp3 player is finding the features to suit your needs without breaking the bank. You can visit the Website pcmag.com to find a comparison guide of hundreds of mp3 players out there. Happy hunting.

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Lots more articles and reviews like this are at http://www.ipods-and-onlinevideo-reviews.com.

Chip Tarver