Author Topic: MP3 players  (Read 10677 times)

Pchiocco

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on: March 06, 2007, 03:50:31 AM
I've been listening to Escape Pod for a while now...it's what got me into other podcasts.
However, the PDA on which I would listen died. I found myself searching for a new way to listen.
I did a little research and decided on Sandisk. (For some reason I have an aversion to iPods.)
Anyway, the device works fine. I was able to get Escape Pod and other pods on the thing...and even listen to them. But (and it's a big one) the device doesn't allow me to bookmark where I am in a particular podcast or book. Ack! What a waste.
So, I'm on the market for a good (but not too expensive) MP3 player that will allow me to listen to my Escape Pod and other audible books and bookmark them if I need to. Any suggestions?



oddpod

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Reply #1 on: March 06, 2007, 07:57:40 AM
same boat hear :(

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Russell Nash

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Reply #2 on: March 06, 2007, 10:07:29 AM
This is an iTunes specific answer. Your podcast program may have the same options, I don't know.

In iTunes you can bring up an information window for every file. In this window you can change the name or whatever. In the options tab you can click a button for "remember playback position". When you do this, the file will alwas start playing again where ever you left off. It doesn't matter what you do or how long between the times you play it.

This probably isn't in your podcast program, but if the MP3 player came with a program to load the music and maintain play folders, it's probably in there.



madjo

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Reply #3 on: March 06, 2007, 10:28:47 AM
The one I have is a Cowon iAudio , and they allow you to bookmark. It will even continue where you left off, if you turn the device off (not sure if other mp3-players support that too)



Startrekwiki

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Reply #4 on: March 09, 2007, 02:24:19 PM
The one I have is a Cowon iAudio , and they allow you to bookmark. It will even continue where you left off, if you turn the device off (not sure if other mp3-players support that too)

I think that the best Mp3 player around right now is the Zune.



Bdoomed

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Reply #5 on: March 13, 2007, 10:52:47 PM
I think that the best Mp3 player around right now is the Zune.
i second that!
it doesnt let you bookmark tho so its not what yer lookin for.  the ipod WOULD be best for that

but the zune is sooooo much better! :P
small holes in software but im sure they'll be fixed soon.

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


SFEley

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Reply #6 on: March 14, 2007, 02:15:44 AM
but the zune is sooooo much better! :P
small holes in software but im sure they'll be fixed soon.

Out of curiosity, why is the Zune better?  What do you like about it?

I'm really not trying to start a flamewar here, or get into DRM arguments.  It's a sincere question.  I haven't talked to anyone yet who's owned one, so I'm wondering what the feature advantages are.

ESCAPE POD - The Science Fiction Podcast Magazine


Bdoomed

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Reply #7 on: March 14, 2007, 03:17:37 AM
well the wide screen video is a big plus for me, its so much bigger than the video ipod (yes i HAVE owned a video... then it was stolen... >_<) (by the way another reason i like the zune is that its less likely to be stolen... zune wont sell as well on the streets for drug money)
also, the built in radio is dear to me.  I can listen to m' favorite mornin talk show before class.  The navigation on it is simpler, instead of goin back out to music to change to 'sort by artist' you just press right or left.  also, while listening to a song, pressing the middle button will open up a very conveniant menu, such as rate, view song list (helpful if your shuffling, itll show you whats comin next), shuffle on/off, and flag (bookmark for later use on yer comp).
most of all i love the customizable background (Master Chief looks so cool on the zune!)
The wireless i find no use for, since i have only found one other person w/ a zune and she doesnt even bring it to school.  but im sure itll come in handy one day.

of course, there are problems with the zune, that i hope they fix.  The software is annoying to start with, i had windows xp media center 2002, and i couldnt install the software because of that... made me mad.  so luckily i got a hook up with home edition 2002 (a downgrade really) and its compatible.... riiight way to go microsoft.
the software also does not catch podcasts. i have to use itunes for that, which isnt terrible, but isnt fun.  the podcasts also dont end up in single "albums"... some do, like Air out my shorts, but escape pod is listed as individual tracks... not bad but not fun again.
and my biggest prob w/ the software is, when importing a mixed cd, the software tends to group songs together.  ill have one song by creedence clearwater revival and another by boston, and ill input the correct track info to both, but itll suddenly put em both as ccr... a bit of fighting eventually fixes this however, but its not fun. and considering i have to transfer 100+ bought songs from itunes... im not lookin forward to that. there are a few other minor holes in the software, which i hope they fix soon (like being incompatible with over half of the file types out there... no .avi? comeon!). 

the zune itself, i have no problems with it.  just the evil software.  and the fact that its easier to fix software makes me ignore the faults in it, since im sure it'll be fixed sooner than later.

oh and finally, i tend to shrink away from mainstream pop culture... and although i do like the ipod, friggin everyone has one and i like to be different! :P
ive owned a video and an older, 3rd gen 20 gig.  i feel the zune is easier to work with.

oh and pretty nice battery life...

oh one little problem with the zune itself... no clock..? sure i dont use the clock much on the ipod.. but comeon ... its sooo simple... :P
« Last Edit: March 14, 2007, 04:09:13 AM by Bdoomed »

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


SFEley

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Reply #8 on: March 14, 2007, 04:12:13 AM
Good answers -- and good reasons for liking it.  Thanks for answering. 

ESCAPE POD - The Science Fiction Podcast Magazine


fiveyearwinter

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Reply #9 on: March 14, 2007, 01:34:19 PM
I gotta say - there would be a crazy drool factor for the Zune if the hard drive were bigger, if the wireless weren't crippled, and if they worked with Macs.



SFEley

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Reply #10 on: March 14, 2007, 02:04:52 PM
I gotta say - there would be a crazy drool factor for the Zune if the hard drive were bigger, if the wireless weren't crippled, and if they worked with Macs.

For me you'd have to add "...and if they had real podcast support." 

As an audio person I've accumulated a ridiculous number of MP3-capable devices around the house.  They all work either with iTunes or with Podcast Ready's podcatcher, which you can install directly on an MP3 player and then start downloading your podcasts with a double-click.

The Zune, as I understand it, doesn't work as a storage device, so you can't put the Podcast Ready client on it.  And its own software doesn't do podcasts.  As Bdoomed says, this is something they could easily fix in the future.  But I'm really mystified at how reticent Microsoft is to put any sort of support behind podcasting.  I don't know if it's because the "pod" in the name gets on their nerves and they don't want to concede anything to Apple...  But wouldn't competing with Apple for podcast downloads be a good way to address that?



ESCAPE POD - The Science Fiction Podcast Magazine


fiveyearwinter

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Reply #11 on: March 14, 2007, 02:52:31 PM
I mean, as far as the hard drive goes: I really see no excuse for the smallness of it (I know it's suitable for some, but if it plays VIDEO too? no way), except that I believe this Zune is a "test" to see if the market is there. I mean, iPod fans are kind of rabid, and I know a few (myself included) that have owned more than one.

The wireless, however, is a much more complex issue. I mean, honestly - if the wifi were just unhindered, it would be a piracy MACHINE. Could it be better? Yes. But my hopes of a completely wifi-tastic mp3 player are probably, for the time being, unrealistic.

As for Mac support? hahahahaha!

I just love portable music players - part of it is my inherent "gadget-freak" nature. But I think I have a particular fetish for mp3 players because of their design: I consider the iPod to be a piece of minimalist artwork, and a lot of cool inferface ideas (the Zune included!) pop up when you're trying to do the whole "less is more" thing.



Anarkey

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Reply #12 on: March 14, 2007, 03:07:34 PM
But I think I have a particular fetish for mp3 players because of their design: I consider the iPod to be a piece of minimalist artwork, and a lot of cool inferface ideas (the Zune included!) pop up when you're trying to do the whole "less is more" thing.

Kind of like flash fiction, right?  :)

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fiveyearwinter

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Reply #13 on: March 14, 2007, 03:32:12 PM
Kind of like flash fiction, right?  :)

Funny, flash fiction's always my favorite. :)



Bdoomed

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Reply #14 on: March 15, 2007, 12:48:39 AM
Aaah, Steve, forgot that one other part, i dont like the fact that the Zune cant be a storage device... i loved that about the ipod, especially since ive used that factor to take a few songs off other's ipods (with their permission of course, and not purchased songs.... really i swear! ... no i dont care that its evil!)  anyways the zune wont let me do that... yargh... and id LOVE for it to support podcasts, and im sure it will soon.  they cant ignore it forever!

i dont mind the storage of the zune, when i had a video i had the 30 gig, and thats what the zune is... i guess for those with more videos its not the best, the biggest vid i have is Fight Club (oooooh yea). and i have a few smaller ones.  In total, with all my music/vids/etc, i still have 10 gigs left over.

mac support? in your dreams!

im a gadget freak too, ... its just too bad that i dont have money to waste on gadgets :(

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


fiveyearwinter

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Reply #15 on: March 15, 2007, 02:54:05 PM
mac support? in your dreams!

 ::) Guess I'll stick with my iPod.