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AnchorDesk

Jessica Kashiwabara
What kind of MP3 player is right for you?

Jessica Kashiwabara
Contributing Editor, AnchorDesk
Friday, Jan. 30, 2004
TalkBack!Add your opinion
As a music lover, I can't believe I still don't own an MP3 player. For the longest time, I've been debating whether it's worth spending a couple hundred dollars for one when my trusty $40 CD Walkman has done me just fine in the past.

My favorites
I'll probably buy an iPod or iPod Mini, since they got high ratings from our editors and will work nicely with my PowerBook.
Recently, though, I've been traveling more and commuting by subway and it's just inconvenient (not to mention embarrassing) to fumble around with CDs. I've also been downloading and buying more songs online lately, so it'd be nice to play them on something other than my computer.

Though MP3 players may seem fairly simple, there are several issues to consider before taking one home. Luckily, I was able to get some guidance from our local digital music expert and MP3 Insider columnist Eliot Van Buskirk. For those of you who are, like me, ready to take the MP3 player plunge, as well as those who might be considering a second player as an upgrade or for a particular task, here's what I've found out.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, deciding which MP3 player is right for you comes down to what you'll use it for. For instance, if you work out a lot and want a player for the gym or jogging, you're going to need something rugged. An MP3 player that can take a few hits, not skip if dropped or jostled, and doesn't mind getting a little wet (when you sweat or spill your bottled drinks) is ideal. You'll also want something light that you can conveniently hold on a belt clip or an armband.

Flash-based players are a good choice for athletes because they don't skip and they're smaller and lighter than hard-drive players. Flash players have no moving parts that could be damaged or cause the music to skip when you hit a bump in the road. On the other hand, Eliot says out that many users report no problems using their hard-drive players while jogging and even snowboarding. Still he warns, "The newer hard drives have some shock resistance, but if you bang a player at the perfect time, such as right when the hard drive is spinning up or stopping, you can cause a skip or even damage the player."

Flash-based players are also economical, averaging about $150. If you're on a budget, flash players are a smart buy. Their biggest downside: Flash players typically hold just a couple hours worth of music (they typically come equipped with 128MB to 256MB of memory).

That's plenty for a good workout, but not as much as you get from a hard-drive player. If you want a player that'll hold every song on every CD you own, you're going to need a hard-drive player: Some hold up to 40GB of music files--roughly 10,000 songs. Plus, you can use any leftover storage space to transport other files (photos, spreadsheets, whatever) from one PC to another. Of course, more storage means more money: A 40GB MP3 player, for instance, will cost between $300 and $500.

You also need to consider design--not just good looks, which ultimately depend on your personal taste, but also interface and ease-of-use. At the very least, you want to look for a player with intuitive navigation and a nice, clear screen. A good player should also offer simple controls to navigate the software interface.

THE SOFTWARE that you'll use on your desktop system to download music to your MP3 player and manage playlists is another important factor. Each player comes with its own application for transferring files and managing music. You want it to be easy to use, so transfers are quick and painless and songs are organized the way you like (by album, artist, or playlist) on your player.

Because flash players don't hold that many songs, they generally come with simple software that lets you transfer files via drag-and-drop. You should be pickier about the software for high-capacity players, though, because you'll need to manage so much music; most of these devices offer capable apps that let you create playlists and folders. Eliot particularly likes the app that comes with the Rio and Apple's iTunes.

Also, if you want to use paid online music services, such as Napster, Apple's iTunes Music Store, or even Walmart, make sure the player you buy is compatible with the music files on those sites.

A final determining factor: whether you use a Mac or a PC as your primary computer. There are fewer Mac-compatible music players to choose from, but there are also creative ways to get around the problem. Eliot points out that, "many Macs running OS X can see MP3 players as external hard drives, and so you can sometimes load music that way even when the player doesn't say that it's Mac-compatible." Of course, the iPod, one of our editors' favorites, is available for both Mac and PC, so Mac users shouldn't be too unhappy.

I'm leaning towards one of the iPods, maybe even the new iPod Mini. I've waited so long, I want something state-of-the-art, and I could use the iPod with my PowerBook and an iTunes gift certificate that's waiting at home.

Of course, you probably have different criteria. So, with Eliot's help, I've selected the best player (or two) in a handful of different categories.

Best budget
iRiver iFP-180T
Priced at $140, this tiny, triangular player weighs only 1.6 ounces and comes with a lot of features for the price. With 128MB of storage space, this flash-based player holds about four hours of music (in MP3, WMA, and ASF formats), has an FM tuner, and a voice recorder that also records radio. Its neck strap is bit awkward, but it's also small enough to fit in a pocket.
Read review | Check prices

Best sporty/rugged
Rio Cali (a ZDNet Editors' Choice)
If you're looking for a gym-mate or something more rugged for jogging or hikes, the Cali is a good choice. Complete with a stopwatch, FM tuner, and armband, the Cali didn't skip once when our reviewers went jogging with it. It's also compatible with iTunes, making it tempting for Apple users who want something for workouts.
Read review | Check prices

Best overall
Apple iPod (a ZDNet Editors' Choice)
It's hard to beat the reigning player in our current standings for sleek design and ease of use. The latest 40GB model comes with plenty of storage, added games, an alarm clock (which will beep or play a selected song), and a new playlist function that lets you rate a song while it plays (so that higher-rated songs play more often when in shuffle mode). The iPod supports MP3, AAC, and WAV/AIFF formats as well as spoken-word Audible files that you can now purchase at the iTunes Music Store.
Read review | Check prices

Best software/music services
Apple iPod with iTunes
The updated version of iTunes for Mac and Windows is the smoothest around and comes standard with iPods. To connect, you simply drop the iPod in its cradle and it hooks you up to your music collection. It also connects directly to the iTunes Music Store (once you're online) and keeps track of songs you've purchased and how much you've spent. iTunes also lets you create MP3 and AAC files from your CDs.
Read review | Check prices

Rio Karma with Music Manager
The Karma comes with the impressive Windows-based Rio Music Manager 2.0 software. With a complete selection of playlist and file-transfer capabilities, it also lets you rip audio CDs to FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec), which allows files to sound exactly as good as the original CD but at a smaller file size. Rio also has plans to release a specialized version of RealOne for the Karma that will also be compatible with Mac software and drivers.
Read review | Check prices

What advice would you have for someone buying an MP3 player? What's your favorite MP3 player? Why? TalkBack to me below!

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