You don't have to sync an iPod- I manually load music, movies, and audiobooks via drag and drop. It still requires iTunes, but to drag and drop you'd have to use Explorer so to me at least it's a wash. Syncing podcasts and playlists is useful, though- as I listen to them it automatically updates the content every time I connect the device to my Mac. You can change the parameters it uses to judge what files to load next, too. iTunes does a decent job ripping (I had used LAME and EAC before- great quality, but a bit clumsy) and allowing you one portal to handle your media and device instead of a program or two for ripping, a program to transfer, downloading podcasts manually, and organizing files manually. I'm OCD enough to want album artwork with my tracks, too; iTunes finds most of it automatically and what it can't find is easy to add manually. Don't forget, it's also the portal to update firmware. For less complex devices you likely wouldn't ever need to, but I wouldn't be content with some SD memory and enough circuitry to read/play the files only. I like the fact that the process is automated for all my i-Devices; updating the firmware on my first 20 gig MP3 player was like updating the BIOS of your computer- archaic, clumsy, and if you screwed it up you were in trouble.
On Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 11:22 AM, Luke <[email protected]> wrote: > Interesting. There's a lot of used iPods and Zunes on Ebay; if you > look for a good deal you can find em for a good price. I would really > like to play around with them before going one way or another. We > have a new Apple Store here in Greenville so with a disguise I can go > in there and play with the iPods but the Zune I guess I'll have to go > to Best Buy or something. Of course that doesn't do me any good with > an older model. > > As far as marketplaces go, I don't intend to use one. The music I > listen to I tend to buy on CD because I very rarely want single > tracks. Yeah yeah, I know, its cheaper to buy MP3s and burn them > yourself but if I am buying a CD (which is pretty rare) I want the > art, liner notes, disk art, etc. The whole kit and kaboodle. > Although I suppose I could get that stuff off of CDcovers or > something. Perhaps thats a trial for another time (Iron Maiden does > have a new album coming out). > > I love that the Sandisk is just a flash memory with a little bit of > hardware to play the music files. Its very straightforward and easy > to use. That was what turned me off to getting an iPod back in the > day was the iTunes and having to use the software. What is the > benefit of syncing? So that anytime you get something new on the home > machine its on the portable? > > I appreciate the thoughts and feedback, everyone! > > On Jul 27, 9:55 am, Cary Preston <[email protected]> wrote: > > You can do like I did Ron- I used to listen to Boortz via an online > stream. > > Granted, that means either being tied to a wifi spot or getting a device > > that can stream via your cell signal (and the data plan that it entails). > > I prefer the iTunes interface to any other platform I've used; especially > > Windows Media Player. It's not perfect, but it's the best I've > experienced > > so far. I was an Apple hater not that long ago, but they've won me over. > > > > > > > > On Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 9:30 AM, Ronald Methvin <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > I've got a refurbished 30Gig Zune that I got for $90. There are a lot > of > > > things I like about it, but the interface thing to add and organize > music > > > really sucks. Unless you turn off syncing altogether, if you delete a > song > > > from the Zune, it keeps trying to delete it from the computer. I had > an old > > > Sandisk, and, while you could use an interface thing, the computer > could > > > also see it as just hard drive, which I really liked if I just wanted > to > > > drag and drop stuff into it. That's not an option with the Zune. > Also, the > > > Sandisk seemed to play anything. The Zune is a bit quirky with file > > > formats. > > > > > The FM works fine, but does anybody know why no MP3 players pick up AM? > > > (Rush isn't on FM in my market.) Would the size of the antenna cause > > > interference? > > > > > Also, we tried to use the Zune with Todd's Civic's included USB cord, > and > > > it completely locked up the entire radio/sound system, which then had > to be > > > rebooted. > > > > > So, first, I'd say, whatever you get, you can probably save a lot of > money > > > on a refurbished system. Zune is fine, but I think a larger Sandisk > could > > > be good, if not better. Get one with video capability, though. You'ld > > > be surprised how much you use it. I've never really used an IPod, but > I'm > > > not an Apple fan and I really don't like the Itunes interface. > > > > > ~Ron > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > *From:* Luke <[email protected]> > > > *To:* The Unique Geek <[email protected]> > > > *Sent:* Tue, July 27, 2010 9:12:15 AM > > > *Subject:* [The Unique Geek] Re: Personal Music Players > > > > > Well, with the FM tuner, like I said it allows me to listen to daily > > > content I can't get someplace else -- the online streaming of The Big > > > Show is blocked here at work and Rush is a pay service (he's on FM in > > > my market). > > > > > On Jul 27, 8:50 am, "Edward Crosby" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > I have used for about five years and have several iPods. I have never > had > > > > need for FM tuner as I hate listening to the radio. I like to choose > what > > > > I want to listen to in music and such so I avoid the radio since they > > > > choose for me. However, these days I just end up listening to tech > > > podcast > > > > most of the time. > > > > The Zune HD is not a bad choice in mobile players. If I did not > already > > > > have an iPod adapter for my car I would have purchased a Zune HD when > it > > > > came out. I like a lot of the functions it has to offer, mainly the > wi-fi > > > > sync. I could care less about the FM tuner but everything else about > it > > > is > > > > pretty sweet, especially the HD functions of it. > > > > > > -- > > > > Have a Better One, > > > > Edward Crosbyhttp://www.edwardcrosby.com > > > > > > ----- > > > > "There are no atheists in foxholes or firmware updates." > > > > Merlin Mann > > > > > > > What personal music players do you folks use? iPads, Zunes, > > > > > Walkmans? What do you think of them? > > > > > > > I have a Sandisk 512MB SDMX1. My wife got it for me as a Christmas > > > > > gift a number of years ago. It works pretty well. Its very easy > to > > > > > use, it has an FM tuner and voice recorder, and it has a lot of > life > > > > > for 1 AAA. The controls are easy to use. It does have some > problems > > > > > though. Sometimes it doesn't like certain files -- I am guessing > it > > > > > doesn't like certain MP3 encoding, because I have problems playing > > > > > podcasts and certain music files. It does play WMAs so I am going > to > > > > > try converting them to WMAs and see if that works. > > > > > > > I have been toying with the idea of getting something new, for more > > > > > space and features. I like having the FM tuner so I can listen my > > > > > morning show or Rush while at work, so I was sorta leaning towards > the > > > > > Zune. I pretty much use the device at work, although my new car as > an > > > > > MP3 connector so I guess I could use it in the car too. > > > > > > > What about you folks? What do you use and what do you like and not > > > > > like about it? > > > > > > > -- > > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > Groups > > > > > "The Unique Geek" group. > > > > > To post to this group, send email to > [email protected]. > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > > > [email protected]<theuniquegeek%[email protected]> > . > > > > > For more options, visit this group at > > > > >http://groups.google.com/group/theuniquegeek?hl=en.-Hide quoted > text - > > > > > > - Show quoted text - > > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > > "The Unique Geek" group. > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to theuniquegeek+ > > > [email protected]. > > > For more options, visit this group at > > >http://groups.google.com/group/theuniquegeek?hl=en. > > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > > "The Unique Geek" group. > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > [email protected]<theuniquegeek%[email protected]> > <theuniquegeek%2bunsubscr...@googÂlegroups.com> > > > . > > > For more options, visit this group at > > >http://groups.google.com/group/theuniquegeek?hl=en.- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text - > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "The Unique Geek" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<theuniquegeek%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/theuniquegeek?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Unique Geek" group. 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