Low-cost Portable MP3 player

[Timemaster Tim]

I've decided that my Christmas present to myself will be a portable MP3 player. My Rio PMP300 is well past its prime (damn it, I can't find the stupid serial cable). I'd like to pick up a very small, lightweight MP3 player. I don't care for a lot of features. I'm looking for maybe 128MB to 256MB of memory, decent sound quality on playback, and decent battery life.

Any recommendations?

[TimElhajj]

I got this for my wife because she wanted a digital voice recorder.

http://www.iriveramerica.com/products/ifp-180t.asp

It wasn't too expensive. I got it at Cicuit City for like ~80 with a 20 mail in rebate. It's got 128 mb of built in memory and comes with some really good earphone plugs. Has an FM reciever, voice recorder, USB, and it sounds good to my ear.

[yossarian]

Look into apple's refurbished iPods... they're definitely the best, and you can find last-generation 10gb models for around $180.

Apple's refurbs are in extremely nice condition, and at that price it's hard to really go any other way in my opinion.

[TimElhajj]

I disagree that's such a good bargain. If I'm going to plunk down $180, I don't want last year's deal. Better to just come up with enough for this year's deal.

[Brian Koontz]

I disagree that's such a good bargain. If I'm going to plunk down $180, I don't want last year's deal. Better to just come up with enough for this year's deal.

{Sees 2002 sulking off in a corner}

2002: I will have my revenge, Tim Elhajj!

[AIM]

Check these out:

http://msn-cnet.com.com/4520-3000_7-5108117.html?part=msn-cnet&subj=re_5108117&tag=msn_home

Everyone of those MP3 players are under $100

[Murph]

My wife got a Memorex MP8500 (I think that's it, at least) for Christmas, and is quite smitten. 128MB, and it's really pretty slick. $99. If I were gonna get an MP3 player, it would be that one.

[VegasRobb]

Wait a couple weeks till Apple announces the 2gig and 4gig ipods for ~$100. They're supposed to make the announcement at the MacWorld Expo.

http://www.thinksecret.com/news/mwsf04apple.html

[VegasRobb]

By the way, if Apple can put out a 2gig ipod for ~$100, they're going to own the market.

[yossarian]

I disagree that's such a good bargain. If I'm going to plunk down $180, I don't want last year's deal. Better to just come up with enough for this year's deal.

I think you're missing the point... a 10gb ipod, for any price, is still way 'more' of a purchase than some $100 128mb flash-memory mp3 player that runs off AA batteries. That is last century's deal. If you can get one for $180, all the better. If you break it down, you're paying 80% more for 750% more room.

[AIM]

I like the dell dj's.

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/dj?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

And the $250 model has a 15gb hard drive and can store over 3700 songs! Damn thats a lot of songs!

My buddy got one for Christmas and I think it's pretty sweet. It has rubber sides and is very tiny. Good for people that like to workout, jog, etc..

[TimElhajj]

I disagree that's such a good bargain. If I'm going to plunk down $180, I don't want last year's deal. Better to just come up with enough for this year's deal.

I think you're missing the point... a 10gb ipod, for any price, is still way 'more' of a purchase than some $100 128mb flash-memory mp3 player that runs off AA batteries. That is last century's deal. If you can get one for $180, all the better. If you break it down, you're paying 80% more for 750% more room.

But you're paying almost %50 more, too. No thanks. I just think if you're going to spend that kind of money, you should look for the latest or hold off. Here is a fact: cool technology always get cheaper.

[Timemaster Tim]

Well, I ended up going the cheap route picking up an iRock MP3 player for $100 CAD which is about $76 USD at current exchange rates. It's got next to no features, but its lightweight and its cheap. And if I lose it in the gym I'd be much less upset than if it were an iPod.

[TimElhajj]

a 10gb ipod, for any price, is still way 'more' of a purchase than some $100 128mb flash-memory mp3 player that runs off AA batteries.

You say that as if the ipod does not use batteries. Is that true? If so, how is the ipod powered?

[steve]

You say that as if the ipod does not use batteries. Is that true? If so, how is the ipod powered?
It's powered by Steve Jobs' MacWorld speeches.

[extarbags]

I got a leftover/refurb Rio Riot on ebay about nine months ago for $150. The seem to go for closer to $100 now. Better sound quality than an iPod, FM tuner, 20GB. I like mine a lot.

[yossarian]

Tim, the iPod has an internal rechargable battery that runs about 12 hours and charges when you plug it in to your computer. Most memory card players use replacable AA batteries or the like.

I just don't understand how you can possibly say that the iPod is 'not the latest technology' and still even remotely consider purchasing a flash-memory based player. Flash-memory is hundreds of times more expensive per megabyte than a hard-drive. Flash-memory players have been out for at least five years, and they've not expanded in capacity at all. They're still selling 128mb players for around 100-150.

When you buy a memory card mp3 player, you're not getting the latest and greatest, no matter what you think. You can maybe put one full album onto 128mb if it's encoded at 160kbps. You might as well just use a normal discman if that's what you're getting. If you're looking for 'cheap', why not just buy a data-cd player and burn CDs? Then, at least, you've got 650-700mb of storage for a similar price. But buying a memory-card based player simply doesn't make sense considering what else is on the market.

[DennyA]

I got a leftover/refurb Rio Riot on ebay about nine months ago for $150. The seem to go for closer to $100 now. Better sound quality than an iPod, FM tuner, 20GB. I like mine a lot.
The Rio Riot is cool, but the sound quality isn't better than the iPod. The iPod and the Dell DJ both have fantastic sound for portable devices, among the best in the industry. You must have been using better headphones on the RioRiot...

As for the iPod costing more, there are some to whom saving is the ultimate goal. Others don't mind spending more for better quality or a better user experience. And even the previous-generation iPod still offers a better user experience and more style than most of its competitors.

[extarbags]

Tim, the iPod has an internal rechargable battery that runs about 12 hours and charges when you plug it in to your computer. Most memory card players use replacable AA batteries or the like.

I just don't understand how you can possibly say that the iPod is 'not the latest technology' and still even remotely consider purchasing a flash-memory based player. Flash-memory is hundreds of times more expensive per megabyte than a hard-drive. Flash-memory players have been out for at least five years, and they've not expanded in capacity at all. They're still selling 128mb players for around 100-150.

When you buy a memory card mp3 player, you're not getting the latest and greatest, no matter what you think. You can maybe put one full album onto 128mb if it's encoded at 160kbps. You might as well just use a normal discman if that's what you're getting. If you're looking for 'cheap', why not just buy a data-cd player and burn CDs? Then, at least, you've got 650-700mb of storage for a similar price. But buying a memory-card based player simply doesn't make sense considering what else is on the market.

The only good thing about, say, the Muvo, is that it doubles as a usb "hard drive." Which is cool. You can also record directly onto those things, the way you would use a handheld microcassette recorder. So if you want a usb hard drive that's have the capacity that you could have for the price, and and a really cool microcassette recorder minus the cassette, and an mp3 player, that's a cool thing to get.

If you want just an mp3 player though, it has to be a hard drive one.

[TimElhajj]

Tim, the iPod has an internal rechargable battery that runs about 12 hours and charges when you plug it in to your computer. Most memory card players use replacable AA batteries or the like.


Wow, that's pretty cool. I didn't realize that.

For the record, I am not saying the ipod is not the latest of mp3 players. I am saying that 180 is a lot to plunk down on last year's ipod, which is not the latest. If I'm going to spend that much, I would just go the extra yard and get the latest ipod.

But I am not looking for the same things you are in an MP3 player. I got my wife a 128 mb flash player because she mostly wanted a digital voice recorder. This one had USB connectivity, voice recording, and file managemnet, all of which were must have features. The fact that it has FM, and FM record capabilities is extra goodness that I couldn't really find in the more expensive MP3 players. Also, most of those don't have voice record and are really expensive. I think the flash players are trying to set themselves apart to some degree by adding features.

When the Gb size MP3 players come down in price (~$100) and feature FM and voice record, I will get one for work. I could tape and store interviews, shuttle files home, and record my favorite NPR programs. Not to mention have all my music, too.

[VegasRobb]

Well Apple announced the 4gig ipod, but the initial price is $249

It's very small and looks like ... well a mini ipod

http://www.apple.com/