[Osaire]

I don't post here too often anymore, but I still skim the forums on occassion. I haven't owned a portable music player for a very long time. I think the last one I had was an old MD player...back when they were brand new. So at this point I'm not sure what to get.

I have no problem with Apple, but I dislike iTunes due to the overall "feel" of the application in Windows. That doesn't mean I wouldn't consider an iPod, though. Since I haven't had a portable audio player in a long time, I don't have any media libraries from any online stores, so I guess that's a plus.

The Zune looks decent, but I dislike the DRM on it, and I'm a little worried that the quirks haven't been worked out yet, since it's such a new product. First generation hardware always seems to have a lot of problems. I don't know if I'm willing to deal with that on my first player.

The rest, I know very little about. I'm most concerned with sound quality, but not on a level where I'd be carrying around a headphone amp and such. I still would like to keep things portable. I'm also beginning to consider a media player, because they just look like a lot of fun. I saw that YouTube video of the Cowon D2, and while it looks very nice, I question the storage capacity on it. I'm unsure if 4GB would be enough space on a player like that. Anyway, I was just on an awful flight where they rerouted me 4 hours out of the way due to weather, and I'm sure one would have come in useful there.

This isn't an impulse purchase, so I have some time to think and/or wait. I'd just love some opinions.

Thanks a lot, everyone!

 

[Thelonious Monk]

if you want a portable media player, the cowon a2 seems to be the best one right now. the navigation seems a bit sloppy, but excellent battery life, sound quality, file support, and screen size make up for it.

cowon iaudiox5l has great projected battery life and sound quality. but really, if i had money i'd buy myself a Cowon A2. they just look so great!

 

[jinp6301]

i agree with the cowon iaudio x5l. the battery just goes on forever compared to other players. the ipod is just good because of the huge amount of accessories for it. i personally recommend the creative vision m. the only problem with this one is that the casing is pretty easy to scratch, so i recommend getting a bestskinever or an invisible shield. dapreview.com is a real good resource so you might want to check that out

 

[sa1nt]

If you can live with 4 gb of space (max), you might consider samsung yp-z5. It had a firmware update recently, which raised battery life from 35 to 44 hours (!). dapreview.com link
And as far as i know it is an UMS device, so you won't need any software to transfer music at all. (I may be wrong here)
It plays *.ogg files and you can get it new for less than 200 bucks..

 

[exX08]

One vote for Zune because they will fix the quirks of the Zune.

 

[3X0]

Cowon A2. If you're interested in the whole shebang with video capabilities as well, it's the premiere choice. Get anything else when knowing you could've gotten the A2 will only lead to regret.

As for audio-only options, I'd look into the Cowon iAudio X5L or the older iRiver HDD offerings (Hxx0 series).

 

[no1likesme]

i am loving my zune

 

[Osaire]

Question about the Cowon A2...or rather, the A3...I've heard that they were trying to get it released by Christmas. Does that mean the A3 will be coming soon? I'm not in a hurry, so if that's a possibility, I don't mind waiting.

 

[james902]

i'll vouch for the ipod. it's good. go to a local apple store and try it out. feel it and if it suites your needs, get it.

 

[lyramax]

I'm curious: what kind of video materials do folks typically view on these portable media players? Can one really watch and enjoy movies on these small-size screens?

 

[parrot5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyramax /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm curious: what kind of video materials do folks typically view on these portable media players? Can one really watch and enjoy movies on these small-size screens?

maybe some music videos and short cartoons?

 

[james902]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyramax /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm curious: what kind of video materials do folks typically view on these portable media players? Can one really watch and enjoy movies on these small-size screens?

yes i've watched stuff on it. didn't think i could, but it's better than i expected. and with its size, you can take a break at any moment in your day