Actually, iPods are a little inconvenient.
1. What goes in, doesn't come out. I think there's an exception to this though.
2. What goes in, must go in via iTunes = more junk for your computer. It takes over as your default music application AND uses up precious resource that could've been better used elsewhere.
3. Not all music files can be conveniently dumped into the ipod with itunes. I quote
4. Unlike creative, files not loaded onto the player with iTunes, end up becoming merely files. Files that can't be read and played by iPod itself.
Anyway, I bought a zen micro about 2-3 years ago. It's been dead for about a year now, so its lifespan was about 2 years. I really like creative mp3 players. Since i'm really not fond of all that hassle, I just stuck with zen and got a creative zen a couple weeks ago. Also, creative is well known for its sound quality when it comes to sound devices -- mp3 player and headphone/earphones included. It's mostly the reason why I've stuck with creative, time and again.
That said, I'm a little bit biased here, I'll admit. But creative's cheaper, with less hassle to use.. and well, I'm bait.
Edit: If creative still has products that use harddrives, then, well, stay away from that. My zen micro died cuz its hard drive had died and replacing the harddrive AND battery was worth more than buying a new one. Plus, the harddrives don't always work right out of the box (thank god for the warranty lol). With the zen micro, I've dropped it for a total of 6-8 times in the 2 years that I've had it (yeah, i counted). The flash-based players aren't that prone to sudden death via harddrive failure though.
1. What goes in, doesn't come out. I think there's an exception to this though.
2. What goes in, must go in via iTunes = more junk for your computer. It takes over as your default music application AND uses up precious resource that could've been better used elsewhere.
3. Not all music files can be conveniently dumped into the ipod with itunes. I quote
Quote:I also question your comments about the iPods' ease of use. As with the View, digital audio players (DAP's) that have MTP and/or MSC/UMS compliance allow for audio - and often photo and video - content to be loaded directly to the player via drag + drop, without the need for a media managing/syncing program such as iTunes, Windows Media Player/Media Center, RealAudio Player, etc. to sync with the player first.
What this means is with such a player, a user can connect with any XP or Vista box (with MTP), or with any operating platform (with MSC/UMS), and the player will be recognized, and the content will load. This cannot be said for the iPod as an audio/video player (an iPod can be used as an external storage device using the MSC/UMS protocol, but any audio or video content - even content that's supported natively by the iPod - loaded in this fashion will just be "data", and cannot be read or databased by the iPod for playback).
Further, your comments about the iPod, where you can "buy music from any service and convert it for use on the iPod" needs clarifying. You cannot subscribe with any online stores that offer DRM-WMA - or PlaysForSure - music, using an iPod. This includes sites such as Yahoo!, Urge, amazon.com, Napster, etc. You can transcode the music into a supported format for the iPod, but the music will be rendered worthless. This also includes protected music subscribed with Real Player.
If you out-right purchase protected WMA music from the above sites, you can transcode that music to mp3. But I cannot see how all this supports the argument that the iPod is user friendly and easy to use in comparison to the Sandisk View or Creative ZEN, when both of those players support all those online sites and formats out of the box WITHOUT the need to transcode everything. And as I said, without the need for media managing software like iTunes.
4. Unlike creative, files not loaded onto the player with iTunes, end up becoming merely files. Files that can't be read and played by iPod itself.
Anyway, I bought a zen micro about 2-3 years ago. It's been dead for about a year now, so its lifespan was about 2 years. I really like creative mp3 players. Since i'm really not fond of all that hassle, I just stuck with zen and got a creative zen a couple weeks ago. Also, creative is well known for its sound quality when it comes to sound devices -- mp3 player and headphone/earphones included. It's mostly the reason why I've stuck with creative, time and again.
That said, I'm a little bit biased here, I'll admit. But creative's cheaper, with less hassle to use.. and well, I'm bait.
Edit: If creative still has products that use harddrives, then, well, stay away from that. My zen micro died cuz its hard drive had died and replacing the harddrive AND battery was worth more than buying a new one. Plus, the harddrives don't always work right out of the box (thank god for the warranty lol). With the zen micro, I've dropped it for a total of 6-8 times in the 2 years that I've had it (yeah, i counted). The flash-based players aren't that prone to sudden death via harddrive failure though.