MP3 Players vs IPODS

L

leckbass

0
I'm trying to understand the difference between the two, and why an IPOD is so much more money. My buddy gave me his old 1 gig MP3 player, i loaded it up with songs and have been using it in my truck. Its great, i get to hear all the music i love, but i would like to have a large capacity version. When i was looking for a new one, i saw the prices of IPODS and noticed that the MP3 players are by far cheaper. Why do so many people have IPODS instead of an MP3 player? It seems to me where i can buy songs for the IPOD is so limited, and i can buy music anywhear for the MP3 player. All i want to do i listen to music.
What is your opinions on the difference? Why would i want to pay more for an IPOD?

Thanks
 
So, there are a few reasons they cost more:

1. Brand, plain and simple.
2. iTunes. Fully compatible with the largest <cough> legal <cough> music/tv/video downloading site available. It makes it easy. Now that they've removed DRM, you can mostly download songs and put them on any other player, but the iPod just allows you to sync everything more simply.
3. Third party product availability. Go into Best Buy and look at cases, docks, running straps, whatever. All third parties makes crap for the iPod, but not so much for other players. Most of it you don't need anyhow, though.
4. Community - if it breaks or you have questions, everyone on the damn planet has an iPod, so someone can answer your question.

There are definitely better players out there, but if you get an iPod just gives you the benefit of scale. I think if it's just you and you just want music, get whichever one you like. You won't miss these things. I know a lot of people that love the Zune, for example, but Microsoft just can't make a dent. Archos and other brands make some good stuff, too.
 
Now that they've removed DRM, you can mostly download songs and put them on any other player, but the iPod just allows you to sync everything more simply
Click to expand...

Thank mfor your reply, what is DRM?
 
It's 'digital rights management'. It's restriction that media companies put on digital files to *try* to control it. For itunes, you could only play purchased songs on an ipod and only on 5 computers. So if I bought something on itunes, it wouldn't work on other mp3 players. There are tons of different types of DRM (DVDs have DRM, which is why you can't just rip them). There are lots of ways around DRM, but removing it can be a pain in the ass. Without DRM, a song is just a song. You can play it on your computer, your ipod or any other MP3 player and copy it and move it around as you see fit.
 
An MP3 player can't handle schedules, word processing apps, PDF file viewers, the internet, e-mail, dictionaries...basically, Ipods are mini computers. They can do a LOT of things.

I track my workouts with mine. I have a wireless blue tooth stereo headset for mine. You can sort music with it...the functionality, for one who needs it, is amazing. I even educate myself with mine...

Also, if you are savvy enough, DRM doesn't stand a chance against you.

but removing it can be a pain in the ass.
Click to expand...

Basically, in my own understanding, and, possibly, experience, a click of a button is all that is needed to remove such restrictions.

Nah - I don't steal software.
 
It depends. I'm ok with it, but it depends on the drm, the tools you have and your level of commitment. My sister would never try to figure out how to remove DRM and I'm not sure she could. It's just not her thing. The bottom line is, though, that you shouldn't have to deal with it at all.
 
I love my mp3 player, I have places where I download myy music for free. For me, an MP3 player you just listen to music on it
 
an Ipod costs more because Apple makes it. Plain and simple.

Compare an Ipod to a comparable model of the Microsoft Zune. Same features, same battery life, the Zune has an FM tuner (Ipods are just finally starting to include a damn tuner after 6 years)...and you're paying at least $40 less for the same capacity.

Everyone I know with an Ipod abhors using iTunes to sync it and they all flock to free 3rd party utilities.

When talking about the iPod Touch, that's WAY more than an mp3 player...its really a mini computer, and honestly is the same as the iPhone minus the 'phone' aspect.

I roll with an 8GB Zune that iv'e had for like 2 years now. its great. I also have an HTC hero phone which is an Android based phone (i.e. like an iPhone but better cuz Apple didn't rip me off and i'm not locked into their corporate money making bull**** schemes).
 
the costs differences i've seen are much greater than 40 dollars, its more like 100-200-300 dollars less for a mp3 player. I think i'm going to settle on a 8 or 16 gig mp3 player. I dont listen to music in the gym, just when i am at home and driving and fishing
 
If those are the price differences you saw, then, I think, you saw an Ipod touch. That is way more than a simple MP3 player, like others have said.

An ipod shuffle, which is all you need, IMO, costs less than 100$. Way less I think too. Last time I bought one I believe I paid 60$ for it.

Why people like more Ipods than other MP3 playyers is just a stereotype, IMO.

People like, what it seems to them, reputable names.
 
Depends what you want from it but IMO, apple i-touch's can be a waste of time unless your really into your touch screen- I have tried a few makes yet apples touch screen just works better, simple as that.

But as music goes, a normal MP3 is far better, you can in most cases upload more onto it- apple wont let you download certain things which can be annoying in the least and scream-and-throw-the-damn-machine-at-the-wall anger provoking at the other extreme- apple are very protective over their models and like people to use itunes wherever possible (so they can keep up thier revenue) for this reason, many mp3 downloads I have are not allowed onto my apple nano, and to make matters worse, apple upgrade their systems and tracks quite often, you can 'lose' tracks this way, they get updated, you lose the track. I know this as I had a nano, 8gb almost full, I got a sony, filled that then 1 year after last using it went back to the nano. Did my apple account have all my tracks? nope as I had re-booted my computer and wiped everything, so the £££ I spent on all my nano tracks were gone once I plugged in my nano to my computer.....
That never happens with my other MP3 players and apple were less then helpful.

MP3 players are chaper then apple and the price that apple charge does not indicate they are that much better. Sure apple players are more streamlined but asking for double to 10 times the price is a bit over the top. When your at the gym, all you really need are a good sound (which is dependant on the earphones) and a decent amount of space (defined by the GB on the MP3) Other things to consider are the ease of use -especially if your on the go, design/how it looks- do you really want to get mugged or look like a chav? chose the style carefully! and customer service should anything go wrong the last thing you want is a long delay whilst they faff around saying "it aint broke".
 
iPod

I'm totally for iPod. I have had few MP3s before I got my first iPod and none of them were as great as iPod. Despite that it's my third iPod, I still love them. First two got broken. First one was probably my mistake, as I was charging it in the car and unplugged suddenly. Unfortunately, warranty date was past so I had to buy new one. New one must have been broken from the beginning because it worked only two months. I think there were problems with the battery as it couldn't turn on. However, they gave me new one but I still was sad because all my files were lost.
That new one is great and it's now almost a year as I have this iPod. I wouldn't change it to anything. By the way, all my iPods were Classics as I prefer capacity to size.

I bet you don't understand while I still would choose iPod after two of them got broken. That's just my opinion.
 
LeeGiS said:
I'm totally for iPod. I have had few MP3s before I got my first iPod and none of them were as great as iPod. Despite that it's my third iPod, I still love them. First two got broken. First one was probably my mistake, as I was charging it in the car and unplugged suddenly. Unfortunately, warranty date was past so I had to buy new one. New one must have been broken from the beginning because it worked only two months. I think there were problems with the battery as it couldn't turn on. However, they gave me new one but I still was sad because all my files were lost.
That new one is great and it's now almost a year as I have this iPod. I wouldn't change it to anything. By the way, all my iPods were Classics as I prefer capacity to size.

I bet you don't understand while I still would choose iPod after two of them got broken. That's just my opinion.
Click to expand...

No, I 'get' you- they work seamlessly and have a type of quality that MP3 players just don't have, but in terms of counting the pennys (or cents/dollars/whatever currency you deal) MP3s will always be more affordable. If Apple lowered their prices and allowed all MP3 and WMP formats onto their players, I'm sure they'd have many many more customers!
 
summer123 said:
No, I 'get' you- they work seamlessly and have a type of quality that MP3 players just don't have, but in terms of counting the pennys (or cents/dollars/whatever currency you deal) MP3s will always be more affordable. If Apple lowered their prices and allowed all MP3 and WMP formats onto their players, I'm sure they'd have many many more customers!
Click to expand...

I agree. But in this case, you pay for brand, not for player itself. Microsoft have Zune and they're very similar to iPods. And prices are almost the same. But none of my friends or even acquaintances have it. Why is that? It's a brand. Lot of my friends have iPods, even though they're costly and they can buy 2 identical MP3s with the same price as the iPod. They simply don't - they love the way iPod works and brand itself. And why Apple doesn't lower the price? If they lowered the price, they would lose their brand's worth. It would be cheap brand, while now it's one of the most expensive brand, if not the most expensive, in the whole electronic industry.
 
Wow, same question! Now I will go with your answers..maybe mp3 is real way better with ipods. Thanks! I shall buy one now!
 
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