Bob

it's marketing...if you wanted quality, you'd get iRiver...much better all round.

Bob

they do, but the software is crap, it works a bit like windows media player 10, so don't bother with it, I don't, I use media player to sync up playlists if I don't just drag and drop the files.

Chandler

So, just to be clear:

If I buy an Ipod I'm not limited to only downloading tunes at a cost from the itunes website?

neil

I have found the software pretty good. It's been very easy to sync up my external hard drive full of music and the player, and also to copy CD's directly onto the player.

Bob

don't know about the new player, but the ipods, they wouldn't play tunes that were bought else where, real player released a "hack" but are being sued for it...

Bob

I didn't like it, didn't offer anything over drag and drop or windows media, so was just taking up extra space..i didn't like it's play listing...

dbj1000

iPods will play any standard MP3 file. They also play AAC files which are not copy-protected, and AAC files downloaded from the iTunes Music Store which are copy-protected. They will also play Apple Lossless format (uncompressed, very high quality, but huge), WAV and AIFF files.

What they will not play are Windows Media files (WMV) or copy-protected songs in formats from other online music purchase stores like Napster.

So, if you have many CDs which you have ripped to MP3 files, or have downloaded from other less legal sources, you can play them fine on an iPod. The only thing you might have that you can't play is songs you paid money for from an online service other than Apple's iTunes Music Store.

britchicknyc

Am still in two minds about all this but....

Never had an mp3 player of anykind and the shuffle seems like a good way to see if this is something I would use a lot without investing $300. Also it seems very simple to use, as I am not highly technical.

You can "shuffle" but you can also play in order.

I don't have a ton of CD's I wish to place on it. I would be happy with around 100 which I could change/update every 6 weeks or so.

$99 - just seems like a beginnings price point too. I do not have a lot of demands, like some men - just something simple, easy and not cost a ton!

Am I being foolish?

Bob

you'll be surprised how handy they are, I got a tape convertor for the car that I plug my player in, it's easier changing the tunes on the player than having a tonne of cd's in the car, or filling up the cd box changer....and your mp3 collection will grow quickly once you start ripping your tunes and stuff...bit like a mobile phone, don't know how useful they can be until you get one I guess...

You could probably get one that's a lot cheaper than $100, with smaller storage if you only wnated to play around with one...

Dunca

Hi

I've used SoundCapture for a coupld of years with out any problems http://www.download.com/SoundCapture...-10117490.html a free program which records directly from your sound card...It may lack some of the additional features that you get with other programs, but its FREE...

Duncan