[Hypnos]

Hi

Im looking to buy my girlfreind an MP3 player for christmas but im not sure which one to get her. I was looking at the Sony NWE005, but to copy music to it you must install sonys SonicStage software. I've read in some online reviews that SS can be quite difficult (and slow) to copy mp3's with. This could be a problem as my g/f is not as computer literate as I am so i'd need something which is easier to use. Can anyone suggest a 1 or 2gb player which is:

1) Easy to copy to via usb and doesnt require any additional software (prefferably drag and drop files to copy.)
2) Simple to navigate.

Also if theres any places that I can compare players that would also be a big help, Thanks!

[clh84]

I've never had a problem with Sony's software. I think a lot of people judge it on the older versions, and haven't tried the latest release.

If you want an MP3 player which is totally drag and drop (no software at all), look at the Cowon iAudio players. You won't come close on sound quality with much else.

Take a look at the iAudio U3 (1 or 2GB). Drag and drop, FM radio, voice/line-in/radio recorder, video player, USB-OTG, etc.

[joshua321]

I would suggest you check out something by Creative (my favourite brand of MP3 player). How about the Zen V +. You get a lot of nice features for 1 or 2 GB:

http://uk.europe.creative.com/produc...&product=15306

You can use Windows Explorer/ Windows Media Player to copy files and not install any extra software, but the supplied software is also intuitive.

Iriver and Samsung players are also fully compatible with Windows. To compare MP3 players, check out

www.advancedmp3players.co.uk

[sancheeez]

Originally Posted by clh84

If you want an MP3 player which is totally drag and drop (no software at all), look at the Cowon iAudio players. You won't come close on sound quality with much else.

Take a look at the iAudio U3 (1 or 2GB). Drag and drop, FM radio, voice/line-in/radio recorder, video player, USB-OTG, etc.

The U3 is nice.

For about £30 more than the 2gb U3, you can get the D1 (also a Cowon iAudio player) which is 4gb with a built in DAB Radio.

Linky.

[ney]

Have a look at the links from Argos thats what I have and its a good mp3 player. I think I got £5 of the MP3 player as it was on offer the week I got it.
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...go.x=8&go.y=13
I also got this for it.
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...ccessories.htm

Darren

[Hypnos]

Thanks for all recomendations! Cowen U2 looks pretty decent. The U3 with video player is probably a bit too much for g/f she isnt interested in videos etc just something for music. Anyone played around with the cowen is it pretty simple to navigate tracks etc?

Actually pretty interested in the D1 for myself now

[sancheeez]

I have an A2 (also Cowon) and have no real problems with the interface.

OK, the joystick isn't as slick as the iPod's click-wheel but it's easy enough to find your way around the player. Can't vouch directly for the D1 as it uses the slider thingy .... looks pretty similar to what Creative use on a lot of the newer Zen players.

Loading it with files is easy as pie. Just use explorer. Open up the drive it creates for it and inside are folders for Music, Video, Text etc ... pretty much idiot-proof.

They're nice players, the sound quality from them is excellent (compared with Creative and Apple players which I also have access to).

[clh84]

Easiest thing I've come across in terms of loading the music (I have the X5L but they basically all use the same system). Anyone who can copy & paste can use it!

I haven't had mine long, but the sound quality is the thing that blew me away. Been using Sony for a long time, but I think Cowon beats even them (IMO). There are about 10 bass settings for goodness sake!!

[Hypnos]

Originally Posted by sancheeez

OK, the joystick isn't as slick as the iPod's click-wheel but it's easy enough to find your way around the player. Can't vouch directly for the D1 as it uses the slider thingy .... looks pretty similar to what Creative use on a lot of the newer Zen players.

I never found the iPods wheel very easy to use, maybe just because im just used to a conventional control system.

I decided to get her a 2gb U3. Gonna get me a 4gb one after christmas.

Thanks all

[grassmarket]

Originally Posted by Hypnos

I decided to get her a 2gb U3. Gonna get me a 4gb one after christmas.

If you want your relationship to last past Pancake Day, though, I'd advise you to swap those around.

Martin

[The Sack]

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/110663

[richrocks13]

i brought this one a few months back and it is incredible, looks beautiful, takes alot to scratch it and it sounds incredible. i like alot of bass and this makes my eyes vibrate lol!

http://www.jensofsweden.com/product.aspx?product=mp500

[moisie]

In terms of software, in most instances the software with which you manage the library of players is free so you can try it out before if you want. If you have a drap and drop player then you obviously don't need to worry about the software - on the computer at least.

[Rugby Rose]

As an MP3 player newbie myself I spent hours and hours of searching Amazon reviews for an MP3 for myself. Ipod, Creative and Archos came up with the best reviews. There were all sorts of issues brought up like ease of use, cases scratching easily, stalling, ease of software and these three seemed to come out tops with Ipod having the best reviews, but Archos being recommended for ease of use, plus you get a lot more G's for your money, although the headphones aren't meant to be very good, but you can just use Media Player to transfer files rather than Itunes. However, I plumped for the Ipod Nano because you can get accessories for that such as docking station whereas you can't with the Archos.

Been using the Nano for a couple of days now and I'm really pleased with it and the software is easy to use. It automatically syncs with your files on Itunes everytime you plug it in and just drag and drop any music files from your pc onto Itunes or insert a CD and again just drag across the tracks you want to download.

However, if you just want a really simple, easy to use, drag and drop, no frills MP3 player, Currys and PC World are doing great deals on the bog standard stick ones as cheap as chips. Just bought a Matsui 512mb for £18 for my son and they are doing 1G for not much more. (Thought I'd test his ability to look after it before going for a more expensive one - he's only 6.) Not able to provide a recommendation or warn you off them yet as it's part of his Xmas bundle so haven't opened it let alone used it yet.

Anyway, check out the reviews on Amazon on the players you are looking at. I always find it helpful. Wish I'd done that before being sold a half price docking station with my Nano by PC world, I'd have known there was a problem with it - that's going back to the shop.

Bear in mind that if she really isn't that good on a pc you might be doing the downloading for her. A friend of mine wants an Ipod after seeing mine and he's seriously awful on the pc and I know I'm the one that's going to be sorting it out for him.

[-=Ice100k=-]

Originally Posted by grassmarket

If you want your relationship to last past Pancake Day, though, I'd advise you to swap those around.

Martin

Yup-yup. And also, since that's your girlfriend and not your old man, u should upgrade it to Nano. Makes less sense, overpriced, but what a fashion statement! And you can even get it engraved FOC if purchasing over net. And you can get a student discount if purchasing over net from a recognised institution's computer network. And it comes with an easy to use and very pretty iTunes. And you can use drag & drop as well (though it's not what it was made for).
I've got one of those (2 gig Nano, first generation)=)

[Rugby Rose]

Yup, I love my new Pink Nano.

[CoolboyA]

If you want cheap and easy to use:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Sans...082198-5850343

Or:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Sans...082198-5850343

Or:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Sans...082198-5850343

If you don't want video and pictures.

The 1GB of the above is £24.99:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Sans...&s=electronics

[mocha-latte]

Sorry for hijacking this thread...
But Is the Sony Bean any good, I really like the look of that, esp the pink one, have to soon make my mind up which I would like for Xmas, know nothing about them Help!

DaJo xx

[pumazooma]

I'd have to say the nano.
I've had one since the day they came out and it's simplistic genius. Very simple and intuitive to use and itunes is a superb piece of software.

[infiniteloop]

surely buying a girlfriend anything but a Nano is a hanging offence?

[mocha-latte]

Thanks for replies, will have a look
not the bean then


DaJo xx

[ney]

Whats the differance between an mp3 with a portable solid state and one
with a hard disk drive.
I got the iTronics 2GB MP3 Player. http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...id%2Bstate.htm
iTronics now do a 4GB MP3 Player.
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...sk%2Bdrive.htm

Darren

[pumazooma]

Just a guess but the solid state ones have no moving parts so they're a lot more robust and less likely to fail I would think.