MP3 Recommendations for Running

Hey Andrea,

Sorry to butt in....
Have you checked out Consumer reports on MP3's?

I did and I am expecting my new mp3 tomorrow...can't wait.

I ended up getting the Sony Walkman NWZ-A818 (8 GB) Flash-Memory MP3 Player. It does not have FM radio...but I don't like to have someone talking in my ear about stupid stuff anyway. ;-) It also does not have a microphone and is not MAC compatible..
What it does have is more important to me...Volume limiter..in case my kids decide to borrow it!

Please do some checking around before buying because it is well worth the effort to get just what you want.


:D
 
Go get an iPhone, it has everything and more!

I use the Nano and love, love, love it! I need a new one though, I am almost out of space. I have thrashed mine pretty bad too and it still keeps tickin'! But then again, I have never owned an MP3 player, so don't know how it compares.
 
Hi Heidi and TNeah,

The Sony and the iPhone are great choices for a higher budget.

Personally I prefer the ipod touch to the iPhone. I text message a great deal and find the iPhone cumbersome for it. Both the iphone and the ipod touch have an amazing touch screen interface that is totally seductive. Yet they are relatively heavy to wear around the arm for running and exercise.

The Sony is light and is a good choice if you want a player with more space on it.

If budget were not a constraint, I would look at one of the new Samsung models. They have bluetooth built in. That would al;low you to buy and use a pair of wireless headphones. I find wires from the headphone a pain - not at all when running, but when weight training. Most players do not have bluetooth integrated so you would need to plug in a bluetooth adapter into the player. With the Samsung, it is "ready" without an adapter to be paired with a set of bluetooth wireless headphone.

The bluetooth headphones I am most lusting after are these new ones from Jaybird Gear. A hefty price tag but the smallest bluetooth set I could find anywhere and sweat resistant! http://www.jaybirdgear.com/JB-100-JayBird-Bluetooth-stereo-headset.php
There are no reviews on the gadget boards yet, but once they are out I am going to get me a pair of there with an ipod adapter!
 
TNeah,

I swap content into and out of the ipod nano player. It is quite easy to do that from itunes, provided your entire library is on one PC. If you have synced stuff off multiple PCs onto your ipod, this wont be as feasible.

My husband is the type of person who prefers not to plan ahead. He needs a large capacity player because he wants *everything* on it so that he can play anything from his collection at whim.

I find I dont really need my whole music collection on my player. I organize my player each weekend with exercise and non-exercise content for the week. I think I listen to more variety this way because I am forced every weekend to scout about in my collection and pick stuff for the week ahead.

Vrinda
 
For anyone who wants to buy a player to be ready for Cathe's downloadable video workouts, unless you do not mind converting formats, please check that the player supports MPEG4 H.256 (also called MPEG4 Part 10) format. Chris had mentioned in a past thread that Cathe's workouts would be in this format.

All ipod models do. Many other players do as well.
 
Hi Vrinda,
This leads me to a question about the Video/Audio choice...

How does one 'see' what is on their player if their MP3 does not have a screen?

I'm a very 'visual' person and I think I would need to see my playlist in order to use it most effectively, which would make me lean more towards that Creative Zen that you mentioned because it has a screen.

Am I thinking about this the right way or am I missing something?

Thanks again!
 
Andrea,

A model with a good screen is a necessity for workouts. Finding the right workout playlist is very frustrating otherwise.

All the models that I recommended to you have screens (ipod nano older refurbished model, Sansa clip, Creative Zen and Archos). Sansa Clip has less detail on the screen compared to the rest of these models, but it still has enough features to find a song / playlist and know what is playing / what comes next.

Ipod Nano and Creative are the easiest to navigate, and between the two I think ipod has a bit of an edge.
 
>Andrea,
>
>A model with a good screen is a necessity for workouts.
>Finding the right workout playlist is very frustrating
>otherwise.
>
>All the models that I recommended to you have screens (ipod
>nano older refurbished model, Sansa clip, Creative Zen and
>Archos). Sansa Clip has less detail on the screen compared to
>the rest of these models, but it still has enough features to
>find a song / playlist and know what is playing / what comes
>next.
>
>Ipod Nano and Creative are the easiest to navigate, and
>between the two I think ipod has a bit of an edge.
>
>
>
Thanks, once again, Vrinda!! I think it's going to be the ipod Nano for me:)
 
Andrea,

Hang in there and dont place your order yet. I am going to do a comparison table with pros and cons for you later tonight.

:)

Vrinda
 
Andrea, you've had fabulous advice. I just wanted to mention that the iphone and itouch are, I believe, larger and heavier than the nano. For running, this could be an issue. If you want another opinion, I LOVE my little nano. Tiny, light as a feather, flash memory, tons of capacity, and a screen so you can easily see your playlists.

ETA: I just want to mention that I was surprised at the good quality of the nano earbuds. They weren't the kind that you just toss into the trash as soon as you open the case. If I weren't such an audio fanatic, I'd probably be using them. Most people I see on the streets of NY are using them.
 
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