Which should I get? I have some "survey" points, and can get a 1GB mp3 player, but I'm not sure of the brand, it won't cost me anything. Or I can go to Wallyworld and get something there. Besides an iPod, what are some good brands that I should be looking for?

Samsung makes some excellent players along with iRiver and Sandisk. All of them have better and more features and are more robust than your standard iPod. However, having said that, the iPod is the current fad, it does what it is supposed to do, but nothing more.

Ipod is nice, but it has the disadvantage of that battery problem (if the battery wears out you have to send the unit in, and you get some unit back which may not be yours).

Other players use triple A batteries, so that's a good feature.

Just last weekend I saw the little, tiny, Ipod that's about an inch and a half square and has covers for it. I couldn't get over how cute it is, but someone told me you can't select what music you hear. You just listen to what it plays.

Some Mp3 players are pretty inexpensive. I've seen them hanging on cards at drug stores. Many, though, don't have the kind of display Ipod has. They have a more primitive display. They do, however, play music and sound good.

I've heard lots of good things about the Zen.
I have an iPod, and don't have any complains about it. I wasn't too crazy about the Samsung ones I reviewed back in the day.

Well, thanks for the suggestions. I may just bite the bullet and order the one they have. I don't care about features, I just want to be able to listen to what I have stored there, and change things out when I want to.

I've heard lots of good things about the Zen.
I have an iPod, and don't have any complains about it. I wasn't too crazy about the Samsung ones I reviewed back in the day.

You haven't had problems with the DRM? Like not being able to move your music around the way you want to and have your existing pre-iTunes music stop functioning? Or not be able to drop the files off on one of your other computers even though you OWN the music?

You haven't had problems with the DRM? Like not being able to move your music around the way you want to and have your existing pre-iTunes music stop functioning? Or not be able to drop the files off on one of your other computers even though you OWN the music?

I don't use my iPod all that much, and I've not had any problems! I'm not a big fan of iTunes, though.

I have an iPod and I love it. I've never had problems with it, and it's like my best friend. It does way more than what's necessary, in my opinion.

I've heard that the Zen is alright, but I haven't actually used one myself.

The Zen uses technology that Apple stole from them, but in a court battle, Creative Labs decided the fight wasn't worth it and settled for a small cash settlement an agreement that both of them could use the technology, and licensing for making iPod Accessories. Gee, thanks Apple...

The Zen allows easy drag and drop of music files through windows without an iTunes type software or aftermarket utility. You can share the music with a friend if you choose and it works like a regular USB drive. If that music came from iTunes, you can pretty much forget about that activity. The DRM where R stands for Restrictions not Rights will also make it impossible for you to buy music for another person like you would a CD. Buy them an iTunes Prepaid card I guess.

The first iPod that I had recently was broken out of the box. It froze when it started up and was unresponsive. It required an immediate firmware upgrade. But then I discovered the touchpad was flaky and it wouldn't shut off. You would think that someone would test to made sure it worked before leaving the factory? I have another one here, a 2 GB current gen nano, but I have not cracked the packing tape on it for fear that it will just make me mad...again...

Previous to that, I used to spend a lot of time trying to help people figure out why their iPod didn't charge, why it wouldn't connect via USB, why Apple wouldn't allow over the counter exchange at a retailer, and why a poor parent scraped up enough tips from working two jobs to buy one for their kid for Xmas only to have it be defective shortly after the New Year...and then cry in front of you :(

On the flip side, I've never had to help anyone with another brand of MP3 player, even the cheapie $50 buck Curtis ones. When something breaks more than a CURTIS...that's truly sad...

I hope no one else has to have my unique perspective on the Apple iPod and I'm glad some people are enjoying them, but I brand the iPod as a mediocre product with great marketing. It also helps that they have a spokesperson that could sell you ice in Alaska. Until then, I await Apple to do something truly exceptional with the iPod to warrant my admiration.

Thanks, Firewire, for the review. I'm thinking that a cheaper version might be the way to go. I can always upgrade if I find that I need more than the "cheapo" version can deliver. I'm sure my son would love an mp3 player when I'm ready to give it up. ;)

Some of the reasonably inexpensive ones aren't bad at all. Some of them don't have the features and display that the Nano has, but they're not bad at all. I've seen some hanging on cards at places like CVS.

A place like Staples or WalMart usually have a good selection with a good price range.

I have a Sandisk player that takes SD cards. They also work in my laptop, and both printers so I can pop them into my desktop system, too.

Now I'm seeing 4 gig SD cards for about $40.

im using one of those 4GB PnP MP3 Players off Ebay, with free shipping. Beats the hell out of an ipod, got a whole heap more functions, and although it might be a bit cheapo, its alt least usable.

I also don't care for the Ipod. The Ipod is truly, and utterly, nothing special in anyway. It really only got to be as big as did because of the insanely over zealous marketing they have. Most other brands/companies either hardly advertise, or don't advertise atall! It's a problem of the other brands products simply not being known.
It also helps that they have a spokesperson that could sell you ice in Alaska.

Creative's Zen(s) from what I hear is a fairly amazing product(s). I haven't used one personally, but from a little researching of Mp3/4 players I'd have to put them at or near the top of my purchase list for when I can actually afford anything! That and I hear Cowon is also another great runner up.

Both iRiver and Cowon do an exceptional job along with Creative. Some of the iRiver and Cowon units have seperate DAC boards that really clean up the sound and improve fidelity. They've really carved out a niche for themselves with people that want anything but Apple.

I've heard of the Creative Zen and iRiver, but who the heck is Cowon?

I've heard of the Creative Zen and iRiver, but who the heck is Cowon?

They are a Taiwanese company that's quite popular overseas.

I did some research on them (Cowon) and they seem to make a damn good player. I'm just about ready to break down (financially, the mental happened years ago.:D) and plunk down some of my cabbage and purchase a player. I'm looking at the 8GB to 20GB range and more towards to 8GB end. Unless of course someone comes up with a cogent reasoning stream (aka valid arguement) for getting the larger one. (Other than the obvious, more space.)

There is no way I could recommend something larger UNLESS you are leaving for a ginormous road trip that lasts for weeks and you don't want to hear the same song twice. I think 8 GB's is plenty for music, even at a higher quality rip. I mean, seriously, how many hours are you going to listen for?

It got the freebie from the points I had. It's a COBY mp3 clip with 1GB memory. I'm using mine to listen to audio workshops, not songs. So, I'm thinking 1 GB might not be big enough.

There is no way I could recommend something larger UNLESS you are leaving for a ginormous road trip that lasts for weeks and you don't want to hear the same song twice. I think 8 GB's is plenty for music, even at a higher quality rip. I mean, seriously, how many hours are you going to listen for?

That's what I thougt. Thank-you for the confirmation on my reasoning. I don't see the point of having huge storage when I end up listening to a limited number of songs. I just rearrange them into groups for "mood" lists. Energetic, mellow, dance, head space (aka more thought provoking) et al. Head space would include everything from Mozart, Kiri Te Kanawa, The Three Tenors (now two), Wilhelmina Wiggins Fernandez, The Talking Heads, Black Lab, Audioslave, The Eels, Collective Soul, Jon and Vangelis, Renata Tiabaldi, Savage Garden..... eclectic to say the least.

That's quite an array of musical tastes there, Chuck. Mine used to be quite diverse as well, but lately I've settled into just one or two kinds. When you add the musical tastes of the hubby and 2 kids, there's just not enough room in the house for all of them at once!

Just my cat Shady and I and she doesn't care what I play all that much. As of yet, I haven't caught her downloading or burning any music yet. Maybe I'll search the web for her for the sound of mice, voles, small birds and other prey that she would usually be all over. :D ;)