No Love for iPod and Zune Alternative MP3 Players
April 12, 2007
You have to hand it to geeks. My recent article, 20 Strange and Unique iPod Stories, started off with the statement, "I'm not a fan of the iPod". I had a few e-mails from some people in response saying that my negative opinion of the iPod wasn't valid, because I didn't justify my statement.
I can't blame them - I'm a fellow geek and often demand a little more justification or reasoning than good. But opinions don't need to be justified. It's just a comfort thing. If you're happy with what you've got, then great.
At any rate, I wasn't taken aback by the criticism - I expect and embrace it - but it got me thinking; Apple has dominated the market for a few years now with iPod; and now Microsoft has hopped on board, they are touting the Zune as "the alternative" on the market.
But, what if you're like me and you're not a fan of either? What alternatives out there? Here's a list of nine suggestions you might consider looking into:
The Creative Alternative
Creative are obviously most well known for their line of sound cards for PCs (SoundBlaster Audigy, SoundBlaster X-Fi, etc.), so jumping onto the MP3 Player bandwagon is somewhat of a natural transition for this company. The 30GB Creative Zen Vision:M seems to be their most popular model on the market at the moment - it received 156 user reviews over at NewEgg.com, with 79% of reviewers giving it 5 "eggs". The Zen plays MP3s, WMAs, and WAVs - and also plays most of the common video formats found in Windows, including DivX. This player will cost you about $230.
The Cheap Alternative
So you want an MP3 player but are strapped for cash? There are cheap alternatives out there, but for the most part you get what you pay for. The exception to that rule, however, seems to be the 256MB SanDisk Digital Audio Player. Costing around $20, the SanDisk Player is powered on an AAA battery and plays MP3 and WMA files. Like most players, this one also comes with a voice recorder and FM tuner - but for $20 you just can't go wrong. If you want a cheap alternative, this would be the model I'd recommend.
The High-End Alternative
Coming in with a monstrous 160GB capacity, the Archos 504 is probably one of the most insane multimedia players I've come across. The video playback reads most standard file formats, and can also record directly from television. The screen is an impressive 4.3 inches, and the battery life (5 hours for video, 17 hours for audio) is not too shabby. It plays MP3s, WAVs, and WMAs, and is compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac. The biggest downfall at present is the cost. Right now, you'd be hard pressed to find this model going for under $500 anywhere.
My Personal Choice
The Multimedia Player I use is the 60GB Cowon iAudio X5. Costing about $280, the iAudio X5 is capable of playing MP3s, OGGs, FLACs, WAVs, and WMAs. The video feature is reasonable, compatible with XviD and MPEG-4, though you have to run the videos through the JetAudio conversion software before you throw it onto the player. The FM tuner/recorder is excellent, as is the voice recorder; and also, the built-in rechargeable battery is handy. The only con I found with the Cowon is the transfer rate for moving MP3s from your computer to the player can be a little laggy at times - but that isn't such a big deal when you need time to practice your Jedi Meditation techniques.
The Linux Alternative - One to Buy
Quite often, when confronted with extreme and complicated compatibility issues, Linux users will smash their heads against the wall, like small furry woodland creatures trapped in some psychotic science experiment. I understand their frustration: it's really hard to find a decent MP3 player that has smooth compatibility with Linux. From all indications and reviews I've read online, the 12GB TrekStor MP3 is compatible with Linux from Kernel 2.4.x. It's also compatible with Windows (including Vista) for those of you running a PC with dual-boot options; and if you're an Apple fangirl or fanboy and are sick and tired of the iPod, this model also runs on Mac OS X. The TrekStor costs about $230.
The Linux Alternative - One to Make
Linux users who also pride themselves on making, modding, customizing their own stuff might be interested in this project. Jon Bell, over at Jon Bell's Labs, put together his own MP3 player running on Linux. The full tutorial on how he did it is up at his site. It's fundamentally designed as a player to use in a vehicle, but considering it was first put up online back in 2004, I'm sure that many of you could probably adapt and change the concept to make your very own unique MP3 player. Best of all: it runs on Linux.
The Swiss Army Alternative
If you're after a player with practical use then look no further than the Swiss Army Beat MP3, currently available at ThinkGeek.com. This is the first official Swiss Army Knife with a built in MP3 player (or, depending on how you look at it, the first official MP3 player with a built in Swiss Army Knife). The Swiss Beat MP3 can cost you about $150, but only has 1GB capacity. If it's disk space you're after, then this one probably isn't enough bang for your buck - but if you're after a novelty item for its infinite coolness, then it might be worth your while.
The Weird Alternative
The OSIM iGoGo is probably the weirdest MP3 player I've ever come across. It doesn't just play your songs; it also massages you. Yes, you read that right. The iGoGo comes with a massaging system that is synchronized to the music playing at the time. I wonder how it synchronizes with something like Meshuggah... If this is your thing, bear in mind, it only comes with 128MB flash memory to store your music on, and it will cost you more than $500 depending upon where you get it from.
The Academic or Business Alternative
Are most of the players out there too bulky for you? Or do you need a stealthy alternative to sneak a player into your classroom or office? Then perhaps the USB JetPen MP3 Player is that alternative. Coming with up to 1GB flash memory, this pen has 7 hours playing time, and doubles as a flash drive. The 1GB model will cost you about $60, and the 512MB alternative is about $45; and can also be used as a voice recorder.
So there you have it. Bear in mind, this is not a "be all end all" list. It focuses on a few different styles of multimedia players that might be worth checking out. I suggest to always do a Google search for quality reviews of the products you're thinking of getting. There's a lot of great techy sites out there that do unboxing articles, and really put their gadgets to the test. All in all, it's your decision in the end - but if you're like me and don't really get into the iPod or Zune groove, then there are some very awesome alternatives out there. Get your jams on.
