| According to the latest market studies, the | | | | college, begin a family, or just get on with |
| iPod has sold over 1.5 million units as | | | | life. And with this, we begin to see the |
| compared to the other MP3 players. The iPod | | | | benefits of more affordable MP3 players, not |
| video 30gb holds over 15,000 songs, 25,000 | | | | just one. We begin to look at what we want in |
| photos, or 150 hours of video with a battery | | | | a MP3 player beside a brand name. |
| life of 14 hours for music, and two hours for | | | | |
| videos. This is exciting when we think about | | | | The most important focus for most buyers who |
| having no choices a few years ago, or | | | | are paying their own bills is money. The |
| carrying around a lot of CDs. Of course, we | | | | iPods are very expensive, with a |
| could always listen to the car stereo! But | | | | nonreplacable battery that loses its |
| when a person is out shopping for a MP3 | | | | resiliency in about a couple years. And if |
| player, is the iPod really any better? | | | | money is issues with the ol' pocket ... |
| | | | consider how much extra space you can get for |
| First of all, we need to understand that the | | | | your dollar by going with a different brand |
| iPod is an MP3 player, not that iPods and MP3 | | | | name than iPod. If the price tag on the iPod |
| players are identical and in competition. A | | | | 60GB player is $399 and the price tag on the |
| good rule of thumb to remember is this: when | | | | Toshiba 60GB player is $249, then a person |
| you look for a DVR, you don't say you are | | | | has something to consider. Another option |
| looking for a DVR. For example, you say you | | | | could be the MP3 CD players, which offer more |
| are looking for a Tivo. An analogy would be | | | | megabytes per dollar with CDs that hold 10 |
| this - when you go to buy a carbonated | | | | hours of music each. Some people get hung up |
| beverage or soda, you don't say you are | | | | on the fact it is not a hard drive-based |
| looking for a carbonated beverage, you say | | | | player, while others feel it is comparable |
| you are looking for a Coke or a Pepsi. Both | | | | enough to go for the extra saved money. It's |
| are carbonated beverages. When you look for | | | | all about choice. |
| an MP3 player, you don't say you are looking | | | | |
| for a MP3 player - because it could be any | | | | Additionally, the iPod video and audio |
| brand, including the iPod. You say you are | | | | formats can sometimes cause problems with |
| looking for an iPod. This, and other subtle | | | | people who like to use certain types of media |
| differences, is the difference between an | | | | formats. Apple uses a few exclusive types of |
| iPod and an MP3 player. And when recognizing | | | | video and audio formats, like the AAC-encoded |
| this, understand that of all the negative | | | | files, because they are Apple where other |
| reviews of any of the MP3 players, all the | | | | manufacturers use multiple formats to become |
| complaints of errors were 95% user errors - | | | | more attractive to the consumer. Many |
| not reading what the item was actually | | | | reviews consider this an extremely negative |
| capable of doing. | | | | drawback to the iPod, as they feel "hemmed |
| | | | in". Other MP3 players allow the choice of |
| The iPod is the most popular MP3 player out | | | | "BuyMusic", "Musicmatch", or "Napster". Most |
| there. This is not even open for discussion. | | | | MP3 players support a wide range musical |
| Owned by celebrities in the Rolling Stone | | | | service choices. Make sure you investigate |
| Magazine or on Entertainment Tonight, you | | | | what formats are supported by iPod and other |
| never see them talking about the benefits and | | | | manufacturers you are considering, it could |
| features of their Creative Labs or iRiver, | | | | make or break your purchase. |
| other brands of the MP3 players. Why? Because | | | | |
| it is not considered "hip" or "cool" to talk | | | | Apple's iPod is the industry leader for a |
| about anything other than an iPod. It HAS to | | | | reason, because they make tremendous |
| be an iPod for a person to fit in, to be with | | | | products, but that doesn't mean that there |
| it, and to be accepted as one of the leaders | | | | aren't other great products on the market. |
| in MP3 players. | | | | With many drawback such as a high price, |
| | | | review complaints of limited support, limited |
| But then, don't most of us grow up? We begin | | | | memory, limited types of music that can be |
| to see all options that fit our needs, not | | | | recorded or played, or with unlimited ability |
| just what is hip. We begin to see ourself as | | | | to record online music. Other brands to look |
| an individual, not just as one of a group - | | | | would be Rio, Creative, Samsung or Dell - it |
| with no separate identity. We pass through | | | | may be time to do a comparison study! |
| Junior High and High school, and head into | | | | |