Can I get my daughter a good MP3 player without having to go to the expense of an I-POD?

Any recommendations? We bought her a little Sansa Sandisk last year for about $30 but it is not holding up well. Is Sansa a better product in the higher $ range?

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Polly
wife and mom
participating in an OPC church plant effort in Collierville, TN
living in N MS

We tried two Memorex ones for my daughter and both gave it up in less than 6 months. She now has I-pod Nano 16 gb. I know it is more but it is worth it in the long run. I have the same one and it is great.

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Serving Christ in Tennessee.
Judson
Elder - Reformed Baptist
Hixson, TN

www.christschurchofchattanooga.com

My five-year-old Sansa works great, so I'm not much help. I always recommend Sansa for those that don't want to pay Ipod prices. You sacrifice a tiny bit of sound quality for a less restricted source of music and files.

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Anna
Wife of Tim/Marrow Man
Louisville, KY
Member of Midlane Park Presbyterian (Associate Reformed Presbyterian)

What kind of capacity are you looking for? What price range?

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Rae W. | Elder @ Grace Central Presbyterian Church | Columbus, OH
Online presence: blog | twitter | facebook

There are cheapies from $20 (sometimes less on clearance items) on up. Example: a 256Mb Creative MuVo (el cheapie) They usually use AAA batteries and I would recommend rechargeable. I got an iPod shuffle from Avon for $30 (a friend sells it & my wife uses it ). It holds plenty of podcasts and hundreds of songs. Good enough for me because I like to rotate the content from my library. Also: it has no moving parts hard drive to fail from getting knocked around as the large capacity ones do. You can find them in Target, WalMart or whatever dept store is close.

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Rich Koster
1689'er
Browns Mills NJ USA
Often Goofy Reformed Eccentric
Romans 7:14-25

I don't know!

We'd like to stick close to $100 max. But far less than that if possible. I think Costco has a Sandisk for about $60

Geeks.com - Computer parts, Laptop computers, Desktop computers, Computer hardware has a great selection, I got a cross shape MP3 from there and it works great

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Doug
Baptist
Hemet, Ca
Old Time Radio Podcast

If you're not picky about the order you hear what's on it, an Ipod Shuffle runs around $50 regular price--and might be found more cheaply. Now, if you're trying to listen to something in a particular order (audio books, sermon series, etc.), that's not a good option.

What IS the best option when trying to choose a particular sermon or hymn out of many? I have 2 SanDisks and that's my one complaint: the tiny window that makes it difficult to view and choose content. Thanks.

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Norm
IA PCA

In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. Ephesians 1:4-5

Get a refurbished iPod straight from Apple. You can get a refurbished 1GB iPod shuffle for $40, a 2GB shuffle for $60, or a 8GB iPod nano for $100.

Refurbished iPod - Apple Store (U.S.)

If you are nervous about refurbished, the majority of them are returns with no defect other than the plastic was removed and the remainder shoved back in the box by someone who wanted something else.

Thank Rae, I think I might look into this too

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Josiah Lovett
Member of
Trinity OPC
Bothell WA
Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Westminster Standards

I have a 4GB Sansa Fuze that I got in March for about $65 and it's been absolutely fantastic. My only problem with it is that I dinged the screen the first week I had it (actually did so on the airplane across the Atlantic while asleep - I guess it slipped between me and my armrest and got nicked). The sound quality is superb and the sync method using Windows Media Player is seamless.

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Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://inprincipiodeus.solideogloria.com
http://puritanwisdom.blogspot.com

"As God did not at first choose you because you were high, He will not now forsake you because you are low."
John Flavel in Keeping the Heart



Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Rae, one of the System Requirements is "iTunes 8 or later". Can't you just drag and drop from XP? Do you have to install software for it? Doesn't it just work like a USB flashdrive? Thanks.

Shuffles have no screen at all (at least, mine doesn't), but the larger Ipods and Sansas do, which vary in size, lighting, etc.

I second buying a refurbished ipod! I bought a 8gb nano refurbished over a year ago...and have had no problems at all! I love it! And I would rather buy and apple product over anything else....in my opinion its far better quality!

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Yvonne
Reformed Presbyterian
Currently seeking a Church

"A man's most glorious actions will at last be found to be but glorious sins, if he hath made himself, and not the glory of God, the end of those actions." -T. Brooks

Oh, I was going to recommend a Sansa clip but if yours isn't holding up well...

I've had mine for a while and it's been great.

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Rich
PCA, Northern VA
Student, New Geneva Theological Seminary

WebsiteMaven - Web Hosting Reviews, Guides, and Advice to build and promote your web site.
SoliDeoGloria.com - A Community for Reformed Thought and Discussion

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Well, you could drag and drop from XP, but don't expect any songs to play.

iTunes is required (but included).

Sooooo....the Shuffle canNOT be played in order (i.e. sermons etc), but the Nano can?

We have Windows Vista on laptop and XP on a desktop that was given to us.

Correct.

Okay, Nano question....

Can you download from cd's to nano? Like via media player?

Incorrect. ;-)

The shuffle can be played in whatever order you set in iTunes. There's a switch where you can set it to play in order or to shuffle the tracks.

You're right; I'd forgotten that feature! But the Shuffle still doesn't have a visible screen/menu, unlike the Nano, where it would be easier to switch series on the go without needing to look at iTunes first.

Can someone enlighten me here?

I REALLY appreciate you all We are 18th birthday shopping

I know my husband did this for me, but I don't know how complicated it is. (Hopefully a partial answer is better than none!)

Yes I made a tutorial about this for a customer using windows media. Since it's a nano you would I think do it through ITunes

My daughter has been wanting an IPOD, but the price has been a factor. I've bookmarked the link, and hit the 'Thanks' button on your post.

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Edward
Deacon
PCA
Texas

Thanks everyone! We are going to try the blue Nano

-----Added 8/7/2009 at 06:37:46 EST-----

I want one!

It will play in the order you program it. FYI I program it from a Mac, so that may make a difference, but I use the latest version of iTunes.

We had an RCA "Lyra" (I think that was the name). It stopped working after less than one year. My girls each got 8 GB Nanos for Christmas last year, and they are both still working very well.

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Rich Brown
Deacon/Webmaster
Aisquith PCA
Parkville, MD

About a year ago, my friend gave me his 3 year old Microsoft Zune since he didn't need it anymore and I was lacking an mp3 player. For a 4 year old mp3 player, my Zune is working just as fine as ever and it seems to be quite resistant to scratches and it's very durable. I've dropped it in a not-so-nice way a few times by accident and it has yet to break or crack.

Not sure how much Zunes go for nowadays. I think mine is a 30GB first generation Zune. It should be about $100, maybe $150.

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Joel Lee
Redeemer Hoboken Church (attending)
Hoboken, NJ