|
-
Apple iPod Shuffle -
●●●● Rating
Bargain Selection
The 2nd generation
1 GB Apple iPod
shuffle is about as good as it's going to get and at $79 hard
to pass up. Apple's
iTunes software
is free for both Apple and Windows based computers and will enable you
to enjoy your CD collection wherever you go. We recommend skipping the
iTunes store as purchasing DRM music is simply too restrictive, too
costly and of too low quality should you wish play your music on other
audio equipment. However we won't throw the shuffle out with the DRM
music rather we will keep enjoying the little wonder.
-
SanDisk Sansa Connect -
●●●●
Rating
The
SanDisk Sansa Connect 4 GB MP3 player
($249) brings Wi-Fi playback to portable players. SanDisk has teamed
with Yahoo! to offer the ability to stream as well as download your
favorite music, photos and Internet radio. With a
Yahoo! Music Unlimited subscription you
have access to millions of tracks and can send and receive music
recommendations with your friends.
Other features include a sharp 2.2" color
display, east to use interface, support for Microsoft's PlaysforSure
along with a microSD card slot for increased storage. If you prefer to
lease your music the Sansa Connect makes it easy and fun. A great
alternative to traditional iPods where you have to purchase your music.
- SanDisk Sansa
e250R Rhapsody Series -
●●●●
Rating
If you want a MP3 player but don't own a lot of CDs and prefer not to
purchase DRM music the
Sandisk
Sansa e250R ($139) just might be what you have been looking for. It
allows you to use your
Rhapsody To Go subscription to download
any of millions of tracks and you can enjoy listening to them whenever
and wherever you please. For about the cost of one CD a
month you'll instantly have the entire world of music available to you.
-
Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player
-
●●●●
Rating
Microsoft does hardware although to varying
degrees of success. Remember their Ultimate TV DVR? It wasn't a bad DVR
but it couldn't compete against TiVo and Microsoft withdrew from the
market and went back to designing software for DVRs. History might be
repeating itself with the
Zune ($249).
Its display is larger and better looking than the
video iPod and offers a few cool features like wirelessly beaming your
music from one Zune to another. With Zune Pass you can lease over two
million songs for $15 a month that Apple doesn't offer.
Our take is it's a nice player but doesn't
distinguish itself enough to rate a purchase. Even the cool features
aren't so cool when you find out how they are implemented. For example
using the beaming feature you can beam your friends your favorite music
but they can only play them three times within three days even if they
aren't DRM protected files.
-
Return to the Top of the Page -
|
