TIRED OF BEING THE ONLY ONE IN THE GYM WITHOUT AN MP3 PLAYER BUT DON'T KNOW WHICH IS THE BEST FOR YOU?
By Ashley Marriott, Jayplay writer
Who knew it was possible to carry around 10,000 songs in your pocket? Apple's iPod is half an inch thick and weighs 5.6 ounces making it one of the smallest MP3 players on the market. It lasts for up to eight hours without
Apple's iPod
charging the battery. You can choose from hundreds of thousands of songs from Apple's iTunes Music Store. It also features a built-in alarm clock, music quiz, audio books and games including Solitaire.
The catch: iPod is one of the most expensive MP3 players, costing $500 on apple.com and $350 on eBay's half.com. "The iPod is terrific, but carries with it the Apple Tax, which is that extra amount of money you have to pay for the Apple Coolness Factor," says Dave Salvator, reporter for extremetech.com.
Creative's NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra is providing some major competition for the iPod. This player holds 16,000 songs, as well as photos and computer documents. Other features include an alarm clock and customized screensavers.
The Zen Xtra even categorizes your music by artist, album, genre or track for you. It lasts up to 14 hours
Creative's NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra
without changing the batteries. The Zen Xtra is $400 on us.creative.com and $383 on eBay.
The catch: Salvator says Creative installed FireWire support in the Zen Xtra, meaning you need to purchase a USB 2.0 card for your computer in order to get the most out of the player.
This sleek MP3 player is at the top of the iRiver product line. "iRiver is meant for a quality lifestyle, not for those that know a whole lot about technology," says Anders Steele, promotional representative for iRiver. The iFP-390T holds 256 megabytes and the battery lasts for up to eight hours. Other features include a FM tuner and voice recorder. It is available for $200 on iriveramerica.com and for $170 on half.com.
The catch: The iFP-390T is not meant to move around with.
Steele suggests that iRiver's iFP-390T more active individuals purchase the iFP-
390T flash version because it's meant to take to the gym. It doesn't hold as many songs but it comes with a neck strap and sport armband.
Calling all sports enthusiasts! Rio's Cali 256 is made just for you. It holds 256 megabytes and there is an empty slot in the player so you can add up to 512 megabytes of additional memory. The Cali is wrapped in protective rubber, making it perfect for the gym. Additional features
Rio's Cali 256
include Sport Clip earphones, an armband, a stopwatch with
lap timer and a FM tuner. "I wouldn't change anything about its features," says Jim Lyons, Overland Park senior. It is available from riaaudio.com for $180. Don't go to half.com for this MP3 player because it is offered for $200. "The Rio Cali is at a price that students can afford," says Sarah Spencer, assistant account executive for Rio. "It's hip and
Ashley Marriott can be reached at amarriott@kansan.com.
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