Anyone ever moved away from iPods to something better?

[Bani]

Hi all,

Even though I'm not much of an Apple fan, I've been a very happy iPod owner since the very first generation (with the mechanical wheel and big as a gameboy ). But now, the new iPod nano really disappoints me, and at the same time I dropped my laptop corner-first onto my Nano. It still works, but now I'm looking for a replacement.

The problem with the new Nano for me is
- I want a clickwheel and blind navigation! I don't care how blatant the ripoff of Apple is, I want to be able to adjust tracks and volume in my pocket.
- iTunes on Windows has never been pleasant, but it's becoming increasingly unbearable. It takes ages to boot up and comes with about 5 million features I don't need, and it starts at least 4 processes that start with my PC to constantly bug me about installing Safari, and forces me to install QT.

OTOH, I found the before-last-gen-and-no-silly-camera Nano pretty much the perfect hardware and software (on the player anyway). Is there anything better I should look at?

Pluses:
- ripoff of Apple's interface on the nano - I think it's perfect
- non-bloat Windows client
- FLAC support
- as thin and light as possible (nano or better)

Anyone got any recommendations? Since I've always been an iPod person I've never followed the news or market of MP3 players. Thanks <3

 

[Keubad]

I sped up iTunes a lot by turning off that genius stuff, but even still it's pretty slow and bloated.

 

[Galatea]

get a mac, then itunes works wonderfully

(thought of getting a second hand old one?)

 

[Tyche]

get a mac, then itunes works wonderfully

(thought of getting a second hand old one?)

Nice one gala, so if i want a new mp3 player i should just pay 1800 euros for a mac book instead of the 100e for a mp3?

 

[Galatea]

Nice one gala, so if i want a new mp3 player i should just pay 1800 euros for a mac book instead of the 100e for a mp3?

well no, many people happily use iTunes with an iPod on a PC with no complaints, and are perfectly happy with what they have, but if you want a smoother experience, and are as fussy as Bani, then yes!

 

[Joy]

I strongly doubt iTunes works different on Mac, some people are just more fussy about what they want a music player to do (e.g. not install Safari daily)

 

[Galatea]

I strongly doubt iTunes works different on Mac, some people are just more fussy about what they want a music player to do (e.g. not install Safari daily)

Well it certainly doesn't demand that of me

Actually, I have used it on a PC, and I'll concede that the PC version is bit clunky, and I dont get why it needs quicktime to run on a PC either (not needed on a mac afaik - ofc since I have QT, I am just thinking back to when I didnt, which is a very long time ago)

 

[Jazende]

You probably have Safari running aswell, gala

 

[Galatea]

I *know* the PC version doesn't need it, but I do know it offers to download it often when the updater runs, because I deal with my fathers horrid machine >_>

I can only presume you are all saying that you find having to untick the tickbox to download safari takes too much out of your day!

 

[Galatea]

well anyways, the point of the thread was supposed to be regarding non ipod mp3 players, sorry Bani!

I once (accidentally - it was a lookalike) bought a non apple mp3 player, and I had to send it back, it was so shit that it wouldn't even properly connect to my computer, it disconnected itself regularly whenever I tried to use it. I sent it back as faulty.

My sister once had a marble one, wait, pebble? and she didnt seem to have any complaints about that, but she has ipod's now, and doubt she'd remember the pebble one

 

[Keubad]

I can only presume you are all saying that you find having to untick the tickbox to download safari takes too much out of your day!

I both untick the box and then later tell it to ignore this update. What's annoying is that for every new version of safari, it decides to ignore my preference and ask me again. I guess it needs a new menu option: "Really really ignore"

 

[Croga]

Or you could just tell the Apple software to not tell you of any updates at all..... I'll decide when I need an update, not my #@&*( software.....

Also; I refuse to ever buy an MP3 player that needs proprietary software....... Last one I did was a Creative Labs one and, well, basically *all* creative labs software sucks <insert something that's really dirty to suck>.
I used to have an MP3 player that took CF cards, worked like a charm and I only had to load the CF card with MP3s with something elaborate like Explorer. The things was a bit shoddy though and after about 6 years it decided to break.......