Gadget advice please?

[tamaranth]

I ♥ my iPod: but 6-7 hours of battery life is just not enough (won't take me to Plymouth and back, for instance). So it's nearly time to upgrade -- or, rather, downgrade -- to something with better battery life.

Have fallen for the Sony Network Walkman. this one.

Does anyone have bad things to say about it?

Comments

[perlmonger.livejournal.com]

You could always bung a higher capacity battery (http://shop.ipodworld.co.uk/iPodWorldSite/product/iPod_Batteries%20and%20Power/OW01.htm) in the iPod :)

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

may have a bash at it -- but never terribly keen on anything that needs recharging; am not always around power sources

[tanais.livejournal.com]

for even less than that (http://www.ipodbattery.com/) you could fit one yourself (or I could fit it for you -- I've upgraded several different generations of iPods now -- all take less than 5 minutes to do).

Looks good to me ...

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

... and it's modern enough that it should play *real* MP3s (older Sony players required you to use their software to convert the MP3 to an ATRAC file and then copy that to the player ... but Sony changed their policy on that in the last year)

I take a lot of digital pictures, so I'd be tempted to get one of the MP3 players that uses the same memory cards as my camera so that, in an emergency, I could dump the music and use the card for photos if I ran out (and use the MP3 player as a USB drive for the card to copy the pictures from the camera to any handy PC/laptop so reducing the amount of clutter I have to carry with me!)

Such as the £12.99 SD one here (http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=99902) or the £17.99 xD one here (http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=99070)

Alternatively, Belkin do an external AA battery pack for your iPod that gives an extra 15-20 hours from a set of AA batteries, and it's available in the US via Amazon for under 36 dollars (so around twenty pounds)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009KAPW/102-7003783-1940134?v=glance

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

My guess is that if you're listening for 6-7 hours at a stretch regularly you will find that 1Gb is irritatingly little music (though malwen really likes his iPod Shuffle). Don't believe that tune capacity amount -- it's assuming utterly crap ATRAC compression whereas you'll want to use MP3 and you'll get about 200 songs or so in a Gb. (I generally keep about 750 on my 4Gb iPod Mini).

If you've been ripping to AAC with your iPod you'll need to re-rip all that stuff.

Sony used to be famous for really dreadful transfer software -- but that was before they played MP3s so I don't know what it's like now.

The new iPod Minis are supposed to run 18 hours on a charge. Obviously not anything like as small and light as flash players though. I have an old iPod Mini which does indeed have crap battery life -- I mean, no problem for me as a tube commuter (it lasts a week) but no good for long journeys. Otherwise the iPod Mini is lovely; I have to change the music about once a month or I get pissed off with it, but I love the size and shape of it.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

may take you up on that offer, next time you're in London!

Proviso re recharging remains, though. I'm equally stymied re PDA: my old Visor is dying, and the T3 I use day-to-day is rechargable only (I have a battery pack, but it doesn't extend the life by much) and has a habit of dying at the most inopportune moments.

Re: Looks good to me ...

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

I did think about a card-based player, but camera takes SmartMedia, and I haven't encountered an MP3 player that does the same. (Was also very tempted by the one that doubles as a USB pen drive.)

The external battery pack sounds handy; I'll check out UK sourcing.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

It would certainly mean a little bit of selection before going on a trip (just like the good old days of frantically grabbing 8 or 10 minidisks); but 200 songs is probably fine. (I have 1200 on my current iPod, nowhere near full: but then I have about 150GB of MP3s to choose from ...) I do relisten a lot, and usually on the Plymouth trips have a single playlist (often opera) on repeat. 200 songs would give me (thinking out loud) a Top Fifty and 10-15 albums. Should do, for a day-trip, or a weekend on the water.

This would be backup to iPod, rather than a replacement -- though I confess I like the idea of something I could shove in my pocket when I go for a walk.

But really: (a) CUTE, and (b) 70 hours on one normal battery.

[drpete.livejournal.com]

Have just stuck a new $35 battery in Moz's iPOD. Took 5 min. If you get one, I could fit it?

[margotmetroland.livejournal.com]

drpete also upgraded the battery in the old Clié (just to make sure I have no excuses about being late/not turning up at all!).

So far the new iPod battery has lasted more than 8 hours, but that's not continuous usage. I've yet to try and break the Clié battery, but so far so good.

[moral-vacuum.livejournal.com]

Ooh, it's ever so pink!

[marypcb.livejournal.com]

I have loathed every Sony MP3 player I've trid (especially the ones that don't do MP3 and cross-convert to Atrac). I'm not sure which iPod you have but check if there's a Belkin battery pack that takes four AAs and gives you 15-20 hours. It doesn't work with the iPod Mini I know (http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=201534&pcount=&Product_Id=151919&Section.Section_Path=%2F%2FRoot%2FiPodAccessories%2F). But if it fits yours it means you're not dependant on sockets any more.

If you're happy with iGb, the battery life on the iPod Shuffle is impressive. iPods don't last a transatlantic trip; the Shuffle was still playing when I woke up for landing. They're small enough you could even carry two!

Smart Media MP3 players ...

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

Samsung YP-NDU28EF - under $100 (refurbished), runs on AAA batteries, uses smart media and has built in FM tuner.
http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=511271/promo_id=63

or Samsung YP-NEU64R (smart media, no radio, again AAA batteries)

Creative Labs Nomad range are MP3 players with smartmedia slots

Or the MPIO, e.g. MPIO FD-100. 256Mb memory, smartmedia slot, 24hrs play time etc.

Good luck with finding the perfect mobile music assistant for you (and if you're looking for a home for the old iPod ... :-)

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

would be jolly kind of you! Where did you get the battery?

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

Depends why you loathed them: unreliability, design, colour scheme?

Until I was given my first iPod, almost every walkman I had (and I have had many -- never less than one, and often two or three, since the age of 15 -- over the years) was Sony. I like their design and have found them pretty reliable.

1GB is fine for travelling, though I'd certainly keep the iPod for backup, and will be looking at battery options.

Haven't played with a Shuffle, but someone was saying you can't pick what you're listening to: is this true?

Re: Smart Media MP3 players ...

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

design counts for a lot -- the new Sony one is so pretty ... Whatever I decide, I'll be keeping the old iPod, I'm afraid!

Yes

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

There is no display on the cheapest in the iPod range. You basically have two options, listen to tracks played in a random sequence or listen to tracks played in a single playlist sequence. Hence the "Life is random" strapline.

The sequential play is important if you're listening to audio books or want to hear an opera in the right order!

You're right!

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

The Sony is gorgeously cute, and all the card playing players I can find are really ugly!

And I saw (later) your other post saying you were keeping the iPod, which I think is a very sensible idea. :-)

Have you considered a solar recharging backpack or purse?
Purse http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000480044558/
Backpack http://www.voltaicsystems.com/
Backpack with built in iPod space http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/05/oneill_solar_ba.php
Another backpack http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000060041551/

The Voltaic (above) has a built in battery that charges from whatever available light there is, and you then plug in your phone, PDA or MP3 player and recharge from the internal battery.

I heard about them on Radio 4 the other day when they had someone from T3 (or similar) talking about the new games consoles, but he arrived wearing his solar backpack and they spent most of the interview talking about that instead!

[marypcb.livejournal.com]

Shuffle: you can play the songs in the order of the playlist or in a random order - you can only pick a specific song by hitting Next until you get to it.

Sony: completely agree that walkmans of the tape and CD variety were well designed and reliable. The network walkmans have always had poor interfaces, poor transfer software and too many compromises in their design. I haven't seen the latest ones but they've never taken advantage of the great designs that the walkman name used to mean. Every Sony MP3 and Atrac player I've used has been a disappointment because of design and features. I also would never buy a Sony PC because their customer service is poor and their repair costs terrifying. But the new design *might* be a sudden return to greatness. I wouldn't wnat to be putting myhnd in my own pocket to find out though ;-)