After months of deciding which high capacity or rather a HDD-based mp3 player,
I have shortlested a good list of candidates:
Apple iPod 4G 20GB - $548
Apple iPod photo 30GB - $618
Apple iPod mini 4GB - $348
Creative Zen Micro 5GB - $350
iAudio M3 20GB - $399
iRiver H10 5GB - $410
Creative Zen Micro
Zen Micro has got fancy colours which I find it quite a charm. However, you can only own one.
The Micro also comes with FM tuner built-in, but reviews claimed that the quality of the transmiiter is terrible. The battery of the Zen Micro last about 12hrs can be replaced or you can get a spare, that is good! Zen Micro is a little thick though. The 5GB box set also comes with a good bundle of a remote (singapore only), pouch, earphones, AC adapter, data transfer cable, manuals and software.
Creative have got very excellent support. They are ready to give you 1-1 exchange within one year of purchase. Thios is because they have an excellent record of RMA cases. There has been too many ppl who have experienced their Micros going into Karaoke mode where the sound loses its quality severly. It is apparantly believed to be a manufacturing defect, thus the Creative guys are more than ready to do the swap for you. The worst is when the RMA sets might also harbour that issue.
Apple iPods
iPod has always been sleek and had already earned itself a name so big that is hard for any hdd-mp3 players to swallow. The mini is a good alternative to the expensive iPod. Apple is well-known for its marketing strategies. However, with the recent demand for a cheaper iPod or mini, in order to compete with the other major players, Apple have decided to cut down on the marketing gimmickery. Especially for the mini (since I am reviewing on this), the old mini (1st Generation) comes in a cube (like that of the iPod)
and holds a USB-data cable, FIREWIRE-data cable, belt clip, ac adapter, earphones, manuals and software. The new iPod mini (2nd Generation) comes is a sized down paper box and only comes with a USB-data charging cable (hence you can only charge from your PC), however it comes with a whopping 18hr battery instead of the previous 8hr.
The change in marketing strategy can be seen in the other iPods as well. Instead of a styrofoam interior, carboard has been used as well as removal of accessories such as docks.
The older iPod PHOTO comes with a white box and foam interior. The accessories includes USB and FIRWIRE data cables, AC adapter, earphones, manuals, software, dock and video cable.
The new iPod photo in a black box with carboard interior and withoout the video cable. A change in capacity is also prominent with the removal of the 20GB iPod PHOTO and implementing a a 30GB iPod photo.
CONCLUSION
I have decided that higher capacity ones are gonna blow my budget.
So I decided to go for lower capacity ones (the 5GBs).
H10 was first to get eliminated because it is just too expensive for its range.
So there was a stiff competition between Creative Zen Micro and Apple iPod mini.
The iPod mini is inferior against the Micro as it is 1GB lesser (for that price range), lesser accessories and no FM transmitter.
I have shortlested a good list of candidates:
Apple iPod 4G 20GB - $548
Apple iPod photo 30GB - $618
Apple iPod mini 4GB - $348
Creative Zen Micro 5GB - $350
iAudio M3 20GB - $399
iRiver H10 5GB - $410
Creative Zen Micro
Zen Micro has got fancy colours which I find it quite a charm. However, you can only own one.
The Micro also comes with FM tuner built-in, but reviews claimed that the quality of the transmiiter is terrible. The battery of the Zen Micro last about 12hrs can be replaced or you can get a spare, that is good! Zen Micro is a little thick though. The 5GB box set also comes with a good bundle of a remote (singapore only), pouch, earphones, AC adapter, data transfer cable, manuals and software.
Creative have got very excellent support. They are ready to give you 1-1 exchange within one year of purchase. Thios is because they have an excellent record of RMA cases. There has been too many ppl who have experienced their Micros going into Karaoke mode where the sound loses its quality severly. It is apparantly believed to be a manufacturing defect, thus the Creative guys are more than ready to do the swap for you. The worst is when the RMA sets might also harbour that issue.
Apple iPods
iPod has always been sleek and had already earned itself a name so big that is hard for any hdd-mp3 players to swallow. The mini is a good alternative to the expensive iPod. Apple is well-known for its marketing strategies. However, with the recent demand for a cheaper iPod or mini, in order to compete with the other major players, Apple have decided to cut down on the marketing gimmickery. Especially for the mini (since I am reviewing on this), the old mini (1st Generation) comes in a cube (like that of the iPod)
and holds a USB-data cable, FIREWIRE-data cable, belt clip, ac adapter, earphones, manuals and software. The new iPod mini (2nd Generation) comes is a sized down paper box and only comes with a USB-data charging cable (hence you can only charge from your PC), however it comes with a whopping 18hr battery instead of the previous 8hr.
The change in marketing strategy can be seen in the other iPods as well. Instead of a styrofoam interior, carboard has been used as well as removal of accessories such as docks.
The older iPod PHOTO comes with a white box and foam interior. The accessories includes USB and FIRWIRE data cables, AC adapter, earphones, manuals, software, dock and video cable.
The new iPod photo in a black box with carboard interior and withoout the video cable. A change in capacity is also prominent with the removal of the 20GB iPod PHOTO and implementing a a 30GB iPod photo.
CONCLUSION
I have decided that higher capacity ones are gonna blow my budget.
So I decided to go for lower capacity ones (the 5GBs).
H10 was first to get eliminated because it is just too expensive for its range.
So there was a stiff competition between Creative Zen Micro and Apple iPod mini.
The iPod mini is inferior against the Micro as it is 1GB lesser (for that price range), lesser accessories and no FM transmitter.
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