It seems that dedicated mp3 players are being phased out by smartphones and cloud music services. I still use my old high-capacity iPod quite often and enjoy having a device specializing in music. Does anyone know any modern alternatives to the iPod? The closest I can think of is the now defunct Zune, which I haven't tried. It would probably be difficult to find a device as sleek as the iPod though when it comes to simplicity of the interface design.
I actually love my Zune, I have both and iPod and the Zune and I would choose the Zune over the iPod. The only problem with it is the fact that it seems like everything is made for the iPod, so you are a bit limited if you go away from it.
I would also put in a vote for Zune. The software has a very simple setup and design that is both easy to maneuver and convenient. Microsoft, I guess from feeling the pressure of iPods success, decided against creating any new apps or updates for their product. This bothered me quite a lot because I really do think Zune, if properly marketed, could have and should have been a lot more successful than iPod. Nonetheless I would still say go for it if you're looking for something different and better than iPod!
Even though the popular alternative to the iPod is Zune but J would like to point out that there a lot of other small companies which have their own range of MP3 players. The most popular of these is the range of MP3 players by Philips which is marketed under the GoGear brand name. Another popular range is the Walkman range from Sony.
For some reason I thought the Zune mp3 players were pretty much not around anymore but I see some of the older models are still sworn by. The prices are pretty crazy on Amazon though for new ones. I'll have to also check out Sony and Philips, I've always thought that Sony should be the one to bring back the dedicated mp3 player (at least one that competes with Apple) since they started the whole walkman craze and have a lot of brand-name recognition for that. Their current offerings look a bit behind the times. I've also heard of the Sandisk Sansa, though it only comes in small storage capacities.
Your phone! All smart phones have the same features of an iPod. I really have no idea why people still purchase iPods. You would think they would be obsolete now that phones have the same capabilities. I guess people like wasting their money. There is also portable media players like the "Zune", but like I said earlier your phone would not only be better, but more convenient also. Save your $200, and use your phone. You will not regret it.
The Sansa actually has an expansion slot for microSD cards - the sansa clip+, make sure it's the plus. I've actually been considering getting one myself, it's the best price to storage ratio if you bundle in a 32GB or 64GB microSD card. The player itself is apparently tiny, but I've never seen one in person, so I can't really comment. I used to use my phone as a player but putting earphones in and out of the jack damaged it over time, and now it barely works - so I'd advise against doing that. You might not have any issues with it though, some people tend to be more lucky/careful.
Yeah, MP3 players are slowly dying but I still love my iPod Shuffle. If you're looking for alternatives to iPod then there's Zune for you, its sleek and smooth and has a ton of features, but if you're looking for more a dedicated music player minus the other gimmicks go for the Philips GoGear, its much cheaper than the iPod. Also there's Creative's Zen and Sony Walkman. But I would definitely recommend Sansa clip.
