ipod v sony

[matt28]

Hi

I have decided to buy an MP3 player this Christmas and was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the new Sony NW-E99, as I have heard it's pretty good. Any help greatly appreciated as there is too much information out there!

Thanks

[neuroking]

General rule of thumb - stay away from Sony 'MP3' products. Most require you to reencode your music to ATRAC (so re-rip all your CDs and incompatible with many online stores). The few that don't, and I mean the 1-2 that don't, are hard to find. With Sony's reluctance to adopt mp3, I would not be surprised if they went back to all ATRAC within 2 years.

Go with an iPod, Creative, or Rio product. (iRiver promises alot of features in future updates to firmware, but is notorious for dropping the ball on it).

[Ioman]

Agreed. I am not a huge fan of iRiver products anymore.

[llbbl]

iPod!

[znaps]

Check this out, it was mentioned in another thread. Sony might be changing their tune on mp3 players (how's that for a headline ;))

http://products.sony.co.uk/sony_nw-dh3.asp

[neuroking]

That's what I was talking about. Sony SAYS they'll support MP3 and so far, only the HD3 player does. I think they're gonna do a Clie... develope some nice hardware, then do an about face on the whole idea. Even if they do stick with MP3 support, it took them, what, 6 YEARS to come around? I don't think I want to support SONY for another 6 years, just to make it fair...

ps-sorry about the ECA 'Caps Attack'... :)

[neato]

Ur... The 99 is an MP3 player. It's a great piece of kit... but bearing in mind it is JUST a player, it is a bit high-priced. $200 for 1Gb is the same as the Creative Muvo N200, which packs in an FM radio and voice recording as well. The thing that really marks out the 99 is the styling. People do go 'oooh' when you show it to them and they all want to have a play. It's a bit heavy IMO to sling around your neck, but that's where it should be :P

Personally, I think flash players should come with a USB jack instead of a socket, as their 'jack and go' immediacy is one of the attractive things about flash. If you have to carry around a cable, that makes them less useful. So my own preference is for players like the Creative Muvo TX with the built in USB jack. Unfortunately it's unikely they'll bring out a 1Gb version of that.

[neuroking]

Well, so far this year Sony has...

-Released 4 new Clies (around that many, may be as high as 6), then dropped Clies in the US.
-Brought 2 new U-series laptop/handheld PCs to market in Japan, discontinued the U-series, then introduced the U75 for the US market.
-Released new plasmas, and today announced thay were no longer making plasmas.
-Announced support for MP3, including the promise of firmware updates for older players by mid-December. (take a guess if those firmware upgrades are posted yet)
-Hyped FFXI for the PS2, then introduced a slimmer PS2 that can't use the HDD.

Welcome to Bad Business Decisions 101. Sony has completely lost its mind.

[znaps]

The mp3 updates are already there on the Sony site, unless I'm missing something?

http://www.sonydigital-link.com/DNA/downloads/mp3/mp3.asp

[neato]

No, you're not missing anything.

[satchmo]

Hi Neuroking - i'm new here and was looking for some 'hands-on' experience of the new Sony HD3 before I go make an mp3 player purchase. I've just found this thread and the Sony brand don't seem too popular, let alone their new HD3. I'm a bit confused - if they say the HD3 is ATRAC3 and mp3 compatible, does that mean that there still maybe compatibility issues in the future, if they, (Sony) don't stay on top of things (in terms of firmware udates etc) or change direction product wise ?

Cheers - Satchmo

[llbbl]

He is saying that they only released these versions now because they realized that in order to compete they needed to have MP3 support. Why should we buy their product if it took this long to get with the picture.

Sony has always been like that, slow to follow the popular trends, always preffering to shove the "sony" way/standard/format/music down their consumer's throats. They think that just because they can think of a slightly different format like betamax/ATRAC3/minidisc/memory stick they automatically think that this should be industry standard. They are not willing to play along with the other major electonics manufactuers and have always adopted the industry standard after the fact.

Of all the japanese electronics manufacturers they are the one with the worst ethics. Their involement with the RIAA is unexcuseable. It is like going out to buy a Lexus when you know Toyota (owns Lexus) sues anyone who drives their cars too fast. It is like voting for Dubya for a 2nd term. It is like buying as much AOL/TW products and services because you think they are a good company.

Sony style is overrated. The percieved differences between the other brands is just that, a perception. It's like buying a Cadillac when you should have got an Infinity or Mercedes. They think they are innovative but they are just a 2nd rate electronics manufacter who thinks they are better than everyone else. Apple and Intel each have 10x as much inovation and industy standard designs/inventions as Sony does.

[neato]

Hi Neuroking - i'm new here and was looking for some 'hands-on' experience of the new Sony HD3 before I go make an mp3 player purchase. I've just found this thread and the Sony brand don't seem too popular, let alone their new HD3. I'm a bit confused - if they say the HD3 is ATRAC3 and mp3 compatible, does that mean that there still maybe compatibility issues in the future, if they, (Sony) don't stay on top of things (in terms of firmware udates etc) or change direction product wise ?

Cheers - Satchmo


Unlike those who comment without using, I'll give you a proper firsthand account of the NW-HD3 when I'm ready. It would help if you can list the main points you want answered.

[neuroking]

TechnoGeek summarized my opinion well.

As for the MP3 updates, there are other Sony products that were supposed to be updated to full mp3 compatability. They do not have drivers posted (don't remember which models, exactly, but I saw a listing just a couple days ago of them, and there were more than the 2 on their site). The older HD models are now supporting mp3, if you send them back to Sony for the upgrade.

As for the HD3... really... $500 for a 20GB player nowadays is a little much. Don't need to use it to know that paying 2x as much as any other 20GB player is a big 'ding' on the price:performance category. Hell, you could get a 20GB iPod and a nice set of headphones for that price!

[neato]

Who said it's going to be $500 in the US?

[ECA]

I'm sorry...
BASIC features I would look for is:
DATA and music...
USB Hotswappable, plug into any system and it SEE's IT...PERIOD.. See it as an extra drive unit.. ANY program that can see it can SEND to it... NO REAL software needed.

[satchmo]

[/QUOTENEATO]It would help if you can list the main points you want answered.[/QUOTE]

Hi 'Neato' - thanks for the reply. Not being that technical myself, what I want to be sure of is, if it says 'will support mp3' on the tin, will it actually do it ? There are a few threads about that suggest there maybe problems with software/firmware updates etc.

Cheers - Satchmo

[znaps]

Technically they could remove MP3 support through future firmware updates, but I'm not sure of the legality - if it says it will support MP3 on the tin, I doubt they could be allowed to change that after you buy one.

I would take note of the issues mentioned above with variable bit rate MP3's. If I were you, I'd hold off on buying one until I could get the opinions of current HD3 owners.

[ipodcity]

go with the ipod, quality, number of accessories, ease of use....

[ECA]

WELL,
there wouldnt be a legallity if they CHANGED the format playing, but used MP3 format to create THERE own Format ONLY, transferred to the Ipod, and PLAYEd there OWN format..

[byron247]

ive bought the sony nw hd-3
its great
30 hours playback time
stores about 250 to 300 albums
the only problem i have is with the crap sonic stage,
it just seems to be a really cack program
but all the mp3s on my pc go across to the player no problem
some take a bit longer but still go across and play perfect
id recommend it as its better than my mates ipod
:ioman

[ModestMouse13]

the only competator with the Ipod is the Dell DJ and maybe the Creative Zen

[ModestMouse13]

I would go with ipod instead of sony all the way