MP3: The Decision

I've read reviews. I've looked at specifications. I've lurked in user forums. I even made a comparison chart of the features of the iPod for Windows, the Nomad Zen, and the Rio Karma. (Yes, I included the iPod for Windows in my considerations, after reading certain reviews.)

I finally came to a decision. It's going to be the Nomad Zen. The decision came down to a choice between the Nomad Zen and the Rio Karma. The iPod for Windows had some drawbacks I just couldn't get past.

The first was the battery question. The Nomad Zen's battery is replacable by the user, and intended to be replaced by the user. You have to install the battery before you can use the thing the first time. And Creative sells batteries for the Nomad via its website. iPod has a battery replacement program, but that means sending them your iPod and being without it until it gets returned to you with the new battery installed. The battery for the Rio Karma is unreplacable, at least by the average user, and there is no current battery replacement program. (Though Rio Japan has instituted a battery replacement program, suggesting that similar programs will be started for the rest of the world.)

The second major problem was the limitation in choice of online music shopping. The only real option with the iPod is iTunes, which I'm sure is an excellent service, but I'd rather have more choices about where I buy music online to play on my portable player. From what I've seen, the Nomad gives me those choices. I can choose BuyMusic.Com, Real Player's music store, Napster, etc. Even the Rio Karma doesn't offer quite as many choices.

Third is the price. The 30 GB Nomad Zen comes in at about $100 dollars or more under the price of a 20 GB iPod. (I can, however, get an iPod with half as much space for about the same price I'll pay for the 30 GB Nomad Zen.) The Karma, with a 20 GB hard drive, is still about $50 or more under the price of the 20 GB iPod, and has features that the other two don't have.

The fourth minor problem was the iPod's use of Music Match software for Windows. I'ved used Music Match before with my first MP3 player, the Kazoo from RCA, and I hated it.

Of the three, though, the Karma had the most tempting features, especially the Rio DJ feature that automatically creates lists of songs according to how recently they were played. The crossfade feature was another plus. I liked the cradle for the Karma as well. But it also had features I wasn't likely to use; like the ethernet connection on the cradle, and the ability to handle FLAC and Oog Voorbis formats. I also liked the look of it, as it was different from most other jukeboxes. But the idea of ending up with an expensive paperweight once the battery inevitably dies gives me pause. There may be a battery replacement program coming up, but I'd rather buy the battery from the manufacturer and install it myself, rather than send them my jukebox, have them do it, and wait 1 to 6 weeks for the thing to be returned to me.

So, it looks like I'll be placing an order for the Nomad Zen in the next day or two. It's available via Amazon for $269 at the moment, so it seems the price is right.

Comments

[sam]

I only have a CD player that reads MP3 and WMA formats, both of which I use. I like it simply because I can burn about 160 songs to a CD, which is about 15 full albums. More than enough to keep me entertained. What I typically do, though, is taken an artist or band and burn ALL of their songs onto one CD, and that's how I keep them organized.

I've been eyeing the Nomad Zen, though.

[Ralf]

Minor correction -- you can use iTunes for Windows as a music player instead of Music Match. Trivial really. Not sure why I even mentioned it :-)

Hmm? Who said 'anal' there in the back? Quiet you!

R