Runner's World Publishes Guide to Picking an MP3 Player
Runner's World Magazine published a guide to picking an MP3 player written by Gizmodo editor John Biggs. Conspicuous in its absense from this guide is the iPod nano, but not a surprise due to the fact that the review was written for a "dead trees" publication. Of real surprise, however, is the number of MP3 players that disappeared from the market before the story was printed.
Among the other products mentioned:
- Flash-based players:
- Apple iPod Shuffle 512MB, everyone's bargain choice unless you want the extra capacity of the iPod Shuffle 1G model.
- Oregon Scientific MP120, includes an FM tuner.
- Hard disk-based players:
- Mio 269, a mobile 96MB GPS system with MP3 player built in. Super expensive at well over $500 no matter where you get it, but really cool looking and possibly useful.
- Rio Karma. Gone. The Rio player line was folded back in late August by its owner D&M Holdings. My advice is not to buy it.
- iPod mini. Gone. Replaced by the iPod nano. I wouldn't buy an iPod mini now. The iPod nano is clearly a better device IMHO, even if it's slightly smaller in capacity.
The article also provides tips that I figured out on my own:
- When rain is a possibility, put your portable electronics in a Ziplock bag before riding or running.
- Don't hold a hard disk based MP3 player in your hand. This must be a tip for people that have never even borrowed an MP3 player from a friend to try it out during exercise.
I had hoped for better when I saw it was written by John Biggs, but he's a slave to the publication's lead time, so the lack of timeliness that plagues this guide is really not his fault.
