Im Confused which is better, IPOD or HD3

N

NI_MAN

Guest
:hiya: Hey basically i have to get myself sorted and get a MP3 player. But i cant decide which one to get. A 20Gb IPOD or a Sony HD3. I think i must have read everything there is to read about the two of them but i still dont no which one i want. Im starting to lean toward the Sony HD3, what do you guys think. There are alot of pro's and con's, are there as many accessories for the HD3, i will want to take it joggin will i be able to get some sort of belt clip.

Oh i dont no im confused

:lease: HELP
 
I just went and got the HD1 I must say personally its way better than an ipod and has far better features and as said already longer battery life besides its Sony you cant go wrong! Since them Ipods have been out they have had some problems regarding the battery and docking stations.
 
The HD3 is a real MP3 player, this means you can play MP3 and thats it. The focus is on size, battery life (!), sound quality...

The Ipod is a junction between palm and mp3 player. You can store stuff like textfiles, contacts, morning newspaper, play little games, etc. You can also play MP3s :) But it´s heavier, larger and has a much shorter battery life...

Apple is a computer company and sony is HiFi company and this is clearly resembled by the players...

Though you can get happy with the Ipod, especially if you're keen on playing around with gadgets, but after comparing both player I bought the HD3. Better sound quality for me...
 
Sorry to say this but them ipods with them long white earphones look pretty gay sorry..
 
SuperSaiyan4 said:
I just went and got the HD1 I must say personally its way better than an ipod and has far better features and as said already longer battery life besides its Sony you cant go wrong! Since them Ipods have been out they have had some problems regarding the battery and docking stations.
Hmm, not sure the HD3 actually matches the iPod on features at all. Does the HD3 allow you to display weather forecasts, map itineraries, notes, calendars, contacts, have a FireWire connection for greatest data transfer speed, have a 1.67 inch screen (2 inch full colour if you prefer), excellent matching software, and simply the easiest-to-use interface of any music player? I think not. The iPod does.

The HD3 does have longer battery life though, I concur. However, any problem regarding the iPod's battery seems to be a fantasy perpetuated by iPod haters, not based on hard facts (the iPod battery is actually made by Sony, FYI). I've never heard of any problem with the Dock though, so perhaps you could clarify.
 
mick's cat said:
(the iPod battery is actually made by Sony, FYI)

For sure it's not caused by a bad battery, but it's the Ipod consuming to much power...
 
ratiopharm said:
For sure it's not caused by a bad battery, but it's the Ipod consuming to much power...
Yeah, it does what it says on the box. 12 hours, or 15 hours for the iPod photo. It's not a problem as some make out though. Just a fact.
 
mick's cat said:
Hmm, not sure the HD3 actually matches the iPod on features at all. Does the HD3 allow you to display weather forecasts, map itineraries, notes, calendars, contacts, have a FireWire connection for greatest data transfer speed, have a 1.67 inch screen (2 inch full colour if you prefer), excellent matching software, and simply the easiest-to-use interface of any music player? I think not. The iPod does.
QUOTE]

But these are just "pretty things" I'd rather have something that just concentrates on playing music, with nothing else goind on to distort the quality. Sounds like the iPod is becoming a hybrid now, not a music player.
 
mikehibbert said:
But these are just "pretty things" I'd rather have something that just concentrates on playing music, with nothing else goind on to distort the quality. Sounds like the iPod is becoming a hybrid now, not a music player.
The iPod always has had all those 'pretty things' - if it's a hybrid player so be it. They don't detract from, and they certainly don't 'distort' sound quality - they just add to the total enjoyment and experience. And I guess that's why all the other manufacturers are running round in rings trying to add similar features to their players to keep up with the iPod...
 
distort sound quality lol, the things people say on this forum ha.

I had this dilemma too and went for the 20GB ipod, people make out it's a beast compared to the Sony hd3 when in reality it's only 20 grams heavier.

I got it for a few main reasons, the all important pc software - sonic stage cannot be compared to the itunes, only player with 25 shock protection, other superior music formats supported but the most important one was ease of use!. Using the click wheel is by far the best control method of any device ever. Also, I only ever use shuffle play which is on the main menu, one click away, as soon as I read one post from a HD3 owner saying he was having trouble trying to shuffle his whole collection then my decision was made. Then there's other things like it's sleep mode, means the player instantly switches back on when you need it to.

No way will you get 12hours out of the battery though, it really is as terrible as everyone says - don't let the fanboys con you. That 12 hours only applies if you turn off all the features and leave it on a long playlist, at lowered volume without touching it once.
 
Cloysterpeteuk said:
distort sound quality lol, the things people say on this forum ha.

Where did I say that it distorted SOUND quality?? I don't want games, alarm clocks or PDA functions on my MP3 player, I want it to be a Music Player. My H140 will go all day, chopping between songs, and still have battery to spare. I was referring to OVERALL quality, including battery life not just sound.
 
mikehibbert said:
But these are just "pretty things" I'd rather have something that just concentrates on playing music, with nothing else goind on to distort the quality. Sounds like the iPod is becoming a hybrid now, not a music player.

...err, there!
 
mick's cat said:
other manufacturers are running round in rings trying to add similar features to their players to keep up with the iPod...

Since the release of the 4G Apple have actually fallen behind the competition. The 3G was a bit disappointing as well at the time.

This is not untypical of Apple, they release a great product and then lose out in the long run because they can't keep up the running....it's always been their history.
 
You said 'with nothing else goind to distort the quality', what other type of quality other than sound are we going to think you meant?. Hands up who thought he was talking about sound quality, so unless the strange word goind has some hidden meaning it was a fair assumption lol.

If you are going to post statements that will obviously be interpreted in a way you didn't intend then you need to think about rephrasing them. Oh, and if you think adding more features to DAP distorts 'things' then you better get used to a very distorted DAP experience. Multifunction players are the future, give it a year and anything that just plays music will be ignored, look at todays mobiles. How long do you think it will be before one of those color screen DAP includes an integrated megapixel camera?.
 
Ekko Star said:
This is not untypical of Apple, they release a great product and then lose out in the long run because they can't keep up the running....it's always been their history.
If you're referring to computers, then no, they certainly *do* keep up the running, and always stay well in advance of the competition.

They just can't make things cheap enough - *that* is more Apple's history.
 
SuperSaiyan4 said:
Sorry to say this but them ipods with them long white earphones look pretty gay sorry..

How about posting something sensible rather than pointless nonsense like this?
 
Well they did lose out to Microsoft Windows in a big way and it's only in recent years that Apple have made a comeback in computers.

Yes there products are overly expensive. Wouldn't be so bad if they kept innovating them but with the Ipod they have certainly started slipping. Defo with the last 2 incarnations of the Ipod it has been a case of mild evolution rather than revolution and the photo ipod is more than a bit of a disappointment.

They still do very well but they have left the gates wide open and the proliferation of HDD devices being launched with better functionality and price spells trouble for the ipod for sure. It's no longer considered the de facto HDD player it was.
 
Hmm, I'm still not so sure about the iPod slipping. It's all about features in the DAP market these days, and the iPod has all the features and more of any other DAP. Apple can't make them fast enough, while others (with only a couple of exceptions) simply can't sell them.

I also see that Toshiba has just today announced it's having to significantly increase its flash memory production capabilities specifically to keep pace with Apple's requirement for the iPod shuffle. The shuffle has certainly caught other flash based player makers unawares. Who'd have thought that anything without a display could take the market overnight? Apple must be doing something right for a change.

My feeling is that Apple's going to whip the rug out from under the feet of a few DAP makers too in the very near future.

But, hey, I'm an Apple-head, so what do I know?... :suicide:
 
Here's a quote from Masashi Muromachi, Toshiba's Corporate Vice President:

"demand create by this new machine [iPod Shuffle] is so vast that our current capacity can in no way meet their [Apple's] needs."
 
Well you could argue by introducing a flash based player now, then Apple is a more than a little *behind* the thinking of it's competitors.

Flash based MP3's are everywhere and some do actually have displays as well. Not sure Apple can claim new ground on this note TBH cos they've been around for quite a while.

But people will buy it cos it's an Apple and what it symbolises and it's got white earphones....it's nothing groundbreakingly new which is why I mean Apple is slipping. Effectively being static whilst others catch up and overtake.
 
Yeah, fair point about the shuffle.

Still, regards HD DAPs, there's simply nothing about yet with the feature-list of the iPods. The rest are just trying to play catch-up and nothing's overtaken. In fact, after three years at the top, there's really only two DAPs around with the potential to do harm to Apple, the Creative Zen Micro with its radio, and Sony's NW-HD3 with its battery life. They're still a long way off in other features and ease-of-use though. The others don't even seem to know where the marketplace is yet, let alone what to make to sell there.
 
Whilst I haven't done an extensive survey, it seems to me that Apple still have the lead with iTunes. Hardware players are, it seems to me, are much of a muchness (patented click-wheels not withstanding), particularly if they're destined to spend all their time in your pocket, but it's the iPod+iTunes equation that still makes all the difference for me.

Ignoring the music store bit (although it's still a major differentiator), the Rendezvous based playlist sharing, the CDDB integration, the one-touch importing, and the ease with which it lets you manage and listen to your music still seems to be leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else.

Or am I wrong ? I took a quick look at some grabs of SonicStage (for example), and thought it looked like ass (both visually, and in terms of usability). Does anyone offer a complete solution that's comparable iPod+iTunes ?
 
cwick said:
Does anyone offer a complete solution that's comparable iPod+iTunes ?
No. No other maker has realised that it's not just the player that's important. It's the system.
 
Again, horses for courses.

But we do seem to get stuck with this hyporbole by fans of all players.

i-pod + i-tunes. Good? Certainly. The best? Possibly. So much better that everything else is pre-historic? No.

Someone made a similar point, earlier (in favour of the i-pod over the Sony) that, whilst the Sony is lighter, there's not a lot in it, and that the odd 20g or so doesn't make much difference.

Totally agree.

And yet when I bought my Zen, I had flocks of i-pod owners telling me it was a few grams heavier than the i-pod, and that it was subsequently a bad choice!

The truth is, weight, size, sound quality, usability, there really isn't a lot in it.

i-pods are great. Creatives are great. Sonys are great. Rios are great.

I never see anyone with an i-pod crying because it's heavier than the Sony, or with a Zen, gnashing their teeth 'cos it's bigger than an i-pod.

If you see some cheap & nasty thing you've never heard of, beware.

But if you see a decent, known brand, just look up a few reviews, find out a few facts, and look at what you can afford.

You won't get any of the above brands making machines that sound abysmal, are awful to control, or way as much as a brick, when compared to the competition. One might be a bit better than the others, but there really won't be much in it.

You WILL get some that are more/less trendy & more/less expensive, and that's what you really have to judge for yourself.

And then there's this i-pod battery argument. Might be a problem, might not. But you hear people complaining, and you see the press. You believe the stories, or you don't. The risk is yours.

Steve W
 
How about the iRiver H3xx with video support? ;)

Personally, I can't fault the player that I've got and would recommend iRiver to anyone asking about mp3/whatever players. Yes, their firmware takes aaaages to be released and they aren't the best looking things going but they are solid, good sounding players with a lot to offer.

Personally, I don't own any HDD players (too big/bulky, no battery life etc.) but don't just look at 2 players before making a choice. At the end of the day you're going to be the one using it so don't just go by the fanboys' (you know who you are ;) ) word because everything does get exaggerated.

*realises what he just wrote*

Damn, I sound like an old man.

:suicide:
 

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