Microsoft's Tips for Buying an MP3 Player

An Anonymous Reader writes "In another extension of Microsoft's 'Plays for Sure' campaign, the company has launched a web page with six tips to help consumers purchase the 'correct' MP3 Player for them. Among the insights of the article hard drive-based players suck and a stopwatch is a useful feature to have on your player. Unsurprisingly, the iPod meets none of Microsoft's criteria. A humorous commentary is available, of course." From the article: "6. Don't get locked into one online store. Have you ever been on the hunt for a particular song? Some obscure indie rock tune or rare jazz performance you heard on the radio? You might have to shop at more than one store before you find the song you're looking for."

Comments

I want a stopwatch on my ms compatible mp3 player

[DMouse]

So i can figure out how long the fucker takes to crash. No wait. :-)

Please mod fscking hilarious

[Anonymous Coward]

Approximate figures based on CD-quality WMA (64 Kbps)

Crazy Apple Rumors Site said it best:

[earthbound kid]

I like the CARS take on it:

• The company that manufactures your MP3 player should never be named after a fruit. That's just hippie bullshit.
• Under no circumstances should your MP3 player be stylish. You don't want to be taken for a dandy. After all, you never know when you may find yourself incarcerated through an unfortunate series of events that are no fault of your own. And you know what they do to dandies in prison. Yikes.
• When picking an operating system or office suite, it's a great idea to go with the one with the highest market share, because you're guaranteed a quality product that will be around for years to come. But not with flash-based MP3 players. It's a completely different situation. Completely.
• etc.

CARS is good stuff!

Re:Crazy Apple Rumors Site said it best:

[mrchaotica]

C'mon, you forgot to post the best one:

• Always pick a player that plays music in a format that restricts your rights as much as possible. That says "I'm not a communist."

[link in original]

Re:thank you for the honesty

[mattkinabrewmindspri]

"what is it about fm radio that doesn't appeal to you?"

I think the reason we don't want or care about FM radio can be summed up in two words:

Clear. Channel.

Be sure to get that FM...

[Anonymous Coward]

Be sure to get that FM receiver option so you can listen to higher-quality music when you get tired of your 64 Kbps WMA collection.

Re:I want a stopwatch on my ms compatible mp3 play

[0x461FAB0BD7D2]

As if any of Microsoft's time estimates have been correct.

Case in point: try copying a file to another place on any Windows PC.

Re:CD Quality?

[x136]

"*Approximate figures based on CD-quality WMA (64 Kbps)"

Hey, cut them a break. They probably meant that 64KBps WMA approaches old, worn-out cassette tape quality. It's a common typo. I mean, the keys for "CD-quality" and "old cassette tape quality" are right next to each other.

Re:one thing that always bothered me

[CosmeticLobotamy]

The circuitry for

a good FM radio

is not quite that cheap.

Slashdot has changed its buffering system, by the way.

They've increased the sentence-per-paragraph allowance to 2.

Just FYI.

Re:apple.slashdot.org?

[mcc]

Why do people think this is directly targetting the ipod?

Because we read it.

Re:Well, in all fairness

[ozmanjusri]

A bit over a month ago, I got back onto a dirt bike for the first time in years. I wasn't doing anything crazy, just some easy trail riding and off-road sightseeing, mostly in the same general area. I was on my way back from one of these outings, humming down the track I'd been using to get home each day, came around a corner into a narrow section only to find some kind soul had dumped a half-metre high pile of dirt across the path. I didn't have my dirt bike reflexes back by any means, and hit the pile off balance and carrying a fair bit of momentum.

The front suspension bottomed out at the same time as I pitched forward, then those big springs uncompressed and slammed the tank into my groin hard enough to crease the plastic. I'd lost a lot of speed by then and didn't so much crash as roll to a standstill and fall off. It was probably only a few minutes, but it seemed like hours before I could move enough to take a breath and turn the MP3 player off. As a result of this experience I can vouch for two things;

1. the iPod never skipped a note
2. hearing the Foo Fighters' MIA still makes my eyes water.

Re:Well, in all fairness

[Ohreally_factor]

I furnished an apartment for less than $100.

That's nothing. I got a pretty nice mountain bike for only $39.99

Re:thank you for the honesty

[justforaday]

Yeah, I can't for the life of me figure out why they're not playing any new oldies...

Re:Well, in all fairness

[iowannaski]

So, making a player with no screen is doing themselves a disservice, while making a player with a color screen is lunacy.

Monochrome or bust, baby!

Re:Well, in all fairness

[kalel666]

"then those big springs uncompressed and slammed the tank into my groin hard enough to crease the plastic"

See? There's your problem. You should always use a groin of case hardened steel, instead of cheaping out and going for plastic. Lesson learned.

3. You'll want a display.

[teddaman]

So you can enjoy the Blue Screen of Death!

Re:Do You Get the Shuffle?

[Total_Wimp]

The Shuffle is perfect and because it plays in random mode it is great that no song will be repeated too quickly.


This is the part I don't get about the iPod Shuffle. Didn't just about every MP3 player do shuffle mode both before and since?

I'm not saying it's bad, but I just don't get it as a selling point. It's like marketing the new BMW - Stearing Wheel. "It has a steering wheel so you can make turns!" um... ok. good. Anything else worth mentioning?

I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other about whether people should be buying the shuffle. I just think that if they're buying it _because_ of shuffle mode, maybe they should be made aware that there are a few other players out there that may meet their needs.

TW