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Microsoft's Tips for Buying an MP3 Player

Posted by Zonk on from the what-a-coinkydink dept.

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."

5 of 784 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Well, in all fairness by Storlek · · Score: 5, Informative

    I have yet to hear my iPod skip at all, ever, and I ride my bike and run with it in my pocket. It gets shaken most of the time it's on.

    --
    Bears don't normally eat things that talk and move backwards.
  2. What an odd thing to concentrate on. by mcc · · Score: 5, Informative

    Some obscure indie rock tune or rare jazz performance you heard on the radio?

    Funnily, this is the kind of music that you're most likely to find available as unrestricted mp3s, which will obviously work in any music player you like.

    --
    Irritable, left-wing and possibly humorous bumper stickers and t-shirts
  3. Mirror of humourous commentary by Winckle · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.mirrordot.org/stories/4d12acb0722715b19 eb0a3491221d3ab/index.html Mirrordot mirror of the /.ed page

  4. Re:Well, in all fairness by Spruitje · · Score: 5, Informative


    Yes they did. They said the HD-based players skip if you move them around while they're playing.
    Anyone know if this is true?
    To let an iPod skip is almost impossible.
    The iPod stores about 30 minutes of music in ram.
    Every 30 minutes it spins its harddrive for about 10 secondes to load another 30 minutes of music into ram.
    So, to let an iPod skip is next to impossible.

  5. Re:Well, in all fairness by bdsesq · · Score: 5, Informative

    The base Shuffle player holds 512 MB of music in a proprietary format.

    Hmm, in all fareness RTFM.
    The base Shuffle hold 512MB of
    MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Music Store, M4A, M4B, M4P), Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4) and WAV
    You can see for yourself at http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/specs.html