MP3 or Ipod?

[Jenny70]

Sorry, complete music download virgin here (and where else can you admit that but on MN?)...

Thinking of getting my DD a music player - I can see MP3's are cheaper than ipods, but also have read threads about the somewhat complicated process converting itunes to MP3 format.

What do you recommend? She will probably download trashy teenybopper type music and make us rue the day we thought of it.

I guess I worry we'll get the cheaper mp3 player and won't be able to download the music she wants - and how much are the tunes she's likely to want be?

Thanks!

[Eraser]

Hi Jenny,

An iPod is technically an MP3 player in that it and the other devices you mention play MP3 files. MP3 files are just the file format of the music file and tell the computer how to interpret the file.

The iPod is Apples version of an MP3 player and is intended as a premium product which is why you'll end up paying slightly more or you could pay less for another MP3 player which doesn't have any extra features but will play MP3s none the less.

There are several different versions of the iPod ranging from an iPod Touch which can play games, email, surf the net etc or the iPod Nano/Shuffle which are more geared just for playing music.

There are several ways of getting music onto your MP3 player. If you buy an iPod you can buy songs through the itunes store and then transfer them onto your iPod. If you have MP3s already stored on your computer you can import them into your itunes library which is fairly painless.

You could also download download MP3s from a online source like amazon or if you have a physical CD you can copy (Rip) them to your PC and then copy them over to your MP3 (including iPods).

If you have a look on itunes and amazon you can see how much individual song/albums cost as they tend to vary.

[Jenny70]

Thanks, had a quick look on amazon. Itunes didn't have prices, butI have a feeling of it all :)