Is there an MP3 player out there for me?

[RaiderJ]

I've been looking for a new MP3 player for quite some time, but haven't found one to replace my Creative Zen 2GB. It's a great little player, uses AAA batteries, has a USB plug on it, and works as a Mass Storage Device. So, I just drag & drop folders of music onto it, and it plays them. I can also use it just like a USB thumbdrive.

Ipods need iTunes, so that's out. Sansas don't seem to support Mass Storage, and hardly anything out there works directly to a USB port. Anyone have suggestions? 2GB just doesn't seem to be enough these days!

 

[Sumguy]

Creative Zen...8GB?

 

[0roo0roo]

you can't use windows media transport protocol? comes with media player 11... after that you can choose to drag and drop. you just can't copy it back.

 

[RaiderJ]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
you can't use windows media transport protocol? comes with media player 11... after that you can choose to drag and drop. you just can't copy it back.

Nope. MTP isn't available on Ubuntu, Solaris, etc. Plus, I think it's dumb I can't just drag & drop music. Does there really need to be a special protocol to transfer MP3's?

 

[esun]

MTP actually _is_ available on Ubuntu. However, I haven't personally had success getting it to work with my iRiver Clix, although there are numerous reports of success if you do a little Googling.

Also, iPods do not need iTunes. They work with Amarok, for example.

 

[RaiderJ]

Well, the idea behind having a player support Mass Storage is so that I WON'T need any special software to transfer music. Am I the only one that thinks it's dumb that getting music on a portable player has gotten more difficult?

 

[Modelworks]

I have a player that fits your requirements, unfortunately I have no idea who makes it.
I bought it off the geeks.com site last year.
This is the closest thing on the site now to it:
http://www.geeks.com/details.a...=H-646-2GB-BLK&cat=MP3
It has an internal Li battery that recharges via usb.
When connected it shows up as a drive letter and its just drag and drop the songs or if you want to use it to transfer files, that works too

 

[Xylitol]

ipod video
i don't remember - but with the video i think you can put music directly into it if you choose that option (in iTunes)

 

[Juno]

ipod with rockbox firmware so you'll not need itunes.

 

[ForumMaster]

Originally posted by: Xylitol
ipod video
i don't remember - but with the video i think you can put music directly into it if you choose that option (in iTunes)

only if you put the rockbox firmware on it. you can use it as a thumbdrive, but it doesn't have a direct usb port like the OP wants.

 

[0roo0roo]

http://www.anythingbutipod.com.../forumdisplay.php?f=12

 

[jpeyton]

Creative ______

 

[murphy55d]

I had gotten my wife a Sandisk mp3 player and it was just drag and drop. Hers was only 1gb I believe, so I don't know if the higher capacity ones work differently or not.

 

[sswingle]

I helped someone with a Sandisk that looked almost exactly like a mini ipod, and it was able to drag and drop. I think it was the Fuze.

 

[TruePaige]

If you're interested in the 8GB version of that player I have one I could sell.

 

[Anubis]

my iAudio X5 does what you want, its basicially a 30GB portable HDD that happens to play music and videos if you format them correctly

plug and play + drag and drop, no software needed (unless you want to watch vids on it, they need to be formatted), can use it as a thumbdrive as well

uses folders just like windows, the music file on mine is basicially a mirror image of my Music folder on my PC

 

[Funyuns101]

try find an older iRiver mp3 player

 

[imported_Section8]

Originally posted by: Sumguy
Creative Zen...8GB?

This is the one I have and it works like a USB drive. I also have a SDHC card in it for 12 gigs total.

 

[randomlinh]

The Sansa's don't support mass storage? Damn, that's a bummer

 

[oynaz]

If you are satisfied with your Creative player, why not upgrade to a newer Creative?

 

[BlackTigers]

The Zen I have works like that. Plug in, drag and drop, and the SD slot for more storage.

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: RaiderJ
Well, the idea behind having a player support Mass Storage is so that I WON'T need any special software to transfer music. Am I the only one that thinks it's dumb that getting music on a portable player has gotten more difficult?

YES

My daughter (11) used to have a Sansa i think. It was great. Plug it in, its detected, lists as a drive, copy music to it. Very very easy. Well her grandfather just got her an Ipod, so I had to figure out how to get it to work. I finally said eff it and stuck Itunes on her PC. When I went to figure out how to put music on it it just felt so damned cumbersome.

Load library, make playlist, add music to playlist, select playlist to be synced, sync playlist to get to the Ipod. Jesus. I just want plug and play drag and drop. Real simple.

That said, when talking about the player itself I have to confess I really like the Ipod.

 

[ShockwaveVT]

My Sansa e260 operates as a USB drive when connected to my PC... in its settings menu is an option to act as either a Windows MTP device or as a plain mass storage device...

 

[SAWYER]

I bought my son a Philips 2 gig at Wal-Mart and it is drag n drop

 

[thehstrybean]

Originally posted by: esun
MTP actually _is_ available on Ubuntu. However, I haven't personally had success getting it to work with my iRiver Clix, although there are numerous reports of success if you do a little Googling.

Also, iPods do not need iTunes. They work with Amarok, for example.

iPod + Rockbox. It gives you the ability to sync with Amarok, WMP, or drag and drop. It's free, too, and it's got some nice stuff or 5th gen iPods...