iPod replacement?

[bort]

The battery in my 2007 iPod finally bit the dust. Now I'm not sure what to replace it with. I only ever liked the iPod nano, and I don't like the new tiny touch screen one. I do not want to rely on my phone for music either.

What else could I get? Considering maybe a Sony or a Zune (but they stopped making those, right? And nothing sort of small either...). Any suggestions for a compact solid state mp3 player?

Or, maybe I'll just pay the $50 to get my battery replaced in the old iPod. That's just so expensive for a stinkin battery though!

Thanks!

[The Jackson]

If you're well used to that 2007 iPod, and the replacement battery will surely work well, you'd probably be better off with it if nothing else on the device is fouled up at all. I think $50 can net you an iPod shuffle, but it pales in a lot of ways if you're used to a full-size iPod. The new stuff is so much more complex and can get very expensive!

[Rick F]

Not sure exactly which iPod model you have, but maybe you can get a battery cheaper here at Batteries.com.

[bort]

Thank you both!

Buying a battery isn't a bad idea, it's just a bunch of work to actually replace it, and I don't totally trust that I can do it right. I may just send it off to Apple, but again, it's a really high price for the battery as compared to buying another one new.

[Rick F]

If this video is accurate, it doesn't look too hard... but of course that's up to you.

[bort]

I should have been more specific. I have a 2nd generation Nano. These are more complicated to disassemble, and the battery is soldered in place. Maybe $50 isn't so bad after all.

[tubaguy9]

As has been said, it might not be that hard to replace. And might not be very much. But, what kind of iPod is it?
I guess it'd be like asking for a part for a B&S tuba...

[bort]

It's this one:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1353#ipodnano2" target="_blank

I don't trust myself to solder the battery. If it were just plug and play, then I'd certainly try it.

[Bob Kolada]

Solution- change to a flip phone (usable battery life!) and a Samsung SGP 5.0 (big screen, fun!). :d

[TexTuba]

If you like the iPod, pay the $50. The price is really not bad if it's lasted you five years.

[bisontuba]

8 Track, 8 Track, 8 Track....
Mark

[bisontuba]

Hi-
Best price on a new iPod nano seems to be $115 on Amazon & BestBuy- but next Sunday is Fathers Day, so a lot of sales are coming.
Also tomorrow begins the WWDC Conference in California & Apple is announcing a LOT of new products ( maybe an Apple TV set??) & systems/Apps, so maybe even more discounts from sellers getting rid of 'old' stock in anticipation of the newest gadgets. Good luck!
Mark

[bort]

Has anyone ever tried/used a Cowon mp3 player? It's a Korean brand, and I've seen a lot of reviews that it's the best for sound quality (better than iPod), but it doesn't do all the other stuff the iPod does. And frankly, that's ok. I only need it to be good at playing music, anything else is just a bonus.

I'm on the fence about the iPod touch. It's nice and it does a lot of stuff, but the UI has always felt very cramped and cluttered. I like the idea of the device, but I find it very hard to actually use.

If Microsoft still made the Zune, I would probably go with that. They "sort of" still do, since the Windows Phone is basically a Zune Phone. But I want my mp3 player and phone to be separate devices, I'm tired of my phone battery running out too quickly.

[termite]

A quick thought - do some research on this on audiophile forums.
I seem to remember reading a thread somewhere comparing the sound quality of the different iPod models.
I was looking up something else at the time so I didn't really take it all in but I gather that several different chips have been used in the various iPod models and some sound better than others. I think some of the older models were regarded as having better sound.

I recently had a time filling in conversation with a fairly cluey sales assistant on this topic who felt that the Apple products really didn’t sound that good and that Sony MP3 players sounded better at a lower price.

Try Googling something like “best sounding MP3 player? Forum”.

Hi-Fi forums are very good for pre-purchase research because no matter what two pieces of equipment you’re trying to choose between there will be several people who have owned both and will give you extraordinarily detailed back to back comparisons. N.B. – these guys will never still own the relevant equipment – they will always have moved on in their never ending quest.

HeadFi.org will probably havbe a whole section devoted to this. Also, use better head phones than the stock iPhone buds.

Regards

Gerard

[eupher61]

I have a Senza Clip. 8gb expandable with a microSD card...my wife got a 32gb card for hers. Heckuvalot cheaper than the iAnything, and the functionality is amazing. No, video not possible on this one, but the Fuze does, for not a lot more money.