Korean Job Discussion Forums

I_Am_Wrong · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever

So I'm in the market for an mp3 player methinks. I'm looking for something that is at least one gig min. that I will use for commuting/travelling and skateboarding and going to the gym.

Now, all my friends in Canada say I should go with an Ipod and stay clear of Iriver. Apparently the Iriver's software is microsoft based or something and they plan to make it impossible to play downloads that aren't paid for?
So I was thinking I would go with an ipod shuffle because I didn't think the regular ipod would be good for skateboarding. However, a friend told me he uses his ipod BMXing with ipod armor. He's fallen 15 onto it and has had no problem apparently. So now I'm thinking about going with either the shuffle or an ipod mini.

But, last night I was out with some Korean friends and they all told me to stay clear of Ipods and to only go with an Iriver because apparently they have the best and newest technology/hardware.

I dunno....

thorin · Joined: 14 Apr 2003

I'm not sure what your friends are talking about. Iriver and ipod both play mp3s. Seems like most people who just got here were brainwashed to like ipod. They're not that popular here though. Koreans like to have smaller playlists that they update more often rather than cataloging their entire music collection. I don't understand the appeal of the shuffle. Iriver players have more features (including a display!).

Bunnymonster · Joined: 16 Mar 2004 Location: Tokyo

Your friends in canada are idiots. The Iriver software will work with windows media player to play paid for downloads (DRM protected WMA files) the Ipod WILL not do this (unless you use Itunes). The H3xx series is so much better than the Ipod its not funny. The ONLY thing going for the Ipod is the click wheel (which I personally hate). For the same money (maybe a little less) as an Ipod ou gain, video playback, built in radio, built in recording and mp3 encoding, USB hosting on the go, better battery life, user replaceable battery, support for .ogg files, colour screen, photo storage.
The Big plus for the Irivers is that they act like an external hard disc driveso you can use it to transfer any file you want between two computers............

Oh I forgot you should buy the Ipod as they are white and are soooooo pretty......... Rolling Eyes

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

iPod: Weird digital rights management, built in battery that costs $90 to replace after about a year. Probably very pricey in Korea. Upside: Will get you laid.

iRiver: Upside: 512mb or 1 gig memory stick player are cheap(er) and hold a lot of music. I don't need to carry the sum total of my music collection at one go. You can slap in your own AA or AAA rechargeable. Cheap to replace. You can carry a spare and not be half way on a long plane flight and find out your player is dead. Downside: You can't use it like a USB drive. You need to use iRiver's buggy transfer software to move files. The unit is controlled by a little spring loaded joystick and it's not very robust. Drop it and if it lands the right way, you've broken the spring loaded joystick and you've now got a $200 necklace.

I_Am_Wrong · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever

the biases against apple are so easy to recognize it's silly. My friend has had his ipod for two years and hasn't had to change his battery. I do use itunes...windows media player....yuck.

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

No bias here.. I think Apple's stuff looks cool and works nice.

But I must say that my co-worker, who owns an I-pod, was complaining about the battery losing power. He fears replacing it soon. He's had his for a year.

At $99 a pop, I'd consider this a VERY legitimate issue.

thorin · Joined: 14 Apr 2003

Anyone who's ever had a cell phone knows rechargable batteries don't last forever. But if you're having trouble getting laid, then by all means get an ipod. Fat Canadian chicks will be mystified by your ipod's irrestible charm.

thorin · Joined: 14 Apr 2003

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

U.S.A. · Joined: 19 Jan 2003

I recently got the Iriver-799 and am thus far loving it. I wanted an Ipod, but the mini-versions were to pricey and the shuffle was lacking many features I wanted.

I'm in the states, s I wanted a player that also gets FM radio (my YMCA has a mini-broadcast machine which is tuned to the various televisions in the gym--nice to listen to sportscenter while jogging).

I also wanted a screen which the Ipod doesn't offer. My Iriver can connect to my car player (so can the Ipod, I believe).

The 1gig shuffle is a bargain if all you want is a portable MP3 player. I saw a guy with one at the gym and it's a sweet machine.

However, for an extra 35 bucks, I was able to get a device that not only plays mp3 files (also WMA OGG and something else), but is also an FM radio player. In addition, you can use it to record voice data, connected to the headphones of a cassette player it will record the file, and it will hold other types of data.

Still, the Ipods are really cool.

Bunnymonster · Joined: 16 Mar 2004 Location: Tokyo

I_Am_Wrong · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever

I priced everything on the internet throught danawa and omi and then decided to go check out their prices at E-mart. The Ipod mini was over 120,000 more at e-mart!! They had a nice iriver one gig that was on sale for 230,000...but I see myself breaking off that little joystick very quickly.

kprrok · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Location: KC

tommynomad · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Location: on the move

I'm quite the diehard mac disciple but I went with the iRiver for one simple reason: weight.
The iPod was waaaaaay too heavy, especially for sports. I don't want a deck of cards clunking & shifting around in my pocket while I'm running or throwing (ok, trying to throw) 180s.
The iRiver 799 adds only 25% to the weight of AA battery which fuels it. At 1 gig, mine right now holds 181 songs plus a 1-hour concert.
I don't need iRiver software to move songs around--I use windows xp, plain and simple.
I foresee no joystick problems-it's pretty well nested, though nothing like the iPod's great clickwheel.
I'm going for a run with it right now!

Bunnymonster · Joined: 16 Mar 2004 Location: Tokyo

Just return it if you ever do break it I river have the BEST customer service that I know of. They replaced my friends broken H320 after he got drunk and fell over onto a bollard with it in his pocket (this in fact only cracked the screen the player still worked fine). He admitted it was his fault and was trying to find out if it could be repaired and the woman said "oh just send it to this address we'll ship you a new one" true enough two weeks later he had a brand new model.................