not-Pod recommendations

December 30, 2004 12:43 PM

Looking for suggestions for iPod alternatives for my 12-year-old daughter [MI].

She's been talking about wanting an iPod Mini for the last year, but we're mean parents and made her save for it. She's saved about $150, and just got a wad of cash from her doting grandfather, but now we're wondering if a lesser mp3 player might be better for her.

Here are the details:

1/ Not too many songs to start... <1 00 total in her library.br> 2/ She uses iTunes, and has bought a few (maybe 25) songs there.
3/ She's on a "trashcan" iMac (the one with the floaty screen...) Running 10.3.7.
4/ She's 12 years old.

I'd appreciate any suggestions, caveats, and the like. Thanks and Happy New Year, by the way...

posted by jpburns to shopping (38 comments total)

I think if she's been saving her money and has an iMac, an iPod mini is probably a good fit and a good reward for being responsible with her cash.
posted by annathea at 12:48 PM on December 30, 2004

If she wants to play music bought from iTunes, the iPod is the only way to do it, barring encryption-hacking, which I'm not sure you want her to get into.

Aside from that, I can't think of any reason the Mini would be bad for her, unless you're concerned about a young girl with something of that value. As an iTunes user with a Mac, it seems like a perfect fit.
posted by jammer at 12:50 PM on December 30, 2004

I'd have to second tht emotion about the mini. It's a great size and has plenty room for music and podcasts.

But then, I'm biased. We're a three-iPod household.
posted by baltimore at 12:50 PM on December 30, 2004

The rumor mills are suggesting that there's going to be a new iPod announced at the MacWorld Expo the week of 1/11 that will cost less than $200 - possibly $100. It sounds like just the ticket for your daughter. I'd keep my eyes on Apple's web site for info.

If that doesn't pan out, the only gotcha she'll run into is that she's going to have to make normal audio CDs of the songs she's bought from iTunes, then convert them to MP3 if she gets a non-iPod. The file format of the music from the iTunes store only plays on iPods and the iTunes app.
posted by glyphlet at 12:53 PM on December 30, 2004

Thinking back on how I was at age 12...

If she's got her heart set on an iPod mini, she might very well not be satisfied by a similar product, even if it's marginally better.
posted by Bugbread at 1:04 PM on December 30, 2004

...barring encryption-hacking, which I'm not sure you want her to get into.

This isn't entirely true: you can just burn the songs to CD and then re-rip them as mp3s. This is, however, a bit of a pain in the ass. If she wants to keep using iTunes (or listening to the songs that she's already bought), an iPod is by far the easiest way to go.
posted by mr_roboto at 1:21 PM on December 30, 2004

The Mini is the Hello Kitty of Ipods. This has nothing to do with features. Although they will matter after the charm bracelet appeal has worn off.

I have regretted every cheap mp3 player purchase I have made.
posted by mecran01 at 1:29 PM on December 30, 2004

Don't complicate matters. Buy the iPod (Mini).
posted by cribcage at 1:31 PM on December 30, 2004

Storing 1000 tunes when you only have 100 - $250
Buying all those accessories you didn't realise you needed - $50
Being hip with your friends - priceless

I'd think about getting her a gift certificate for download service, such as iTunes.
posted by carter at 1:31 PM on December 30, 2004

I'm with glyphlet, Apple is supposed to be announcing a sub-$500 somethingorother computer and a cheapie iPod which might be the right thing for your daughter. A nice side benefit of the iPods is that if you have a Mac and use the address book and/or iCal, you can input a lot of data into the iPod that is helpful and turns it into a teeny PDA at least for the purpose of storing phone numbers and calendar information. Don't think of it as a high-end MP3 player, think of it as putting off a PDA purchase for a while. You certainly know her better than any of us do, but I can remember when my folks would try to sell me on the less-cool model of what I really wanted [saving maybe $25-50 in the process] and I always would have rather chipped in the extra cash and had the item with the better cachet.
posted by jessamyn at 1:56 PM on December 30, 2004

Personally, I'd rather have something that no one else has, like one of those Korean models. But I was always trying to convince everyone to swim downstream instead of up, so what do I know?

Anyway, if she's already taken the iTunes hit, she'll need the iPod to enjoy her trip. That's what you get when you only have one dealer.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:57 PM on December 30, 2004

This isn't really a question about products; go with the ipod Mini-- it likely has an appeal specific to it that she may have not expressed to you. Kids are like that.
posted by dong_resin at 2:06 PM on December 30, 2004

One more vote for the mini.

iTunes + iPod is a really nice little setup. Just do it.
posted by mosch at 2:12 PM on December 30, 2004

First off, I am extremely biased, but cummon! She saved for it? Get her what she wants, she has earned it (you must be so very proud).

Also, if she's 12, she's probably just about ready to really get into music, so her library will undoubtedly expand in no time at all. Having an iPod will make it easier.

Also, beware of iPod alternatives. All of my friends who have purchased other models have regretted it (with the exception of one Dell-head) and ended up buying the iPod eventually (even Mac-haters).

Also also also, she may be able to get a discount of $25 or so by purchasing the iPod mini through the Apple Store for Education. Follow the link and search for her school. Just being a student in the right place can net you savings.

And finally, on preview: How does someone named dong_resin know so much about parenting! Right on target, dude.
posted by mds35 at 2:14 PM on December 30, 2004

Unless you're into assuming the "unhip K-Mart shopper grandma" role in her life, just get the product she selected and not some knock-off. If she's responsible enough to save the cash for it, she's responsible enough to live with the results of her choice of product.
posted by majick at 2:15 PM on December 30, 2004

Sounds like anything besides the iPod Mini or the rumored iPod X is infeasible. If iTunes weren't in the mix, I'd recommend the new Archos 20GB player -- cheap, pure UMS [USB Mass Storage], great battery life, and I actually think the UI is great. (And they even like it at Gizmodo.)

But much as I rag on Apple, AFAICS the iPods don't suck, and points regarding the social acceptability of alternate players for a 12 year old girl are well-taken.

OTOH, if she's the type who can set trends, maybe an "alternate" player would be useful to her...
posted by lodurr at 2:17 PM on December 30, 2004

iPod Mini is glorious. Accept no substitutes...


EXCEPT...

Do stall until after Jobs' 1/11 keynote just to see what happens with new product/pricing.

But seriously, why would you consider getting her les than what she wants/has earned???
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 2:25 PM on December 30, 2004

Speaking as someone whose parents still buy me Payless sandals for Christmas when I ask for Birkenstocks, just have her get the ipod. It's what she wants. Anything else will be a letdown and she'll be in the awkward position of being the recipient of a very nice, utterly disappointing gift.
posted by bonheur at 2:26 PM on December 30, 2004

why would you consider getting her les than what she wants/has earned???

"les" should be read as "less".

Though I suppose you can also read it as referring to Les Nessman of WKRP.
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 2:28 PM on December 30, 2004

She wants it, you told her to save, she did, and with help from another relative, she can now afford it. Are you saying that you might not permit her to purchase what you told her to save for?
posted by bingo at 2:49 PM on December 30, 2004

Some other decent mp3 players which are cheaper than the 299 iPod.

Creative MuVo2 4gig
Archos GMini

Nomad Jukebox

iRivier 1gig

The iPod mini clocks in at $250. Might as well spend that extra $50.
posted by skallas at 3:18 PM on December 30, 2004

Please don't buy her the crappy alternative. I have (very) cheap parents, which was usually ok, but in cases where you've been saving for something, have your heart set on it, and then get a (lesser?) alternative... it really really sucks! If she's saved the money for it, let her get it. It's her money after all.
posted by defcom1 at 3:52 PM on December 30, 2004

Let her buy what she wants, it's her money, not yours. If she's already using iTunes, then she's savvy enough to know how to make the right choice and I'm betting nothing will come close to the coolness of a (pink?) iPod mini.
posted by eatcherry at 4:07 PM on December 30, 2004

Have to agree. If she saved for something specific, get her the something specific. Unless she changes her mind on her own, anything else sounds too much like bait-and-switch.
posted by weston at 4:09 PM on December 30, 2004

I agree with the others to just get her an iPod mini. Are there any specific concerns you have about it for you to ask about alternatives?

Oh and why do you call her computer the "trashcan" iMac? I've never heard it described like that before.
posted by gyc at 4:59 PM on December 30, 2004

Newer macs use a wastepaper basket icon, while old ones had metal trashcans? Just a guess.
posted by Bugbread at 5:21 PM on December 30, 2004

One of my friends had/has a Rio, but her husband bought her an iPod for Christmas. Why? Because functionally, it's easier to use than the Rio. Another thing, there's no substitute for the iTunes Music Store. No other service offers so many options and integrates with an MP3 player as well.
posted by glyphlet at 5:38 PM on December 30, 2004

Please don't buy her the crappy alternative.

Because, of course, the fact that it's Apple means everything else is crap by definition...
posted by lodurr at 8:01 PM on December 30, 2004

So I think you're all saying get her the iPod?

Way to embarrass a cheap bastard like me into doing the right thing.

Thanks for all the advice, and, yes, I advised her to wait until after the keynote address the 11th. I just wanted her to make the right decision, and you've all swayed me.

I just hope she doesn't lose the darn thing...
posted by jpburns at 8:07 PM on December 30, 2004

If it is all her disposable money let her buy what she wants, even if she's going to waste it.

For the same money though, she could get the Nomad Zen Micro, which looks like they just ripped off an iPod micro and improved it in hard drive space, battery life, UI etc...

I have an ancient Nomad Jukebox II which is better or as good as an iPod in every way except size and the OMG I AM SO HIP TO HAVE APPLE PRODUCTS factor. And when I got it it was one or two hundred bucks less than a same-capacity iPod.

If it ever comes to an issue of having her break encryption, you definitely should, because there's a great opportunity to teach her the difference between moral rules, legal rules, and a corporation's rules.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 8:29 PM on December 30, 2004

jpburns: my nine-year old is so protective about her iPod I have no fears she'll lose the thing.
posted by sexymofo at 9:07 PM on December 30, 2004

I would weep to think that a 12-year-old girl out there would be staring mournfully during lunch period at an Archos 20 Jukebox when her friends have a cool iPod.

I bought one of the earlier Archos 20 jukeboxes on someone's recommendation from Metafilter a while back. While it had some of the cool recording features I wanted, it's been really unreliable. It's as if this French hard drive company had a bunch of 20GB drives in a warehouse in back and someone suggested turning them into MP3 players. So they slapped an interface on it and it just barely does its thing. I wanted to love it but I'm on my second one and it continues to be totally kludgy. Maybe the new one is hotter.
posted by inksyndicate at 10:39 PM on December 30, 2004

Another reason to wait til after MacWorld is that, more likely than a flash iPod (tho Apple's definitely buying up flash memory for something...), there'll be a bump for the iPod mini from 4GB to 5GB.
posted by jbrjake at 11:36 PM on December 30, 2004

I so agree with everyone else. When I was that age and younger and asked for something specific, I only wanted that one specific thing - and I always got the cheap generic versions. It didn't even matter to me if it could do the same thing - I wished (even at that age) my parents and grandparents wouldn't have wasted their money on some crap I didn't want. I literally would have preferred nothing to the generic alternative.

I would have been so pissed if they tried to pull something like that with money I'd been saving up.
posted by lynda at 7:53 AM on December 31, 2004

First of all, thanks, again for all the help and opinions.

I have a slight defense of my position on all this...

1/ She's saved $150 towards a $250 item. The rest would be from her grandfather. We're trying to teach her the value of a dollar, but she still has no conception. This seems to be a common condition amongst her peers.

2/ She's also not music-crazy. She listens to radio, and owns a few CDs, and bought a few iTunes, but she's hardly a music-phile.

3/ If she just wants a portable music device, an iPod may be overkill.

That being said, we'll wait and see what Uncle Stevie pulls out of his hat in 11 days.

Thanks.
posted by jpburns at 8:29 AM on December 31, 2004

If she wants something pretty, get the iPod by all means. It's not the best quality on the market, but it's good enough and it is the coolest design.
posted by sic at 11:31 AM on December 31, 2004

Two more reasons to consider the iPod:

1. There are loads and loads of add-ons, accessories, etc. for the iPod; you could potentially help her learn the value of money by making her earn those. I'm currently saving up for one of these, which I'm hoping will kill two birds with one kinda pricey stone.

2. Along similar lines, you could put her on an iTunes Music Store allowance. I don't have any experience with this service, but it seems like a cool idea for a responsible kid.
posted by kimota at 3:53 PM on December 31, 2004

So, jpburns, what will your daughter end up getting?
posted by mds35 at 8:38 AM on January 13, 2005