[pekkles]

I've been hunting around for a new mp3 player for a while since my current one's been slowly dying for a year now and is about to fall apart. I've found two awesome ones that fit with most of what I want and that I'd be satisfied with, but there are problems preventing me from obtaining them.
-For perfect #1, the company was liquidated before they even had a chance to release it.
-For perfect #2, none exist to be sold anymore and the company no longer makes them.

-No ipod (have a hard time using these), Zune (no unicode, locked down), or Creative (personal grudge. but negotiable... maybe)
-At least 20 gb of space (preferably 30 or over)
-Decent battery life
-No touchscreen
-Fits in pocket
-Unicode support (as in it can read filenames with Unicode characters)
-ID3 tag support (not necessarily for navigation, but at least can read the tags- and should read Unicode tags!)

(These would be nice, but not totally necessary)
-Preferably Mass Storage Compliant, or doesn't require software
-Preferably dynamic playlist-able
-Preferably has recording function

I've been scouring the Internet for a long time, and I haven't been able to find one that fits most of what I want >_> I think I'm probably asking for too much, and something like this doesn't exist.

I'm using an iAudio M5 from Cowon right now, and I love it to death, I'd buy another one of these if there were any still around >< but it's lasted a long time with me. I've used some mp3 players from Creative before, they haven't lasted anywhere near as long. I do think it's time to look for a new one, though, the M5 is freezing all the time, I have to charge it every night, and I can hear something rattle around when I shake it o_o (but apparently the M%'s features have spoiled me because there's nothing out there like it! T_T)

Please suggest an mp3 player! Even if it only has half the bullet points I listed up there >< I'll probably be desperate enough sometime soon ^^ Thank you very much!

[DKYang]

Well, you knocked out most of the portable music players.

Toshiba Gigabeat S30 & S60 http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/20...-s60-review.php
ibiza Rhapsody http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/20...sody-review.php, don't know about unicode here. This was recently released.

You could also buy the 8 GB Cowon D2 and buy expandable memory for it. The 16GB SD card should drop soon.

[pekkles]

Well, you knocked out most of the portable music players.

Ow >< Thought so.

Thank you so much for your suggestions, though! But I think the ibiza one might not support unicode, since it's from an American company. I'll still look into them =D I'll have to wait for the 16GB SD card to come out before I consider the Cowon D2.

Any other suggestions?

[pxd]

I was going to say X5, but then Cowon discontinued it as well...
I don't think there are any options

[erure]

Maybe you can look around eBay for the Cowon X5 (or X5L which has longer battery life).

[pekkles]

^ Yeah, that was perfect number two XD

I've checked ebay, but the ones being sold there are several months old, and I've been warned against buying used electronics- especially used for as many as eight months. Also, since Cowon doesn't make them anymore, and I'd be buying from someone non-Cowon, I wouldn't be able to send it back for repair would I? I'll keep an eye out for them, though. Thanks for suggesting!

Actually, speaking of repairs, what would happen if I sent my current M5 back? The warranty's expired, but usually then the product's still out they're repair it for a fee- but they don't make them anymore, so would they fix it or would they just keep it? @_@

[erure]

^ Yeah, that was perfect number two XD

I've checked ebay, but the ones being sold there are several months old, and I've been warned against buying used electronics- especially used for as many as eight months. Also, since Cowon doesn't make them anymore, and I'd be buying from someone non-Cowon, I wouldn't be able to send it back for repair would I? I'll keep an eye out for them, though. Thanks for suggesting!

Actually, speaking of repairs, what would happen if I sent my current M5 back? The warranty's expired, but usually then the product's still out they're repair it for a fee- but they don't make them anymore, so would they fix it or would they just keep it? @_@

They'd repair it if they could for a price I think.

[pekkles]

Hmm *new idea*

What if I bought a flash player, just for walking to/from school and really short periods of time, and then saved up for Cowon's new A3 later or something like that? Good idea or crappy idea? I really can't get used to the idea of just having a few gigabytes of music... but dang that'd add up to lots of money that I don't have ><

[DKYang]

Even for 1 GB, it carries a lot of music. If you aren't going to use it as you said, for school and such, then it shouldn't be a problem Just remember that you will have to change music more often than you usually do.

[saera]

Moving to the mp3/dica forum.