I'm thinking about getting an Ipod Nano. I just want to listen to podcasts and maybe some audio books. I don't listen to very much music. I would mostly use it around the house or in my vehicle.

What accessories do you recommend? I know there is some sort of cord that you can buy to make it work in your vehicle and you can also get one that charges it at the same time.

What about listening to it in the house? Can I just hook it up to an existing stereo or do I need something special?

Thanks for your input!!

You can get an iTrip adapter to make it work in your car. Some of them plug right into your vehicle, others work by tuning your car stereo in to a certain channel.

You can get a sound dock for the Nano to listen to it at home without the earbuds. They range in price and quality from low end (around $40-$50) to Bose quality ($300). Those will also charge it while it's attached.

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Oh, that makes me mad. I had a huge post and it took so long that I was logged out and now have to rewrite everything, if I can remember it.

Have you looked at other brands besides iPod? I know iPods are very popular, but have you read/heard about Zunes? I was going to get an iPod but did some research and found out that Zunes are better than iPods are cheaper. I have a 30g Zune but it sounds like you are looking for a 4g or 8g? At Target 4g iPod is $149 and the 8g is $199; whereas Zune 4g is $129 and 8g Zune is $179. Why not save a little money? Plus, Zunes offer radio, which iPod does not. In the future you may regret not buying a Zune because unlike iPod Zune's have: radio, Wi-Fi, Wireless File Sharing, Wireless Sync, that is about all I can remember off the top of my head. You may not need it now, but maybe in the future and you would hate to have to spend another $200-$300.

Zune's also have car adapters and docking systems. The car adapter, just like iPod, you have two choices (well it depends on what your vehicle has). The first option, if you have a newer car you can just plug the cord right into your Zune and right into your stereo. If you have an older model car, you have to buy the cord that goes into your cigarette lighter. It works off of radio frequency. You plug it into your cig lighter and your zune, there is a switch to turn the radio station and you turn the radio station on your car and viola. I don't have a docking system. My stereo at home lets me just plug in my Zune and listen like the radio. My stereo system was $500 so I don't know if all have stereos have the same feature.

I would highly recommend you doing a little research before just buying an iPod because everyone else has an iPod. That is actually one of the reasons I didn't want to buy an iPod. I wanted something better. Zunes cost less and buying podcasts and videos etc. is actually cheaper than going to iTunes. In the future if you want to buy songs they are cheaper on the Zune Marketplace than iTunes.

Hope that helped a bit. You would think I worked for Zune

I agree that you might want to consider other MP3 players. I have an Ipod and I love it, but I am not able to download electronic books from the public library. My SIL does that all the time with her non-Apple MP3 player - it has saved her a ton of money.

Thanks for the feedback. Since I'm totally new to this MP3 player, IPOD thing, I would be afraid that I wouldn't be able to ask friends about how to get the darn thing to work if I were to buy an off brand. If everyone has an IPOD, then they would be able to help me.

Also, if I were to buy an "off brand", can you still go to iTunes to get podcasts and audio books, or do you have to have the IPOD brand to use that site?

It looks like the podcasts are free on iTunes, are they free on other sites also? I don't even know where else to look for podcasts and audio books.

I didn't know that you can down load audio books from the library. Is that done on line? I doubt our small town library has that available. Is there a fee? After you have finished with the audio book, then what? How do the copyright laws come in to all of this??????

Sorry, so many questions, but I want to be informed prior to making a purchase. DH says to just get the IPOD, but he won't be the one trying to figure out how to get it to work!! I can't tell you how many hours I spent yesterday trying to get his Motorola Q (phone like a Blackberry) "fixed" with the phone book and setting it up for e-mail. He doesn't have much patience for electronic things.

Thanks for all your help.

I can't tell you much about the iPod. My sister has one and I've used it a few times but don't like the usability. The Zune is not an "off brand" it is made by a company I think everyone has heard of: Microsoft.

The Zune is very very very easy to use. You take it out of the package. You also get a cd, plop the cd into your computer and it downloads the Zune Marketplace. Every time you want to download music/podcasts/videos etc. you just double click on the Zune icon on your desk top, log in. Easy. You then go to Marketplace on the top and then it will list: Music, Podcasts, Videos etc. etc. Just click that and look for what you want to download. They offer a ton of free stuff also. I don't know about iPod but when you plug your Zune into your computer you just hit the sync button on Zune Marketplace, it downloads all the new items and also updates your Zune with any new software.

When you get the Zune, the play/pause button is on/off. Just hold until the screen comes up or goes black. Once on it brings you to a screen that says:
Music
Movies
Pictures
Podcasts
etc.
etc.
Just scroll down until you come to what you want and press the middle of the scroll button. Then just scroll down until you get to your podcast and play. Very easy, I think.

Again I don't have an iPod and don't really like them so other people will have to tell you about them. I know people who have iPods love them, but I know people who have Zunes and love them too. I think people just think iPods are so cool so they get them, when in fact Apple products (IMO) are not that great vs. Microsoft.

Zune.net | Zune.net Home

Check with your library - our digital downloads are provided through the state to all county libraries.

Since I don't actually do this myself, I looked into it a little. I actually can use the service with my Ipod - I just have to take a few extra steps and need one more program to transfer the download through ITunes. Zunes users also need to take an extra step by using Zune Marketplace, rather than downloading directly through the program provided through the library. If I wanted to use my DS' cheap MP3 player I could actually do it easier.

The books are available to you then for 14 days, and then they automatically delete. It's just like checking out actual books, except no late charges since you can't forget to return them. They also are not renewable.

[quote=The Zune is not an "off brand" it is made by a company I think everyone has heard of: Microsoft].

Thanks again for the info. I apologize, I didn't mean to call the Zune an off brand, I just have never heard of it before. I had no idea Microsoft had their version of the Ipod. To be honest with you, I think I would be more comfortable with a Microsoft product. I think I will do some more checking in to this brand. THANKS!!! P.S. Are you sure you don't work for Zune???

[quote=Iowa Mommy;747689]
I really should get compensated for this forum! At least you are checking into the Zune

No, I didn't mean to sound rude saying the Zune isn't an off brand.....but I had never heard of a Zune two years ago and so I just wanted to let you know that a big company makes them. I feel more confident with Microsoft just because I use it everyday. I don't have a iPhone or an Apple Macintosh computer.....anyways. Either choice, I hope you enjoy it! I use mine all the time! It is just so hard to put down that much money, plus you have all the extras.

So, when I try and quote someone else's reply, why doesn't it show up in the pretty pink box like everyone else's???? Is there a setting somewhere I need to change??? I'm so forum challenged!!!