Yes, I wish I'd bought a new one six months ago! Mine is still going but limited capacity and I am not sure how long it will last. The iPhone is fine for music, but holds even less than my iPod. Maybe I should sell it and buy a new iPod touch with twice the capacity....
A couple of months ago, prompted in part by this thread, and in part by one of my Apple Shuffles dying, I bought a Sansa Clip made by SanDisk, and I'm pretty happy with it.
It only cost $35, it comes with 4 gig internal memory, but has a micro SD slot; they said it works with up to 32 gig; it might work with more but I didn't want to chance it, but compared to what I'm used to 32 gig is huge.
Loading it is simple drag and drop. I have yet to try a compilation album to see if it chokes on that, but it seems to order things by album without problem.
It sounds pretty good to me; no complaints compared to Apple devices, but I'm not an audiofile by any stretch. The headphones it comes with are terrible; uncomfortable and cheap, but it works with normal headphones. It has an equalizer feature, and it's customizable - you can pick your own eq settings, which I haven't seen on an MP3 player before. It's also supposed to play flac.
It feels a little light and cheaply made; lacks that nice metal Apple feel. But then iPods can still break when you drop 'em... The menus and searching are a little clunky, but then it does have an option to search by folder, which could be nice for making full album genre groups or something like that.
Although I was psyched to be able to buy a new iPhone 6 with 128 GB storage, getting my music on there has been a huge PITA. Auto sync with my old iPods was never an issue -- I had smart playlists that updated constantly, so every time I plugged the iPod into my computer, some songs dropped off and others took their place. It was usually seamless and fast.
Auto sync on the new iPhone is a disaster. When I first bought the phone, I wanted to load about 90 GB of music on there. Took a couple of tries, because most but not all of the selected files loaded on the first attempt. A second sync got the rest. Since then, though, attempts to remove a few albums after I've listened to them and replace them with others through auto sync have been largely unsuccessful. This is not a smart playlist issue because I'm not currently using any smart playlists on my phone. Most of the time, the phone starts sync and it gets hung up in Step 1 (waiting for sync to start). Sometimes it gets hung up in Step 5 (waiting for changes to be applied). I have found threads in the Apple Support Communities on this issue, so it ain't just me. They recommend all sorts of troubleshooting tips and workarounds, most of which haven't worked for me. Last night, I was desperate enough to try deleting all the music off my phone then reinstalling. The delete worked fine, if slowly, but when I left it running overnight to reinstall 11,000+ files, I woke up this morning to find it was still stuck in Step 1. So now I'm at work with no music on my phone.
This morning I contacted Apple Support, and they suggested trying to do a manual sync, which I will try tonight. There's clearly a bug in the current version of iOS. Anybody else experienced this?
Well, not on the iPhone, which I don't have, but on the ipod touch yes, lots of times :-( much of it narrated in brutal detail higher up this thread. On a couple of occasions it was something like a piece of album art in a single file that the sync process did not like and I had to do an afternoon of syncs of parts of the collection to narrow it down to the offending file, iOS not being smart enough to give actual error information. On occasions when the failed sync also filled my device to capacity with junk, preventing all future syncs, the only solution was a hard reset and start over. It was I who named this thread.
I am sorry to hear this, but glad to read about it, as I was absolutely thinking about investing in this phone next year. Now, fuggit, who needs the frustration? Not surprised, as I've encountered probs syncing just a few albums onto my current iPhone. All I want is a big portable music player, pref one that plays nice with iTunes. Too much to ask?
From a quick google search it looks like the Sansa can use a 128 gig card. Just sayin' ...
Of course it doesn't play with iTunes, but drag and drop can be nice. Last night I downloaded a bunch of new stuff and loaded it onto the player in about 15 minutes, which is way quicker than iTunes usually allows for.
... Except it can be a little glitchy. In the last couple of days it's decided a couple of times for no reason to "refresh my media" which takes about 5 minutes. I wonder if it's dying? It is hard to move away from Apple. They just make things better/cooler.
@Muggsy - this syncing bug has been around forever, and not just with iphones. If itunes encounters what it thinks is a "bad" file, it stops syncing without saying which file and then going on to the next file like any reasonable program should.
Usually, it's a problem with the MP3 header of the file, which can be fixed using MP3validator...but the most difficult thing is finding the file(s) causing it.
If you sit there and watch the sync, you may be able to see the file name that itunes is getting hung on. The messages flash by pretty quickly, though, so this method may not work for you. If you can spot the file, remove it from the sync and try again. You may have more than one problem file.
The other way to approach this is to start off with small batches of songs in a temporary regular (non-smart) playlist. Like maybe 100 songs, make sure they sync. If they don't, narrow it down to 50, then 25, etc so you can find the "bad" track.
If the initial 100 songs sync OK, then add more songs to the playlist until the error happens and narrow it down to find the bad track(s).
This is similar to what Apple suggests with the manual sync, as it will let you find a "bad" file if you add tracks in batches. But, with manual sync, it could change lastfm scrobbling, if you use that.
Doofy, then consider yourself lucky. Back in '08, iTunes used to give an error 69 when this happened. It still never said the filename causing the issue, which is just bad programming.
(I guess I did have some kind of syncing error with my original 60G iPod, which persisted even with a replacement unit. On extended warranty, Apple Store replaced it with the next-gen 80G iPod. The new unit never did have that problem; still works today, in fact)
Thanks Katrina, but when it hasn't worked the sync never gets to the point where it's loading tracks. Once it starts loading, it's usually fine, but it has gotten hung up before then. Of course, though, after contacting Apple Support yesterday morning, I came home last night and the auto sync worked flawlessly. I didn't do anything different, didn't remove any problem tracks. I now have 11,536 songs on my phone. In the future, though, when I'm just adding or deleting a few albums, I will do it manually to avoid these issues. Since the playlists I'm using are static, it shouldn't be a big deal. Overall, despite this, I'm very happy with the iPhone 6.
Glad to hear it's working again, Muggsy. I've learned never to load music when I'm in a hurry, as that's when some sort of time-consuming, aggravating error happens.
@amclark2, regarding the Sansa Clip I've had one for about 2-3 years now. I love it and would strongly recommend it as well. I use it mainly when I go running and appreciate it being small/compact, lightweight and simple to operate. That being said, I've always heard about the fact that these things can be updated to run Rockbox which gives them a lot more functionality. I never really looked into it beyond that as the original software did everything I needed done. This evening I happen to run across a link which got me to look a little deeper and ... oh.. my... god.... imma gonna have to seriously think about making the jump: YouTube Sansa Clip w/Rockbox demo (an exponential increase in stuff to select and chose and whatnot.... and aside from all the 'expected' feature expansion one would expect in a mp3 player software update there is actually a games menu and at 3:15 he actually starts playing the original Doom game....and then Super Mario Bros shortly after that..... mind blown).
I've come to the conclusion that my iPad 1 needs updating. It is fine for music, photos and basic games - even email. But for most apps or browsing it is becoming almost useless, as the operating system is way out of date, can't be updated, and therefore continually crashes. The choice is really between an iPad mini 2 (the upgrade to 3 isn't really worth it according to the reviews) or an iPad Air 2 but with a £160 price difference. Anyone here used the mini? What is it like for browsing? Does the smaller size make any difference to its use? I'm sticking with Apple, as my daughter in law works for them and can get me either at staff discount. I will still keep my 64GB iPad 1 for things like photos and music, which is why I am thinking of the mini. One of the things I will want the new one for is reading documents at meetings, for example.
@Greg - I had a 16GB first gen, and upgraded to a 64GB iPad 3 a few years ago. I have not tried the mini, but I use mine for quite a few different things and need the larger screen. I have held off upgrading simply because my Third Gen still is working great and the new models are not that overwhelmingly better.
FWIW, the kids have been using the First Gen every day since I bought my new one, and it is still plugging away. YouTube, NetFlix and Amazon Prime all work great, and they have some older games they still play. My wife uses it for email and web. There are a few utilities to "clean" the iPad, purge temp files, etc. Might try one of those.
Yup, the crashing first gen iPad was a constant frustration for my wife.
I was hoping it wasn't because of some eventual bad connections in the house,
but when it came time around Thanksgiving to upgrade,
she went for the iPad Air 2 64 wi-fi and loves it.
An amazing difference - not just in the lack of crashing,
but because it's lighter and the visuals are so vivid now.
The first gen is still here with the idea that I may use it someday,
but it hasn't happened yet.
We both research things to death and buy the highest end
that we can almost not afford...and then keep things forever.
My current monitor that I'm using to write you guys is an Apple Cinema Display that I bought in 2001 -
with no dead pixels in sight anywhere on it.
I only just recently got rid of my Amiga 4000.
Egads. I had an Amiga 500 and then 2500 for along time...the 500 replaced a C128, which had replaced a C64. Good times with those computers, ultimately reliable.
I kind of wish I still had my Amstrad PCW 9512, just for nostalgia. It would bring back some long hours of formative work and some extreme emotions (like the time it lost six hours of intensive work in the late stages of a dissertation).
Memories - I typed my Masters dissertation on a BBC B (probably only GP will know that computer?) using a dot matrix printer - I was one of the first at the Institute of Education to type my dissertation myself in the mid 80s - saved me from paying someone to type it! (GP - you may be interested to know that IoE has merged with (taken over by?) UCL)
Thanks for comments on ipads - confirms that it is not just mine that crashes. I need to make up my mind this weekend - probably the mini 2.
Got my new ipad in the post earlier today - I decided upon an iPad Air 2 64GB, as my wife said I should get the latest technology. So now getting it set up. One complaint , though, already. It is a 64 GB iPad, so that is what I expected - but it is actually 55.8GB, at least 15% less capacity than I anticipated! Still enough for what I want now, but haven't they heard of things like the Trade Description Acts that apply within the EU?
It's no different from when you buy a computer - the stated hard drive size will be the total theoretical capacity of the drive, not what is actually left after the operating system is installed so that you can use it.
greg, there's a recent lawsuit involving Apple for the size of iOS8 & usable space on16GB devices. Two users from Florida filed it late December. I don't think it will come to anything, but you never know.
My Apple/iTunes lawsuit would be about the buggy failure that is syncing, namely when iTunes claim my iPhone is too full to add a few more albums while also showing it has 2 gigs free.
Comments
It only cost $35, it comes with 4 gig internal memory, but has a micro SD slot; they said it works with up to 32 gig; it might work with more but I didn't want to chance it, but compared to what I'm used to 32 gig is huge.
Loading it is simple drag and drop. I have yet to try a compilation album to see if it chokes on that, but it seems to order things by album without problem.
It sounds pretty good to me; no complaints compared to Apple devices, but I'm not an audiofile by any stretch. The headphones it comes with are terrible; uncomfortable and cheap, but it works with normal headphones. It has an equalizer feature, and it's customizable - you can pick your own eq settings, which I haven't seen on an MP3 player before. It's also supposed to play flac.
It feels a little light and cheaply made; lacks that nice metal Apple feel. But then iPods can still break when you drop 'em... The menus and searching are a little clunky, but then it does have an option to search by folder, which could be nice for making full album genre groups or something like that.
So on the whole I'd recommend it.
Auto sync on the new iPhone is a disaster. When I first bought the phone, I wanted to load about 90 GB of music on there. Took a couple of tries, because most but not all of the selected files loaded on the first attempt. A second sync got the rest. Since then, though, attempts to remove a few albums after I've listened to them and replace them with others through auto sync have been largely unsuccessful. This is not a smart playlist issue because I'm not currently using any smart playlists on my phone. Most of the time, the phone starts sync and it gets hung up in Step 1 (waiting for sync to start). Sometimes it gets hung up in Step 5 (waiting for changes to be applied). I have found threads in the Apple Support Communities on this issue, so it ain't just me. They recommend all sorts of troubleshooting tips and workarounds, most of which haven't worked for me. Last night, I was desperate enough to try deleting all the music off my phone then reinstalling. The delete worked fine, if slowly, but when I left it running overnight to reinstall 11,000+ files, I woke up this morning to find it was still stuck in Step 1. So now I'm at work with no music on my phone.
This morning I contacted Apple Support, and they suggested trying to do a manual sync, which I will try tonight. There's clearly a bug in the current version of iOS. Anybody else experienced this?
Of course it doesn't play with iTunes, but drag and drop can be nice. Last night I downloaded a bunch of new stuff and loaded it onto the player in about 15 minutes, which is way quicker than iTunes usually allows for.
No iTunes...but lossless formats. If this takes off and/or gets any cheaper I am going to be quite tempted.
Usually, it's a problem with the MP3 header of the file, which can be fixed using MP3validator...but the most difficult thing is finding the file(s) causing it.
If you sit there and watch the sync, you may be able to see the file name that itunes is getting hung on. The messages flash by pretty quickly, though, so this method may not work for you. If you can spot the file, remove it from the sync and try again. You may have more than one problem file.
The other way to approach this is to start off with small batches of songs in a temporary regular (non-smart) playlist. Like maybe 100 songs, make sure they sync. If they don't, narrow it down to 50, then 25, etc so you can find the "bad" track.
If the initial 100 songs sync OK, then add more songs to the playlist until the error happens and narrow it down to find the bad track(s).
This is similar to what Apple suggests with the manual sync, as it will let you find a "bad" file if you add tracks in batches. But, with manual sync, it could change lastfm scrobbling, if you use that.
GP, yes you certainly have!
FWIW, the kids have been using the First Gen every day since I bought my new one, and it is still plugging away. YouTube, NetFlix and Amazon Prime all work great, and they have some older games they still play. My wife uses it for email and web. There are a few utilities to "clean" the iPad, purge temp files, etc. Might try one of those.
I was hoping it wasn't because of some eventual bad connections in the house,
but when it came time around Thanksgiving to upgrade,
she went for the iPad Air 2 64 wi-fi and loves it.
An amazing difference - not just in the lack of crashing,
but because it's lighter and the visuals are so vivid now.
The first gen is still here with the idea that I may use it someday,
but it hasn't happened yet.
We both research things to death and buy the highest end
that we can almost not afford...and then keep things forever.
My current monitor that I'm using to write you guys is an
Apple Cinema Display that I bought in 2001 -
with no dead pixels in sight anywhere on it.
I only just recently got rid of my Amiga 4000.
Egads. I had an Amiga 500 and then 2500 for along time...the 500 replaced a C128, which had replaced a C64. Good times with those computers, ultimately reliable.
Thanks for comments on ipads - confirms that it is not just mine that crashes. I need to make up my mind this weekend - probably the mini 2.