Sony MP3 Player

My girlfriend got a Sony "bean" MP3 player. It plugs into a USB port, and I first expected to be able to copy mp3's straight over from the hard drive to the device. However, it seems that you have to use Sony's "Sonic Stage" software. To copy an mp3 from the computer to the mp3 player, you first have to import the mp3 into the program's "library". Then you have to select the file and transfer it to the mp3 player. The program actually converts the audio file into some unknown file format that the player reads. So it's not actually an mp3 player at all.

I'm not really familiar with mp3 players, but it seems like you should be able to just copy mp3 files over to the device, using Windows Explorer. Using a special software program to convert and move files seems ridiculous. Before I suggest she take it back, can anyone tell me if I should expect other mp3 players to allow no-BS copying straight over to the device, without a bunch of stupid software?

Please don't argue about how much you hate Sony. Just tell me if normal mp3 players just let you transfer files straight to and from the player, without all this hassle.

A lot of people these days are boycotting Sony for things just like this.

ok.. you wanted me to tell you:
Normal mp3 players let you transfer directly to and from the player.. and yes, without the hassle.
Most of them even let you store other stuff as well, just like a thumbstick.

Yes I got a Creative Nano Plus, plugged it in and immediately just clicked on my music files/send to/Drive F, job done.

It does come with its own software but who wants to put yet another program on their PC to copy files to what is basically just another hard drive?

I don't hate Sony. I'd reccomend their stuff normally, because it is quality.

But lately they've been doing stupid stuff because half the company is electronics and the other half is music and the music division is afraid people will pirate their stuff so they're making the electronics division cripple certain functionality, which is stupid because their competitors have no such qualms about allowing people to copy MP3's around freely, so they're just shooting themselves in the foot.

Most devices, not just MP3 players, will allow you to store ANYHTING on the memory cards. But if it uses a Sony memory card forget about it. Also those cards the last time I checked are like $10-$20 more than a compact flash or secure dgitial. So one more reason to avoid Sony devices that use memory sticks. But anyway, I could copy MP3's to my camera if I wanted to. I couldn't play them, but I could move them. A memory card works just like a little hard drive normally. You jsut drag files onto and from it in explorer. Most cameras have tools that hide this from you, but those tools are often slow and have crappy interfaces. The Kodak one for example is terribly designed and takes twice as long to copy the same files. I just bought a little USB thing which you can plug the cards into and I use that instead of docking the camera.

This is a Sony only issue on some of their MP3 players. It isn't an "unknown file format". It uses Sony's ATRAC3 compression that they use for the minidisc format. For some reason, Sony decided not to support MP3 format for many of their devices.

However, I have a bookshelf Sony stereo that plays MP3 CDs with no problem and a portable Discman that plays MP3 CDs with no problems.

I highly suggest the Creative Labs portable MP3 players. Good products, reliable, and not as costly. I have had a tiny Creative Nuvo 128MB for over three years and I love it. It runs off one "AAA" battery and it lasts for about 12 hours. The newer models are even better.

Bought a Creative Labs MP3 player a coupe of months ago, 5 GB, me likes! :-)

That Sony sounds crap - I'd tell her to take it back. It ties you to loading music onto it from machines that have the Sony conversion software on it. What if she wants some music off a friend's PC, or something?! Rubbish! :/

Calling it an "MP3 player" sounds a bit dodgy, too. I wonder what the Trades Description Act (in UK) has to say about this? Hmmm.

I am taking it back today. If I have any problems returning it, I will just ask "does this device play MP3's?", because the answer is no.

Get an iPod.

My gf has one of the older ipods she got a year ago...i wasnt too impressed by it and found the button-less style a bit awkward for me. Creative Labs has some pretty good mp3 players. I like the Dell DJ mini....but its got no radio.

I love the wheel interface, but I can see how it might be hard to get used to.

Ipods are overpriced and not that good, I'd recommend Creative or some cheap brand.

What about street cred, dude!? :P

They are expensive - that's why you don't buy the current version. Buying a Nano today would be retarded. However, buying a 15GB iPod, used, from a friend of mine was a smart move.

I love my iPod. How anyone could possibly say is isn't that good greatly confuses me. I've had other MP3 players and nothing has ever come close to the hot sex that is the iPod.

Street cred, lol! The place is full of geeky people! Me included. We don't have street cred... lol

halo, what file extension does the player read?

I've got a Sony Attrac3 plus walkman. It plays MP3 files so you'll probally find that the salesman will claim your MP3 player does. According to the handbook with the walkman the difference between Attrac3 plus and MP3 is that the Sony system has a maximum of 255 groups and 999 files while MP3 has a maximum of 100 groups and 400 files. They also claim it compresses music content to about 1/20th of its original size while MP3 can only compress to about 1/10th.