These days it seems like everyone has an mp3 player in their hips. It’s no wonder that kids want to get in on the act, too. With prices exceeding $200, many parents don’t want to spring for a small, expensive piece of technology for their child, but there are many players under $75 that make great first players for the elementary school set.
SanDisk has been a leader in small, inexpensive players and the Sansa m230 is a continuation of that fine tradition. The 512 MB player is slightly larger than a cigarette lighter and includes a built-in radio and a digital voice recorder. It runs on one AAA alkaline battery and plays mp3, wma and audible audio book files. It is not compatible with iTunes, but it is compatible with many subscription based music services, allowing for unlimited downloads for a small monthly fee. Like all SanDisk players, the Sansa comes with a one year warranty.
Creative has been making inroads into Apple’s market dominance with their Zen series and they even have their own Nano- the Creative Zen Nano Plus. Like the Sansa, it has a 512 MB flash memory, plenty to hold all of the latest Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers hits. Estimated batter life for one AAA alkaline battery is 18 hours. Compatible files are mp3 and wma.
The Samsung YP-U2 is great for those who hate dealing with computer cables. It has a built in USB connector so a connector cable is unnecessary. It has a 512 MB flash based memory and can serve as a flash drive for backing up homework file, and it’s only slightly larger than a stick of gum. It features a rechargeable lithium polymer battery that provides 14 hours of music between charges, a radio and a digital voice recorder.
The Sony Walkman Bean has a fun shape that appeals to kids and a 512 MB memory. Like the Samsung, it does away with annoying cords and plugs directly into a USB port. Audio quality might be too poor for an audiophile, but its 50 hour playing time between chargings makes it a great first player for the kids. It also compatible with a wide range of media formats including mp3, wma, wav, atrac3 and atrac3plus and features a built-in radio.
Just over the $75 threshold at $79, the iPod Shuffle features a 1GB flash drive, is iTunes compatible and has the iPod brand name attached to it. Downsides for children include its small size (it good easily be lost), the easily scratched aluminum surface and lack of a screen. It recharges through the computer USB port and plays for up to 12 hours between chargings. It comes in a variety of colors and features a clip to attach the player to a jacket or bookbag. The first generation iPod Shuffle was a little sturdier and is still available through refurbished outlets.
