Listening to the Podcasts...

[xdewit]

I am new to listening to podcasts in general. I do take a walk in the park everyday with my dog and that would be a perfect moment to listen to the older podcast in the member area. I don't yet have any type of mp 3 player so I am looking into the possibilities of listening to the podcasts during my walks.
I went to the store and asked the knowledgeable persons who work there for advice, but they even didn't know about podcasts....
Anyone perhaps can give me advice on what to buy: mp3 or 4 /ipod? I don't want to spend a lot of money though...
Any thought is much appreciated.
Xant

[mash]

Howdy xdewit, here's an article about this topic...

http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/null/3292

I personally have an ipod, I got one of the older ones that does not have all the bells and whistles or play videos but it works for me. I also already had a Mac though so that decision sort of made sense for me... YMMV

[archer]

I use a Sandisk Sansa Clip, 2GB. It's a small unit, easy to carry and easy to copy files to. Price is good. Built in FM radio.
http://www.sandisk.com/products/sansa-music-and-video-players/sandisk-sansa-clip-mp3-players.aspx

[Bru]

My cell phone has an MP3 player so I listen to the podcast during my trips around SC. I have an adapter and can play them through my cassette player. Makes the miles go quicker.

[xdewit]

Thank you all so much for explaining this to me. I will buy some kind of player when I saved up enough money to buy a player and a dock for listening in the livingroom too.
I checked my phone and guess what? I can download the podcasts to my phone! So for now I can listen toe them in the park, then I will try to find out how i can listen to them in the car as well.
Again: thank you for helping me out!
Xant

[TrashCanMan]

Listening to podcasts on a portable player is similar to listening to audiobooks so the criteria for choosing a player is different to that of chosing one to listen to music.

Please take this advice from someone who listens to a lot of audiobooks/podcasts...

Some features that I find essential:

-Some form of LCD display to show you the name, chapter name, etc of the podcast/audiobook you are listening too.

-Something that recognises bookmarkable M4B format so that when you turn off your player, it remembers where you are in the track

-Some way of quickly selecting a point in a podcast/audiobook.  The Survival Podcast is, say, an hour long and if you get 50 minutes through it and you skip to the next track by accident, turn off the player, etc, you will want to start off at the 50 minute mark.  A jog wheel or touch screen enables you to skip to a point in a track easily.  Something that you have to hold down the fast forward button on will take you forever.

I looked at a lot of different players and found any current iPod to be suitable (except the shuffle).

I have had the new Nano and the iPod Touch.  Can't recommend either of those more than enough.  

[Who_b_galt?]

If you can get the money together, I highly recommend an iPod touch.  Well worth the $200.  Not only an mp3 player, but it has an internet browser, and lots of applications at your disposal.  I recently found an app called mbdrive.  This app allows me to save Pdf, text, photos etc. etc. for viewing later.  It basically turns your ipod or phone into a flash drive.   Very useful for me as I dont always have a internet connection available.   Nothing beats reading a pdf on permaculture on my lunch break at work. 

[keepitlow]

Any players use AA batts?

Thanks

[Ann]

Only your much older mp3 players will still use batteries.  I have one, it's a 312 kb...yes, as in kilobite.

It works, and I still use it as a back up, but it doesn't hold much.

Check ebay for old Sansa mp3 players.

[Ann]

...or check pawn shops.

[bartsdad]

You may want to check out this thread.