This sucker is tough!!!!

[jwalkabout]

I recently came back from a trip to Asia where I dropped my G3 8 times from heights of 3-4 feet. Every time my baby hit the floor my heart stopped. I would gingerly scoop up the player press the on switch and pray it would start. Every time it did except once. I was terrified didn't touch it for a day and prayed it would start the next. The dolt that I am realized that maybe I should change the battery, which I did and it worked! I had forgotten that I had not changed the battery afer 30hrs of use, display light on the entire time, volume at +22 and every sound enhancement in use with 30% of my files in OGG Q7 format!

I am pleased to say that the G3 in the provided plastic case can withstand some punishment, which has always been a concern of mine.

[IG88]

This is why 2GB flash players have a place in our lives...

Tell this story to all those journalists and magazines that critisize flash players of this size and price saying that you can get an iPod for less etc...etc...blah...blah... heard it all before, yeah we get the point you all love the ipod !

Drop an iPod 8 times from 4 feet and I'll bet that it doesn't work for too long...

[seibu]

Walk quickly with an ipod in your coat pocket, while it's accessing, and you're playing a dangerous game...

Hard drives and portable devices just don't mix.

[notguilty]

This is why I went flash (I5), as well. I keenly recall...
1. Dropping from a standing height, my DCJ01 on to brick at a relative's house. Broke the original left driver of my w.ear headphones. Thank goodness, as well, as I nopw have Koss KSC50 and KSC75, kings of cheapdom.
2. Dropping it on brick at home.
3. Dropping it on hard wood floor.
4. Ditto.
5. Ditto.
6. Throwing it on hard tiles at college from a height of about 4', from forgetting ti was there as I swing around. The CD skidded along the tiles, and the batteries flew out (quite a feat with the battery holder under the CD...).

Now, I have nothing against Ipods or Zens (well, except for not being real UMSDs, but that's part of why I'm here, and not at a Creative or Apple forum) or iRiver Hxx and Hxxx. But how many of those falls, with massive sudden impacts, will they handle, while being listened to? I won't be doing throwing tests on my I5, but if it dies from an impact, it had better be form a good height, and have the pieces broken and scattered :).

[jwalkabout]

Kind of puts that silly CNET review about the G3 being flimsy in a different perspective doesn't it?

[TangoCore]

Used to have the 1st creative 6gig player (the big blue brick)
With it: over 2000km of bicycle inside my jean pocket
-dropped it down a stair in wood
-dropped on cement
-dropped on ceramic
-running with it

Was still running 100% fine till I loss it.

[notguilty]

Stuff ain't built the same, dude...
If you had an old Sony brick Discman, it would be working today. Man, those things rocked. You could even power real headphones with them.
Buy one today, and it will likely be dead in a couple years.
The problem? You can't just pay extra for quality in portable devices. :(

[Fido]

Actually I hear the iPod is very well built. I read a story where iit survived a fire, the case was melted but it still worked.
While flash players are definately more stable, I think the real allure is the size of the players.

Oh, and you people are really clumsy! I almost never drop my electronics!

[notguilty]

Just so you know, yes, I am clumsy. I'd love a sturdy player with a micro drive that was user-replaceable :). Because I'd kill it.

Any player surviving something at rest is really not much compared to beating it up. However, newer generation Ipods have had cushioning specifically for the HDD, whouch, while it won't help much in skipping, will definitely help longevity. The thing to remember with items like HDDs is that it's all about impulse.

The difference between the impact time lasting 0.0004 seconds and 0.01 seconds may be the difference between permanent damage and a minor skip. Keeping a HDD player in a padded, secure, space would also help, like a jacket pocket.

[jw0613]

lol.. u guys are harsh on ur players..
actually I am careless with cell phones.. I think i drop them at least once a day.. :)

[Fido]

Do you put your MP3 players up to your ear and walk around like that? ;)