So what's the new G3, and who makes it ??

[go_basil]

Originally Posted by MaxSt

Are you sure about that?
Because they keep improving the technology, and batteries are getting better and better.

I don't think it's a question about battery technology. because today most mp3 players come with an internal Li-Ion battery, that can't be replaced by the "end -user". and I always wonder what happens after more than a year when the battery efficiency declines.

A player that uses AA or AAA batteries doesn;t have this problem, because when the battery drains up, you can simply replace it at your own will (i'ts good for going on a long trips),

[maxjensen]

Originally Posted by GSV3MiaC

My G3 is over a year old now, so I was hoping there'd be something along with larger capacity (in Flash) but still with ability to use AA (or AAA) cells, for easy replacement up yonder mountain. Less firmware bugs and gapless playback would be nice too. Oh and playlists.

Can't see any sign of it - everything seems to be headed off into the realms of proprietary LiIon batteries (spit) which are guaranteed to die in 2 years, and which will cost an arm and a leg to replace (if you even can get a new battery at all in a few years).

Oh, and I don't need video, or a big fragile colour LCD display...

To get back to your question. I only know of the Creative Nano and Muvo series and also the older Sandisk C-series. But only up to 2GB. I did a search on DAPReview's database for you but didn't find a single player there. I don't know if the battery will necessarily die out because it's proprietary. My old Sony is still working fine after extensive use. But I can see your point in wanting to be independant. (I chose my Canon A-series camera because it takes AA-batteries).
Very best of luck with finding your player!!

[608zz]

Originally Posted by go_basil

I always wonder what happens after more than a year when the battery efficiency declines.

Take a look at the X5 forum, and its subforum "X5 Troubles & Problems". People are getting like one hour, tops. We sohhh need a flash-based X5 that's powered by the AA battery-standard.

A player that uses AA or AAA batteries doesn;t have this problem, because when the battery drains up, you can simply replace it at your own will (i'ts good for going on a long trips),

Very true. Whether short-term use or long-term, the AA-standard is just too convenient for me to want the battery locked into my audio device.

[yezdi]

Originally Posted by GSV3MiaC

OK, the only iRiver model I could find was the T10 in 2GB, but it does the job (and mine came with tuner, and latest version of UMS firmware). It has a few quirks, but at least it plays .ogg, will accept 1,000 tracks, and runs nearly forever on one AA cell. Doesn't have the occasional 'squelch' between track the G3 has.

Hi,
How would you rate the voice recorder ?
Also does this unit support bookmarking ?
Ever since my G3 died 6 months back I am looking for a reliable device that is powered by a single AA battery.
Thanks,

[pascoa]

Such a shame there appears to be no follow up to the G3. Imagine a G4 with SD support running on an AA battery. What more could an audio fan, who travels a lot wish for (that is when you need an AA-powered device. How often have I not looked at those cute iPod boys and girls whose players didn't work anymore because of a lack of electricity :-).

[GSV3MiaC]

Originally Posted by yezdi

Hi,
How would you rate the voice recorder ?
Also does this unit support bookmarking ?
Ever since my G3 died 6 months back I am looking for a reliable device that is powered by a single AA battery.
Thanks,

Can't help you with voice recording since that's not anything I ever do. I don't believe it has bookmarking (although it will resume from where it left off). The user manual is probably online if you want to peruse it.

Sounds quality is probably better than the G3, although the form factor sux, and the user interface is not as easy (not that the G3 is wonderful). The T50/60 may be slightly better - at least the headphone jack doesn't appear to stick out of the side, and the unit is not designed to hang crooked like the T10 was.

[GSV3MiaC]

Originally Posted by 608zz

I’m reading reports that only the T60 (AAA) goes up to 4GB, and that the T50 (AA) only comes in a 1GB capacity. If that is correct, then Iriver has once again shot themselves in the foot. Oh well, I hate that stupid toblerone-inspired shape anyway. So impractical for a handheld device.

Where the HELL is the 4GB iAudio G30? What the HELL is Cowon waiting for?

I found a korean or taiwanese or whatever site which seemed to indicate that the T50 and T60 actually use different cpu chipsets (God only knows why) which could explain why one is limited to 1GB. I guess they may not be as similar as they look fromt he outside. Could also explain why one is available (at least from Japan on Ebay) and one is still vaporware.

[Saffron]

Originally Posted by yezdi

Hi,
How would you rate the voice recorder ?
Also does this unit support bookmarking ?
Ever since my G3 died 6 months back I am looking for a reliable device that is powered by a single AA battery.
Thanks,

I have owned a T10 for over a year so can answer your questions.

The voice recorder is excellent. It allows recording at 32 (low), 64 (medium) or 128 (high). Resulting files record very clearly. I prefer the T10 over the G3 for voice recording as the resulting files are much clearer and have much better volume. (The hole for the microphone on G3 is NOT centered over the internal mic, hence the muffled clarity and poor volume.) T10 also has FM recording, quality choices are 96 (low), 128 (medium) and 256 (high) and these recordings are quite excellent as well. G3 only goes up to 128 for FM recording.

Unfortunately the bookmarking feature on T10 is lacking, which is what originally led me to purchase the G3 to supplement the T10. The T10's bookmarking feature only works on files from Audible.com, you cannot set bookmarks on any other files. It does have a resume feature that will start exactly where you left off if you turn the unit off and then back on later. Resume also works if you switch to FM and then back to the file. However, if you switch from one saved file to another then resume will not work on returning to the previous file. It only works when switching the unit off or switching to FM.

Several emails to iRiver didn't help. They replied but said there were no plans to include a separate bookmarking feature for all files in future firmware because there just wasn't nearly enough customer demand for that feature. This didn't work out well for podcasts, so I bought a 2 GB G3 which is used exclusively for podcasts and the T10 exclusively for music. I really don't mind this, actually rather like separate units for separate purposes and both are very small and light so no problems carrying both if needed.

On the battery issues discussed in this thread, count me as another that prefers standard batteries for flash players as opposed to ones with proprietary batteries built-in. All rechargeables degrade over time with charge/use cycles, including built-in batteries. I know too many people with less-than-15-month old iPods that are getting 2 or 3 hours use time between charges. That's a deal-breaker for me.

My G3 is already about a year old and my iRiver T10 is over a year old. If either had built-in batteries I would already be having the same problems. No thanks! I also travel frequently and there's no USB ports or electrical outlets on airplane seats. So many times I see the iPod owers run down their charge on planes and then are stuck without their DAPs on the plane. In the meantime, I just pop in a spare AA and am good to go.

I can see the need for proprietary batteries on hard drive players, and there are replacement batteries available for those who want to take their players apart. But for smaller capacity flash players there are no replacement batteries available so they are essentially disposable devices. For those reasons I believe standard batteries are better for flash players, or at least proprietary batteries that are easily user-repaceable like in some of the Creative and Sandisk players.

[Tac21]

you guys know why ipod batterys crap out on you? go do me a favor and grab your buddys ipod. notice how fast it turns on? thats because its consantly running, draining the battery- thats not so good to begin with.

I don't want to be rude, but don't count on getting a newer decent mp3 that realys on AA/AAA batteries to power it. Companys make much more money producing lith-ion types due to the fact that its what the average consumer wants. It's also getting cheaper and doing abit to save our enviroment (which aperently is in a shitty state right now) right?

so yeah, I mean, hey! they still make em... just the lower end types like curtis (read:don't buy) and mpio.. don't bother with it though.. cause I think thats even a tough find

keeping with the cowon side of things. there was the G5 that got canceled... and honestly, I think cowons done with the AA/AAA batteries for good

[Saffron]

Originally Posted by Tac21

you guys know why ipod batterys crap out on you? go do me a favor and grab your buddys ipod. notice how fast it turns on? thats because its consantly running, draining the battery- thats not so good to begin with.

Thanks Tac21, already familiar with that, it's sleep mode. Players using that function don't shut off but instead power down into standby, so they can be instantly started up again. It's said customers appreciate faster start up times rather than decent battery life. More likely is they don't think about sleep mode slowly draining battery because it's invisible, while slow start up times are quite visible.

iPod isn't the only sealed in battery player with sleep mode, it's also on Creative players and the iRiver Clix. Not sure which Cowon players use it, this is not part of reported specifications for any manufacturer's players and the information is missing from most professional reviews. The only way to get such information is through user message fora like this one, unfortunately this forum tends to be more 'fannish' than informative on certain issues. It is important to know what players use sleep, as well as time frame when sleep mode switches into actual shut down. Creative players that use sleep shut down in 4 hours while the iRiver Clix stays in standby for an entire 24 hours.

Players with long standby modes are good for users who frequently shut off and turn players back on, but poor choices for sporadic users. For example, a commuter who uses a player only for one hour while getting to work and an additional hour during the trip home will not get anywhere near rated battery life out of any player with extended standby time. There are various work arounds to force players out of standby and into shut down but many times these methods are inconvenient at best. Most require carrying a bent paper clip at all times to access reset buttons, partially canceling out the supposed convenience of a sealed in battery.

Originally Posted by Tac21

I don't want to be rude, but don't count on getting a newer decent mp3 that realys on AA/AAA batteries to power it. Companys make much more money producing lith-ion types due to the fact that its what the average consumer wants. It's also getting cheaper and doing abit to save our enviroment ...<snip>... so yeah, I mean, hey! they still make em... just the lower end types

Unlike some you are informative and not rude. You're right about Cowon making no more standard battery players. But iRiver has just released two new players, the T50 which runs on AA and the T60 on AAA. There's also Sandisk and Creative, both of which have recent replaceable battery players, though not standard AA or AAA. I don't personally care about type of battery and likely neither does anyone else, only that it's user replaceable.

User replaceable rechargeable batteries are more environmentally sound than those that are sealed in. Replaceable rechargables can be recycled without inconvenience to consumers, electronics stores accept spent rechargeables for recycling and one will visit the store anyway to purchase a new battery.

But with sealed in batteries once the battery no longer accepts a charge the entire player becomes unusable, and unfortunately most people then toss them into the trash without much thought. In those cases the entire player--spent battery, electronic parts with lead solder and other chemicals, and the non-biodegradable plastic housing --all end up in a landfill. Multiply that by millions of players sold and there's quite a problem with these non-renewable players.

[Miaow]

I didn't see it mentioned in this thread, but the iRiver X20 has a user-replaceable battery. When I bought my X20, I had been looking for a higher-capacity flash player that ran on AA/AAA (I found that the 1G on my G3 just was not enough.) I considered the iRiver T60 (or T50, I forget), but then came across info on the X20 whose battery was propriatary, but user-replaceable. It comes in 2G, 4G, and 8G - and you can add a memory card for more memory. (I bought the 4G.)

The X20 has a larger screen, and I didn't think I'd use it much, but I've found myself watching many a movie!

I-nique makes an awesome leather case for the X20 as well.

Just thought I'd mention it.

[knackers]

Do you know whether you can buy a cheap replacement battery? I potentially wouldn't mind going with this if I could get a couple of spares, but those lithium batteries can be expensive...

[608zz]

Not only are "user-replaceable" proprietary batteries expensive; you can also count on having a hassle when it comes time to obtain a replacement.

The only kind of battery that's guaranteed to be replaceable are the standards, because they'll always be available to you. The standard with the best power-to-size ratio is the AA. There's no point in going with a "user-replaceable" proprietary battery just to keep up a losing argument against standards.

[knackers]

Originally Posted by 608zz

There's no point in going with a "user-replaceable" proprietary battery just to keep up a losing argument against standards.

Quite so, mon vieux! It is only out of desperation that I consider a builtin battery. I am hanging on to my 3 yr old G3 with its pitiful 1GB for this reason. When it dies, and I am forced to buy another player, I intend to build an external battery pack that takes 4 AA batteries, and has a USB connector. As the USB standard is 5 Volts, and 4 batteries is just a smidgin over that (one battery is a little < 1.5 V), no electronics is needed. A little bulky for the gym, perhaps, but ok for the plane.

[paulr]

It's really sad about this lithium disease. Yes lithium cells are getting better. But AA cells are also getting better, and lithium cells are not getting any more standard.

There is finally a player with good audio that uses SDHC (the D2) and I'm tempted by it but I hate that it uses a proprietary battery. I don't care at all about its video features. I wish they would make a G3 with an SDHC slot and I'd buy one immediately.