Workout companions and headphone life cycles--Ask the Editors
Summer may be drawing to a close, but just because you get to start wearing clothes with more coverage soon is no reason to sit on your duff. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: an MP3 player is just the ticket to get you motivated to move your body, and at least one person agrees with me. Check out the players he's considering for gym companionship and you may just get some ideas of your own. Also this week: why a two-plus year old set of headphones is still an excellent option.
Q: I'm currently in the market for a good MP3 player that I can take to the gym with me and after reading up on pretty much every single MP3 player buyer's guide, I've narrowed my selections down to the second-generation iPod Shuffle, the third-generation iPod Nano, and the Creative Zen V Plus. I was just wondering what your personal preference for an exercise MP3 player would be. I was originally drawn to the Sony NW-S203F that you reviewed, but the unfriendly interface of SonicStage scared me away. The Nano seems to be the most highly regarded and most respected of the three, but I'm tempted to get the Zen V Plus. I'm not sure if the armbands that you can get for the Zen V Plus is waterproof either, so do you think it would be a good idea to go with that choice? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank You!--Alex, via e-mail
A: My favorite player for working out specifically is actually the SanDisk Sansa Clip: it's super compact, has a built-in clip, and offers great sound quality. However, it doesn't have the bells and whistles of the Zen V Plus or the Nano (such as a color screen or photo and video support), which would come in handy for use outside the gym. I don't recommend the iPod Shuffle generally because the audio quality is not great.… Read more
