Got one for my B-day today, and am thinking of having it returned tomorrow. It's nothing more than a pain.

When I first set it up, I tried to find a way around having to install the Napster program to import music onto it. I tried moving MP3 files onto it and into the same folder as the two sample MP3 files that are on it without luck, I tried compiling playlists in Windows Media Player 9 and also in Winamp and putting them onto the device without luck (playlists showed up but according to the MP3 player they were empty, despite the fact that the MP3s they're supposed to play are on the MP3 player itself and they work fine when played on computer), and I tried placing the files in other folders on the device (with all hidden folders show, so I tried those too) to see if it would for some reason be able to read them from another location without any such luck.

When none of that worked, I finally gave in and installed the Napster program that came with the MP3 player. That isn't enough. Just to import files onto it, you need a napster account (even if you're not downloading music from the net, or even using it online to browse, or even using it while you're connect to the net! Just to dump music onto the MP3 player, you need an account). So, I created an account, and found out I couldn't sign into the account without upgrading to the latest version of Napster first. So, I went online and downloaded the latest version, signed in, compiled a playlist from within napster, and then when I was ready to import it I NEED TO DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER 10.0 TO USE THAT FEATURE!!! (And I HATE WMP 10!!!). It's still downloading right now, and if one more single problem occures, back to the store this thing goes. It might go back anyway, this is just too much to have to go through to use the damn thing, plus the MP3 player itself is lacking the feature of a stop button. (DUH Samsung, are you completely stupid??? ). I could have lived with that one flaw easily, but all of this other stuff... I've been trying to do this for hours now and it's just one problem after another.

I'm either too much of an ignorant "noob" to MP3 players to figure out what is going on and am overlooking an easy solution, or this thing is just too much of a hassle to deal with for everyone and should die. (I like the explanation where I'm not an ignorant "noob" the best. ). The instruction booklet isn't even a great help either.

My recommendation: do NOT buy this product. (I wanted the ipod anyway. ).

Take it back. Nothing is worth the torture of having to use WMP 10.

After going through all that, I am now FINALLY listening to music on it, but I'm still not sure if I'm happy with it or not.

I don't like how it's limiting me to a certain number of tracks per play list. I had to create two play lists instead of one. I usually like having all of my music on one play list so that I'll hear all of it as it plays through, but now I'll have to keep changing back and forth between two on this thing to listen to all of it. At least I was able to split it all up between classical and others.

Well, at least it's working.

What time is it over there?

I thought we were in the same time zone? It's 1:00 AM PDT.

Oops. Yeah, we are.

Duh.

Goodnight.

Hahaha!

Goodnight!

(2 AM now!)

2:07

I win.

2:18

:p

(What am I still doing up???)

Is that a hard drive MP3 or a flash MP3? I bought a Sandisk 512MB flash player and I love it. It's about the size of a pack of gum. I rip my CDs to MP3 with iTunes and just drag and drop folders to the player connected to the USB. I don't think it handles playlists as gracefully as it could, but with a 512MB player, you're memory limited anyway.

Good luck with it!

ny1911-- have you found an easy way to convert itunes format to mp3?

The easiest way I know to do it is to burn your itunes stuff to CD (audio format) then go over to something else (WMP, Winamp, whatever) and bring them over and across. There are supposedly all sorts of patches and stuff but I've not had any success with them.

Curiously,
Nina


OOPS: PS-- I've had a few days here messing with flash .mp3 players. My kids both have them--they are invaluable for airplane rides or long car trips. At any rate, my daughter's Sandisk 256MB just fritzed out. It turns on, shows the welcome screen and just sits there. It registers as an "unknown device" when I stick it into the USB port. Their customer support is nonexistent. Hopefully your experience will remain better than mine. We've had excellent success with Creative MuVo (various subspecies).

Nina,

I don't buy any tunes from iTunes, I just use the software to rip my CD's. If you do that, the files are not proprietary and you can rip them to MP3 instead of the new MP4. You don't need any patches.

Sorry about the 256...these things are throw-away items. I got my 512 for $65 mainly because it was cheaper than the shuffle. I only use mine for execise and through the car stereo.

jgoo, MP3 players are like pianos... if you want a good one you're going to have to pay a little bit for it, but the difference in enjoyment is amazing!

Check out the Dell, and the iPod.

It's all in the prep work.