Hello... I'm a Luddite.
I get no kicks from electronic gadgets.
I do need some recommendations for mp3 players.
Fellow musicians have started sending me new material to collaborate on, in the form of mp3 files (a fine idea). I've already had an RCA player and an iRiver one, and I've ditched both of them because unless I maintain a "relationship" with the companies -- continually download new versions of the file management software -- my PC won't even recognize the player. I have no patience for that.
This is what I'd like in an mp3 player:
I plug it into the CPU, and its icon pops up on the desktop, just like another drive. To transfer files into it, I drag those icons into its icon. To delete files from it, I drag those into the Recycling Bin. I search its directory by double-clicking the icon and viewing the files. That's it. No other software.
Of course, it goes without saying that the player itself would have to have a display, so that I could search its directory and play selected files.
I run Windows XP with a recent version of Windows Media Player.
I realize that if additional formats came out (WMA, is it? WMD?
), I'd need to have a "relationship" with the company and upgrade the software. I don't care about that-- I'd rather just throw the little sucker out and buy a new one.
I don't need or want an FM radio, a condenser mic, a GPS system or a 3-inch plasma TV screen on it.
I need to store maybe 25-50 files at a time.
I want to spend $50 or less.
HELP! Any recommendations?
If this doesn't work out, I'll continue making music files portable by holding the condenser mic on my $30 CASSETTE RECORDER up to one of my PC's speakers to record them. (No, I'm not joking...)
help with mp3 players 
