JFSinIL Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 I am about to give my iPod classic to my college kid (his broke - and he used his far more than I use mine - his was just about full!!) and need to get another MP3 for the few hundred songs I listen to on occasion... On the other hand, the following is from the Amazon website: "Listen to Music & Podcasts Transfer MP3 files to Kindle to play as background music while you read. You can quickly and easily transfer MP3 files via USB by connecting Kindle to your computer. " I have also been contemplating a Kindle for some time, now ( I want to be able to make text bigger for my old eyes) - if I can also use it to play my songs I can justify getting one! At $139 it is the same or cheaper than a Nano! So - those of you with a Kindle - can you also use it just to play some MP3 songs? Can I kill two birds with one stone by getting a Kindle??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 Disclaimer: This is not a feature I have played with until tonight, so not all too familiar with it. For the record, I have a 2nd generation Kindle. I don't think the Kindle makes a very good MP3 player. The biggest problem would be that there is no listing on the Kindle of the songs you have available. You go to experimental features, and play music, and to select which song you want to hear, you have to keep skipping to the next track. Fine if you just have a few select songs on there, but a nightmare if the number is larger. It's also not very user-friendly/intuitive to play the music. I'm also not sure how (if possible) to adjust the volume. You can listen with the Kindle's speakers (sound quality is about the same as my iPhone's speakers), or through headphones. The Kindle will also only play MP3s, not MP4s. The majority of my music is in MP4 format, so would require an extra step to transfer to the Kindle and play. Finally, the Kindle would just make a big MP3 player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 :iagree: I haven't put music files on mine, because I find music very distracting when I'm trying to read. But I can't imagine trying to use it as an iPod, dragging it to the gym and such. And I haven't figured out how to adjust the volume on mine either. I was just playing with the text-to-speech function today and couldn't find how to (or if I even could) adjust the volume. OTOH, if you get an iPod touch or an iPhone, you can download the Kindle software for it for free. The screen is quite a bit smaller than Kindle's though. I guess it depends on what you think you'll use more. If you don't want your iPod for anything fancy like videos or photos, and you just want to listen to music on it, you can get an iPod for considerably less than $139. The little bitty shuffles start at $40 or $50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 I don't have a Kindle, but I have used my Sony Reader as an mp3 player. Like others have mentioned, it really didn't work too well and I prefer to use our real mp3 players instead, mostly because it's big. If you don't want it to be portable though, and don't mind taking forever to find your song, it would probably work okay. Personally though, I use my ereader far more than our family's mp3 player. I'd get the Kindle over an mp3 player. But I love ereaders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 The new Kindle has a volume control button on the bottom. I haven't added music to mine but I have added an audio book. The quality sounds the same as my iPod. Still I wouldn't buy one if listening to music was my motivating factor. It's much bigger and more awkward to handle than an iPod. But if you were wanting a Kindle anyway and listening to music is just an added bonus, then I say go for it. I really do love my Kindle and all it can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 an I kill two birds with one stone by getting a Kindle??? Maybe. If your cell phone doesn't have mp3 capabilities though, it may be time to upgrade that as well. Much smaller--and still a multi-purpose device. I just got a new phone this week (my previous phone was 7 yrs old!) that was $49 after rebates and does everything. I feel like I've been living under a rock technology wise. :tongue_smilie: The interface for music is a bit awkward (still trying to find an easier way) and the micro sd card card... wow. It's really tiny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted September 5, 2010 Author Share Posted September 5, 2010 I am a technological dinosaur. My cell phone is a $20 one that we prepay $20 every three months - I have over 500 unused minutes now, as I only turn the thing on if I need to make a call away from home - maybe once a week or so, for a few minutes only. I really do NOT want to be 'on call" to all and sundry 24/7. If I want to take photos, I get out my big digital camera (and wish I could still use my 30-yr-old 35mm!!!). I use the iPod to play my music off the speaker deck thing in the kitchen, or to plug into the car system with the tape adapter thingie, or , rarely, with headphones if I have to wait at martial arts or a doctor office with a kid. I will probably get whatever nano looks cheapest.....I just wanted a Kindle for the capacity to enlarge the print size ...thought if it could play my music, too, when needed I could justify the expense. Can't afford both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parias1126 Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 I have both. I would say if you want to listen to music, get an iPod. If you want to read books, get a Kindle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amanda's Mommy Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 the volume control for the 2nd gen kindle is on the top of the right edge. There is a button with a + & - on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 the volume control for the 2nd gen kindle is on the top of the right edge. There is a button with a + & - on it. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 I am a technological dinosaur. My cell phone is a $20 one that we prepay $20 every three months - I have over 500 unused minutes now, as I only turn the thing on if I need to make a call away from home - maybe once a week or so, for a few minutes only. I really do NOT want to be 'on call" to all and sundry 24/7. Me neither. I find it easy enough to just not give anyone who might call for no good reason my cell number (and if I don't recognize the number, I ignore it). I have exactly 12 contacts in mine and only ever call 3 of those numbers (my husband, my mom and our home phone). One is our doctor--whom I've never called from my cell. I guess the pay-as-you go phones are pretty limited? We are rural enough to be really able to get service from the big carriers unfortunately (I keep checking). Every time we think of dropping cell phones entirely, something happens to remind me why we got them in the first place. Like last week I got a call from campus police while I was at the CC with my son (who is driving with a learner's permit). He was in history class, started feeling faint and they had taken him to the hospital! :svengo:He was okay. The lecture (dealing with torture) made him feel lightheaded (He is very sensitive/squeamish.) Someone overreacted and dialed 911. He needed someone over 18 to sign him out. He now has his very first cell phone (and a follow up doctor's appt--just in case!). I agree that the most sensible thing for you to do is probably to go for the ipod. The phone interface is clunky for this purpose anyway. Maybe someday I'll even get an ipod. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 And I have an iPhone and an iPad, as well as an older shuffle. The shuffle is just SO easy to tote around, and I was happy to see they went back to a clip-on. It's 2 gigs for $49. I'd buy that AND a Kindle if I wanted one. That way you get your reader, but you have a great music player for a really good price too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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