Got a new MP3 player!!!

I finally got my store credit from Best Buy, and I have already spent it. If you recall, I was mourning the loss of my iRiver player last month. After a year of spectacular performance, I broke it by bumping into the sharp corner of a desk. Fortunately, I bought one of those product replacement warranties and after about 4 weeks, I got my replacement.

At first, I was disappointed because Best Buy no longer carries my iRiver player that I was used to. But I was ready to make a change so I could find one that would play the audiobooks from NetLibrary.org. That was my little friend's only downfall, so I was open for a change.

I decided to take a chance. Best Buy has an in-house brand, Insignia, that makes a video iPod knockoff for $119. It also plays the WMA DRM files that come from paid subscription services like Audible.com. I wasn't absolutely sure it would work with NetLibrary. And NetLibrary's list of approved devices is not very up-to-date. It was a gamble.

Even if it didn't work, this is a dandy mp3 and video player with 2GB of memory, an FM radio, and voice recording if I get an external mike. I didn't like that last part, since my iRiver had a built in condenser mike that was awesome. But, I had already decided that working with the audio files I created for my elections website was too much work, so I could live without the condenser mike. I could have gotten a 4GB Insignia for $30 more, but I was trying to stay within the store credit I had, and the tax would have taken me over the $151 and change I had from Best Buy. I got the player and 50 blank CDs and another flash memory stick, since my daughter lost my other one. That got me within 2 bucks of my limit.

The best news is: IT WORKED!!! I downloaded a free audiobook from NetLibrary, opened it with Windows Media Player 10 first, so I would be prompted to get the permissions key (you need to log in with your NetLibrary username and password), and then moved it to my new player. And the book plays! Woo Hoo!!!!!!! This will be GREAT!

And the 2.2 inch screen is clear and bright for video. It came preloaded with some music vids, which I will delete soon, and I moved some of my own over to the device, and it works great. The synching interface is not as intuitive as the iRiver was, but I figured it out after only a minimal amount of snarling and complaining.

I'll keep you up with its performance...