IPods VS Chipods – Can Chinese iPod substitutes fend off Apple?

In the age of portable mp3 players, iPods have taken the world by storm. Every year a new generation is produced for millions of Apple fans around the world. As a result of the popularity of iPods, entrepreneurs in China have been making copies of these popular products since the dawn of MP3s. Are these iPod clones worth it or should the buyer beware?

First of all, it is important to look at an aspect of Chinese culture that leads to copies of popular products. Some people believe that it is unethical to work with other people’s ideas. However, traditional Chinese belief dictates that when something is created, it is the responsibility of other people to improve it. Here’s an example I’ve read before: Let’s say someone paints the Mona Lisa. Chinese custom would dictate that it is the responsibility of others to see what defects the old object had and how to correct those defects while adding new value. Therefore, they would try to make a better Mona Lisa for people to enjoy. I’m not saying that Chinese manufacturers are completely motivated by this goodwill, because obviously profits are very important, but this analogy helps explain why copying is so prevalent in China.

Anyway, to the products themselves. I will try to be brief about the pros and cons.

Cons

Lack of album management: because they are plug and play, you have to drag music to memory manually. It is still possible to create albums by creating the folders manually and playing the music yourself.

Unattractive Songs User Interface: On an iPod, when browsing songs, it displays a beautiful screen with album art and a white background. In a generic player, you will most likely have a dark blue background with the song title and artist scrolling back to the past. Movies need to be converted: Most generic players have to play movies in AMV format. On small screens, the format does not matter much for the quality, but it is difficult to convert. Also, AMV converters are available for free online. However, iPods also require their own special format, and they offer this format only from their own online movement database (although it is not free).

One-speed tracking: This doesn’t mean much for most songs, but in general, fast-forwarding and rewinding move at one speed (unlike iPods, where it speeds up over time). skip ahead.

Pros

FM Radio – Some generic mp3s come with an FM radio included, which is a $ 50 addition to an Apple iPod. Look for this feature.

Voice Recorder: Some generic mp3s come with a voice recorder included, which is another $ 50 accessory for an iPod. Look for this feature if you buy generic mp3 players.

No iTunes and the accompanying bugs – Most generics offer a simple drag-and-drop service, so you don’t have to worry about losing your collection.

Same or better audio and video quality: the audio and video quality for good generics is the same as for an iPod.

It’s less than half the price – expect to pay around $ 60 for a 2GB player, $ 75 for a 4GB player, and $ 90 for a generic 8GB player, if you want reliability and quality. You can also get cheaper generics for as little as $ 40 if you’re willing to take risks and downgrade.

In conclusion, I think generics are actually a better deal. They offer most of the same features, as well as a few additions, for a few minor sacrifices. Plus, they are half the price. When you go shopping, check what quality mp3 is sold. Some useful clues are;

– If you use stock photos of real iPod nanos, they are probably of poor quality.

– If they are advertised as iPod nano and not generic, they are probably low quality.

That said, there are a lot of unscrupulous buyers out there. Always use a secure payment method like PayPal and look for any proof you can find that these mp3s are the best value for your money. It’s also important to look for a reliable warranty, which some companies now offer. I offer a free one year warranty myself and will add a full featured video from Dopple, my made in China player, on my website http://www.inspirebolt.com. I have tried to be as honest as possible. as possible during this article on the advantages and disadvantages of each, so I advise you to ask yourself what you want in an mp3 player and make an informed decision. Thank you very much for taking the time to read my article and good luck!

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