Ipod alternatives

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I've got this here Mac Mini plugged into my hifi and after a small struggle getting started I'm generally pleased with it.
I'm using it as a CD jukebox. It's plugged into a Mark Levinson CD player, which has digital inputs. I've listened carefully and I can't reliably hear any difference between the Mac and the CD player. (I am using losless encoding.) If I had to choose, I'd say the Mac was the better one.
Things I like compared with alternatives are
- it's cheap, unlike eg Imerge
- it's expandable, unlike eg Imerge
- it's controlled by infra red, so an existing universal remote will operate it, unlike eg Sonos; you don't need two remotes*
- it will display on a tv in big writing, so you can choose what to play across the room, unlike eg Squeezebox*
- like it or not, iTunes dominates its segment of the market, unlike proprietary software eg Imerge
- it also does away with the need for a DVD player, unlike eg Imerge, Sonos
- there are cheap backup solutions freely available.
The starred items, infra red and big writing through Front Row, are relatively recent additions to the Mac Mini, and for me are the details that made the sale.
Given that I am feeding lots of CDs into it, the barrier to loading music on some portable device is much lowered. I'm looking at iPods. But those do something I hate, even in electric toothbrushes; they weld the batteries inside, so you can't easily change them. You wind up chucking out the devices merely because a disposable element has worn out. It surprises me that amid the current climate hysteria, this is allowed.
Are there any devices which
- can sync conveniently with iTunes
- use removable batteries
- are reasonably small?

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Topic - Ipod alternatives - dcolver 09:32:44 02/03/07 (4)

Re: Ipod alternatives - greguva 19:25:49 02/04/07 (0)

No non-Apple players can sync with iTunes - Jake_LA 08:48:21 02/04/07 (0)

Ok, but.. - dcolver 16:00:13 02/03/07 (0)

Welded inside? - triodesteve 15:22:03 02/03/07 (0)

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