3 Iconic MP3 Players That Were As Essential As The iPod

The iPod is likely what comes to mind when you try to think of an iconic MP3 player that has since become a relic of the not-too-distant past. However, those of us old enough to remember those early iPod commercials (we still can't decide whether those dark silhouettes dancing against solid color backgrounds were genius or baffling) know the iPod was far from the only contender in the mobile MP3 player arena. While it may have been the most popular, plenty of other devices allowed users to carry hundreds (if not, get this, thousands!) of tracks in their pockets. Some of the alternatives to the iPod even boasted unique designs and features that rivaled those of the most well-remembered portable MP3-playing device.

Let's look back at a few of these. They might not be around any longer, but for some, they may harken back to a time when your chosen MP3 player was something of a personal statement. We might remember the iPod best, but those who know better understand it was just one of many devices that put music in the palm of our hands a couple decades ago.

If you were a young adult when the iPod first started defining the "cool" from the "uncool" at your high school, you might recall the Zune being the target of a few jokes. For whatever reason, many decided that a Zune was a sign that you couldn't afford an iPod, which Apple fans determined was the by-default superior device.

However, when the Zune first hit stores, it's worth noting that some professional tech writers and reporters considered it to represent an improvement over the iPod. For example, some pointed to the fact that the Zune's screen was reasonably large and attractive. In addition, the Zune offered features like its own subscription service to rival iTunes. According to some users on communities like Reddit's r/nostalgia subreddit, the Zune's music store was actually "way better" than iTunes thanks to an interface that prioritized "artistry."

Reviewers even claimed the Zune device's interface was more user-friendly than the iPod's. They pointed to the fact that it was visually more dynamic and how the buttons were more intuitive. Because the screen of the Zune (when it was initially released) was also a half-inch larger than that of the iPod, it offered a more impressive experience for viewing photos and videos.

We all know the Zune didn't last — but hey, neither did the iPod. Regardless, those willing to give it an honest try often found the Zune deserved more than the scorn it received from Apple elitists.

Even if you don't recall the early days of the mobile MP3 player wars, you may have at least heard of the Zune. The Rio Karma, on the other hand, is more likely to have been forgotten.

This makes it all the more interesting to peruse both old reviews of the device as well as nostalgia-tinged op-eds. As it turns out, this little MP3 player offered a few unique features that, like the Zune, made it something of a valid competitor to the Apple behemoth.

For example, at the time of its release, the Rio Karma offered a battery life about double that of the equivalent iPod. That's a fairly significant tech accomplishment that shouldn't be downplayed. Along with MP3s, it could also play tracks in other audio formats, such as WMA and FLAC. While it didn't offer its own subscription music service, it did allow users to rip tracks from CDs and transfer the files onto the device — something that users in the early aughts would likely have been comfortable with, having probably spent more than a few hours burning CDs in the Napster days.

Other advantages of the Rio Karma included its easy-to-master interface. While the lack of traditional buttons on the iPod may have made Apple's MP3 player feel sleeker and more modern, the Rio Karma was designed to ensure virtually any user could easily learn to navigate it. Perhaps most importantly, it was significantly more affordable than the iPod. While no iteration of the Rio Karma was ever a major success commercially, reviews from both the past and present indicate it offered more than many users might have realized.

There was once a time when Sony was the king of cool gadgets. After all, this is the company that brought portable music players to the masses with the Walkman. It thus makes sense that Sony would try to compete with the iPod and Zune. One of its most iconic entries in the mobile MP3 player space was the NW-MS70D.

This device's most distinguishing characteristic was its size. Although the Zune and iPod were already fairly small, this MP3 player was only slightly larger than a novelty keychain. Luckily, quality construction meant the device didn't break easily.

Unfortunately, while it may have been conveniently portable, it was less than ideal in other areas. For example, users had to download tracks to the device via software that first converted the files to Sony's own proprietary format. This could result in loss of audio quality. Unlike the Zune and the iPod, the NW-MS70D also had a fairly small screen that limited users' ability to easily scroll through and find their favorite tracks.

In an age when retro tech like vinyl records and minimalist flip phones are making comebacks, some might wonder whether Gen Z is also likely to embrace these artifacts of an earlier time. Given that no one is making them any longer, that seems unlikely. Still, we shouldn't rewrite history. It's easy to pretend the iPod was always the one and only iconic MP3 player, but these examples prove the truth was and is (as is often the case) much more complicated.