Centon MP3 Player Compatible with Macs?

[Amie]

I was considering buying an iPod Shuffle ... then I saw the Centon MP3 Player in CompUSA's flyer. The Centon is the same size and weight as the Shuffle ... BUT it has a small LCD screen display, which the Shuffle does not, unfortunately (that's the only thing I don't like about the Shuffle, but the Mini is too big for wearing around my neck during working out). Anyway, I was wondering if anyone is familiar with this Centon product and if it's compatible with Macs. Does it just plug right into the USB port like a Shuffle would?

Here's what the ad says:
256MB MP3 Player
LCD Display
Built-in Digital Voice Recorder
Direct USB 2.0 Connection
Plug and Play Compatible

It's only $49.99, so I'm wondering if I'd be better off buying this rather than the Shuffle. I use iTunes, but if I just drag the song files from my folder onto my desktop, my computer will automatically convert them into the proper format, right? And then I can just drag my song files over to the Centon MP3 Player?...

Any help/feedback would be greatly appreciated, as I know nothing about this Centon product.

Thank you.

[Gig']

Quick thinking :

$ 49.99 for 256 mb about 60 songs vs $ 99.00 512mb 120 songs
it's about 1/2 the price for 1/2 capacity IMO it's not a real bargain

out of curiousity checked quickly Centon website and overall support for apple looks weak to me and no tech or sys requirement info given but foundthis in product detail "Plug and play USB 2.0 direct connection is built in"

Unable to answer second part of your post as no experience with shuffle/iPod so far.

[Amie]

Quick thinking :

$ 49.99 for 256 mb about 60 songs vs $ 99.00 512mb 120 songs
it's about 1/2 the price for 1/2 capacity IMO it's not a real bargain

out of curiousity checked quickly Centon website and overall support for apple looks weak to me and no tech or sys requirement info given but foundthis in product detail "Plug and play USB 2.0 direct connection is built in"

Unable to answer second part of your post as no experience with shuffle/iPod so far.

That's true. Your quick thinking logic makes every bit of sense. I never thought of it that way. Yeah, I think I'll stick with my original decision and go with the iPod Shuffle. It's by Apple, and I trust them. And I know that it will be completely compatible with my Mac and iTunes. I don't feel real comfortable taking a chance with a brand that I've never heard of.

Thanks for your feeback.

[Gig']

my pleasure

BTW if you re not in a rush I'd wait to see what comes out from Apple Expo you never know .....I'm looking forward to an iPod mini with a colour screen as the price/capacity ratio is way better than the shuffle ...

[Amie]

my pleasure

BTW if you re not in a rush I'd wait to see what comes out from Apple Expo you never know .....I'm looking forward to an iPod mini with a colour screen as the price/capacity ratio is way better than the shuffle ...

Apple Expo? What and when is that? I just talked to a guy today who said he's a Apple developer (don't know him from Adam; we just started talking at the coffeehouse today because we were both using Macs), and I asked him if there were any upcoming new developments with the iPod (the Shuffle in particular), and he said no. Then again, he could be full of it. So, tell me about this Apple Expo you speak of?...

[Gig']

There are development in the iPodMini field that are discussed in this thread http://www.macosx.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241004 but maybe not on the shuffle side.

Apple expo will be in Paris, France around sep 20th more
Same event where the new iMac G5 was announced last year for instance.

So expect lot of buzzing till then