Need technical help: making music playlists on mobile devices for outdoor workouts

[PrairieGem]

I was the person who asked for a newbie's guide to smartphones back in the fall, and you guys were so helpful!! I haven't *quite* gotten my new phone yet (unexpected vet bills pushed it off for a bit), but I'll be getting some kind of Android phone in the next few weeks.

My question now is about taking music on the road when I run. I've been listening to CDs at home when I do intervals--it's an easy way for me to keep track of when to walk and when to run, and I find the music really motivating. I don't have this when I run outside, and WOW--soooo much harder! All I think about is the fact that. I'm. running. and. when. can. I. stop?

So, this has to be possible, right? You can listen to music on your phone? I don't need to get a separate mp3 player, do I? I mean, I've seen people at races with headphones to their phones, and I assume they're listening to music... I asked about this at my service provider, and they were pushing me to use Pandora or another streaming radio service, which I don't think is what I want. I want to load (or stream) my own songs onto my phone. I'm picky that way.

How do I do that? I think the memory was the main reason they were recommending not to load the music directly onto the phone. Is there (I have no idea what I'm talking about) a "cloud" you can upload things to, and access from your device?


Thank you!!

[Pratima]

My super-simple answer--I've bought mp3s from Amazon, and can play them from my phone using the Amazon mp3 app. I've never tried to do it while out and about though. I do think my 4G connection would probably be OK because I use the CharityMiles app (another you should look into!) and that works fine. I'm not sure how easy it is to make playlists.

[LCC]

The best solution for you depends on a few factors: what kind of phone you get, what kind of data plan you get, and how much music you're talking about. And, whether or not you've already ripped your CDs to your computer (and what format you ripped them in.)

Starting from scratch, if you only owned one CD, you would need to rip the CD (import it into your computer) as an mp3 file (or possibly a m4a file, if you use iTunes). Your windows media player (I think, I don't use it) can do this, or iTunes can do this.

Then, if you're using an android phone, you'll need a music app. Some android manufacturers have their own. Or, someone who's more "droid" than I am can recommend one that you can get from either the Amazon app store or the Google Play app store.

Then, you probably do want to import your music files (the mp3 or m4a files you made on your computer) to your phone (or better yet to a memory card in your phone if it has a removable memory card).

If you import the music into your phone, you can play it for free. If you import it to a "cloud", you'll be using your dataplan when you listen to it while you're running.

As for a cloud, if you are doing Android, your two best bets are Amazon, that I think lets you import 250 of your songs for free (if it hasn't changed again) or Google Play that I think lets you import thousands of your songs for free. They both have nice friendly importer apps to help you get your music into the cloud.

And, even if you do put your music directly on the phone, having a cloud backup is a good strategy in case your phone gets broken, stolen, wet, etc.

It might sound a little scary, but if you take it a step at a time (and get a phone with a fair amount of memory storage), you should do fine.

Here is a handy chart on the different cloud storages. I can't vouch for if it is perfectly up-to-date.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari..._music_lockers

Good luck!

Laura (LCC)

[bzar]

i don't play music from my phone, but mp3 players are very inexpensive these days. i use mine a lot, in conjunction with my laptop, for downloading my CD's and audio books. i use windows media player to rip, sync, and create playlists.

[BigBadBetty]

I have an Android phone and I use the Amazon Cloud Player. You can download music straight to your phone or keep in the cloud. If you have bought CDs from Amazon, they will automatically be there. You can also upload any CDs you have to the player. Spotify came out with a free service, but I haven't experimented with it yet.

[PrairieGem]

VFers are THE BEST! You guys, this is exactly what I needed to know.

LCC, thank you so much for that! You explained it perfectly. Everything that I was thinking should be possible, you have outlined with actual information. I really appreciate it. The phone I'm looking at takes an SD card, so that's perfect. I am very SD-card enabled!

I have an Android phone and I use the Amazon Cloud Player. If you have bought CDs from Amazon, they will automatically be there.

Really? I buy *all* my CDs from Amazon. I know every time I buy one, I get coupons for the mp3s, but I thought those were just discounts. Up 'til now I haven't needed an additional digital backup. (I either rip my CDs to my laptop or play them directly on the desktop.)

Looks like I'll be running to Adele belting out "Set Fire to the Rain" pretty soon.

[bzar]

Originally Posted by PrairieGem

Really? I buy *all* my CDs from Amazon. I know every time I buy one, I get coupons for the mp3s, but I thought those were just discounts. Up 'til now I haven't needed an additional digital backup. (I either rip my CDs to my laptop or play them directly on the desktop.)

the coupon is a different thing all together. when you buy a CD from amazon and receive the corresponding MP3, it'll show a download button that you click on - you don't need to "redeem" any coupon for it.

the download button will appear in your account.

[LCC]

Originally Posted by bzar

the coupon is a different thing all together. when you buy a CD from amazon and receive the corresponding MP3, it'll show a download button that you click on - you don't need to "redeem" any coupon for it.

the download button will appear in your account.

That's true. If the CD you buy qualifies for "auto rip", they'll put a matching mp3 in your cloud account.

I think they did it retroactively, didn't they? So that if you had ever bought a CD that was auto-rip, they gave you the songs? I went and looked it up. If it is available under their license, they gave it to you.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=200997290

So, if you don't have an Amazon cloud account, you should set one up and see if you got anything.

Laura (LCC)

[PrairieGem]

I just wanted to thank everybody again! I got my new phone last night, have successfully downloaded my first app from Amazon, and THEY DO INDEED retroactively populate your Cloud Player with any available CDs you've ever purchased, so I am totally up and (haha) running!

(The only teeeeensy glitch, if you can call it that, is that to log in to the app store, I synched my phone with Google, and now I have NINE HUNDRED PEOPLE in my contacts list. I don't even know who 800 of them are--mostly teenagers who sent fan mail, who I should CERTAINLY never be calling! LOL)