Could you use a new mp3 player? Stay tuned — on Monday I’ll let you know how to enter the Domestik Goddess Get Your Kix mp3 player giveaway for a chance to win the gadget I’m raving about right now…

Cheap but Good

I’m a simple soul, as you may know.

There are only 4 things I ask from an mp3 player:

1. It must be simple — easy enough for a small child to use (or a woman who hasn’t had her morning coffee);



2. It must let me drag-and-drop files from my computer to the mp3player without needing to use any weird proprietary software;
3. It must be tiny — that is, if I put it into the front pocket of my jeans, I want to be able to bend over and tie my shoes without breaking the player or causing myself any pain;
4. It must take rechargeable batteries — and if I can charge it up with a USB to my laptop, all the better!

Oh, and I want it to be affordable and sturdy, too. Not that I’m a total klutz (not exactly) but what’s the point of an mp3 player that you’re afraid to take with you? So, a cheap mp3 player that works, that’s what I want — you know, in case it gets lost, stolen, or accidentally dropped in a hot tub (could happen!) apres-ski…

The Swag Fairy must have been reading my mind:

Insignia, part of Best Buy’s internal brand, recently launched a new Kix MP3 player. It’s a small, portable player that features 1GB of space, interchangeable USB color caps and a built-in FM radio.

Never mind the pink colour — it’s got two other options (blue and green) for the little swivel-up piece that covers the USB plugin thingie. I just chose the pink to discourage He Who Hogs The Power Tools from “borrowing” my Kix.

Anyway, I am well pleased with this little gadget.

It hits all the features on my wishlist — plus it has an FM tuner with decent reception and 20 pre-sets. Yeah, I forgot to put FM radio on the list, but it’s great to be able to catch the news and weather while out walking the dog.

Audio books, too. See, this is one of the whole big reasons I need an mp3 player in the first place – so I can listen to audio books (right now, coincidentally, it’s Getting Things Done by David Allen) and feel just super-productive and efficient in the use of dog-walking time!

Okay, to review:

• Simple to operate? Check.
• Drag and drop? Check.
• Compact? Check.
• Rechargeable? Check.

And by the way, I’m really quite impressed with the battery in this baby — a couple of hours plugged into my USB port and it’s got about 30 hours of listening power in store.

It almost embarrassses me to say this, but the Insignia Kix would be a really great choice for an mp3 player for a kid. I’ve been taking it everywhere in my pocket for a full week now — off-roading in a snowstorm, even — and haven’t managed to screw it up yet.

Bottom line: Maybe not for the serious music geek or gadget freak, or for those who want to carry a life-time supply of tunes with them at all times. But for those of us who are just a tad rough on our portable toys… at well under 50 bucks, it’s hard to find a better little mp3 player.

Get your Kix

Check out the specs on the Best Buy or Insignia sites… then drop back in to Domestik Goddess here on Monday when I’ll open it up for your chance to win a Kix Insignia mp3 player, courtesy of the Swag Fairy and the fine folks at Best Buy.

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