Solved! hopeless criteria for mp3 player?

Apr 2, 2018
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I think the answer to my question is no because I've done about an hour of research and come up empty, but gotta ask.

I'm an old geezer about to get my first mp3 player. (I don't have a "device", just a regular no-frills cell phone, and that's all I want.) But I have a list of criteria that no player I look at seems to fulfill (and a budget of $300 or less, preferably less). Maybe someone can tell me whether there's one available that I've missed. I looked at Sony Walkman (NW-A45), Sandisk's offerings, and Zune, but none fulfill my first non-negotiable item. I there any hope?

The criteria:

* Must have easily replaceable battery (or use the regular batteries you buy at the store). By far the most common problem with all these players, at least from what I read, is that the battery goes bad. So I need a unit for which I can easily replace the battery. Most mp3 players require a bunch of extra work, including soldering, to replace the battery. No good.

* Must have automatic bookmarking, where you turn off the player and it starts back up in exactly the same place when you turn it on again. (I mainly listen to audiobooks.)

Those are the two non-negotiable, must-have criteria. Highly desirable are the following:

* Should be able to play m4a files, not just mp3.

* Should use internal flash memory, not be one of the mini-hard-disk type of players, because it WILL be dropped every once in a while.

Thanks for any help. If the answer is "no," then I'll just get a cheap Sandisk clip zip, as they at least use flash memory and have bookmarking.
 
Solution
None use replaceable batteries or moving drives. That would make them larger and heavier. I would not let that be a deal breaker since for myself battery life has not been an issue. It's good to sometimes let them run all the way down and then charge them up..
I have a Sansa Fuze which I replaced with a Sony (that plays HiRes files). The Sansa just won't die so I leave it in my van for occasional use.
None use replaceable batteries or moving drives. That would make them larger and heavier. I would not let that be a deal breaker since for myself battery life has not been an issue. It's good to sometimes let them run all the way down and then charge them up..
I have a Sansa Fuze which I replaced with a Sony (that plays HiRes files). The Sansa just won't die so I leave it in my van for occasional use.
 
Solution