Well Missy, technically I'm no genius but I would lean slightly toward mp3.

The reason for this answer is as a result not of advantages of mp3's, but disadvantages of the I-pod.

The I-pod is becoming pretty notorious with problems in relation to the screen They seem to damage incredibly easily and are expensive to replace if not insured. Furthermore if they do need to be replaced it may be time consuming.

Another factor is the software for The I pod. To the best of my knowledge once you install your software onto one computer you can only use your I-pod on that PC...

Finally, the price differential between add-ons for mp3s and I pods is vast. Mp3 stuff is far cheaper.