How To Buy An MP3 Player

Are you looking for an MP3 player but am not sure which type and model to buy? There is a wide variety of MP3 players out there, from flash memory based players to hard drive based players. Choosing a good player from the market is no easy task. What features should you look for? What are the key considerations? This article aims to answer those questions and more. Now, let's see how we can pick the perfect MP3 player.

Types of MP3 player

There are essentially four types of MP3 players in the market today. These include flash-based players, hard-drive based players and MP3 CD players. Let's look at them in turn.

Flash-based MP3 players

Flash-based MP3 players have a flash memory chip built-in. They tend to be very tiny, ultra-portable and have no moving parts. As a user, you can do all your sports activities without worrying about your music skipping a beat. The downside to flash players is their high cost per megabyte. These players range from 32MB to 2GB, and the most popular models tend to be those from the Creative Muvo line, the iRiver iFP series and more recently, the Apple iPod Shuffle.

Hard-drive based MP3 players

Hard-drive based MP3 players use a 1.8-inch hard disk drive to store your music. The hard disk can hold large amounts of music ? we're talking about 10GB and above. If you have a large music library and want to store tons of music, a hard-drive based MP3 player is the way to go. The cost per megabyte is very low. The downside? Well, due to the hard disk drive, which has moving parts, these players are not suited for rough physical activity or extreme sports. One of the most popular MP3 players in this category is the Apple iPod, which is selling like hot cakes out there.

Micro hard-drive based MP3 players

More recently, manufacturers have come up with micro hard-drive based MP3 players like the Apple iPod Mini, Creative Zen Micro and Rio Carbon. Featuring a smaller hard drive (which still gives ample storage space of about 4 to 5 GB), they have a much more compact design compared to full fledged hard disk players. The few models mentioned above are selling like crazy too.

MP3 CD players

MP3 CD players are another type of MP3 player. These units look and feel like regular CD players. You can burn up to 150 MP3 songs to fill one CD-R disc, then play it on the unit. The disadvantage of such players is their large size and their tendency to skip if jostled.

Key Features of MP3 Players

Having looked at the different types of MP3 players, let's look at the key features of an MP3 player.

Size and weight: If you're looking to bring your MP3 player on trips or on sporting activities, a small compact design is very important. In such cases, you should go for a small flash based player or one of the micro hard drive players.

Storage capacity: This is an important factor too. If you need to store your whole music library into the MP3 player, then you probably need a hard drive based player with 10GB of storage or above. If you only want a few select songs to listen to on the subway, then a flash based player would suffice. Do take note that some players offer expansion slots in the form of CompactFlash or SD cards.

Battery Life: This is often overlooked. Battery life is a very important consideration, especially if you're out with your player and have no way to recharge. Hard disk players tend to have lithium-ion rechargeable batteries while some flash players offer AAA battery support. I personally own a Creative MuVo Micro N200 which uses AAA batteries. This is great for me because once it runs out, I can just pop in a new one ? no hassles about finding some electrical socket to recharge.

Connectivity Options: The way the MP3 player connects to your computer is also an important factor. The latest models tend to support high-speed USB 2.0 transfers. The better ones like the Apple iPod also give Firewire support.

File Format Support: You will most likely be wanting to play MP3 songs on your player. However, if you want to listen to a wider variety of music files, like WMA or OGG Vorbis, then make sure you see it in the player specs.

Other Considerations

Many of the latest players also include features I've not covered in the above. For example, some players come with a built-in FM tuner, which is very useful if you get tired of your MP3 music. Other have a built-in voice recorder which allows you to record audio as WAV files.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many considerations to think about when purchasing an MP3 player. To get the most suitable player, you want to think about how you will use the player. Usage should drive your purchase decision. The other thing to take note of is to shop around, both online and offline ? compare prices before shelling out the cash. Good luck hunting for that MP3 player!

Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on digital photography. Visit his website at http://www.digital-music-guide.com for tips and tricks on selecting MP3 players, music services and music software.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Buying A PC Flat Screen Monitor

For six years, my Samsung PC 13.8 inch SyncMaster conventional... Read More

Portable Technology: Getting to Know the Treo

Up until the recent past, those who wanted to take... Read More

Palm PC critique

I met an entrepreneur who hole heartedly disagree with an... Read More

Apache, MySQL & PHP for Windows

Apache, MysQL and PHP for Windows could be a nice... Read More

Cisco Certification: A Survival Guide To The Cisco Cable Jungle

One of the most confusing parts of beginning your Cisco... Read More

Getting Started with HTML

The basic language of the internet is html. If you... Read More

A Peek Into the Near Future of Electronics Technology

How long do you think DVDs have around? 20 years?... Read More

Anti-Skip Protection on Mp3 Players

There have been some questions on anti-skip protection on mp3... Read More

The Importance Of Email Backup

Viruses, software failures, power failures, human errors, hard drive failures... Read More

Maintain Your Computer ? Keep Your Business Running

Maintaining your computer is extremely important ? especially if you... Read More

Learn the Lost Art of Touch Typing

Computers have replaced typewriters, but two-finger, hunt-and-peck typing can never... Read More

Simple Overview Of Computer

Computer is an electronic machine work on the instructions of... Read More

Is Online DVD Rental or Pay-Per-View the Best Way to Get Your Movies?

With renting methods such as online DVD rental and pay-per-view,... Read More

Do Higher Digital Camera Prices Mean Better Cameras?

Understanding digital camera prices makes finding the best camera value... Read More

Password Nightmares

Good Morning Mr. Sampson. Please type in you Personal Identification... Read More

Why There Are Color Differences in Printing from Your PC

This article describes the basic properties of color, what the... Read More

How Do MP3 Players Work? Digital Audio Technology Revolutionizes Music Enjoyment

Millions have enjoyed recorded music since 1877 when Thomas Edison... Read More

What Does That Error Message Really Mean?

Surf the 'Net for about 10 minutes and chances rate... Read More

Image Formats: GIF, JPEG, BMP

When browsing the internet you are likely to come across... Read More

Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 3 of 5)

Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More

Put Order and Information into File Names

Unless you place your faith in internal search engine software... Read More

Your Affiliate Business - Peripherals, Software, Computers

I have always been interested in computers, but in the... Read More

Compile .BAT Files into Native Windows Applications (.EXE)

Since the DOS days, batch files have been one of... Read More

Buying a Personal Computer (PC)

For many people the computer industry is a seeming unsolvable... Read More

Digital Cameras Ratings Abolish Camera Comparison Guesswork

Digital cameras ratings are great tools for deciding which camera... Read More

2 PC Annoyances and How To Solve Them!

I have a love-hate relationship with my computer.In fact, often... Read More

A Tale of Two Regeds

Tech support tells me to type 'regedt32' as opposed to... Read More

Flow Text Around a Graphic in Microsoft Word

Flow Text Around a GraphicQuestion: I have inserted a photo... Read More

How to Set Up Simple File Sharing WinXP

The first step is: Start > My DocumentsSo you have... Read More

Temporary Fixes to Spyware, Ad-ware, and Virus Infections

So you've got some spyware, ad-ware, or viruses on your... Read More

How Does My PC Get Hot

There are many sources of heat that can raise the... Read More

System File Checker - A Maintenance Utility

System File Checker is a great utility that is typically... Read More

How Does a Palm Pilot Work?

Just The Facts, Ma'mPalm pilots are all the rage now.... Read More