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| How to buy an mp3 player | BUY MUSIC ONLINE |
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IntroductionWhether you want to get your groove on while working out or would like to amuse yourself as you commute on public transit, a portable MP3 music player could suit your needs. MP3 players--available in a wide variety of styles and sizes and capable of storing thousands of songs--capitalize on digital technology to supplant traditional Walkman-style cassette-tape players and portable CD players. |
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The Big PictureA portable digital audio player sets your music free so you can easily mix and match songs in any order and take the tunes with you. MP3 players use one of two storage mediums: hard drive or flash memory. Hard-drive players offer the greatest amount of storage space but tend to be larger and more susceptible to damage due to the fragile nature of hard disks. Flash-memory models hold a more limited number of songs, but their lack of moving parts makes them more durable than hard-drive players. An alternative technology beckons as well: Portable media centers, made by companies such as Archos, Creative Labs, and IRiver, play both music and video (on LCD screens about the size of a playing card). Exclusively hard-drive devices, these pricey handheld entertainment consoles tie in closely with desktop PCs and let you watch hours of recorded television shows or movies. Getting StartedNearly all MP3 players require that you have a reasonably modern PC with a free USB 1.1 or 2.0 port. As you begin creating your music collection on the computer, you may want to upgrade your hard drive to be able to store more files. Specialized MP3 players are not the only devices you can buy to listen to your music: You can now get mobile telephones, thumb drives, digital cameras, personal digital assistants, and car stereos that can store and play back MP3 music files. Many pocket-size voice memo recorders can now also record and play back MP3 files. But a word to the wise: Dedicated MP3 players usually sound better and have more user-friendly controls than hybrid devices. Key FeaturesStorage: The greater the storage capacity, the more songs you can take with you. Hard-drive-based players hold the most--currently, the highest capacity is 60GB (roughly 1000 hours of MP3 music at 128 kilobits per second). The latest (and most expensive) flash-based players can hold up to 4GB of music (about 1000 MP3 songs at 128 kbps); more-affordable options tend to max out at around 1GB. File management: MP3 files include ID3 tags, meta information embedded within each song file that provides artist, song title, and album name information to the player. Working with this data, a player can organize the files for you, though each does so in its own way. Most players have a built-in LCD screen, so look for one that shows the information you use most. Transfer speed/port type: Downloading 5GB of songs all at once from your PC using a USB 1.1 interface can take all night. Most new players employ the much faster USB 2.0; but if speed is important, ensure that your player of choice supports the faster standard before you buy. Software: All players come with software and drivers that allow you to download songs to them from a PC. Some units work well only with their included software, while others work with a variety of music programs. Before buying, always be sure your favorite jukebox software will work with your player of choice. File type support: All digital audio players can play MP3 files, but your music may not be recorded in that file format. If you use media files encoded in the proprietary Windows Media file format (.wma) or the open-source Ogg Vorbis format (.ogg), your media player will be able to play those files only if it has appropriate support built in. Check the player's specs, either on the box or on the manufacturer's Web site, if file format support is important to you. And even if your player doesn't support your preferred format out of the box, many manufacturers provide downloadable updates to the player's firmware, some of which can add support for other formats. Music service compatibility: Online music stores offer users with a broadband connection a fast, easy, and legal way to build their digital audio collections. However, not all players work with all stores. For example, Apple's ubiquitous iPod line works well only with the iTunes Music Store. Similarly, online music subscription services that let you "rent" music for your portable audio player, such as Napster to Go, work well only with specific players that carry Microsoft's Plays For Sure logo. If you have a favorite online music source, be sure it works with your player of choice. The Specs ExplainedInitially only a few MP3 players dominated the market. Now you can choose from dozens of players, each sporting a wide variety of features. No matter which player you pick, be sure you test it in a retail store before you buy--even if you don't buy it from that store. You can consider the following features before making a choice:
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