MP3 Players: You'll Never Leave Home Without Them

An MP3 player is a small, portable device that can play audio files and also store non-audio files in an organized manner. There are two ways you can listen to music stored on a portable audio device; attach a pair of earphones to listen to music in private or you can plug it to external speakers so you and others can listen to music together.

Main Types of MP3 Players

MP3 players come in variety of types, but the three main types of MP3 players are memory flash, hard drive based MP3 players, and MP3 CD players.

Flash based MP3 players have a built in flash memory chip. These MP3 players are small, making them extremely portable. The memory in these MP3 players ranges from 32MB to 2GB. Flash based MP3 players are priced according to their storage capacity. The popular brands of flash based MP3 players today include Creative Muvo, Apple iPod Shuffle, and iRiver iFP.

If you'd like to be able to store thousands of music, go with the hard drive based MP3 players. These MP3 players come with a 1.8-inch hard disk drive, which can store up to 10GB of audio files. However, if you intend to use an MP3 player while you exercise at the gym or engage in some other physical activity, you're better off with a flash based MP3 player. Hard drive based MP3 players are not recommended for use during physical activities since they have moving parts like the hard disk, which could get damaged when they are jogged or jarred. the Apple iPod is one of the top selling MP3 players with a hard drive.

Micro MP3 players tend to be the hot items today. These MP3 players have micro hard drives; these smaller hard drives still hold more than flash based MP3 players, usually between 4GB to 5GB. Micro MP3 players, because of their small hard drive, tend to be more compact. The Rio Carbon, Apple iPod Mini and Creative Zen Micro are three of the popular micro MP3 players today.

Finally, the MP3 CD players look like regular CD players. You can store up to 150 MP3 files in a disk and play it on a CD-MP3 player. These MP3 players are typically large, so they aren't as handy and portable as the other types of MP3 players.

MP3 Player Features You Should Consider Before Buying

* Storage Capacity

If you only want to store a few songs at any given time, you'll get by with a flash based MP3 player. However, if you're a heavy music listener and you want to be able to store a huge collection of songs, go with an MP3 player with a built in hard disk. If 10GB storage space is still not enough for you, there are MP3 players that come with expansion slots so you can add more storage capacity.

* Size

If you want to be able to listen to music while you travel, exercise at the gym or engage in other physical activities, go with small, compact MP3 player, preferably one that is flash based or has a micro hard drive.

* Connectivity

You want an MP3 player that offers good computer connectivity so you can transfer music from your computer to your MP3 player easily and quickly. Go with an MP3 player that is compatible with high-speed USB transfers.

* Battery Life

You want an MP3 player that whose battery life lasts for several hours, especially when you're traveling or when you're in places where you can't easily recharge batteries. Some flash based MP3 players have AAA battery support in addition to the internal battery. MP3 players with a hard disk typically support rechargeable lithium batteries.

* Files Supported

Check the specifications of any MP3 player you are considering for purchase. You want an MP3 player that supports as many music files as possible, including WMA and OGG Vorbis.

* Additional Features

There are MP3 players with FM tuner and recorder built in, if these features you want or need.

* Your Budget

Of course, when you're shopping for an MP3 player, you'll also need to consider your budget. It pays to do a price comparison of the different MP3 players. Narrow your choices to three or four MP3 players whose prices fall within your budget.

Article Source: http://www.contentspool.com

Bland likes listening to his portable audio devices with JVC earphones and Audio Technica earphones.

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