Mp3 Player Basics - Choosing the Right MP3 Player
Mp3 players are everywhere you look now, and it seems like
everyone's got one. People on tv, in movies, at school, on the
bus, or even walking or running down the street. And the
selections are endless. But with so many options it's almost
impossible to find the right mp3 player to suit your needs,
especially if you don't know what you're needs are!
Do you know what kind of mp3 player you want?
This is where choosing the best mp3 player starts. You have to
know what you'll be using this mp3 player for. Do you want to
workout with it at the gym? Use it for running laps? Do you want
to be able to put your whole music collection on it? Maybe you
want to use it to hook up to your stereo and play all your
music. Do you need something for your work commute? Is something
that can display pictures or play video files important? Do you
want one of the best mp3 players on the market? Or is price a
factor in your purchase?
As you can see, there are a lot of factors that weigh into your
decision to purchase an mp3 player. I'll try to go over some of
the basic ones here.
Flash vs. Hard Drive
Most mp3 players can be split into two categories. Flash mp3
players or hard drive mp3 players. Flash mp3 players tend to be
smaller, lighter, and cheaper. They also store less music, but
make up for it by being able to handle more activity. Running,
biking over rough terrain...and things of that sort. Flash mp3
players are most useful while working out or when buying an mp3
player on a budget. Flash mp3 players are also upgradeable. You
can swap out the memory card for a larger one to store more
music. Hard drive mp3 players are mostly known as "jukeboxes".
Hard drive mp3 players are good for storing large music
collections or as backup drives to store larger files(or with
recent technological advancements...displaying pictures or
playing videos). Hard drive players are great for taking away on
extended trips or vacations. But hard drive mp3 players are
pricey, and the more features they have, the more expensive they
are.
Features
Mp3 players have a variety of different features. From
sound/audio options, to various play options. Things like
battery life and included accessories may be important to you.
All mp3 players will also have different included software for
downloading and managing music files, with some software
packages being better than others. Some mp3 players will even
allow you to rip CDs directly from an audio player to your mp3
player, no computer required. Players will also have different
navigation types. Some using buttons, others using touch pads or
click wheels. Some mp3 players come standard with an FM tuner,
as well as digital voice and FM recording. Then there are
players made specifically for sports use that come with lap
timers and stopwatches and things of that nature. If any
particular feature is important to you, make sure the mp3 player
you want has it(or can at least be bought as an accessory for
it).
Price
If you're looking to purchase an mp3 player for under $100 or
so, flash mp3 players are going to be your best bet. Very few
hard drive or larger file capacity mp3 players are available at
that kind of price. But there is good news. With competition the
way it is in the mp3 player market, older model mp3 players are
always being made available at huge discounted prices, allowing
you to save anywhere from $20 to $70 on some of the best mp3
players out there.
Brands
There are a lot of competing companies out there making mp3
players. Weeding out the top quality ones from the lesser ones
isn't always easy. Some of my favorites are Apple, Creative
labs, Sandisk, Rio, iRiver and Archos. There are others, such as
Nike or iAudio, but these are the main contenders. The Apple
iPod is by far the most popular, most pervasive, coolest, and
most expensive mp3 player brand out there. Whether the price of
the iPod is worth it, is your choice. Just make sure you get a
good sense of what other mp3 player brands are out there, and what
each of them are like.
Conclusion
Finding the right mp3 player can be difficult sometimes. Knowing
the answers to many of the questions asked in this article will
make that search, and subsequent decision, easier for you. But
don't despair if this intro to mp3 players wasn't enough for
you. There are sites out there dedicated to helping you choose the right mp3 player. Happy hunting!