John Dow asked:




MP3 players come in many different shapes, sizes, and features. Every major manufacturer usually has multiple models that are designed to highlight some special purpose or particular use. And then of course you have the color coordinated and designer models. What started out as a simple way to take your music with you has turned into an industry.

The amount of models and price ranges are staggering. After the major brands you have as many or more knock off brands that try to emulate the big sellers. These knock offs and me too models look the same but may not have the quality or the reliability of the name brands. But for half the cost, many are willing to take the chance.

One of the most popular uses of an MP3 Player is while people exercise. There are many models and accessories available to attach the units like arm and wristbands, clips, and belt holders. Earphones come in all shapes, sizes, and styles to help hold them on when you are exercising. But some manufacturers take it to the next level with specially designed models.

One of the best I’ve seen for exercising with some special features is the HHS1A-2G sport by Haier. It comes with a built-in pedometer and heart-rate monitor, water resistant design, and workout and calorie tracking software. The Haier player comes with 2 GB of memory, armband, earphones, and USB cable. It retails for around $50.

If you don’t want or need the pedometer or heart rate monitor and still want a small rugged MP3 player for exercising Sansa has a great one too. The SanDisk Sansa Clip+ is very inexpensive and a built-in belt-clip, a MicroSD card slot, a voice recorder, an FM tuner, 2 GB of memory, and weighs less than an ounce. The Sansa Clip+ retails for around $40.

There are also MP3 players that have special features that outperform the basic function. People who like to listen to their favorite radio station rather than recorded music have several models that have FM tuners. The SanDisk Sansa Clip+ mentioned above does and offers good reception. The Creative Zen Mozaic has one of the best FM radio setups with great reception, autofind, and 10 preselects. Plus a voice recorder, built in speaker, and photo and video support. All these features for under $100 retail and 8 GB of memory too.

Another special purpose player that also comes with a very heavy dose of “cool” is the Oakley Split Thump sunglasses that offer wireless music by integrating a player into a compact and wearable design. Very good for all outdoor activities, the Split Thumps work with both Windows and Mac plus have up to 1 GB of memory. These stylish sunglasses come in several colors, polarized lenses, and typical 8 hours of battery life. The only real drawback is the price, around $200.

One of the most unusual and high tech specialty models I’ve ever seen are the SwiMP3 v2. The SwiMP3 V2 uses bone conduction technology rather than plugging in earphones. It consists of two “earpieces,” which are attached by a cord that loops around the back of the neck or on to goggles if you wear them for swimming. You just affix them to your cheekbones where vibrations from the player are resonated from the cheekbone to your inner ear. You will get some strange looks since if you wear goggles and a swim cap these devices make you look just like an alien. Not for the bashful or easily embarrassed. The memory is only 256 Megs but how many laps are you going to swim? These units retail for around $120.

So if you have a special need or want a particular feature or function, check out some of the models mentioned above. There are a vast amount of choices for MP3 players and many are designed for specific activities or functions. So next time you’re in the market for a new MP3 player for exercising or outdoor activities, do a little research and I’ll bet you can find one that is designed for exactly what you want.

Charlene

Cooper Jones asked:




MP3 players have been a revolution in music on the go. The days of being able to only have a handful of albums with us are long gone. The largest capacity players can store thousands. This gives us access to whatever music we want, when we want, where ever we are! There are many brands and companies which are manufacturing MP3 players; and some of the most reliable are Sony, Apple, Samsung and Creative.

A lot of us use players every day without giving much thought to how they actually work. This article is going to show you how.

MP3 players consist of magnetic or optical memory to store audio tracks. The audio can be transferred from personal computers to the unit using data cables. Because MP3 players only have a finite memory, the original tracks of music are compressed so that their size is reduced. The output or sound of the track depends upon two factors, namely the compression ratio and the bit rate measured in Kbps.

Whenever we playback an audio file, MP3 player deploys an DAC (Digital To Analog Converter) to convert the digital data (stored in the memory) to analog audio signals. These audio signals are then supplied to the headphones or speakers. You can also use your systems as microphones to record your voice or record a song from radio. This process deploys the reverse of playback technique. The recording process requires ADC (Analog To Digital Converter) to convert the audio signals (analog) to digital signals which can be stored on the memory.

Players are capable of supporting numerous file formats like WMA (Windows Media Audio), FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec), MP3, MP3Pro, AAC and WAV to name a few. In addition to playback and recording; nowadays, these devices also provide reception of FM stations and a dedicated LCD display to toggle songs and play flash games.

Therefore, if you are a music buff it is high time that you purchase one to enjoy non-stop music where ever you are!

Arlene

Daniel Hansen asked:




You must have been living inside a cave placed on top of a steep mountain with bats and snakes around you for the past decade if you still don’t know what an mp3 player is. If you were to ask me the difference between portable players and CD players, well my answer is pretty simple. CD player is both pre-portable music player and post-walk man.

CD players are kind of almost obsolete with the arrival of mp3s, mp4s, iPods and other portable music players. CD player and mp3 players are like VHS and DVD.

Most people would even own a made-in-china mp3 player than own the most expensive CD player in the world, trust me.

But if you’re still not convinced with my statements above, read this whole article to fully understand the advantage of this new breed of music player over obsolete portable digitalmusic players.

Though most cars, stereos and computers still use CDs, it doesn’t mean you should also always carry and use CDs anywhere you go.

Portable CD players are bulky to bring while traveling. You must bring all the CDs you want to listen to. You have to switch CDs to change artist or album or type of music you want to listen. You also have to bring lots of AA batteries with you, or rechargeable batteries and chargers it case the battery drains. You also have to be wary if you carry the player with you while walking because a bump can cause the music to stop.

Of course CDs will eventually get scratched no matter how careful you hold it, the worst part of it is it skips songs and it stays that way forever. Your most favorite and expensive CD can be damaged forever.

In mp3 players, there’s no need to carry CDs. You can download any songs you want and arrange your playlists by artist, album or song types with simple press of buttons. It is very handy, you can place it inside you pocket.

Leslie

Mike Selvon asked:




Since mp3 players have become a popular product, many mp3 players accessories are now devoted to these cool devices so everyone who wants can personalize their portable ones.

No longer does a person have to be content with just searching for headphones to accessorize their music player. These latest technological gadget accessories have become big business in the retail market. So many different items are available that a person may feel overwhelmed if they are not careful.

One popular type of their accessories that is a must have for music lovers is a docking system. A docking system includes speakers, and this will allow such a gadget to transform into a full blown stereo system that can be used by anyone.

This unique device allows a person to have just one type of system for all their various music activities. They are even portable and most include a battery charger.

These can give the feel of a large boom box, but when one wants to retreat to their own private musical world, they can just remove their player and take off.

The Apple ipod ones are one of the most sought after types of these types of players to be found on the market today. When one is purchasing equipment to accessorize these neat little machines, then they must be sure that it is compatible.

Not all mp3 players accessories will work with the ipod. Apple has done a great marketing service by making a line of accessories just for their brand of players. The arm band shuffle is just one of those accessories.

With this piece of equipment, a person can exercise while not having to worry about dropping their valuable player. The band resembles a sweat band and can be worn without worry while jogging, mowing, or even cleaning the house. Now a person can listen to music in peace without disturbing anyone else around them.

Mp3 players accessories are meant to enhance one’s musical experience. No matter what kind of this latest gadget a person has, an accessory is out in the retail market.

A person can have cool ear buds, matching leather case, or even a docking system that makes musical entertainment that much more enjoyable.

Depending on what a person is willing to spend, the perfect accessory can make all the difference in the world when it comes to listening to a mp3 player and using mp3 players accessories.

Eric

Robert A Hull asked:




It is just amazing how technology have evolved and helped the music much more accessible to people. The invention of MP3 players leads us to a new kind of music addiction that we can’t just survive a day without hearing our favorite songs or favorite artists. As MP3 players improve its features each year, big changes often results into complicated configuration, thus, more and more players have failed to become user-friendly which is the biggest slip-up of how portable music player should be.

One of the most popular brands of MP3 that emphasized usability over extra features is the Apple iPod Shuffle. This player only has the basic control buttons needed for a standard music player, it’s also very small that you might lose it between your sofa cushion or get swallowed by your dog. SanDisk Sansa Shaker or Sansa is a bit bigger than the Apple’s.

If you want to have a more classy, sophisticated and durable MP3, you can opt to the Toshiba Gigabeat U. This player has an exceptional audio quality and a unique line-input recording that can record CDs in no time.

Another player famous for its audio quality is the Sony NWZ-B105F. This gadget also includes a built-in USB stick for convenient song transfer and download.

Then there’s the Creative Zen. Its large screen defies the norm of “tiny MP3s are stripped of fun features.” This gadget is feature packed and also has an exceptional audio for fun long use.

MP3 player manufacturers in the past couple of years are just competing for better usability and richer features. Some players can now even play music video on its wide screen, store pictures and pick-up FM radios which only makes it more complicated and hard to get-used to, especially for people on the go who just wants to wear the earphone and listen to the music immediately. Simple players are still the best buy. It comes in simpler controls which makes it look much simple but durable.

Jeff

Fuizy Martin asked:




MP3 players are audio-video electronics with headset and microphones. They are the latest craze amongst younger generation. College going students, young professionals and youth of today are just crazy about MP3 player.

These electronic devices keep you entertained all day long without any hindrances. Users can store n-number of songs and simply keep listening. Some MP3 are attached with FM Tuner for those who love listening to Radio stations.

There are basically three types of players including hard drive-based, flash-based and MP3/CD based. Hard drive has some parts that can be injured due to high impacts. For these users flash based mp3 work best.

MP3 is music whole day long. They just need charging at regular intervals and they can keep you entertained whole day long. Some people love exercising as per notes of music. For them, MP3 player is the best. People love to drive on their two wheelers with their mp3 to make traveling less tiresome.

MP3 is music anytime and every time. Popular hard drive players are Apple i Pod, Apple i Pod Mini, etc. Music has magical powers to liven up any atmosphere. Some players have voice recording facility as well. Therefore they can be used to record your favorite music from FM Tuner and store it in the memory of your player.

One of the best features of MP3 player is that users can enhance the memory of these players with the help of micro SD card. What else can anybody want? It’s like music whole day long. Some MP3 supports Secure Digital cards, Compact Flash, Smart Media cards, inexpensive memory cards for better storage. Sony and Apple i Pods are commonly used mp3 players.

MP3 Players are relatively inexpensive and are great in flexibility. A normal 4GB memory card stores upto1000 songs and can play these songs anywhere, anytime. The greatest advantage is that it can store even 15000songs at one time in a 64GB hard drive.

MP3 have colored screen also. Some advanced MP3 players support JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF or PNG Images as slide show or individually. Most popularly used MP3 are with 64MB storage space where users can store up to one hour music or approximately 32 songs at a time.

Dan

Sarah Nabila asked:




Significance: Mp3 players produce a great impact on music industry. It alters the way of listening and purchasing music. It is widely thought the coming generations will be no more interested in purchasing discs because of these handy items. They will prefer these handy files than physical CDs and discs because of their conveniently movable characteristics. These players are very common and everyone use these on tv, in schools, on buses, while running and walking on roads.

Mp3 is a most simple way of carrying musical files that can run on computers as well as iPods. These players provide more space for files than ordinary CDs do. They compressed the music files into small sizes and allows more space for songs. However more the files are compressed less will be the quality of sound.

These players are firstly developed on personal computers. Initially, these are prepared by downloading songs or music from Internet or copying from CDs. Then, the files are transferred into these players. The music that requires space of 32MB on CD will reduce up to 1.6MB in mp3 formats.

Advantages: These players have much space for songs. They have greater space to allow more music than a traditional Cd. It can be compressed at varying ratios. A middle quality item can be compressed the music ten times than an ordinary Cd contain. However, compression has inverse impact on the quality of sound. Low compressed music can help to produce better sound impression.

Mp3 players are available as portable items. These have great memory, small size and handy characteristics make it more convenient to carry. The user may enjoy this while running, jogging, cycling or riding.

Important Features: these players have number of features available ranging from audio options to different play options available. Moreover, various softwares are also present for proper management and downloading options of musical files. It is always recommended to check all the accessories as well as battery before purchasing. There are various navigation options available in these players. For example some have touch systems or buttons. On the other hand, some may have wheels to click. Some of these are also available with FM radios and recording. Some others are available with different features like those specific for sports have things of that nature. However, make sure before buying that what features you wish to have in your player.

Price: with the rising trends and competitions, mp3 are available at affordable rates. Some with higher capacities are available at high prices. With the rise in competition, discount prices are also offered to the customers as well.

Brands: there are many leading companies that are engaged in producing these players. Some top quality production are done by Apple, Sandisk, Creative Labs, Archos, Rio and iRiver. However, Apple is producing the most coolest and popular variety that is also most expensive one.

Tommy

Robert Oldfield asked:




A Beginners’ Guide

The MP3 player has become one of the most popular gadgets that everyone wants to own and carry around. The latest versions of the erstwhile MP3 player that could only play music files have ensured that this small little gadget stays around for a long time. Today’s MP3 players compete with the high end iPod when it comes to the features that both offer and the best MP3 players often do everything that an iPod can do for you. MP3 players in the market today play radio, recorded music in MP3 and other formats, audio books and video files. Enhanced memory capacities and large screens have converted the MP3 player into a versatile movie watching tool that can be used to save and play lots of full length movies that can be viewed while you are on the move. To cater to the needs of people who want to use their MP3s for watching movies, a number of internet sites offer movie downloads for MP3 players.

Internet sites that provide movie downloads for MP3 players can be broadly divided into two-paid ones and unpaid ones. Paid websites can work in two ways. The most popular paid websites offering movie downloads for MP3 players charge a small membership or registration fee. Once you have paid this, you become a member for a certain period of time during which you can get unlimited movie downloads for your MP3 players. Some of these sites provide life membership, letting you download as many songs or movies as you want for as long a time period as you want while others renew membership every six months or on an yearly basis. The other kind of paid websites are the ones that charge you for every MP3 movie or song that you download. These sites are not very popular because they eventually end up burning a big hole in the pocket.

As far as unpaid sites are concerned, there are hundreds of sites offering free movie downloads for MP3 players. These sites supposedly derive their expenses and profits from ad revenues and can therefore provide you with free MP3 movie and song downloads. While this is actually true of some sites, there are others that work by illegally sharing copyrighted products.

Apart from the fact that free sites offer movie downloads for MP3 players without charging you anything, another major advantage of these sites is that you can browse through a number of such sites to locate a movie that you want. This is not possible with paid sites because your choice gets restricted to the collection of movies that the site you have signed up with already owns. At the same time, it is equally true that paid sites offering movie downloads for MP3 players generally have larger collections than unpaid ones.

Let us compare both paid and unpaid sites that provide movie downloads for MP3 players. Paid sites generally provide higher download speeds (they can afford huge servers), an assured audio-visual quality and constant customer support. These sites are supposed to provide you clean movie downloads for MP3 players and most such portals also provide any software that you might need for converting or transferring your download to your MP3 device.

On the other hand, many sites that provide free movie downloads for MP3 players are notorious for transferring along viruses, adware, spyware and malware to your computer. Due to a lack of funds, many of them do not have the infrastructure to pay for 24X7 customer support and high speed download facilities. However, this is not true of all sites that provide free movie downloads for MP3 players and you can locate a good one by doing a little bit of research on the internet.

Remember to check out any site that you sign up with by reading customer reviews and comments. This way, you will be able to locate and take advantage of the best internet sites offering movie and music downloads for your MP3 player.

Jay

Jeannie Wu asked:




If you are a movie fan or just occasionally need some way to entertain your self over the course of several hours when you will be away from television, cable or DVD players, then you should look at one of the portable video mp3 players.

Most of us have become very familiar with mp3 players. They hold thousands of songs in a device smaller than a cell phone. You simply connect the device to your computer and pay a small fee to download your favorite songs. It is usually less expensive to download the songs than it would be to purchase a CD.

In a similar manner, you can download your favorite movies into the video mp3 player. The video mp3 player can be charged by a connection to your computer or in a dock. At the same time the device is being charged, you can be downloading movies. One charge is enough to view several movies.

In addition to movies, these players will download your favorite music also.

To watch you movie, you simply select the movie and watch the show on the built in screen of the video mp3 player. If the small screen is not sufficient for you, then by attaching the mp3 player to your laptop, you can view the movie on your monitor screen of the laptop.

As the storage space of mp3 players continues to grow, the number of movies that can be stored on a device continues to increase. Movies that you have purchased can also be stored on your computer. Consider your computer a library where you can go to check out movies for the mp3 player.

Imagine a 4 hour flight in which you bring your own movie. Who cares what the in flight movie is or if there will be an in flight movie. You have brought your own entertainment. If you tire of the movies you have selected, relax with your ear-buds and listen to your favorite music.

The best thing about portable video mp3 players is that you are in control. You are not dependent upon the programming of a radio station or pre-recorded flight broadcast. You do not have to depend on movie channels or the availability of a television. Instead of a large case filled with numerous CD’s or video tapes, everything is contained in your mp3 player or your laptop.

Oh, by the way, your flight has just been delayed 2 hours. It’s a good thing you added another movie to your library.

Joann

Alden Jerry asked:




In ancient times, the musical instruments were not as much advanced as in the modern times. The latest instruments ensure high music output and great sound quality. Initially, the music devices were quite expensive, but today due to the competition in the market, one can avail music devices at cheap rates. There are various attractive cheap MP3 players in market which come in different shapes and sizes and the users can choose any depending on their budget and choice.

The MP3 players are available from various reputed brands like Sony, Philips and many others. Most of these are sleek and tiny so that they can be carried anywhere with supreme ease and kept in pocket. These players have high-end features. They have varying storage capacity starting from 500 MB to 32 GB. They come with valuable accessories like a USB power adaptor, 3 screen protectors and car charger. The music players with X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity audio technology ensures high quality audio output. They have a striking look and bright display so that the users can see the icons and pictures on their screen with great clarity.

There are lots cheap MP 3 players in the market, but one needs to choose the advanced ones to enjoy a good sound effect. The advanced gadgets are capable of transferring pictures and music from PC to the players. They also provide good Internet connectivity. One can enjoy chatting on them through windows live messenger, yahoo messenger and other such sites. Another interesting aspect of these gadgets is that they come with high quality speakers with noise reduction capability. The memory can be enhanced with the help of micro SD card and the users can store lots of important music files on these gadgets. These devices support almost all music formats such as, MP3, WMA ,AAC and MP4 so that the users can enjoy various audio and video tracks.

Because of the multiple features in them , the cheap MP 3 players have become very common among the youngsters. The easy accessibility and the cheap prices of these gadgets have raised their demand in the market. There are various types of players in the market. One of the best example is the i-Ball digital MP3 player that supports a sound range of 32 kbps to 320 kbps. Another plus point is that it has a built in FM radio with 8 channels. One can expand its memory with the help of its micro SD card slot. It has got USB port for mass storage of music files. With its long lasting battery back-up, one can enjoy songs on this gadget for quite a long time.

So, it can be said that the cheap MP3 music players are a vital source of entertainment. They are a very good option to relax yourself and remove your boredom. These gadgets are available from so many retailers across the world. One can also avail them from several online shopping portals along with various gifts and offers.

Ramon