Bradley James asked:




Below you will find some useful information and comments about a few of the most popular MP3 players by Rio, including the Nitrus, Carbon, Cali, and Forge. None of these MP3 players are perfect, but each offers a unique set of strengths and weaknesses that should be taken into consideration before you purchase any one of them. Be sure to compare price, usability, and the overall performance of each.

Rio Carbon 5 GB MP3 Player

Manufacturers Description: The Rio Carbon is capable of holding up to 80 hours of MP3 (160 hours WMA) music, and with up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge, music lovers need not worry about running out of juice.

Sporting an ultrathin and tapered design and with 25 percent more memory than iPod Mini, this tiny MP3 player–about the size of a business card–will slide into any pocket, virtually unnoticeable. The Rio Carbon is capable of holding up to 80 hours of MP3 music (160 hours of WMA), and with up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge, music lovers need not worry about running out of juice. Supporting USB 2.0 and a host of file formats, users can download music efficiently and easily from most of their favorite online music sites. The Rio Carbon also includes voice recording and provides seamless integration and support of both the Windows and Mac platforms.

Features:

- 5 GB of memory stores up to 80 hours of MP3 music or 160 hours of WMA music

- Plays MP3, WMA, and Audible audio formats

- Built-in microphone for voice recording

- Easily drag and drop data and music files onto your player

- Rechargeable battery offers up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge

- USB 2.0 for faster downloads

- Charge from USB or the included power adapter

- Windows and Mac compatible

- Includes Rio Music Manager, the most intuitive way to create and manage your digital music library

Comments: Users tend to agree that this is one of the best mp3 players Rio has developed. It’s really quite small and slim, and can actually fit in your pockets. 5GB of memory really doesn’t sound like all that much any more, but I think most new user will find that that is plenty of space. The long battery is nice (20 compared with iPod’s 12), and the interface is easy enough to work with. One little dissapointment is the inability to hit any buttons on the device when it is in its carrying case. Also, it does have some compatibility issues with Mac music programs like iTunes. If you really love Mac, you may want to consider iPod or Shuffle instead (this goes for all Rio products).

Price: $230

Rio Cali 128 MB Sport MP3 Player

Manufacturers Description: Wrapped in grippy, protective rubber, the Cali 128 is built to play hard. Solid-state electronics carry over 30 songs with no skips — ever. Comfortable Sport Clip earphones, case with armband, and integrated stopwatch with lap timer make the Cali a functional sport accessory. 5-band adjustable equalizer gives more control over your sound than most players. Onboard FM tuner means you always have something to listen to. An empty expansion slot allows you to add up to 512 MB of additional SDTM or MMCTM memory. Simple menus and intuitive controls make for easy one-handed operation.

Features:

- 128 MB of memory plays back over 2 hours of MP3 or 4 hours of WMA music (over 30 MP3 or 60 WMA songs)*

- Expansion slot to add up to 512 MB additional memory using SD or MMC cards (sold separately)

- USB 1.1 connects to almost any computer

- Transfer content between multiple PCs

- 18-hour continuous playback using one Energizer AAA Battery

- 5-Band adjustable equalizer with pre-sets

Comments: Anyone considering buying this device should be aware of some odd functional issues that may be frustrating. First of all, when changing memory cards, many users have had to actually take out the batteries in order to get the device to recognize the new memory card (another note: some users have had problems getting the device to accept 3rd party memory cards). Also, it seems that the player may not be able to play regular mp3 formats you may have on your pc hard drive. Rio admits that these mp3 files need to be converted through their own software in order for them to work. These, and other odd quirks, undermine this particular player quite a bit. On the positive side, the device has good battery life, plays clear, crisp music, and has a good radio feature as well.

Price: $120

Rio Forge 512 MB Sport MP3 Player

Manufacturers Description: The Rio Forge series is our latest generation of flash based sport players. The Rio Forge was designed for people that like to play hard and use music to play even harder. The new design integrates the grippy, protective rubber from previous models with a new shiny stainless steel face plate for added durability. Up to 20 hours of battery life allows you hours of non-stop work out time. Comfortable Sport Clip earphones and a newly designed case with armband keep your player and music secure and accessible. Simple menus and intuitive controls make for easy one-handed operation. Stopwatch and Lap Timer make the Rio Forge the ultimate gym or running companion. Plus, the new FM record feature allows you to record radio content onto your player to listen to at a later time.

Features:

- Holds 16 hours worth of Music

- Storage capacity may be upgraded up to 1 GB

- Durable Stainless Steel Face

- 512 MB of storage

- Stopwatch feature for work-outs

- Up to 20 hours of battery life

Comments: This latest generation of sport mp3 players by Rio is perhaps the best so far. What we really liked about this device is the easy to use and intuitive user interface and clear LCD screen. The one downside is the 512mb upper limit in storage (although technically you can upgrade to 1GB), which is a little low compared with the market average. Even so, the features like the FM tuner and stop watch make this a really cool little sport mp3 player. It’s about as durable and user friendly as they come, plus the battery life is friendly for those long work-outs. Thumbs up on this one.

Price: $180

Rio Nitrus 1.5 GB MP3 Jukebox

Manufacturers Description: The revolutionary Rio Nitrus packs 1.5 GB into a stealthy, razor-thin design. With the ability to carry over 375 songs, never before has this much capacity been offered on a player this small. Fast USB 2.0 connection loads the player quickly. Simple menus, thoughtful controls, and a clear display make navigation instinctive. A 5-band adjustable equalizer provides a custom listening experience. Quality components throughout yield a player without compromise.

Features:

- 1.5GB HDD plays back over 25 hours of MP3 or 50 hours of WMA music (over 375 MP3 or 750 WMA songs)

- USB 2.0 for fast transfers

- Transfer content between multiple PCs

- 16-hour continuous playback with the rechargeable LiIon battery

- 5-Band adjustable equalizer with pre-sets

Comments: This is an overall fairly solid mp3 player with a few design and engineering defects that should be mentioned. First, the buttons are not quite as easy to use, or as well laid out as some of Rio’s other players. Specifically, the volume buttons are smaller and closer together than they should be. Another thing is problems with the battery life, some users getting significantly less time out of their batteries than they are supposed to. And you really can’t expect to get the full 16 hours. Also, the scrolling feature doesn’t seem to help much. On the plus side, the device is big enough in storage size (1.5GB), and small enough in physical size to appeal to alot of potential consumers. The sound is also quite good and just about every volume level.

Price: $175

Earl

Frank R. Anderson asked:




While MP3 players do not come with speakers built-in, there are times when most of us want to play our music out loud rather than through earphones for which our players were initially designed. This lead has led to a vast number of manufacturers coming out with Speakers for MP3 players, that can be attached to an MP3 player for your “out-loud” listening pleasure. MP3 speaker system have revolutionized the way we listen to our MP3 collections and given the vast storage capacity that MP3 players provide, we might soon find that CDs and cassettes are a thing of the past.

Those who are not satisfied with just using ear buds, can invest in a set of speakers for mp3 players, which can merge together with your player to effectively create a home stereo system for using at home or on trips. Fortunately there is now plenty of choice available, no matter what your requirements are, not matter how simple or sophisticated. An MP3 speaker system allows you to detach yourself from your player, and listen to music while sitting down in your favourite chair, or in bed, and if your player features a remote control device, you need not even operate its control mechanism.

In terms of the variety that can be found in speakers for MP3 players, there are generally two types of speakers, portable and permanently fixed types. Portable speakers are light and thin, allowing you to easily take them from place to place. They are suitable for taking with you to the beach, or to a park and numerous other outdoor adventure scenarios. Permanent MP3 speakers are not so easily portable as they are large, bulky and fill the role of an entire home stereo unit. Unlike most portable players, they can generate a much larger volume without distorting, making them the ideal unit at parties or outdoor events.

Speakers for MP3 players add a new dimension to the abilities of your MP3 player. They allow you to play background music using your MP3′s rather than CDs and can be taken on road trips, camping adventures or anywhere else you may choose to venture. One important buying consideration you should check out when buying an MP3 speaker system is its battery capacity. Some speakers require external batteries to operate, while other can be charged using the mains or a USB plug. Always keep in mind, that it always helps you make a better buying decision, when you can compare a few different speakers at once, so you can choose the right set of speakers for your needs with more confidence.

Philip

John Gibb asked:




MP3 is a term that is related to a standard of digital audio processing that allows digital audio files to be compressed in size and therefore made more portable. While choosing Mp3 players certain points should be noted.

You can choose a player that has a hard disc for program storage, one that uses flash memory (memory sticks, flash cards, etc.) or one that uses standard CD format with music stored in mp3 or other compressed formats. The online music and video programming is now widely available from all manner of sources, from artist direct through to iTunes and Hard-Drive players, such as Apple’s iPod.

They are available with up to 100GB of storage which are physically small. If you need to store large video programs then a Hard-Drive option might be good option. Flash memory offers some outstanding benefits. At the time of writing, flash memory goes up to 4GB, which allows about one thousand mp3 songs. Flash memory has no moving parts and so can withstand slightly rougher treatment. Portable CD players can play mp3 and other compressed audio formats as well as standard CDs.

Using this technology, you can download your music to your computer and burn it onto a CD in mp3 format, and can play it in your portable player. . A single CD will hold 700 MB of music, or around 175 songs. There are two aspects to being able to control your audio through your mp3 player.

One is its connectivity. In the first instance, you need to be able to download the music you want to hear in the format that’s going to suit your player, and vice versa. So first you need to make sure you choose a player that is compatible with the source. (There are many other options, including Virgin, Napster, Sony, all of which offer different media options.)

Second, you need to have a simple connection between the computer you download your program onto and your portable mp3 player. Most players these days use USB serial interfaces. You connect your mp3 player to your physical self through earphones, or you can plug it into your computer, your hi-fi system, and even use a wireless connection in your car.

The importance of weight, physical dimensions and battery life cannot be understated. Most manufacturers promote a battery life. Devices with Hard-Drive storage weigh more. They are bulkier than devices with flash memory. Most players on the market have acceptable sound fidelity and the biggest weakness can often be found in the headsets and loudspeaker systems that they are connected to.

Kristen

Mike Singh asked:




According to the latest market studies, the iPod has sold over 1.5 million units as compared to the other MP3 players. The iPod video 30gb holds over 15,000 songs, 25,000 photos, or 150 hours of video with a battery life of 14 hours for music, and two hours for videos. This is exciting when we think about having no choices a few years ago, or carrying around a lot of CDs. Of course, we could always listen to the car stereo! But when a person is out shopping for a MP3 player, is the iPod really any better?

First of all, we need to understand that the iPod is an MP3 player, not that iPods and MP3 players are identical and in competition. A good rule of thumb to remember is this: when you look for a DVR, you don’t say you are looking for a DVR. For example, you say you are looking for a Tivo. An analogy would be this – when you go to buy a carbonated beverage or soda, you don’t say you are looking for a carbonated beverage, you say you are looking for a Coke or a Pepsi. Both are carbonated beverages. When you look for an MP3 player, you don’t say you are looking for a MP3 player – because it could be any brand, including the iPod. You say you are looking for an iPod. This, and other subtle differences, is the difference between an iPod and an MP3 player. And when recognizing this, understand that of all the negative reviews of any of the MP3 players, all the complaints of errors were 95% user errors – not reading what the item was actually capable of doing.

The iPod is the most popular MP3 player out there. This is not even open for discussion. Owned by celebrities in the Rolling Stone Magazine or on Entertainment Tonight, you never see them talking about the benefits and features of their Creative Labs or iRiver, other brands of the MP3 players. Why? Because it is not considered “hip” or “cool” to talk about anything other than an iPod. It HAS to be an iPod for a person to fit in, to be with it, and to be accepted as one of the leaders in MP3 players.

But then, don’t most of us grow up? We begin to see all options that fit our needs, not just what is hip. We begin to see ourself as an individual, not just as one of a group – with no separate identity. We pass through Junior High and High school, and head into college, begin a family, or just get on with life. And with this, we begin to see the benefits of more affordable MP3 players, not just one. We begin to look at what we want in a MP3 player beside a brand name.

The most important focus for most buyers who are paying their own bills is money. The iPods are very expensive, with a nonreplacable battery that loses its resiliency in about a couple years. And if money is issues with the ol’ pocket … consider how much extra space you can get for your dollar by going with a different brand name than iPod. If the price tag on the iPod 60GB player is $399 and the price tag on the Toshiba 60GB player is $249, then a person has something to consider. Another option could be the MP3 CD players, which offer more megabytes per dollar with CDs that hold 10 hours of music each. Some people get hung up on the fact it is not a hard drive-based player, while others feel it is comparable enough to go for the extra saved money. It’s all about choice.

Additionally, the iPod video and audio formats can sometimes cause problems with people who like to use certain types of media formats. Apple uses a few exclusive types of video and audio formats, like the AAC-encoded files, because they are Apple where other manufacturers use multiple formats to become more attractive to the consumer. Many reviews consider this an extremely negative drawback to the iPod, as they feel “hemmed in”. Other MP3 players allow the choice of “BuyMusic”, “Musicmatch”, or “Napster”. Most MP3 players support a wide range musical service choices. Make sure you investigate what formats are supported by iPod and other manufacturers you are considering, it could make or break your purchase.

Apple’s iPod is the industry leader for a reason, because they make tremendous products, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other great products on the market. With many drawback such as a high price, review complaints of limited support, limited memory, limited types of music that can be recorded or played, or with unlimited ability to record online music. Other brands to look would be Rio, Creative, Samsung or Dell – it may be time to do a comparison study!

Jesus

Mike Selvon asked:




iTunes mp3 players are a wonderful addition to someone’s electronic device stash, but they will only play a certain authorized musical format, and if a person has anything other than an iPod, they may be out of luck in using the music they purchased.

What can a person do if they have bought these forms of music for their computer, but have something other than an iPod for a portable mp3 player? Answers are available if one only takes the time to look and not get too frustrated with Apple.

Many may ask why their iTunes mp3 players need to say iPod in order for them to work with music they have purchased. iTunes are protected because of the DRM or Digital Rights Management.

This group was created to ensure that musical piracy was hopefully stopped. The only problem with this is that when a person purchases iTunes for their computer and tries to transfer to a player brand other than an iPod the transfer fails. Many people do not realize this is an issue until it is too late.

Although these players are limited to just iPods, ways do exist to get around this road block. An easy method is to burn the tracks onto a CD.

Then an individual can open the CD in iTunes and the Convert Selection to MP3 option will allow a person to do whatever they wish with the music. What must be remembered is that when burning the CD, a person should burn an audio CD and not a data CD.

A data CD can keep a person from importing tracks from the CD. The only problem with this method is that a person will have two copies of their tracks. But, if one is persistent, then they can be assured that their efforts to make their iTunes mp3 players compatible will not go wasted.

However difficult this may seem to convert iTunes mp3 players music to use in any portable mp3 players system another way does exist to ensure that a person can listen to their purchased music without the use of an iPod.

Software exists to help one who has a huge amount of music on their computer to convert. Types of software such as NoteBurner or CD Emulator can help. Another brand of software is JHymn, and it can help a person to make sure their fair-use rights under copyright laws will help free the iTunes that a person has from the restrictions of the DRM.

The Apple iPod ones are a great asset to have for the iTunes mp3 players that they operate with. However, a person who has anything other than an iPod can be out of luck in a hurry.

If one is not aware of what they are doing, iTunes can be purchased with the intent of transforming them onto a portable mp3 player. But, this is not the case, and one can spend a ton of money on something they cannot use in the future if they do not do through research.

Tyrone