Stephen Ahlfeld asked:




Do you currently have an mp3 player or an mp4 player? In your personal opinion,which do you think is better and more beneficial.This has been an ongoing debate for some time. It’s quite obvious that mp4 players are superior to mp3 players. Well that’s my view anyway, although I am very sure that a lot of people will also agree with me.Mp3 players were obviously first to enter the market back in 1997 and have been a major success since then.Because of their small size they are very convenient, not only for people to fit them in the smallest of compartments or pockets but also utilise them when they do exercise at the gym,ride a bike,travel to work or simply just for recreational usage.

But lets face it, the mp3 player basically only plays audio songs and besides that it unfortunately does not have much more to offer to people.This is where mp4 players have take over and have the extreme upper hand.Along with Mp4 players came the introduction of video playback and recording functions which were previously not available with the origional mp3 players.But this is only the beginning.Lets look at the Mp4 player features and factors to consider:

1.The size of the MP4 player .There are different sizes of mp4 players. Some have larger
screens than others, the inclusion of video playback capability, hard drive and others.The
LCD screens commonly come in sizes of 1.8″,2″,2.5″ and 3″.Once again the bigger the LCD
screen on the MP4 player,the better.the price,however might tend to shoot up a bit.

2.The next factor we will talk about is AV/IN and AV/OUT capabilities with Line in recording. This feature is common but it is important to make sure the MP4 player you wish to purchase supports at
least one or both of these ports. It should also support both NTSC and PAL.This feature will obviously allow you to playback video images or movies from the MP4 Player to your TV screen
and alternatively allow you to record TV programs or movies onto your MP4 player.

3.Mp4 players may have other features such as an FM tuner ,audio recording capability, small notebook functions etc.

4.USB connection speed to the PC, which affects the rate at which you can upload movies,images and audio mp3′s from your PC to the MP4 portable device.The latest mp4 player models today commonly support high speed USB 2.0 transfer. Others also support Firewire.

Apart from all the above factors you can also watch any movies and other videos on you small
LCD screen , it also offers other useful and handy features such as the ability to do voice recording,notebook functions for storing data,alarm clocks,calendars to mark important dates,simple games like the ones on cell phones and the use of memory card ports for those who need to utilise more memory.The best function is the ability to encode and playback your favourite movies or music videos on the mp4 player itself.Some mp4 player also give you the ability to playback the video from your mp4 player to you Television screen.Now clearly the mp4 player is slightly bigger than the mp3 player due to the fact that it has an LCD screen.But once again that should not affect your decision.

So you be the decider of which one is more useful and easy to use.Mp4 players are clearly a thing of the future but I’m sure there are al ot of folks who would rather be happier with an mp3 player.

Phyllis

Anthony Coleman asked:


What’s hot for 2009 in mp3 devices? If you go by name recognition alone it would be anything from Apple’s iPod series. Face it Steve Job and team have done a great job equating the iPod with all things mp3. There is more to the mp3 landscape, however.

Did you know there are mp3 players that do not require any connectivity to the Internet to function? Did you know there are combination CD mp3 players? Did you know there are many models that are extremely affordable and easy to use? If not, keep reading we think you’ll find something that’s a perfect fit.

Apple iPod – We’ll bring this up first because we know it’s what you’ll probably think of first. From the iPod Shuffle to the iPod Touch you’ll find an option from $49 to around $400. Price and unit will depend entirely on what you want it to do. The 1 GB unit will allow you to house more than 200 songs, while the larger 32 GB units allow video, movies and certain PDA qualities that make it a function that goes beyond what you might think of an mp3 device.

Sony MP3 – The 21st Century finds Sony selling an entirely new Walkman. At the time of this review a 2 GB Walkman could be purchased for around $40. This included an FM receiver and a record function for radio shows you want to record digitally for later playback. Like the iPod you can also feature larger units with a video display. Available units provide up to 8 GB of storage.

Phillips MP3 – Like the Sony the top end player is an 8 GB video and audio mp3 device. Also like Sony this provides an FM receiver. Their top end unit (SA6185) provides built in speakers allowing you to share your video and music without ear buds.

Coby MP3 – This company has always been about providing affordable electronics. They provide a 2 GB mp3 player for around $27. This unit is based on a USB plug built in. No cords needed. On the top end Coby provides a wide screen video playback unit that comes in models up to 16 GB of storage.

Creative MP3 – How’s this for tantalizing? A 2 GB mp3 player for more than $20 less than a 1 GB iPod Shuffle? Creative has provided this with the Zen Stone. This also features speakers and an FM receiver. PC World reviewed Creative’s top model, the Zen X-Fi and said, “…beyond question a better all-around digital music player than any of Apple’s current iPods.” The 32 GB unit sells for less than $300 and comes with the ability to use certain Internet functions in a wireless atmosphere.

RCA MP3 – RCA has long been known for their electronics and commitment to audio. The 2 GB Pearl is an unusual offering. This mp3 player provides the least expensive unit and it comes with the ability to expand your playlist through an onboard slot for an expansion card. The downside is the unit is powered by a single AAA battery. This will need replacing about every 15 hours. For the sports enthusiast RCA provides the Jet Stream. This provides wireless earphones, a stopwatch, calorie counter and pedometer.

Zune MP3 – So, you’re thinking 32 GB may not be enough for the music and videos you want to play on your portable mp3 player. Zune from Microsoft offers up to 120 of space for around $250. They also offer units for less die hard fans with 4 GB at the lower end.

Sandisk MP3 – This company has taken a hard look at how some people listen to music and concluded that there were some who would love an mp3 player, but who either did not have a computer or the expertise needed to download music. That’s the premise behind SlotMusic. This product allows you to simply plug a pre-loaded card into the mp3 player with music – much like a CD. It is the only mp3 player reviewed that offers a completely offline way to gain mp3 music. However, they also provide units that do require Internet connectivity with up to 32 GB of space for around $250.

Buying Your MP3 Player

Online shopping has become a great way to purchase electronics. When looking for your new mp3 player you might consider sites like http://www.bizrate.com, http://www.mysimon.com http://www.allmp3-players.com or http://www.amazon.com.



WENDELL

Tom Lopez asked:


MP3 players are the latest gadgets in the market making waves. Especially, liked by youngsters and working people, these tiny music players are a wonder to keep. Hundreds of iTunes can be loaded and played in a MP3 list. The good thing about a MP3 player is that you can easily categorize the music, make separate lists, shuffle them and enjoy the music for hours. 

This simple and sleek, small strip sized player come in different variations. The most basic mp3 players would include a slot in which you can save hundreds of songs; play, stop and rewind buttons and a slot of voice recording.  The design and color of this type of MP3 player would be plain and simple. The most common color of a simple MP3 player would be Black. 

With new technology coming every day, MP3s’ too evolved. They grew from being simple audio player to complex multimedia device. Now they come with colorful displays and also play movies. Some of them can also record directly from TV or download and share content over Wi-FI.

Generally MP3 players can be categorized as flash memory players, hard disk players, and cellphone in-built MP3 players. All of these come with some of the most common features like volume limiter, a larger and wider display, video playback, controls like equalizer and FM radio tuner.

Much advanced MP3 players come in bright colors and have a greater storage space. You can also find MP3 players in top branded iPods. MP3 players found in iPods have much wider use and are also more popular than the simple ones. MP3 players in iPod have advantages of flashy and designer skins, Windows XP OR Professional platform, different music files like Wav, AIFF, and AAC. With the iPod features of video player and photograph watch, MP3 players get an added life. 

Whichever MP3 player you take, do consider revising your checklist to buy a MP3 player. See to it that the weight of the MP3 is not too much, for all the good reasons extra bulk is not a good thing. Look out the headphone quality; after all you are buying MP3 to listen to music – if quality of sound is not good, there is no point in buying the MP3 player.  Lastly, do check the battery consumption hours written in the fine print. The longer your MP3 player can run, the better you will enjoy the music!



JUAN

Gill Critchley asked:


The Sony NW-A808 is a very stylish MP3 player and has been hailed as a stylish contender to the popular iPod range of players. It’s not just the looks that this player has though; it also has the specs as well. There are 2gb, 4gb or 8GB of flash memory and it also has video playback capabilities. Something that really makes the NW-A808 stand out against other Sony MP3 players is that it has a healthy battery life and manages to last longer than the iPod nano as well. With this Sony player being smaller than the nano it is even more pocket friendly and therefore has yet another angle that will make it appeal to more and more people. The only thing that may put people off is the price tag, as £120, £150 and £180 seems quite hefty for 2GB, 4GB and 8GB players respectively. Another impressive player to come out was the Creative Zen. This is a credit card sized device that plays music, video and also works as a photo viewer and with the stunning 2.5-inch colour display, photos would look great on the screen that supports up to 16.7 million colours. This player from Creative is the first of their range to support AAC music and unprotected iTunes Plus tracks from the iTunes online store. On top of these formats, the Zen will also play MP3 and WMA tracks as well. All of this means that you can now have up to 4,000 music tracks on this player that you have ripped from CDs via the iTunes software. If music isn’t top of your list, then this is one of the Creative MP3 players that will also play up to 60 hours of music or hold thousands of photos. Also, the player has a slot to hold a SD memory card so you can expand the memory even more. These are just two models of MP3 players out on the market at the moment and they both offer the user great features, so much so, that the deciding factor may well be based on what’s on the outside.

The NW-A808 stands out against other Sony MP3 players is that it has a healthy battery life and very pocket-friendly dimensions. If you would prefer media other than music on your player then the Zen is one of the Creative MP3 players that can hold up to 60 hours of video or thousands of photos. These models are just two out of the many MP3 players that are on offer.



CESAR

Pooja Lapasia asked:


The market is flooded with them and there is one for everyone. It comes under many brands, names, skins and designs and is the best companion for every music lover. We are talking about the MP3 Player and specifically about the 1GB MP3 Player. A 1GB MP3 Player is a music/video player with a storage capacity of 1GB that lets you record a total of up to 240 songs. 

Form leading brand names to local small fishes, everybody is manufacturing them and based on your requirements, you too are sure to find one that pleases you the most. A 1GB MP3 player is the best bet for anybody who does not want to spend a lot and still wants the basics of a music device in his palm. Let us find out more about it.

Design and Looks

Since we are not talking about any specific brand’s product, it is obvious that there are a number of designs available to choose from. However, the design of any 1GB MP3 player depends on what are the features it provides.

For instance, if you are looking for a simple, compact music player only which supports different formats of music and maybe has other add ons like an FM radio or a voice recorder also then you will get players resembling small pen drives in different shapes with or without a very small digital display screen. These come in various attractive colors and can make a good style statement.

Even in a storage capacity of 1GB, you get MP3 Players with a video playback capacity. These look more refined and due to the provision of a small screen are bigger in size. However, different companies offer different colors and these too are not very cumbersome to carry around.

Regular Features

MP3 players are music/video players and they do just that! No, that is not just what they do. Apart from playing basic music and videos, MP3 Players do a lot more. They can also act as your USB Mass Storage Device and you can store and transfer important data, files and pictures through them.

They have a plug and play option which means you can simply plug them in and start playing. Your 1B MP3 Player will also act as your FM Radio as most of them come with a built in FM to catch and play the local stations.

Special Features

Apart from the regular features that all the MP3 Players provide, there are some products that provide features that others don’t. Some of the MP3 Players for instance provide unique functions like karaoke, options for slide shows of your pictures, e-book readers and even a feature of voice recorder to record your own voice or that of your loved ones!

Another cool feature that is provided by many MP3 Players now is that to use them with your car speakers on a long drive, you do not need a car adapter. You can simply tune in to any of the selectable frequencies and the music from your MP3 collection will start flowing. You can also use this cool feature to simple amplify your video’s sound on the move!

These devices are good for people who are low on budget yet want the pleasure of an MP3 Players. They are very low on price and can cost you anywhere between Rs500-Rs600 to a couple of thousands. The local, unbranded products are naturally low on price and the well established branded pieces cost you more.

However, if you do not want mammoth storage capacities like 8GB or more and will be satisfied with just a simple collection of all your favorite songs and videos, then this can be your best bet!



CRUZ

Jayson Pablo asked:


The Moving Picture Experts Group Layer 3 Audio or MP3 is a digital audio encoding format which is used to store songs and other audio files. The format uses a psychoacoustic model that discards less audible sounds and records more audible sound in an efficient manner. The format is successor of Perceptual Transform Coding (PXFM) and Optimum Coding in the Frequency Domain (OCF) codecs. MPEG1 codec was first published in 1994 while MP2 codec was published in 1995.

The ease of sharing music files popularized the use of MP3 format among the users. This ease created problems related to copyright infringements. Therefore, many online music retailers use their proprietary formats to counter this problem. They use an encrypted digital rights management format that prevents the users from using the music in a way that has not been authorized by music record companies. The quality of sound of a digital audio format depends upon its bit rate to a greater extent. A lower bit rate results in low quality sound. A much lower bit rate may result in compression artifacts. Such artifacts may make those sounds audible which were not present in original music or production.

An MP3 player is a portable digital audio player that stores and plays audio files. Most of these devices use rechargeable batteries and support video playback functions. The players have been categorised on the basis of their storage media. Flash based players hold digital audio files on their internal flash memory. The players consume less battery power as they do not have any moving parts. Some commercial flash based players may have up to 32 GB of flash memory. Hard drive based players read audio files from a hard disk drive. These players come with massive memories. Some of these players may have up to 250 GB of memory, which is large enough to record an entire music collection on a single player.

The third variety of MP3 players is known as CD MP3 players. These players have the capability to decode and play MP3 files that have been stored on a compact disc (CD). The immediate predecessors of these players were MiniDisc players. These earlier players have no support for digital file formats. SeeHan Information Systems produced the first digital audio player on commercial basis in 1997. The player was sold under brand name MPMan in South Korea during 1998. The player was later licensed to Eiger Labs by SeeHan.

Car MP3 players are specially designed to work in a car. These players allow people to enjoy quality music during their travels by road. The players perform many useful functions for the users. They provide the users with a list of their favourite play list and also keep track of their calendar events. These players are made compact so that they can easily be fitted into the available limited free space of a car. The iPods specially use MP3 format as it allows the device to play hundreds of songs at a stretch. Most of these players have USB, SD and iPod connections that add to the versatility of these devices.

Most of the current portable MP3 player come with programmable track memory that allows the users to keep track of their songs. Most of these devices also feature AM/FM tuners and digital anti skips memory. Samsung has launched some of the best selling digital audio players in recent years. Some of the best selling Samsung MP3 players include Samsung YP-P2 Touch Screen 4GB Multimedia Player, Samsung YP-U3 Stick 1GB player and Samsung YP-K5 2GB player. All these players feature TFT LCD display, FM radio and support Multi Language options. The devices come packaged with genuine accessories like an ear phone, a USB cable, CD and stand. The players come with Samsung’s standard 6 months warranty.

Sony, Blaupunkt, Kenwood and Sanyo are the leading manufacturers of digital music players. These companies have rolled many new models of best MP3 players. The devices produce high quality sound by eliminating unwanted sound. These portable digital audio players have redefined the ways people entertain these days.



Caffeinated Content

Amar Kapoor asked:


Mp3 players have become the new “must have” accessory for almost everyone. People of all ages use MP3 players. They’re easy to use, extremely portable and are capable of storing all your music so you’re never without your favourite beats anywhere you go! There are 2 different types of memory found in MP3 players: Flash Memory (smaller capacities) and hard drives (larger capacities).

The benefits of a flash MP3 player over a hard drive MP3 player are that MP3 players which use flash memory are generally lighter in weight and more portable. Flash memory based MP3 players contains no moving parts, which means the MP3 player is 100% skip free. The most popular examples of flash memory players currently available include the iPod Nano, iPod shuffle and Creative Zen Stone MP3 players.

Hard drive MP3 players are used in larger capacity units such as the iPod 30GB, 60GB and 80GB with video playback. MP3 players with rely on hard drive memory are able to offer a much higher memory capacity which basically means you can store more songs, photos and video files.

The largest amount of memory in a flash based MP3 player is currently 8GB (enough for about 2500 songs). This has increased significantly as memory chips have become cheaper in the market and also more stable in that they can handle higher stress levels. This means that they are able to have large amounts of data synchronised to them at any one time then before. The popularity of flash memory based MP3 players is growing significantly as larger and larger memory capacities are being made available to consumers.

Samsung are soon expected the break the 8GB memory size barrier although none of their planned new MP3 player releases are set to launch with a memory size greater than 8GB. The Samsung YP-P2 MP3 player will be available in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB from launch in late September 2007 as will the YP-T10 and the YP-S5 – a highly anticipated follow up to the YP-K5 MP3 player which features a slide out speaker. All of Samsung’s new releases are set to feature Bluetooth and video playback functions.

As the market has developed, manufacturers have introduced an array of new features in their MP3 players. Things like Bluetooth which allows you to connect wirelessly to a Bluetooth enabled headset device giving you a wireless MP3 listening experience. Video playback is now a common feature found in most higher end MP3 players. This means that not only can you listen to music on the go, you can watch your favourite movies or TV episodes. Many websites now allow video downloads as well as music downloads which makes it easy as pie to have everything on the move with you. Alternatively, consumers are able to rip music from their own CD collection and even movies from their own DVD’s although this can sometimes prove to be a little long-winded.



mp3 players