How To Chose An MP3 Player

Well you may have heard of them but what exactly are MP3 players?

MP3's are a compact way of storing audio media.  Remember how heavy those vinyl LP's were and how much space they took up?  Well all of those sounds you loved to listen to can be digitally held within an MP3 player.

Listening to your favourite tracks is accessed via earphones or headphones.  Speakers can be bought as an additional accessory to enable you to listen to music without an MP3 being attatched to you.

So, once we had gramaphones playing LP vinyl records.  Then we gradually moved into modern times with tape players and then WOW... CD's were amongst us.  Of course, all of that is old hat now and MP3's are the way to store and access music.  Of course, records are still enjoyed by many and will be amongst us for a while yet.  Scratches and time takes it's toll though on vinyl whereas digitally recorded sound never fades or let's you down.

MP3 players come in a vast range of sizes, colours and facilities.  Some are round, some are oblong.  Some are bulky, some are slim.  Some are matt, some are shiny.

Not only can you get an MP3 player that plays music, but you can get phones that contain MP3 players too!  Of course, those are way too complex for me.

Technology has come a long way in recent years and the choices that are available are mind blowing.

Not only do we need to consider physical size, ease of use, and memory size but price is a factor for most people too.  Colour might be important for you as well.

There are many review sites that give you up to date comparisons, prices and consumer opinions but it's still confusing picking an MP3 that's just right for you. 

So when deciding which design to go for, you need to consider several factors.  How often will you use it?  Where will you use it?  Will it need to fit in a pocket maybe?  Is it simple to operate or does it have many features?  How large or small are the buttons to access?  

Sound quality is another consideration.  The cheaper MP3's available don't have the quality that you may be looking for.  Of course, it might just be the tune you want to listen to as you jog and the quality isn't so important for you.

So, you've decided which MP3 player to buy, but where do you get the music from to listen to?

Being an old fogey, I haven't got any patience with iTunes... but that's just me probably.  It seems to take control of my computer and I end up losing my temper!!  I prefer to use Windows media player and find this much easier to navigate.

However, if you do a Google search (or your favourite search engine) for the track or artist name you're wanting, you should be able to find various links to downloads.  There will probably be a small cost involved but nothing comes for free.. well, nothing worth having anyway.

The music you download to your MP3 is as personal as your CD or record collection.  You have exactly what you enjoy listening to.  It's just another way of accessing your favourite sounds.

Now of course you'll need to charge your MP3.  I believe some of them can be used with standard batteries but most will come with a charger that you can plug into the mains or maybe by usb to your pc.

You might want to use your MP3 in the car and you can get a charger and adapter for that too.

Silicon cases are another item you may wish to have.  They offer great protection for your MP3. Not only will they keep it scratch free but will also help to keep off any fluids that should spill your way!

Speakers and ear phones are something else to consider but these too will be down to personal choice and preference.  You may of course prefer to wear headphones rather than ear phones.  All of these things need to be thought about before you buy.

So, what's it for, really?  Young people today can't live without their phones and of course most have an integral MP3 player.  Of course they may have additional media storage in a stand alone MP3 player.

I have an iPod.  When I chose it, I went for the classic design with a larger memory.  It cost a lot of money and what do I use it for?  It Helps me to fall asleep on long haul night flights... that's the only time it gets used!  I have probably only used a quarter of the available memory too.  

So thinking about how and when you will use it is a serious consideration before you purchase. Some MP3's are the size of small matchboxes, others are much bigger.  Of course the difference is reflected in the price you pay.

Shop around.  Take your time on deciding which to buy.  Check out consumer reviews or ask others for their views.