Buying an MP3 Player
Nowadays, an MP3 player is virtually a must-have purchase. Like any other successful phenomenon, this means that the market place is flooded with technology, and as always it's hard for the consumer to make an informed choice. What really is the difference between an iPod and an iRiver? This guide will help you find out!
In my opinion, the following are the key things to consider about an MP3 player:
Price of an MP3 player
The price of MP3 players varies enormously, and it is even possible to buy some basic players for less than £20. These would typically be 512MB players, with no extra functions and very basic build quality. At the other end of the scale, an 80GB iPod is currently selling at around £250- an indication that MP3 players are no longer considered a niche product, because the 40 GB model used to be on sale at £399. So, you don't have to spend a fortune to get into the world of MP3. The main factor that increases price is the amount of memory, but you should also consider what other features come as well- for example, can your MP3 player play videos?
MP3 Player Storage Space
The amount of memory your player has determines the number of songs you can store on the player. As a general guide, a gigabyte of memory will be enough for approximately 250 songs. When you encode music for your player, you can usually choose the bit-rate at which you want the songs to be imported- this effectively means the quality, and the higher the bit-rate the better the file will sound. However, a high bit-rate means that the file will be bigger, meaning that you will get fewer songs on the player. In my experience, if you are a passionate music fan there is no point in going for any less than 30 GB- if, however, you just need something small for occasional use, there is no need spend the money to get a big player.
Using your MP3 Player
Generally speaking, all MP3 players work in roughly the same way. They usually connect to your computer by USB cable, and are then accessible as a window on your desktop. In some cases, you need to install specific software for the player on your computer- this can be a simple interface (as on Creative products) or a more advanced file management system such as iTunes (through which the iPod works). Most players have a system where track names, artist and album information will be filled in automatically when you insert a cd- however, this means that the files will then be "tagged" in a certain way. You should consider whether your player offers you the option of managing your music files yourself. Another factor here is that if your player relies on a specific software package, you may be restricted in the way you use it- for example, you won't necessarily be able to connect your player to any other computers.
It's worth mentioning here that iTunes offers much more than just a file management system. You are also able to connect directly to the iTunes music store, and download songs, albums and videos directly from there. This is very convenient, but unfortunately any downloads are in a protected format, meaning that you are restricted in how you can share the files. Also, if you buy an iPod you are unable to use many of the official legal MP3 sites, because Apple is not associated with them.
MP3 Player Performance - Battery Life is Key
In terms of performance, the biggest problem for an MP3 player is battery life. This will vary from 10-20 hours, but in many cases the battery life reduces dramatically over as little as a year. Check your MP3 player online to get customer feedback about this before you commit to your purchase. There is a sense among some consumers that the companies are not being fair with this, and that MP3 players are not expected to last any longer than their initial warranty of 1 year. You should be aware of this risk, particularly if you are buying one of the bigger and more expensive models. In most cases, batteries can be replaced, but this is often not cost effective.
You should also be sure to try your MP3 player in a shop before you buy. Is it easy to find the track you want to listen to? Are the controls easy to use? Is information presented in a systematic and clear fashion? These aspects of the player's appearance have practical ramifications, but there is also a simple question of style. For some people, it's important that their player looks like a highly desirable gadget, and players like the iPod have clearly been designed with looks as well as functionality in mind. It is possible that these players may be a little more expensive than their more simply designed rivals, but you should consider that you may well be using this product every day, and therefore it is vital that you find a balance between ease and pleasantness of use and overall expense.
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