Portable Media Players
Wouldn't you love having the ability to carry your music collection with you whenever you leave the house? With Portable media players 
you can take your music collection with you in a compact and stylish device. Today, there are so many MP3 players on the market besides the iPod that you have the option of purchasing one wiith color screens or video playing capabilities. MP3 players have come a long way over the past few yearsm they come in a variety of sizes and types from hard drive players to flash memory players. Read on to get an idea of the different types available.
Types
- Hard Drive Models
- These models have storage capacity starting at 10 GB and up. The 60GB Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra can hold around 17,000 songs.
- Hold many forms of data from your computer, such as photos and videos.
- Generally come with extensive features and larger screens for easy photo and video viewing.
- Built around a 1.8-inch hard drive, these players are larger and heavier than other slimmer designs.
- The hard drives have moving parts, making these players unsuitable for strenuous physical activity.
- Many models use rechargeable batteries which can only be replaced by the manufacturer. After a few years, look to pay for a new model or pay to get the battery replaced.
- The standard iPod is an example of a hard drive model.
- Micro/Mini Hard Drive
- Smaller and lighter models hold up to 6 GB of music or other data.
- Historically, can't playback videos. However, this has begun to change with the new series of iPod Nanos and the Meizu miniPlayer .
- The Creative Zen Micro is a mini hard drive model.
- Flash-Memory MP3 Players
- Flash memory is stored in a solid state drive with no moving disk.
- Super light and very portable.
- Very sturdy -- no moving parts means that there is nothing to skip or break.
- Max capacity is 4 GB and keeps creeping up as flash technology improves.
- The iPod nano and shuffle both use flash memory.
The most popular line of MP3 players by far is the iPod line from Apple. With 90% of the hard drive player market and 70% of the MP3 player market, iPods are everywhere. There are lots of alternatives, though, if iPods aren't your style.
Popular Brands
Buying Tips
- You can listen to more than just music with MP3 players. You can download some recorded books, comedy and radio shows as well. One thing to consider when shopping for an MP3 player is its ability to play other audio file formats, such as WMA.
- Many MP3 players have AM/FM radio tuners built-in. You can also buy an AM/FM tuner accessory for iPods, which lack this feature. Try the Griffin iFM Radio , Remote, and Recorder for iPods.
- Most of today's models come with a color screen. Some even have video playback capability for watching TV shows, music videos, and films.
- Look for models that have easy to use interfaces, a display that you can read easily and all the features you want.
- Some models include the base station, but sometimes it is sold separately. Be sure you know what comes bundled with the player before you buy.
- There are MP3 players that let you connect to the device like a hard drive (mass storage device), and players that connect to the device using a special program that might not always be as usable, but may offer features like instant recompression, automatic synchronization of playlists and more. Some find hard drive like behavior more flexible, others find specially designed tools easier to use.
MP3 CD Players
- MP3 CD Player are essentially CD players with the same size, format and weight. The only difference is that they can read both CDs and CDs of MP3 files.
- These are good options for people who have lots of burned CDs and who don't own a computer.
