Monday 12 October 2009

Choosing Your MP3 Player

By Helena Enteerha

If you're thinking about getting an MP3 player then you need to brush up on MP3 player basics. There are many makes and models to choose from but some of them are not very good quality. Some players double as video players, or have advanced audio functions built in as a secondary feature. Finding a player that's just limited to playing music is something of a rarity these days.

A prime example is the Apple iPod. In the good old days it was simply used to play music. In recent memory they have come out with so many advanced features, most of them aren't found in other units. The MP3 player is geared for easy navigation. Even though the extra benefits are nice to some, others just want a little piece of technology that plays music. Plus, iPods usually cost a bit more as well.

Although the Apple iPod is the main player that many people think of, there are many other brands. There are also a variety of cheaper off brands that have copied its aesthetic look but for legal reasons cannot copy its features. These brands often do not handle many other audio formats other than MP3's. Name brands however are designed to handle audio formats across the entire spectrum and many people flock to them for this reason alone.

Another thing to think about is the battery life. Most of the cheaper models will use triple As, which fade out quickly. In today's world most of the models will use rechargeable lithium ion batteries. What it will come down to is whether or not you want to purchase batteries every month or just recharge the unit.

Then of course it's important to look at the durability. Thanks to our societies "jump on the bandwagon" ways, it's the most overlooked part of the process. You need to know whether or not the product you purchase is going to last years, or a couple months. All it takes is one misstep for one of them to be damaged or simply breakdown.

If you go with one of the larger electronics brands like Apple or Sony, durability probably won't be a concern (although there are some notoriously breakable units out there; a glance at a unit's reviews should be enough to clue you in on whether it's solid or not). The lower echelon of companies will try to cut corners wherever they can to offer a somewhat similar product for a cheaper price, so don't be surprised when a player like that breaks down.

You'll want to take the button layout of the player into consideration. Try to avoid models from smaller companies that just have a mere two buttons - these are often bottom of the barrel products that are just asking for problems. The iPod Shuffle is a bit of an exception, as it's a quality player with a very simple interface, and is quite cheap compared to other iPods.

So in closing before buying any kind of player remember to go over the MP3 player basics. Check for function, audio formats supported, battery life, durability, and general quality. If you don't want to do bother because it's time consuming you can just buy an Apple iPod. These are one of the most sought after players on the market for a reason. If money is a concern then simply buy an older generation iPod - plenty of new units are almost always available for the previous generation, and you can find savings of 10% and upwards, without sacrificing the most important features.

About the Author:

Buzz This

No comments:

Post a Comment