Saturday, May 31, 2008

Will The New Microsoft Mini PC Take Over From MP3 Players And Mobile Phones?

by: Richard Green

The new mini PC from Microsoft, which currently has the concept name “origami”, was shown off at a technology trade show in Germany at the beginning of March. The end-product name for the computer has not yet been finalised, as “origami” is only a nickname which has been used by engineers during its development. The new computer is planned to hit the shelves in April, and is expected to rival apple Mac’s IPod amongst other things.

The new computer is a hand held PC in the similar shape of Sony’s P2P games console. The hand held PC is however as powerful as a standard desktop PC, with a whopping 60 gig hard drive. It has an 18cm touch-screen, and is a mere 1.5cm thick and weighs in at around 1 Kg. Operating with a full version of windows XP, this little computer is intended to have all the media capabilities of a home PC: therefore this new gadget will be able to run your favourite media player for music, games; as well as movies.

The new hand held PC also has additional connection capabilities for keyboards, digital cameras, and mobile phones; leading to speculation about how long before the mini PC and Skype ( http://www.skype.com ) begin to rival mobile phones too. The big question here being; will the large and powerful phone companies like Sony Ericsson ( http://www.sonyericsson.com ) give Microsoft the free rein to enter their marketplace. With Microsoft being such a major conglomerate surely the big phone companies will do everything in their capability to keep their market Microsoft free.

With this new ultra high tech piece of machinery Microsoft are also set to make a serious challenge to the PC hardware market. This brilliant strategy by Microsoft allows them to hit three of the world’s biggest markets (PCs, mobile phones and MP3 players) in one fell swoop.

Can anyone stop Microsoft? The only company to be seen making any challenge to the Microsoft empire at the moment is search engine giant Google – will we become a world dominated by two global Über-companies in the future – we'll just have to wait and see.

Mp3 Player for Running (or Any Exercise)

by: Charles West

Using an Mp3 Player for exercise, whether we are running or working out in the gym, we like to do it to music. To our favorite music or music we've chosen for what we're doing - possibly vigorous music for aerobics, soothing music for weightlifting, or a good beat for running, snowboarding or skiing, whatever works for you, is the best for you.

One of the easiest ways to carry that music is with a suitable MP3 player that is light, compact and loaded with your choice of music.

Using an Mp3 player for running, as we all know, over many years people have carried radio's, cassette players and CD players while they were running. All of these were either awkward to carry, or were limited by the length of tape or CD, or the CD would skip, or the radio reception was varied or nonexistent.

The MP3 player for running has changed a lot of that, but not all. It has become noticeable that some MP3 players are best not used for vigorous activity. Over the years we've been told that computer hard drives are temperamental and deserve to be looked after. Shaking or dropping them, we've been told will damage them, as a minimum - cause bad sectors, and ultimately cause loss of data or a damaged boot sector.

Then what happens - we are sold MP3 players that run from computer hard drives (ie, spinning disc's). Yes, we know they have shock protection built in, but this is so we don't hear the skipped music tracks - not to stop the hard drive from being damaged.

I was discussing these thoughts with a client last week, and was interrupted by a computer technician, I thought whoops what have I said wrong, he then confirmed what I was saying is right, as he had replaced his MP3 player hard drive twice in 2 years. He had put it down to heavy use as he is always playing it, apart from the running, and not realized the real problem (that he was using his MP3 player for running) until after a discussion with his work mates. Now he uses a solid state MP3 player for his 25Km runs and has had no problem with either the new unit or his hard drive MP3 player over the last 18 months, none at all.

My advice is to only use a solid State MP3 player for running, they can carry from 2 hours to over 300 hours of music (from 128Mb to 4Gig of storage). These units have no moving parts, therefore shock movement will not damage the music quality, the storage or there long life.

Follow the guide to Choose your Next MP3 player for running, at http://www.mp3srock.com/mp3_music_player.html

All The Tips You'll Need For Buying The Mp3 Player Of Your Dreams

by: Tatiana Velitchkov

Whether you are jogging, shopping at the grocery store, working out at the gym, or working, you are constantly seeing people listening to an MP3 player. If you do not have one yet, then you are behind the times. MP3 players are the best way to tote your music from place to place, and listen to it everywhere that you go. Now that you know you must go out and get an MP3 player as soon as possible, here are a few tips to consider when you are buying one.

Price – This is usually one of the most important criteria when you are buying any item, but the price of an MP3 player can vary greatly depending on the many features that are available on an MP3 player. You should try to maximize the amount of features you can get for the best price. Prices of MP3 players usually start around $75 and go up to around $1000 and sometimes even more. You can often find MP3 players for much less, though, during a sale or promotion.

Size – The size of an MP3 player can also vary greatly. The smaller the size of the MP3 player the more expensive it is, but other things like the type of memory can also cause the size of an MP3 player to change. If you must have a very small MP3 player, then you might have to give up some features that the larger MP3 players provide.

Screen Size & Clarity – The screen is also another very important aspect of an MP3 player. The screen is where all of the song information will be displayed. Also if your MP3 player allows pictures or music videos, they will appear here as well. The more clear and larger the screen the more your MP3 player will cost.

Memory Type – The type and size of memory that an MP3 player has will determine the amount of songs the MP3 player will be able to hold. The memory type can also affect the way the MP3 player will react to movement. An MP3 player with an internal hard drive will be able to hold the most songs, but it will make the MP3 player larger, and also might skip if you go jogging, or work out at the gym while listening to it. Flash memory on the other hand will not hold as many songs, but the MP3 player will be very small, and it will not skip at all, even under the roughest conditions.

Battery Life – The battery life of your MP3 player is also very important, because you want to listen to your music, not sit and watch it charging. Some batteries will last for 4 – 5 hours, while others will last more than a day for your listening pleasure. You will also want to find out if the MP3 player uses an A/C adapter to charge, or if it can be charged by plugging it in to a USB port on your computer.

Accessories – Some MP3 players have a large variety of different accessories that will make it more stylish than anyone else’s. Some common accessories are headphones, carrying cases, docking stations, and also necklaces to carry your MP3 player on. Depending on your fashion sense you might want to pick out an MP3 player with more accessories, so you can make sure that you stand out in a crowd.

Whether you go for the price as point for search number 1, or for the size as the most important factor, or for the memory type, or the accessories, at http://www.discussMP3.com
you can be certain to find the new MP3 player you are seeking, and at the most discounted prices at that.

Cranking the Volume on Your iPod or MP3 Player Can Damage Hearing

by: Lee Blue

Kids have always loved listening to their favorite music, and the louder the better – much to their parents’ dismay. In the 1980s, the portable tape recorder with headphones – which came to be known as the “Walkman” – enabled teenagers to listen to their music as loud as they wanted, anywhere they wanted, without disturbing anyone around them.

But the more modern rendition of the Walkman – portable MP3 Players and iPods – pose a major threat to our children’s hearing health, and to ours.

The problem is a combination of the technology of portable digital devices that creates a non-buffered crystal clear sound, and the type of headphones typically used with them, which do not have a buffer either. In December 2005, Dean Garstecki, an audiologist and professor at Northwestern University reported that more and more young people were being diagnosed with the types of hearing loss typically found in older adults. He attributed this trend to the “earbud” type headphones that usually accompany iPod and MP3 Players.

With the earbud headphones, the sound frequencies are not buffered as they are with the more traditional, ear cup-style headsets. Newsweek Magazine recently reported that researchers at the House Ear Institute found that listeners can unfortunately increase the volume of today’s portable digital devices without the “signal distortion that occurs with traditional analog audio.” The older-model headphones that were popular just 15 to 20 years ago – that have ear cups outside of the ears – had that distortion when the volume was turned up, which functioned as a much-needed buffer to protect our hearing. Today’s technology does not provide that buffer – the earpiece is placed in the ear, not outside of it, and the digital devices do not create that distortion, no matter how high the volume.

In addition, people often listen to these devices while they are on the go, and have a tendency to crank the volume in an attempt to drown outside noise, further posing a risk to our hearing. Using the earbud style headphones during activities such as exercise, for example, puts the user at a greater risk. During exercise, blood, which can act as a buffer, is diverted from the ears to other parts of the body – so our already vulnerable hearing is in even more jeopardy.

Headwize reports that a study conducted on music listeners using headphones revealed that while indoors with no background noise, the participants were comfortable with their music at 69 decibels. Outdoors, where the background noise was recorded at 65 decibels, participants using their headphones turned the volume up to 82 decibels and as high as 95 decibels to drown out the surrounding noise. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines limit exposure to noise at this level to no more than four hours each day. The study concluded that the participants were at risk for hearing damage and recommended “avoiding continuous use of [portable stereos] in noisy conditions.”

Northwestern University’s Dean Garstecki offers more specific guidelines: His 60 percent/60 minute rule – listen to MP3 Players and iPods for “about an hour a day and at levels below 60 percent of maximum volume.” The problem is, most of the population using headphones – young music fans – listen to their music for much longer than one hour per day. But, you can help minimize hearing loss, damage and problems while listening to your favorite music as long as you want to – the secret is in the headphones.

Headphones such as the EX29 Extreme Isolation Noise Reduction Headphones help block out external noise allowing you to hear the fine details of your music without blowing out your ear drums. The ear cup fits over the ear, and not in it, and the headphones are lightweight, don’t require batteries and can be used with your MP3 Player or iPod. With 29 decibels of isolation from outside sound, the quiet headphones block outside noise and there is no need to crank the volume of your music.

Aging rock stars like the Who’s Pete Townsend, who has some permanent hearing loss from years of exposure to loud music, and Mick Fleetwood, who has teamed up with Energizer batteries to promote hearing loss prevention, have brought public attention to the fact that many of us take our hearing for granted. But there’s no need to turn off your music – just be smarter about how you listen to it. If you are using your MP3 Player or iPod when you’re exercising, in a noisy environment or you just want to hear the fine details of your music, ditch the earbud headphones and reach for a set of noise reduction ones instead. And you’ll be enjoying your favorite music for a long time to come.

MP3 Players: How It All Began

by: Alexander Johannes

You have probably seen some old movies where some unruly teenager carried on his shoulders one the first "portable" audio players—a blaring cassette-tape-playing two-speaker monster (if you're old enough, you may even have done this yourself). What can the desire of people to take their music with them do!

But the first truly portable audio player was the cassette-tape based Sony Walkman. That was extremely revolutionary in its time. This small plastic box (well, today it doesn’t seem to be very small any longer) with earphones brought on the dawn of the portable audio player and sparked a legion of imitators. The subsequent introduction of audio CDs and CD-based walkmans marked the start of the digital music age.

A relatively recent revolution in this area was the introduction of Apple’s portable music player, the iPod. Although portable mp3 players existed before it (the first mass market mp3 player, the Rio PMP300, was introduced in 1998), the iPod’s unique design, its user-friendliness, and Apple’s very good reputation for its sense of aesthetics created immense interest in the product. Soon iPod was catapulted to its current ubiquity. More than 7 out of 10 mp3 player owners today have an iPod.

Portable mp3 players today are a must-have in the “everyone-else-has-them-so-I-should-have-one-too” sense. Although they are indeed undoubtedly very handy. Especially among the younger half of the population, jumping aboard the portable music bandwagon is a way of staying cool and keeping up with the times.

MP3 format has been chosen as the most widespread. Songs of that format can be supported not only by iPods but by the majority of devices. You can enjoy MP3 music while walking, driving, cooking, or listening to your dull lectures.

The primary source of music in mp3 players today is still audio CDs, as it is now very easy to create mp3s from them (using Total Audio Converter’s rip CD option). The widespread availability of internet access, with the ability to download plenty of music (legally and illegally) is also a crucial factor in the spread of portable music players. Though there is the reverse of the medal. The songs in the web are of dozens different audio formats. What to do with some FLAC or APE song?

The solution is quite simple. Get some audio encoding/decoding tool to convert your songs to your favorite mp3. For example, Total Audio Converter (http://www.CoolUtils.com) is a brainlessly simple tool that supports almost all audio formats. No matter what source format your track is, Total Audio Converter will easily convert it to the format you need. What is important TAC was developed to be handy and suites any digital music newbie.

Today, 1 in 5 Americans, and about 11 out of 20 American teenagers, own at least one portable audio. More than 1 out of 10 older adults (aged 35-54) own an mp3 player as well. (Interestingly, two-thirds of mp3 player owners are male – girls, where are you?) From these stats alone, it’s easy to see that portable music players are definitely here to stay. And that is GREAT

What Makes the MP3 Player Tick?

by: Andrew Stratton

While storing data in your MP3 player, you seldom stop to find how files are saved in the player's memory. The different types of memory types include internal flash memory, Compact Flash cards, Smart Media cards, Memory Stick and internal micro drive.

Except for internal micro drive, all of the above mentioned are ‘solid-state’ memory types in which there are no moving parts. This enables better reliability and no skips while you are enjoying the music. There are tiny hard disk drives in MP3 players which have capacity to store 10 to 150 times more date compared to flash memory devices.

In any MP3 player, the microprocessor is the brains of the system, monitoring user input through playback controls, displaying all the statistics related to the song playing on the LCD panel and sending instructions to the DSP chip that tells exactly how to process the audio.

The DSP withdraws the data of songs from memory, through application of special effects, or EQ, and streams it to the amplifier. A decompression algorithm run by the DSP will undo the compression of the MP3 file and then a digital-to-analog converter will change the bytes back into sound waves.

After boosting the strength, the amplifier sends the signal to the audio port, which is connected to a pair of headphones.

MP3 players are portable and battery-powered. Most of them use one or two AA batteries that last for about 10 to 12 hours on a single charge. Many players are equipped with AC adapters and can be plugged into a normal electrical outlet and some even offer DC adapters for use in a car.

Minidisk technology comes to music listeners in a new and improved line of Minidisk Walkman digital music players. A 1 GB disc is provided by Hi-MD technology to give users up to 45 hours of music. Those looking for a player that can store their entire music collection would find the hard drive ideally suited for the purpose. These discs can also store and transfer many PC data files to enable PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, etc. and depending on the model, it could allow 30 to 50 hours of playtime on a single AA battery.

Important Facts About Mp3 And Mp4 Players

by: Roberto Sedycias

Mpeg-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as mp3, is a popular digital audio encoding format. A device that is designed to greatly reduce the amount of data required to represent the audio recording, by retaining the sound from the original uncompressed state. Mp3 is an audio-specific compression format. By compressing, certain sounds that cannot be heard by the listener outside the normal human hearing range, are removed. This makes the sound clearly audible to the listener.

The mp3 players have changed the evolution of music. The good old records, eight-track tapes, cassette tapes and CDs no doubt gave the music lovers a good time but none of these earlier music formats provided the convenience and control that mp3 players provide. It is as convenient as keeping it in your hand or pocketing it. You can create personalized music lists and carry thousands of songs wherever you go. Mp3 players are offered in different shapes and sizes.

For those who want to be with the time by possessing the latest gadgets or be the first ones to have them, here is a list of some popular mp3 player brands: Apple, Archos, Creative, Olympus, RCA, Rio, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony and iRiver. Most of these have good amount of storage capacity, screen size, compatable to Apple MacOS X 10.3.4 or later, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 or later.

Mpeg-4 Part 14, a multimedia container format commonly known as Mpeg-4. It is a device that stores digital audio and digital video streams, especially those defined by mpeg. Subtitles and still images are also stored. Mpeg-4 Part 14 allows streaming over the Internet. The filename extension for Mpeg-4 Part 14 files is .mp4, thus the name mp4. Devices that play .mp4 files are referred to as mp4 players.

The evolution of mp4 player devices has lead to providing more features such as fm tuner, voice recorder, email, and Internet browser capability. As it is capable of delivering audio and video at the same time, mp4 devices can offer a wide range of interesting features, such as web browsing, email, instant messaging, video and music download, Bluetooth wireless technology, digital camera and others. Not to forget the game capability, voice recording and multiple language options. The storage capacity is amazing which can start from 256 mega bites up to 40, 60 and up giga bites.

Mp4 is the next step in the evolution of music after mp3. The difference between mp4 and mp3 formats is that, mp4 devices hold both audio and video files. As for the mp3 it only holds the audio type file.

iPod is a brand of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple. The iPod name has become synonymous with mp3 or mp4 players as it is the most popular brand and holds the biggest share of the market. Devices in the iPod range are primarily digital audio players. These devices can be used to store an entire music library. This is not all, it can also be used to view and transfer photos, videos, games, and calendars to the models that support them.

With PDA-like functionality, text files can be displayed, while contacts and schedules can be viewed and synchronized with the host computer. It comes with built-in games like Brick, Parachute, Solitaire, and Music Quiz. It is condensed, brawny and frivolous, and is easy enough to carry along in your palm, in your pocket, or purse.

The storage capacity varies from 512 mb to 80+ gb. It has a powerful 60 mw amplifier so it can deliver audio as loud as you want. It also has a 20 MZ to 20 khz frequency responses. This means, you can hear distortion free music at the least pitches. iPod is a very handy mp3 mp4 player indeed!

Ipod As The Most Popular Mp3 Mp4 player

by: Roberto Sedycias

This is an mp3 / mp4 player that music lovers acknowledge the most in the modern time. US-based Apple, one among the largest producers of computers, notebooks and computer hardware and software, introduced iPod in 2001 with a single model for the international music market. Apple kept on introducing new iPods for each generation. The latest one is the iPod 5G. Apple also came up with two different variants: the iPod Shuffle (without digital display), the iPod Nano (the smaller version of iPod). Recently, Apple came up with the new-generation of iPod, the iPhone that integrates the conventional MP3 and video player with an internet ready mobile phone.

This article compares each iPod by its special features. One of the most popular model is the iPod 5G that comes with 30 or 80 GB storage capacity. It is not just an mp3 / mp4 player, you can store, view and share complete music videos, movies, podcasts, play games, share photos, playback music and videos, connect to a video output device, and much more. It can play your favorite music for up to 20 hours as this iPod boasts of higher battery life.

The iPod Nano has many of the same features as the full-size iPod, but with much lesser storage capacity. It comes in 2 GB, 4 GB and 8 GB models. It has up to 24 hours of battery life and is comparatively lighter and smaller. It also suffers from some limitations; the iPod Nano doesn't support voice recording and media storage via third-party peripherals. iPod Nano is a great mp3 player for people who would just like to listen to audio files.

Apple's most-pocket friendly iPod is iPod Shuffle. It offers a host of advantages: it's affordable for everyone; its sound quality is as good as that of any other iPod; it has flash memory rather than a hard drive; and it's really portable. However, the disadvantage is that it doesn't include a screen for steering up to specific songs. It has a limited storage capacity, 512 MB to maximum 1 GB. So it's good for those who want to be in fashion, yet can compromise on memory space. But the size of this mp3 player is so small that you can easily clip it to your clothes.

With digital music being in-vogue, many portable jukeboxes hit the market, since Apple kick-started the music revolution of our time. Other portable MP3 and MP4 players, besides iPod, are available in the entertainment world of mp3 / mp4 players. There are many Chinese, Korean and Japanese brands manufacturing low cost players in bulk. These are much cheaper, but have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. The fact remains that iPods are the most popular among all, and hold the biggest share of this market. There are enough iPod users in the market and a lot of new things are getting developed around iPods.

Some people just can't do without their iPods, from jogging time to bed time. It sticks to their ears. Obviously, the battery drains out of the device. The latest buzz is that Andrew Schneider, a student from New York University, is exploring a solar-powered bikini that can charge iPods. Yes, it is true! The bikini will soak up the sun rays thru photovoltaic film strips. That means, while the iPod user is getting a sun tan, his mp3 / mp4 player is also getting a charge of 6.5 volts of solar power.

iPod has become a very desired mp3 / mp4 player around the world. iPod player just seems to be ahead of its competitors. Not just by delivering good quality products, but also in providing new solutions for eager electronic consumers. Let’s just wait what will be next in the iPod revolution.

Mp3 Player Purchase Tips

by: Roberto Sedycias

The idea of a having a portable audio player dates back many years ago, when the option then was a fairly big cassette-tape-playing two-speaker audio system. Eventually these devices got smaller and back in the late seventies a hand size cassette-tape audio player was made available. Now as electronics evolved and with the mp3 audio format, one can satisfy his needs for a portable audio device thru the use of mp3 players.

Mp3 players became very popular and it is very common to see people using it while doing many activities such as jogging, commuting to work, traveling, buying groceries, computer related tasks and others.

For those who intend to purchase an mp3 player, one might consider the following tips:

1 - The internal memory size of an mp3 player will determine the amount of mp3 songs the device will be able to hold. Some models may even have an internal hard drive to store songs, however the size and price may go up a little bit and it is not recommend to be used by someone doing intensive physical activities. Also some models may the have the option of flash memory.

2 - The battery life is a very important feature, because it will determine how many hours the mp3 player will function properly. Make sure the mp3 player comes with an AC/DV adapter for quick battery charge.

3 - There a lots of sizes of mp3 players. Features such as a larger screen, video capability, hard drive and others, all add up to a bigger size. And price too!

4 - The way an mp3 player connects to a computer is a also very important feature. Latest model may support high speed USB 2.0 transfer. Some others may even have Firewire support.

5 - Some mp3 players even may accept other audio format besides mp3, such as WMA format. Check the player’s specification if this feature is going to be used.

6 - Also mp3 players may have other features besides of mp3 playing. Features such as FM tuner and audio recording capability, may be of some interest to some users.

7 - As for the price just make sure the mp3 player you are buying has just the features you are looking for. Why pay more for features you are not going to be using anyway? Mp3 players can be purchased for prices from fifty up to several hundred dollars. Brand name players will cost even more.

Portable mp3 players have become a must have product of desire among the younger population. After all almost everyone has one of them. So if you don’ have one yet, it’s about time to keep yourself updated with modern time.

This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author´s name and all the URL´s (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept

How Does Apple Manage To Dominate The Mp3 Player Market With The Ipod

by: Gray Rollins

In the realm of MP3 players, Apple (producer of Macintosh computers and related technology) is the definite dominator when it comes to having the most highly-purchased products among the other manufacturers. One of the main reasons for this – simple as it may seem – is basically out of customer loyalty to the originator of this portable audio device. It was the first of its kind on the market and still remains today, the brand of choice.

Apple actually released the iPod in 2001 as a portable audio device that was strictly compatible with Macintosh technology. Working in unison with Apple’s iTunes, Mac users were able to create, maintain and utilize countless numbers of sound files in their music and audio libraries. However, due the growing popularity among its customers, many Windows users were feeling left out and wanted to be able to take advantage of this great new way of listening to and downloading music and other audio as well. So, in 2002, Apple produced a new form of iPod that was compatible with both Macintosh and Windows interfaces. And later in 2003, they gave the Window’s world a compatible version of iTunes as well. This made the audio playing and storing consumer market very happy.

Then eventually, other companies like Sony and Samsung began producing MP3 players as well but have never reached the level of success that Apple has with their iPods. And moreover, it doesn’t look like those competitors ever will. Statistics show that Apple and their iPod actually dominate the MP3 player market with a 70% selling advantage over other manufacturers of these types of portable MP3 audio devices. And when it comes to hard-drive based MP3 players, they’ve got a whopping 90% lead over the competition.

The main reasons consumers complain about the non-Apple brands of MP3 players is that not only are the competitor versions too expensive, but they are strongly lacking in form. They just don’t have the ease of operation in terms of user-interfacing and also don’t include a lot of the convenient and ‘cool’ features that the Apple iPod does either. Generally speaking, the iPod emphatically outperforms the other manufacture’s brands of portable audio devices by a mile (or more).

And with the addition of Intel into the Apple product line as a whole, the iPod is only going to continue to be improved upon causing it not only to remain the favorite, but also further expand its appeal throughout the music-loving universe.

MP3 Player Tips For New Buyers

by: Perry Corman

If you don't own an mp3 player, and even if you do, you should check out all the new stuff that's going on. I'm hoping this article will give you some ideas of what kind of mp3 player you want and some guidance on what to look for in an mp3 player.

Maybe you are going to the gym and need something small and skip-proof for running or lifting. Maybe you have an 10 hour (or even longer) plane ride when you go on a business trip and need to pass the time. Maybe you want a new one just for the sake of having a new one. Whatever it is, this article may help you select.

First, for those of you who want something for working out: The two most important things to look for are size/weight and RAM, things CD players don't have. You want something that you can clip to your shorts or strap to your arm that won't interfere with your movements, and you want it to be so light that you don't even notice it. (Tip: Get a lithium ion battery to save even more weight.) To be sure that your player will not skip if you move too much or too fast, get one with internal Flash memory, which has no moving parts so it can't skip. These are available as 1GB to 16 GB models, with a 1 GB model holding several hours of music. Prices typically range from $20 to $600.

On the other side, you may want to store all 16,000 songs in your collection on your player so you never hear the same song twice. In this case you need a hard drive based mp3 player, commonly known as an mp3 jukebox, for which you could pay up to $800 . It will be a little bigger and heavier than and not quite as durable as a RAM (flash RAM) player, but that is not a concern if you just want to sit and listen to good music. And they are still far more portable than the old CD player.

Torn between a small, light, solid state mp3 player and a hard drive based player that holds thousands of tunes? Well, the iPod Mini may be your choice! The iPod Mini is just one model in a breed of small hard drive mp3 players. They are a little lighter and smaller than normal hard drive players, and hold more songs than the average solid state mp3 players. (Did I mention the iPod Mini comes in blue, green, gold, and pink?) That is the main differences, but here are some more issues you should look for when making a purchase: battery life, with or without a radio, voice recorder, an easy to read screen, and compatibility with your computer.

If you're looking to purchase on line, I willrecommend Live Shops - MP3 Players (http://mp3players.live-shops.

Play Your Favourite Music From Your MP3 Player Through Your Alarm Clock Radio

by: Toby Russell

When you look at the vast array and unusual types of clock which are manufactured its somewhat surprising that you will find that digital clocks are hard favorites for many people. These clock styles now come with a variety of options that today's techno fan will feel is necessary for day to day living. One slightly different type of alarm clock that you can[purchase these days is that of an alarm clock and mp3 player. This is Basically an alarm clock clock and an mp3 player which works together.

The numerous other types of digital alarm clock are widely available however you will not find these with an mp3 player everywhere. So for this reason when you are looking into the idea of purchasing one of these clocks you may want to see what the Net has in the way of recommendations. The user and purchaser reviews that you can find are a good way of weeding out alarm clock mp3 players which you may find difficult to obtaib or ones that have tons of problems to them.

These details are significant as without them you may end up acquiring a make or model on the back of being sucked into media and publicity ballyhoo which leaves out the true value of such a clock. When you are look for this[info you may want to see the choice of stores or online retailers where you can buy these clocks. The other significant information that you should look into is that of the price.

You will find that some of the more well known brands will be developed around certain items that customers look for. These may be the number of songs which can be stored in the memory of the player. The types of player styles that you can opt for while you have the alarm clock clock in mp3 mode may be another way that people look at choosing one of these clocks.

Once you have found out all of these details you to check out finding a sho near you to purchase your chosen model]of an alarm clock clock in mp3 player. Certainly depending on the time of year, its probably worth checking stock availability before travelling far to purchase as some may be in high demand. due to the popularity of the product, especially if its been extensively advertised..

Normally its always worthwhile to consider a second option, just incase your desired first choice is tricky to find, out of stock or just not all its cracked up to be The other bonus to planning out your purchase and doing some research is you end up with the right type of alarm clock with mp3 player for your needs and hopefully at an acceptable price

Legal Tunes Download Sites For Your Mp3 Player

by: Jeffrey Wolf

Existing technology makes music videos more accessible than ever, with a enormous percentage of people now downloading music from the internet to their MP3 player or ipods. Many people use file sharing sites to find their MP3 player files, but these sites do not have copyright ownership. This alters the stability and condition of the product, and can also develop into legal proceedings being brought against the buyer. Thus, the best way to download music to your audio player is to find a legitimate site.

Online MP3 player downloads from a legitimate site have the advantage of being certified by both the record company or the musician. This means that there is no infringement of copyright laws and allows many advantages for the buyer. Approximately 35% of all MP3 player owners now use this reasoning to download music files. Of course, certified MP3 file downloads come with a cost but this is nominal when compared with the price of CDs and minidisks.

There are two methods of paying for MP3 player downloads. The first is one off fee or monthly payment that acts as a subscription. This process permits subscribers to download infinite music files to their audio apparatus, and is cost efficient for any consumer who requires ordinary use of the services. The second process of payment entails a pay per download or burn scenario. This is more cost efficient for those who will use file downloads less frequently. Both payment processes will permit the customer to take advantage of the benefits of legitimate MP3 file downloads.

The basic advantages of with a legitimate MP3 player download site is that the sound quality is the best viable as state of the art digital recording device is used. The download speed is also superb, and many download sites have great additional extras such as MP3 ripping and MP3 tagging services. Licensed MP3 player files will not harm part of the way through, and so you can be certain in the service expected. The licensing means that the download site will not be blocked due to copyright infringement, which is usual among file sharing sites. One of the primary advantages of using a legitimate site is that there is little chance of encountering and obtaining a virus. Approved MP3 player download sites have excellent security measures which are revised frequently to guarantee the best viable product is expected by customers. There is also better privacy guaranteed, with spyware detected and deleted, keeping customers secure from risk.

Of course there are some disadvantages to be had. Licensed MP3 player download sites have a much lesser selection of music existing than the file sharing sites. There are also very few qualified mp3 download sites around, so there is little choice in terms of which service provider you can use. However, the quality of the websites available is very good, so this should not be a hindrance. The price concerned with qualified MP3 player websites is off putting to many, but the complete advantages of subscribing outweigh the disadvantages. The licensed site guarantees a quality product for your audio player, which is secure for your computer and which follows laws and regulations. It is fast, accessible and cost effective.

Many MP3 player and iPod download sites offer free trials of its services so that you can examine the website throughly before committing to any purchase. This is about being able to download a specificed number of download files or being able to use the services for a set length of time before a payment is required.

Music Downloading and MP3 Players

by: Jeff Anderson

What are they and how do they work? Here are a few thoughts on the subject of Mp3 players.


MP3 is a compressed music file. It is an encoded wave file and has almost the same sound quality as an audio CD. The size of the file is much smaller allowing more room for music.

They are legal when the song?s copyright holder has given permission to download and play the song. You can legally encode MP3's for personal use but it is illegal to trade or distribute MP3's without permission from the song?s copyright holder.

There are sites you can join for a fee. Some sites require a fee per download and by doing this you are legally downloading music.

Almost any kind of music is available for the MP3 player. Look around at various sites and decide which one is best for you. You can review the sites before joining and see which one fits best with your musical tastes and budget.

Try one of these sites: NetMp3Music, has good music and movie sources or Real Rhapsody which is completely legal and has a free 14 day trial. Napster has been redone and features over 1,000,000 legal downloads. Other choices are MP3 Advance or FileSharing Center.

When it comes to MP3 players you also have many choices. Some of the top players are: Apple iPod MP3 Player, Creative MP3 Player, Philips MP3 Player, iRiver MP3 Player, Dell Pocket DJ, Dell DJ 20, and Gateway MP3 Photo Jukebox.

It is very convenient to own an MP3 player because of it?s size and the quantity of music that can be stored. You can arrange the music for work-outs, meditation, running or any other activity that you want. An MP3 player helps you to eliminate songs you don?t wish to have from a CD. You can choose one song from a CD or six, whichever you like and in any order. There are many songs that can be downloaded from the internet and added to your collection.
If you love music and want to be able to take it with you conveniently, check out the MP3 players, there?s one that right for you as well as legal downloading sites you will enjoy.