Music On the Go: MP3 Players
by Kellie Halder
Constant innovation means music players continue to get smaller and smaller. Gone are the days when people lug around bulky CD players. Today, MP3 players are the easiest, fastest, and lightest way to listen to music on the go.
The rise in popularity of MP3 players makes them the newest must-have gadget. There are many different features and styles, so do your research you buy.
What's an MP3?
MP3 is short for Moving Pictures Expert Group 1 Audio Layer 3. It's a small file format that compresses music to one-tenth or less the space of an uncompressed file. MP3 is the most recognizable format for digital audio among consumers. There are other forms, including WMA (Windows Media Audio), AAC (Advanced Audio Codec), and ATRAC (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding).
So how do you play an MP3? Unlike CD and tape players, MP3s are stored right on the player in the internal memory. For those less tech savvy, think of an MP3 player as a minicomputer. To put music on your player, you'll have to transfer the digital files from your computer to your player. You create these files by ripping CDs, tapes, and records to your computer or by downloading songs from the Internet. Most MP3 players come with the computer software you'll need to rip, download, and transfer the files.
The players
Walk into an electronics store and you'll see a wide variety of MP3 players. They come in different colors and sizes and vary in capabilities and prices. So how do you choose the right one? First, consider how or when you'll use the player. This will determine how much memory space you'll need and the relative size of the player.
Flash memory players are the smallest and lightest. Many are about the size of a pack of gum and weigh between 1.5 ounces and four ounces. They're known for their skip-free performance because they have no moving parts, making them ideal for visits to the gym. Flash players store about two hours or 128 MB (megabytes) of CD-quality music. If you're not picky about audio quality, you can compress the music into smaller files, making room for more songs. These little devices also pack a long battery life so you don't need to worry about constantly recharging. The new iPod Shuffle sells for $99 but prices range from $100 to $300. You'll pay a higher cost per MB than you would with other types of MP3 players.
If you like the size and skip-free performance of flash players but want more internal memory, you can buy expansion memory for some players. Check to see if the player has card slots or backpack modules. If it does you can add from 32 MB to one GB (gigabyte) of extra memory. Average price for a 64 MB CompactFlash memory card ranges from $10 to $20.
Hard disk players are bigger than flash players but offer significantly more storage. Because they have a hard drive, a typical player holds hundreds or even thousands of songs and plays more than 1,000 hours of music. Many people store their entire music libraries on hard disk players. MP3 owner Lucas Hansen likes to store a variety of music on his iPod. "I like that I can use my iPod no matter what kind of mood I'm in--I listen to my classical music when I'm at the library, my upbeat stuff at the gym, and my chill music when I'm at home," Hansen says. "The great thing about hard disk players is that they're still small enough that you can take them with you everywhere." The drawbacks to hard disk players are that they can skip if jarred and they're a bit bulkier and heavier than other models. A 20 GB player is about the size of a deck of cards and weighs about a half a pound. The starting price for a hard disk player is $140.
Look at reliability and popularity ratings before you make a purchase.
If you're headed on a road trip and don't want to bring your entire CD collection, investing in an FM transmitter for your MP3 player is a good idea. The transmitter plugs into the player's headphone jack and sends a signal to your FM radio. By tuning in to the proper FM channel you'll get to listen to your favorite songs commercial-free as you cruise down the highway. Belkin's TuneCast� Mobile FM Transmitter and other brands sell for about $30.
Disc/MP3 players function as both a CD and MP3 player. Many of the latest CD players are capable of playing digital music saved on CDs in the MP3 format. CDs hold a lot of MP3 files--a 650 to 800 MB CD holds 10 hours of quality music. You can make these CDs using your computer's CD burner. Like other MP3 players, they group songs on your MP3 CDs according to artist, genre, or title. Players such as Sony's MP3/ATRAC3 CD Walkman play CDs and MP3 CDs and let you listen to the radio. The players cost $100 to $200; blank CDs cost $1 to $4.
Before you buy an MP3, make sure the player is compatible with your computer and its operating system. Your computer needs to have USB or FireWire ports, which is where you will plug in the player. Most important, make sure the display and controls are easy to read and use. Test a variety of players and look at the reliability and popularity ratings before purchasing. Consumer Reports
Managing your music
Most players come with the software you need to rip music. Popular programs like MusicMatch, Windows Media Player, and Real Player are easy to use and you can download them from the Internet. These programs also organize and let you play music on your computer. If the application you downloaded doesn't have your player's plug-in, you'll need to use the software that came with the player to transfer the music to the player.High-speed Internet connection makes downloading go faster and is a necessity if you want to stream music and listen to Internet radio.
Downloading music
Many people like to add to their music library by downloading songs from the Internet. If you're going to do this, consider upgrading to high-speed Internet because it connects via DSL or cable modem instead of by a dial-up connection; broadband is 35 times faster than dial-up. It's a necessity if you want to stream music and listen to Internet radio.
While it's no longer free, at least legally, to download, there are many convenient and easy-to-use music Web sites. The most popular online music store is Apple's iTunes, which lets you download songs for 99 cents or CDs for $9.99. Musicmatch, Napster, Wal-Mart, and Sony all let you download music without risking a copyright-infringement lawsuit. Some sites are pay-as-you-go while others are subscription-based.
Check out a variety of sites to see which one you like best. Be aware that certain players only work with one online music store. For instance, Sony players only work with Sony's online store, Connect. Other players that support copy-protected formats work with the majority of online stores.
Another option is to download music for free using peer-to-peer Web sites that let you file share with other music lovers. Be warned, you'll risk infecting your computer with viruses and spyware.
"Peer-to-peer downloading often has negative implications," says Ian Forkash, client desktop analyst with Credit Union National Association's information technology department. "Having a peer-sharing client on your computer will open you up to hackers being able to easily gain access to your local hard drive partitions and do pretty much anything with it; copy it, destroy it, plant Trojan horses on your PC ... the maliciousness is endless," warns Forkash.
It that doesn't dissuade you, there's also the possibility that the music industry may sue you for copyright infringement. Because most music is copyrighted, it's technically illegal to share files. MP3 owner Sara Gilbertson downloaded music from free Web sites until she got an e-mail from her Internet provider telling her she would be fined if she continued to illegally download music. "After the e-mail I decided it wasn't worth the risk," Gilbertson says. "I figured I could afford the few songs I wanted, but not a lawsuit." Bottom line, MP3 owners are advised to connect to trusted Internet sites and pay for the right to download the music files. Forkash points out that in most cases you'll end up saving money because you're not paying for a CD jacket, case, mailing costs, or gas to drive to the store.
Peer-to-peer downloading has more negative implications than positive.
There's a lot to consider when buying an MP3 player, but with so many options out there you're guaranteed to find a player that fits your needs.
May 23, 2005
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