Mp3 Player

Mp3 Player Purchase Tips

2009-02-24T07:20:00.000-08:00

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. Roberto Sedycias IT Consultant 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.

Samsung YP-P2 MP3 player

2009-02-10T02:38:00.000-08:00

Mp3 players have become the new "must have" accessory for almost everyone. People of all ages use MP3 players. They're easy to use, extremely portable and are capable of storing all your music so you're never without your favourite beats anywhere you go! There are 2 different types of memory found in MP3 players: Flash Memory (smaller capacities) and hard drives (larger capacities). The benefits of a flash MP3 player over a hard drive MP3 player are that MP3 players which use flash memory are generally lighter in weight and more portable. Flash memory based MP3 players contains no moving parts, which means the MP3 player is 100% skip free. The most popular examples of flash memory players currently available include the iPod Nano, iPod shuffle and Creative Zen Stone MP3 players. Hard drive MP3 players are used in larger capacity units such as the iPod 30GB, 60GB and 80GB with video playback. MP3 players with rely on hard drive memory are able to offer a much higher memory capacity which basically means you can store more songs, photos and video files. The largest amount of memory in a flash based MP3 player is currently 8GB (enough for about 2500 songs). This has increased significantly as memory chips have become cheaper in the market and also more stable in that they can handle higher stress levels. This means that they are able to have large amounts of data synchronised to them at any one time then before. The popularity of flash memory based MP3 players is growing significantly as larger and larger memory capacities are being made available to consumers. Samsung are soon expected the break the 8GB memory size barrier although none of their planned new MP3 player releases are set to launch with a memory size greater than 8GB. The Samsung YP-P2 MP3 player will be available in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB from launch in late September 2007 as will the YP-T10 and the YP-S5 – a highly anticipated follow up to the YP-K5 MP3 player which features a slide out speaker. All of Samsung’s new releases are set to feature Bluetooth and video playback functions. As the market has developed, manufacturers have introduced an array of new features in their MP3 players. Things like Bluetooth which allows you to connect wirelessly to a Bluetooth enabled headset device giving you a wireless MP3 listening experience. Video playback is now a common feature found in most higher end MP3 players. This means that not only can you listen to music on the go, you can watch your favourite movies or TV episodes. Many websites now allow video downloads as well as music downloads which makes it easy as pie to have everything on the move with you. Alternatively, consumers are able to rip music from their own CD collection and even movies from their own DVD’s although this can sometimes prove to be a little long-winded.

By Amar Kapoor

The new MP3 player

2009-02-09T00:32:00.000-08:00

Muvo T200
Creative has lauched a new MP3 player named Muvo T200.The new MP3 player comes along with a full color LCD display scren and built-in USB connector letting user transfer music without any cable software. User can personalize their Muvo T200 with six dazzling color themes ranging from marine blue,velvet red to forest green.The screen of the player features a vivid 65.000 full color Dual screen orientation to suit users` viewing preference screensaver with date and time stamp and built-in FM radio and voice recorder are some of the other features of the Creative Muvo T200. The Muvo T200 supports various music formats such as MP3,WMA and Audible Music formats.The tiny Creative Muvo T200 functions as both a MP3 player and a USB storage device.Its ultra compact design,with dimentions of only 25 X 77,7 X 11 mm and feather light weight of only 20,6 grams, make it vey convenient for user to bring along wherever they go.

Mp3 Player 2GB - Overview

2009-02-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

The music world has been changed forever by the digital age. A few clicks of the mouse and you can take music from a CD and transfer it to a portable device like the Mp3 player 2gb.

This means no more figuring out how to transport fragile CDs or worrying about them skipping when you want to listen to some tunes while you jog. Mp3 player 2gb has made it easier than ever for music to be portable.

Choosing

If there is any problem with the mp3 player, 2 GB it is the massive number of brands to choose from.

Apple, Sony, Phillips, and RCA have all gotten into the digital music game. For the average consumer it can be quite a chore to know which one to choose.

To start with you should look at your budget, there is no sense looking at an mp3 player 2gb that you cannot afford.

Pricing

An mp3 player 2GB can come in every price range imaginable. From as little as $20 to as much as several hundred for a brand new model. Examine your budget and choose a range you can easily live with.

Value Priced Mp3 Player 2gb

In this price, range you will find many brands but the one that has the best customer satisfaction is a small mp3 player 2gb called the San Disk Sansa Clip. It sells for about $40 on Amazon and customers all seem to agree that it is a great mp3 player 2gb for the money. Below are some of the features customers were impressed with:

Easy set up and no additional software required.
Drag and drop feature makes transferring music to the player very simple
Good sound quality
A display that allows you to scroll through the music on your mp3 player 2gb
Capacity for up to 1,000-wma music tracks
Rechargeable battery
15 hours of use before battery requires charging

This is by all accounts a terrific mp3 player 2gb for the money. All the features that you will find in many of the pricier models for a whole lot less.

Other Considerations

While pricing will be the first thing, you must decide it is by far not the only factor in choosing an appropriate mp3 player 2gb. Things like who will be using the player and how are prime considerations.

Young children may need an mp3 player 2gb that has a rugged construction, manufacturers have realized this and come up with models that are perfect for a younger child who is not as careful as an adult is.

Read the product descriptions carefully before making your final decision and remember that higher price does not always mean better quality.

Other posts you may be interested in reading: digital mp3 players

Types of Car MP3 Players

2009-02-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

Cars are filled with all kinds of music and video devices anymore. New cars are being built with mp3 player docks installed standard. If you want to take the music from your home computer or mobile device and use it in your automobile, you have several options, car mp3 players come in many forms.

Mp3 Capable Stereo

Car mp3 players that are most common are the actual stereo that is mp3 disc compatible. This is a stereo that will read a disc that you create on your home computer from your music mp3 download"vast library of music. Today you would be hard pressed to find one that was not mp3 compatible.

For the money, however you might want to consider looking for car mp3 players that have more options. For instance, you can now purchase car mp3 players with DVD and USB compatibility. What this means is you can now watch your favorite movie while driving on America’s highways! Okay you could do this but you probably want to set the viewing screens up for those not responsible for navigating the vehicle.

The nice thing about many of these models is they also have a USB drive in which you can connect a flash drive containing all your favorite tunes. Makes it very simple to turn your stereo into a car mp3 player.

Conversion

One way to turn even the oldest model stereo into car mp3 players is to purchase a wireless modulator. This is a handy device that transmits the signal from your IPod, personal media player or other device to your stereo over radio waves.

You plug this device into your car cigarette lighter, turn on your portable device, or plug in your memory card or USB device and you are all set. All that is left is to tune your stereo to the correct frequency and you are ready to jam!

This device is recommended for the person who has an older stereo system or who is not ready to fork over huge amounts of money to upgrade to in dash car mp3 players. For about $20 on Amazon, you can pick up a Falcon in car IPod like control.

IPod Docks

For a little more money and some intensive labor, you can install car mp3 players that will play both mp3 format disc and come with IPod controller built in. A nice example of this is the JVC model KD-PDR30. The price is competitive at $99 before tax and shipping. It has a 200-watt maximum output, wireless remote and an IPod connector cable.

JVC has a long-standing reputation in the car audio field and unlike many off brand products; you will find they back that reputation with reliability. Car mp3 players are definitely here to stay and if you haven’t settled on one yet, now maybe the time. Technology is moving at a brisk pace and the prices have fallen to a place where nearly anyone can afford to upgrade to a car mp3 player.

You may want to check out my other guide on Car DC Mp3 Player and Car DVD Players.

Mp3 Player 1GB - Questions You Should Ask

2009-02-06T16:00:00.000-08:00

Mp3 player 1gb is about the smallest player memory wise that you can purchase today. Nevertheless, they are a great little player and have more than enough memory for the casual user. When choosing your next or even your first mp3 player 1gb there are a few questions you can ask yourself.

Name Brand or Nameless?

When searching for an mp3 player 1gb you will find that there are many brands and if you look long enough you may even find some with no name at all. Choosing then will become a matter of money and the risk you are willing to take.

If you decide to purchase a no name mp3 player 1gb from somewhere like China or Japan you will likely get a great deal money wise. However, you are taking a huge risk that the unit will work at all. Some electronics from other countries are not compatible with ones produced for use in this country. Nevertheless, if it is all about the money and you are a bit of a gambler you could score a great mp3 player 1gb. Just do not expect any customer service!

Name brands have something going for them; they have a reputation to uphold. That is why you will find most companies will go the extra mile to keep your business. This is not a hard and fast rule, but it works most of the time. With a name brand mp3 player 1gb, you will also have customer reviews to look over while deciding. If that does not work you can always default to a company that has performed well in electronics in the past. For instance, Sony has a long history in producing quality electronics therefore if you have been happy with their products in the past you will likely be satisfied with their mp3 player 1gb.

How Will You Use the Player?

Will you be using your mp3 player 1gb to store some of your favorite photos? Do you want to view video or text files? Some players will not be compatible with these types of files so if these are important to you this is a question you will want to ask.

How Much Battery Life?

Many mp3 player 1gb have rechargeable batteries built in. Other older models have battery bays and take AA or AAA, either way you will want a minimum of 12 hours playtime before recharging or changing the batteries on your mp3 player 1GB.

PC or MAC?

This is one of the most important questions you should ask, particularly if you are using a MAC. Producers of mp3 player 1gb have come around to making players compatible with either computer, however it is not the standard and therefore you will want to be sure the mp3 player 1gb is compatible with your computer.

Conclusion

Choosing a good mp3 player 1gb can seem daunting, but if you know, the right questions to ask it will be much smoother. Knowledge is power especially when it comes to purchasing electronics.

You may want to check out my other guide on digital mp3 players and music mp3 download

Where to Find Downloadable Music

2009-02-06T15:58:00.000-08:00

You took the plunge and decided to get an mp3 player, and now you are wondering exactly where to find downloadable music. After all an mp3 player is not, much use to you if there is nothing on it.

Home Library

To get you started the best downloadable music you can find will likely be in your own collection. If you have not already done so, take your favorite CDs and save them to your computer. For most mp3 players windows media is the best format to save them in.

Once you have finished putting your library on the computer you will have your own private collection of downloadable music. Now all you have to do is follow the instructions that came with your mp3 player to put them on your device.

Online Downloadable Music

Your own library will tide you over but soon you will probably want new or hard to find downloadable music, this is where the internet comes in handy. There are a variety of sites where you can purchase downloadable music.

IPod comes with their own downloadable music site called iTunes. Here you will be able to browse different genres of music then pick and choose your favorites. For 99 cents, you can choose from over four million downloadable music files.
CNET is another popular site that offers downloadable music. On the site, you will find thousands of free downloadable music files. The site also has links to other popular sites for downloadable music.
Amazon is probably the most well know site on the internet for downloadable music.

Buy Downloadable Music Cards

If you are like a lot of people, you may not feel comfortable entering sensitive personal information online. In this age of identity theft, that is a reasonable concern. For safety, reasons many retailers now offer cards that you purchase at the store then use online to access downloadable music. Think of it as pre-paid music downloads.

Finally

Mp3 players are great for taking your music with you wherever you go. As technology increases so, will the capabilities of these handy devices. Already you can find players with as much or more memory than your desktop pc. With all that, room downloadable music is a must have.

There are many places online to get downloadable music. You should be cautious with sites that are new or offer a 1,000 downloads for a few dollars. These are potentially scam sites simply trying to get your banking information. Your best bet is to stick to trusted sites or prepaid cards.

You may want to check out my other guide on Tunes Download or Digital Mp3 Player.

Mp3 Player 4 GB

2009-02-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

If you have looked over any Christmas list this year, there is a better than average chance you seen the words Mp3 player 4 GB somewhere on it. No matter what the age of the person writing it, Mp3 player 4 GB has become the new black. For those who are not well versed in the latest technical gadgets this is the place to learn what you need to know about fulfilling this season’s wish list.

What is It?

An Mp3 player 4 GB is a classification of digital mp3 player that has been immortalized by the iPod. Mp3 is a shortened anagram for MPEG- audio layer 3. MPEG originally stood for Moving Picture Experts Group. As you can imagine that does not market very well so it was shortened to MPEG- audio layer 3 and finally Mp3 player, 4 GB refers to the amount of storage the unit contains.

GB stands for gigabyte and is the largest mass produced storage available. There are terabytes and such but for now those are left mainly to large-scale commercial users.

All of that was said to define the product that has all but replaced the walkman. You remember those little cd players you were supposedly able to jog with without your music skipping? Yeah, mine never worked that well either.

Mp3 player 4 GB is the latest in portable music devices. You can save your favorite music onto your computer and then download it to your Mp3 player 4 GB. Now you can have your favorite tunes with you wherever you go!

Which One

If you have been to a local retailer lately searching for an Mp3 player 4 GB then you already know that there are about five or more different brands to any one location and if you have looked online there is even more! How to choose your Mp3 player 4 GB depends on you.

The prices range from $40 - over $200 so there is indeed a wide variety. Some die hard iPod fans will tell you that there is no Mp3 player 4 GB that can compare. However, a quick browse around the internet will tell you a different story.

Generally speaking, the best advice is to compare several models and their functions. Many will have the photo and video option but do not take it as a given that all Mp3 player 4 GB have this. You may decide that to save money this is an option you can live without. Or not, overall the decision will be based on two things your needs and your wallet.

Other post you may be interested in reading: 30gb Mp3 Player or Mp3 Portable Players.

Looking for IPod Touch Cases

2009-02-06T15:54:00.000-08:00

Although not quite as popular as the iPhone or as the line of iPod MP3 players on the market, the need for iPod touch cases has been growing exponentially in recent years as more people begin to see the benefits of this helpful gadget.

Unfortunately, the debate is still out on which of the available touch cases are the best for the device’s needs. Below are some considerations to keep in mind while you start shopping for these Touch cases.

Screen Protection

As you probably already know, one of the most vulnerable parts of the iPod Touch is the screen. The screen is also one of the most important features.

You definitely want to choose touch cases that are going to prevent scratches on the screen. Also remember that dropping the iPod Touch could damage the screen so you need a case that is going to offer significant protection.

Otherwise, you could be risking seriously damaging your device and after you spend several hundred dollars on the gadget you don’t want to take that risk.

Convenience

One of the most significant issues to consider is the convenience of the Touch cases.

A well-designed one will fit snugly on the gadget and will allow you to use the device with no difficulty. Some consumer have actually reported purchasing Touch cases that did not have the proper placement for the headphone jack hole so it could not be used when the case was on.

While this kind of problem can usually be prevented by ensuring that you are purchasing Touch cases designed specifically for your model, you also want to avoid purchasing low-quality goods because these are more likely to be poorly crafted.

Colors

While many of the other iPod products on the market come in colorful styles, that’s not the case with the iPod Touch. As a result, you may be interested in adding a decorative hue to the device via the Touch cases you select.

The good news is that many well-crafted models are on the market and provide protection while also giving the device a unique style. One of the most popular color choices is the pink version but you can find other colors and designs as well.

Budget

Of course, one of the most important considerations when you are making your purchase is the price. Leather Touch cases can cost $50 or more which is an awful lot of money to spend when you could be stocking up on songs or videos from the iTunes store.

However, you might also be leery of some of the cheaper versions on the market. They cost less but may also have less quality and may not be a good source of protection.

Reputation

Finally, you should never make a choice of Touch cases without doing some research on the companies who have made them. Do some research on the Internet to find out what other products they have made for iPods and what other people are saying about them.

You may want to check out my other guide on mp3 player 1gb or mp3 player 30gb

Portable Mp3 Players Price

2009-02-06T15:51:00.000-08:00

Unless you have lived in a cave for the last few years, you have at least heard of portable mp3 players. They are handy little device that you can download music video on to and take with you everywhere you go. The thing you may also have noticed is a wide disparity in price. The price range is all over the board and it can be difficult to know which one to purchase.

The Cream of the Crop

Hands down the most expensive and by all reports the best overall in portable mp3 players is the iPod touch. The newest installation in the iPod family is the 8 GB and reviewers are raving about the product.

This second generation of portable mp3 players has everything you could want. Music is just the beginning you will also find:

Digital Photograph storage
Video capability
Pod Casts
Email
Internet access
Games
Wi Fi
3.5 inch touch screen

This is without a doubt the top of the line in portable mp3 players, no question. However, at $250, the price lets you know exactly how much quality you are buying and for the casual user who simply wants one of the standard portable mp3 players it could be overwhelming.

Mid Range

Microsoft has their own answer to the iPod craze it is the Zune. For about $160 you can get their top of the line in portable mp3 players. It has a few less features than that of the iPod but it is still a very solid player. Features include:

16 GB of storage
Holds 4000 songs
25,000 picture capacity
50 hours of video
Zune to Zune sharing
Built in mp3 fm transmitter Fm radio

As you can see in some ways the Zune out does the Touch. However the devil is in the details really and it will depend on which is more important to you price or internet coverage.

Cheap

When it comes to portable mp3 players cheap is a relative term. Cheap compared to the two examples above could be anything under a hundred dollars. However, there are models that go as low as twenty dollars at some discount electronics storesretailers.

Portable mp3 players in this price range could be considered the disposable variety. Some may last a year or two and others no more than six months. That is not to say that they have no place in the market. These are cheap computers reasonably priced method of checking the responsibility of a teen, better to have twenty dollars squandered if they lose it than over two hundred.

Conclusion

Portable mp3 players will likely continue to refurbished laptops fall in price. As technology continuously increases so will the complexities and features of portable mp3 players. Choose yours based on your needs and cheap lcd tv family budget.

Check out another guide on mp3 cd players and downloadable music.

Some Reasons to Consider Buying a 30Gb MP3 Player

2009-02-06T15:49:00.000-08:00

If you’ve ever taken a look at those 30gb MP3 Player advertisements and wondered why anyone would ever want to purchase one that could hold that much music, you might be surprised by the number of benefits involved. Below are some ideas to help you understand why bigger can be better when it comes to portable mp3 players.

Versatility & Capacity

One of the biggest assets of a 30gb MP3 Player is that you can hold a lot of content. With that much space, you could easily hold more than 7,000 songs.

However, a large capacity hard drive has another advantage: it can hold more than just music. For example, you could load your hard drive with photos from your last vacation so you look back at the trip yourself or share it with others.

You can also download music videos, full music, television episodes, and more. All of this digital entertainment can be yours at the press of your fingertip. And don’t forget that a larger hard drive is also going to hold more of the video games that are being designed for the portable mp3 player market.

No Need for More Memory

Many of the 512mb mp3 player smaller players allow you to expand your memory by adding flash memory cards. Keep in mind that those extra memory cards are going to cost you.

With a 30gb MP3 Player, you’re not going to need any additional memory. If you do, you could always upgrade to one of the even larger hard drive models.

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself whether you’d prefer to have more memory than you need or if you’d want to worry about having to add more memory down the road.

Portability

One of the complaints some people have about 30gb MP3 Player is their larger size. Because of the hard drive, they do need to be a bit bigger but most people would not complain about their portability, especially when compared to the behemoths we once considered portable.

And they are getting smaller with each new generation so eventually the size difference between a 30gb MP3 Player and a smaller one will be insignificant. However, if you are going to be using your player while exercising or similar active pursuits, consider purchasing one of the smaller models that are designed more for that purpose.

The rca mp3 player RCA mp3 player Jet or iPod shuffle mp3 Shuffle mp3 are both good choices. You can always save your 30gb MP3 Player for other on-the-go purposes.

Price

While a 30gb MP3 Player does cost more than the smaller units, you have to consider what you are getting for the money. A 2GB or a 4 GB model can cost about $100 but most of these size units run around $200 to $300 which means you’re getting ten times the storage capacity for only double or triple the price. That’s a good value.

You may want to check out my other guide on Mp3 20gb and downloadable music.

Digital Mp3 Player - A Beginners Guide

2009-02-06T15:46:00.000-08:00

If you have been slow to keep up with emerging technology trends then a digital mp3 player may be new to you. As with any new technology, it can take a bit of trial and error to figure it out. Let’s see if the learning curve can be shortened.

What is a Digital Mp3 Player?

A digital mp3 player is a small device that flash mp3 players you can store music, picture, and even video files on.

The most common type of digital mp3 player until recently would only store and play music files. The device works by mp3 player usb allowing you to transfer files from your computer to the player.

Internally digital mp3 players have an embedded program that compresses the large file into a smaller one, the compression rates tend to be about 10:1. The information is then stored in what is known as flash mp3 players flash memory.

Flash Memory?

Flash memory is a chip in digital mp3 players that maintains information without requiring a power source.

It is also better suited to constantly changing or free mp3 player updating information.

Without getting too technical, the bottom line is you can erase and record new information much quicker than with a traditional hard drive, moreover it is also much smaller.

This makes it shuffle mp3 a perfect application for the digital mp3 player, cell phones, digital cameras and the like.

Size of Memory

Now that you know a little about how a digital mp3 player works, it is important to know about the various sizes of flash memory that is available.

laptops notebooks Computer storage has always been measured via the metric system, below is a list of the units:

Bit
Byte
Kilobyte
Megabyte
Gigabyte
Terabyte

There are a few more levels; however, for a digital mp3 player the largest unit currently used is gigabytes. To choose the correct size for your needs you should examine how you will use your digital mp3 player.

For the casual user who merely wants access to their favorite music two gigabytes is a good place to start. The latest mass-market digital mp3 player can have as much as eight gigabytes. In addition, there are specialty devices that go as high as 160 gigabyte, and they have a price tag to prove it.

Music Only or Video

A person new to using a digital mp3 player may want to 512mb mp3 player start small as indicated above. The simple digital mp3 player will refurbished laptops plug into your computer mp3 player usbvia a USB port and most will allow you to drag and drop files from your flash mp3 players computers media player. The main exception to this is the Apple iPod, in order to put music on this device you will have to use tune free the iTunes software that comes with your digital mp3 player.

If you are a more advanced user or you simply must have the latest technology then a digital mp3 player that includes video playback, photo storage, and even games may be more to your liking. It must be said that these can be more technically challenging than a basic digital mp3 player can, but they are nice.

Conclusion

Newbie’s will want to stick with the simple digital mp3 player. At two gigabytes, you can store hundreds of songs, more than enough to get through a day or even two. One final note on a beginner digital mp3 player, go for the one that has a digital display so that you can browse through your songs.

Digital mp3 players like the shuffle do not have that option and it can be frustrating to go through a hundred songs before you find the one you wanted to listen to.

Here’s another guide on MP3 CD Players

Places to Download Music Videos

2009-02-06T15:27:00.000-08:00

One of the nicest things about having video MP3 cd players is that you don’t have to settle for only hearing the music when you play your favorite songs. You can also bring along your favorite videos, as well. Of course, you first need to know how to download music videos which can be played on your player.

Know the Formats Supported

When you decide to download music videos, you should first know what formats are supported by your player. There are several, including WMV, AVI, and MPEG-4. If you download music videos in a format not supported by you/r digital mp3 player, you simply won’t be able to view them. That is unless you also get a converter.

Converters are basically software programs that change the file format.

These are already very popular for music files because not all of the file formats available are supported by all of the players and because some music enthusiasts prefer specific file formats to others because of supposed improvements in sound quality.

Of course, if you just want to download music videos without the hassle of doing any conversions, your best bet is to know the formats first then start browsing for music.

Know Where to Look

If you’re going to download music videos, you will usually need to pay for them. Most of the same online vendors who will sell you MP3 files will be more than happy to also sell you the download music video but at a higher price. For example, individual songs may cost less than a $1 at most of these stores but videos cost at least twice that much. You could shop around for a better value but the price has become fairly standard across the download music videos industry.

One of the downsides to music videos, however, is that you won’t be able to find them in many other places. While you can go to sites like Veoh.com, download music videos, and play them on your computer, you won’t be able to view them on your MP3 player. The same is true for the YouTube.com clips you find. Remember just because you can download music videos and view them on your computer doesn’t mean they will work as well on your actual mp3 player.

Another option you could consider is using some of the peer to peer downloading programs. These can be used without any kind of risk as long as you are only downloading music videos from artists that are not part of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Otherwise, you could end up in a lot of legal trouble just because you want to download music videos.

Getting What You Want

If you definitely want to download music videos for your portable MP3 player, your best choice is going through the online vendors. They have the largest selection and are typically compatible with most of the portable mp3 players on the market. While the price may be a bit steep, sometimes paying extra is worth it.

Please also check out my other guide on music mp3 download and Downloadable Music.

Mp3 CD Players - Definitions

2009-02-06T15:16:00.000-08:00

Moving with the times sometimes becomes difficult, especially when there are new terms that sound Greek to you. The biggest craze today are mp3 CD players and with them come some terms you may not be familiar with. Let this be your guide to the new world of mp3 CD players.

Terms
MP3 - MPEG - 1 Audio Layer 3 is a type of digital audio format that uses lossy data compression and is the standard encoding for all digital or mp3 CD players. To put it in terms that are more common it is a way of storing music data on a disc that takes up a lot less space than conventional methods with little or no loss of sound quality. Digital Music - Originally used in the 70s for commercial music recordings it is nearly standard now. Basically, it has taken music and converted it to a file system, which allows lower cost distribution. Downloadable music for Mp3 CD players depends on digital audio. Download - This is the process by which you can purchase music from the internet and use it on your computer or transfer it to mp3 CD players. By definition, it is moving data from one source to another. Memory - This term is self-explanatory; it is the amount of space available on mp3 CD players to store files. Similar to memory in your home computer memory for players comes in many sizes and types. Gigabyte - This is a unit of storage most common for all digital products. In the early days of computing, there were bytes, then kilobytes, megabytes and now gigabytes. A gigabyte is equivalent to one billion bytes or in other words a lot of memory! Playlist - This is a list of songs or albums that you have set up on your computer or mp3 CD player. WAV - An uncompressed windows audio file that takes quite a bit of space to store. These are generally converted to mp3 files to play on your mp3 CD players. WMA - Windows media format music file. According to reports sounds just as good as mp3 formats with half the storage needs. Conclusion As you can see there is quite a glossary of terms associated with mp3 CD players, and this is but a sampling of the most commonly used terms. There are many more that lean to the technical side of the mp3 CD players format. The above terms will put you on the right path to understanding this new technology.

Should I Buy a Cheap MP3 Player?

2009-02-06T06:14:00.000-08:00

Because the MP3 cd players market is booming, you’ll find plenty of options at any local store.

Even little kids can buy toddler versions of these players to prepare them for their future as music downloaders.

Despite all of the selection, one question still remains: should I buy a cheap MP3 player?

That question is a little complicated to answer so let’s look at some of the factors that might influence your decision to buy a cheap MP3 player or not.

How Will You Use It?

Spending a lot of money on a portable music player makes sense for some people. For others, it doesn’t. Part of the difference is in how you are going to use it. For example, if you’re a college student who wants the mp3 player so they can listen to tunes between classes then spending a $100 isn’t too bad.

If you work in a factory and want to listen to music on the job where the player could be easily damaged, you might want to choose a cheap MP3 player.

Another related factor is how often you are going to use it. For some people, a cheap MP3 player is a better choice because they probably won’t be spending that much time enjoying music, watching videos, or playing games.

If that’s not you then spending a bit more might be a fine choice.

Drawbacks of the Cheap MP3 Player

If you’re looking for reasons not to buy a cheap MP3 player, one of the best is that the quality tends to be much lower. When you pick up one of these mp3 players and compare it to one of the more expensive models, you can tell the difference.

With sound quality, the same is true. You’ll usually get better sounding music if you spend the extra cash.

Another drawback is the lack of features. When you’re talking about a cheap MP3 player, the iPod Shuffle mp3 is one of the best examples.

However, you pay less because you get fewer features, including a smaller hard drive, no video capabilities, etc. On the bright side, you do get the same quality player that Apple is known for with their other digital mp3 players.

You might also find a cheap MP3 player that has all the features you want and seems to good quality. If the price sounds too good to be true, you might be looking at a discontinued model.

When manufacturers get ready to launch a new line of mp3 portable players, they tend to steeply discount the older ones just to get them off the shelves. While having a discontinued, cheap MP3 player is not the worst thing in the world, you will have a harder time finding accessories for it and you may just end up upgrading again to the newer model anyway.

Avoid Some Cheap MP3 Player Promises

It’s also a good idea to avoid buying a cheap MP3 player through an auction site or classified advertisement. The price may be good but you may be very disappointed with the results.

Mp3 Players for Sale

2009-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

The holidays are gone but that does not mean the sales are, especially if you are still looking for mp3 players for sale.

If Santa forgot to leave yours this year, have no fear you can still get a great deal.

All you have to do now is find good mp3 players for sale.

Online

The best place to find mp3 players for sale is, hands down, the internet.

It is not so much that the prices will be less, but you will be able to compare the different digital mp3 players for sale side by side.

This will give you a better idea of what features you can get for the money.

For example, take these two mp3 players for sale online:

San Disc

* 1 GB flash memory
* Mp3 and WMA compatible
* FM radio/ recorder - Get your favorite songs off the radio
* USB connection
* Lithium battery
* Price - $27.00

GPX

* 1 GB
* Mp3, WMA, WMA-DRM music files
* SD/MMC memory card slot
* Stereo headphone jack
* Takes 1 AAA battery
* USB connection
* Price- 14.99 plus 4.99 shipping

As you can tell these mp3 players for sale are very similar. Very little difference in the main features and that is playing music. However, there are differences in price, battery, and looks. All of which you can easily research on the net.

You can do something similar at a retail location, but the one thing you cannot do is see what other people have to say about mp3 players for sale. Nearly any site that you go to on the internet will have customer reviews of their product. You can peruse these and see the pros and cons of each of the mp3 players for sale.

Brick and Mortar

If you are like many people you may not feel comfortable doing business online or you may not want to wait for your player to be shipped. Not a problem, the internet can still be your first resource for finding mp3 players for sale.

Take your research, list the features you like the best and take the list with you to the electronics store or department. It is also recommended that you list the prices of mp3 players for sale online for comparison purposes. Some retail stores will happily price match an online store to get your business.

Final Note

You will find many offers online, which look too good to be true. This should be a red flag for you, if you are not on a recognized site like Amazon you should beware. Some of these sites have mp3 players for sale from other countries and they may not be compatible with computer equipment here, plus customer service will be a nightmare. Stick to the tried and true sites for making purchases of mp3 players for sale.
You may want to check out my other guide on cheap mp3 player and mp3 speakers.

Shopping for Jukebox MP3 Players

2009-02-06T05:56:00.000-08:00

Just a few years ago, the term jukebox MP3 players were being used by a number of different companies to describe their units. Dell is one of the main ones that come to mind.

However, most of those initial jukebox MP3 players have gone the way of the dinosaurs and are mainly available through online auction sites by sellers who need the money to buy an iPod .

However, the term itself today usually refers to a player with a large capacity hard drive. We’ll look at a few options and examine the discrepancies in what people view as “large” below. Creative Zen Mozaic If you really want jukebox MP3 players that are unique in appearance, this model from Creative Labs is definitely going to be a big winner. The highlight is the keyboard which literally looks like a mosaic hence the name.

Outer appearances are also important with this model which comes in black, silver, and pink, plus optional skins that can change up its appearance even more. Besides what it looks like, these jukebox MP3 players have plenty of features, including a 1.9 inch screen, ability to view lots of different types of media, an audio recorder, and even a built-in speaker so you can share your music with others.

The key to jukebox MP3 players is always their memory capacity, however. With the Creative Zen Mozaic, you can choose from 2GB up to 16GB which equals to storage space for 500 to 4,000 songs. Prices range from $60 to $150.

Microsoft Zune Trying to beat Apple at the jukebox MP3 players game can be a real challenge as Microsoft has been finding out with their Zune. If there were no iPods, Microsoft would probably be winning the battle because the Zune has plenty of features to love.

One of the best is the wireless docking feature which is a real plus as anyone who has ever lost their iPod USB cables probably knows. The Zune, like many other players on the market, also allows you to listen to FM radio but with one difference. If you hear a song you love, you can mark it and access it later on your computer so you can buy it through Zune’s own music download service.

Of course, when we’re talking about jukebox MP3 players, we need to talk about capacity: the Zune comes in sizes from 4GB (1,000 songs) to 120 GB (about 30,000 songs). Classic Apple iPod With all of the other varieties of iPods on the market, it’s probably hard to remember the classic version of all the jukebox MP3 players, even though it still manages to be a hot seller.

This model doesn’t play the radio and doesn’t have a built-in microphone but it does play video on an impressive 2.5 inch LCD screen. You won’t find many color options either but you can find an 80GB and a 160 GB version on the market. These massive jukebox MP3 players can hold between 20,000 and 40,000 songs. Also, check out my other guide on flash mp3 player and samsung mp3 player

Why Own Car CD MP3 Players

2009-02-06T05:49:00.000-08:00

Most of the cars and trucks you buy today have decent sound systems, but they are lacking in options for listening to your favorite music. The good news is you can solve that problem by purchasing car CD MP3 players.

Prices are reasonable and many retailers will do the installation even if you purchase the equipment online. However, there are plenty of other good reasons for having your own car CD MP3 players.

Ease of Use

Modern vehicles have made it difficult for you to take along your own MP3 CD player. That’s because they’ve gotten rid of cassette decks and lighters which were two of the main requirements for most of the early kits that came before the car CD MP3 players of today. You can sometimes still connect your MP3 player to your existing stereo but it’s a hassle because most of the ports are in the back.

When you purchase most car CD MP3 players, however, they include one of these ports in a convenient front location or have an easy-to-use adapter that can be purchased so you can enjoy the music. Make sure to mention your desire to use the stereo for your digital MP3 player when you have it installed.

Musical Variety

Road trips can be a great experience. You pile into a car with some of your friends and head out for a weekend trip to somewhere. But what really makes a road trip exciting is the music. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same musical tastes nor is everyone going to agree on a radio station. With car CD MP3 players, you have a few more options.

Passengers can bring along their favorite CDs or make their own mix compilations, or they could bring along their own flash MP3 players to hook up. Just remember that most of the car CD MP3 players on the market today are only compatible with iPods. Your friend’s Zune or Creative Zen player just isn’t going to work.

Increased Security

If you do choose to invest in car CD MP3 players, here’s a tip: always choose the ones with a removable face plate. These units are going to heighten your security because they won’t be a desirable target to potential thieves.

Another advantage of these installed units is that if one is stolen from your automobile the cost will be covered by your auto insurance. Most people don’t know that anything not attached permanently to your car is not going to be covered in the event of theft. Keep that in mind when you’re comparing car CD MP3 players.

Reasonable Prices

The best reason to choose car CD MP3 players is they provide a lot of music enjoyment at a price that doesn’t cost much more than those old car kits once did. You’ll give yourself a lot more choices when it comes to how you enjoy your music, plus you’ll have an installed unit that is going to be safer in the long run than other alternatives.

Also, check out my other guide on Car CD Player and Car DVD Players

Portable CD Player - Alternative To Mp3

2009-02-06T05:45:00.000-08:00

iPod’s and mp3 cd players have become so popular that you might think the portable CD player has gone the way of the eight tracks. Not so says an article in a UK publication, sales are strong and have in fact increased.

If you think about it that really makes sense, though the hullabaloo over mp3 players is loud this does not mean they rule the roost just yet. Flash Mp3 players come with a serious amount of extra baggage so to speak, whereas a portable CD player does not.

Using Mp3

Media players are nice and portable and you can carry more music than you can listen to in a week solid, and that is listening 24 hours a day. However, in order to use an mp3 player you need some extra equipment.

You need a computer, internet access, USB cables, and many times a credit card. All of this just to take some music with you when you go out. It is becoming clearer why the portable CD player is still a viable option for many people.

Top Websites Selling Portable CD player

If all the hassle of the mp3 generation is more than you want to deal with or you simply dread converting you massive Barry Mani low collection to mp3 format, then portable CD players are the answer.

Retail outlets have moved many of these off their shelves to make room for the media player.

That is okay though the online market is still hopping with plenty of sites offering a wide range of both old and new. Your portable CD player is a few simple mice clicks away.

Amazon

The premier website for many products is Amazon dot com. A website selling new and used products that its members place on the site. One of the best reasons to use Amazon is the sheer number of products listed.

A quick search on any given day can give you over 800 results for portable CD player. This coupled with competitive pricing, in depth product details and customer reviews make this the place to go for a portable CD player or any other electronic device you can think of.

Manufacturers Site

Perhaps you have had your portable CD player since the 80’s and have enjoyed it very much. The only problem is your player has now decided to go on permanent vacation, and who could blame it, just putting up with the 80’s is enough for a vacation.

When you have found a brand that has, longevity chances are good that quality will follow them through the years. Sony, Emerson, and Pioneer are players who have been in the electronics game for quite some time and customers like their products. Therefore, if Amazon fails to provide you with the kind of portable CD player you want go to your favorite manufacturer’s website and you are back in business!

As I was writing the above article, it struck me that you may be interested in reading this too: Mp3 Portable Players or Jukebox Mpe Players

Full Review Of Mp3 Player Creative

2009-02-06T05:42:00.000-08:00

Full Review

Different music lovers and audiophiles are after certain features to enjoy their music experience to the fullest. Some are after the style and sociability while others want something where the music is easily accessible.

Sound quality is another important factor that heavy listeners want. The mp3 player Creative manages to provide that excellent audio quality and combine that with a very simple interface. In addition, it sports a large 2.5 inch TFT color display, yet maintains a small size that makes it easy to carry around.

What makes this mp3 player Creative sound better than other models and brands is the impressive bass effects that can be noticed when playing thumping tracks. The 3.5 mm headphone jack makes it even better so you can use your favorite good-sounding headphones to keep up with the beats.

One of the things that is missing however is a volume control so you’ll need to rely on the interface to turn things down. There is an easy to access power switch that you can hold to turn off and a mini-USB port for easy transferring of music.

The mp3 player Creative also has a nifty SD expansion slot which can accept SDHC cards that can span up to 16 GB which is a fine addition to the existing 4 GB of memory that the mp3 player Creative has.

As a video player, videos play out really well with clear visuals and little signs of pixilation and the sound quality maintains its top notch performance. Some people looking for a lot of styles may not like this portable media player very much because it comes only in one color - black.

Although the interface is very easy to navigate, the controls and buttons aren’t very comfortable for pressing and may hinder the experience slightly. Still the overall sound quality is enough to recommend this player to anyone wanting their music to sound better to their ears.

Product Summary

The Good

The mp3 player Creative has excellent sound quality with impressive bass effects and is backed up with solid performance and easy navigation.

The Bad

The screen is a fingerprint magnet and the buttons and controls don’t feel so well when being pressed. The mp3 player Creative isn’t very stylish either since it comes with just 1 color - black.

Bottom Line

Although this mp3 player Creative isn’t very stylish compared others, it’ll serve you well if you are after the audio quality and interface alone. It’s an impressive and small device that comes out strong despite some issues with the buttons.

You may want to check out my other guide on Sansa Mp3 and Mp3 Audio Player.

Mp3 Player Speakers

2009-02-06T05:41:00.001-08:00

So you have portable mp3 players and now you want to know where to get speakers as well as what kind. Well the answer to all of that depends on many things, to get you started on the right path lets go through a few questions that can help you arrive at best mp3 players the best mp3 player speakers.

Compatibility

What kind of portable cd player do you have? If you have purchased the Apple iPod then you will have hundreds of mp3 player speakers to choose from. It seems like every accessory on the planet is for one of the many generations of iPods on the market and that includes mp3 player speakers.

If you have another brand of player you will want to careful on choosing mp3 speakers, check the specifications very closely, some products will tell you boldly that they are only compatible with IPod, others are more subtle about it.

Needs?

What do you need the mp3 speakers for? Is this for your trips to the beach, the office, or the living room? Will the sound need to carry a long way or will the mp3 speakers be in a small room?

All of these questions are important for deciding the size and other functions of your mp3 player speakers. There are large complete home stereo systems that have a place for mp3 players to hook up; there are also alarm clocks and even lamps that double as mp3 player speakers. Not to mention the number of portable external speakers you have to choose from.

Price

Whenever you shop for anything, you have to count the cost. Once you have determined need and compatibility you can now determine where you are at budget wise.

Whatever that number is stick to it like glue, a set of mp3 player speakers is not the place where you want to bust the budget. Besides if you know the ballpark you have to play in you can save time by not looking at those mp3 player speakers, which are out of yours.

You can find mp3 player speakers starting as low as $6.99 for a portable set up to sleek new age models that will set you back a hundred dollars or more. Know your limits and stick to them.

Finally

There may be other consideration you take into account when looking for a new set of mp3 player speakers. If they are a gift then how old is the recipient? Young children would likely enjoy speakers built into a pillow, while an older child or adult would not. Make your own list or borrow some tips from this one to make your mp3 speakers shopping more productive and fun.

Article You May Be Interested In Reading : Logitech Speakers or another Mp3 Speakers Guide!

The Mp3 Samsung YP-P2JCB 8 GB

2009-02-06T05:34:00.000-08:00

Full Review

Either mp3 players are evolving in storage space or style and functionality. The Mp3 Samsung YP-P2JCB takes a turn by incorporating a large 3 inch widescreen (16×9) display that doubles as a touchscreen for navigating through the interface and choosing songs.

This display makes it great for watching movies in their full vibrant colors or checking out some HD quality photos. The touch sensitivity is more responsive than the other products out there and slightly more accurate as well.

Other nice features in the mp3 Samsung player include Bluetooth support allowing audio files to be received from other Bluetooth enabled devices like mobile phones or wireless transfer from laptops. The Samsung mp3 player can also pair up with Bluetooth headphones or speaker systems for remote sound.

It can pair up with 2 devices at the same time making it a good wireless player overall. There are a lot of personalization options as well which is notably more than average devices. It even has a eReader that is capable of reading eBooks .

The Mp3 Samsung player doesn’t fail in the sound quality and works even better when paired with the right headphones. Free firmware upgrades are available including later updates that allow full cell phone integration.

The installation disk also includes some interesting software including one that allows podcasting. There is no WiFi support which could of made the deal sweeter for a costly 8 GB player. The EmoDio software that it comes with isn’t very appealing too.

However, the overall sound and video quality combined with a great slew of features and the touchscreen display make the mp3 Samsung player a winner in style and functionality.

Product Summary

The Good

Mp3 Samsung’s 3″ touch widescreen display is clear and topped with vibrant picture quality. It has some nice crisp sound with good extras including radio, Bluetooth, and additional audio format support.

The Bad

The touchscreen capability makes this mp3 Samsung player a bit expensive for an 8 GB media player. WiFi support is absent and the EmoDio software that it comes with isn’t very useful.

Bottom Line

The mp3 Samsung YP-P2JCB 8 GB is a sleek choice and great for showing off to friends. It is a handy player as well capable of playing a lot of different formats at decent quality. It’s a good stylish performer if you are willing to pay the price.

You may want to check out my other guide on Sansa Mp3 and Mp3 Audio Player.

Archos 605 WIFI

2009-02-06T05:29:00.000-08:00

Can’t afford the Apple iPhone but are dying to try all the extras? Check out the Arcos 605 WIFI portable media player or PMP. We have portable CD players, mp3 cd players, phones, and computers

and now you can take the television with you too! Gives new meaning to everything but the kitchen sink don’t you think?

Where to begin listing all the capabilities of the Arcos 605 WIFI? The best place to begin is with the design of the player.

Design

The design of the Arcos 605 WIFI is beautiful and light, its silver appearance and large screen give it a sleek modern look that is unbeatable. Other features include:

6.7 ounce weight, this unit is light as a feather
Measures 4.8 x 3.2 x.6 inches
Handy kickstand for ease of watching
4.3 touch screen, the screen is nearly the full size of the player
800 x 480 picture resolution

Overall customer satisfaction is through the roof on picture quality, when they advertise the best picture resolution of any PMP they are not kidding.

Internet

Internet capability on the run is becoming standard for all electronic devices, it would not be surprising to be able to surf the web with your car soon! Wouldn’t that give new meaning to surfing?

The Arcos 605 WIFI is no exception to the new portable internet phase. All you need is a WIFI hotspot and you are in business. Of course, you may need to subscribe to this feature otherwise, but it is still a great feature of the Arcos 605 WIFI.

In addition to surfing the net, you can also download YouTube videos, stream favorite movies, or television. Are we taking our love of media a tad bit too far? Never miss your favorite television or movie again.

DVR

If streaming video is not your cup of tea, the Arcos 605 WIFI has an optional Dish Network plug in. This means you can record your favorite movie that is only coming on at three am and download it to your portable device. Now we can all get a little more sleep. Enhance those long bus or subway rides with your own personal movie viewer that you can carry in your pocket!

More Features

Arcos 605 WIFI does everything but allow you to make phone calls! Along with the video and internet features, this PMP lets you carry your favorite music, photos, and PDF files. It is truly amazing how much functionality you can carry in the palm of your hand.

As I was writing the above article, it struck me that you may be interested in reading this too: Cheap LCD TV or Mp3 Video Players

Portable Players Review

2009-02-06T05:26:00.000-08:00

The Good

Convenient way to bring entertainment along anywhere you go; helps prevent boredom during long waits and other parts of your life; improved technology gives you access to a larger number of entertainment options on-the-go

The Bad

Battery life is always an issue since most use rechargeable batteries; need a computer if you’re going to use them; numerous options on the market make choosing a model difficult

The Bottom Line

Despite a few minor drawbacks, portable players are a must-have for people who love entertainment and want to take it with them. Whether you want to bring along family photos or your Klondike solitaire game or thousands of songs, these players are going to be a good investment.

Review

Almost everywhere you go today, you see people enjoying their portable players. They may seem to be enjoying the experience of tuning out the rest of the world but are they worth the investment?

Portable players were once only useful to true audiophiles who needed to have their music library tagging along everywhere they went. Today, the players provide so many different entertainment options in such tiny packages that there’s almost no reason not to choose one. The only question is really which ones to choose.

The debate is really about whether or not to join the majority of consumers and buy one of the Apple portable players. Although these come in a number of styles and price points, they do have some limitations on features.

For example, almost every other MP3 player on the market comes with built-in FM radio tuners. This is not available on any of the iPod models at this time and no plans to include such functionality on future models have been discussed.

Price might also be an issue. Most of the iPod models do cost more than their competitors even for similar sized hard drives and features. Battery life is also sometimes an issue. The battery life for most of the players is shorter than for competing portable players on the market. Do these facts mean you should choose an alternative model for your enjoyment?

That depends on how important those factors are to you. Apple iPods are the dominant portable players for good reason. They do have a reputation for being durable, for being easy to use, and for being fashionable.

Using one of these players also makes it easier to obtain new entertainment files to enjoy. You can go onto iTunes and download games, movies, television shows, podcasts, and music quickly and easily. The downside is the proprietary format does not allow these files to be played on other players.

At the end of the day, portable players are a good choice for most people. Even if you only want to have a source of music to inspire you while you’re jogging, you’ll find players that meet your specific needs. Other music lovers will appreciate the massive hard drives now available on some of these portable players. Either way, choosing one is a wise idea.

Check out my other guide on flash mp3 players and car cd player

An Inside Look: Zune Media Player

2009-02-06T05:22:00.000-08:00

Full Review

The Microsoft Zune media player unexpectedly jumped into the portable Mp3 player market and is now gaining some loyalists. This is because the Zune has a bigger 3.2 inch display and a touch-senstive pad with two buttons button for navigation. It isn’t the thinnest device with a 0.5 inch thickness, but it is still cool to carry around with and comes with a wide range of trendy colors.

Regarding the battery life, it isn’t very amazing and usually lasts after 10 or 11 hours of playtime. Fortunately, you can charge the Zune media player via USB if you are near a PC or have a laptop with you. Doing this will only take 3 hours. To extend the life of the battery by a little bit, you can adjust the brightness levels. The best thing about this is that even the low brightness settings offer a good display even in total darkness.

Song management is pretty good thanks to the click-wheel that allows quick access to the song you want. The “back” button seems a bit out of place, but the interface can easily be embraced after you get the hang of it. The Zune media player also organizes your music based on the tags making it pretty easy even if you load gigabytes worth of music.

The Zune media player comes with a few nifty personalization options both outside and inside the player. On the inside, you can set a custom wallpaper in a similar fashion to cell phones. This also doubles as the album art for songs that do not have one set. On the outside, there are plenty of Zune colors to choose from and special designs can be engraved on the back as well.

Unlike most mp3 players, the Zune has a WiFi option that allows wireless transfer from computers or between Zunes to share songs. The Zune software also comes out a bit buggy and some upgrades pose some problems among some users as well. Overall the Zune media player is a great device that can store a lot and easily play the songs you are looking for.

Product Summary

The Good

The Zune media player has excellent sound quality, good personalization options, WiFi support, and easy song management.

The Bad

The WiFi support in the Zune media player is quite slow and limited with no browsing capabilities. The battery life isn’t the best around and the software can be a pain to use especially to set things up.

Bottom Line

Those having huge mp3 collections should get this player since it has decent sound and you’ll find it rather simple searching for the right song you want. Just keep an eye on the battery life and have some patience with the supplied software.

Also, check out my other guide on 30 Zune or Creative Player.

MP3 Audio Players Review

2009-02-06T05:15:00.000-08:00

The Good

Let you take your entertainment with you; lots of MP3 audio players available to choose from; lots of great features available

The Bad

Prices can be high; proprietary files

The Bottom Line

Definitely purchase MP3 audio players if you love music and entertainment. Just look for the most features you can get in your price range and be aware that proprietary files with some players mean you want to make a choice then stick with it.

Review

The choices for MP3 audio players currently on the market are staggering. Dozens of models from different manufacturers are sitting on the shelves. There’s no question that purchasing MP3 audio players is a good idea for many music fans (or even entertainment-on-the-go fans). Choosing the right models is a different issue altogether.

The best MP3 audio players are usually going to have flash memory instead of traditional hard drives. Flash memory may not be capable of holding as many files but it will be more likely to withstand the rough and tumble world of your purse, pockets, or back pack more easily. Flash memory has no moving parts which can break if dropped.

Most people do not need the massive amounts of storage space found on the larger models of MP3 audio players. Unless you intend to download and store full length motion pictures, thousands of photos, or your entire CD collection on the player, you’re probably going to be fine purchasing one of the smaller models, perhaps an 8 GB model. Another down side with the larger players is the amount of time it takes to sync them. Filling up a 120 GB music player is going to take a little while.

Check for other features as well. For example, do you want an FM tuner? Some MP3 audio players have them; others do not. Do you want a built-in equalizer? Do you want a screen or the ability to play video? These are all questions you should be asking yourself before you really make a choice.

Our opinion is that you should opt for as many features as you can possibly get since once you have the player you may wish you could look at photographs or play games. For the most, the FM tuner is not going to be that useful unless you don’t have a lot of music of your own or you just love listening to the radio.

Another issue is the use of proprietary file formats with some of the MP3 audio players. This means that the player can only recognize a specific type of file, usually one designed by the manufacturer.

This is the case with Apple’s players. As long as you plan to stick with one company, this won’t be a problem. If you want to have a wide range of music and video buying options, you might want to choose one with more flexibility in this department.

Check out my other guide on flash mp3 players and car cd player

MP3 Audio Player Review

2009-02-06T05:12:00.000-08:00

The Good

Decent battery life; good size storage space; large screens for easy viewing; reasonable price point for both models

The Bad

Nano lacks FM tuner and wireless synching; Zune adds pre-loaded content and is not compatible with MAC

The Bottom Line

Choosing between the iPod Nano and the Zune is more going to be a matter of feature preference. If you must have an FM tuner, then the Zune is going to win. Otherwise, things look better for the iPod Nano MP3 audio player.

Review

If you’re going to be purchasing an MP3 audio player, two of the top choices you might want to consider are the Apple iPod Nano or a Microsoft Zune. Both of these players come from major players in the industry but which MP3 audio player is better?

The Nano MP3 audio player comes in either an 8 GB or a 16 GB model. Either model is going to come with a 2-inch LCD screen that includes a backlight so you can navigate your library or play games even when the room is dark. On a full charge, you’re going to be able to play music for about 24 hours without having to recharge the built-in batteries.

The Zune MP3 audio player comes in a number of different sizes, including sizes as small as a 4 GB model and as larger as 120 GB. The screen is smaller at 1.8 inches. The battery life is about the same as for the Nano.

One difference between the two models is that the Zune allows for wireless syncing with your computer. That means you could be in another part of your home or possibly even outdoors and you could update your song library. Another extra feature is the FM tuner which is not available on the Nano.

On the other hand, the Nano does come in more color options than does the Zune. The Zune is only available in black while the Nano comes in eight colors. The color options have been a hit with most consumers who love the idea of having a unique looking MP3 audio player.

The difference in price between the two choices is insignificant most of the time. You may save a few dollars by choosing one over the other but that’s about it. However, there is a difference in size. Although the weight of both MP3 audio player models is comparable, the Zune is slightly larger despite having a smaller screen. However, both models are fairly small and easy to carry around.

By choosing either of these MP3 audio player models, you’ll be getting a flash based memory system for the storage of your files. This is a good choice because Flash is sturdier than traditional hard drives. One of the common complaints about the Zune is the pre-loaded content which includes not just games (these are also pre-loaded on the Nano) but also music and videos. Also, only the iPod MP3 audio player models will work on both PC and MAC computers.

Check out my other guide on flash mp3 players and car cd player

Creative Player Review

2009-02-06T05:09:00.000-08:00

The Good

Include the same features you’d find in more well-known MP3 players; come from a company with a positive reputation in the industry; large screens for viewing videos; some models support wireless synching

The Bad

Price difference is not significant; no LCD display; some complaints about performance and customer support

The Bottom Line

If you want to purchase a Creative Player, either the X-Fi or the Mozaic are going to be your top choices. Both have had some complaints from users, but most buyers have been more than satisfied with the results. Consider the features you want and the hard drive space you need when making your final decision.

Review

Creative Labs has a strong reputation for developing accessories for computers, such as speakers and keyboards. Several years back, the company decided to jump into the MP3 player market but they haven’t really made the splash they were hoping for. And that’s unfortunate because many of the Creative player models on the market do deserve serious consideration.

Each Creative player has a wide-range of features comparable to what you’ll find with the more mainstream players on the market. Most of players include screens for watching videos, navigating your music library, and looking at photos. The Creative Zen X-Fi Wireless has the largest screen at 2.5 inches which is even larger than the screen on an iPod Nano. However, the Creative player’s screen is not LCD.

Another benefit is that the battery life on the Creative player seems to be longer than that for some of the competing models. Where the Zune and the Nano can get about 24 hours of music playing from one charge, the Creative player can get up to 32 hours.

Like the Zune, the players come with FM tuners. Like the Zune, they also don’t work with MAC systems. The newest model of the Creative Zen X-Fi also supports wireless synching just as the Zune does.

Color choices might be another factor. Although the Creative Zen X-Fi only comes in black, the Mozaic Creative player comes in pink, silver, and black. While that’s not as many choices as you can get with the Nano, the interesting keyboard design (for which the player is named) gives it a unique look.

Many of the Creative player models also have external speakers so you can share your music with other people if you wish. This is a feature also being made available on some of the newer iPhone models. The benefit is that you don’t have to isolate yourself in order to enjoy the music.

On the downside, the Creative player options do not cost that much less than the Zune and iPod models of comparable size. The 16 GB model is only about $20 cheaper.

Some users have also reported that the players have stopped working or froze up after only a short time of using them. Some users of the Mozaic have had problems with the software freezing up their computers or not working at all.

Check out my other guide on flash mp3 players and car cd player

Digital Audio MP3 Player Review

2009-02-06T05:04:00.000-08:00

The Good

Great for taking music, photos, and video on the go; lots of choices and options available; most of the big names are good quality

The Bad

Pricing is not much different between big name brands and smaller brands

The Bottom Line

Getting a digital audio MP3 player is a good idea for even casual music lovers. The key is determining which features matter the most to you and what size hard drive you’re interested in. From there, you should be able to make a smart consumer buying decision.

Review

If you’re ready to jump on the digital audio MP3 player bandwagon, but you’re not sure which of the models on the market will fit your music listening needs the best, let’s look at the options. All of the main digital audio MP3 player models have similar features.

The majority have screens ranging from 1.5 inches to 2.5 inches in size. LCD screens are typically going to give you a crisper, cleaner image than other types but unless you plan on watching video on your player that won’t be a big deal. One of the major considerations is going to be the size of the hard drive you want. While you can find digital audio MP3 player models with hard drives as large as 250 GB, most people prefer to pick something smaller. The most common sizes are in the 4 GB to 16 GB range. You can hold between 1,000 and 4,000 songs with that amount of space which is generally sufficient. Remember that photos and videos do take up more space. Now if you don’t want anything that large and you only want a digital audio MP3 player that can play music then you might want to look for even smaller players, such as the iPod Shuffle. Many of these units are very affordable, have decent amounts of storage space (around 1 GB or less usually), and are sometimes built to be more portable. They make the best choices for people wanting to use the players for exercise or at work. There are some other features that you might want to look for. The Zune and some Creative digital audio MP3 player models include wireless synching. This means that you do not have to connect your player to your computer with a cord in order to move music or other media onto the player. Another feature you might want to look for is an FM tuner which is standard on most digital audio MP3 player models with the exception of the Apple iPods. While most of the digital audio MP3 players on the market today are going to be fairly good choices, stick to names you recognize. You’ll have the best luck. You might also want to read some customer reviews of different players you’re considering to make sure you’re making the best choice possible.

Sansa MP3 Review

2009-02-06T05:01:00.000-08:00

The Good

Lots of size and color choices available; price is affordable; good number of features

The Bad

Battery life is poor, especially on The Clip; no LCD display on the Fuze; limited color choices for most sizes

The Bottom Line

Although the Sansa MP3 player line does include some good options, make sure to consider all of the players on the market before making your final choice. If you want an MP3 player for on the go, however, the Sansa MP3 player called The Clip is probably going to be your best choice.

Review

Sandisk, known best for making memory cards for cameras and similar devices, also has a line of MP3 players known as the Sansa MP3 models. Currently, the Sansa line includes three options: the Clip, the Fuze, and the View. Let’s look at all three of these models to see which might be the best choice for your music listening needs.

The Clip is probably the most unique of the Sansa MP3 players. It’s very small and weighs less than ounce. As the name suggests, the player was designed to be worn so that you can more easily take it with you while exercising or being on-the-go.

While it doesn’t support video viewing, the one inch screen is suitable for navigating through your music library. Besides being an MP3 player, this Sansa MP3 model comes with an FM tuner and a built-in microphone. The battery delivers an un-impressive 15 hours of playback on a full charge.

You can get The Clip in several sizes - 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB, and 8 GB - and colors. However, only the 2GB models are available in black, pink, red, and blue. The 1 GB and 8 GB models are only available in black; the 4GB is available in silver. Prices range from $35 to $100 depending on size.

Another one of the Sansa MP3 players is the Fuze. This model more closely resembles the original Apple iPods, including having a wheel for navigation. You’ll find some of the same features on the Fuze that were included on The Clip, such as an FM tuner and built-in microphone. Because the Fuze does support video viewing, it comes with a 1.9 inch screen with decent resolution.

Unfortunately, it’s not an LCD display which provides the highest quality picture performance. It also comes with an expansion slot for adding more memory. The battery life is comparable to the iPod Nano’s 24 hours for music listening but is not as good as the 32 hours for the Creative Mozaic.

This Sansa MP3 model is available in 2 GB, 4 GB, and 8 GB models. The 2 GB is available in pink, blue, red, and black. The 2 GB is available only in black; the 8 GB is available only in silver. The price is between $70 and $100.

The View is the high-end model in the line-up. It comes with the same features as the Fuze but has a larger screen (2.4 inches) and better battery life (up to 35 hours). Sizes range from 8GB to 32 GB but all three models come only in black. The price for these Sansa MP3 models range from $150 to $250.

MP3 Creative Review

2009-02-06T04:54:00.000-08:00

The Good

Both players have lots of features; good battery life; large screens; multiple sizes available

The Bad

Prices are on the high side; Mozaic lacks LCD display; Zen X-Fi comes only in black

The Bottom Line

If you don’t want an iPod or Zune, either the MP3 Creative Mozaic or the Zen X-Fi could make a good choice.

Review

If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to Microsoft or Apple’s audio players, checking out the MP3 Creative players might be a good strategy. Creative Labs does have a good reputation in the industry and produces dependable products overall. The two newest examples of MP3 Creative players are the Mozaic and the Zen X-Fi.

First, let’s take a look at the MP3 Creative Mozaic. This player comes in four sizes: 2 GB, 4 GB, 8GB, and 16GB models. Depending on which you choose, you can hold between 500 and 4,000 songs. The player also comes in multiple colors: black, silver, and pink.

Although the MP3 Creative player has a nice sized 1.8 inch screen that screen is not an LCD display so it’s not quite as good for viewing videos and photos as it could be. The battery life is about 32 hours for music and five hours for video.

This model comes with an FM tuner and built-in speaker (for sharing music with other people), but no expansion slot (for adding more memory). Prices for this model usually run between $60 and $150 depending on the size hard drive you choose.

The Zen X-Fi, like the Zune, does support wireless synching which means you can transfer music to and from your MP3 Creative device without being attached by wires. This is definitely becoming a popular feature as more people move towards wireless computing.

However, that’s not all the player has to offer. Like the Mozaic, the MP3 Creative Zen X-Fi comes in multiple sizes, including an 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB model. The 32 GB model can hold up to 8,000 songs or 120 hours of video. Unlike the Mozaic, the Zen X-Fi sports an LCD display and a larger one at 2.5 inches. That makes it larger than the screen for the iPod Nano.

Battery life for this model is also a bit better: 36 hours for music compared to 32 for the Mozaic. Although it does come with an FM tuner and built-in speaker, this MP3 Creative product also has an expansion slot so you can increase the hard drive even further. Unfortunately, this model only comes in black. Prices for the Zen X-Fi range between $130 and $280 depending on the size and where you make your purchase.

Overall, the Zen X-Fi and the Mozaic are excellent additions to the other MP3 Creative products that have been released over the years. They have a good selection of features that should be popular with any music lover, plus they come in a range of sizes to meet the needs of casual listeners and audiophiles alike. The Zen X-Fi may be a bit better overall but the Mozaic is more stylish.

Sansa Player Review

2009-02-06T04:51:00.000-08:00

The Good

Lets you play music in a new way; gives you the option of using memory cards

The Bad

No video support; limited number of albums available; poor battery life

The Bottom Line

If you’re interested in buying a Sansa player, you’re better off choosing one of their more traditional MP3 players, such as The View or the Fuze. The price might be a little higher but you’ll be getting something that will be useful for a lot longer.

Review

Most people are excited by new technology and want to rush out to buy the latest gadget. That’s not always the best idea. From the laser disc player to the Sony MiniDisk, some technologies have gone the way of the dodo. Now a new Sansa player has entered the market and only time (and a thorough review) will determine whether it will become the VCR or the Betamax player of the digital music age.

This new Sansa player is known as the slotMusic player. At only $20, the player seems like a great deal. However, it doesn’t come with a hard drive. Instead, you insert your own music into the player the same way you would use a CD or cassette player.

Where does the music come from? Well, the Sansa player gives you two options. First, you can choose to purchase a microSD card and transfer MP3 or WMA files from your computer onto the card. Then insert the card into the Sansa player, and you can listen to music. Of course, purchasing these cards will increase your price. A 4 GB card costs around $10 while a 16 GB card will run you more than $50.

A unique feature of the Sansa player is that you can also get your music a different way: purchasing full albums on slotMusic cards. The cards can be played in the Sansa player or in most other devices that accept microSD cards.

You can also transfer the music from the cards onto your computer. Each album costs about $15 and can be purchased at only a handful of vendors currently. That might be because only about three dozen albums are available, including Abba’s Gold, Kate Perry’s One of the Boys, and the Mama Mia soundtrack.

On the bright side, this method does allow you to listen to portable music even if you don’t have a computer. Of course, so do CD’s if you have an appropriate CD player.

Other issues include the battery life. The Sansa player uses actually replaceable batteries instead of built-in rechargeable ones. And since you’re only expected to get 15 hours of music listening out of the batteries, real music lovers could end up spending a fortune on batteries alone. Plus, there’s no video support and no screen.

You may want to check out my other guide on Creative Player and Mp3 Audio Player.

4GB Card Review

2009-02-06T04:46:00.000-08:00

The Good

Large capacity storage for a variety of types of files; works with a wide range of devices, non-proprietary (does not just work with specific products)

The Bad

Small cards can be lost easy (buy largest possible and keep in device to minimize risk of loss)

The Bottom Line

Overall, if you have a device that supports removable memory, you’re going to want at least a 4 GB card. Larger models are available but the prices can increase exponentially.

Review

With more and more electronics allowing you to use removable memory, the need for purchasing a 4 GB card might seem pretty pressing. However, there are important questions to answer: Is a 4 GB card large enough for your needs? What brand 4 GB card is going to be the best choice? We’ll look at both of these questions below.

First, you need to make sure that whatever device you have can use a 4 GB card. There are a number of types of removable memory on the market, including some proprietary types like the Sony Memory Stick. Not all removable media is going to be compatible with every device so know what you can use before you buy.

You also need to be very careful when searching for the right 4 GB card. You’ll find some that are SD, some that are SDHC, etc. There is a difference between these two types of cards. While some devices do support both, not all of them do.

Now let’s talk about the amount of storage available on a 4 GB card. The most common use for these cards is in digital cameras. Most of these cameras have little or no internal hard drive so you need to use removable memory cards to store all of the photos you are taking.

How much can you store on a 4 GB card? The hard answer is that it depends on the photo quality. If you’re taking pictures at the 8 megapixel level, you’ll be able to store just over 1,000 shots on a single card.

If you lower the picture quality to about 2 megapixels then you could practically quadruple the number of photos that can be stored. Whether that is sufficient space depends on your photography needs.

You’ll also need to decide which brand of 4GB card to purchase. The best known is probably SanDisk. They make the largest number of these cards and have a strong reputation in the industry. You’ll also find other names, such as Transcend and Kingston, in the market, too.

Although most of the 4 GB card models on the market are going to get the job done, you might feel more confident trusting your photos or other stored data to a name that is well-known in the industry. For that reason, SanDisk or Kingston would probably be the best choices.

Regardless of which brand you purchase, the prices are fairly reasonable, too. Most of the 4 GB card models are going to run you less than $10 to $15.

You may want to check out my other guide on Creative Player and Mp3 Audio Player.

MP3 Player Video Review

2009-02-06T04:44:00.000-08:00

The Good

Look for large LCD displays; many useful features; decent hard drive space

The Bad

Problems transferring files with the Coby; high price of the Sony Walkman; no customer support for the Pro Ebiz

The Bottom Line

If you want to avoid the big names in the MP3 player video industry, that’s fine. Just remember to pick names of companies you recognize or you might end up wasting your money.

Review

When you think about MP3 player video models, your mind probably automatically goes to the big names, such as Apple’s iPod or Microsoft’s Zune. However, there are other possibilities on the market. And not all of them come from obscure companies either.

The Sony Walkman MP3 player video is one example. Launched back in 2007, the produce hasn’t made a huge name for itself in the industry but does have some features that might be of interest to consumers , especially those who don’t want to be in the middle of the Apple/Microsoft battle.

The 1.8 inch LCD screen is comparable to that of the other MP3 player video models on the market and the 4 GB hard drive is capable of holding a large amount of viewable footage and photos. Plus, the fast refresh rate means the videos are going to run better than on comparable MP3 player video devices.

The device comes with an FM tuner and has an impressive 33 hours of battery life (music playing only). Priced at around $120, the Sony Walkman player is a bit more expensive than the under $100 Microsoft Zune.

If you want to purchase an affordable MP3 player video device, then you might consider the Coby model. The device seems to have all of the bases covered: 2 inch LCD screen, built-in FM tuner, 4 GB hard drive, and iPod-like navigation.

Even better is the price for all of this is under $50 which is more than half the price of the Sony Walkman model. Of course, the product does have some potential snags. Customers have complained about difficulty in moving files from their computer onto the device.

Keep in mind that the device is only compatible with the Windows Media Center, too. Other consumers have complained about the device locking up during use and losing the battery charge after only a short time. The Coby MP3 player video model might be a good choice for a younger user or for a casual user.

Both of the above models are from companies with names recognized in the industry. What about a device that’s only claim to fame is looking like an Apple iPhone? That’s the issue with the Pro Ebiz 4 GB MP3 player video device. Like the Coby, you’re going to find most of the same features you’d find on similar products, including built-in voice recorder and support for a wide range of media formats.

The 2.8 inch screen is large and the $44 price tag seems like a great deal. However, many consumers reported broken devices and a lack of customer support for the product. In other words, you sometimes do get exactly what you pay for.

You may want to check out my other guide on Sansa Mp3 and Streaming Video Hosting.

Player Zune Review

2009-02-06T04:39:00.000-08:00

FM tuner included, wireless synching is convenient; large selection of size options

The Bad

Annoying pre-loaded content; not enough color choices; no Mac compatibility; slightly more expensive than the iPod players

The Bottom Line

The player Zune does have a lot of great features. Really, there’s not much difference between this model and most of the others on the market. Whether or not you choose a Zune or an iPod is really more a matter of preference and a few limited features.

Review

To compete with the dominating and seemingly unstoppable force that is the Apple iPod, Microsoft released the Player Zune. These devices were widely touted as the iPod-killer meaning it would inevitably lead to Apple’s downfall in the market. While that hasn’t happened, that doesn’t mean the player Zune doesn’t have some features you might want to consider.

The player Zune comes in a large number of sizes. You can find 4 GB models and huge 120 GB models, plus a lot of choices in between. Unfortunately, most of the models only come in black. There is a blue version of the 8 GB model and a special Gears of War 2 (a popular video game for the Xbox 360 console) version of the 120 GB model, however.

Like most of the MP3 players on the market, the player Zune offers pretty much the same features. It does offer an FM tuner which is something you won’t find on the Apple iPods so this could give the Microsoft model a bit of an advantage.

An even more impressive feature is the wireless synching ability. With this, your player Zune can transfer music between itself and your computer without having to be connected by wires. That can make the process much easier.

Depending on the size of the player Zune you select, you can get a fairly good size screen. The 4 GB version has a 1.8 inch LCD screen which is comparable to that you’ll find on the iPod Nano. With the 120 GB player Zune, you’re getting a 3.2 inch LCD screen. That’s larger than the 2.5 inch LCD screen on the 120 GB iPod Classic.

On the downside, the player Zune is not compatible with Mac and does not support music or video files that you purchase through iTunes which is the most popular store for entertainment-related downloads. Another drawback is that the player Zune comes equipped with pre-loaded content.

While many of the players come already equipped with games, such as solitaire, the Microsoft device goes further and includes actual songs and videos, too. Most music fans are not going to want this pre-loaded content and will find getting rid of it a bigger hassle in the long run.

In terms of price, the player Zune is a little more expensive. The 120GB version is about $10 higher than the same size iPod Classic. The price different between the 8GB Zune and the 8GB iPod Nano can be as much as $50 through some vendors.

You may want to check out my other guide on Creative Player and Mp3 Audio Player.

2009-02-06T04:31:00.000-08:00

Personal media has become all the rage over the past few years. One trip to the electronics department of your local retailer is proof positive of that. While IPod has stolen the stage in a big way, other companies are coming on strong. In fact, one player that is competing is the 30 Zune.

The 30 Zune has made significant strides toward making a dent in the IPod market. Features include:

30 GB hard drive
Wireless networking
3 inch color screen
Automatically imports music from your ITunes and windows media player
Holds 7,500 songs, 25,000 images or 100 hours of video

Review

The 30 Zune has many features that outpace the IPod. First on the list is the size of the screen and screen resolution. Many who have used both products comment that the Zune’s three-inch screen is a vast improvement and is much clearer when viewing video.

The 30 Zune also added FM Radio to the features list. This is a great addition for people who like to keep up with current events and the weather. Besides even with the vast amount of storage it is nice to listen to something different once in awhile.

One other major difference between the 30 Zune and other major name brands is the wireless capability. Similar to Bluetooth this feature allows you to share songs, pics and videos with friends.

You can even share music that you have purchased from the Zune marketplace. The song will be available for up to three days at which time you can purchase it, this is a nice way to preview albums and tracks before buying them.

When it comes to making music purchases the market place has tried to keep it simple and affordable. For around $15 per month, you can have an all access pass to download all the music you want.

As with any type of technological device there are always pros and cons and the 30 Zune is no exception.

Pros

Full sound
Easy Navigation
Large Display
Photo Slide Show
Good battery with music playback

Cons

Head phones that come with device are substandard
Video shortens battery life significantly
Bulky

Conclusion

If you are in the market for a new personal media player with a great screen and some cool features the 30 GB, Zune may be the right one for you. They still have a little ground to make up in the accessory sector but all in all this is a great alternative to the IPod.

Also, check out my other guide on portable players and mp3 audio player.

Checking Out The Sansa Mp3 Player

2009-02-06T04:27:00.000-08:00

Full Review

Mp3 players come out in all sorts of forms trying to keep on and the Sansa mp3 player emphasizes on the screen size as one of its visual selling points. The screen is pretty big at 1.9 inches and is bright enough for using anywhere. The simple interface makes it even better for music lovers to enjoy their favorite tracks or try out the many other functions easily.

The Sansa mp3 player doesn’t play mp3s alone, but it also has some interesting features like an FM tuner, Rhapsody DNA integration, good support for both photo and video formats, and enhanced audio support including playback support for both FLAC and OGG formats.

The built-in microphone also gives the Sansa mp3 player some voice recorder capabilities. The Sansa mp3 player also has memory expansion capabilities allowing micro SDHC cards to be used for storing even more music and files.

One of the interesting features that people that are always on the go will like are the battery life indicators for both music and videos. The battery life grants around 24 hours of audio playback and 5 hours for video playback.

However this battery is non-replaceable and there aren’t many accessories available for the Sansa mp3 player. Fortunately, the inexpensive cost of the media device makes up for it as well as the small and slim design. The Sansa mp3 player is highly recommended for anyone looking for a small-sized player that can cover plenty of multimedia formats.

It may have just 4 GB of space which may not be enough for videos, but the micro SDHC slot adds better flexibility to storage concerns. Aside from the minor quirks when scrolling through songs with album arts, the Sansa player is a great deal.

Product Summary

The Good

The Sansa mp3 Player sports a good large screen user interface and supports additional audio formats like FLAC and OGG as well as photos and videos The battery life for both music and video is a fine addition as well.

The Bad

Some instances of hanging occur in the Sansa mp3 Player while scrolling through a bunch of songs that have album arts. It doesn’t offer many accessories to it either and the battery is non-replaceable.

Bottom Line

Anyone looking for a simple and durable mp3 player should give the Sansa mp3 player a good look. It doesn’t have many accessories, but it does have micro SDHC support allowing you to expand your music archive beyond limits.

You may want to check out my other guide on Creative Player and Mp3 Audio Player.

Looking At The Creative Mp3 Player

2009-02-06T04:24:00.000-08:00

Full Review

Creative is a legendary company that defines true sound quality ever since their famous speakers made their debut.

Their Creative mp3 player shares this legacy by sporting top of the line audio quality which is the Creative mp3 player’s greatest strength that easily outperforms top selling audio players.

There is an interesting X-fi feature that could enhance the audio quality even further and is customizable in case the sound output needs adjustments.

The Creative mp3 player comes with an exceptional 2.5 inch display that is capable of showing videos. The videos may appear a bit small, but once the earphones are put on, the videos sound livelier than ever.

Note that best audio quality of the Creative mp3 player can be experienced only when the earphones are put on. Without the earphones, the sound can come out from the built-in speakers, but don’t sound that great. The battery life isn’t very impressive too and unfortunately won’t last for a full day. In fact only 15-10 hours of constant full quality audio can be squeezed out of the device before it needs recharging.

There are some good extras in the Creative mp3 player with the organizer taking the spotlight. It is fully featured and complete with tasks, calendars, and events just like what you find in smartphones. Outlook support is included as well so this data can be synchronized with ease.

The software it comes with isn’t really good, but the video convert does an excellent job reducing the file size of videos by over 50%. On the downside, folders won’t be recognized if created so you’ll need to set each song’s properties for better organization. SD integration isn’t included either, but the Creative mp3 player stands out as a true sound performer.

Product Summary

The Good

The audio and video quality of the Creative mp3 player is excellent. The video converter it comes with can compress files really well yet still maintain the quality. The added organizer for tasks with Outlook support is a great plus.

The Bad

Poor battery life degrades this Creative mp3 player. There is no SD card integration and the speakers could use some improvement. Videos take a long time to convert.

Bottom Line

This is a great creative mp3 player for anyone who wants to listen to their songs or watch videos at their best quality. The battery life isn’t that impressive, but the other features make it a pretty good buy.

Picking The Right MP3 20Gb Player

2009-02-06T04:02:00.000-08:00

While some of the most common portable mp3 players on the market contain hard drives that hold only 4 GB of music or less, you can find some that are much larger and hold a great deal more information. If, for example, you are interested in a MP3 20gb player the options below might give you a good jumping off point for your search.

Creative Zen Touch MP3 20gb Player The Creative Zen player has plenty of features that make it desirable for consumers with large music libraries and an interest in bringing along that library wherever they go.

One of the unique features is that the player can actually hold either MP3 or WMA songs.

Most WMA songs are stored in 64 kpbs so you can hold about 10,000 music files, although the replay quality is not going to be as strong.

With the 128 kbps settings, you’ll be able to hold around 5,000 MP3s. That’s what a MP3 20gb music player is capable of doing.

Besides the hard drive capabilities, the Creative Zen MP3 20gb player also includes a number of other features.

The player has a handy search function that lets you scour the entire list of your library to find that one song or artist you want.

Plus, the player includes a USB 2.0 port that allows for faster synching between your computer and the player.

Keep in mind that the Creative Zen Touch 20gb MP3 player is not compatible with MACs or with any operating system more recent than Microsoft XP.

Sony NW-HD1 20gbMP3 Player Leave it to Sony to produce an attractive and large MP3 20gb player. That’s what they’ve done with this sleek, attractive, and silver model.

You can listen to three different types of music files with this player, including WAV, WMA, and MP3 files. The unit also comes with a small but crisp 1.5 inch screen.

You can find some smaller models with larger screens. Another difference is that this model does not support video playback. The screen is mostly used for navigation.

However, the device does sport some impressive memory life. You can listen to your MP3 20gb player for about 30 hours without having to recharge its battery. Another one of the selling points for this player is that it only weighs four ounces.

Other Considerations One of the problems with some MP3 20gb player choices is they are more difficult to find than you might imagine. Most of the more popular and newer digital mp3 players on the market either have smaller or larger hard drives.

However, if you definitely want a MP3 20gb player then you can find some great choices around. Be sure you don’t pay too much for the unit you choose though.

Remember a Classic iPod and Microsoft Zune have a 120gb hard drive and only cost around $250. You may want to check out my other guide on mp3 video players or 30gb mp3 player.

Samsung 52 HDTV

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Samsung and Sony have been slugging it out for the hearts and wallets of the consumer for years. In 2007 Samsung moved forward as the leading and most popular consumer electronics brand in the world.

This fact alone gives many consumers the comfort of knowing they are working with one of the top three electronics brands along with Hewlett Packard in America and Siemens of Germany.

The Samsung 52 HDTV is a result of their years of commitment to customer satisfaction. This unit features:

Internal Flash memory of 1GB
Integrated Woofer for premium sound
DNLA for electronic compatibility
50,000:1 Dynamic contrast ratio
Info link- get free RSS feeds of news, weather and sports
V chip
Gaming mode and much more!

As high definition televisions go, the Samsung 52 HDTV is definitely the top of the line.

Review

The picture quality of this model is stunning; this is in part due to the replacement of the typical plastic face of a traditional LCD TV with a natural black panel with anti glare shield. This reduces the reflection of external light and leads to the deepest blacks. Washed or gray looking blacks are a common problem among LCD televisions.

The 50,000:1 ratio dynamic contrast will give you whiter whites and the darkest blacks. When it comes to picture quality the two biggest determining factors are contrast and brightness levels, and the Samsung 52 HDTV delivers on both counts.

One fantastic aspect of the Samsung 52 HDTV is the Digital living network alliance. DLNA is a collaborative effort of the world’s leading electronics companies. Together they created guidelines that will allow many new consumer electronics to work together. This means the photo slide show stored away on your pc can be displayed on your Samsung 52 HDTV when the in-laws come over.

The only complaint about this TV was a reflection from the beveled glass edges on the case. This was a minor situation and is only a problem is select situations however, it does bear mentioning.

Reviewers have been very positive on all aspects of the Samsung 52 HDTV, picture, sound and connectivity all rate five stars. Price too has come down on this type of TV until you can get a nice one from Amazon for just under $2,000.

Consumers and professionals alike agree that this model is a very well put together unit for the price and type of television it is. You will find similar models somewhat cheaper but many of them will have contrast ratios of 10,000:1 or less leading to picture quality loss.

Also, check out my other guide on 40 1080p and 50 plasma.

Contact Me

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If you have any questions regarding the content in this Blog, about the products that are mentioned, or just any questions at all don’t hesitate to contact me at the following address:

Aichiken,Chitagun,Taketoyocho,Higashiodaka aza,Kitahamada 58-1,Nagoya,Japan 470-2521

Phone: (+81) 80-3639-2617

I’d also love to hear any feedback on the site if you’ve found it helpful or have some ideas about how I can improve the site in some way.

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I will reply to all messages as soon as possible.

Anto