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Introduction
The digital revolution has caught up with the venerable Walkthing. An MP3 player is the perfect tool for people on the go who have moved their music collections onto their computers. Because they're digital-- some with absolutely no moving parts--MP3 players don't skip or warble if you're running, skiing or biking.
Step One
Shop for price. MP3 players range from $60 for a bare-bones RCA Lyra to $500 for the top-of-the-line Apple iPod. Other popular brands are Creative Labs, SonicBlue, Archos, Samsung, Sony and Panasonic.
Step Two
Get a player with as much storage as you can afford. The more storage, the more music it can hold. One minute of MP3 music takes up about 1 megabyte (MB) of memory, so a 128 MB MP3 player can hold about two hours of tunes. Unlike computers, memory and storage are sometimes used synonymously in MP3 players, since the storage in smaller devices (under 128 MB) is usually made of Flash memory chips.
Step Three
Make sure any potential purchase works with your computer. Many MP3 players don't work with Macintosh computers, though that's improving.
Step Four
Try the controls. Less-expensive players often have control panels that can charitably be described as "minimalist." Make sure they make sense to you.
Step Five
Pick up the unit to gauge its size and weight. Would it be comfortable in your pocket or on your belt? How about when you're moving around?
Step Six
Check out the player's advertised battery life. Manufacturers' claims aren't exact, but they can be used for comparison.
Step Seven
Choose a unit with USB or FireWire, rather than a parallel connection to your computer. USB and FireWire are fast and flexible.
Step Eight
Look for a player with an FM radio receiver. Some models can record music from the radio, and will identify the artist and title the next time you connect the player to your computer. Some also double as digital voice recorders.
Step Nine
Look for expandable storage, especially on units without much built-in memory. CompactFlash, MemoryStick and SecureDigital media are common choices. Newer models with more storage have internal hard disks that can store computer data.
Step Ten
Have a listen. MP3 players use standard stereo headphones. If you don't like the headphones that come with a player, there are a variety of styles you can purchase.
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