Digital MP3 Player – A Beginners Guide

Digital MP3 Player

By Anne Ahira

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 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 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 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 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 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.

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 start small as indicated above. The simple digital mp3 player will plug into your computer via a USB port and most will allow you to drag and drop files from your 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 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 Digital MP3 Player Selections:

Coby 4 GB Flash MP3 Player with FM and Color Displ...	Customer Review: The product loooks great and the quality of the music is good for this price, as per my thoughts. Only reason for a 4-star is that the buttons are slightly harder to press and also shakes a little. I got two of them and both are same in this aspect. ... Read More	$39.99 (51)
SanDisk Sansa c250 - Digital player / radio - flas...	Customer Review: i bought two of these for my teenage nieces for christmas, so after all the wrapping and packaging was thrown away, they realized that the batteries were dead. not just one of them but both of them. i ended up having to purchase a new battery which... Read More	(14)
FINIS SwiMP3.1G Waterproof MP3 Player...	Customer Review: Others have also pointed out the flaws: fragile-looking cord between the earphones, when they say "compatible with iTunes" they mean "this product is not compatible with iTunes most of the time".That being said, if you download music from Amazon inst... Read More	(31)
LEGO 2GB MP3 Player...	Customer Review: This mp3 player is cool-looking, has a good sound, and is more fun than your average mp3 player (how many mp3 players can you actually build on?!). So why 3 stars instead of 4 or 5? Because it is not suitable for children under about 9 or 10. I have ... Read More	(7)
Coby CA-747 Dual Position CD/MD/MP3 Cassette Adapt...	Customer Review: I was very encouraged when I read so many glowing reports, especially regarding older vehicles. However, this product DOES NOT work well in my vehicle, a 1999 Jeep Cherokee with the factory-installed stereo system still intact. I'm not sure why, bu... Read More	(255)