Need A Nerd - Ask us anything techie

Making the most of MP3s

An MP3 player is a handy piece of techie kit. They allow you to store music and other files on small device containing 'flash' memory, similar to a USB stick or pen drive.

Once you have music files on the MP3 player you can listen to them at your leisure, while exercising, in the car, using public transport or wherever you wish.

What are the benefits?

A MP3 player is much easier to transport than CD's or tapes as they are much smaller. CD's and tapes also get scratched or damaged over time resulting in poor quality music, while an MP3 file plays the same every time you listen.

Most MP3 players can store the equivalent of 30 or more CD's worth of music and some can hold thousands of MP3 or similar audio files. Plus you can use them as storage for documents or other files just like a USB stick.

What should I look for?

A good MP3 player will include the following features; 2GB or more of storage (the more the better), high quality headphones, ability to play MP3 & WMA files (Windows Media Audio), a lock to turn off the controls when they might be knocked or bumped which would stop playback and a rechargeable battery.

iPod's are probably the most well known portable music players. They are robust, very easy to use and generally have the most storage capacity.

A basic MP3 player will cost around $30 with higher capacity models starting at around $50. An entry level iPod will start at around $100. As with most electronic equipment you will get what you pay for so you should purchase the best model you can afford.

Accessories

MP3 player & iPod accessories can seriously increase the usefulness of your audio player.

A car charger kit will allow you to keep your player going on the move.
A cassette tape kit will let you use your player with an older car stereo.
Some modern car stereos include the ability to plug an MP3 player or USB stick straight into the stereo as well and play music directly through your car speakers.
A radio kit will let you broadcast your music over a small (10m or so) area on AM or FM radio which you can tune in on your car or home stereo.

You can also purchase a set of battery powered speakers to play music from your player to a crowd, perfect when camping or partying away from mains power where a stereo cannot go.

Finally, you should consider purchasing a comfortable set of high quality headphones or earpieces for the best possible listening experience. Many players come with average quality 'tinny' headphones which can be uncomfortable in your ears for long periods of time.