Types of MP3 Players

Before you can buy portable MP3 players you need to know the difference between each type of them because different types of MP3 players work best for different types of people. MP3 players are categorized by how they store data. Manufacturers use one of three mediums to store data : hard-drive, flash-memory, and CD MP3 Players.

Hard Drive MP3 Players

These media players store the music and files on an internal hard drive, much like the ones used in computers or laptops, which means MP3 players of this type can have large capacities. Hard-drive-based MP3 players continue to have the highest capacity of all storage types. These players are the perfect choice for anyone who wants to listen to a large selection of music over a long period of time. A hard drive-based player with 8GB of storage holds about 2,000 songs, a player with 40GB of storage holds about 10,000 songs, and a player with a 120GB hard drive can hold a whopping 30,000 songs!

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The downside of hard drive MP3 players is that hard drives have movable parts that can be damaged by high-impact movement, not the best choice for people who want a portable MP3 player for working out. Hard drives also take up a little more space, so the MP3 players won't be quite as slim and light as others. Popular hard-drive MP3 players include the Apple iPod and Microsoft Zune.

Flash Memory-Based MP3 Players

The flash memory MP3 players are small and more compact than the hard-drive players. Flash-based MP3 players feature flash memory, which has no internal moving parts that can be damaged with a lot of movement. Many include a radio tuner and voice recorder and some even support Secure Digital cards, CompactFlash, SmartMedia cards, or MultiMediaCards, relatively cheap memory cards also used by digital cameras and some PDAs. Flash-based MP3 players are smaller and much more durable than those that incorporate other technologies. A good reason for choosing this type of memory is because flash memory MP3 players are typically the smallest and lightest MP3 players. These players are well worth the price for active users who do a lot of exercising, such as jogging or running, or for those who want a tiny MP3 player that can be carried easily in any pocket. Popular flash-based MP3 players include the Apple iPod touch and Creative Zen.

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CD MP3 Players

CD MP3 players look and operate just like traditional portable CD players. MP3/CD players usually cost less overall and they play back audio CDs as well as MP3s burned to CD. Some even include an FM radio tuner so you can listen to your favorite local stations. You must buy blank CDs and record your own MP3-encoded music onto MP3/CD players. If you want to save a little money and like to burn CDs, consider CD MP3 players.