Not that all innovative
content comes from Apple. Other legal online content sources include
BuyMusic, MusicMatch, Napster, Real, Sony, URGE, Wal-Mart, and Yahoo.
Unlike iTunes, some of these sites also offer subscription-based
services that let you fill your PC or player with rented music for a
flat $15 per month (the music stops playing if you don't periodically
dock your player an Internet-connected PC to confirm your account is
in good standing). Downloaded songs from contemporary artists
typically cost less than $1 per song, or $10 for an entire album;
music videos, hit TV-show episodes, and short films cost $2 each.
Players that support the copy-protected WMA formats, like those from
Archos, Creative, RCA, and Samsung, allow access to the greatest
number of online stores, and, because of the competition, cheaper
music. Another WMA-store benefit: BuyMusic, MusicMatch, Real, and
other sites offer songs at a higher bit rate than the standard 128
kbs, which has the potential to sound better when heard through
high-fidelity headphones or sound systems.
Free online
music-sharing, still the most popular way for acquiring MP3 music,
has been driven underground by a flurry of record-industry lawsuits
and a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. (The justices unanimously ruled
that the popular music-sharing site Grokster, as well as similar
operations, could be held liable if their networks were used to
illegally distribute copyrighted music.) Napster, a pioneer of free
peer-to-peer music-sharing, now allows you to stream music free from
its (now legal) site, for up to five listens per song.
Before
you buy any digital player, be sure your computer can handle it. New
computers shouldn't be a problem, but make sure any player you're
considering is compatible with your older Windows or Macintosh
computer (including its operating system). Keep in mind that some
operating-system upgrades can exceed the price of a player. And your
computer must have a USB port.
Consider high-speed Internet
access if you plan to download much of your music. Also keep in mind
that getting started can be tricky with some players. Even if
compatible with the player, an older computer might not recognize it
easily, so you might have to seek help from the player
manufacturer.
WHAT'S
AVAILABLE
Major
brands of MP3 players include Apple, Archos, Cowon, Creative Labs,
iRiver, Philips, RCA, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony, and Toshiba. Brands
from smaller companies are on the market as well. And MP3 playback
has been incorporated into other handheld portable products,
including CD players, cell phones, and personal digital assistants
(PDAs).
Flash-memory players. These are the smallest
and lightest players, often no bigger than a pack of gum, and they
typically weigh no more than 2 or 3 ounces. They're solid-state,
meaning they have no moving parts and tend to have longer audio
playback time than players that use hard-disk storage. Storage
capacities range from 512 megabytes (MB) to 8 gigabytes (GB), or
about 120 to 2,000 songs. (All capacities listed here are based on a
standard CD-quality setting of 128 kilobytes per second, which
requires about 1 GB per 250 songs. You can fit more music into memory
if you compress songs into smaller files, but that may result in
lower audio quality.) Some flash-memory players also have expansion
slots to add more memory via card slots on the player.
Common
expansion-memory formats include Compact Flash, MultiMedia, Secure
Digital, and SmartMedia. Sony players may use a MagicGate
MemoryStick, a copyright-protected version of Sony's existing
MemoryStick media. Memory-card capacities range from about 32MB to
2GB. Memory costs have gradually dropped. Price: $40 to $280 for the
player; $45 to $50 for a 1-GB memory card.
Hard-disk
players. There are two types: microdrive and standard hard-disk.
The palm-sized microdrive players have a tiny hard drive with a
storage capacity of 4 to 8 GB (about 1000 to 2,000 songs) and weigh
about a quarter-pound. But their future seems doubtful as smaller and
lighter flash-memory players meet and surpass their storage
capacities.
Standard hard-disk players are about the size of a
deck of cards, but many are getting much smaller. They have a storage
capacity of 20 to 160 GB (about 5,000 to 40,000 songs). They
typically weigh less than half a pound. Some hard-disk players with
video capability have relatively larger displays, and as a result
tend to be the bulkiest models. Price: $140 and up.
CD
players with "MP3" compatibility. Flash-memory and
hard-disk portable players aren't the only way to enjoy digital
music. Many of today's portable CD players can play digital music
saved on discs but don't support the copyright-protected formats from
online music stores. Controls and displays are comparable to portable
MP3 players, and you can group songs on each disc according to
artist, genre, and other categories. A CD, with its 650- to 800-MB
storage capacity, about 150 to 200 songs, can hold more than 10 hours
of MP3-formatted music at the standard CD-quality setting. You can
create MP3 CDs using the proper software and your PC's CD burner.
Price: $25 and up for the players; 15 to 75 cents or so for blank
CDs.
Cell phones. An increasing number of phones have
built-in MP3 players, some with controls and features that rival
stand-alone players. Sprint, Verizon, and other cell-phone providers
let subscribers download music over their networks. But music phones
are pricey, and most can't store more than 150 songs. Price: 99 cents
to $2.50 per song; $150 and up for a phone with a two-year contract,
or $500 without one.
Satellite radio. Some pocket-sized
XM and Sirius receivers have built-in memory for recording up to 50
hours of satellite programming, and might also let you add your own
MP3 songs to the mix. Not all models let you listen to live
programming on the go; some must be docked at home. Price: $200 to
$400 for the receiver; about $13 a month for satellite service.
IMPORTANT
FEATURES
Software
and hardware. Most MP3 players
come with software to convert your CDs into the audio playback format
the player can handle. You can also organize your music collection
according to artist, album, genre, and a variety of other categories,
as well as create playlists to suit any mood or occasion. All come
with software to help you shuttle content between your PC and the
player via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection. All players work
with a Windows PC, and some support the Macintosh platform.
Player
upgradability. On most models,
the firmware--the built-in operating instructions--can be upgraded so
the player does not become obsolete. Upgrades can add or enhance
features, fix bugs, and add support for other audio and video formats
and operating systems. This is important for models with video
playback because of the evolving nature of video formats.
Display.
Most MP3 players have a display screen that allows you to view the
song title, track number, amount of memory remaining, battery-life
indicator, and other functions. Screens can be monochrome or color.
Models with color displays also let you store and view pictures taken
with your digital camera, and in some cases, video clips.
Some
displays present a list of tracks from which you can easily make a
selection, while others show only one track at a time, requiring you
to advance through individual tracks to find the desired one. On some
of the models you can access the player's function controls by a
wired or infrared remote control. Most players have built-in
management of songs that can be accessed via album, artist, or genre.
Individual playlists of songs are usually created on a computer and
transferred to the player, though many let you manage the music on
the player, allowing you to edit playlists and delete files.
Photo
playback. Virtually all players
with color screens can display JPEGs, the default photo format of
most digital cameras. Some can handle TIFFs, BMPs, and lesser-known
formats as well. Many let you view your photos in slideshow fashion,
complete with fade-outs, scrolls, and other transitions, as well as
with music.
Video playback.
A growing number of players with color displays can also store and
play back video. The video is in a format that compresses about three
hours of video into 1GB of memory space. Popular content sources
include CinemaNow and iTunes, which let you download music videos, TV
shows, and short films for $2 apiece. But iTunes works only with
iPods, and CinemaNow supports only players that can handle
copy-protected Windows formats. Virtually all video players come with
software that converts non-protected movies into a format the player
can handle. Some can even record directly from a TV, cable box, or
digital video recorder (DVR), either on the fly or on a schedule.
As
for the viewing experience itself, MP3-player screens are relatively
tiny--even when compared with portable DVD players--and are hard to
see in outdoor light. Players with the largest screens, up to 3
inches wide, are easier to watch for longer periods and some come
with built-in speakers. But they can weigh as much a pound and are
often too bulky to stuff into a shirt pocket.
Sound
enhancement. Expect some type
of equalizer, which allows you to adjust the tone in various ways. A
custom setting through separate bass and treble controls or
adjustable equalizers gives you the most control over the tone. Some
players have presets, such as "rock" or "jazz,"
as well as channel balance control.
Playback
controls. Volume, track
play/pause, and forward/reverse controls are standard. Most portable
MP3 players let you set a play mode so you can repeat one or all
music tracks, or play tracks in a random order, also referred to as
"shuffle" mode. An A-B repeat feature allows you to set
bookmarks and repeat a section of the music track.
Useful
extras. In addition to playing
music, most MP3 players can function as external hard drives,
allowing you to shuttle files from one PC to another. Some players
can act as a USB host, which lets you transfer images, data, or music
directly from a memory-card reader, digital camera, or another MP3
player without using a computer. A few of these, however, won't let
you play or view the files you transfer. Some allow you to view text
files, photos, and videos on their display screens. Other convenient
features include an FM radio tuner, a built-in microphone or line
input for recording, and adapters or a line output for patching the
player into your car's audio system. Some players let you wirelessly
swap music, photos and other files with other players of the same
model. Some can also patch into wireless home networks to synch with
a PC, or access the Web on a limited basis.
HOW
TO CHOOSE
New
portable models with more features and greater capabilities are
continually coming out. Decide how much you're willing to spend on a
unit you may want to replace in a year or two. Here are some other
considerations before you buy:
Decide whether to get an
iPod. With Apple's family of players so ubiquitous, and so
similar in many ways, it's worth considering the advantages and
shortcomings of iPods before going further with your buying decision.
iPods are easy to use, thanks to superb integration of the players
and the company's iTunes software. The iTunes Store offers the
largest selection of legal digital content on the Web, including
virtually all the available downloads of major TV shows. And with the
use of iTunes software so widespread, it's very likely that a friend
or family member from whom you might want to borrow content already
uses it--meaning you'll need an iPod to enjoy their songs or
videos.
iPods also have a plethora of accessories to extend
their use, from boom boxes and clock radios with iPod slots to iPod
cases that come in many colors and fabrics. Few other brands of
players have custom aftermarket equipment (although generic gear
will, for example, allow you to pipe any player into a component
sound system or a car stereo).
As for drawbacks, iPods
typically cost a little more than non-Apple players with comparable
capacity. They also lack some of the features and accessories that
adapter with many other players, such as an FM radio, voice recorder,
and an AC charger. Equipping a new iPod with some of these options
can increase its price by more than $100. And iPods have some special
limitations, such as the inability to easily transfer music to any
other device. In addition, iPods require you to open iTunes to
transfer music into the player; competing devices more conveniently
let you drag and drop music files without opening music-management
software.
Weigh capacity vs. size. Consider a
flash-memory model (4 GB can hold about 1,000 songs) if a lower
price, smaller size, lighter weight, and long playback time are more
important to you than a vast selection of tunes. Look for flash
models that can accept external memory cards if you want expanded
song capacity. If you have a large music collection that you want to
keep with you, a hard-disk player might make more sense. Players with
an 80GB capacity can hold about 20,000 songs and could serenade you
for months without repeating a tune. However, a hard-disk player can
be more complicated to manage than a flash-memory player. For some,
navigating through the menus or directories (folders) of songs might
also take longer.
Hard-disk players vary in size, generally in
step with capacity. Microdrive players are about the size of a credit
card, and a 6GB model can hold about 1,500 songs, whereas models with
30GB hard disks are about the size of a deck of cards and can hold
about 7,500 songs.
Consider download choices. Be aware
that online music copy-protected sources are limited with some
models. For example, Sony players work only with one online music
store, while iPods are compatible with iTunes and Real. Players that
support the copy-protected WMA formats, like those from Archos,
Creative, RCA, and Samsung, allow access to the greatest number of
online stores, and, because of the competition, cheaper music.
Another WMA-store benefit: BuyMusic, MusicMatch, Real, and other
sites offer songs at a higher bit rate than the standard 128 kbs,
which has the potential to sound better.
Some players won't
play music purchased from any online store. Downloading "free"
music from such online sources as peer-to-peer Web sites is another
option. But you risk a copyright-infringement lawsuit by the music
industry. You'll also increase your exposure to a host of nasty
computer viruses and spyware programs that tend to hitch rides on
songs swapped on these sites.
Also, note that with most
players, you have choices when it comes to software for recording
(ripping) music. You can use the software that comes with your
computer or player, such as Apple iTunes, MusicMatch, Napster, or
Windows Media Player, or download other freeware or shareware
applications. If the program has the software plug-in for your
player, you can transfer the music to your player directly; otherwise
you'll need to use the program that came with your player to perform
the transfer.
Ensure upgradability. Regardless of which
player you choose, look for one with upgradable firmware for adding
or enhancing player features, as well as accommodating newer encoding
schemes or variations of compression. This is particularly important
for models with video playback due to the evolving nature of video
formats. However, note that upgrading firmware can be a
time-consuming and sometimes risky process. MP3 players use several
methods for upgrading; one method, which executes the upgrade file on
the computer while the player is still attached, can cause permanent
damage to the player if there's even a slight interruption during
execution. Upgrades can be found at the manufacturer and
music-management software application Web sites.
Consider
headphone quality. While many players can produce near audio-CD
quality music out of their headphone jacks, the headphones they come
with can degrade the quality. Most perform respectably, and any
performance differences might not be a bother you in typical,
everyday use. If you're particular about listening quality, it would
be worth buying better-quality after-market headphones for use with
your player.
Consider power consumption and battery type.
With any portable device, batteries are a consideration. Our tests
found a wide variation in battery life among the players. Depending
on the player settings, some will run out of power after only six
hours of play, while others can play music for more than 150 hours
before their batteries give out. Flash-memory players tend to have
longer playback times than hard-disk players. Playing videos can run
a battery down in just a few hours.
Many flash-memory players
use AA or AAA batteries and can accept either standard or
rechargeable batteries. Other players use non-removable or
non-standard batteries that charge via a computer USB port. (An AC
adapter is typically a $15 to $40 option). You can expect a bit
longer playback time using standard batteries, but purchasing a
charger and using rechargeable batteries will be more cost effective
in the long run as well as being more environmentally friendly. (For
advice on recycling used batteries, call 800-822-8837 or go to the
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp.'s site at www.rbrc.org.
Our Web site www.GreenerChoices.org,
also has advice on this topic.)
Other players use a
rechargeable nonstandard "block-" or "gumstick-"
shaped nickel metal-hydride (Ni-MH) or lithium-ion (Li-ion) removable
battery, which is both more expensive and harder to find. They
typically cost $20 to $50 to replace. Many players use a
non-removable rechargeable battery. When the battery can no longer
hold a charge, the player has to be sent back to the manufacturer for
service--a costly procedure if the product is no longer under
warranty.
Consider ergonomics and design. Whichever type of
MP3 player you choose, make sure you'll be comfortable using the
device. Look for a display and controls that are easy to read and
that can be worked with one hand. Because sizes and shapes vary
widely, check to see that the player fits comfortably in your
pockets, and that it's easy to fish out when you need to access
controls. Accessories that may be important to you may not be
included, such as an AC charger, protector cases, or belt clips, a
consideration to you in the overall cost of the player.
Copyright © 2003-2007
Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.
For the latest information on this and many other products and services, visit www.ConsumerReports.org.
|