With an MP3 player in our hand or pocket, we can create personalized music lists and clutch thousands of songs wherever we go. In addition, some endow us with additional technology, like video and photo viewing, alarm and calendar functions, and even internet service.? Most MP3 players have a small display that tells us what is being played.



Finding an ideal MP3 player is not easy. Considerations of size, color, capacity, features, price, and compatibility all need to be weighed before making a decision. Unfortunately, there is no perfect MP3 player for anyone. Even the most popular MP3 player option, Apple's iPod, is offered in a limited colors, sizes, and configurations.

Mp3 Players can be broadly classified into two categories namely, Flash based and Hard drive based. Flash based MP3 players are known for their shockproof operation and ultra compact dimensions. These players range in capacity from 512MB to 32GB. Flash-based players are tiny and their batteries last longer. They have the highest per megabyte cost.

Hard drive based MP3 players have a high capacity and can accommodate thousands of songs and videos. Memory capacity of hard drive based MP3 players is generally more than 20GB such as the 120GB Apple iPod Classic that can hold about 30,000 songs and another player, the Microsoft Zune can hold a luxurious amount of music and video. They also tend to have more features and larger screens and are overall easier to use. These players are usually built around a 1.8-inch hard drive thus; they are larger and heavier than the others.

These MP3 players works just like a computer. The processor chip loads an MP3 file, reads and displays the artist and track name on the display. It reads the data and turns the digital information into sound frequencies that our ears and our brain decode as music.

Advantage of an MP3 file is that it takes little room because of which we can send an MP3 file over the Internet twelve times more quickly and cheaply than the same information stored in CD format.

The success mantra of a MP3 player is not the plastic gadget in our hand but the technology behind the MP3 files.