Back in the day, the idea of a having an audio device which was capable of storing hundreds if not thousands of audio tracks, as well as being compact enough to fit in just about anywhere was a distant dream. We think back not too long ago when the only option we had for listening to music was the use of those bulky 2 speaker audio cassette tape systems.But since then we have seen a decrease in the size of the those big audio devices.

Over the years as electronics evolved with the introduction of the mp3 audio format, the need for old cassette tape systems has diminished greatly. People are now able to satisfy their needs through the use of an mp3 player portable audio device .Since first entering the market, mp3 players have notably become one of the most popular consumer electronics devices in the world. Due to their huge popularity it is very common nowadays to see people utilising theses devices while doing many activities such as running, going to work, traveling, buying groceries as well as other tasks.

So lets take a look below at some useful factors to consider for those of you thinking about purchasing an mp3 player.I will outline the many important aspects to consider when comparing mp3 players

1. The internal memory size of an mp3 player is obviously an important factor. This will determine the amount of mp3 songs the mp3 audio device will be able to store. Mp3 players come in sizes ranging from 256MB to 10GB. The bigger the storage the better. Also some models may the have the option of flash memory.

2. The battery life is also a very important feature, because it determines the amount of time the mp3 player will function properly. Always make sure that the mp3 player comes with an AC/DV adapter which will allow you to recharge it quickly. Most mp3 players today come standard with these adapters.

3.The size of the mp3 player is the next factor.There a lots of sizes of mp3 players. Some have larger screens than others, the inclusion of video playback capability, hard drive and others.Once again the bigger and better they are, the higher the price will be. It's worth paying a bit for a quality mp3 player, even if it burns a small hole in your pocket.

4.The next factor is USB connection speed to the PC, which affects the rate at which you can upload mp3's from your PC to the mp3 portable device.The latest models today commonly support high speed USB 2.0 transfer. Others also support Firewire.

5.You should also be aware that Some mp3 players have the capability of supporting other audio format besides mp3, such as WMA and OGG. Be sure to check the specification manual to see if these features are included.Even with the sole purpose of Playing music, mp3 players may have other features such as an FM tuner ,audio recording capability, small notebook functions etc. It might be worth your while to again check the mp3 player Specs.

So at the end of the day, the most important thing is that you Purchase the mp3 player that suits your needs. If you only need it for listening to music, don't go and buy a more expensive one which has unwanted capabilities as the prices can stretch very high.