Choosing an MP3 player can be a difficult decision especially if you are buying it as a gift for someone else. Everyday there are more & more people wanting to sell their newly bought MP3 player on eBay because they regretted their decision of buying a particular model or design. Like all other consumer electronics products, there are certain practices that you have to follow to make a better decision.

First Things First

·         Almost all MP3 players require that you have a reasonably updated computer with a USB connection (either USB 2.0 or USB 1.1). If you don’t have enough hard disk space or USB ports, start with upgrading your computer first.

·         You must know why you need an MP3 player at the first place. If you are planning to use your MP3 player while jogging or exercising, you need to consider different features than the features more suitable for less active, long listening.

·         Before you start checking out different models, you should know how much you are willing to spend on your new MP3 portable device. There is huge variance in MP3 devices prices in Australia and you can find one anywhere from $30 to $500 or more. If you don’t know your budget before hand, you are more likely to fall prey to some wonderful advertising campaign and end up spending more than you could afford.

Key Features

·         Storage: This is the most important & misunderstood feature. Most common storage capacity ranges between 512 MB to 60 GB for some advanced players. It’s important to know how much storage you will actually use. As a rule of thumb, 1 GB will easily let you store more than 240 songs at one time and you can change your songs on an ongoing basis. More storage cost a lot of money but most of the times it is not needed at all so make your decision wisely.

·         Flash vs. Hard disk based memory: If you are looking for compactness, long battery life and fast files transfers, you must choose a flash based MP3 Player like iPod Nano. If you want more memory storage & advanced features, you must consider buying a hard disk based player. Information about the memory type can be easily located on the features listing of a product.

·         Transfer speed/port type: Downloading 1 GB of songs all at once from your PC using a USB 1.1 interface can take a few hours. Most new players now use the faster USB 2.0; but ensure that your player of choice supports the faster standard before you buy.

·         File Format Support: Not all players support all file formats. Carefully look at the specifications to see if your required file formats are supported by your choice of MP3 Player. Online Music stores like iTunes and Napster have different file distribution arrangements and it’s critical that you know if your new MP3 player is compatible with your existing library.

·         Accessories: MP3 Players support a range of accessories from FM transmitters to car stereo connectors. Make sure to check your MP3 player support for these accessories or any other accessory you would like to use.

Buy it now

Spend some time online and research the prices and you will be amazed at price variances for the same product at different stores. Generally, you get better prices from online stores than your corner gadget shop but make sure that you do price comparisons from more than three different sources. Always check the shipping rates, delivery times & return policy before finalizing your purchase. Experience will definitely make you wiser with the time but being extra careful always pays off.