MP3 Buying Guide
As the CD player slowly becomes more and more obsolete, many are beginning to upgrade their listening devices and, in doing so, their listening experience. But with so many options available, how is each individual consumer supposed to know what’s right for them? Whether you are upgrading your old mp3 player or are a digital music virgin, the idea of shopping for your ideal listening device can be daunting. Therefore, here are a few ideal options for nearly everyone:
For the Fashionista:
The iPod Shuffle and iPod Nano comes in an every widening variety of colors. If you’re on a budget and don’t have an extensive music collection I would go with the iPod Shuffle which starts at only $45 and comes in grey, blue, red, green, and fuchsia. The Shuffle holds up to 500 songs and is extremely portable thanks to its small size and clip on the back. If you’ve got a bit more doe and tunes to fill it, the iPod Nano is for you. It comes in a few more colors (white, blue, red, green, purple, fuchsia, yellow, orange and black) and comes with 8GB of memory (2,000 songs, 8 hours of video, $149) or 16GB (4,000 songs, 16 hours of video, $199).
For the Tech-head:
If you have to have the newest and greatest then there are a few options. The iPod Touch is internet-capable, comes in 8, 16, and 32GB, and is probably the best for watching videos, but if you want to shy from the mainstream you can go with the iRiver Clix. The Clix has beaucoup features including an equalizer, FM tuner, voice recorder, Macromedia Flash Player, Flash games and an alarm clock and is very similar to the iPod Nano. This particular device, however, is only compatible with Windows. The 4 GB is priced at $167 while the 8GB is $230.
For the Budget:
If you’re tight on cash these days there are still some great mp3 players that are under $100. The best price is probably the iPod Shuffle which starts out at $45 and holds up to 500 songs. If you’ve had your heart set on the iPod Nano but just can’t bring yourself to shell out upwards of $149, the Creative Zen V Plus has gotten great reviews and is very similar to the Nano. Like its Apple counterpart, the Zen is video-capable though the reviews in this area haven’t been the best. Unlike the Nano, the Zen also comes with FM radio when you’re tired of that same-old playlist. The 2GB Zen starts at about $70 and the 4GB at $90.
For the Music Lover:
The iPod Classic has one of the largest capacities of any other mp3 player on the market. While the color choices are disappointing compared to the Shuffle or Nano, there is nothing more likely to hold your entire music collection than the Classic. For $249 you get 120GB (30,000 songs, 150 hours of video and 25,000 photos), great sound quality, beautiful display and 4.9 oz of portability.
Very few people fit into just one category. In fact, most will find they fit in a many. Therefore, in order to have the best listening experience, be sure to shop around to make sure you find your device. Happy listening!