Every month, manufacturers unleash even more MP3 players to an increasingly confused
public. Not only do these devices have wildly divergent features, but ongoing format wars
mean the MP3 player you choose dictates where you can buy your digital music. These
devices are anything but one-player-fits-all.
First, theres the question of design. A player can have every feature in the world, but if the
design doesnt match your lifestyle or if the interface is impenetrable, you still wont enjoy it.
Youll want to look closely at performance, sound quality and battery life, these can make or
break a player, especially if you travel a lot or have the so-called golden ears of an audiophile.
Before you start checking out specific models, you should have a basic understanding of the
types of MP3 players available.
Note: All types of player mentioned below can play other formats besides MP3, such as WMA
or AAC, but we still refer to them as MP3 players, some players will only play the track format
that it is specifically designed for.