In today’s market place, there are countless variations of a device that originally began with only one goal in mind: play music. Now of course, these devices can do anything from browsing the internet to editing word documents, but there are still a few that just give you the down to earth music playing capabilities. No video editing, no fancy touch screen. Of course, there are still a few factors to consider in buying one of these, which will be discussed below.
Space available.
If you are a person who hoards music, and has tens of folders worth on your computer, then you are not going to be happy to have only a few megabytes worth of space, and perhaps should aim higher, into the twenty, thirty, or even sixty gigabyte range. There is a trade off for this extra space though, price goes up and so does weight, which is no good if you want to take your player out jogging, or to an environment where you may easily lose it. Then again, if you only want an audio player that you only want to put, say, motivational songs on, and you are happy about losing it, then about a gigabyte should be fine.
Ruggedness.
How much wear do you think you’re going to put your player through? If you only use it occasionally, again, cheaper is better, but if you want one that will stand the test of time, you may want to invest in some of the pricier options available, as these are far more likely to be able to stand up to constant use without breaking down. Remember, a rugged player can be good for places such as the gym and the workplace, where you are more likely to drop it while moving about, it’s just wasted money if all you are going to be doing is relaxing at home.
Price.
Price is a big factor in deciding what audio player you finally buy, and with some available from less than $15, you really have to take the above factors into consideration before buying. Remember, the more features you choose, the more you will have to pay. Consider this: You buy a new, top of the range, $250 mp3 player. You don’t use any of the features, but you figure that you may need them eventually. The very next morning, you set out for quick jog in the park, only to lose it among the bushes. You overcompensated. Have a good idea of the features you need, and are likely to use constantly before buying. This way, you can have an expensive one you use for the home, and a cheap, small one that you can afford to lose for activities such as exercise.
Look.
This is only going to be a small paragraph, and one that should definitely only be considered once the points above are out of the way. If you are a flashy sort of person, who enjoys showing off, a shinier and overall better looking portable audio player may be more along your street. But if you just plan to sit at home, or keep it in your pocket, there is virtually no reason to get a weaker, heavier but better looking one over a smaller, lighter but slightly blocky one.
Choose wisely, and good luck!