Archive for January, 2009

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Shuffle MP3

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

iPod Shuffle Reviewed
By Luke B Scott

Executive Summary

Apple iPod shuffle, 1GB - Blue - MB813LL/A

shuffle mp3 player

Shuffle MP3The iPod shuffle weighs a mere 15.6 grams (0.55 ounces), and measures just 27.3 mm (1.07 inches) high by 41.2 mm (1.62 inches) wide by 10.5 mm (0.41 inch) deep (and this depth, by the way, includes the clip). There’s also a choice of five colors: blue, green, pink, red and silver. The device that holds the iPod shuffle in place on your clothes or bag, incidentally, is a clip fixed to the back. The clip on the iPod shuffle feels completely trustworthy.

Features

The main feature of the iPod shuffle is the offset ergonomic ring that has the volume, previous/rewind, and next/fast forward controls, with the play/pause button in the middle. There are two status lights on the iPod shuffle, one on the top, and one on the bottom. If you’re happy to use less discrete headphones, different manufacturers offer a compatible range.

The iPod shuffle slips easily into position on the dock using the earphone port as the connection. Once you connect the iPod shuffle, iTunes appears on the computer screen. If not, it’s worth bearing in mind that iTunes is not just software that enables you to organize and transfer music to your iPod shuffle. The iTunes Store, for instance, lets you buy songs and albums, plus audio books and pod casts (although many pod casts are free).

Technology

The iPod shuffle comes in two versions. The 1GB holds around 1,000 playback minutes - or approximately 240 songs. The 2GB model can take about 500 songs. The audio compression format that achieves this is 128Kbps AAC (advanced audio coding).

The iPod shuffle also supports further audio formats, including AAC (8 - 320Kbps); MP3 (8 - 320 Kbps); MP3 VBR; Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4); AIFF (audio interchange file format); and WAV (Waveform).

Performance

A music player is all about ease of use and sound quality. The other key performance factor for a portable music player is battery life. Despite the iPod shuffle’s tiny dimensions, the built-in battery keeps going for 12 hours. You can then charge it using the USB dock or connect it to an Apple USB Power Adaptor (available separately).

Conclusions

Pros

  • Small, lightweight and well-built
  • Useful clip
  • Easy to use controls
  • Complements iTunes
  • Good battery life
  • High quality sound

Cons

  • No screen, but if you’re looking for a tiny, robust music player you can’t have everything

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Posted in Electronics Brands, MP3 Players | 1 Comment »

iPhone Music Downloads

Monday, January 26th, 2009

iPhone Music Downloads - 7 Tips to Find the Top Service for iPhone Music
By Davion Wong

mp3 player music download

mp3 player music download

iPhone owners are getting excited about loading their new gizmos with iPhone music downloads. After all, the phone-cum-digital portable media player can store up to 100 songs easily and allow a playtime of up to 24 hours of audio. This article will show you 7 hot tips to find the top service befitting of your new toy when it comes to iPhone music downloads.

1. Free or Paid

Freebie seekers probably would argue with me on this. There is nothing wrong with wanting free iPhone music downloads. Who doesn’t anyway? But the trouble is that free websites that give you music for free are often associated with exposure to viruses, spyware and adware when downloading media files there. Our phones are too new and precious and to risk exposing them to these harmful elements is a No No.

How about downloading each iPhone song for $0.99 or more at online music services like HMV, iTunes and so on? People wouldn’t mind if it is only one or two song. But if we are going to load up at least a 100 songs or soundtracks, this is going to be expensive.

There are now services that offer a lifetime membership for a flat fee of lower than $49.95 to access unlimited iPhone music downloads. These are the real gems!

2. Variety & Size of iPhone Music Library

Music lovers probably have their preferred music. You may not like pop but to another, pop may really sound heavenly. If you love all kinds of music, go with the services that offer multiple genres from Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, Classical to many unheard music genre. Several top sites now offer over 100 million media files including music videos, TV shows and even movies and games.

3. Download Interface

This is a key feature that must not be overlooked. For easy navigation, the interface must be simple to use and does not take long to search and find your music files. One way to get a rough idea is to see how professionally done the site is and to read comments of existing users.

4. Software Applications for Download and Conversion

Several of the more established services are providing free software applications required to download iPhone music as well as movie and video files. They also provide the conversion software needed to convert movies and music file formats into iPhone-compatible formats. The top services also offer you a free DVD conversion software that transfer movies from DVDs to your iPhone.

5. Fast Downloading Speeds

Make sure that the download speeds are fast. Music file sizes are about 3-4 MB per song. Assuming you are downloading 20 songs at a go, the service must not limit your bandwidth usage by slowing down the speed. This is what some poorly run B-grade services do.

6. Safe Download Environment

Some services do not provide good secured environment with a high level of security and safety when you download iPhone music downloads. The last thing you want to worry about is adware, spyware and viruses that could make their way to your computer because the music store refuses to buck up on its system architecture.

7. After-sales Customer Care and Support

Many services just want to make more money. While they promise a 24/7 technical support to entice you to join them, they are hardly around when you need them to help troubleshoot when you face difficulties. Thankfully, there are a few reputable ones who can deliver an excellent level of after-sales service.

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Posted in MP3 Players | 1 Comment »

Cheap MP3 Players

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

Cheap MP3 Players - Where Can You Get One?
By Samantha Asher

cheap mp3 players

cheap mp3 players

Shopping is always the most fun when you can get what you want. When it comes to more expensive items, it is often hard to find what you really want for a price you can afford. MP3 players are no exception. They can be very expensive, and the ones you want are always the most expensive. The problem with MP3 players, and electronics in general, is that they cheapest ones are usually of very poor quality. They cost less and feel cheap because they are cheap.

How do you find a good quality MP3 player at an affordable price? There are several ways to cut back on the expense of an MP3 player. First, think about what you are looking for exactly. Of course, you want quality, but how important is brand to you? Ipods are more expensive because they don’t need to market them for value. They market the ipod based on brand and image. Are you buying an MP3 player so that you can tell all your friends you have an ipod or because you love and want to listen to music? There are plenty of other brands out there with equal quality but without the brand recognition and bells and whistles. Is album cover art flow really that important to you? If you can afford to get an ipod and that is what you want, then by all means, get one, but if you are looking for affordability, Apple products are not the way to go.

If you can’t get past brand, or you have decide to take a cheaper venue but still want to save more, think about storage. If you have a music library of tens of thousands of songs and you listen to most of them regularly plus you love to watch movies and want to load many hours on it, 120 gb of storage might be the way to go. Otherwise, consider getting less storage. You can save over one hundred dollars with less gigs plus you can still get as high as 32 gigs, and save a lot of money. 120 gb should really be saved for someone who uses theirs all the time and fills it with music, movies, and pictures.

Finally, whether you are going top brand or you are looking for only a couple of gigs, you can save a few more dollars by shopping around. Go to the site below and you can find the stores selling your MP3 player of choice for the cheapest price. You can find whatever you are looking for and pay the lowest price available on the market.

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Posted in MP3 Players | 1 Comment »

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