The emergence of the MP3 player and what to look for while buying one:

There was a time when the radio was the favorite time-pass for many people and now it is almost obsolete because of the many advances in technology during the last few decades. The radio gave way to the cassette player, which in turn gave way to the compact disk player, and this also has given way to the latest fad called the digital audio player which is more commonly referred to as the MP3 player. Today, a MP3 player is almost an absolute necessity to many college going youth as well as office goers who like to listen to their favorite tunes while commuting to work and back. It does also appeal to many other people in the population as music is very vital to all sorts of people. In fact, much of the credit should go to the makers of the Apple iPod for making the Mp3 player such a rage among people.
The question that many people ask themselves before picking up a MP3 player is, "what should I look for while buying a MP3 player". Hence, I have listed below the main features that I feel are the five main considerations before one shells out their cash on a MP3 player.
Connectivity: What exactly is connectivity? Plainly put, it is the way your digital audio player talks to your computer so that it can transfer music files. Though a few players are beginning to offer the ability to wirelessly transfer files, your main options at this point will be one of two: USB or FireWire.
Display: The display screen on most digital audio players these days is tiny. Using the screen is a must though if you want to see what music is playing, as well as navigating through options like volume control, song shuffling and the equalizer. The main things to consider here include making sure you can see the display under all conditions, including being outdoors when there is a glare, as well as being able to read the characters on the screen without going blind.
File Types: When music is copied onto your computer from a CD or downloaded from a Web site, the type of file it is saved as can vary. While it will often default to the .mp3 format, which is the most widely handled by digital audio players today, it could also end up as a .wav, .aac, .wma or something else.
Software: How you get your music onto your digital audio player is important to consider. Most players ship today with some type of software which will allow you to compile play lists and copy files. The big question here is: is it easy to figure out? Does the software provide guided instructions, or are you left to struggle with a cumbersome help file? Is the interface easy to navigate, or a cluttered mess of buttons and words?
Storage Type: Do you plan on taking your player jogging, or using it as a supplement to your home entertainment system? This is a big question to answer because players come in two types of flavors for storage: hard drive models and flash-based units.
Hard drive models store files in the 1000s and are great for when you want to kick it with all of your tunes in your cubicle at work without having to lug dozens of CDs around. Flash-based models are small and sleek, usually slipping into your pocket with no problem. They are great for more active users and those on the go a lot.
In the end, the most important thing for you to consider is what makes you happy as you listen to your tunes and you may be looking into buying a MP3 player. At that time you can refer to the above five main points and make a sound decision.