Media Player free download for Windows & Mac. The Video Player download is free (it is free as VLC media player) and it is compatible with all popular audio and video formats such as DivX, Flv, Xvid, WMV, Mkv, Ogg, MP3, MP4, Blue Ray and many others.
Nothing improves a boring commute or a long walk home quite like an MP3 player. While many people now use smartphones as portable, music-playing devices, you'll still find a range of benefits to using a dedicated MP3 player – but more on that later. If you've decided to make your purchase, what comes next? With so many MP3 players on the market, deciding which one to buy can be tough.
To bring you the most thorough reviews, we test products in our labs, talk with existing customers, sort through mountains of data, and consult experts – in this case, Matt Ham, founder and CEO of Computer Repair Doctor, and an expert on all kinds of electronic devices. Read on for our full MP3 player buying guide, which will tell you all you need to know to make an informed purchase.
If you have a smartphone, it's perfectly capable of taking on the role of an MP3 player, too, so why should you buy a dedicated device for playing music?. With all the apps, photos, and videos stored on your phone, you may have little space for music, let alone your entire MP3 collection. Playing MP3s can run down a phone's battery quickly, so if you plan on listening to a lot of music – perhaps on a long journey or if you're allowed to listen to it at work – you might find your smartphone dying before the day is through. If you listen to music while exercising, you might prefer to use a cheap, lightweight MP3 player rather than risk dropping and breaking your expensive smartphone. Many MP3 players are more durable than smartphones and some are even waterproof. MP3 players tend to have physical buttons, so it's easier to skip through tracks and control volume, especially while on the go. The smallest MP3 players often only have a very tiny display screen that flashes up the name of the song playing and lets you skip between songs.
These don’t allow you to navigate the player to select which track you want to play. This is fine if you just want to listen to any music, but not ideal if you're in the mood for something specific.
As such, these types of digital music players are usually geared toward use while exercising, when you simply want a distraction. On the other end of the spectrum, you'll find MP3 players with full touch screens, letting you easily navigate between different artists and albums to find the songs you want to listen to. Durability is important. Our expert, Matt, states that one of the most important things to consider is 'will the MP3 player work for long periods of time and how durable or long-lasting will the product be in general?' . If you want an MP3 player to use while exercising, we recommend a model with a built-in clip to easily attach to your waistband or collar. Some MP3 players can also receive FM radio stations.
Look for MP3 players that allow you to increase the storage capacity by using an SD card. Check what format your music files are in, and make sure your chosen MP3 player supports them. For instance, if you download music from iTunes, your songs will likely be AAC files, rather than MP3s. If you can hook up your MP3 player to your car stereo, you'll never have to carry CDs in your car again. You truly find an extreme range of prices in the MP3 player world. A basic, 8GB model with not much of a screen (designed for listening to songs while exercising and not much else) can cost as little as $15 or $20, whereas a touchscreen model from a well-known brand can cost $200 to $300. And, on the highest end of the spectrum, a digital audio player designed with the best audio quality in mind can cost in excess of $600.
If you're only looking for a basic MP3 player and aren't concerned with high-end audio, touchscreens, Wi-Fi capability, and other extra features, you shouldn't have to pay more than $50. Can I hook up my MP3 player to my car stereo? Yes, you can hook up your MP3 player to your car stereo to play music from your device through your car speakers. How you do this depends on both your MP3 player and your car stereo. If both your stereo and MP3 player are Bluetooth-capable, you can connect the two via Bluetooth and play music that way. If you have an old car stereo with a cassette player, you can get a special adaptor that plugs into the headphone jack input of your MP3 player and slots into the stereo's tape player.
Or, if you have a newer stereo, it may have a 3.5mm jack input, in which case you can get a wire which connects that to the headphone jack on your MP3 player. How should I keep my MP3 player safe from damage? Modern MP3 players are fairly durable, but it's still wise to look after them so they don't get damaged. Matt Ham gives some simple advice: 'don’t let these devices get wet.' Unless, of course, you have a waterproof model. Other than that, try not to drop them – most models will survive a moderate fall, but if it's constantly hitting the ground or drops from somewhere high, it could break. To protect your MP3 player from scratches while in your bag or pocket when not in use, consider getting a storage case or pouch.