MP3 players have added many exciting new features over the past 10 years. Being able to take your music collection everywhere is great, but now many MP3 players also let you watch movies, browse the Internet, and can even keep you on schedule. Here are some things to look for in your next MP3 or PMP purchase.

Video Playback and Image Viewing

Technological advances give today’s MP3 players expanded capacity and larger, brighter screens. Manufacturers have harnessed these improvements, creating devices that can deliver impressive video and image playback. Now you can store and view full-length movies and television series on many MP3 players. Additionally, better screen quality allows you to view thousands of your own high-resolution photos and images and even set up slide shows. Many MP3 players even display album cover art that is embedded in MP3 files, and newer iPods let you navigate through your music collection with their impressive Cover Flow interface.

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Internet Access and Wireless Capability

Manufacturers have been working hard to add wireless and Internet capabilities to their devices. Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch can download music from the iTunes catalog over cellular telephone and wireless Internet networks. Microsoft’s Zune can wirelessly connect to other nearby Zune devices, allowing owners to share music, pictures, and video podcasts with each other. It also can wirelessly sync with your home PC to download music and video. The Archos 605 and 705 take full advantage of their wireless capability, allowing users to browse the web and even view streaming YouTube video right on the device.

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Additional Audio Playback Features

Virtually all MP3 players have the ability to fast-forward, rewind, repeat, and randomly shuffle through tracks and user-created playlists. Most models can easily load a playlist full of songs from a specific genre, allowing you to instantly match music to your mood. Many newer MP3 players have a system that behaves like a virtual DJ, dynamically generating new playlists based on the amount of times you listen to particular songs and the optional rating you assign to them. Additionally, you will likely find settings that automatically equalize the volume between different tracks; cross-fade settings that blend one song into the next; and sleep and alarm timers that allow you to fall asleep and wake up to your favorite music.

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Equalization Settings

From the recording source all the way down to your headphone choice, many variables affect how your music sounds on an MP3 player. Most players offer multiple preset equalization settings to give you the sound that you want, such as Pop, Jazz, Rock, and Classical. Also, they usually have an additional Bass Boost setting, which can be great if your current headphones are a bit anemic when it comes to low beats. Higher-end players also will include a multi-band customizable equalizer, allowing you to tweak your sound even further.

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Radio

Interference created by older on-board hard drives has traditionally kept FM tuners off of MP3 players. The rise of high-capacity flash memory and smaller, better-shielded hard drives mean that FM radio is becoming a more common feature on MP3 players. Players with FM functionality usually have a robust number of presets and can record broadcasts in MP3 format for continued enjoyment.

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Music and Voice Recording

Many current MP3 players come equipped with a tiny microphone for voice recording. This can be very useful for business meetings and lectures; however, the microphone is typically low-fi and much more suitable for spoken word than musical recordings. A few MP3 players have dedicated line-level analog inputs that are perfect for hooking into home audio equipment. Players that also support recording to an uncompressed WAV format will net the best results.

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Data Storage and Productivity

Don’t be fooled into thinking that MP3 players are just for entertainment. Many of today’s models have tools that can make you more productive in your work and personal life. Most MP3 players can store data files along with your music, videos, and photos. Depending on the size of your player, you can transport large amounts of data without ever needing to fire up a laptop. Current MP3 players usually come with a small suite of personal productivity applications–like a calendar, task list, calculator, and phonebook. Some even sync with Microsoft Outlook, automatically providing you with current schedule entries, tasks, and contacts.

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Games

If you’re looking for entertainment that’s a bit more interactive, you can find quick, casual games on many current MP3 players. Manufacturers like Apple, iriver, and Archos all have models that support large catalogs of free and low-cost games. Although they might not be as flashy as Grand Theft Auto 4, users have lost many hours to games like iQuiz, Bejeweled, Sudoku, and Texas Hold-Em.

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Battery Types and Lifespan

Along with screen design and storage capacity, battery life has improved dramatically for MP3 players over the past decade. The latest portable power trend is non-removable, rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries. Players that are physically larger usually pack bigger batteries and longer charges–a point to consider if you’re going to spend lots of time commuting or flying. The Li-Ion battery pack lasts about 2 to 4 years before needing to be replaced. Unless you are an accomplished Do-It-Yourselfer, you will need to ship the player back to the manufacturer for a new battery.

Although it’s tough to find a hard-drive based player that doesn’t use Li-Ion technology, several flash-memory- and CD-based players still use AA and AAA alkaline batteries. If you have one of these players, consider purchasing rechargeable alkalines. They are much more economical in the long run, plus they’re environmentally friendly.

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Customizable Backgrounds and Interface

Manufacturers are scrambling to capitalize on larger, more colorful displays. Most MP3 players come bundled with different backgrounds that you can change on the fly. You can even set your own photos and images as the background for a more personal touch. A few players even let users completely change the menu and interface graphics, allowing for radical customization.

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Parental Control and Protected Content

If you’re thinking about buying an MP3 player for your child, you’re probably concerned about the content that will be added to it. Many MP3 players have settings to disallow explicit content–be it music or video. Additionally, some players have a master volume lock that keeps the volume below a set point. You can typically find these settings in the options screen of the MP3 player, or in the preferences menu of the software that loads content onto the player.

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