Even though the MP3 Player is a great innovation to our society, it can be confusing to a lot of people. It’s also important to understand everything you can about this gadget, so you can enjoy everything it has to offer. There are tons of them out there, but several only offer mediocre quality. Others double as video players, have high tech audio functions, and can even record. Older versions that just played music are becoming a thing of the past.

A prime example is the Apple iPod. In the good old days it was simply used to play music. In recent memory they have come out with so many advanced features, most of them aren’t found in other units. The MP3 player is geared for easy navigation. Even though the extra benefits are nice to some, others just want a little piece of technology that plays music. Plus, iPods usually cost a bit more as well.

Although the Apple iPod is the main player that many people think of, there are many other brands. There are also a variety of cheaper off brands that have copied its aesthetic look but for legal reasons cannot copy its features. These brands often do not handle many other audio formats other than MP3’s. Name brands however are designed to handle audio formats across the entire spectrum and many people flock to them for this reason alone.

One thing to consider is the battery life – and whether it uses regular batteries at all. If you take advantage of newer innovation they will use lithium rechargeable batteries. Some models use AA or AAA batteries, but nowadays a unit that is rechargeable is becoming standard. You should be able to recharge by plugging the unit into a base, or just using a USB cord to plug it into your computer.

Durability is usually the most overlooked area when it comes to music players. Everyone jumps on the hyped up bandwagon of a new product, but most of us forget about the longevity of the product. This can lead to products that are easily damaged, break down, or simply don’t live up to the durability factors.

This happens very rarely with major name brands and outlets, but cheaper companies and stores cut corners where they can. This is why it’s best to do your research before committing to buy any particular player. The Apple iPod for example is subjected to various manufacturer tests before being allowed on the market. You can still break it if you try, but it won’t break from general usage.

One final MP3 player basic to consider before buying is the button layout. On very rare occasions you may find a basic player that has no buttons other than play or stop. I’m not joking; these do exist, although they aren’t sold at very many outlets. These are the very bottom barebones models that are cheap, and often fail within a month or two.

Before you go out and buy any type of player, remember to look at all the functions, check the battery life, and anything else that would give you a clue to its overall quality. Course if you don’t want to go through the hassle of lots of research and testing, you can always just purchase an Apple iPod. They’re considered the best on the market for a lot of reasons. An iPod Nano is good introductory buy, the Classic is great for users that demand more features and a larger screen, and a Touch will give you internet wherever there’s open Wi-Fi. If you want to save some money, get an older generation iPod – there’s usually not much different in practical features you’ll actually use, and you say save 10% or more on the price.