Mp3 players

There is no grocery store, sidewalk, shopping mall, freeway, airport or park without MP3 players. People have incorporated MP3s into their lives, and when the packing starts for those trips away from home, complete music catalogues allow MP3 users to take a little piece of home – and themselves – with them.

There is no grocery store, sidewalk, shopping mall, freeway, airport or park without MP3 players. People have incorporated MP3s into their lives, and when the packing starts for those trips away from home, complete music catalogues allow MP3 users to take a little piece of home – and themselves – with them.

MP3 players can be personalized — not only with your music, notes and other stuff, but with outside branding on the player itself (like your favorite pop culture figure); and that says something to the world about you. If you’re a jogger or a walker, your portable MP3 lets people know that you are in your own space.

Of course, road travel presents its inherent challenges, but today’s MP3 player users have a broad array of choices for travel accessories that help to ensure the safety and longevity of MP3 players.

• Ruggedized cases that protect MP3

players from the rigors of travel;

• Styling with secure grips to

prevent slipping;

• Screen and play-though click

wheel protectors;

• Removable microphones with flexible necks;

• Instant playback with built-in

speaker;

• One-touch recording in Play

mode; and

• Portable battery packs.

These accessories do not address issues of risk--such as theft, or the need to stay aware of your surroundings in an unfamiliar environment while you use your player. However, they do make it easier to take your player with you while you travel.

Additionally, some industries related to travel are adapting their service and products to the popularity of the portable entertainment device.

It is likely the travel industry (hotels in particular) will come forward with portable docking and recharging facilities for MP3 players, the same way that they are providing local WIFI services to guests for their notebooks today.

Unfortunately, even with the convenience that rental car agencies and hotels are beginning to offer, battery life and device longevity on the road are still persistent challenges.

Until recently, MP3 players had a battery life of only eight hours. This battery life was recently extended to 12 hours by Apple for its iPods, and several competing MP3 units from Dell, Creative Vision and Sandisk offer battery life that exceeds 12 hours.

Some of these units can be obtained at price points under $50, and it is a dramatic improvement — but road travelers would still like to see battery and recharging technology keep pace with processing and storage advances.

Then, there is the lifetime of the battery itself, which deteriorates significantly after a certain number of recharges. (According to Apple, recharging becomes less effective after approximately 500 recharges).

A final key road issue for MP3 users is service.

Apple iPod started the MP3 player craze; but other companies (like Hewlett Packard) and box stores (like Best Buy), as well as a growing number of retail and service centers in most major U.S. cities, are carrying multiple brands and offering MP3 consumers choice and solutions.

If you are a frequent traveler and a devoted MP3 player user, you might seriously consider purchasing a service and warranty plan with your portable MP3 appliance. The plan will pay for itself if you heavily rely on your MP3 and experience a technical problem. Many of these warranties offer free repairs and even device replacements. Box stores and individual manufacturers also offer on the road support.

At the end of the day, a wide variety of MP3 player options, with varying feature sets and price points, give consumers enormous flexibility when it comes to customizing an MP3 player that works best with their lifestyles. The end result is a strong accessory and support base that will keep your MP3 player going both at home and away.