Enjoying MP3 Technology
Most of us think of music when we think of MP3 players. We can visit an online music store to purchase new songs and albums. Even better, we get to hear some of each song before we buy, so there's less chance of spending money on music we don't really like.
Online music stores sell individual songs and complete albums. You can search for a specific band or singer, or you can shop by genre. Apple's online store, iTunes, offers music choices such as rock, pop, and country. You can also browse through lists of movies, TV shows, music videos, podcasts, iPod games, and more.
Many more online stores, such as BuyMusic, MusicMatch, Sony, and Wal-Mart, sell songs, albums, music videos, TV shows, and short films. Some of these sites allow you to pay a monthly subscription fee of about $15.00 for all the music you want.
Once you've set up an account with an online music store, the real fun begins. One of the best features of owning an MP3 player is setting up a playlist. You can sort all your favorite songs by genre, by artist, or even by the mood certain songs fit. A playlist can be as short as one or two songs, or as long as your entire list of music. Playlists let you play the part of the disc jockey, rearranging your songs, sorting them, and skipping through them whenever you wish.
Want to fill up your MP3 files quickly, but can't afford to pay for music from an online store? What about all those CDs you've collected over the years? You can use ripper and encoder software to copy the songs from your CD to your computer's hard disk. The ripper copies the sound to your computer's hard drive. The encoder compresses the song into MP3 format, and you can download it to your MP3.
Another way to enjoy your MP3 player is with audiobooks. You're probably familiar with books on cassette tape or CD. Many people listen to them in their cars on long-distance trips or daily commutes. With MP3 technology, you can purchase audiobooks through an online store, just as you purchase music. Thousands of titles are available online.
Once you've bought a book and downloaded it to your MP3 player, you can listen whenever and wherever you like.
Podcasts are another popular way to use an MP3 player. Podcasts are programs that you can download and enjoy any time you choose. They include newscasts, magazine reports, and television shows.
