IPods and Everything You Wanted To Know About MP3 Players, But Were Afraid To Ask

By: Robert O'Connor

In much the same way as 'Hoover' became the vernacular for vacuum cleaner and 'Walkman' for personal radio/cassette player, the brand name 'iPod' has become the popular term for portable hard-disk digital music players. Superseding the Walkman in technical and language terms, iPods are (at present) the coolest, most sought-after digital gadget around. The iPod itself is Apple's hugely successful music player, but the term also refers to the many competing devices out there. Yet what exactly are they? How do they work? Why should you shell out for one? In this article, I will firstly explain the concept of digital (or file-based) music, followed by an overview of how this is handled by iPod-like devices. Next is a brief summary of some of the products currently available and finally, my own thoughts on the subject. Hopefully, by the end of this piece, the reader will have a good understanding of what these little boxes are and what they can do.

The first thing one needs to understand is the concept of digital music formats. MP3 is the most widely used example of this. Music tracks are stored as files on a computer's hard disk, in much the same way as one might store documents or spreadsheets. These files may be opened with software players that then play the music through the speakers or headphones attached to the computer. Portable digital music players operate in a similar manner. iPod-type devices have a built-in hard disk on which music is stored as files. Users can then search through the files for the music they wish to listen to and play the files through the headphones. All of these devices support MP3 (MPEG Layer 3) playback, while some support other music formats such as Microsoft's WMA (Windows Media Audio) or Apple's AAC (Advanced Audio Coding).

So now the question is 'how do I get my music on the player?' Well for this, you require a computer. CDs can be translated into MP3 format quite easily - all players come with software that does this. This process known as 'ripping' is usually quite fast and an MP3 version of an average-length CD can be prepared in a few minutes. Music can also be downloaded from the Internet or purchased from one of the online stores (such as the Eircom Music Store). The portable player can be connected to the computer (usually via the USB or Firewire ports) and the files transferred across. So basically an iPod (or iPod type device) is just the equivalent of a Walkman for digital music. This all sounds simple enough, but I've met some people who had spent a few hundred euro on an iPod without realising they needed a computer, leaving them with a very expensive paperweight indeed!

When it comes to deciding on a player, there are many options. The most popular type of hard disk player is the iPod itself. The Apple devices are quite small and stylish, but they are also quite expensive. An iPod that can store 20GB of music costs EUR339 from Apple's online store. (The 40GB version from the same store will set you back E449. However, there are a number of cheaper alternatives. The Nomad NX, a player with 30GB of storage made by Creative Labs, is available online from Komplett at a price of EUR310. While this isn't as sleek as the iPod, it operates in much the same way and provides the same features. The Philips HDD120 provides 20GB of storage space and is available from Amazon.co.uk at 264.49 (approx. E395). iRiver have recently launched a new product, the iHP-120, which provides 20GB of storage space. However, this device also features a radio tuner and doubles as a dictaphone, allowing direct recording onto the device through a microphone input. This device is also available from Amazon.co.uk at £214.99 (approx. EUR321.345).

So what would my recommendation be? Well, if you have the money, Apple's iPod is a marvellous device. It is small and sleek and there's plenty of support to go with it. However, if you are on a tighter budget, the Creative Nomad NX is a great buy. I have one of these myself and I've found it to be an excellent product. The iRiver iHP-120 also looks very interesting and has been getting some great reviews. This could also be a good purchase. When it comes to encoding music, I have found it best to stick with the MP3 format. MP3 is the most independent of the formats and is the most widely supported. All of these devices play MP3s, whereas Apple's AAC and Microsoft's WMA are only played in some. Should you ever upgrade your player in the future, you'll obviously want to transfer your music to the new device.

As someone who loves music, I have found my iPod (that's not actually an iPod!) invaluable. It's as if my entire CD collection is in my pocket. I have been using a Creative Nomad NX since Christmas 2003 and all I can say is - it's kept me sane on many of my trips on the good ship Bus Eireann this year!

* All prices at time of writing