Tips for Buying an iPod from Telegraph:

What’s the difference between an iPod and an MP3 player?

iPod is the brand name for portable digital music players made by the American company Apple. MP3 player is the generic term for every other company’s digital music player. They all allow you to transfer music from a computer to a small portable box connected to headphones.

How do you transfer songs to an iPod or MP3 player?

First you have to copy your CD collection (or old LPs, 78s and wax cylinders if you have the right sort of cables) on to a computer’s hard drive. It takes a while, depending on the age of your computer, so give yourself a long weekend.

You also need software to organise your music on your computer - it usually comes with the music player.

Apple iPods use a music manager called iTunes, which is easy to use. Other makes of player use their own software.

Once you’ve copied music to your computer, you simply connect your iPod or MP3 player to the computer and click the download button. A CD’s worth of music is transferred to the player within seconds.

How do you buy music over the internet?

Most major music shops have their own online stores that will sell you tracks to download to your computer. The Apple iTunes store also sells music.

What’s the difference between a flash-based memory and a hard drive memory?

A flash memory is a solid computer chip that has a more limited storage space. It has no moving parts and so is more economical on the battery and is tough. A hard-drive memory can handle a lot more music, but drains the battery more quickly and can sometimes skip if roughly shaken.

What should I look out for?

Don’t buy more storage than you need. The top-of-the-range models can store 15,000 songs, 25,000 photographs or 150 hours of video. The cheapest handle just 120 songs.

The amount of storage depends on the quality of the recording and size of the tracks. Storage is described in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB).

As a rough guide, a 512 MB player stores around 120 songs, 2GB holds 500 songs, 20GB stores 5,000 songs and 40 GBs holds 10,000. A battery that lasts between recharges is crucial, as is a clear screen and simple, intuitive controls.

If you want to carry your music collection with you, go for a top-end hard drive player. But if you just want something to use in the gym, get a cheaper flash player.

Couple Tips for Buying an MP3 Player from Lauren Bishop, Enquirer staff writer:

Thinking of buying someone an MP3 player for the holidays? Here are some things to consider.

What’s your budget? You can buy an MP3 player for less than $100, but be aware that it usually will contain only enough memory to store dozens of songs, rather than the hundreds or thousands of songs you can store on larger-capacity players. If the person you’re buying for has a large music collection, plans to download lots of songs or wants extra features, be prepared to spend about $200 or more.

Do they really want an MP3 player? “It’s really an empty vessel. It’s not like you can tear into the plastic and play with it on Christmas morning,” says Christine Frietchen, managing editor of ConsumerSearch.com.

If you know the person well, “a great idea would be to put music on it yourself,” Freitchen says. “I could see that becoming the mix tape of the future.”

Do they own a computer? It’s necessary so they can transfer digital music files onto the MP3 player, Frietchen says. The player must be compatible with the version of the operating system that their computer uses, and if it’s not, be aware that system upgrades can be expensive. The computer also must have a USB port to connect to the player.

Where will they want to get their music, beyond their existing collection? Frietchen and James Kim, senior editor of digital audio at technology Web site Cnet.com, point out that iPod owners are limited to buying music from Apple’s iTunes store, and owners of Sony MP3 players are limited to using its Connect music store.

Most other music stores, such as Napster, offer music in WMA (Windows Media Audio) format, which is compatible with most other MP3 players. Unlike iTunes, many music stores also offer monthly subscription services.

Are they picky about design? Some MP3 players are the size of a pack of gum, while others are big and bulky. Some players have touch screens, while others have buttons or click wheels. It’s all a matter of personal preference, so if the person you’re buying for is style-conscious, it could be risky to guess about what they want.

How will they use it? An iPod probably isn’t the best bet for someone who wants to listen FM radio, record his or her voice or record music from other audio sources. Those features come standard on many MP3s but not iPods - although you can purchase FM tuner and microphone attachments.

Six Tips for Buying an MP3 Player from Microsoft:

“If you’re the type of person who’s on the go all the time and wants to jam to your favorite tunes while commuting to work, trekking across campus, or working out, then having the “right” MP3 player is essential. Here are six tips to help you find the flash memory player that’s right for you:

1. Understand the basics.
For the active person, a player that uses flash memory to store music has distinct advantages over a player that uses a hard disk. Simply put, flash memory players have no moving parts, meaning that you can take them jogging and your music won’t skip.

2. Make sure you’re getting all the goodies.
Many portable music players can do more than just play music. Some players have a built-in voice recorder, FM recorder, or stopwatch. And some come with extra accessories like high-quality headphones, a belt clip, or an armband. Because most of these features are included at no additional cost, make sure the device you choose is filled with these fun extras.

3. You’ll want a display.
When you have hundreds of songs on your player, you really need an easy way to select your music by artist, album, or genre. This is critical if you want to find that one song or artist you really want to hear. A display also comes in handy when you’re looking for your favorite radio station.”

You can read all Microsoft’s tips for Buying an MP3 Player with Flash Memory here.

The question seller get asked more than any other about Portable MP3 Player is ‘How do I choose the right mp3 player?’ There are so many mp3 players currently on the market with more being introduced weekly - how does one make the decision of which mp3 player to choose? The MP3 player market covers a range of shapes, sizes, features, storage capacities, file formats, and download services.

‘First, there’s the question of design. A player can have every feature in the world, but if the design doesn’t match your lifestyle or if the interface is impenetrable, you still won’t enjoy it. You’ll want to look closely at performance; sound quality and battery life can make or break a player, especially if you travel a lot or have the so-called golden ears of an audiophile.

Before you start checking out specific models, you should have a basic understanding of the types of MP3 players available. Note: All types of player mentioned below can play other formats besides MP3, such as WMA, ATRAC3, OGG, or AAC, but we still refer to them as MP3 players.’

Universal MP3 player buying guide on Reviews.cnet.com will help you pick the perfect player. Read more…