MP3 Player Articles

I know our MP3 Insider audience could probably spot the difference between FLAC and MP3 just by using their finely-tuned ears, but for mere mortals, making sense of audio formats isn't easy. There was a time when all you had to worry about was music coming on CD, cassette, or vinyl, and telling them apart was obvious. Telling the difference between MP3, WMA, and WAV files isn't quite as clear and determining each format's advantages and limitations takes some homework, too.

If you or someone you know could use a little Audio Formats 101, I've made … Read more

Updated at 4:50 PDT: You can read the full review of the product here.

No matter how long your iPhone or iPod's battery life is, it's never long enough. (In the case of the iPhone 3G, it's not even long to begin with). So, it's natural that you'd want to get a juice pack, which will provide extended battery power that can double or even triple the amount of time you can use your device between charges.

Most juice packs work with only a particular model of a device. The Juice Pack Air from Mophie, … Read more

Ultimate Ears has been a familiar name to musicians and other audio professionals for a decade, but the company has gained quite a following with its consumer line as well. Earphones in its various lines range in affordability and scale nicely, from discerning listeners to audiophiles. At the bottom end, you have the MetroFi line, which has recently enjoyed a refresh in the form of the 220 and 170 earphones, the latter being the subject of this review.

The MetroFi 170 Noise Isolating Earphones are the cheapest set in the Ultimate Ears family and come in two versions: a standard … Read more

There are dozens of voice memo applications available for the iPhone and iPod Touch that do a decent enough job for dictating your grocery list. Professional recording applications, however, are much harder to come by.

Audiofile Engineering's FiRe application ($5.99) is by far the most advanced stereo audio recording application we've seen for the iPhone and iPod Touch, going far beyond the limitations of previous go-to apps, such as BIAS' iProRecorder. To get stereo audio into FiRe, you'll need to use compatible microphone accessories, such as the Alesis ProTrack, or our current fave, the Blue Microphones Mikey. … Read more

Anticipating your need for a summertime beach blanket boombox, Creative is now selling a version of its Travelsound portable speaker made just for the fourth-generation iPod Nano. The Travelsound i85 sells for $99, or about $20 more than last year's model, the i80.

The difference in price is reflected by a new feature: a built-in FM radio receiver that integrates with your iPod. Just like Apple's Radio Remote accessory, the Travelsound i85's radio is controlled on your iPod using an onscreen tuner with multiple presets.

The Travelsound i85's rechargeable battery is rated at 15 hours of … Read more

I don't know about you, but I find the hard plastic earbuds that come with most MP3 players to be hideously uncomfortable, not to mention lacking in low end response (and just generally tinny sounding). If you're looking to upgrade your listening experience but don't want to spend too much doing it, it's worth considering the Altec Lansing BackBeat Classic 106 earphones. These in-ear 'buds offer a fairly comfortable design, a durable cloth-covered cable, and reasonable sound quality--all for around $20. Your ears will thank you.

Read the BackBeat Classic 106 review

If you have a favorite animal, chances are you can now find it in the form of an iPod speaker. We've seen everything from pigs and pandas to cats and dogs. Heck, even insect lovers don't get left out in the cold, thanks to Vestalife's Butterfly and Ladybug speaker docks. The Ladybug goes for $110 and rather outshines its cousin in design and sound quality. For those who are after a different-looking portable speaker with a reasonable smattering of extras, this unit could fit the bill.

Read the Vestalife Ladybug review.

We're kicking off a new series of How-To videos here at CNET that focuses on practical instruction for everyday technology. This is stuff that's a little too fundamental to be on an existing segment such as Insider Secrets, but requires more explanation than a Quick Tip. For my part, I thought I'd knock out a few tutorials on some basic and intermediate aspects of Apple's ubiquitous iTunes jukebox software.

In the following video and slideshow tutorial, I'll show you around the iTunes standard playlist feature (saving Genius and Smart playlists for another time). I know … Read more