MP3 Player Articles

As MP3 players become more popular, the age at which a child is introduced to them continually decreases. And finding appropriate headphones for youngsters presents a few unique challenges.

First and foremost, any responsible parent wants to ensure that any sounds being piped into their little ones' ears are coming through at safe listening levels. While it's important to consider music volume and hearing protection at any age, kids' ears are more sensitive the younger they are, which is why it's important that their headphones employ a volume limiting feature. And then there is the lesser--but still important--issue … Read more

Chances are at least one of your friends or family members owns an iPod. Or maybe you're planning on giving one as a gift this holiday season. Perhaps you have one yourself and think even inanimate objects deserve presents.

Whatever the reason, it's the perfect time to pick up some accessories for this ubiquitous MP3 player. Rest assured, there is no shortage of add-ons for the iPod; in fact, wading through the sea of cases, speakers, chargers, and car mounts for this device can be a bit of a daunting task.

This is precisely why we've packaged … Read more

Speakers made for home audio setups are encased in cabinets constructed of a variety of materials, but many high-end models stick to solid-wood enclosures. The argument is that this particular natural material offers superior acoustics, so it comes as no surprise that we're beginning to see more and more earphones incorporating wood into the earpieces. iFrogz provides one example with its Ear Pollution Timbre earbuds, an inexpensive pair that provides very natural-sounding audio and ear-vibrating bass.

Read the Ear Pollution Timbre review.

Do you love listening to music as much as you love to precisely measure cooking ingredients? Of course you don't. But that's not going to stop ADE Germany from slapping an iPod dock onto a kitchen scale early next year, with an expected asking price of $103.

The scale, which is curiously dubbed "Rihanna," includes an LCD that measures 1.7 inches by less than an inch and an integrated iPod speaker that plays beneath the glass measuring area.

The scale itself handles loads of up to 11 pounds, graduated in .04-ounce steps. It cannot, however, … Read more

I can't help but cringe every time I get an e-mail blast referring to "special" gadgets made "just for women!" Maybe this is because I was around during a time when this meant splashing some Pepto-pink paint onto an otherwise unchanged piece of tech. Or perhaps it's more that many of these efforts are still so often misguided. Show me one woman who likes shimmery tech with an interface made of bubble writing and I'll show you another who loves matte-black gear that uses only analog knobs.

Now, I'm not accusing Audio-Technica … Read more

So you've managed to get your hands on one of the world's most sought-after MP3 players, the Apple iPod Touch. This sleek and innovative device will keep you plenty entertained for sure--especially with new music apps from Pandora and AOL adding Internet radio capability--but you'll soon realize that a little extra investment can help you get the most out of your player.

For one thing, those stock Apple earbuds aren't the best-sounding--or most comfortable--headphones to be had. The first step is to upgrade, and our top headphones list is an excellent place to start. Pay special … Read more

Although there is no shortage of portable speakers made for the iPod, the number specifically aimed toward the iPod Touch and the iPhone is significantly less. In fact, the Livespeakr Ultra-Portable Speaker is the only one we've come across that patently leaves out other iPods, with a design that caters completely to the touch-screen members of the family. This $80 unit won't blow you away with stellar sound, but the supercompact and innovative design may be enough to lure you in.

Read the Livespeakr review

Staying competitive in an iPod-ruled marketplace is a challenge, and not just because of the player's built-in virtues (or Apple's massive marketing budget). The reigning king of the MP3 players has an advantage simply because it resides at the top of the heap, and that advantage comes in the form of feature-adding third-party accessories. Case in point: the Gigaware In-Line Remote with HD Radio, an $80 add-on for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

That's right, kids...that would be the iPod addressing a major selling point and advantage of the Zune HD. Please don't act surprised. … Read more

If you're looking for a small, tasteful, portable iPod speaker for less than $100, you could do a lot worse than the unfortunately named Philips SBD7500. Its sound quality is middle-of-the-road, yet still sounds pleasant, and its operation is about as simple as it gets--with a power switch, volume control, and a bass boost switch.

There's nothing fancy about the specs or features--no radio, no Bluetooth, no clock, and no remote. It is iPhone-compatible, though, and there's something to be said for keeping things simple. That said, if you have an extra $50 to throw at a … Read more