Innovative electronic gadgets to keep you informed and entertained, while on the move, are ever expanding.
Included in this issue of CHOICE is a test report on 27 models of portable MP3 and multimedia (also called MP4) players, with prices varying vastly from $400 to $5,000.
The samples were compared and rated, for the reference of consumers, for their performance in: audio, convenience, portability, durability, versatility, and battery. The visual performance of the multimedia samples was also evaluated.
In general, a quality headphone will help to enhance the audio performance of these players - instead of the small earphones which accompany the products. Listening time for the players varied from the longest of 31 hours to the shortest of 4 hours.
Panelists in the convenience test favoured the hard disk models with large screen and simple navigation to pick the songs. Models with clear and simple instruction manual, plug-and-play connection with computer and high-speed file download also found favour with the panelists.
Multimedia or MP4 players with features of listening, viewing, FM radio, recording of video signal and external computer storage capability were all judged to be versatile, though many other MP3 samples were also equipped with built-in radio and line-in recording.
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