The MP3 Player is part of the revolution in this age of ever changing technology. It is the most recent entry in the music world. None of the previous models come near to the amenities provided by this MP3 Player. The bonus point is that you can hold it in your hand or slip it into your pocket carrying more than thousand songs as you move about. The whole contraption weighs less than an ounce. This point about portability has appealed most to consumers.
The revolution came about in the latter half of the 90`s. MPEG stands for Moving Picture Experts Group. The target was to compress into one device innumerable data – either audio or video. A person who is using an MP3 device with 1 GB storage capacity can carry 240 tunes that is the same as the amount contained in 20 CD`s.
The story of capturing music began in 1877 with Edison inventing the first phonograph. In 1887 flat zinc discs came to be incorporated. In 1896 the radio made its debut. Sony and Philips now took up the gauntlet and introduced one marvel after another – Walkman compact disc, 8-track magnetic tape etc. In 1989 the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany patented the MP3 format. The idea was to take off where audio cassettes left off. Philips and Sony came up with their version and the first MP3 players were introduced and sold in Korea.
The previous models of music players required mobile parts but a MP3 player uses only solid-state memory. It is a storage tool that has software embedded in it. It allows transfer of MP3 files to the player. The MP3 can also copy music not only from the radio but also from CD`s and Internet web sites. The list is organized for the convenience of the user. An MP3 is an amalgam of many technologies. The basics consist of data port, memory, micro and digital signal processors, display, playback controls, audio port, amplifier and power supply point.
The files of the MP3 are stored in the memory of the player. The types of memory are internal-flash, compact-flash, smart-media, memory stick and internal micro-drive. Except for internal micro-drive all the types are solid state. It means there are no moving parts and therefore more reliable with no hopping in the music.
The brain of the MP3 player consists of the microprocessor. Through playback controls the input is monitored. Information is displayed and directions given to the chip regarding the storage and playing of music.
Rechargeable batteries power all the MP3 players. It lasts for 10 to 28 hours. There are also AC adapters that can be plugged in to an electric point. Others have DC adapters that can be used in cars.
There are innumerable types of MP3 players. The choice depends on the load of music you want to store and how much you are willing to pay for it. Basically there are four types. A flash memory player is the tiniest and holds fewer songs. The hard-drive and mini- hard models are bigger and offer more storage capacity. The MP3 CD player and mini-disc models can contain 10 hours of melody. For this model a CD burner is required. The MP3 has not stopped in its tracks but with each passing day new amenities are being listed. It comes with satellite radios, DVD players, sunglasses, and even with an army knife! It is a hybrid culture within your budget.
By: Roberto Sedycias
Posts Tagged ‘Mp3 Files’
The Journey Of The Mp3 Player
February 15th, 2010Sony is Dusting Off the Walkman
October 14th, 2009
Sony is dusting off the name “Walkman” to compete with Apple’s iPod. The Japanese are building on their own music experience to capitalize on the popularity of the smaller MP3 player.
In the eighties and nineties the Sony Walkmans and Discmans were a part of everyday life. But these days the MP3 player has market dominance and the Japanese company has faded. Apple and its iPod is now number one.
Just last week both companies introduced new MP3 players which will be in direct competition with each other. Sony introduced two players under the name “The New Walkman”, while Apple released the iPod Nano.
Sony is using the name “Walkman” in the hope that 26 years after the first introduction of the famous cassette player that name still has competitive value. However, we must conclude that however great Sony’s past accomplishments they have missed the boat in the MP3 revolution in a major way. The main cause for Sony’s failure is their stubborn refusal to give up the Attrac3 music format. While the whole world was exchanging MP3 files it was only last year that Sony introduced players that can handle this format.
By that time Apple was just releasing its seventh generation of iPod-type players.
Sony now markets the NWA-1000 and NWA-3000. These music players can directly communicate with the Sony music store “Connect”. It is also possible to copy files from the computer directly to the players.
Sony is well known for their activity in the music and film business. They must use their position in this field to regain market share and prestige in this interconnected industry. Interconnected because it seems that it is both Sony’s and Apple’s strategy to heavily interconnect music player, software and music store. Apple’s iTunes was the first Internet music store offered large-scale legal downloads of MP3 files.
Sony won’t give us any figures about their sales and market share. Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple) has no problem with figures. Perhaps the major reason for this is how good they are. Apple claims about half a billion downloads in a heavily growing market.
The iTunes store is heavily focused on its cooperation with the iPod. This player is definitely the market leader among the more expensive MP3 players which have their own hard disk. In the cheaper segment, MP3 players with the so called flash memory, the leaders are Creative, LG and iRiver. The iPod Shuffle with its flash memory couldn’t do much about that. The negative sentiment about the shuffle was mainly due to its lack of an LCD screen and relatively high price.
With the iPod Nano Steve Jobs’ Apple has a twofold challenge on its hands. Firstly there is the above-mentioned competition with Sony. Secondly, the new Apple player has a storage space of 4Gb of flash memory and no hard disk.
The iPod Nano is the successor to the iPod Mini. Apple is constantly reducing the physical size and the prize of their players. Their strategy seems to be to concentrate on iTunes as their major profit producer.
There is an interesting time ahead of us — we will see heavy competition between Apple and Sony both in the interconnected markets of the MP3 players and their respective music stores.
Who will win? I don’t know, but one thing I do know is that Apple was almost broke at the end of the last century. It has been under the leadership of Steve Jobs that Apple made an almost miraculous comeback as a major player on the global market of mini-electronics.
By: Hans Dekker
