MP3 player reviews: Downloads
Getting started
So you’ve bought a new MP3 player, but what else do you need? Well, aside from some computing know-how, you also require a computer. That's because MP3 players and MP4 players play music and films that you store digitally.
These can either be copies of CDs you already own and have converted to digital files using your computer, or files that you've downloaded from the internet.
Download options
You can buy individual music tracks or even whole albums from websites. Yet music isn’t the only option – you can also download talking books from internet sites.
Silksound Books offers new readings of classic literature which can be downloaded in around 20 minutes for £7.95. Alternative providers include Audible, which offers more than 35,000 titles, and iTunes, which has 27,000 audiobooks.
Find out how to make the most of iTunes 8 with our advice guide to Apple iTunes tips and tricks.
Podcasts are more popular than ever
Podcasts
You can also download podcasts – radio programmes and TV clips – to use on your player. Many of these are free, and they’re hugely popular.
Popular podcasts include mugglenet, which includes the latest news from the world of Harry Potter, and our very own Which? podcasts which are packed with consumer advice.
You can search for podcasts by going to Podcast.net or Podcast Alley, or within iTunes.
Movies
Faster broadband connections have made it possible to download entire films to watch on computers and MP4 players.
Popular download sites include Vizumi and Wippit. You can either rent the programme or film you want for a number of days or buy it outright.
However, before making your purchase check the file format is compatible with your player or can be converted using supplied software.
And remember, while some MP4 players will let you show your downloaded films on a TV, they don’t always look good on a bigger screen.
Digital rights management
One of the most contentious issues for downloaders is DRM, or digital rights management. This is an anti-piracy technique that manages what you can and can't do with the file that you’ve downloaded, such as how many times you can copy it either to a CD or to another machine.
This enables companies to retain some control over how you use the music and films that you download.
In May 2007, record label EMI became the first company to make its music catalogue available without DRM. In August 2007, the world's biggest music label, Universal, followed suit and announced its own non-DRM initiative.
Apple joined them in early 2009 when it announced that downloads from its iTunes store would also be DRM free. Users can also pay to convert their old DRM tracks at a cost of £2 for each complete album, or 20p per song.