MP3 players: Getting started with your MP3 player Downloading music and videos for your MP3 player
The BBC offers a range of podcasts
As well as playing songs that you’ve converted into a digital format from CDs and records, MP3 players can also play tracks that you’ve downloaded from the internet.
Downloading music is a great way of obtaining new music for your MP3 player. Online retailers such as iTunes and Amazon have huge collections, from the latest releases to tracks by obscure artists, and you can access it all without having to leave your house.
Download options for MP3 players
You can buy individual music tracks or even whole albums from websites. Yet music isn’t the only option for an MP3 player – you can also download talking books from internet sites.
The Apple iPod Touch and Sony NWZ-X1050 MP3 players can download songs without connecting to a computer. See what our experts thought of them at our MP3 players reviews page.
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 50,000 titles, and iTunes, which has 27,000 audiobooks.
Podcasts
You can also download podcasts – radio programmes and TV clips – to use on your MP3 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 Alley or by looking in iTunes.
You can download movies from sites such as Lovefilm
Movies
Faster broadband connections have made it possible to download entire films to watch on computers and MP4 players.
Popular download sites include iTunes and LoveFilm. You can either rent the programme or film you want for a number of days or buy it outright.
To find the best model for watching movies, use our online MP3 player product picker.
However, before making your purchase check the file format is compatible with your MP3 player or can be converted using supplied software.
And remember, while some MP3 players will let you show your downloaded films on a TV, they don’t always look good on a bigger screen.
