Although MP3 player manufacturers plan their products mostly for music,  recently many people have welcomed MP3 players for listening to audio books also.  Since they can take their MP3 players with them wherever they go, instead of having to listen to audio books on the PCs only,  the players have become very well-received.

With so many choices available out there, and most MP3 players are pretty complex, choosing the right MP3 player can be a confusing experience for many people. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, you might end up buying the wrong MP3 player.

So how do you know which one is best for you?

Here are some tips to help you cut down on the choices and find the right MP3 player for listening to audio books:

1. The most important factor to consider is the way the MP3 player  handles interruption. Unlike music that you can start afresh when interrupted, it isn't so much fun to have to restart an audio book from the beginning after listening to it for up to 2 hours.
So, take your time to search for MP3 players that allow users to resume from the exact spot they stopped. You may want to test the player before buying it. If it works fine, then go ahead. If it doesn't, search for another that does.

2. The player should have at least 1 GB of memory, because you would need a lot of storage space for your audio books --some books can be as large as 5 hours or more. Fortunately, many current versions of MP3 players have more than 1GB, so it wouldn't be difficult for you to find one.

3. Find out that the player's volume is loud enough. In as much as you can use an earphone to listen to the MP3 player, it is ideal if the volume is loud enough to be listened to amid a noisy surrounding.

4. Make sure that the MP3 player that you purchase can play encrypted files. Most publishers protect their audio book copyright by using DRM --short for "Digital Rights Management", to encryp content to allow the publisher to control who has access to the content. This feature is usually referred to as WMA DRM.

5. Be certain that the player is manufactured by a reputable brand. It wouldn't be wise to base your buying decision on low cost alone. There are many low quality MP3 players that are made from Asian countries. Many of these are not worth buying.

However, if the idea of having to spend endless hours looking for a decent MP3 player for your audio books really bores you to tears, here's one of my personal favorites: SanDisk Sansa Clip 4 GB MP3 Player (Silver). No bells and whistles, just an excellent player for your audio book listening pleasure.