Although MP3 player manufacturers plan their products mostly for music, these days many people have embraced MP3 players for listening to audio books as well. The fact that they can carry around their MP3 players, instead of listening to audio books on the PCs make the players very popular.
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 narrow down 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. Make sure that the player has a large memory. Since you would be storing your audio books in it, you should purchase the one that has enough memory for audio books of up to 5 hours or more.
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. Many publishers prefer their audio book content to be protected, so your MP3 player needs to be able to play files that are using Digital Rights Management (DRM). This is often 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.
A personal recommendation based on my own experience: PANASONIC SV-MP020 Digital Audio Player  . I've used it to listen to audio books for nearly two years now, and I absolutely love it! It's hard for me to believe this inexpensive player could offer so much.
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