WHY YOU NEED AN MP3 PLAYER
Streaming music on your phone is convenient, but MP3 players have bigger benefits. Robert Irvine explains why you should buy one and recommends the best devices
Digital audio players – or MP3 players as they’re more commonly called – have recently made a comeback. As with DVDs (see our feature in Issue 718, page 60), many people have found that older methods of playing music and video have advantages over the restrictions and unreliability of streaming. This is especially true if you’ve amassed a large collection of MP3s by ripping tracks from CDs and downloading songs from the internet.
In this feature, we suggest why you should listen to music and podcasts on a dedicated portable player rather than your smartphone. We also recommend the best devices to buy for under £200.
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY AN MP3 PLAYER
Interruption-free listening
When you listen to music on your smartphone, you’re likely to be interrupted and distracted by incoming calls, messages and app notifications. Your streaming may also be halted by a lost mobile or Wi-Fi signal.
An MP3 player offers distraction-free listening and works offline, so you’re not dependent on a network connection. Additionally, because there are fewer processes running in the background, its battery lasts longer than a smartphone’s.