Hard Disk Drive or Flash Sports Mp3 Players
| Click here for a complete side-by-side comparison of Sports MP3 Player |
 |
|
You may also be interested in these review sites...
|
The boom in the portable media player industry began a race for larger storage capacities in smaller, more compact devices. The desire to be #1 has caused the technology supporting portable players to move in two very different directions-the hard disk drive (HDD) based player, and the flash memory based player.
Both types of players ultimately do the same thing, store information. However, they do so in very different ways. Each has upsides and downsides; it's best to consider all sides when choosing a player that will fit your lifestyle.
Hard Disk Drive
An HDD player stores data in much the same way as a desktop or laptop computer. A physical disk inside the player spins and stores information. These players come in two different sizes, the 1.8-inch hard drive, used in the iPod Video and the 1-inch hard drive, used in the smaller, iPod Mini.
The biggest advantage to a HDD player is the incredible amount of information you can store in a relatively small unit. For example, the iPod video is just slightly larger than a deck of cards, yet it will store 60 gigabytes of data. This translates to 15,000 songs, 25,000 photographs or 150 hours of video. Wolverine has a player with 120-gigabyte hard drive; this is the largest on the market today.
For larger storage capacities (more than 5 gigabytes) HDD players are more affordable-you get more gigs for your dollar. These players cost anywhere from $220 to over $500.
An HDD player has many spinning parts and the memory is based on magnetic technology so it's more prone to skip or break. If you drop one of these players, it will likely lose its memory.
Hard disk drive players are great for people who have a large music library and want to take it with them. These devices are also good for storing pictures and video. You can take your favorite movies with you on the road and photographers can upload their photographs or video to an HDD player between shoots.
Flash Memory
SanDisk invented flash memory, which was a breakthrough in data storage. Flash stores information on a chip that retains its memory even when turned off. Previous types of memory chips would instantly lose there memory when the power was turned off. Flash memory is now commonly used in smart phones, PDAs, jump drives as well as portable music players.
In general, hard drive disks have a lower price-per-megabyte at large capacities; however, in smaller capacities (less than 4 gigabytes) flash memories are more cost effective. Four gigabytes is more than enough for the average user; it will hold approximately 1000 songs.
Because a flash memory doesn't have any moving parts, it is a safer storage system. Flash players are entirely skip free; jolts and bumps will not affect the quality of music. Though no storage system is perfect, you will not lose your music if your player is accidentally dropped.
Another advantage to a flash player is they are considerably smaller. For example the 4 gigabyte iPod Nano weighs just 1.5 ounces.
Flash players are growing in popularity because of their affordability, small size and skip-free playback. These devices are great for anyone who likes music during exercise or wants a smaller, more portable player. Flash players don't store or play video yet, but it's coming soon in the future.
When considering an mp3 player, ask yourself two questions: How much do I want to spend and what do I want to do with it? Then, choose the player that is within your budget and best fits your needs.
Works Cited
Apple Computer, Inc. (2006). The Apple Store (U.S.) - iPod. from http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wo/1.RSLID?mco=CC4D3CBB&nclm=iPod
CNET Networks, Inc. (2006). Consumer Reports - MP3 Players. from http://www.mysimon.com/Consumer-Reports-MP3-Players/4002-9375-5077549.html
EzineArticles. (n.d.). Sports Mp3 Players : Flash-Hard Drive Which One Was Made For Your Music? . from http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Mp3-Players-:-Flash-Hard-Drive-Which-One-Was-Made-For-Your-Music?&id=135835
Stan Beer. (n.d.). Storage wars: flash vs the hard disk drive. from http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/2873/52/
©2003 – 2008 TopTenREVIEWS, Inc.
