iPods and MP3 Players

What is a Video Codec?

July 23, 2007

Codec (short for compressor/decompressor) is a compression format used in video, such as MPEG-4 or DivX.. Your computer media player (for example, Windows Media Player, QuickTime or iTunes) should recognize the codec required for a particular video, and play the video automatically. If it does not, you will need to find and download the correct [...]

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How to Choose Headphones

March 18, 2007

Although your portable music player may have come with earbuds, there’s a whole world of headphone choices that provide better acoustics than the usual freebies. Before you buy, learn headphone lingo and the difference between technologies such as noise-reducing and noise-canceling at these buyer guides: CNET Headphone Buying Guide and HeadRoom Selection Guide.

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iPod Battery Tips

October 10, 2006

Leaving your iPod in a hot car will quickly eat up its battery charge. It’s best to leave your portable music player in the trunk, where it is likely to be cooler than in the glove compartment or passenger cabin For more tips on preserving iPod battery life, read “iPod Tips: Play On – Get [...]

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Copy From iPod to Computer

January 10, 2006

One feature glaringly missing from the iPod is the ability to copy songs from the device to your computer, as iTunes only works in the opposite direction: from computer to iPod. If your computer crashes without a backup of your music files, you will need software such as iPod Access to recover your songs. iPod [...]

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iPod Video Formats

November 29, 2005

Apple’s fifth-generation video iPod supports three video formats: MPEG-4, H264, and M4V (the copy-protected format used for videos sold through iTunes.) To convert a your own videos to an iPod format, you can use QuickTime Pro,

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Waterproof MP3 Players

April 5, 2005

With the advent of waterproof MP3 players, diehard music fans can take their tunes into the water. Solutions range from waterproof cases for existing players to players designed especially for underwater use. For even more choices, browse Froogle.

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Podcasting

February 21, 2005

Podcasting is distributing digital audio files for playback at a later time. It is a play on the words “broadcasting” and “iPod,” even though podcasting works on any music player, not just the Apple iPod. For more on podcasting, read Answers.com or download the free iPodder application.

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iTunes Jukebox

February 7, 2005

Even if you do not own an iPod, the free

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Music Networking Appliances

August 4, 2004

With the introduction of music networking appliances, digital music collections are moving beyond the home computer, onto the home stereo system. Here are just some of the products in this new category: Apple’s Airport Express for iPod owners, a variety of devices that work with RealPlayer’s Rhapsody music service and SoundBlaster’s Wireless Music.

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Digital Music Formats

October 28, 2003

Digital music is abuzz with new offerings that range from pay-per-download stores to monthly subscription sites. With all the activity, come a few new music formats. Both Windows Media Audio (WMA) and Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) include copy protection that allow the publisher to define what you can do with the download. MP3 is a [...]

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