Q: What is MP3?
A: MP3 is a file format that compresses digital audio so it takes up less space while retaining excellent fidelity. In the uncompressed CD format, each minute of music takes up about 10 megabytes of memory. With MP3 compression, an entire 4-minute song eats up only about 4 megabytes. The smaller size means that MP3 audio files can be transferred via Internet connections in just minutes. Over the past few years, MP3 has been the catalyst for a revolution in music distribution, giving consumers access to broader music choices than ever before.

Q: How does MP3 audio quality compare to CD?
A: A well-encoded MP3 file has what is called "near-CD" audio quality. Like the ATRAC compression used in MiniDisc recording, MP3 reduces file size by selectively removing information that is beyond the frequency range of human hearing or that is "masked" by more prominent sounds that occur simultaneously. Music compressed with MP3 at good quality (128 kb/s) requires 10 times less memory than it would in the uncompressed CD format. That means downloads are 10 times faster and MP3 players can hold 10 times as much music in the same amount of memory space. When compared side-by-side with the original CD, an MP3 file sounds very good, and for many pieces of music the sound quality will approach or be perceptively equal to the original CD recording.

Q: How much memory do I need?
A: One of the most important features of an MP3 player is the amount of music it can fit into its onboard memory. Each megabyte of memory can hold up to one minute of music at high-fidelity encoding rates. Therefore, a player with 64MB onboard memory will hold a little over an hour of high-quality music. Most players allow you to augment their built-in storage limitations with tiny removable flash memory cards such as SmartMedia, CompactFlash or Memory Stick. Their compact size and impressive (and evolving) storage capacity let you carry a lot more music around. If you listen to a lot of music, this feature may make the difference between a player that becomes your constant companion and a forgotten fling with high-tech that lives in a dusty box in your garage.

Q: Can I download more than music?
A: Yes. With many MP3 players you can store not only music but phone numbers and e-mail addresses too. So you have a player that acts like a PIM (Personal Information Manager). Sounds a bit esoteric, but you might be surprised how handy this feature can be. Another optional feature offered in some MP3 players is the ability to record digital voice memos (up to 4 hours with the slower bit rates used to record this type of non-critical audio), for those spontaneous inspirational moments.

Q: Which MP3 player should I get?
A: Most portable MP3 players do essentially the same thing - store and play back digital music - but each individual player has its own design features. Some players can handle a range of other digital audio formats as well as MP3, so if you have MP2, ATRAC or RealAudio tracks you want to play, make sure you get a player that can support these formats. Many of the more advanced models are "firmware upgradable," meaning that they can be updated to process newer, cooler audio compression formats that may be dreamed up in the future (no planned obsolescence here). And in an odd nod to nostalgia, a few players even include an integrated FM radio, should you grow weary of treading the brave new frontier of e-music.

Before buying, there are some important questions to ask: Does it fit your style? Does it have that needed belt clip? Is it small enough? Then get down to the basics.

Q: Why are MP3 players a cool gadget to own?
A: Portable MP3 players are the hottest gadgets on the market and for good reason: they allow you to hear all that great music that's available on the Web and take it with you everywhere you go. Weighing in at only a few ounces, these battery-powered devices are simple to use. Most portable MP3 players come bundled with software including a ripper that allows you to convert songs from your CD collection into MP3 files on your computer's hard drive and a file manager that lets you organize, store and transfer MP3s from your PC onto the player. First, just download some MP3 files from the Web or rip some tracks off a CD. Once you're finished, transfer the files onto your portable MP3 player via your PC's parallel or USB port. Detach the cable, and you're ready to hit the road.

Q: What are the advantages?
A: You'll be on the cutting edge of technology. MP3 players are just a fraction of the size and weight of a personal CD player, and since the music files are stored in solid-state flash memory, your music won't skip. And for music lovers, MP3 is a dream come true. Tracks by thousands upon thousands of artists, from the established to the obscure, are available for download on the Internet. Some outlets charge a small fee for downloads, but a lot of independent music is available for free. You can store, organize and listen to music right from your computer and download it easily to a player that you can take on the road, which means you may never have to go to a record store again. And with the music industry increasingly looking to the Internet as a venue for commercial music distribution, now's the ideal time to get ahead of the game and start growing your MP3 music collection.

Q: I want to get music off the Web. Where can I find MP3s?
A: A staggering number of Web sites offer MP3 files for download. Just type "MP3" into the text field of any search engine, and you'll get hundreds of links. Today, many of the downloads are free. There are also several emerging Web sites where you can purchase MP3 files from regional and nationally renowned artists. Simply visit an MP3 supplier, pay a small fee for download rights (if necessary), and download them to your computer. You can transfer the files to your MP3 player and listen to them at home, on the beach or on your favorite mountaintop.

Q: How do I transfer MP3s onto my CDs?
A: First you need an internal or external CD-Rewritable (CD-RW) or CD-Recordable (CD-R) drive, some blank CDs, CD-writing software, and a fully loaded MP3 player. Then, you just need to convert your MP3 files into large .wav files so your CD player can read them. The options menu on your player should give you this choice. Once you have converted your MP3 files, you're ready to copy the .wav files onto a blank CD. Open your CD burner software and follow the prompts. Tada! Now you're the proud owner of a personalized CD. NOTE: any fidelity lost in the compression process to create the original MP3 file will be retained in the CD-R copy. Converting compressed files back into the larger .wav format will not restore the discarded information. Just because the file size is larger doesn't mean it will sound better than the smaller MP3 file.

Q: I want to make my own MP3s. Can I?
A: Yes. Now it's easy to convert all the music you have on your CDs into MP3 format so you can listen to your favorite songs on your MP3 player. Most players come with a software package that lets you rip and encode music from your CD collection. Just boot up the PC, familiarize yourself with these tools and you're on your way.

Q: I've heard about ripping. What exactly is it?
A: Ripping is the process of extracting songs from a CD and copying them onto your hard drive. It's easy to do using a computer program called a CD ripper, some form of which is included with most commercially available MP3 players.

Q: What kind of CD ripper should I get?
A: As mentioned above, most MP3 players come bundled with a software package that includes a CD ripper. However, should you decide to purchase one separately, avoid those that extract CD tracks in real time via your sound card. They use analog audio recording, which has a reputation for clicks, pops and hisses. Plus, extracting songs takes an eternity. Real-time extraction is handy if you want to encode music from analog sources like LPs and cassettes, but when working with digital sources such as CDs, it pays to use a ripper that supports digital audio extraction; it will sound better and can work up to 8 times faster.

Q: How do I encode my files?
A: Once you've ripped the tracks to your hard drive, you'll need to convert them to the MP3 format. To do this you need an MP3 encoder. Many CD rippers have MP3 encoders built in, or you can download a separate encoder utility, such as MP3Enc. Once you've converted your CD tracks into the MP3 format, you can listen to them just as you would a downloaded MP3 file.

Q: What is sampling rate?
A: Digital recording is achieved by sampling - essentially, taking a digital snapshot of the sound at regular intervals. The higher the sampling rate, the more snaphots are created in a fixed period of time, and the more accurate the recording. There exists a direct relationship between the sampling rate, sound quality (fidelity), and storage space: the higher the sampling rate, the higher the fidelity and the greater the storage requirements. Digital sound sampled at high-fidelity rates requires massive storage. For example, the CD audio format can hold 600 million characters of text, but only 74 minutes of uncompressed music.

Q: How do I remove all content (e.g., songs, photos, videos) on my player?
A: Follow these instructions to remove all content on your player.  Press the Menu button, select "settings", then select "system", then select "erase all"