| Recording audio started towards the end of | | | | the file which then decompresses it, converts |
| the 19th century with Thomas Edison's | | | | it to analogue, amplifies the signal and |
| phonograph. This was a machine (that | | | | transfers it to the headphones. This, in a |
| consisted of a tinfoil cylinder and a speaker | | | | nutshell, is how it works. As for the |
| that resembled the megaphone) that he | | | | hardware, there is a laser device that reads |
| invented and used to make a recording of Mary | | | | the CD's, just as the stylus works for the |
| Had a Little Lamb, the first song recorded. | | | | records and a magnetic head for cassette |
| This moment was crucial in the history of | | | | tapes. The idea no longer looks puzzling now |
| recorded sound. Wax, metal and other | | | | that several types of MP3 players have been |
| materials are shaped into cylinders and disks | | | | created and the future of the system is |
| were used for at least 50 years. In 1929 the | | | | likely to store even more revolutionary |
| vinyl records were made and dominated the | | | | devices of the kind. We will certainly see an |
| scene for the next forty years. Amazingly | | | | increase in a wide range of products but, for |
| enough magnetic tape was developed at the | | | | the time being, there are only three types of |
| same time but it only gained popularity in | | | | MP3 players available. The smallest, cheapest |
| the 1960s. In 1985, the Compact Disc was | | | | and probably the most reliable of all are the |
| developed by Sony and Philips and instantly | | | | Flash Players. Their batteries are long |
| became a huge success and, 13 years later, | | | | lasting due to the fact that they have no |
| the portable MP3 player then made its debut. | | | | moving parts. The capacity of these players |
| It was a breakthrough that would change | | | | has already reached 4GB and will surely |
| everything; we can now store and listen to a | | | | increase in the near future. The newest |
| massive amount of music, not just a few songs | | | | models are about the size of a credit card. |
| that use up all the memory of the player. So, | | | | Hard Drive Players can have a memory of 80GB |
| in order to be able to store much, we must | | | | so they can hold thousands of tunes, photos |
| get the file compressed. This is where the | | | | and videos. All this on a device that is |
| codec software enters the stage; it can | | | | about the size of a deck of cards. Last but |
| convert analogue music to a smaller digital | | | | not least, the latest generation of portable |
| file which is then stored in the memory of | | | | CD-players, the CD MP3 players, employ MP3, |
| the MP3 (the air pressure waves that we hear | | | | ATRAC and WMA formats; some of them can even |
| as sounds bear the name of 'analogue audio' | | | | burn CDs, and will hold 10 to 45 hours of |
| when they are recorded). MP3 files can be | | | | music per disc. There are also Minidisk |
| constructed at higher or lower bit rates, | | | | models, a little more expensive than the |
| with higher or lower resulting quality. A | | | | standard ones |
| mid-range bit rate setting of 128 Kbit/s | | | | |
| results in a file of about 1/10th the size of | | | | Find discount MP3 Players online now. Sony |
| the file created from the original source. | | | | MP3 Walkman and iPod models can be found plus |
| When we listen to our music, the software | | | | many more big brand names. |
| that has been embedded in the player reads | | | | |