We asked Christopher Davies to get some cotton buds, clean out his ears and check out some of the latest portable music players
Since the introduction of the iPod, we have been able to carry around an entire music collection in our pocket. Even though MP3 players were around before Apple’s initial digital music offering, it was the iPod that kick-started a revolution despite some scepticism from critics, a fact that is now hard to believe. A huge variety of portable music devices are available on the market today, so let’s take a look at some of the best.
Apple iPod Touch Fifth Generation
Price: From £249
Size: 32GB and 64GB
Even though it’s nearly 12 years since the very first iPod, Apple’s portable music player still leads the way. The classic click wheel iPod remains in existence and offers 160GB for just £199, however Apple’s touchscreen variant provides the user with so much more.
In addition to the beautifully assembled lightweight slim line casing, the iPod touch features an expansive 4-inch Retina display. You really can appreciate the device’s cover flow feature while browsing and selecting music. Listening to your favourite tunes is also improved thanks to Apple’s new EarPods, designed to fit comfortably inside your ears without compromising audio quality.
You could argue that further inclusions like web browsing, social networking, games and Apple’s personal assistant Siri are unnecessary extras for a portable music player, however it’s hard to dismiss such a refined product.
Sony Walkman NWZ-F805
Price: £209
Size: 16GB
Sony has had a footprint in the portable music market for decades, with its iconic Walkman range of cassette, CD, minidisc and now MP3 players enjoying a prolonged lifespan. Its web-enabled NWZ-F805 digital music player with video support is the tech giant’s latest contribution.
Although the 3.5 inch screen is smaller than the iPod touch, its Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system and powerful processor makes interaction responsive and enjoyable. The Walkman’s audio quality is also a key feature, with the S-Master MX Digital Amplifier and xLOUD speaker system producing rich, clear and crisp sounds both with and without headphones.
It’s internal memory of 16GB could become troublesome if you keep adding music, however its intuitive software and great sound quality means the Sony is a great iPod alternative.
SanDisk Sansa Clip+
Price: From £30
Size: 4GB and 8GB
A fantastic budget option, the Sansa Clip+ is a small, compact, no-nonsense MP3 player at an incredibly cheap price. Perfect for the daily commute or working out at the gym, this no-frills device is still able to hold thousands of songs in a range of audio formats such as FLAC and Ogg Vorbis. If you’re bored with your selection of songs it also features a built-in FM radio.
Its backlit OLED screen may not be the largest display on the market, but it has a straightforward, easy to use interface. What it lacks in additional features it makes up for in battery life, lasting up to 15 hours on a single charge.
While you may think the memory is a little on the small side, a built-in microSDHC expansion slot enables the device’s storage capacity to be increased by up to 32GB.
Apple iPad Fourth Generation
Price: From £399
Size: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB
Not the most convenient or compact portable music player, however the iPad’s vast array of impressive capabilities make it a viable option.
With an internal memory of up to 128GB now available, the iPad will easily cope with an expansive music collection while leaving plenty of space for photos, videos, applications and documents.
Thanks to the device’s capacity for cellular connectivity, on the go streaming from apps like Spotify mean any audio track is just a couple of taps and swipes away. What’s more, if you really want to take portable music to the next level, App Store offerings including Garage Band, djay and Magic Piano are sure to satisfy your inner artist.
