What is all this about MP3 USB Keys ?

[onauc]

Hello,

Can some-one please tell me :

What is "Organic EL screen" ?

I am new to MP3 players.
I want to buy one that does not only play mp3 files but also play and record the radio aswell as record voice/sound/dictation.

Anyway, I am not interested in the "flash memory" ones because even though they are "remove-able memory" they do not contain that much space. And, those that do are too expensive.
And so, I thought it would be best if I get the one that has "internal memory" (hard drive) that can hold music aswell as data files so I can easily transfer important data files from my pc to it and carry it on my pocket always.

Anyway, as I was shopping around, I came across :

MP3 USB Key, Internal Memory and Hard Drive (3 types of MP3 Players/Recorders). Now, I am spoilt for choice. I mean, what's the difference between the "Internal Memory" type and the "Hard drive" and the "MP3 USB Key" type MP3 Players/Recorders ?
And, if the "MP3 USB Key" type is a "remove-able memory" then why do the following links advertising "MP3 USB Key" Mp3 Players/Recorders technical information section mention that they do not have "removeable memory" ?
Strange !
I am going to ask the website these questions but usually it takes 3 days for a website to get back and I can't afford to wait that long as I need to buy one immediately and so I need your brilliant helps.

Anyway, after checking a lot of brands and models I have come across many technical words that I don't understand. I have listed them in BOLD below so please try to explain them to me as much as you can.
I am not expecting anyone to explain every single technical words which I have listed but if anyone does volunteer to do so then GREAT !!!
I am not just simply listing the technical words because if I do that then maybe you too won't understand as some-times different websites list different words (which you have never heard or read before) explaining the same thing. And that is why I have listed the "context" aswell as the links so you can check the "technical information" of each MP3 Player/Recorder on the links yourself to check-out the full contexts of each products's technical descriptions.
Please note that I am not spamming the links because I don't own them and I am not affiliated with them either otherwise I would have listed my referral links.
Please look-out for the BOLD text for those are the words which I do not understand and need help to understand them and look-out for underlined text because those are my questions.

Thank You

MP3 USB KEY

1.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/80842/art/creative/usb-mp3-muvo-tx-512mb.html

CREATIVE USB MP3 MuVo TX 512MB

Functions : Data support
LCD panel : Reversible LCD screen for left/right hand use
Other information : 5 band customized equalizer and 4 preselections (Jazz, Rock, Pop, Classical)

What does data support mean here ? What kind of support ?

2.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/95459/art/memup/music-drive-i-256-mb-mp3.html

MEMUP Music Drive I 256 MB MP3 USB 2.0 key

Functions : MP3/WMA player, USB key, dictaphone

dictaphone ? Is this the built-in microphone that I speak into to record my voice ? I wonder upto how far these can record !

3.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/57865/art/creative/usb-mp3-muvo-tx-fm-512-us.html

CREATIVE USB MP3 MuVo TX FM 512 USB2 key

Record Function : FM/ vocal recording

Other: Audio anti-shock system

What is "vocal" ? Sorry ! Didn't understand anything about "vocal" from :

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=definition+%3A+vocal&btnG=Search&meta=

4.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/69992/art/inovix/mp3-usb-256-mb-black-key.html

INOVIX MP3 USB 256 Mb black key

LCD panel : Backlit LCD screen

What is this "back-lit" ?

5.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/52454/art/creative/muvo-tx-fm-usb-key-256mb.html

CREATIVE MuVo TX FM USB key - 256MB

Functions : Dictaphone, Data support, FM radio and recorder

LCD panel : Reversible LCD screen for right/left handed operations
Compatible with ID3 Tag

What is this ID3 thingy ?

6.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/81163/art/inovix/usb-key-mp3-imp-10-512mb.html

INOVIX USB key / MP3 iMP-10 - 512MB

Other information : 9 folders, with 99 files in each

What are these 9 folders usually named ? And, I guess the 99 names are 99 music files ?

7.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/59513/art/inovix/usb-2-0-key-mp3-fm-radio.html

INOVIX USB 2.0 key Mp3 FM radio iMP-64 512MB

LCD panel :
LCD 128 x 32 points Dot-Matrix
Type LED backlit (Blue)
ID3 Tag version 2 display: Album, Artist, Title

Display: Audio format, playmode, trach Nr,
battery status, volume control, equalizer, recording status,
lock, USB connection, track remaining time

Other information :
Decoder : 65 MIPS DSP
6-mode equalizer
Recording from FM radio.
Firmware upgradbale via user
Dictaphone.
Compatible with Win Me/XP/2K & Mac OS X
Built in radio

"Lock" ? Lock what ? And "Equalizer" ? Equalize what ?

8.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/85556/art/msi/mp3-usb-key-128-mb.html

MSI USB Key MP3 128Mb

Supported formats : MP3 et WMA

WHat is this "et" ?

9.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/41266/art/typhoon/usb-key-mp3-revolution-12.html

TYPHOON USB key MP3 Revolution 128 Mb

Functions :
Lecteur MP3
FM Radio
Dictaphone
Storage Support
Direct Encoding from any audio source

What is this "lecteur MP3" and what is it meant by "directly ENCODING" ?

9.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/80663/art/neonumeric/usb-key-mp3-neo-ilyn-512m.html

NEONUMERIC USB key MP3 Neo-Ilyn 512MB

Record Function : FM radio encoder, direct encoder, dictaphone

10.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/39626/art/ism-technologie/i-bead-ice-usb-key-256mo.html

ISM TECHNOLOGIE I-Bead Ice USB key 256Mo + Charger

Functions : MP3 player/USB key/Memory support/ Encodable FM tuner/Dictating machine function

11.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/80836/art/twinmos/usb-mobile-music-mpm-s11.html

TWINMOS USB Mobile Music MPM S11 256MB

Other information : Auto-reply, 5 mode equalizer

12.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/49191/art/live-music/usb-mp3-256mb-key.html

LIVE MUSIC USB MP3 256Mb key

Included accessories :
PC softwares
Carrycase
Silver round the neck strap
USB extension
Encoding cable
Stereo earphones
AAA alcaline battery
Manual in french

13.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/44132/art/iriver/player-mp3-ifp-180t.html?itag=3906

IRIVER Player MP3 iFP-180T

Record Function :
Yes
Radio and dictaphone encoding

Does this mean the MP3 Player can also record music played in it's internal radio ?

MP3 WITH INTERNAL MEMORY

14.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/85098/art/neonumeric/mp3-player-neo-safa-lcd-5.html

NEONUMERIC MP3 Player Neo Safa LCD 512 Mb

Record Function : Direct recording (FM, audio source, microphone)

Multimedia Functions : FM radio (20 presets) E-book, PC net PC, data storage, memo functions, digital image album, games

Advanced Functions : variable EQ, 3D stereo sound, slow and fast play, CD-Sync and VOR

What has "ebook" got to do with any of this ?

15.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/92484/art/samsung/yp-t6x-512-mb-mp3-player.html

SAMSUNG YP-T6X 512 MB MP3 Player

Record Function : Dictaphone and MP3 converter

Multimedia Functions : 7 curve equaliser, adjustable with SRS WOW External hard drive

16.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/77653/art/oregon/mp3-player-mp-100-black.html

OREGON MP3 Player MP 100 black

Removable Memory : No

InterFace : USB 2.0 for rapid file transfer (USB Flash Drive)

I thought that all I have to do to download music files from my pc to my MP3 Player or upload music from my MP3 Player to my PC is to hook-up them both with a USB cable so what does a remove-able medi "flash card" got to do with any of this ?

17.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/102939/art/memup/koolsteel-256-mb-fm-mp3-p.html

MEMUP KoolSteel 256 MB FM MP3 player

Multimedia Functions :
Direct encryption from external sources
Use as infrared remote control
Spectrum anlysis
Playlist navigation
Games
ID3 tag display

Other :
Retractable USB connecter
DRM 100 compatible
Lithium-Ion Polymer battery: 30 hour battery life

18.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/59515/art/inovix/mp3-imp-33b-1024mb-player.html

INOVIX MP3 IMP-33B 1024Mb player

Other :
Firmware upgradable via the user, 6-mode equalizer, playmodes (Normal, Repeat one, Repeat all, Shuffle, Repeat S),
decoder : 75 MIPS DSP STMP3501
Recording : Vocal ADPCM recording format, encoding in MP3 format (FM recording), recording via integrated

recording via integrated ? Don't understand this atall.

[alc6379]

Hello,

Can some-one please tell me :

What is "Organic EL screen" ?

It's just another type of display-- I'm guessing EL meaning "electroluminescent", or light-up

I am new to MP3 players.
I want to buy one that does not only play mp3 files but also play and record the radio aswell as record voice/sound/dictation.

Anyway, I am not interested in the "flash memory" ones because even though they are "remove-able memory" they do not contain that much space. And, those that do are too expensive.
And so, I thought it would be best if I get the one that has "internal memory" (hard drive) that can hold music aswell as data files so I can easily transfer important data files from my pc to it and carry it on my pocket always.

Anyway, as I was shopping around, I came across :

MP3 USB Key, Internal Memory and Hard Drive (3 types of MP3 Players/Recorders). Now, I am spoilt for choice. I mean, what's the difference between the "Internal Memory" type and the "Hard drive" and the "MP3 USB Key" type MP3 Players/Recorders ?
And, if the "MP3 USB Key" type is a "remove-able memory" then why do the following links advertising "MP3 USB Key" Mp3 Players/Recorders technical information section mention that they do not have "removeable memory" ?
Strange !
I am going to ask the website these questions but usually it takes 3 days for a website to get back and I can't afford to wait that long as I need to buy one immediately and so I need your brilliant helps.

USB Memory Keys and Internal memory are Flash drives. The terms mean the same thing. Hard drives are not flash-based-- they have a little hard drive inside of them. Flash and hard drives are the main ways music is stored on MP3 players.

Anyway, after checking a lot of brands and models I have come across many technical words that I don't understand. I have listed them in BOLD below so please try to explain them to me as much as you can.
I am not expecting anyone to explain every single technical words which I have listed but if anyone does volunteer to do so then GREAT !!!
I am not just simply listing the technical words because if I do that then maybe you too won't understand as some-times different websites list different words (which you have never heard or read before) explaining the same thing. And that is why I have listed the "context" aswell as the links so you can check the "technical information" of each MP3 Player/Recorder on the links yourself to check-out the full contexts of each products's technical descriptions.
Please note that I am not spamming the links because I don't own them and I am not affiliated with them either otherwise I would have listed my referral links.
Please look-out for the BOLD text for those are the words which I do not understand and need help to understand them and look-out for underlined text because those are my questions.

Thank You

You're in luck-- I have some spare time, and will give it a shot.

MP3 USB KEY

1.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/80842/art/creative/usb-mp3-muvo-tx-512mb.html

CREATIVE USB MP3 MuVo TX 512MB

Functions : Data support
LCD panel : Reversible LCD screen for left/right hand use
Other information : 5 band customized equalizer and 4 preselections (Jazz, Rock, Pop, Classical)

What does data support mean here ? What kind of support ?

It probably means you can store data on it, ie , use it as a portable storage device, in addition to an MP3 player.

2.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/95459/art/memup/music-drive-i-256-mb-mp3.html

MEMUP Music Drive I 256 MB MP3 USB 2.0 key

Functions : MP3/WMA player, USB key, dictaphone

dictaphone ? Is this the built-in microphone that I speak into to record my voice ? I wonder upto how far these can record !

Probably so. The amount it can record depends upon the format the sound is stored in, amount of memory on the device, and the quality of the recording.

3.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/57865/art/creative/usb-mp3-muvo-tx-fm-512-us.html

CREATIVE USB MP3 MuVo TX FM 512 USB2 key

Record Function : FM/ vocal recording

Other: Audio anti-shock system

What is "vocal" ? Sorry ! Didn't understand anything about "vocal" from :

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=definition+%3A+vocal&btnG=Search&meta=

Probably means "vocal recording", like a dictaphone.

4.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/69992/art/inovix/mp3-usb-256-mb-black-key.html

INOVIX MP3 USB 256 Mb black key

LCD panel : Backlit LCD screen

What is this "back-lit" ?

A light that illuminates the display of the unit, it shines from the back of the display.

5.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/52454/art/creative/muvo-tx-fm-usb-key-256mb.html

CREATIVE MuVo TX FM USB key - 256MB

Functions : Dictaphone, Data support, FM radio and recorder

LCD panel : Reversible LCD screen for right/left handed operations
Compatible with ID3 Tag

What is this ID3 thingy ?

ID3 is a way you can save Artist, Album, and other information. It's embedded in the MP3 file.

6.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/81163/art/inovix/usb-key-mp3-imp-10-512mb.html

INOVIX USB key / MP3 iMP-10 - 512MB

Other information : 9 folders, with 99 files in each

What are these 9 folders usually named ? And, I guess the 99 names are 99 music files ?

They probably mean you can have 9 folders on it, with 99 files in each. You're probably able to name them whatever you want.

7.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/59513/art/inovix/usb-2-0-key-mp3-fm-radio.html

INOVIX USB 2.0 key Mp3 FM radio iMP-64 512MB

LCD panel :
LCD 128 x 32 points Dot-Matrix
Type LED backlit (Blue)
ID3 Tag version 2 display: Album, Artist, Title

Display: Audio format, playmode, trach Nr,
battery status, volume control, equalizer, recording status,
lock, USB connection, track remaining time

Other information :
Decoder : 65 MIPS DSP
6-mode equalizer
Recording from FM radio.
Firmware upgradbale via user
Dictaphone.
Compatible with Win Me/XP/2K & Mac OS X
Built in radio

"Lock" ? Lock what ? And "Equalizer" ? Equalize what ?

You can probably lock the buttons, similar to how a cell phone can lock its keys. It works well when it's in your pocket because of this. Many audio devices employ equalizers, where you can adjust bass, treble, and mid frequencies of the sound.

8.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/85556/art/msi/mp3-usb-key-128-mb.html

MSI USB Key MP3 128Mb

Supported formats : MP3 et WMA

WHat is this "et" ?

just means "and".

9.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/41266/art/typhoon/usb-key-mp3-revolution-12.html

TYPHOON USB key MP3 Revolution 128 Mb

Functions :
Lecteur MP3
FM Radio
Dictaphone
Storage Support
Direct Encoding from any audio source

What is this "lecteur MP3" and what is it meant by "directly ENCODING" ?

don't know about the lecteur part, but directly encoding means that it can directly record the audio to whatever format it reads the music in, rather than say, recording it to a WAV, then encoding to an MP3.

9.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/80663/art/neonumeric/usb-key-mp3-neo-ilyn-512m.html

NEONUMERIC USB key MP3 Neo-Ilyn 512MB

Record Function : FM radio encoder, direct encoder, dictaphone

10.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/39626/art/ism-technologie/i-bead-ice-usb-key-256mo.html

ISM TECHNOLOGIE I-Bead Ice USB key 256Mo + Charger

Functions : MP3 player/USB key/Memory support/ Encodable FM tuner/Dictating machine function

Both of these mean you can record FM signals.

11.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/80836/art/twinmos/usb-mobile-music-mpm-s11.html

TWINMOS USB Mobile Music MPM S11 256MB

Other information : Auto-reply, 5 mode equalizer

NO IDEA!

12.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/49191/art/live-music/usb-mp3-256mb-key.html

LIVE MUSIC USB MP3 256Mb key

Included accessories :
PC softwares
Carrycase
Silver round the neck strap
USB extension
Encoding cable
Stereo earphones
AAA alcaline battery
Manual in french

Probably a cable that you can hook up to an audio source, so you can record to the device.

13.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/44132/art/iriver/player-mp3-ifp-180t.html?itag=3906

IRIVER Player MP3 iFP-180T

Record Function :
Yes
Radio and dictaphone encoding

Does this mean the MP3 Player can also record music played in it's internal radio ?

Yes.

MP3 WITH INTERNAL MEMORY

14.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/85098/art/neonumeric/mp3-player-neo-safa-lcd-5.html

NEONUMERIC MP3 Player Neo Safa LCD 512 Mb

Record Function : Direct recording (FM, audio source, microphone)

Multimedia Functions : FM radio (20 presets) E-book, PC net PC, data storage, memo functions, digital image album, games

Advanced Functions : variable EQ, 3D stereo sound, slow and fast play, CD-Sync and VOR

What has "ebook" got to do with any of this ?

You can probably store stuff on it, like ebooks. It's more of a multimedia machine with an MP3 player, I'd suppose.

15.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/92484/art/samsung/yp-t6x-512-mb-mp3-player.html

SAMSUNG YP-T6X 512 MB MP3 Player

Record Function : Dictaphone and MP3 converter

Multimedia Functions : 7 curve equaliser, adjustable with SRS WOW External hard drive

Not sure about the MP3 converter-- see my other description about equalizers.

16.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/77653/art/oregon/mp3-player-mp-100-black.html

OREGON MP3 Player MP 100 black

Removable Memory : No

InterFace : USB 2.0 for rapid file transfer (USB Flash Drive)

I thought that all I have to do to download music files from my pc to my MP3 Player or upload music from my MP3 Player to my PC is to hook-up them both with a USB cable so what does a remove-able medi "flash card" got to do with any of this ?

Certain MP3 players use Flash cards, which you can place in a card reader, and use like a floppy.

17.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/102939/art/memup/koolsteel-256-mb-fm-mp3-p.html

MEMUP KoolSteel 256 MB FM MP3 player

Multimedia Functions :
Direct encryption from external sources
Use as infrared remote control
Spectrum anlysis
Playlist navigation
Games
ID3 tag display

Other :
Retractable USB connecter
DRM 100 compatible
Lithium-Ion Polymer battery: 30 hour battery life

Spectrum analysis is just that little display with the bars jumping up and down. DRM is a digital rights protection scheme.

18.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/59515/art/inovix/mp3-imp-33b-1024mb-player.html

INOVIX MP3 IMP-33B 1024Mb player

Other :
Firmware upgradable via the user, 6-mode equalizer, playmodes (Normal, Repeat one, Repeat all, Shuffle, Repeat S),
decoder : 75 MIPS DSP STMP3501
Recording : Vocal ADPCM recording format, encoding in MP3 format (FM recording), recording via integrated

recording via integrated ? Don't understand this atall.

It just means that it has capability to record stuff, maybe through a microphone, I guess. Vocal ADPCM is just another audio codec, I'd guess.

Here's an idea for you-- why not tell us what you want to acheive with your MP3 player, and maybe people can make suggestions. That way, we can help you narrow down what the important things are to look for.