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MP3 players have long since stopped being a luxury and become an essential.  As more manufacturers have started competing with Apple’s dominent iPod clan, we’ve seen players so small you could accidentally inhale them and a raft of new features, from the sensible (internet capability and audio enhancement) to features with a more niche appeal (waterproof players*).

Another advantage of the current ubiquitousness of MP3 players is a sharp drop in prices.  While the first iPod would have set you back around £240 for the 5GB model, you can pick up a 4GB model for as little as £25 these days.

With this in mind, here is our guide to some of the best MP3 players under £50

Best in class goes to the Sansa Clip 8GB.  Although these can be bought for as little as £35, they don’t scrimp on features, with a microphone and FM radio - unlike even top of the range iPods. Four colours are available and each has a built-in clip, like the popular iPod Shuffle. 8GB will hold around 2000 songs in MP3 format.

The Philips GoGear Vibe 4GB gives you a colour screen for photo viewing, a microphone and FM radio.  Very conveniently, this player charges through a USB connection to your computer.  From £38, the 4GB model will hold 1000 songs.

You can even get your hands on an iPod or under £50: the 2GB model of the newest generation of Shuffle is being sold at £40-45 by a range of shops.  Apple claims this is the world’s smallest MP3 player - an achievment made possible by moving the controls from the player to the headphone cord and replacing a screen with a voice-over telling you the artist and title information.

*(If the mention of a waterproof player at the start of this article grabbed your attention, take a look at the Nu Dolphin: 1GB storage, waterproof heaphones and special straps to hold it to your goggles for £49)

The iPod in all its various forms is the indisputable king of the portable media player market: more than 200 million have been sold since they first launched in 2001, and it’s estimated that over 70% of the mp3 players sold in the USA are iPods.  (Source: The Guardian Technology blog 1 & 2)

But the tide might be beginning to turn: for the very first time Apple has seen a fall in iPod sales.  There are certainly plenty of competitors for the iPod’s crown, many of them offering features not available on Apple’s player.  Let’s take a look at the 5 coolest features on offer.

1. Radio
It may sound prosaic, but having a radio in your player opens up a whole new range of listening possibilities, whether it’s following the progress of the cricket or discovering new music from your favourite DJ.  FM radio MP3 players have long been common outside the Apple fold, but now you can also get mp3 players with DAB radio for a better quality radio signal.



2. Waterproof
Work-out music doesn’t have to be just for dry land.  Aquatic expert Speedo makes the sturdy 1GB Aquabeat player, while New Universe makes the Dolphin Touch, a tiny waterproof mp3 player with a touchscreen, 4GB storage and FM radio.

3. Sonic search
Sony’s iPod Shuffle competitor, the NWZ-W202, boasts ‘Zappin’ technology that allows you to to search through the songs on your device by listening to the first few seconds of the chorus.  If that isn’t enough to sway you, the design of the NWZ-W202 is pretty nifty too.  Sony have miniaturised the workings of the player enough so that the whole device is incorporated into the headphones.

4. Wind-up battery
Not just for the eco-conscious, the Revolution Eco media player means you’ll never be stuck with a dead battery and no music.  One minute of winding gives you enough power for 45 minutes of music - and the generator can also act as an emergency mobile charger. The Eco also plays videos and FM radio and can record radio for later listening.

5. Dancing light-show
Perhaps not the most useful feature, but certainly a lot of fun.  The Sony Rolly twists, moves and flashes different coloured lights in time to the beat of the music playing out of its in-built speakers.  If nothing else, it’s inspired a massive (and often very funny) YouTube following.

And if none of these features grab you, be assured that more conventional PMPs are catching Apple up in offering iPod-style features.  The Sonix 7 incorporates an ebook reader,  the Sony S series walkmen and E series walkmen let you watch downloaded iPlayer content, and the premium Archos media tablet range do pretty much everything the iPod Touch can.

And what does the future hold? The Sun has one suggestion: mp3 players embedded in breast implants.

Rumours have been flying around about a Google Android mobile for ages now but it seems that it may all come true sooner than we thought. Earlier today, Reuters leaked a story that Google and T-Mobile are on the verge of releasing the first mobile equipped with Android. The sleuths believe that we could hear news as early as the 23rd September.

Much to my disappointment, the rumours suggest that it will run on an HTC handset – not the most exciting of prospects but we know the technology will be worth it. Let’s hope the handset’s not too clunky.

Just in case you haven’t heard about Google Android, it’s an open source operating system and software platform for mobiles. Among other cool things, it will allow you to combine applications – so you could be looking up a contacts address and need to find where they live. With a simple click, you will be taken to the map application which will show you exactly where to go. You can also quickly switch your view to ‘street level’ so that you can see what the place looks like too. Very handy.

There’s also text chat that shows up at the top of the screen whenever you get a ‘notification’.

There are loads more features and functions – check out this video to see Google founder Sergy Brin and Steve Horowitz talking about Android with a demo:

You can also find out more on the Android website.

If you’re mad about music and own a load of old-school LPs, you might like this week’s Gadget Watch. You can now easily convert your old vinyls into super new MP3s and take them everywhere with you on your iPod.

The LP Dock will let you transfer songs either through your PC via the USB cable or direct to your iPod. If you go through your PC, the Gracenote MusicID techonology that comes with this genius device will automatically retrieve all of the artist, album and song info for you. And no worries if your vinyls are a little scratched, this software will sort all that out for you too!

You can also use the LP Dock to play your LPs through your HiFi system. Pretty cool, hey?! You can pick one up for £129 or $259.95.

So the iPhone was released on Friday. Some people love it, some people say it’s a disappointment, what’s a person to think? Well I looked to the reviews on Reevoo to see what people were complaining about on the old iPhone and then compared it to the new version so that I could make up my mind and see if Apple listened to the people that matter most - the users.

Here’s what people who bought the original iPhone had to say about it. I’ve also looked into what Apple have done about each issue and put it in underneath. Be prepared, this is a long’un…

Speed
Original iPhone owners complained about internet browsing speed, with many citing the absence of 3G as one of the biggest opportunities to improve iPhone

The new iPhone has 3G technology so that browsing the net is much faster

Battery life
From 107 reviews, the original iPhone only scored an average of 6.8/10 for its battery life. As well as improvements in the battery life itself, iPhone owners also wanted to be able to change the battery

Apple says that it has increased battery life to 300 hours on standby, 10 hours of 2G talk, 5 hours of 3G talk and 7 hours of video playback. However you still cannot change the battery

Text messages
Original iPhone users were very frustrated with its SMS functionality. People were unable to carry out the most basic functions such as forward text messages, send messages to multiple contacts and send pictures and business cards. Users also would have liked to be able to navigate more easily through words and letters in text messages

Apple has now improved the iPhone’s messaging features so that you can now send messages to multiple contacts. However, you still cannot send multimedia messages

Camera
Consumers thought the old iPhone’s camera was another of the worst features. They wanted to see a camera with a flash, more megapixels, the ability to zoom and video functionality

Apple has kept the original specs for the camera on the iPhone 3G, which will disappoint many consumers. There is still no flash or video capability and it is still only 2 megapixels

Synchronisation
People wanted to be able to sync up their email, calendars and other Microsoft applications with their iPhones

Apple has now made sure that the new iPhone is compatible with Microsoft products

Memory
Owners would have liked to have had more memory in the original iPhone

Apple has so far kept to the same 8GB and 16GB capacity phones. There are still no memory card slots

Connectivity
Some users noted that the Bluetooth on the original iPhone didn’t work as they would have liked it to

Bluetooth on the new iPhone is still limited

GPS
Many consumers wrote that their iPhone would have been considerably better if it had GPS

Apple has now incorporated GPS into the new iPhone which will be gratefully received by users

Speaker quality
Users commented on the poor sound quality for both music and calls on speakerphone

Apple has improved the iPhone’s speakers so that music playback and calls can be heard much more clearly

Ringtones
Users wanted to be able to set their own music as ringtones

This is now possible, however it is a bit fiddly for the average user, requiring manual reformattinf of music files

Handset
Original iPhone owners found the handset slippery and difficult to hold without pressing something unintentionally

The new iPhone has a plastic back, instead of the original aluminium, which may make it a bit easier to hold and grip without activating functions

Radio
Users would have liked an FM radio incorporated in their iPhones

There is still no FM radio but you can listen to radio over the internet

Headphone jack
Original iPhone owners were frustrated at having to pay for specific Apple headphones or having to use a chunky adaptor as standard headphones wouldn’t fit in the sunken jack

Apple have now rectified this so that standard 3.5mm headphones can now be used

Third party software
With so many features missing from the iPhone, users wanted to be able to use third party software more easily

Apple has now opened up the new 3G iPhone so that third party software can be easily accessed and used through the App Store

So there we go. I think we can all agree that some great changes have been made to the new iPhone - 3G, GPS and third party apps, to name but a few.  But it does seem that Apple mainly listened to the more tech-savvy user when it came to these improvements. For the average user who just wants to share media with their mates and take some decent pictures, it might be a bit of a let-down. Saying that, I bet you all buy one anyway. For me, I’m happy with my more than capable Nokia 5310.

Following on from our fun iPod docks post, we’ve got a cracking set of iPod skins and cases for you today.

I had to start with the iFrogz Tadpole iPod Case, which is meant to be for children but I was semi-tempted. It’s bright and extra shock absorbent so that you don’t have to worry about little ones (or slightly larger ones), dropping them. It also means that you’ll never lose it in your handbag…It’s 100% coated silicon so that it repels dust and lint.  This is compatible with 30, 60 or 80GB iPod Classics and will set you back £24.99.

If you’re a more stylish individual, may I suggest this leather case for your Classic? Toro’s Treo leather case has a clear plastic screen protector so that you never lose sight of your music and a rotating belt clip that (I didn’t write this bit) “lets you experiment the best fit to look as snazzy as possible”.  They’re £12.99 and come in pink and brown leather.

If you like a patterned case, there’s bunch of cool cases called Gelaskins. They come in different sizes for different types of iPod. This one is the Red Robot design but you can be as bold or as understated as you like because there are loads of different designs. This 2nd Generation Nano case is £9.99 and available over at iPod World.

For flashy types, the Griffin Technology disko is the case for you. As well as the protective, tough polycarbonate shell, the LEDs flash and swirl away in motion-activated light sequences. Forget disco balls, this can control a party all on its own. They’re £16.95 from MacHeaven.

For the cautious amongst you, why not keep your iPod from thieves by disguising it as a…hymn book? The case is designed for 30, 60 and 80GB Classics but if you have any other make that’s about the same size, it should work for them too.  For £15,’cherishing’ your music has never been so easy. (sorry).

If you’re debating over whether or not to get an iPod or another brand of player, you can read the MP3 player reviews to help you decide. If you’re set on getting an iPod, check out all of the iPod reviews so that you can find the best one for you.

If you’ve succumbed to the iPod craze you’re either blissfully happy living in the land of the follower or you’re trying desperately to make it that little bit different to so that you can feel better about copying millions of other like-minded shoppers. There are plenty of things you can do to set you and your iPod apart from the crowd. We’re going to start off looking at iPod docks (but for those of you that don’t have an iPod, most of these will still work wonders on the other MP3 players out there too).

iPod docks are a necessity in any self-respecting trendsetter’s pad but how can you make yours unique? Well the guys over at the Japan Trend Shop have one idea (see above). The Zumreed Drop Speaker looks different and can be transported anywhere, including the bathroom as your iPod is tucked up nice and safe in the acrylic container. These come from overseas and are priced at $79 but they deliver to the UK. There’s a pretty good exchange rate at the moment so you could pick yourself up a bargain.

You may think I’ve gone slightly crazy with this next dock but I’m not the only one. They’re continually sold out so you have to get in there quick (may be something to do with the fact that they’re only £12.99 and they have some pretty good reviews). They’re called iPals and they’re an interesting way to house your iPod or any other MP3 player. They’ve got two speakers in their ‘ears’ which can be bent and rotated for maximum listening pleasure and they come in different colours and patterns.

If those two are a little too ‘out there’ for you, how about the stylish JBL Radial dock? It’s sleek and classy and has a stereo mini jack connection so that you can listen to most other MP3 players too. It’s £169.99 at the moment.

If retro’s your thing, maybe this iPod alarm clock that plays your favourite tunes to get you out of bed will interest you? It charges your iPod while you’re asleep and saves you from unwanted morning crooners. At £39.99, I think that’s a bargain.

At the opposite end of the scale, this next dock comes in at $1299.99! But it is a dock with a difference. The Miuro Robot can either hold your iPod inside it or just transfer everything from iTunes. It’s remote-controlled so you can press a button on the remote and your Miuro Robot will find you and bring all of your music with it . You can also control it with a joystick – much more fun. You may have already heard of it but if not, here’s a video so that you can see it in action. These guys also ship worldwide, should you be interested…

This week’s Green Piece is all about a humble backpack. Designed by Voltaic, it’s made from the fizzy drinks bottles that we recycle. Not only does this process save on materials, it also uses a lot less energy that if it was made out of something like nylon.

Think that’s it? Oh no, this is a backpack with a difference. It’s got solar panels sewn into it so that you can save even more energy by charging up your gadgets on the go. You can charge your smaller gadgets like MP3s, cameras or PDAs but the best bit is that Voltaic have managed to create a backpack that can also charge your laptop. Great news! Now if we only lived in Spain…and you have a spare £190 lying around…

I know we’ve had quite a few Apple stories in the past few days but this is some more ‘green’ news so hopefully I’ll get away with it…

It seems that the iconic white Mac laptop is to be a thing of the past with current designs for the MacBook and MacBook Pro being phased out later this year. The move is part of the "greener Apple" promise by company chief executive Steve Jobs. The laptops will be losing their plastic cases and instead be made from more eco-friendly materials such as aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless
steel.

I’m sensing a collectors item…grab one while you still can! Have a goosey at some of the MacBook MacBook Pro reviews on Reevoo.