Your computer has been playing music for years, one CD at a time. Now hundreds of songs can be stored in your PC if they're in the MP3 format(格式).
What is it? MP3 compressed(压缩) music into small computer files(文件). You may download MP3 music in several ways. Music can be downloaded from websites that have turned wide music libraries into MP3. Once MP3 music is on your PC's hard drive(硬盘), you can play it through your computer's speakers, "burn" it onto blank(空白的) CDs or swap(交换) MP3 files with friends using e-mail. |
How much? Software(软件) needed to play and turn MP3 music is often free. Compact portable(小巧便携的) MP3 players start at around $40 and can hold hundreds of songs. A blank CD on which you can record music costs about a dollar. |
Advantages MP3 turns your home PC into a jukebox(自动点唱机). Small MP3 players are the size of a deck of cards(一副纸牌), making it easy to take hundreds of songs with you. |
Disadvantages You may find that some websites only allow you to listen but you can't download music. Others let you download music but can't be copied to MP3 players. And a growing number of new CDs make it impossible to copy songs to a computer. |
