need tech advice about MP3/alternative

[momofmine]

I'm not sure where to ask this question, but I have no knowledge about MP3 players and the like, and need advice.

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and often feel like I could be doing something else. We don't have any kind of sound system in the kitchen or living room that's right next to it. I want to download and listen to lectures online, I am always researching health issues, but I never get around to listening to them because I don't have time to just sit around!

So, I have this great idea that there must be some system I can set up where I can listen to things in the kitchen while I am working. It would be great if this could also be for the living room too, since it is right next to it, maybe additional speakers (?? I really am clueless about this kind of stuff ??), but it doesn't have to be that way. My main goal is to make better use of my time, and to maybe even look forward to washing dishes!

I have tried just bringing the laptop into the kitchen and listening to things from it, but I can't turn it up loud enough to hear over the washing dishes noise! Also, it would be great if I could also take the thing along when I walk the dog, etc. So, how does an MP3 work? Is that what I want? Or is there something different?

Thanks!

[A&A]

Here are some Mp3 players available at Best Buy:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/iPod-MP3...d=abcat0201010

(you could also get an ipod, but they're a lot more $$)

Amazon sells a lot of songs for downloading in mp3 format. You'd also have to make sure that the lectures you want to download are available in mp3 format.

[russsk]

We have a few docking stations around the house for our iPods. (Other players would work as well.) We have the Bose speakers, but those are $$$. We also have another one that was about $20 that works just fine.

You could also just get a set of speakers for your laptop.

[Leta]

If your issue is speakers, maybe you could try these.