MP3 stands for MPEG 1 layer 3, which is a way to store music files on a computer disk in such a way that the file size is relatively small (smaller than on the audio CD) but the song sounds near perfect if you are playing it using good quality speakers. It is not a "streaming" audio file type like RealAudio, that is, when you select an MP3 file for download, you must download it first and then open and play the file. However, it offers superior sound quality to RealAudio files, in fact quality nearly as good as audio CDs.

You need a software program to play MP3 files called a "player". Don't worry, they are free! To download and install an MPEG audio player on your hard drive, select your operating system, either (these links go to the mp3.com web site) Windows 95 or Windows NT or Macintosh System. Other operating systems.

MP3 is a standard for digital video (sequences of images in time) and audio compression defined by members of the Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) of the International Standards Organization. While MPEG sets the technical standards, different companies and individuals worldwide have created patented products that use those standards. In other words, there is one set of standards, but many products that can be used to play MPEG samples.

You can find more information about MPEG audio at MP3.com and on the FAQ pages on that site.