A method of limiting the play back of multimedia content in a memory of a portable media player includes providing a non-rechargeable battery as a power source for the portable media player, and enclosing the battery within a housing such that the battery cannot be removed without damaging the portable media player. The memory of the media player may be provided with multimedia content, or a communication interface may be provided to receive, or to download into the memory, multimedia content, for example at a point of sale. The method may further include limiting the writing of multimedia content into the memory only once, or not more than a predetermined number of times. The method may include downloading a multimedia file into the memory by engaging the communication interface with a communication interface of a file downloading station. A portable media player has controlling circuitry, a memory, and a non-rechargeable battery built into the media player's housing such that the battery cannot be removed, replaced, or detached without damaging the media player or otherwise rendering it inoperable. The portable media player may protect multimedia content, for example, by enabling the download of multimedia files or by playing any multimedia file according to a predefined rule. Multimedia files may be downloaded into the memory by using USB protocol and a connector that functions as a USB connector. An audio plug may be manipulated inside an output socket of the media player to turn the media player on and off and also to adjust the volume of the media player's output signal and to select a mode of operation, or any of these tasks may be exercised using control rings or touch switches.
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