I have a SoundBlaster mp3. It's probably rather old if you can still find one, but it works great. Plug it into Linux and it works. Plug it into windows XP and it works. It's one of very few sound devices that don't need 3rd-party drivers in Windows. Even most onboard chips need drivers, but the SoundBlaster mp3 doesn't. And it's USB powered, so no extra plugs are needed. It's perfect for a laptop. IIRC, I believe I paid about $35 for mine, and it may be less now, so won't break the bank. HTH, Lorenzo
