Creative's Zen Stone Challenges the iPod Shuffle
Thu May 3, 2007 8:11PM EDT
See Comments (4)
Buying a digital music player for everyone in the house would be extremely expensive if you have a large family. Even the iPod shuffle is way overpriced for being so small. But what if you could buy two music players for the price of one iPod shuffle? Creative has announced the upcoming Zen Stone which will retail for $40. Half the price of an iPod Shuffle! I can't help but compare the two, so here are the specs:
Zen Stone
- Price:Â $40
- Storage:1GB (250 songs in MP3 format)
- Colors: pink, blue, red, green, white, and black
- Playback Format: MP3, WMA, WAV, Audible
- Weight: .88 ounce
- No ScreenÂ
- Built-in battery
- Size WxHxD: 2.1" x 1.4" x 0.5"
- Playtime: Up to 10 hours
iPod Shuffle
- Price: $79
- Storage: 1GB (240 songs in AAC format)
- Colors: pink, blue, orange, green, silver
- Playback Format:MP3, AAC, M4A, WAV, AIFF, Audible
- Weight: .55 ounce
- No Screen
- Rechargeable lithium polymer battery
- Size WxHxD:1.62" x 1.07" x 0.41"
- Playtime: Up to 12 hours
These players are not that different. The Zen Stone weighs a little more, is a little thicker, and doesn't have a glamorous interface like the iPod Shuffle (Zen Stone has a good ole' drag-and-drop interface), but at that price, all that will be overlooked. I never understood why anyone would buy an iPod Shuffle anyway. Something that small is just begging to be lost, and it doesn't even have a screen. If you're looking for a small flash player for the gym, this could be a good alternative to the iPod shuffle.
Gizmodo says music can be stored in folders by artist or genre, so it can be sorted. A skip button allows you to jump from folder to folder, or you just set it to play songs in shuffle mode.
And let's not forget about the accessories. Several are in the pipeline to make it more personal. You'll soon find translucent skins with a clip on the back, sporty armbands, docking station, and even a keychain case to carry the player. Keep an eye out for this player when it goes on sale on May 14, 2007.
Related:
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Comments on Creative's Zen Stone Challenges the iPod Shuffle
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Join in the discussion. Here you'll see the comments in the order they were posted.
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2 Posted by tiffni_jhn on Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:59PM EDT Report Abuse
well i have an 30g ipod and i love it.This new mp3 player is made for those who can't afford an ipod,so it should be marketed that way,not in a ipod bashing article.There isnt a thing wrong with ipods and i agree with the comment above if u lose the ipod shuffle u deserve not to have one
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3 Posted by kitwmekat on Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:18PM EDT Report Abuse
my comments are on the creative zen. i had to have 2 replaced and just waiting for the new one to start acting up. the key pad on it is so sensitive. it is 8gb microphoto
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4 Posted by rockyii5 on Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:02AM EDT Report Abuse
The Ipod Shuffle is much better than the Zen Stone. It's smaller,has a shuffle switch to easily switch around your songs (they can be put back to their original order), and now they're only $49. Why are you ripping on the Shuffle for not having a screen anyway? Both of them have no screen. Plus it's easier to put songs onto, parents can set a limit to how high the sound goes, and it's all around much better on the computer.
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1 Posted by danethepinney on Sun May 6, 2007 10:26PM EDT Report Abuse
It's thicker, wider, AND longer - plus it weighs 50% more. Size is a novelty, the same reason cell phones are smaller. In addition, I taught my mom how to use iTunes in two minutes.. the iPod shuffle and iTunes are just more user-friendly. And if you're stupid enough to lose something you spent $80 on (and something that literally clips onto your clothing), you deserve to lose it.