Creative Zen Stone 1GB MP3 Player (Black)

So, I picked one of these up today and I have to say, I'm impressed.

The built quality is excellent, similar feeling hard plastic (like a Nintendo DS Lite) and virtually weightless.

It is just a basic drag and drop file structure, much the same as a USB memory pen.

Foldering your music on this is a good idea, since the slider button has the function to skip to the next folder, repeat or shuffle all that is on the player.

The sound quality is amazing for something so small and cheap.

The stock headphones are great, but using my Shure e3c's....wow, I nearly deafened myself, so much louder than my Creative Vision:M.

This is totally user friendly, really sleek looking and feeling, and the sound quality has to be heard to be believed (and that's mp3's encoded at 128kb!!!)

I think Apple are going to lose a LOT of potential shuffle customers to this nifty bit of kit.

I recommend getting the most up to date firmware for it too, as the battery indicator doesn't function 100% out of the box, it doesn't impede the playing, but at least you'll know when it needs a charge.

A wall charger would have been nice, but that would've probably bumped the price up more.

All in all, a great, cheap player and a total ipod killer...as all Creative players are =]

To start, I use both Ipod and Mp3 platforms across Mac & PC O/s, each system has its pluses and minuses, so I'm being as unbiased as possible.

My shuffle is about to find a new home, bottom of the drawer somewhere. The clip isn't as great as you've been lead to believe, it's actually annoying bulk, and the spring and hinge are just asking to be snapped in the gym bag.

This little gem from Creative has in my view better sound, sleeker interface and more pleasing looks. The brushed aluminium has lost it's glint already.

Supplied headphones are not that great but on a par with the apple ear buds. Battery lasts easily as long as the claims, and it couldn't be easier to sync it using WMP11 or Creative's Media Lite software. The folder advance feature is excellent and saves time in finding your albums and it's a feature not integrated well by Apple.

And have you seen the price? A little over half your shuffle money and it's yours, so buy some accessories for it with the rest!

This device is going to be the must have this summer, its perfect gym partner if you don't want to carry your Zen Vision or Ipod Video with you. And it doesn't come with the "mug me for my ipod" kudos!

Creative have hit the nail square on the head and delivered a stunning device, looks, sounds, features, weight and size, all exactly right.

One last thing, Apple has been hit hard recently by the Green brigade and decided to reduce packaging in the new ipod range. Guys and Gals, creative win out here too!!

This is a brilliant little device. I've been looking for a mp3 player for a long time. I am registered blind and in my fifties, i have found it so easy to use, so if i can use it anyone can. No more long trips on public transport sat in silance. Lovely little machine five star all the way.

I have finally dragged myself out of the techno dark ages and invested in a new MP3 player (I previously had an MPMan but after hardly any use it packed up on me). I ummed and ahhed about investing in a sleek silver iPod Nano for a while, went to the States and spent all my Nano Dollars on jeans and am so glad I did!

After much anticipation I received my Zen Stone today and its just fantastic! The software interface is simple and easy to get to grips with and the MP3 player itself is a triumph of design, sleek, minimalistic, small but solid looking it makes you just want to pick it up and play with it.

Although I would have liked to see a few more LEDs on the Zen Stone, aesthetically I cannot fault it, the controls do look remarkably simialr to the iPod range but then that seems to be industry standard.

At a fraction of the price of a Nano and more streamlined looking than a Shuffle (who really wants an MP3 player that looks like a huge paperclip?!) I am so glad I decided to spend my Apple Dollars on jeans and purchase a Zen Stone instead (and hopefully it will last a darn sight longer than my MPMan!)

Well done Creative, not only does the Zen Stone give both the Shuffle (and in my book the Nano) a run for their money, it leave them on the starting blocks!

Bought one of these after my old MP3 player died and I can't get over how great it is for the price. The music sounds incredibly clear, the software is easy to use and it's so flippin' tiny.

If you're looking for a cheap MP3, you can't go far wrong with this.