Jasmine France,
May 20, 2008
Flash-based MP3 players are taking over the marketplace. Unlike their hard-drive-based counterparts, flash MP3 players have no moving parts, affording them entirely skip-free playback and, in most cases, a long battery life. Also, flash chips are tiny, meaning the players that use them can be small to the point of ridiculousness. Luckily, most manufacturers realize that there is such a thing as too small, so we had no trouble finding a collection of manageable MP3 players that won't take up valuable space in a briefcase, a backpack, a purse, or a pocket. And although each measures less than 2 cubic inches, all of them offer at least 2GB of memory, which is enough to hold about 500 songs or 32 hours' worth of music.
The winner in terms of tininess? The Apple iPod Shuffle at 0.64 cubic inch. Next comes the MobiBlu Cube at 1 cubic inch, then the Creative Zen Stone Plus at 1.1 cubic inch. The sporty Sansa Clip measures 1.5 cubic inches, while the ultrathin iPod Nano comes in at a respectable 1.4 cubic inches, which is an impressive 5.7GB per inch for the 8GB model. Finally, there's the comparatively bulky Creative Zen V Plus at 1.95 cubic inches, but considering that that's a whopping 8.2GB per inch for the 16GB model, we think it's worthy of a spot on the list.
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| Price | $57.99 to $95.49 | Check Prices | $42.96 to $111.99 | $29.99 to $64.99 | $94.00 to $250.00 | Check Prices |
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| Review date | September 12, 2007 | October 12, 2006 | July 26, 2007 | October 08, 2007 | September 07, 2007 | June 20, 2006 |
| The Bottom Line | If you like your music playback simple and your device nearly invisible, the third-generation iPod Shuffle will suit you well. But absentminded users should steer clear of this easy-to-misplace player. | No doubt the cult of the Cube will continue with this new model, the world's smallest multimedia player. While it doesn't offer an ideal user experience, it makes up for it in style. | For those who want a supersmall and cute MP3 player that offers more than just simple music playback, the Creative Zen Stone Plus fits the bill nicely. | The SanDisk Sansa Clip is an incredible value that's set to edge out the competition with a user-friendly interface, gym-worthy design, and great sound quality. | The shape may have changed, but Apple's relentless attention to detail remains. The third generation of the iPod Nano provides loads of entertainment for a down-to-earth price. | The Creative Zen V Plus is a superb choice for anyone looking for a compact and feature-filled flash MP3 player with great sound quality. If you're looking for a more sophisticated design (or have large thumbs), look elsewhere. |
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| Features | ||||||
| Battery technology |
Lithium polymer |
Lithium polymer |
Lithium polymer |
Info unavailable |
Lithium ion |
Lithium ion |
| Display type | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
LCD 2.0 in |
Info unavailable |
| Digital player (recorder) |
WAV AIFF Audible MP3 AAC |
WMA Protected WMA (DRM) Ogg Vorbis MP3 |
WMA WAV ADPCM Protected WMA (DRM 9) Audible MP3 |
WMA FLAC Ogg Vorbis MP3 Audible WMA DRM |
Info unavailable |
WMA WAV PCM ADPCM Protected WMA (DRM 9) Audible MP3 |
| Digital Player total harmonic distortion | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
0.1 % |
Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
0.05 % |
| Software type | Info unavailable |
Drivers & Utilities |
Drivers & Utilities |
Drivers & Utilities |
Info unavailable |
Creative ZENcast Organizer Creative Media Explorer Creative MediaSource |
| Device type | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
Portable media center |
Info unavailable |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) |
1.6 in x 0.4 in x 1.1 in |
1 in x 1 in x 1 in |
2.2 in x 0.5 in x 1.4 in |
Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
1.7 in x 0.6 in x 2.7 in |
| Color |
Green |
Silver |
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