1GB Creative Zen Stone goes for $30 shipped
Why pay $79 for an iPod Shuffle when you can get the nearly identical Zen Stone for $29.99? That's the deal Newegg.com is currently running, and you even get free shipping.
Sheesh, how cheap can MP3 players get?! Granted, the Creative Zen Stone holds only about 250 MP3s or unprotected WMAs (and that's assuming they're encoded at a relatively low bit rate), but for $29.99 shipped from Newegg.com, so what? Toss it in your gym bag, coat pocket, pants pocket, Altoids tin (seriously, it's really tiny), or wherever and listen to your top tunes anytime, anywhere.
The $29.99 price is for a new player, black only, and it includes free 3-day shipping. The Stone itself knocks off the $79 iPod Shuffle, which does have one clear advantage: It's designed to clip onto your shirt, sleeve, belt, or whatever, while the Stone just sits there like, well, a stone. You'll have to pocket it, hold it, or slip it in a case.
Good news on that front: Newegg's offering a free universal MP3 case with the Stone. Alas, it looks like a wool sock, but at least you can wear it around your neck or clip it to belt loops and stuff. Make sure to scroll down to the Combo section of the ordering page to add the free case.
Here's the fairly positive CNET review, just in case you're still on the fence. Readers liked it even better than the reviewer.