Creative Zen Stone Plus 2 GB MP3 Player (Pink)

• Ultra-Portable MP3 Player
• Connectivity - USB 2.0
• Memory - 2GB
• Dimensions WxDxH - 2.19" x 1.39" x 0.5"
• Built-In FM Radio

I bought this shockingly-colored MP3 player as a gift for my wife, along with the armband holder. She uses it while working and at the gym.

As far as accessories are concerned, it came with a USB cord and earbuds, period.

The player is extraordinarily small and light. The body is made of shiny plastic that scratches easily, so you'll want to get some protection for it. The 2GB capacity is enough to hold roughly 40 full albums encoded at 128kbps.

Not having listened to many other brands of MP3 players, I have no basis for comparison as to the sound quality of this unit. I personally find the sound quality to be very good, limited perhaps by the type of headphones that you choose.

As with most other Creative MP3 players, it requires no special software to hook up to your computer. Just plug it in using the included USB cable, and you can start copying files and folders almost instantly. File transfer times are neither remarkably fast nor overly slow. The most efficient way of filling the player is to collect all the files and folders you want to copy, drag the whole mess to the player via Windows Explorer, and go get yourself something to eat while it labors away.

Creative claims that you can charge the player via your USB port, but this doesn't seem to work properly. After we opened the box, I charged the player up for close to 8 hours, and it only had enough juice to last for approximately 1 hour, even though it claimed it was done charging. In the end, we had to purchase an AC charger (got an opened-box iPod charger, which works fine) to fully charge the battery.

Even with a full charge, you won't get anywhere close to Creative's claims of 8 hours' listening time more like 5 hours, tops.

It's obvious that Creative's business model requires customers to purchase pretty much everything separately from the case you'll need to keep your delicate player from getting scratched up, to the AC charger needed to actually charge the battery. Be sure to factor that into the price, if you want to get the most out of your player.

Buy Creative Zen Stone Plus 2 GB MP3 Player (Pink) Now

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)The Creative Zen Stone Plus 2GB doubles the size of the iPod Shuffle and adds a monochrome screen for viewing track names and settings. Add in the functionality of a built-in FM tuner and voice recorder at $65 and you have a great value.

Pros -

+ good stereo sound

+ nice capacity for a decent price

+ light-weight

+ FM tuner with 32 presets ( though it's just average )

+ voice recording

+ simple design (no more click wheel!) with more color options

+ great navigation and sorting features

+ Nice format compatibility (MP3, WAV, WMA, Audible)

+ USB 1.1 and 2.0 connectivity

+ Can be used as a USB drive / mass storage

+ Can sync music with drag & drop or via Creative software

Cons

average battery life of 10 hours (OLED screen sucks the battery)

mediocre backlight ( but it can be disabled )

some DRM song transfer issues with some firmware versions

not expandable few size options 1GB and 2GB

Creative software is buggy

larger than the 2nd and 3rd generation iPod shuffles

Creative's Zen Stone line was meant to be the upgrade to the Zen nano, aka Muvo mini. Unfortunately, the 1GB Zen Stone had some quality issues. With the new 2GB Zen Stone Plus, Creative has tried to improve on previous models and compete with the Sandisk Sansas.

I love the new Sandisk Sansa's. The Sansa Express has the advantage that you can plug it directly into your USB port without a cable. SanDisk Sansa Express 2 GB MP3 Player (Black) Still, the Creative Zen Stone feels nicer in the hand. It's not as sleek as the Sansa Express and doesn't have all the cool cache' of an iPod shuffle or iPod nano. But it is priced very attractively and has some NICE features. It's good for a starter, workout unit, or gift for a kid.

The Creative Zen Stone Plus is lighter than the competition, but is still larger than the new iPod Shuffle 2nd and 3rd generations. Unlike the shuffle, you can actually see your track names! The OLED screen is perfect for a player this size but does suck more power and shorten the battery life.

The controls are an improvement from the Zen nano days. While I didn't mind the toggle wheel, it has been replaced by intuitive buttons for the standard functions (select, up, down, play, pause, forward or reverse). There's a headphone jack, microphone hole, and a USB port.

Another change from the Zen nano days is the Lithium Ion battery, which gives you about 10 hours if your lucky. This is less versatile than the old battery operated unit, but more convenient.

What about sound? The sound is great, and it comes through in pure stereo. As usual, you will hear complaints about the earbuds. Most people replace their standard earbuds so I won't hold that against Creative.

The Zen Stone doesn't have larger storage options. For those needing more space, you will have to explore the Creative Zen, Sandisk Sansa or new iPod Nano. All of those units have higher price tags.

Creative Zen 4 GB (Black)

Creative Zen 8 GB (Black)

Creative Zen 16 GB (Black)

Sandisk SDMX4-4096 Sansa e260 4 GB MP3 Player with SD Expansion Slot

SanDisk SDMX4-8192 Sansa e280 8 GB MP3 Player (Black)

Apple 4 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Silver (3rd Generation)

Apple 8 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Black (3rd Generation)

This unit is ideal as a player and not for those who primarily want to use it for recording. The built-in microphone is nice for short reminders.

The price isn't a give-away, and the plastic case could be more durable. Still, this is a nice starter unit that can last you a while. Check it out. Enjoy!!!

Read Best Reviews of Creative Zen Stone Plus 2 GB MP3 Player (Pink) Here

Santa brought this little MP3 player to my 10 year old daughter. I thought she was going to be disappointed because she specifically requested an IPOD. However, she is VERY pleased beacause it also has a FM radio and a voice recorder. I am surprised how much she listens to the radio. The downside is that Itunes is NOT compatible with the Zen. Yes, of course there is a website where we can download songs for the Zen, but since we already have an existing Itunes account I was hoping that it would work. Had I known prior to purchasing a Zen that I would have to "buy" all new songs, I probably would not have purchased it.

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I ordered three of these (in green) and NONE of them worked. They performed when plugged into the computer, but failed to hold a charge once disconnected from the PC. This was after the tech-support recommended "all night" charging.

By way of background, I'm fairly computer savvy, have a new PC based system, and spent hours on the phone with Creative tech support trying to fix the problems. Ultimately, I had to return the units.

Stay away.

They're refurbished, so you get what you pay for. I bought one for me and one for my boyfriend, mine will hold a charge for 3 gym trips if I'm consistent, but if you let this sit for any amount of time, it will lose it's charge. Also, the little thing doesn't always charge when you plug it in. I've had this thing sitting on the charger for hours with nothing going on. I usually plug it and unplug it several times and push a bunch of buttons just to make sure it's charging. I don't know if that does anything but I've found if I just plug it in, it doesn't always charge. My boyfriends player lasts even less time than mine (1-2 days) so your experience could be hit or miss.