Well this was unexpected! Creative has just announced the Zen Stone, after stating the new player wouldn't come for a few weeks in their conference call two days ago. As we predicted earlier, The Zen Stone is indeed made to compete with the iPod Shuffle. Like the shuffle, the Stone does not have a screen, and can play songs randomly (i.e. shuffle them). You can also play songs in order by skipping through various folders. The good news here is it's going to retail for $39.99 for 1GB; That's 40.00 cheaper than the iPod Shuffle! I really like the design of this player. It's very simple, but like previous Zen players, the glossy finish and curvaceous build are a nice touch.

• Neat ZEN design looks good wherever you take it.
• 1GB Capacity
• Supports MP3, WMA (DRM9) and Audible (Subscription content not supported).
• Standard mini-USB connection for easy downloads from your PC.
• Up to 10 hours playtime from built-in rechargeable battery.
• Choose your colour - black, white, green, blue, red, pink
• Dimensions: 53.7 x 35.3 x 12.8mm
• Price: $39.99

The battery life is a bit lower than the Shuffle at 10 hours (compared to 12). The player is a UMS device, meaning it will show up as a standard flash drive, allowing you to drag and drop files on any OS. I'm not sure how successful the player will be, but the value is incredible. I'm sure a lot of people would opt for the Stone over the Shuffle considering it's half the price. Sim Wong Hoo, CEO of Creative agrees as well:

“This is an incredible price for everyone to get a high-quality MP3 player capable of holding up to 500 songs. Whether it's your only player or a second one to take with you anywhere, this price lets you think of MP3 players in a whole new way.”



The player is available right now in black (other colors coming by May 14th) at Creative's US store, and is accompanied by a number of accessories including a silicone skin with a built-in clip, an armband, and a keychain case. There's even plans to release a docking station specifically for the Zen Stone. The TravelSound Zen Stone as it's called will dock the player and will run on two AA batteries good for 20 hours of playback. The mini speaker dock will retail for $39.99 in July.

Product Page + Press Release + Gizmodo

Thanks, the_sidewinder

Click the Link below for a nice Zen Stone commercial and more Pics, including a comparison with the iPod Shuffle!

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