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Creative Zen Stone

Creative's response to Apple's iPod Shuffle is the Zen Stone. A tiny device that holds 1GB of storage and comes in a variety of colors. The Zen Stone is a bit heavier than the shuffle (0.88 ounces versus 0.55 ounces), and is also bigger - the zen stone dimensions: 2.1 inches x 1.4 inches x 0.5 inches. However at the price point ($39), it's half the price of the similarly spec'd iPod Shuffle. The playback features are standard and include single song repeat, ordered playlist, and random.

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Creative Zen Stone
MSRP $39.99
Release date May, 2007
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Pros & Cons26
Reviews13
Details
Buy It
Competitors6
Comments3
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Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
12 reviews
57
negative
mixed
positive
9 positive
1 mixed
2 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

show me!

Pros:
Do you agree?
•
cheap
+12agreedisagree

•
long battery life
+2agreedisagree

•
Good sound quality
+2agreedisagree

•
Plug-and-play, no software required
+2agreedisagree

•
Small and lightweight
+2agreedisagree

•
Can function as USB/mass storage drive
+2agreedisagree

•
Looks better than the iPod Shuffle
+2agreedisagree

•
EXTREMELY durable
+1agreedisagree

•
Nice format compatibility (MP3, WMA, Audible)
+1agreedisagree

•
Very good for those who are not too technically inclined.
+1agreedisagree

•
Dedicated button on the top of it that skips from folder to folder.
+1agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
•
no clip
+4agreedisagree

•
Gets scratched easily
+1agreedisagree

•
No memory expansion
+1agreedisagree

•
No FM tuner
+1agreedisagree

•
No voice recording
+1agreedisagree

•
No hold button
+1agreedisagree

•
Can only charge via USB
+1agreedisagree

•
Annoying LED that flashes every two or three seconds when it's playing a song.
+1agreedisagree

•
below-average battery life of 10 hours or less
+1agreedisagree

•
DRM song transfer issues with some firmware versions
+1agreedisagree

•
There really needs to be a hold button.
+1agreedisagree

•
I wish the shuffle feature stayed within a folder, instead of choosing songs from random folders.
+1agreedisagree

•
You can't browse music and listen to music at the same time.
+1agreedisagree

•
slightly larger than the 2nd gen shuffle
-5agreedisagree

•
Only 1 Gigabyte
-5agreedisagree


13 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!
See individual votes »

Details

Note: It does not have a built-in clip, however Creative created different carrying devices for the Zen Stone including a keychain, clip or armband (which can be purchased separately)

Comparison with the iPod Shuffle

Spec Zen Stone iPod Shuffle
capacity 1GB 1GB
weight 0.88 ounces 0.55 ounces
height 1.4" 1.07"
width 2.1" 1.62"
depth 0.5" 0.41"
battery life up to 10 hours up to 12 hours

Submit a link

This report was started May 3, 2007 at 1:52 pm by Amanie
with the last edit occurring May 26, 2009 at 4:50 pm by vsaxena911
This page has been viewed 5712 times, with 93 edits by 14 contributors.
See the full report history »

Buy It

Competitors

Creative Zen Stone is ranked 5th among it's competitors.  See the top picks in MP3 Players »
SanDisk Sansa Clip

SanDisk Sansa Clip

MSRP  $70.00    Released  October, 2007
Pros
  • Very competitive price/storage ratio
  • Good audio quality
  • More features than Shuffle and Stone
Cons
  • 1GB only available in black
  • Can only be recharged using the USB cable.
  • Power switch can feel flimsy
ProSCORE
27 reviews
86
Vote! (7 votes)
vote Creative Zen Stone 0% vs. vote SanDisk Sansa Clip 100%
Creative Zen Stone Plus

Creative Zen Stone Plus

MSRP  $60.00    Released  November, 2007
Pros
  • Impressive array of features for a small device
  • Simple display
  • Solid build
Cons
  • Folder browsing is awkward because folders don't maintain hierarchy
  • Poor battery life
  • Double the size of the iPod Shuffle
ProSCORE
5 reviews
44
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Creative Zen Stone 0% vs. vote Creative Zen Stone Plus 100%
Apple iPod Shuffle (2007-2008)

Apple iPod Shuffle (2007-2008)

MSRP  $49.00    Released  September, 2006
Pros
  • Extremely small and lightweight
  • Integrated clip design
  • Very simple design
Cons
  • Expensive compared to products with similar features
  • No display
  • Can't be used as a thumb drive
ProSCORE
16 reviews
56
Vote! (4 votes)
vote Creative Zen Stone 25% vs. vote Apple iPod Shuffle (2007-2008) 75%
Philips LUXE

Philips LUXE

MSRP  $90.00    Released  October, 2008
Pros
  • small and light
  • bluetooth 2.1 support - for use as a hands-free headset for compatible cellphones
  • built in FM radio
Cons
  • strange flashy design
  • limited format support (MP3 or WMA only)
  • not the greatest battery life
ProSCORE
2 reviews
57
Vote! (0 votes)
vote Creative Zen Stone   vs. vote Philips LUXE  
SanDisk slotRadio

SanDisk slotRadio

MSRP  $99.99    Released  March, 2009
Pros
  • miniature size
  • easy to use and attain music
  • 1,000 song batches will last casual listeners a long time before getting boring
Cons
  • locked to a proprietary music service
  • no internal or external storage one can use to load on music they already own
  • once music gets old user must buy new cards at 39.99 a hit
ProSCORE
4 reviews
38
Vote! (0 votes)
vote Creative Zen Stone   vs. vote SanDisk slotRadio  
Sony NWZ-B135F

Sony NWZ-B135F

MSRP  $60.00    Released  August, 2008
Pros
  • FM radio
  • voice recorder
  • small and compact size
Cons
  • poor battery life
  • poor quality - sound, interface, battery etc
  • fast forward / rewind is too slow
ProSCORE
3 reviews
62
Vote! (0 votes)
vote Creative Zen Stone   vs. vote Sony NWZ-B135F  

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Comments

1.  avatar Erik said:

I don't know, but I've been on an anti-Apple kick later. (see iclix). At $40, this is a pretty impressive piece of technology on the cheap. I would love to show this to a caveman (before he clubbed me to death).
May 03, 2007 2:52pm
2.  avatar dialupinternetuser said:

I'm not big into apple either, but a 1 gigabyte mp3 player is pretty much worthless. The only reason I would get this is if I wanted a smaller spare to put only my favorites on when I went somewhere. At least it is only $40, but at GameStop for $40, I could get 8 games.
May 03, 2007 3:20pm
3.  avatar Erik said:

I know what you're saying duiu, but I actually don't mind the 1 gig. If you want a durable, lightweight mp3 player while for running, this (or the shuffle) can't be beat. At 1GB it can still hold 15 full-length albums; and it's way more affordable than larger capacity players. I think there is a market.
May 03, 2007 3:46pm
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Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

Jingles

avatar
May 3, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
1 pro
0 cons
want itwant it

Pros

  • cheap

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

dakalvia

avatar
May 3, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
1 pro
0 cons
love itlove it

Pros

  • cheap

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

savagemonk

avatar
May 3, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
1 pro
0 cons

Pros

  • long battery life

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No
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