Creative Zen Stone Plus 2 GB MP3 Player (Black) | List Price: $72.65
Discount Price: Too low to display
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Brand: Creative Labs
Binding: Electronics
Warranty: 1 year warranty
Features: - Product Type - MP3 Player
- Connectivity - USB 2.0
- Memory - 2GB
- Dimensions WxDxH - 2.19" x 1.39" x 0.5"
- -- Clock
Nice features, but slow fast-forwarding a headache [Posted on 2008-07-08]
I bought this specifically to download library books (they won't work on my iPod). It's a nice little unit with some fun features. I listened to my book on my last long drive and it worked well - I considered it to be worth the money.
However, since I got back, I have accidentally lost my place in the book several times, and it gets worse each time. Maybe I'm missing something, but the book is one large file, so I can't find any way to get back to where I was without simply holding the fast-forward button down. It really doesn't go that fast at all, so I literally have to hold it down for more than half an hour to get 8 hours into the book (where I was). Currently it's sitting next to me clamped into an adjustable wrench so that I don't have to physically hold it myself.
Great for those who need a stop watch [Posted on 2008-07-12]
Before I purchased the zen stone plus, I purchased a 2gb sansa express. Although I love my sansa express and all its features (I've had it for over a year and it works perfectly, sandisk has amazing support too), I recently started training for a 5K and needed something with a stopwatch so I bought a zen stone plus from Amazon Warehouse Deals.
Unless you need a stopwatch, go and buy a sansa express. This player I think is expensive unless you can get it for $30 or less (that's how much I paid). Other small players that are similarly priced at $50/$60 pack more features and are more user friendly than the zen stone plus.
It's pretty intuitive to use, once you get the hang of it. Creative generally has menus that are easy to maneuver, but I think they slipped up with the Zen Stone Plus (I've owned a Creative Zen Xtra and a Creative Vision M mp3 player, both were easier to use than the zen stone plus). The Sansa Express outshines the zen stone plus in this regard. (please refer to other reviews for the specifics as to why, I didn't think it necessary to repeat it here)
It also feels sturdy and it has served its purpose for what I need it for, which is a watch/stopwatch/mp3 player for walking/jogging. All I have to take with me when I go for a run is my house keys and my zen stone plus. I also purchased the wristband and the TravelSound Zen Stone Speakers (I've reviewed these accessories in more detail as well in Amazon.com).
Creative Media Lite (the software you can download for transferring music files) is easy to use and shows you how much battery life you have left and when it has been completely charged by your computer. However, it's not necessary to get the software, you can also drag and drop music files into the player, my computer sees it as a flash/hard drive.
In sum, creative is a great reliable brand and has very good support. When my Zen Xtra 40GB mp3 player died after owning it for 3 years, I sent it to them for repair. It only cost me $24 dollars to have them take a look at it b/c my player was out of warranty. Creative was unable to fix it so they sent me a new 40GB mp3 player at no extra charge. That's great customer service.
I don't think I would send the zen stone plus for repair since I practically paid almost $24 for it, but this goes to show that if you do have problems with your Creative products, they have great support.
So that's my two cents.
Good, tiny MP3 player for the price! [Posted on 2008-07-13]
I purchased one of these last fall. Initially, I wasn't using it that much because I could not figure out how to make a playlist. (NOTE: I was using drag/drop Windows Explorer to move the music files.) A few months ago, I downloaded AmoK Playlist Copy and was able to create complete playlists and easily copy the folder onto my Zen Stone.
I took this on a trip to Bali and was able to re-charge it in the USB jack at my seat a Singapore Airlines 777. I also purchased a Kodak 8mp digital camera which came with a USB charger. Voila - that same USB charger worked with my Zen Stone. It was a very simple way to travel abroad with my favorite music (incl. FM radio).
I love this player for working out because it's so tiny!
I gave it 4 stars because the battery life isn't so great. I don't think I get 10 hours as some other users mention. Oh well, I just pop it on the USB charger.
Why buy an iPod Shuffle when you can get this instead, for less $? [Posted on 2008-07-29]
I had an iPod Shuffle almost 2 years ago, until it got stolen. I can't complain about that gadget, but I recently bought this cute player for much less money and I'm very glad with my purchase.
Where I live, the Shuffle (1GB) costs around US$100 (not kidding), and I could get this one at half the price. The zen stone does the same stuff but cheaper, really. It plays around 200 songs, it has the option of changing folder (something Shuffle does not offer), and I can hear better sound quality (and a little bit louder). By the way, the battery really lasts around 10 hours or more!
For what I use it for (listening to my music randomly at work and at home), this is a great buy, though you can get the new version with 2GB and fm tuner for like US$15 more I think. Highly recommended.
Great for audio books [Posted on 2008-08-24]
This tiny MP3 player is perfect for audio books. I get one at a time from library, load it to player through computer, and am good to go. It starts where left off last time, and volume buttons easy to work. Battery lasts for hours, and is rechargeable on my computer.
Works well in car, too, through FM transmitter. I use Monster Radioplay FM Transmitter, bought through Amazon for about $15.
The FM radio works well, too, for strong local stations anyway.
That said, I find the screen hard to read in daylight-and impossible in sunlight. And if I wanted it for playing music, in anything other than random order, I imagine I would be disappointed, because the display is limited and the directional buttons are hard to manipulate. But it's so tiny that it's very handy to tuck into a pocket and listen to while exercising, commuting, or whatever.
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