Over the weekend , we teased youwith a rumor that had been float around , that Creative would introduce a flyspeck , heartbeat - base sound recording participant for under $ 50 . Well , it happened , and it ’s really under $ 40 . ( I imply “ under ” in the TV - announcer sense of the word . )
https://gizmodo.com/creative-zen-ipod-shuffle-competitor-leaked-zen-stone-256138
For $ 40 you get the 1 GB participant itself , about half the cost of that other screen - less multicolored baby ostentation player you may have learn about . originative say it will get 10 hours of playback from a full commit intimate battery . It ’s a basic USB - driving drag - and - drop interface .
The clip will cost you $ 9.99 extra . “ What time ? ” you expect . You cognize what cartridge clip .
Other accessary , shown below , let in a keychain ( $ 12.99 ) and an armband ( $ 15.99 ) In July , Creative will introduce TravelSound Zen Stone , the midget dockage speaker system render below , for $ 39.99 . power by two AAA batteries , it will run for 20 hours .
The Stone supports MP3 , WMA and WAV files plus Audible formatting 2 and 3 . It support for - purchase WMA DRM files , but does n’t support portable subscription WMAs . On that subject , Creative told us :
Subscription backup would have take much more processing power , which would have increased the cost and cost of the musician . We matt-up that the vast majority of kinfolk would have 1 GB of non - protected content and so it would be best to go with the gravid cost of $ 39.99 rather of trying to support everything and offer a more expensive player .
If you store music in folders ( by creative person or genre ) , you could use the “ skip leaflet ” button to jump from leaflet to folder . On the side , there ’s also a shuffle random button . The drama / pause push button is one of those cute little touches Creative often integrate into designs : because the button is shielded by a clear gum elastic droplet , it has a weird distortion / blowup upshot .
The Stone is obviously a marketshare move against Apple ( there , I said it ) and SanDisk . But it ’s also a financial statement about the flash - storage business . originative narrate me that because they are buyers of news bulletin memory , they can get all Mortimer & Randolph Duke and carry it when the price is low , like so many pork bellies . The marrow is that makers of twinkling , such as SanDisk and Samsung , hurt more at the mercy of the marketplace . It ’s an interesting detail , and at least a plausible explanation of the $ 39.99 Stone Leontyne Price point .
I think this is a full place for originative , wreak hardball at the “ economic value ” end of the flash - role player business . Creative products have always been stylish , but this whole DRM matter has really throw the ship’s company for a loop . In this segment , stylus counts almost as much as price — just opine of the SanDisk gyration of 2006 . Whether or not you may synchronise to iTunes does n’t count nigh as much in this part of the playground .
A few weeks ago , I held one in my script , and I liked the feel . The Stone is suave and little , a skipping stone mayhap , but surely not something you could use to slay Goliath . More of a PEBL pebble , some have say . Still , I like the name . After all , it ’s the condition most of my favourite musician were in when they recorded their fine work .
Creative Labs Corporate Information[Creative ]
Oliver Stone
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