Budget MP3 Players

It's not often someone outdoes Apple when it comes to MP3 player design, but Samsung has taken the iPod Shuffle idea - an MP3 player that holds 1GB of music, has no display or FM radio, is easy to use, and is perfect for exercise - and improved upon the design. The sleek, round Samsung S2 Pebble fits in your palm, comes in 5 cool colors, and can be worn like a pendant around your neck. The controls (play/pause, standard/random/repeat, and volume) are embedded on the back face, and a concealed LED along the bottom edge flashes various colors and patterns based on playback mode. Prices start at just $39.99.

The iPod Shuffle just got bigger and cheaper. The new 2GB iPod Shuffle has a suggested retail price of $69 (less than what the original 1GB version cost), and the price of the 1GB Shuffle has fallen to less than $49. There's still no display, radio, or other bells and whistles, but it's still the perfect gym companion.

The 4GB Zen V Plus has FM radio, video playback, line-in recording, and 8 presets and custom EQ settings. It's also compatible with subscription music services, including Napster and Rhapsody.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a good MP3 player. Case in point: The iRiver T60, which comes with 1GB, 2GB, or 4GB of storage. The Toblerone-shaped player is about 2.5" long, runs on AAA batteries, and has a little joystick knob for its music controls. Features include an FM radio, voice recording, a 1" color display, up to 20 hours of playback time, and drag-and-drop music transfer.

What's not to love about the SanDisk Sansa Clip MP3 player? It's got great sound, a removable belt clip (great for the gym), an FM tuner with 40 preset channels, voice recording with a built-in microphone, an equalizer with an adjustable 5-band setting, a battery that lasts 15 hours, and support for MP3, WMA, and Audible files. Plus a 1" display so you can see what song you're listening to. Best of all, the 1GB version costs just $40.

It's no iPod Nano, but the 2GB Samsung U3 MP3 player still delivers on both form and function. Weighing in at under 23 grams, it's about the size of a pack of gum, with a retractable USB adapter that makes it easy to transfer music and other files. Features include an FM radio, voice recording, support for subscription music, a 4-line OLED LCD display, and a battery that lasts 15 hours per charge. The U3 comes in 5 colors (black, blue, green, pink, and white) and ships with matching headphones, earphone reel, and belt clip.

If you were reluctant to get the Creative Zen Stone because it has no display, or because it has only 1GB of storage, you might be interested in the Zen Stone Plus. Creative has doubled the amount of storage, and added an OLED display, an FM tuner, a voice recorder, an equalizer, a clock, and even a stopwatch. The battery is supposed to last up to 9.5 hours per charge.

Why Shuffle when you can Shake? The new SanDisk Sansa Shaker lets you shake your way to the next song - literally. If you don't want to press the forward or backward button, just give it a good shake and it will jump to the next song. The Shaker has a built-in speaker (as well as 2 headphone jacks) and 512MB of memory (and an SD Card slot for adding more). Aimed at a younger demographic, the Shaker comes with decorative stickers and costs just $37. Choose pink or blue.

The iPod Shuffle has got some serious competition in the SanDisk Sansa Express. This 1GB player not only costs less than the Shuffle, it also has an FM radio, recording capabilities, and a 4-line display. Not to mention a Micro SD card slot to expand the player's memory, and an integrated USB adapter for direct USB connection (no cables necessary). Who cares if it only comes in black?