The design, ease of use, folder support and low price tag make the ZEN Stone an attractive and superior alternative to the iPod shuffle.

Sony's NWD-B103F is another solid Sony digital music player which is only made stronger by Sony's decision to finally abandon its proprietary software.

The MuVo V200 is a small, lightweight MP3 player that offers a much more controllable alternative to the shuffle. It doesn't come with a lot of support, but it's easy to use.

A decent but far from outstanding digital music player, while Apacer's AU581 does the basics, there are much better options out there.

Only minor aesthetic changes have been made to the new iPod shuffle. It may serve you well as a secondary music player, or a device ideal for jogging or exercise, but the lack of a screen and below average sound quality diminishes its value.

The YP-U4 is an excellent MP3 player that packs in plenty of cool features for the asking price. While it fails to reach the lofty heights set by its YP-U3 predecessor, it remains a solid offering that won't disappoint the average music fan.

The 512MB GoGear looks, functions and performs like a generic USB Flash memory MP3 player and at this price that is all you should expect.

Another product in the entry-level MP3 player space, the iRiver T60 has a few control and interface issues. However, its impressive audio quality and relatively robust features list go a long way to make up for that.

The SanDisk Sansa Express is a great MP3 player. It offers good quality audio and a Micro-SD card slot to further expand the included memory.

A cheap, entry level MP3 model that might be useful if you have spare memory cards lying around.

The YP-U3 is an absolutely fantastic music player. It combines everything you could want from such a device including brilliant sound quality, a great design, convenient transfer and loads of extra features. Those after a music player will be hard pressed to find a better device for their money.

The shuffle would serve well as a secondary music player for exercise, but too many limitations - most notably the lack of screen - make it a poor choice for everyday use.