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Click the pic to be taken to Creative's Web site.

The image above pretty much says it all. Creative Labs is celebrating Christmas in July with deep discounts on everything from headsets to sound cards to MP3 players. It seems like nearly every gadget is on sale, with varying levels of "instant savings," but the big news to me is the 16GB Zen Mozaic for just $110. That's the cheapest I've seen for an MP3 player with that much memory, and the Mozaic is certainly no slouch in the features or sound quality department. For more information on this device, check out the full review at CNET Reviews.

The holidays are here again, meaning it's the perfect time to shower your MP3 player with gifts--accessories, to be exact. And while we're getting specific, let's focus on one particular family of players: the Creative Zen. The iPod gets plenty of love in the portable audio accessory space, but it's not the only device that has products made specifically with it in mind.

The Creative Zen Stone, the Mozaic, the X-Fi, and the plain ol' Zen all have a gaggle of gear fine-tuned to fit. But since I know you have enough on your plate without scouring the Web for the perfect accoutrements, I've done all the busy work for you and rounded up a handful of worthy accessories for every budget. Whether you're spoiling yourself or stuffing the stocking of a loved one, you should find a great gift herein.

See our lineup of cool accessories for the Creative Zen.

(Credit: CNET Networks/Corinne Schulze)

In the world of MP3 players, not unlike the world of fashion, one day you're in; the next, you're out. If you're a passing feature fad, that is. While certain functions have gained and retained traction--playlist support, album art display, photo-viewing capability--many have fallen by the wayside. (Remember the micro hard drive?)

One such feature is integrated line-in recording, which allows you to record directly to the MP3 player from another audio source, such as your sound card or home stereo setup. Line-in has enjoyed brief surges in popularity since the inception of the MP3 player but is currently somewhat difficult to come across.

We're attempting to make it a bit easier by rounding up a few of our favorite devices that offer the extra. Some of the players even have a silence-detection feature that will automatically split tracks as you record.

Compare MP3 players with line-in recording.

Creative's Zen line of MP3 players is possibly one of the most extensive we've seen, especially if we take the company's Asia-specific devices into account. And Creative shows no signs of deviating from its plan to offer feature-packed players at impressively low price points.

Evidence of this is apparent in the Zen X-Fi, a compact multimedia machine that's the first portable device to integrate Creative's X-Fi technology. The 16GB and 32GB versions are also the first Zens to pack in Wi-Fi capability, and without skimping on the usual array of features we've come to expect. Add to that top-notch sound quality and ultracompetitive pricing--$149, $199, and $279 for the 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB models, respectively--and you've got one of the best values available on the market today. Read the full review.

I'm often asked if there are any decent MP3 players out there made for needs of the elderly (i.e., large controls, easy to use, and hard to lose). Well, we finally have a contender with this giant wooden version of the Creative Zen Stone.

Hot on the heels of Creative's ambitious Zen X-Fi MP3 player, this fan-created version of the Zen Stone is fully functional and hopefully poised for eBay any day now.

(Via Make)

(Credit: CNET Networks/Corinne Schulze)

After much anticipation, we've finally gotten our greedy little hands on the Creative Zen X-Fi. While we put the player through its paces for the in-depth review, we thought you'd appreciate a closer look. One thing we can tell you right off the bat: the Zen X-Fi is an incredible value given all the features, but we're a bit disappointed that it's encased in plastic rather than metal. The slideshow has more gory details, but here are some highlights to get you started:

• Alluring price tag: The Zen X-Fi is priced to sell, with the 16GB going for $199 and the 32GB offered at $279--about half the price of the iPod Touch. There's also an 8GB for $149, but it doesn't include Wi-Fi.
• Questionable construction: We think we've figured out where Creative might have cut corners to get that pricing out the door. During early testing, we have experienced issues with the faceplate sticking out from the bottom of the player.
• Quality earbuds: The 16GB and 32GB versions of the Zen X-Fi come with Creative's new EP-830 earphones, a $50 value on their own.
• Features, features, features: The player includes the typical array of features found in the Zen line, but adds X-Fi audio enhancement options and wireless capability. It's the first MP3 player we've seen that lets you create a chat avatar on the device itself.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

Creative Labs knows audio, and we're not just talking about sound cards. The company's line of Zen MP3 players has consistently earned good marks for sound quality, features, and value. Perhaps the favorite of all these devices has been the Zen V Plus, an adorable budget player with an ultracompact design. In fact, the Zen V Plus has been popular enough to let Creative rest on its laurels for more than two years.

But now the time has come for a refresh, and that refresh is in the form of the Zen Mozaic, a uniquely designed device with Creative's signature sound quality and feature offerings. The Mozaic is a bit larger than its predecessor, measuring 3.1 inches by 1.6 inches by 0.5 inch, but like the others in the line, it's priced to sell: the 2GB version is $59.99 and the 4GB goes for $79.99 (an 8GB model is in the works). Read the full review or click the pic to launch the slide show.

The Zen Mozaic MP3 player may replace Creative's venerable Zen V Plus.

(Credit: Creative Worldwide)

Creative has released the details of its new Zen Mozaic MP3 player, an attractive heir to the relatively antique Zen V Plus series. It's currently available only in Singapore, the Creative Zen Mozaic is offered in three colors (silver, pink, and black) and three capacities (2GB, 4GB, and 8GB). The Mozaic's features include a 1.8-inch screen, FM tuner, voice recording, photo viewer, video playback, calendar, built-in speaker, and support for MP3, WMA, WAV, and Audible audio formats.

There's no telling when the Zen Mozaic will hit the states, but it's safe to expect prices comparable to the Creative Zen V Plus line (around $80-$150 bucks, depending on capacity).

(Via NothingButCreative)

iPod haters at Anything But iPod uncovered something new and questionable on Creative's Hong Kong site--the Zen Krystal. It's an MP3 player that looks extremely similar to the Zen Stone Plus, and sports pretty much the same feature set, the same maximum 4GB capacity, and a similar screen.

(Credit: Creative)

But there's one big thing the Stone Plus doesn't have: a pedometer. This puts the Krystal in the gym-goer's market just a bit more than the Stone, but seriously--is a pedometer-toting MP3 player so hotly in demand it desires a completely new product to house it? Apparently.

It's got some games, but there are a bunch of other features the Krystal could've included to make it a truly justifiable companion product to the Stone--a microphone input socket, perhaps; microSD support; a color screen like the original iPod nano had; even a digital radio.

Don't get us wrong: we do actually like the Krystal. We just can't quite figure out why Creative would put out a player that competes so much with the fantastic Zen Stone Plus.

At the moment, it's only available in Hong Kong for about $90.

(Via Crave UK)