Creative Releases Upgraded Zen Stone

For an extra $30, the Zen Stone Plus will give users a display, additional 1GB of memory, FM radio, and more.

Creative’s Zen Stone music player made waves in early May when it brought 1GB of storage and a tiny design to the portable media market for $40. But for some, the device’s Spartan screenless style and limited storage may have been a little too much to sacrifice, even for the price. For that crowd, Creative has introduced a spruced up version of the Zen Stone that keeps the price down but adds a few more creature comforts.

The Zen Stone Plus takes the same basic Stone formula, doubles the memory to 2GB and adds a tiny display so users can keep track of what they’re listening to. It also features a built-in FM radio and microphone recording capabilities, and it’s all packed into the same Stone-size packaging. The Zen Stone Plus will cost $30 more than the original Zen Stone, at $69.99.

Like the original, the new player will come in black, white, red, blue, pink and green, and Creative will offer a line of silicone skins to customize them, as well as an arm and wrist band. They will be available in July at major retailers nationwide.