Flash MP3 players are the new trend; size, features continue to improve

• While at the Consumer Electronics Show this year, we were surprised to see the amount of flash drive MP3 players on display from numerous manufacturers.
• In fact, flash based MP3 players seemed to be the next product line for many companies, even hardware companies like Micro Star International (MSI) that specializes in system motherboards, graphics cards and CD/DVD writers.
• The flash based MP3 players will get smaller and smaller at affordable prices throughout 2005.
• The players will also come in various shapes to target different objective markets.
• And of course, the most important aspect will be the longer battery life.
• While many companies are looking forward to their flash MP3 players, Creative has other plans.
• Creative was one of the most popular exhibitors on the show floor with their Zen Micro and Zen Touch players on display.
• Creative's sole goal this year is to take away some market shares from Apple's iPod.
• The ability to download and listen music from any major online retailer, along with the affordable price (about $100.00 price difference between Creative Zen and Apple iPod players with similar capacities), are what Creative is using as their marketing strategies to compete against Apple's iPod.
• But other than that, Creative's products look very much like the iPod with a few changes.
• Creative also had their flash based MP3 players on display, which will most likely compete against Shuffle.
• Many companies should now feel threatened after Apple's announcement of the aforementioned MP3 player, which will directly contend against many major competitors at a similar price point.
• If you have been waiting to get an unique MP3 player all this time, 2005 will bring a lot of new models and improvements in these little wonders.