Media players are shrinking at a rate that’s both mind-blowing and slightly hilarious. Since trimming ounces and millimeters means sacrificing some of the features found in full-size players, the current field of mini competitors is surprisingly diverse. Here’s how five of the latest players, which can each store hundreds of songs, measure up.Apple iPod Shuffle 1GBMedia Platforms Design Team>SIZE:1.62 x 1.07 x 0.41 in.WEIGHT:0.55 ouncesBATTERY:12 hoursPRICE:$79, apple.comNOTES:This screenless, zero frills microplayer spawned the whole category. Its best feature – this truly isn’t an insult – is the integrated clip.Epoq MP4 Player 1GBMedia Platforms Design Team>SIZE:2.62 x 1.98 x 0.43 in.WEIGHT:2.12 ouncesBATTERY:8 hoursPRICE:$100, firsttoyou.comNOTES:This player isn’t as tiny as some, but it specializes in video. No, really. The 2.4-in. display is only a hair smaller than the video iPod’s screen.Creative Zen Stone 1GBMedia Platforms Design Team>SIZE:2.1 x 1.4 x 0.5 in.WEIGHT:0.88 ouncesBATTERY:10 hoursPRICE:$40, creative.comNOTES:Shamelessly aping the iPod Shuffle, the Zen Stone even has a button that, um, shuffles your songs. And, it’s half the price.iriver S10 2GBMedia Platforms Design Team>SIZE:1.65 x 1.18 x 0.43 in.WEIGHT:0.62 ouncesBATTERY:8 hoursPRICE:$170, iriver.comNOTES:Proving you can fit a screen on a Shuffle-size player, the S10 has a 1.15-in. display. To navigate, you click right on the tiny screen.Samsung YP-2UJ 2GBMedia Platforms Design Team>SIZE:3.35 x 0.96 x 0.49 in.WEIGHT:1 ounceBATTERY:15 hoursPRICE:$80, samsung.comNOTES:The YP-U2J makes up for its lackluster design and clunky uploading software with voice recording, an FM tuner and lots of battery life.
