Look around Creative's website for models that are about to be discontinued. My friend got a couple of 40g Zens for like $50 apiece that way.

The only reliable mp3 player I know of that comes close to your requirements is the Sansa e250 by Sansa. It's the first model of the e200 series, so it has the least storage space (2 GB) and the lowest price (most stores have it for about $110). They also make the Sansa c240, which is 1GB and sells for about $80. Haven't tried out that last one, though.

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like $509 apiece that way.

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He said NOT a lot of dough. But you raise a good point. Creativ is a good brand, as is Rio. I must ask, though. Why no iPod or Zune? The iPod, all PC vs Mac BS aside, is a good unit, and the Zune, I've been told, is a fairly good unit too. If it's money, there's 2 Shuffle models out (if you don't mind not being able to see your selection) that go for 80-160 USD. I had a Rio Carbon for about a year (half its lifespan was after I stepped on it and broke the screen if that's any indicator). Carbons, if they're still on the market, hold between 4-8 gigs and go for about 250 USD. They come with theirown music manager program that's easier than iTunes' to use (largely click and drag).

ARGH NUMERICAL TYPOS SUCK

Also Zunes are made of fail and suck.

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Look around Creative's website for models that are about to be discontinued. My friend got a couple of 40g Zens for like $50 apiece that way.

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duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude holy freaking crap. I wants!

*camps out on the Creative website looking for deals*

Well, Wonderbat wins the topic so far :.tips hat.: I'll be keeping an eye on that site for a while.

And, because I know someone was going to say "buh why nawwwt!", I don't want an iPod or Zune because 1) I don't want to hear the whole PC v. Mac arguments from people around me everytime I pull out my music, 2) I don't want to pay for a name and be a corporate shill, and 3) they're both garbage anyway 8P

Sandisk Sansa.

Creative Labs is quality. I have theyre zrn touch xtra or something.

Oh and don't underestimate your disk space. I only got 20g and I filled it.

Also Zunes are made of fail and suck.
Better than the iPod, by far.

I don't want an iPod or Zune because 1) I don't want to hear the whole PC v. Mac arguments from people around me everytime I pull out my music, 2) I don't want to pay for a name and be a corporate shill, and 3) they're both garbage anyway
1) You won't, I've had an iPod for a year and it never happens.
2) Fair enough.
3) Both the Zune and the iPod have much better design, tech and build quality than Creative players.

1) I don't want to hear the whole PC v. Mac arguments from people around me everytime I pull out my music

That's why you turn the music up >>

I'm on a college campus and about 90% of the MP3 players here are iPods... To tell you the truth, I haven't even seen anyone with a Zune.

I can definitely vouch for Rio's quality. I had a little 128mb player from then 4 years ago. The thing was solid. It survived being submerged in a bag full of water. It finally gave out after 2 years of pretty heavy abuse.

I'd have to say NOT to get a huge mp3 player... I currently have a 40GB iPod and still have 20+GB free... I could fit ~100 songs on my little 128 by taking down the wma's to 90kbps or even 60. Saves you a ton of space and they still sound great!

I just think the Zune's whole marketing gimmick is absolute bullsh*t, with the ridiculous limitations on shared songs and absolutely flat-out refusing to play a metric f*ckload of songs on my hard disk because they weren't purchased from the marketplace.

absolutely flat-out refusing to play a metric f*ckload of songs on my hard disk because they weren't purchased from the marketplace.
Man, what? The Zune will play anything as long as it is in a supported format. And it supports a lot of formats.

Don't buy a Sony MP3 player. Thing is totally unreliable and the one I had could barely hold 30 songs...