As a low-end MP3 player, the Creative Zen Mozaic is well worth a look. Despite the American spelling, there really isn't much to dislike about this one, and there's plenty to love.
At launch, the 2GB version costs £50, which is remarkably cheap when you stop to consider what you're getting for your money.
The second-generation Apple iPod Shuffle costs about £32 for nothing but 1GB of memory and a clip to attach to your clothing.
But for £20 more, the Zen Mozaic offers you a whole world of fun.
Feature rich
The 1.8-inch colour screen is very low res, but it's perfectly adequate and makes navigating through your music very easy.
And just like with the Mozaic's big brother, the Creative Zen X-Fi, as well as listening to music, you can also look at photos, watch videos, make voice recordings and listen to FM radio.
That's a hell of a lot for just 50 quid.
The Zen Mozaic also has a built-in speaker so you can play your music out-loud. This feature is not as good as on the Zen X-Fi. But it still services a purpose - you can play friends a sample of a song, or listen if you've forgotten your earphones.
Why the name?
The Mozaic name comes from the nature of the interface design. The controls are very easy to use - easier than the Zen X-Fi in fact, due to the nice big buttons. It's perfect for kids, grannies and anyone with short fingernails.
The Zen Mozaic becomes less of a bargain as you add more memory though - the 16GB version will set you back around £120 on launch - that's more than twice the price of the cheapest version. And it's only £20 less than the 16GB Zen X-Fi, which is better in almost every way.
So if you're looking for a very good value, cheap MP3 player. This one will do you proud. It's got it all. But don't be tempted to buy one with a larger capacity - because you might as well buy the Zen X-Fi if you need to store more songs.
