When shopping for a digital music device, it is becomes clear that there are dozens of mp3 players to choose from. One of the most popular of these is the Zen Touch mp3 Player by Creative Labs. So what makes this mp3 player so popular among digital music enthusiasts? Well here are some things that people have agreed are the absolute strengths of the Zen Touch device:

1. Long battery life. The Zen Touch simply outlasts the competition - it has a much longer battery life than the popular Apple iPod.

2. The sound quality is really quite good. Most users rate the sound quality as the device's best attribute.

3. User friendly touch-pad. It is easy to use and the options are useful.

4. Has a nice, simply design that is durable. It's overall design won't set it apart, but it's simplicity makes it easy to handle, carry, and use.

5. Compatibility. It's compatible with a wide range of online music stores, and music formats (MP3, WMA, WAV).

6. Reasonable price. A comparable iPod device costs about $50 more at some retailers.

Now here are some brief negatives:

1. The battery can not be removed. This, however, depends upon which model you buy. The newest model (20 GB) - for some odd reason - does not have a removable battery.

2. LCD display could be better. There's a contrast problem between the black text and blue back lighting that may cause some problems in reading the display.

3. The new Touch Pad may be too sensitive.

The Zen Touch has some nice extra features that warrant some attention. For instance, the nice FM tuner and FM/voice recorder add-on (for an extra $50) is something that many mp3 devices have been lacking since their introduction. For many, the extra cost is probably worth it. Also, Creative's Zen Touch is capable of playing protected WMA, and WAV files - a feature not yet found on the Apple iPod and some other devices.

The Zen's menu options include Music Library, Now Playing, Play Mode, Settings, and Information. The Music Library provides a collection of songs arranged by playlist, album, artist, genre, and recordings. You can also choose to see all song files at once. And unlike the iPod, you can actually name these play lists.

Creative Lab's Zen Touch mp3 player is certainly a contender in the mp3 player market. It's new touch pad design will be seen by many as much needed improvement over previous Zen devices. Also, the sheer compatibility is sure to go a long way with users. Our overall evaluation: very good; a sure competitor.