The smallest and lowest priced digital players are micro flash players, sometimes called MP3 players. These devices store their digital music in flash memory, and offer anywhere from 128MB to 1GB of storage capacity. The smallest (128MB) units can store about 50 songs and the largest (1GB) units close to 250 songs.
These miniature units are not much larger than a pack of chewing gum, small enough to fit in any pocket. Battery life is typically quite long, up to 12 hours per charge.
These are the lowest-price music players available, with lower-capacity models selling for less than $50. The largest players typically run around $100.
One of the nice things about using flash memory storage is that there are no moving parts involved. That means no skipping, no matter how much you jostle the player -- perfect for active lifestyles.
The latest trend in micro flash players is the "shuffle." Popularized by Apple's iPod Shuffle, these players don't let you choose specific songs to play. Instead, you fill them up with music, and the playback is random. The player "shuffles" through your music in a different order every time.
The most popular micro flash players are the Apple iPod Shuffle and Creative MuVo Micro.
Michael Miller is a writer and commentator on technology and digital lifestyle topics. 
