Disney Electronics Mix Stick review (Sassy Pixie; 128MB)

Why should grown-ups get to have all the MP3 fun? The Disney Electronics Mix Stick, a surprisingly inexpensive, kid-friendly audio player, is sure to satisfy youngsters clamoring for their own music. Available in four colorful, Disney-themed styles, the $49.95 Mix Stick offers 128MB of storage for MP3 and even protected WMA content. It also includes an SD/MMC slot for storing more tunes or listening to one of Disney's preloaded, plug-and-play music cards, known as Mix Clips.

The four Mix Stick styles--Princess, That's So Raven, Tinkerbell, and Chrome--suggest a target audience of ages 5 to 12; we suspect most teens will have their eyes on iPods. There's no question that most of the styles were designed with girls in mind, though Chrome is fairly androgynous. Because it's a Disney product, it should come as no surprise to find Mickey Mouse-shaped controls--a cute touch. Kids will master them in no time, though the lack of a screen is unfortunate. As with players such as the iPod Shuffle, the only way to find a specific song is to cycle through the library.

Also like the Shuffle, the Disney Electronics Mix Stick was designed to be worn around the neck with an included lanyard. Similarly, it plugs directly into a USB port for battery charging and file transfers. Because it's such a wide device, however, it may not fit into some ports, and Disney doesn't supply an extension cable.