Sony NW-S205F (2GB)

Pros: Very good egronomic design. Easy to hold. Buttons designed well for navigating while running or working out. Good value.

Cons: Would like the screen to scroll to the right so I can see the full song name and artist - (minor quibble). When making selections in the advanced menu, the timeout is a little quicker than I'd like.

Summary: I purchased as soon as this was available. Been using this every day for about 6 weeks during my workouts and running. I consider it an excellent product. I wanted a simple to use MP3 player with good fidelity and this is it. When I don't have it in the holster or in a pocket, it fits comfortably in your hand. The controls are easy use. I tend to skip back and forth between different playlists and tracks and I think the controller is easy to work. Volume control has natural feel and the on/off toggle takes not time to get used to (don't understand the Cnet reviewer's complaint). Fidelity is excellent. I haven't used the enclosed earphones since I have a pair of good Sennheiser's and a older pair of Sony's that I prefer.
System recharges very quickly. After I've completely drained it, it will recharge to about 80% in 30 minutes. USB charging doesn't bother me since I frequently change music. The walk/run feature that changes playlists according to cadence is ok, but I don't find it compelling. The timer and pedometer are cool though.
A word about the Sonic Stage software: I have no problems with Sonic Stage. In my opinion it is no worse or better than any other software available. This includes Itunes, MusicMatch or Rhapsody. They all want to own all your music--that's how they gain market share. I'm a bit weary of negative comments by people who haven't used the product or software but have an opinion based on ignorance. The same can be said for all those people who think any product from Apple is perfect and everything else is junk.