What is going on?

A couple days ago, I stumbled across an article stating that CD players are seeing a major resurgence in sales in the UK. According to a recent article in the Daily Telegraph, A UK newspaper, portable CD player sales are up 50% from last holiday season. Department stores like John Lewis are stocking these players for the first time in four years.

I am completely baffled. Why would anyone buy a CD player for 30 dollars when they could get a 1gig flash mp3 player for 20? Cost aside, the mp3 player is much smaller and can hold much more music. Sometimes I think I have a handle on technology and then anomalies like this force me to rethink.

Here are some articles and blog postings disusing this phenomena...

Daily Telegraph, Portable CD Players Make a Comeback
The Guardian, Are you getting a CD player for Christmas?