Technology changes with time. The PL-880 is a DSP radio with some impressive performance for the price.
For those shopping for some inexpensive modern technology toys I would recommend the following:
Tecsun PL-880 (AM/FM/SW SSB DSP) $150 - Modern DSP at a great price.
Kaito KA1103 (AM/FM/SW SSB) $110 - Very small pocketable SSB receiver with full 0-30mhz coverage.
Tecsun PL-606 (AM/FM/SW - based on
si4734 DSP receiver chip) $50
Sony ICF-S10mk2 (AM/FM pocket radio, CXA1019S single chip design with resistive tuning that is totally linear) $12
For $12 the S10mk2 is an amazing little radio, good audio, and goes 40hrs on 2 AA batteries !
People have gone so far as to hack these for shortwave.Sony SRF-59 (AM/FM walkman radio, CXA1129N single chip design with capacitive tuning) $15
I personally would buy the S10mk2 before the SRF-59 just because its nice to finally have an analog face AM radio that doesn't have a compressed upper end tuning range due to straight-cut capacitive tuning.