Creative Zen 16GB Digital Multimedia Device-VIDEO PLAYER CREDIT CARD SIZED PERPZEN16GBBK 16GB BLK USB2 2
Creative Labs
- 70PF216100111
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Reviews
(18)
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I recently purchased a Creative ZEN pocket video player, and I have some comments about the experience.
First, the device itself is quite impressive. It is tiny, elegant, and very functional. It has performed flawlessly for several days, except for one morning when it would not start at all. There's a pinhole in the bottom that lets you reset the ZEN's internal computer, and it rebooted in seconds. The screen is bright and clear. The earbuds work with what seems to me to be sufficient audio quality for my purposes.
My purposes are to download and carry in my pocket some 1500 wmv video files that I have compiled for my academic research. Each video is about a minute long, so in total the files don't even touch the ZEN's capacity. I bought it because other reviewers endorsed it for wmv viewing.
However, the task of getting these 1500 files from my computer to the ZEN device has proven daunting. The ZEN software for video loading is hideously hard to use. Here are my observations,
First, the device itself is quite impressive. It is tiny, elegant, and very functional. It has performed flawlessly for several days, except for one morning when it would not start at all. There's a pinhole in the bottom that lets you reset the ZEN's internal computer, and it rebooted in seconds. The screen is bright and clear. The earbuds work with what seems to me to be sufficient audio quality for my purposes.
My purposes are to download and carry in my pocket some 1500 wmv video files that I have compiled for my academic research. Each video is about a minute long, so in total the files don't even touch the ZEN's capacity. I bought it because other reviewers endorsed it for wmv viewing.
However, the task of getting these 1500 files from my computer to the ZEN device has proven daunting. The ZEN software for video loading is hideously hard to use. Here are my observations,
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14 price(s)
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Wow, I bought this to upgrade from my 4 GB iPod nano (2gen) I love it! It works perfectly (so far). Hopefully reading this you know about the promoted features but here are some things I would've loved to know before I bought it.
It has this awesome advanced shuffle feature. You start playing something then simply navigate to any category and you can add it to the list of what to listen too. (like adding a single artist or cd or song) If you have it on shuffle you can listen to any selection of music shuffled together. You can save this list as a playlist as well. This is a feature I use constantly.
Also, I read a lot of complaints about the SD card slot. I find it useful, if only for videos or pictures. I was on vacation and my memory card on my camera was full, I simply put the SD card into my player, imported all the pictures and then cleared it, so I would be free to take more pictures.
This player also has some handy little features that are well integrated. I can change the play
It has this awesome advanced shuffle feature. You start playing something then simply navigate to any category and you can add it to the list of what to listen too. (like adding a single artist or cd or song) If you have it on shuffle you can listen to any selection of music shuffled together. You can save this list as a playlist as well. This is a feature I use constantly.
Also, I read a lot of complaints about the SD card slot. I find it useful, if only for videos or pictures. I was on vacation and my memory card on my camera was full, I simply put the SD card into my player, imported all the pictures and then cleared it, so I would be free to take more pictures.
This player also has some handy little features that are well integrated. I can change the play
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I did a lot of research before I purchased the Creative Zen. It is perfect! The only thing it doesn't do is take pictures and I have enough devices that do that. It is small, light weight, has great sounds, the ear buds are very comfortable, easy to use and I could go on.
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Compared to the latest iPod nano, the Creative Zen has: bigger and better display, better sound quality, FM radio and voice recording (nano has neither), similarly excellent battery life, better included earphones, slot for SD memory expansion card, and similar stunningly compact form factor. And a lower price: at the time I write this, the 16gb Zen costs the same as the 8gb nano!
The Zen will play unprotected AAC files (including "iTunes-plus" DRM-free tracks), so iPod owners who want to give it a try can get most of their music on the Zen. (The exception is copy-protected AAC files purchased from iTunes, which the Zen won't take.)
Don't get me wrong - I love iPods, I own a few of them, including the nano, which I like a lot and recommend. I think most people familiar with both would agree that the iPod's interface is more elegant and intuitive than the Zen's - though the Zen's really isn't bad at all.
Before plunking down your hard-earned cash, though, I recommend a visit
The Zen will play unprotected AAC files (including "iTunes-plus" DRM-free tracks), so iPod owners who want to give it a try can get most of their music on the Zen. (The exception is copy-protected AAC files purchased from iTunes, which the Zen won't take.)
Don't get me wrong - I love iPods, I own a few of them, including the nano, which I like a lot and recommend. I think most people familiar with both would agree that the iPod's interface is more elegant and intuitive than the Zen's - though the Zen's really isn't bad at all.
Before plunking down your hard-earned cash, though, I recommend a visit
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I had super high hopes for the Zen when I ordered it, and finding it on sale was the perfect excuse to nab one. I've had about 5 generations of Ipods and have always wanted to try Creative (I used to sell electronics for about 5 years, so I have a decent head about me with MP3 Players, to be honest after everyone wanting an iPod you just really wanted to encourage any kind of other player) and I didn't like the fact that over many years, Apple has gotten rid of some of my favorite features (like the manual backlight) and not added some badly needed ones (like being able to add/delete songs, name playlists, have more playing options). After trying the Zen out for a week, I am sending it back today.
*I originally bought it as just something to jog with, but I found major flaws with just the simple features I wanted the most. It DOES NOT work with mac, even as a flash drive, which I found very disappointing. My Ipod, when formatted for windows, works on both my Mac and PC with full control
*I originally bought it as just something to jog with, but I found major flaws with just the simple features I wanted the most. It DOES NOT work with mac, even as a flash drive, which I found very disappointing. My Ipod, when formatted for windows, works on both my Mac and PC with full control
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This seriously is the best creative player to date. Ive had no problems at all with is player. Its far better than the ipod nano. It was so many more features than an ipod has to offer. The screen is just beautiful. Its so crystal clear and crisp. The sound is amazing. Creative players always has the best sound. The battery is good, it lasts me along time. i havent used the memory card and i havent updated the firmware, im not planning to because of the bad reviews below. Everything about this Zen is almost too perfect.
Pros: Sound, Screen, the 16gb size, easy adding music, videos, and pics, fm radio.
Cons: The headphones arent good, the USB cable is way too short, its shorter than a NO. 2 pencil, the instructions included dont explain anything about the player.
Pros: Sound, Screen, the 16gb size, easy adding music, videos, and pics, fm radio.
Cons: The headphones arent good, the USB cable is way too short, its shorter than a NO. 2 pencil, the instructions included dont explain anything about the player.
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After a couple months of reading every other review in the world on every other flash memory player, I decided on this little guy. The price on the 16gb made the most sense and with the SD slot I had upgrade potential. All the positive qualities listed on the other reviews are for real.
As for some downside, the SD incorporation could use some work. It works as advertised, but it would be quite slick if all of the SD content showed up in the same spot as all of the media stored on the internal memory. Like any other MP3 player, ditch the headphones. Thirty dollars will get you the V-Moda Bass Freqs and they are perfectly paired with the Zen. The Shures and Bose offerings at 100 dollars are great, but these are only a minor step down for nearly a quarter of the price.
There is a button that you can setup as any function you want and after playing around some I found that I liked it most as the random song selection.
I'm awfully happy with my purchase.
As for some downside, the SD incorporation could use some work. It works as advertised, but it would be quite slick if all of the SD content showed up in the same spot as all of the media stored on the internal memory. Like any other MP3 player, ditch the headphones. Thirty dollars will get you the V-Moda Bass Freqs and they are perfectly paired with the Zen. The Shures and Bose offerings at 100 dollars are great, but these are only a minor step down for nearly a quarter of the price.
There is a button that you can setup as any function you want and after playing around some I found that I liked it most as the random song selection.
I'm awfully happy with my purchase.
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I did my research before purchasing an MP3 Player - being one of these fuddie-duddies that has to get into this century....to purchase for my 15 year old son. Consumer Reports recommended this particular brand/make and we are happy with it. The ONLY reason I gave it three stars on the "ease of operation" is because it was supposed to come with a Quick Start Guide and that was no-where to be found. Luckily I'm not fuddie-duddie enough....and figured it out on my own (if I do say so myself). I'd recommend it. I'm a pretty tough critic.
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I've owned 3 different makes of Mp3 players and this sounds the best.
The earbuds that came with, sound just fine, but I own a pair of $149 Etymotic ER-6i Isolator earbuds, and they sound excellent plugged into this little thing.
The software works just fine with Vista Home Premium, and the syncing process is a no-brainer.
The screen is crisp and colors are perfectly rendered.
The navigation thru various menus takes a little getting used to, but no big deal.
The earbuds that came with, sound just fine, but I own a pair of $149 Etymotic ER-6i Isolator earbuds, and they sound excellent plugged into this little thing.
The software works just fine with Vista Home Premium, and the syncing process is a no-brainer.
The screen is crisp and colors are perfectly rendered.
The navigation thru various menus takes a little getting used to, but no big deal.
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I bought the 16 GB Creative Zen in late December using the Amazon Prime service. Even though it was supposed to arrive in 2 days, it took 6 days to get to me. I have been enjoying the Zen. I've loaded some of my Tivo'd shows on the Zen and watch them while travelling. It's great being able to watch CSI, The Celebrity Apprentice, or Criminal Minds while everyone else on the plane is watching The Jane Austin Book Club. The picture is good and the battery has not run out on me yet. The only thing I haven't figured out yet is how to move forward or backward in a video. I can do it while listening to music, so I'm hoping this is possible with video.
I tried loading the software that came with the Creative Zen on my Windows XP Professional PC, but cannot get it to load. There is a CTX Installer error having something to do with my PC registry. Unfortunately, customer support cannot help me with this and have told me I'm on my own. I'm using Windows Media Player to sync my Zen with
I tried loading the software that came with the Creative Zen on my Windows XP Professional PC, but cannot get it to load. There is a CTX Installer error having something to do with my PC registry. Unfortunately, customer support cannot help me with this and have told me I'm on my own. I'm using Windows Media Player to sync my Zen with
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I picked this mp3 player up because my old iPod Nano 4GB was out of space and I needed more room. I didn't use iTunes at all and didn't really like the new iPod Nano anyway so I decided to look at the other options out there. After comparing my choices I decided on this Zen and it arrived today.
I was able to quickly sync up all my music using Windows Media Player 11 and it was nice to not have to install any new software to get it done (it does come with software but I chose not to install it.) Album art is displayed nicely as well. This player sounds great and I find the user interface simple to get around. The FM Radio is a nice addition and I was able to receive my favorite stations in the house with a nice strong signal. I also updated to the latest firmware without incident.
As a runner the only thing I miss from my old iPod Nano is the Stopwatch feature - I checked the Creative forums and saw that others have requested a stopwatch be added and that request has been passed
I was able to quickly sync up all my music using Windows Media Player 11 and it was nice to not have to install any new software to get it done (it does come with software but I chose not to install it.) Album art is displayed nicely as well. This player sounds great and I find the user interface simple to get around. The FM Radio is a nice addition and I was able to receive my favorite stations in the house with a nice strong signal. I also updated to the latest firmware without incident.
As a runner the only thing I miss from my old iPod Nano is the Stopwatch feature - I checked the Creative forums and saw that others have requested a stopwatch be added and that request has been passed
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As I listen almost exclusively to classical music, I never took much interest in MP3 players; hardly any serious music listener would cherish the idea of compromising a refined performance by compressing it into some lossy file format and then squeezing it through a pair of diminutive earplugs. On the other hand, however, these players are tempting gadgets, and of course there are ample occasions when it is nice to be able to take a sizeable portion of your favourite music with you in such a compact form.
Compact this Creative Zen certainly is. It is slightly smaller than a bank card, be it rather thicker. Though made of plastic, it makes a sturdy impression and doesn't feel fragile at all. The design is effective and nice - no contrived minimalism here, functionality is the prime object; yet the whole thing looks clean and uncluttered. There are real buttons that you actually have to push, which I prefer much to the slick but error- (and fingerprints-)prone touchscreens. The buttons,
Compact this Creative Zen certainly is. It is slightly smaller than a bank card, be it rather thicker. Though made of plastic, it makes a sturdy impression and doesn't feel fragile at all. The design is effective and nice - no contrived minimalism here, functionality is the prime object; yet the whole thing looks clean and uncluttered. There are real buttons that you actually have to push, which I prefer much to the slick but error- (and fingerprints-)prone touchscreens. The buttons,
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The 16 GB Zen is a solid MP3 player. There's nothing super-amazing about it, but it gets the job done and it looks fine. The space is enough for people like me without extensive music collections.
I used to have an iPod mini, until it died recently. I decided that I was finished with Apple and went with this player. What really saved me was the fact that this player supports AAC files (unprotected, that is). I used my iPod for podcasts and music. I have about 65 songs bought from the iTunes store, and a few hundred songs from CDs. I originally had thought that iTunes ripped CDs to MP3, but in fact, it doesn't. Luckily, though, I didn't have to lift a finger to get most of this music onto my player. It really is one of the best features. I recommend this as the first player to turn to for people who want to leave the iPod product line.
Pros:
Easy Interface
Syncs Fast (A 45-min TV show took about 20-30 seconds)
Great Display
Voice Recorder
FM Radio
Plays Unprotected AAC files
Cons:
A little
I used to have an iPod mini, until it died recently. I decided that I was finished with Apple and went with this player. What really saved me was the fact that this player supports AAC files (unprotected, that is). I used my iPod for podcasts and music. I have about 65 songs bought from the iTunes store, and a few hundred songs from CDs. I originally had thought that iTunes ripped CDs to MP3, but in fact, it doesn't. Luckily, though, I didn't have to lift a finger to get most of this music onto my player. It really is one of the best features. I recommend this as the first player to turn to for people who want to leave the iPod product line.
Pros:
Easy Interface
Syncs Fast (A 45-min TV show took about 20-30 seconds)
Great Display
Voice Recorder
FM Radio
Plays Unprotected AAC files
Cons:
A little
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I received my new 16GB ZEN a couple of days ago and I have to say I am very impressed with that little player. The player came out of the box with the newest firmware and so its startup time is amazingly fast now, basically you push the powerbutton and the player starts playing the song it was playing when you turned it off in less than 2 seconds. The sound of the new ZEN is very clear and deep, which is tipical for all creative players in recent years. The player sounds much much better than any iPod I have heard, and the only brand that can beat that sound is Cowon, but of course that comes at a higher price. Especially if you get very good headphones the sound of the ZEN becomes very very good. I only care about music so that is why I focus on the sound mostly, but I have to say that the display is also very bright and clear. And the player looks better when you actually see than on the pictures. Also the transfer of files is much faster compared to the iPod counterpart, I also like
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I first saw an ad for the Creative Zen several months before it hit the market and was immediately drawn to its compact stylish look, and the fact that it had 16gb of flash memory. I pre-ordered about 2 months before it came out and now I finally have it. Let me just say that it was well worth the wait. In my opinion, this is what an MP3 player should be. It is very user-friendly as well as intuitive. It is actually smaller than what I had anticipated, which is a big plus. I had been following the reviews for this up until I got mine, and I think that the firmware update has solved any issues that others were dealing with.
PROS:
Sleek and light
Excellent screen resolution
Fast transfers
Seamless integration and set-up
Excellent sound output
Good battery life
Intuitive interface
Powerful FM radio feature
Included software is easy to use
CONS:
I haven't tried the SD card feature yet, but for me, having it separate will only pose a minor annoyance.
Overall, this player does NOT
PROS:
Sleek and light
Excellent screen resolution
Fast transfers
Seamless integration and set-up
Excellent sound output
Good battery life
Intuitive interface
Powerful FM radio feature
Included software is easy to use
CONS:
I haven't tried the SD card feature yet, but for me, having it separate will only pose a minor annoyance.
Overall, this player does NOT
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This is an all around solid MP3 Player. I will describe some of the pros and cons about this player. I will say right now the pros strongly outweigh the cons. I have also tested this player adequately and have tested the SD card slot which I find very nice. Despite some complaints about the SD card, I find it adequate to suit my needs.
By the way if you are wondering why I am publishing this review... I received the player from Creative where it is in stock. Amazon is taking a little while longer.
Pros:
1) Excellent Sound - This MP3 Player is a bit louder, and sounds better than my previous Vision:M. I think the sound quality is quite superb.
2) Bright, Brilliant Display - The display is just stunning, and the 16 million colors really show great improvement over the ZVM.
3) Easy Navigation - I love the navigation on this player, and I really love the different themes.
4) Videos - The videos look incredibly nice... I've only played a few
5) Transfer Speed - Extremely Fast! What can
By the way if you are wondering why I am publishing this review... I received the player from Creative where it is in stock. Amazon is taking a little while longer.
Pros:
1) Excellent Sound - This MP3 Player is a bit louder, and sounds better than my previous Vision:M. I think the sound quality is quite superb.
2) Bright, Brilliant Display - The display is just stunning, and the 16 million colors really show great improvement over the ZVM.
3) Easy Navigation - I love the navigation on this player, and I really love the different themes.
4) Videos - The videos look incredibly nice... I've only played a few
5) Transfer Speed - Extremely Fast! What can
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This is an out-of-the-box review, based on first impressions of the device.
Good:
1) Sleek and shiny.
2) High quality screen.
3) Amazing color depth and picture quality, even at 10% brightness.
4) Surreal sound quality, as long as you use good headphones.
5) Microphone can pick up normal speaking voice from almost 20 feet away, though you may have to up the volume on playback.
6) Videos look awesome. The screen on this device handily beats out Ipod, Sansa, and iRiver screens in visual quality.
7) Visual themes. Haven't explored these much. Appear to change the wallpaper and the look of various menu/interface widgets.
8) EQ. Not quite as expansive or customizable as the EQ on a Zen Micro, but better than anything you will find on a modern device.
9) Transfers occur much faster than they do with an Ipod or Sansa.
Bad:
1) Crappy earplugs, just marginally better in quality than the earplugs that ship with Ipods.
2) Button resistance: you will feel the buttons on this device. Requires an
Good:
1) Sleek and shiny.
2) High quality screen.
3) Amazing color depth and picture quality, even at 10% brightness.
4) Surreal sound quality, as long as you use good headphones.
5) Microphone can pick up normal speaking voice from almost 20 feet away, though you may have to up the volume on playback.
6) Videos look awesome. The screen on this device handily beats out Ipod, Sansa, and iRiver screens in visual quality.
7) Visual themes. Haven't explored these much. Appear to change the wallpaper and the look of various menu/interface widgets.
8) EQ. Not quite as expansive or customizable as the EQ on a Zen Micro, but better than anything you will find on a modern device.
9) Transfers occur much faster than they do with an Ipod or Sansa.
Bad:
1) Crappy earplugs, just marginally better in quality than the earplugs that ship with Ipods.
2) Button resistance: you will feel the buttons on this device. Requires an
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Excellent screen, video playback, audio quality and user-interface. The downside is the smaller capacity compared to hdd players. The SD slot can support up to 16GB SDHC though expensive. If X-fi can be integrated it'd be perfect. Aurvana X-fi headphones will complement this very well.
