Pros:
The Creative Zen Vision is a multi-faceted portable media player that can handle audio, video, radio and recording in a single package. The display is a lovable high-resolution screen, the graphical user interface is excellent and user friendly and the device design is sleek, stylish and compact. It can also output pictures and video and to an external device using the AV port. FM has recording available. The overall music quality is pretty impressive. The 30 GB internal memory can be further supplemented using CompactFlash cards with support for various formats.
Cons:
Media cannot be managed using Mac or Linux based computers. Only Windows is supported since the software used for transfer of files can only run on Windows. No in-line recording option for audio and video provided. Viewing angle is limited and there is no kickstand. Video files typically need to be transcoded in orer to get the best experience. Voice recorder was not up to the mark. The radio usually had a hard time picking up signals even when outdoors and radio recordings couldn’t be scheduled. The product documentation is woefully incomplete.
Bottom Line:
On the whole, this is a pretty impressive portable audio/video player boasting a large disk capacity as well as memory expandability. Handles all common video and audio formats very well but is occasionally frustrating.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Creative Zen Vision: W
Pros:
The Creative Zen Vision: W is a portable media player that handles audio, video, radio and recording in one package, and does its job rather well. The display is nice and big, the interface user friendly and it is of a rather good value for a widescreen 16:9 portable video player, something that separates it from the rest of the market. It can also output pictures and video and to an external device up to a resolution of 720 x 480. The GUI is excellent and the easy to use controls complement it well. The device also boats a mini speaker under the buttons. You can also bookmark an exact point in a song, up to 10 bookmarks, while videos automatically get bookmarked on exiting. FM is good and overall music quality was clear and impressive.
Cons:
Though the design is good and there are a good host of features, the device is rather bulky and just a tad heavy. In view of the range of features included, Creative could have also included line-in audio and video recording and FM recording into the Vision: W’s armoury.
Bottom Line:
On the whole, this is a pretty impressive portable audio/video player with large disk space options of 30 GB and 60 GB and bestowed with a set of features that would make you the envy of any neighbour.
The Creative Zen Vision: W is a portable media player that handles audio, video, radio and recording in one package, and does its job rather well. The display is nice and big, the interface user friendly and it is of a rather good value for a widescreen 16:9 portable video player, something that separates it from the rest of the market. It can also output pictures and video and to an external device up to a resolution of 720 x 480. The GUI is excellent and the easy to use controls complement it well. The device also boats a mini speaker under the buttons. You can also bookmark an exact point in a song, up to 10 bookmarks, while videos automatically get bookmarked on exiting. FM is good and overall music quality was clear and impressive.
Cons:
Though the design is good and there are a good host of features, the device is rather bulky and just a tad heavy. In view of the range of features included, Creative could have also included line-in audio and video recording and FM recording into the Vision: W’s armoury.
Bottom Line:
On the whole, this is a pretty impressive portable audio/video player with large disk space options of 30 GB and 60 GB and bestowed with a set of features that would make you the envy of any neighbour.
Creative MuVo TX FM
Pros:
The Creative MuVo TX FM has a good range of features packed in a muscular and lithe design. It is one of the first devices to bundle a USB memory key with a music player. The device comes home with a cleverly designed armband and belt clip. The LCD display is easy to read and the control layout is simple to use. The voice recorder can be used for recording stuff and the inbuilt radio is equipped with its own recorder. Menu navigation and track skipping are made easy with the jog-dial.
Cons:
Though the LCD is crisp, it is rather tiny. The built in microphone is good only for personal use as it cannot pick up sounds from a distance. There is no provision given for attaching an external microphone. Also, the voice recorder can only record low-quality sounds. And the FM recorder does its job only in 4-bit stereo which isn’t good enough. There is no USB cable option which may lead to frequent manhandling of the device by plugging it directly into a PC’s USB port.
Bottom Line:
To give a short summary, this is an MP3 player that can be bought for its looks but not its functionality. The sound quality is actually pretty good but the storage space is limited and there is no provision for expanding it externally too.
The Creative MuVo TX FM has a good range of features packed in a muscular and lithe design. It is one of the first devices to bundle a USB memory key with a music player. The device comes home with a cleverly designed armband and belt clip. The LCD display is easy to read and the control layout is simple to use. The voice recorder can be used for recording stuff and the inbuilt radio is equipped with its own recorder. Menu navigation and track skipping are made easy with the jog-dial.
Cons:
Though the LCD is crisp, it is rather tiny. The built in microphone is good only for personal use as it cannot pick up sounds from a distance. There is no provision given for attaching an external microphone. Also, the voice recorder can only record low-quality sounds. And the FM recorder does its job only in 4-bit stereo which isn’t good enough. There is no USB cable option which may lead to frequent manhandling of the device by plugging it directly into a PC’s USB port.
Bottom Line:
To give a short summary, this is an MP3 player that can be bought for its looks but not its functionality. The sound quality is actually pretty good but the storage space is limited and there is no provision for expanding it externally too.
Creative Zen Stone
Pros:
The Creative Zen Stone looks like a pebble. A silky black pebble from a Japanese garden. It’s a competitor of the tiny iPod Shuffle and is cheaper than that too. The casing is plastic-like and contributes to the sense of weightlessness. A tiny LED indicator flashes according to the function currently performed by the Stone. The device has a standard headphone jack, a reset pin and a switch which toggled between random play and continuous play. Main thing you’ll notice is the great audio quality which tends to rival even the bigger and more expensive players! Skipping between tracks is not a big deal with the standard controls up front.
Cons:
Though the device looks like a pebble, it does not feel like one due to its very light weight. The tactile quality should be way better when compared to its design. The device also does not have a power switch which makes things a bit difficult. And the lack of an LCD is a bore in case you’ve forgotten the song or the name of the song you were last listening to. The battery life is not too great either considering the device does not have an LCD, but considering the audio quality, this statement may be written off.
Bottom Line:
To conclude, this MP3 player is a decent rival to the iPod Shuffle. It’s a good alternative when considering the lower price and better audio quality. Unfortunately the battery ought to have had a longer life and the design could have been better. However, it’s an extremely good value for money and unless you’re after something a bit trendier and with a longer battery life, this one is for you.
The Creative Zen Stone looks like a pebble. A silky black pebble from a Japanese garden. It’s a competitor of the tiny iPod Shuffle and is cheaper than that too. The casing is plastic-like and contributes to the sense of weightlessness. A tiny LED indicator flashes according to the function currently performed by the Stone. The device has a standard headphone jack, a reset pin and a switch which toggled between random play and continuous play. Main thing you’ll notice is the great audio quality which tends to rival even the bigger and more expensive players! Skipping between tracks is not a big deal with the standard controls up front.
Cons:
Though the device looks like a pebble, it does not feel like one due to its very light weight. The tactile quality should be way better when compared to its design. The device also does not have a power switch which makes things a bit difficult. And the lack of an LCD is a bore in case you’ve forgotten the song or the name of the song you were last listening to. The battery life is not too great either considering the device does not have an LCD, but considering the audio quality, this statement may be written off.
Bottom Line:
To conclude, this MP3 player is a decent rival to the iPod Shuffle. It’s a good alternative when considering the lower price and better audio quality. Unfortunately the battery ought to have had a longer life and the design could have been better. However, it’s an extremely good value for money and unless you’re after something a bit trendier and with a longer battery life, this one is for you.
Creative MuVo T200
Pros:
The Creative MuVo T200 is a tiny little thing with a Colour LCD display and a cool look. Comes in two sizes of 2 GB and 4 GB in a compact USB pen drive like package with different colour options. Can also be used directly as a storage device. The display shows details of the current track information, date & time, battery indicator and the like. This little critter also boasts a voice recorder with built-in microphone and an FM radio in its armoury. The device is extremely compact, portable and basic, easily fits into a pocket, can be hung from the neck or kept anywhere as you please! One more thing – just remember where you last left it!
Cons:
The headphones tend to produce a muffled sound and the radio presets aren’t really spontaneous and perceptive. Files that have been transferred to the player do not show up on the display screen at times. The limited file format support is a real bore. Songs purchased through iTunes store do not seem to be playable. The menu seems to be a bit odd and even a gadget freak might need to look at the user manual first.
Bottom Line:
To conclude, this MP3 player is a pretty good one and looks good too. It makes a good all-rounder but the obvious limitation with file formats might deter a hardcore user to go for it. For the occasional listener who wishes to have a compact and sleek device with a decent set of features, this is a good buy and has more than enough. Just remember to get a new set of headphones as the ones supplied make a bad job of differentiating high and low frequencies.
The Creative MuVo T200 is a tiny little thing with a Colour LCD display and a cool look. Comes in two sizes of 2 GB and 4 GB in a compact USB pen drive like package with different colour options. Can also be used directly as a storage device. The display shows details of the current track information, date & time, battery indicator and the like. This little critter also boasts a voice recorder with built-in microphone and an FM radio in its armoury. The device is extremely compact, portable and basic, easily fits into a pocket, can be hung from the neck or kept anywhere as you please! One more thing – just remember where you last left it!
Cons:
The headphones tend to produce a muffled sound and the radio presets aren’t really spontaneous and perceptive. Files that have been transferred to the player do not show up on the display screen at times. The limited file format support is a real bore. Songs purchased through iTunes store do not seem to be playable. The menu seems to be a bit odd and even a gadget freak might need to look at the user manual first.
Bottom Line:
To conclude, this MP3 player is a pretty good one and looks good too. It makes a good all-rounder but the obvious limitation with file formats might deter a hardcore user to go for it. For the occasional listener who wishes to have a compact and sleek device with a decent set of features, this is a good buy and has more than enough. Just remember to get a new set of headphones as the ones supplied make a bad job of differentiating high and low frequencies.
Creative Zen Vision: M
Pros:
The Creative Zen Vision: M is an iPod rival and bears many similarities to its counterpart. It is a music and video player and also functions as a Radio. It also features a voice recorder and can record your favourite tunes from the radio without any trouble using its FM recorder. The surface of the Vertical Scroll has been enlarged which allows large thumbed users to handle the device more easily.
Cons:
The entire front of the device is made from a material that can easily be scratched. As a result, one may easily damage the looks of the player unless an external protective casing is purchased, which invariably adds to the bulk. The vertical scroll is not as precise as the iPod’s click wheel and could have been made better. The device cannot be used as a plug and play device in any computer without manually installing the drivers first. The partition storage option can only be used to hold data and cannot play music directly from it. Also, the device’s operating system is unable to recognise and read from the partition made.
Bottom Line:
To conclude, the player is a rather decent one but Creative has still not been able to reach the level of iPod. However, the user interface is very easy even for a newbie user, the same interface Apple seems to have adopted from Creative. The device has a good tactile design and an aesthetic look. The display is large and scrumptious and has six colour themes with changeable wallpapers. However, the outer casing is not very good and can easily be scratched. Also, the Vision cannot be used as a plug and play device in any computer without manually installing the drivers first.
The Creative Zen Vision: M is an iPod rival and bears many similarities to its counterpart. It is a music and video player and also functions as a Radio. It also features a voice recorder and can record your favourite tunes from the radio without any trouble using its FM recorder. The surface of the Vertical Scroll has been enlarged which allows large thumbed users to handle the device more easily.
Cons:
The entire front of the device is made from a material that can easily be scratched. As a result, one may easily damage the looks of the player unless an external protective casing is purchased, which invariably adds to the bulk. The vertical scroll is not as precise as the iPod’s click wheel and could have been made better. The device cannot be used as a plug and play device in any computer without manually installing the drivers first. The partition storage option can only be used to hold data and cannot play music directly from it. Also, the device’s operating system is unable to recognise and read from the partition made.
Bottom Line:
To conclude, the player is a rather decent one but Creative has still not been able to reach the level of iPod. However, the user interface is very easy even for a newbie user, the same interface Apple seems to have adopted from Creative. The device has a good tactile design and an aesthetic look. The display is large and scrumptious and has six colour themes with changeable wallpapers. However, the outer casing is not very good and can easily be scratched. Also, the Vision cannot be used as a plug and play device in any computer without manually installing the drivers first.
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