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View Full Version : 40GB Version Of Zen Touch MP3 Player


Suhit Gupta
07-29-2004, 10:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://creative.com/products/product.asp?prodid=10274' target='_blank'>http://creative.com/products/product.asp?prodid=10274</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Their 20GB Zen Touch MP3 player (the one with that unusual vertical touchpad and 24 hours of battery life) isn’t quite shipping yet, but Creative already looking ahead and have just announced that a 40GB model is on the way."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/hires_zentouch_front.jpg" /><br /><br />The Creative Zen claims to have a whopping 24 hours of battery life and offers the unique vertical touchpad that you can use with up-down movement to navigate the files. The upper and lower portion of the touch pad will enable rapid scrolling of files. The middle portion can be used for normal scrolling speed. It also has a USB 2.0 interface, FM receiver, voice recording and allows you to control your music quality with a 4 channel equalizer. Most of the features here have become standard in all Digital Audio Players these days (except of course the incredibly popular iPod ;-)).

James Fee
07-29-2004, 10:54 PM
Can I be the first to mention that the iPod can do all that and has for quite some time? ;)

dean_shan
07-30-2004, 01:43 AM
Can I be the first to mention that the iPod can do all that and has for quite some time? ;)

Umm no. This one has a longer battery and an FM tuner. Not sure if a stip works as well as a wheel though.

James Fee
07-30-2004, 03:27 AM
Can I be the first to mention that the iPod can do all that and has for quite some time? ;)

Umm no. This one has a longer battery and an FM tuner. Not sure if a stip works as well as a wheel though.
Not all players have that long of battery life, but 12+ hours for the ipod is similar to others.

As for the FM tuner...

3rd Party solutions would happen if people had wanted it. The great thing about the iPod is there is so much 3rd party support that if it isn't standard, you can buy it and even have a choice.

Suhit Gupta
07-30-2004, 03:55 AM
Not all players have that long of battery life, but 12+ hours for the ipod is similar to others.
We just had this same discussion in another thread. Anyways, the battery life in most top MP3 players is typically in the 18+ hour range. The iPod is lagging a lot.
As for the FM tuner...

3rd Party solutions would happen if people had wanted it. The great thing about the iPod is there is so much 3rd party support that if it isn't standard, you can buy it and even have a choice.
Yeah, but why spend more on extra accessories if you don't have to. I still maintain that the iPod is weak compared to all other leading competitors in all else except UI.

Suhit

James Fee
07-30-2004, 05:08 AM
We just had this same discussion in another thread. Anyways, the battery life in most top MP3 players is typically in the 18+ hour range. The iPod is lagging a lot.
I don't consider 4 hours, "a lot".
Yeah, but why spend more on extra accessories if you don't have to. I still maintain that the iPod is weak compared to all other leading competitors in all else except UI.
Choice. Unlike most other players, I can choose what I want. These smaller players don't get the numbers so that belkin and others will create accessories for them. Its weird how having a choice is a bad thing.

From cases to card readers to speech recorders, the iPod has so many choices. The only problem with it is that we are forced to use iTunes (which really isn't that bad). I can hop into Fry's Electronics and look at a wall filled with iPod accessories. I can pick and choose what I want. None of the other players have anywhere near the choice.


People keep calling the best selling mp3 player weak, yet people still line up to buy it. Sure its "hip", but when you see how supported it is, why mess with second tier devices. Until some other player gets close to the success of the iPod, it still is the strongest player on the market.

dean_shan
07-30-2004, 07:44 AM
Choice. Unlike most other players, I can choose what I want. These smaller players don't get the numbers so that belkin and others will create accessories for them. Its weird how having a choice is a bad thing.

Thing is it adds bulk and $$$. When I buy a HD based I want long battery life and the FM transmitter built-in. I don't want to buy a dongle. If Apple boosted the battery a bit and added a FM tranmitter I would go out this minute and buy one.

Phoenix
07-30-2004, 09:10 AM
We just had this same discussion in another thread. Anyways, the battery life in most top MP3 players is typically in the 18+ hour range. The iPod is lagging a lot.

I don't consider 4 hours, "a lot".

This depends on who you're talking to. When you think of it as half a work day, that's quite a bit to me.

But then you realize that it's even more than that, because the newest Ipods max out at 12 hours and the Minis at 8 hours. That's 6 to 10 hours difference. An entire work day and more - that's quite a span.

What I wish for is that Apple would integrate the functionality of an iTrip along with an FM tuner and voice recording capability. I'd rather have that integrated than have to carry a bunch of extra junk or accessories around in my pocket. But that's my preference. The thing is, if Apple did do this, no one would complain. We'd all be applauding the Ipod's continuing evolution.

But even with all of this - I still love my Ipod Mini. 8)

Lee Yuan Sheng
07-30-2004, 01:57 PM
It's a good deal cheaper, it's got a longer battery life, and it's got more extras as well. And I do think it looks nicer than the iPod, unfortunately while it's small, it's still a bit bigger than the Apple devices (especially when compared to the 4th gen iPod).

James Fee
07-30-2004, 02:11 PM
Hey, its all moot guys. Do any of you really think this player will overtake the iPod in sales? Not likely. We all complain about problems with the iPods, but in the end the continue to set the standard that companies such as iRiver has exceeded for the past year, but can't seem to convince people to buy them.

All this extra stuff just doesn't matter in the end.

mace
07-30-2004, 02:30 PM
Can I be the first to mention that the iPod can do all that and has for quite some time? ;)

My Music library is 90 % WMA's, can the iPod play WMA's :?:

Felix Torres
07-30-2004, 02:45 PM
Hey, its all moot guys. Do any of you really think this player will overtake the iPod in sales? Not likely. We all complain about problems with the iPods, but in the end the continue to set the standard that companies such as iRiver has exceeded for the past year, but can't seem to convince people to buy them.

All this extra stuff just doesn't matter in the end.

Yay!
That's the proper attitude!
Keep upholding the Apple honor.

And don't forget to remind folks that thin is the Pod's calling card, so putting in stuff like FM radios, recorders and high-quality batteries would only pork it up.
If you want cute and thin, get the Pod; if you want long battery-life and built-in features like color screens and multi-codec support, why, go elsewhere.

The Pod gives you choice, after all.
Its not like Apple is holding a gun to anybody's head!
They're the cool kids; they get to say what's in and what's out and they know best how to design their products and they *really* don't need any feedback from the likes of us.
So get with the program and buy a new pod every year!
&lt;accckkk!!>
&lt;hack>
&lt;cough>
Sorry, almost swallowed my tongue; this tongue-in-cheek stuff is hard! 8)

BTW, the folks at Creative Labs thank you.
So does iRiver.
And Samsung.
And Philips.
And Rio.

:twisted:

James Fee
07-30-2004, 02:46 PM
My Music library is 90 % WMA's, can the iPod play WMA's :?:
Doesn't appear to matter. People keep posting that their library is all WMA, but those people would appear to be a minority. If WMA was as popular as mp3, then Apple would have a problem on their hands, but as of August 2004, it would appear that it is not. WMA is the only threat to the iPod at this point and its up to Microsoft to make sure that people start using it. How many "iPod Killer" posts have been made of the past 2 years and we still don't have a "killer" yet. iRiver has done a great job, but they can't seem to get the distribution up to the levels that Apple can. The only thing that can get people out of their iPods and stop buying new ones is the music format.

James Fee
07-30-2004, 02:50 PM
The Pod gives you choice, after all.
I posted that just to get a reaction out of you Felix. ;)

Look we both agree on this subject. The iPod is a closed music system.

All the other players are "open" (in the sense they can buy from more than one provider, not that they can play more than one protected music format), but in the end the market has said, "We don't care".

Its all about eye candy and pink iPods, 40 case choices and Steve Jobs picture on Time Magazine, matters more than playing music downloaded from Wal-Mart.

Felix Torres
07-30-2004, 03:16 PM
Seriously, now; come on guys!
Everything has a price.
Every strength of the Pod comes at a price.
Cool glossy white color=fingerprint magnet.
Thin = small battery.
Small profile=tiny screen.
Apple name=walled garden.

Apple found a combination that works for them.
And it works for 29% of the market.
Which is great if you see nothing wrong with the design choices Apple made.
And even better for the vendors of alternative products who made different design choices and are aiming for the 71% of the market that prefers flash-based players, once-a-week-charging or color screens or multi-codec support or music subscriptions or replaceable batteries or built-in voice recorders or...

There is no single proper way to design anything; there are trade-offs for everything. One person's must-have feature is another person's turn-off.

To me, every single-one of the Pod's strengths is a weakness:
Cool white color? Sorry, I prefer black.
Small size, nope; I don't carry my player in my shirt pocket and I'd rather have a three inch screen that shows the next ten songs in my playlist and is readable from a distance.
Thin? Light? I'd rather have a big, heavy battery I only charge once a week. Since batteries have a finite number of recharges in them, daily recharges mean lower device lifespan.
Neat touch-sensitive control wheel? Sorry. I often carry my player in my pants pocket and operate it by touch so actual mechanical switches with real tactile feedback work best for me.
Built-in games? Data storage? &lt;shrug> I have a PDA for that.
Built-in FM? Yeah, I have it. Don't use it. In fact, that's why I got the jukebox in the first place: radio sucks rivets around here...

At this moment I have no use for the pod.
I also have no problem with the pod.

I do kinda like the nice, smug, complacent "king of the world" attitude of Jobs and his followers, though.
But that's because I don't *like* smug, complacent folks.
And because I believe smug complacency is its own reward. :twisted:

And because it only makes your competitors work harder, which is exactly what I want to see.

So, to each their own and let the competitors figure out where the next sweet-spot lies.

If you're happy with your pod, my hat is off to you, folks.
Cause I'm quite happy with my black bulky non-cool anti-pod player that runs WMA.
And that's all we want, right?
To be happy happy lil campers...

Now I'm off to get my morning chocoloate fix.
(Love those endophins!) ;-)

Felix Torres
07-30-2004, 03:35 PM
The Pod gives you choice, after all.
I posted that just to get a reaction out of you Felix. ;)



A good thing you did it on a friday.
Fridays I'm generally in a "live and let die" mood.

Monday mornings, though, not so much so....
I generally avoid posting monday mornings.
Definitely no tongue-in-cheek on mondays...

Not even chocolate helps there.
So, see ya tuesday... ;-)

Mojo Jojo
07-30-2004, 03:39 PM
(...logs in and reads the thread, then procedes to fiddle with the iPod controls...)

Darn it forgot to change that... I wanted shuffle... not repeat!

(...leaves the thread happy singing to himself quietly...)

dean_shan
07-30-2004, 04:01 PM
I wouldn't like to have your MP3 player Felix. When I get a HD based one it's going to be as small as physicaly possible. Like one the size of the mini only 25gigs and no pastel colors. I'm not a japanesse school girl, I want black or silver not pink.

James Fee
07-30-2004, 04:22 PM
I want black or silver not pink.
Sounds like you want, da Raiders! ;)

Felix Torres
07-30-2004, 04:28 PM
I wouldn't like to have your MP3 player Felix.

Which is a good thing for you.
Cause you can't have it.
Does the phrase "cold dead fingers" have any meaning for you? ;-)

Don't worry, they don't make them that way anymore.
The nearest equivalent is the Creative PMC which ups the ante with a 3.5" color screen.

If you like black, take a look at the Philips.
Shiny glossy black with silver buttons. Very nice aesthetic.

bjornkeizers
07-30-2004, 06:31 PM
People keep posting that their library is all WMA, but those people would appear to be a minority. If WMA was as popular as mp3, then Apple would have a problem on their hands, but as of August 2004, it would appear that it is not.


Exactly. Most people use MP3, and that's not about to change. I get all my music from P2P, and I like that just fine. Why would I want to use a format like WMA, DRM encrypted music, from Microsoft no less? You have to give people a good reason to switch, and most people would rather eat their Ipods then use WMA. I know I would.

Ipod is king. Don't like it? Nobody is putting a gun to your head! Buy your Iriver and Creative if you want, but people shouldn't hate on the Ipod or its users just because you can't afford one/don't want one.

cmchavez
07-30-2004, 07:16 PM
Hey, its all moot guys. Do any of you really think this player will overtake the iPod in sales? Not likely. We all complain about problems with the iPods, but in the end the continue to set the standard that companies such as iRiver has exceeded for the past year, but can't seem to convince people to buy them.

All this extra stuff just doesn't matter in the end.

Okay, let me preface this post by letting you know that I don't own an "mp3" player yet.

I like the iPod, but I don't want to convert my wma file library over to mp3 or aac formats; I need to use them with Windows Movie Maker and don't want 2 copies of the same songs on my system. If the iPod would support wma, I would buy it today; but alas...