Creative Zen Portable Media Center now $299 after Rebate

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=210&subcategory=211&product=9882&campID=20531' target='_blank'>http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=210&subcategory=211&product=9882&campID=20531</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The Creative® Zen Portable Media Center is the ultimate portable player for audio and visual entertainment. Watch up to 85 hours of video, listen to over 9,0001 songs and view tens of thousands of photos. Its intuitive Microsoft interface offers familiar, fast and easy access to all your favorite digital media and gives you the freedom to take it with you anywhere."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/creative-zen-$299.jpg" /><br /><br />The Zen PMC is getting long in the tooth, and will hopefully be replaced by something sexier soon enough. If you live in the US and have always thought one of these devices would be a good purchase it only it were cheaper, today is your day - there's a massive $200 rebate on the Zen PMC, bringing the price down to $299.

[randalllewis]

Hey Jason, the PMC has already been replaced. The fantastic Zen Vision does what the PMC does in a much cooler package. The only thing missing from the Vision is Windows and frankly I haven't missed it.

[Jason Dunn]

Hey Jason, the PMC has already been replaced. The fantastic Zen Vision does what the PMC does in a much cooler package. The only thing missing from the Vision is Windows and frankly I haven't missed it.

As much as I like the Zen Vision (I very nearly bought one), it's definitely not a Portable Media Center and can't be considered a replacement. One of the biggest things that kept me away from it was the comments about the screen being useless at anything other than a head-on angle. Have you found that?

[yada88]

As of two weeks ago, this thing was selling for 200$ after rebate from a number of sites, including buy.com and zipzoomfly. Zipzoomfly actually still has it for $190 after rebate (shipped w/FEDEX 2nd day). You can probably still fine it for 200$ in a number of other places too.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=380020

Jeff

[OSUKid7]

Wow. If I traveled more, I would definitely consider this. I saw a Microsoft demo of the PMCs in summer 2004 when we were just beginning to hear about tem. I liked the concept, but hated the price. The only thing this has over my Pocket PC/smartphone is better video capabilities, but I can just watch recorded TV on my Media Center laptop.

This would be great for those who travel though. They're finally getting to prices that can compete with the iPod video and low-end Pocket PCs. Good to see. :)