Official Zen Vision:W Photos Posted at Engadget

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/31/zen-vision-w-in-the-flesh/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/31/zen-vision-w-in-the-flesh/</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/zen-vision-w-3.jpg" /><br /><br />Ok, I'm posting this because it's my damn site. ;-) I love the way the Zen Vision:W looks, and engadget has a couple of pics of it and the box packaging. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for a response back from Creative's PR person. Such is the life of a B-list blog. Or maybe this is a C-list blog. Who knows. :lol: At any rate, I'm going to do everything in my power to get my hands on the 60GB version before I go to Hawaii at the end of November. Here's hoping!<br /><br /><b>UPDATE:</b> Here's <a href="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/ZEN%20Vision_W_Front_soccer.jpg">another high-resolution photo</a> for you to drool over.

[randalllewis]

Wow. It is identical to the Vision (no letter). The bigger hard drive is nice, but I haven't filled the old one yet. As for the screen, the screen on the Vision (no letter) is very nice. It is bright, clear, fast (meaning it keeps up during action sequences). The only flaw I am aware of is it has a very narrow viewing angle. That seems OK to me for such a device, but that's just me.

I hope you get one Jason so you can give us some details about the screen and any other interior improvements.

[Jason Dunn]

Yeah, the Vision:W is an evolutionary improvement over the Vision, not a revolutionary one. Bigger hard drive, improved screen, likely some bugfixes and whatnot...I'll try to get some details and what's really changed on the inside (if anything).

[Vincent Ferrari]

Someone please take a picture of this thing next to something.

Anything!

I'm totally curious about size here.

(First person who says a word about me being a size queen gets shot :twisted: )

[Jason Dunn]

Someone please take a picture of this thing next to something.

It's really hard to find photos of this thing in comparison to any other device. All the reviews I've read just use the Creative press photos! That's so lame.

Here's a video:
http://reviews.cnet.com/Creative_Zen_Vision_30GB_Black/4505-6499_7-31415781.html?tag=tab

I've had some hands on time with one, and honestly, I didn't think of it as "big".

[Vincent Ferrari]

I imagine the W is going to be in the same case, then...

That being said, I don't think it's as big as the first specs made it out to seem, so I'll eat some crow on that. I still think it might be too big for the general populace though.

It's a very nice device, but I still want to wait and see. Although it doesn't work with the Mac so I couldn't get it anyway ;-)

[Jason Dunn]

I imagine the W is going to be in the same case, then...

Yes, it's exactly the same size from what I understand.

That being said, I don't think it's as big as the first specs made it out to seem, so I'll eat some crow on that.

Crow battered, deep friend and served with a dollop of Dijon mustard (it brings out the flavour).

I still think it might be too big for the general populace though.

Certainly, the general tech-toy-buying-populace is still focused on music and that doesn't require a bit device with a big screen. Video will always be a second tier requirement, but the question is simply one of "Are there enough people out there interested in video for Creative to make money selling this product to them?". Not every product needs to be an "iPod Killer".

[Vincent Ferrari]

"Are there enough people out there interested in video for Creative to make money selling this product to them?"

Probably not. At least not yet, although I see that changing little by little. Hell, if Steve "No we won't have a video ipod, who wants to watch video on an iPod" Jobs can make a player, who can't?

Power users usually start a market but don't keep it afloat (ask Rio, they'll tell you all about the Rio 500 and how great it was and how no one bought it except people like me). It's probably going to be awhile before someone hits the sweet spot of video for the masses. Apple came close only because so many people were buying iPods anyway, the video was a throw in. I don't reckon a whole lot of people bought an iPod for it's video capabilities; they bought it for music and it just happened to play video.

[randalllewis]

As someone who has travelled a number of times with my Vision in tow, I can attest to its relative ease to carry. It will not fit in a shirt pocket, but it does fit into inside jacket pockets, from which I extract it to view. It is not too heavy to hold for the length of a movie for me but if it is for some, there is an accessory base unit available.

Besides improving the viewing angle of the screen, the only other common complaint about the Vision (no letter) is that it does not allow you to zoom in on digital photos. I hope Creative has addressed that.

[Jason Dunn]

Probably not. At least not yet, although I see that changing little by little.

Uh...if no one was buying these, and Creative didn't make any money on the first version, I kind of doubt they'd release a new version. There's a huge difference between a company making enough profit to warrant further development (Zen Vision) and having a product that is a huge smash runaway hit (iPod). Not ever product needs to be a huge success in order for companies to want to continue to sell it.

[Vincent Ferrari]

Uh...if no one was buying these, and Creative didn't make any money on the first version, I kind of doubt they'd release a new version.


Actually, if you think about it, that would be a perfect time to release a new version. Let's look at the flipside. Let's say they did make a good chunk of change on the first one. Would they, less than a year later, replace it and risk aggravating everyone and alienating people who bought it?

You're right, it doesn't have to be a runaway hit, but you can look at both sides of the coin with the W. Either the original didn't sell that well so they wanted to freshen it up and try again...

OR...

The original sold well and they wanted to piggyback on its success and evolve it.

Either way, it has potential. No one has made that "killer video" device yet and video isn't commoditized the way music is. Once someone does, that's when the market is going to take off and who knows, then it might be Creative's time.