A 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, as well as the easy-to-use Creative interface. View all Zen V features.

Not much bigger than a pair of earbuds! (black and orange model shown) See the Zen V in 3D.

Other great features include a Direct CD Recording function that allows you to record songs directly from a CD player or other audio source without using a PC as an intermediary. You no longer need to burn CDs to your PC then download to your MP3 player. Just connect an audio device directly to your Zen V, and record your favorite CDs, records, beats and more, direct from the source. Meanwhile, automatic track detection separates each song for you--a handy feature when you're converting analog (records and cassette tapes) to digital. If organization is a high priority, the Zen V's Personal Organizer will help you stay connected and in-sync with your Microsoft Outlook information. Just connect the Zen V to your PC, sync your Outlook information, and you'll be ready to carry around your contacts, calendar, and to-do lists right in your pocket. Plus, the Zen V uses a handy built-in microphone to double as a voice recorder, so you can capture notes, record lectures, and more.

No matter how you hold it, the Zen V is just the right size.

Creative knows that sporty is sexy, and this player is ideal for any workout junkie. The skip-free playback is perfect on your morning jog or your most rigorous workout at the gym. The optional armband and case fit comfortably on your arm and keep your Zen V safe and secure while running or lifting. The Zen V player was designed for people who appreciate style and function. Don't be surprised when people take notice of your cool, colorful music and photo player. You can proudly announce that your device carries up to 2,000 songs, and you can show off your favorite photos that you've stored on this pocket-sized powerhouse.

What's in the Box
Creative Zen V, EP480 earphones, drawstring pouch lanyard, USB cable, line-in cable, installation CD including user manual, and quick start guide.
Price=$219.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:35 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative.htm
Fosmon's Creative Zen Vision:M AV Cable (Audio/Video) allows you to connect your Creative Zen Vision:M (60GB) to a projector or TV and share your videos and pictures with others in a glorious multimedia experience! The special design docking type connector fits perfectly with Creative Zen Vision:M / Zen Vision W.
Price=$29.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:36 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/av-cable.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/av-cable.htm Price=$39.95
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:37 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/pcmicrosto-9.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/pcmicrosto-9.htm
With a tiny, eye-catching design, smooth contours, and a discreet size, the Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player fits perfectly in your palm and slides effortlessly into your smallest pocket. With 4 GB of storage space,

A 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, as well as the easy-to-use Creative interface. View all Zen V Plus features.

Not much bigger than a pair of earbuds! (black and orange model shown) See the Zen V Plus in 3D.

the Zen V Plus holds up to 2,000 songs, and the 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, full-color menus, and album art at any viewing angle. Another great feature built right into the Zen V Plus is the tiny device's ability to support subscription services and pay-per-download music. Plus, you'll never sweat formats--the Zen V Plus plays the broadest selection of MP3 and WMA music. And browsing your music collection has never been easier with Creative's innovative interface that enables effective and intuitive navigation and track selection. The Plus has an extra feature that it's predecessor lacked: the ability to play short video clips. With the Zen V Plus you can watch short clips in transcoded video format and impress your friends with the latest tidbits from the web or a brief glimpse of a home video.

Another great feature is a Direct CD Recording function that allows you to record songs directly from a CD player or other audio source without using a PC as an intermediary. You no longer need to burn CDs to your PC then download to your MP3 player. Just connect an audio device directly to your Zen V Plus, and record your favorite CDs, records, beats and more, direct from the source. Meanwhile, automatic track detection separates each song for you--a handy feature when you're converting analog (records and cassette tapes) to digital. If organization is a high priority, the Zen V Plus's Personal Organizer will help you stay connected and in-sync with your Microsoft Outlook information. Just connect the Zen V Plus to your PC, sync your Outlook information, and you'll be ready to carry around your contacts, calendar, and to-do lists right in your pocket. Plus, the Zen V Plus uses a handy built-in microphone to double as a voice recorder, so you can capture notes, record lectures, and more.

No matter how you hold it, the Zen V Plus is just the right size.

Creative knows that sporty is sexy, and this player is ideal for any workout junkie. The skip-free playback is perfect on your morning jog or your most rigorous workout at the gym. The optional armband and case fit comfortably on your arm and keep your Zen V Plus safe and secure while running or lifting. The Zen V Plus player was designed for people who appreciate style and function. Don't be surprised when people take notice of your cool, colorful music and photo player. You can proudly announce that your device carries up to 2,000 songs, and you can show off your favorite photos and video clips that you've stored on this pocket-sized powerhouse.

What's in the Box
Creative Zen V Plus, earphones, drawstring pouch, lanyard, USB 2.0 cable, line-in cable, neck strap, installation CD including user manual, and quick start guide.
Price=$179.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:37 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-2.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-2.htm
Case Logic USB JumpDrive Case for 4 Drives. Neoprene shuttle stores and protects up to 4 drives. Keychain attachment for easy transportation of data, music, and photos. Rip-and-burn package theme
Price=$9.77
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:38 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/case-2.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/case-2.htm
Beneath the ZEN Vision W player's classy magnesium surface is everything you've been looking for in a mobile entertainment device. Carry all your digital entertainment-15,000 songs, tens of thousands of photos and up to 120 hours of videos-wherever you roam. The patented ZEN interface couldn't be easier to use. This premier MP3 player with a large 4.3" color screen allows for excellent TV, movie and photo viewing in 16:9 format. ZEN Vision W features a Plug&View compact flash card slot that lets you quickly transfer photos from your digital camera. No PC needed! Free up precious memory space in your compact flash card during long photo shoots by archiving tens of thousands of photos on your ZEN Vision W player. Enjoy your favorite photos and videos with a few friends over lunch. Connect your player to a TV using the AV out and share with your entire family. Signal-to-Noise Ratio - Up to 90db / Frequency Response - 20Hz - 20kHz / Audio Output - 3.5mm stereo mini-jack / Audio/Video Output - Composite TV, stereo audio out Organizer - Syncs with and views Microsoft Outlook Contacts, Calendar&Tasks Features - Album Art / FM radio / Voice recorder / Repeat, resume, and random play / Sleep and wake timers / Customizable main menu / Functions as an external hard drive Minimum System Requirements - Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 1 or higher) / XP 64-bit / Intel Pentium II 350MHz or AMD K6-2 450MHz / 64MB RAM (128MB RAM recommended) / USB 1.1 port (USB 2.0 recommended for faster transfer) / 170MB free hard drive space Unit Dimensions - WxHxD - 5.27 2.95 0 86 Weight - 9.73 oz
Price=$299.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:38 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-3.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-3.htm Price=$19.95
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:39 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/pcmicrosto-10.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/pcmicrosto-10.htm
Flaunt your independent sense of style with its tiny size and eye-catching design that will be the envy of your friends. Everything you need right at your fingertips. Carry your treasured music collection, funny video clips and family photo slideshows. Audio Playback Format - MP3, WMA, WAV and Audible Photo Format - JPEG Video Playback Format - Transcoded video format Syncs with and views Microsoft Outlook Contacts, Calendar & Tasks Personal video clips FM Radio View Photos and Album Art at any viewing angle Subscription service support and pay per download music Direct CD recording Built-in Voice Recorder Syncs contacts, calendar and tasks Skip free playback Plays music, ZENCast, and audiobooks Alarm and clock Customizable main menu System Requirements - Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 1 or higher) / XP 64-bit, Intel Pentium III 1GHz or AMD Duron 1GHz, 256MB RAM, USB 1.1 port (USB 2.0 recommended), 170MB free hard drive space (more for audio content storage) Dimensions - 1.7 x 2.7 x 0.6 inch Weight - 1.55 ounces
Price=$139.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:39 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-4.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-4.htm Price=$19.95
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:39 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/pcmicrosto-11.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/pcmicrosto-11.htm
This credit-card-sized Zen has a stunning 2.5-inch color screen and is perfect for music, videos, and photos. Enjoy up to 8,000 MP3, WMA, or AAC songs; watch up to 120 hours of videos; and share hundreds of photos with your friends. Even expand your portable music, video, or photo collection by adding additional content through the convenient SD memory slot. The Zen player also is available in 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB, and 16 GB capacities.

A razor sharp 2.5-inch display makes your photos and videos come to life. See the Zen in detail.

Small size, big features--all in the palm of your hand.

Add even more storage capacity via the SD card slot.

Credit Card-sized Player Supports 16.7 Million Colors
View your album art, videos, and photos on this 2.5-inch razor-sharp TFT display. Your favorite photos will burst to life in 16.7 million colors on the fresh new Zen patented user interface. The TFT display works under sunlight and allows everyone to watch your home videos and vacation slideshows from any angle.

Truly a Multimedia Player
Zen is the first Creative player to support the unprotected AAC format, so you can enjoy all your favorite CD tracks that you've ripped through iTunes software. Zen also supports iTunes Plus tracks from the iTunes store, in addition to MP3 and WMA music tracks. It is also compatible with music subscription services, such as Napster To Go and Rhapsody.

Zen also supports audio books from Audible.com. Download your favorite books to keep everyone entertained on long road trips or download daily news reports every morning and listen to the news during your morning commute.

Watch purchased or rented movies and TV shows from online services like Amazon Unbox. Share home videos. Or load your Tivo To Go recorded movies and TV shows.

Plus, share your collections of latest photos in 16.7 million colors. Instantly turn your slideshows into attention-grabbing multimedia extravaganzas by adding your favorite song to the slideshow.

Expandable Memory
Need more space? Add additional storage capacity with the built-in SD slot and easily play new music, videos or photos on your player. With SD cards to go, carry virtually unlimited amounts of your digital library, anywhere you go.

FM Radio
In between your tunes, use the built-in FM radio to keep yourself up to date with world events, sports scores, or traffic reports. Or tune in to the program airing on the gym's TV while running on the treadmill.

Battery Life
Enjoy up to 30 hours of your songs or 5 hours of video on a single charge--over a full day of music. Or 10 episodes of Scrubs!

What's in the Box
Zen player, earphones, USB 2.0 cable, installation CD, quick start guide.

A slick user interface makes it a snap to enjoy your media.

Zen is a discipline deriving joy from deep, meditative concentration. Creative Zen is an MP3 player that lets you derive pleasure forom whatever you do. The ZEN V player was designed for people like you?those who walk a step or two ahead of the pack. So don't be surprised when people take notice of your cool, colorful music and photo player. Tell them you carry up to 500 songs with you. Show them just a handful of the photos you've stored on the pocket sized powerhouse. And tell them there's even more but they'll have to get their own. ZEN V is ideal for your next jog on the trail or trip to the gym. At under 2 ounces, the Zen V from Creative is a digital-media player for everytime and anytime that can go anywhere and everywhere. Direct CD recording Syncs contacts, calendar and tasks Built-in voice recorder Skip free playback Plays music, ZENCast, and audiobooks Alarm and clock Customizable main menu 8 EQ settings (Acoustic, classical, disco, jazz, new age, pop, rock and vocal) Organizer - Syncs with and views Microsoft Outlook® Contacts, Calendar&Tasks Audio Playback Format - MP3 - WMA - WAV and Audible JPEG Photo Format Battery Life - Up to 15 hours continuous playtime / Built-in, rechargeable Li-ion battery Unit Dimensions - Size WxHxD - 2.7 x 1.7 x 0.6 / Weight - 1.55 ounces Creative Bundled Software - Creative MediaSource Player/Organizer Use Creative MediaSource Player/Organizer to import music into your computer and transfer it to ZEN V. Creative MediaSource Player/Organizer is your digital music center for playing, creating, organizing and transferring digital music. / ZEN Media Explorer ZEN Media Explorer offers you the ease of managing music tracks and data files in ZEN V, in a Windows Explorer environment / Window
Price=$119.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:43 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-6.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-6.htm
Decked out in an all-black suit, the Creative ZEN is smaller than your average credit card and sits snugly right in your palm. With an attractive 11.3mm thickness, this sleek player weighs a mere 65g, allowing you to carry it around easily. It's got a 4GB capacity and the ability to support different popular media formats. What's more, you can add as much capacity as you want with its SD memory expansion slot. With its patented ZEN user interface which offers more information to be viewed on the screen, navigating through mass content is simply a breeze Integrated FM radio with 32 preset stations. Get free video and audio podcast channels through your player from ZENcast Record important meetings or voice memos to yourself with the integrated voice recorder Built-in rechargeable battery for up to 25 hours of music or five hours of movies Creative ZEN comes with earphones, USB 2.0 cable, quick start Leaflets and installation CD (includes Creative Media Explorer software and ZENcast Organizer). +PLUS+ ACCESSORY KIT: 1GB SD Card - 3 Year Extended Warranty - LCD Screen Protectors
Price=$349.95
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:43 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-7.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-7.htm
With a tiny, eye-catching design, smooth contours, and discreet size, the Creative Zen V 4 GB Portable Media Player fits perfectly in your palm and slides effortlessly into your smallest pocket. With 4 GB of storage space,

A 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, as well as the easy-to-use Creative interface. View all Zen V features.

Not much bigger than a pair of earbuds! (black and orange model shown) See the Zen V in 3D.

the Zen V holds up to 2,000 songs, and the 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, full-color menus, and album art at any viewing angle. Another great feature built right into the Zen V is the tiny device's ability to support subscription services and pay-per-download music. Plus, you'll never sweat formats--the Zen V plays the broadest selection of MP3 and WMA music. And browsing your music collection has never been easier with Creative's innovative interface that enables effective and intuitive navigation and track selection.

Other great features include a Direct CD Recording function that allows you to record songs directly from a CD player or other audio source without using a PC as an intermediary. You no longer need to burn CDs to your PC then download to your MP3 player. Just connect an audio device directly to your Zen V, and record your favorite CDs, records, beats and more, direct from the source. Meanwhile, automatic track detection separates each song for you--a handy feature when you're converting analog (records and cassette tapes) to digital. If organization is a high priority, the Zen V's Personal Organizer will help you stay connected and in-sync with your Microsoft Outlook information. Just connect the Zen V to your PC, sync your Outlook information, and you'll be ready to carry around your contacts, calendar, and to-do lists right in your pocket. Plus, the Zen V uses a handy built-in microphone to double as a voice recorder, so you can capture notes, record lectures, and more.

No matter how you hold it, the Zen V is just the right size.

Creative knows that sporty is sexy, and this player is ideal for any workout junkie. The skip-free playback is perfect on your morning jog or your most rigorous workout at the gym. The optional armband and case fit comfortably on your arm and keep your Zen V safe and secure while running or lifting. The Zen V player was designed for people who appreciate style and function. Don't be surprised when people take notice of your cool, colorful music and photo player. You can proudly announce that your device carries up to 2,000 songs, and you can show off your favorite photos that you've stored on this pocket-sized powerhouse.

What's in the Box
Creative Zen V, EP480 earphones, drawstring pouch lanyard, USB cable, line-in cable, installation CD including user manual, and quick start guide.
Price=$199.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:44 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-8.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-8.htm
In its own right, the Creative Zen Vision:M is a very capable digital audio player, video player, photo viewer, FM radio, and more. Indeed, one could go on and on about how it has the right specifications to make it a constant companion for entertainment on the go. The really big news about this device, though, is that it's the first device to boast complete compatibility with Amazon Unbox, the new digital video and music download service from Amazon.com.

The Zen Vision:M has the features, ease-of-use, and power to become your constant media companion. See the Vison:M interactive demo.

Design
Let's get things out in the open. The Apple iPod is the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to the digital media player business and, unavoidably, every other device is measured against it. In most respects, the Vision:M matches up pretty well, and there are few things you may even like better. Length and width dimensions are exactly the same at 4.1 and 2.4 inches respectively. When it comes to girth, though, the iPod has the Vision:M beat; the Vision:M is .7 inches thick, while the iPod measures .4 inches. The Vision:M is slightly heavier, too. These details aside, the Vision:M feels comfortable, yet sturdy, in the hand, with curved surfaces in all the right places.

Creative takes a somewhat different approach with the Vision:M's controls, answering the iPod's Click Wheel with a vertical touch pad--which allows you to scroll up and down menus and control volume--plus four buttons that offer navigation through the user interface. The contextual menu button on the bottom right is a welcome addition, allowing you to make quick settings changes and view information about media files on the fly--functions that are more cumbersome on an iPod. Creative could have made the buttons a bit more sensitive--they require a firm press that gives an overall feeling of clunkiness to an otherwise well-designed user interface. Another annoyance is the touch pad's over-sensitivity; it's easy to make selections unintentionally, sending you on a wild ride through the user interface.

The Vision:M's screen, which measures 2.5 inches diagonally, offers sharp details, vibrant color, and excellent response with little or no video ghosting during high-action sequences. The 320 x 240 resolution is to be expected from a device this size, and although it's small, you'll likely have no trouble enjoying video while you're sitting on the subway or a flight, or in the back-seat of a car. Our only nitpick was the screen's less than stellar viewing angle, especially when compared side-by-side with a video iPod. While this can be good for maintaining privacy, the narrow viewing angle also means that friends beside you will struggle to see anything other than a black screen.

Music, Videos, Photos, and More
The Vision:M's music organization scheme is standard fare; you can browse playlists, artists, tracks, albums, and genres. Equalizer settings are robust, with a nice range of automatic settings, plus a custom equalizer that's easy to control. The music library's "DJ" function is a nice touch, allowing you to listen to your most popular tracks. It can also pull up the tunes you listen to least frequently--in case you've got some forgotten tunes lying around on the Vision:M's 30 GB hard drive. Sound quality is everything you'd expect from a top shelf digital audio player, and DRM'd Windows Media files played without a hitch. The device fully supports a whole range of "PlaysForSure" download and subscription services, such as Napster and Yahoo Music. Creative also ships a CD-ripping and music transfer application called MediaSource with the Vision:M.

Playback of Windows Media DRM'd video files (WMV9) was also hassle-free. Purchased videos delivered crisp colors and detail, with no frame drops. Video playback consumes a lot of power, bringing Creative's claim of four hours of video playback into serious doubt. Expect under three hours when watching videos continuously. Thankfully, if you need to come back to your video later the Vision:M's software remembers the timecode of where you left off--unless you power the device down between viewing sessions. In addition to protected and unprotected WMV files, the Vision:M can play MPEG 1/2/4, Motion-JPEG, DivX 4 and 5, and XviD formats, making it a very flexible device with respect to encoding options.

The Vision:M can also store thousands of photos, letting you browse through them or set up a slideshow. The device's TV-out option comes in handy here, as you can present slideshows on a TV or projector. Videos can be displayed this way, too. An FM radio with easy preset tuning functions and great signal reception, plus a voice recorder feature, round out the extra media features. There's also a handy tool to format a portion of the drive for use as a USB 2.0 mass storage device, letting you set aside up to 16 GB for data storage.

Connectivity and Synchronization
A Creative Sync Adapter ships in the box with the Vision:M, making it a snap to connect the device to a USB 2.0-capable PC. With the connection made, Windows XP recognized the device right off the bat and Windows Media Player immediately asked us if we wanted to load the PC's music onto the Vision:M. Music management and synchronization has come a long way on the PC, and the experience of organizing and transferring music to and from the Vision:M was, barring a few curious click-through boxes, pretty seamless. The Vision:M also supports synchronization of your Outlook contacts, calendar, and tasks, in case you want to use it as a personal organizer of sorts.

Amazon Unbox Integration
To be truly successful, the Vision:M has to be more than a great media device, it has to integrate with Amazon Unbox and make the process feel like second nature. Although the Vision:M was tested using a beta version of Amazon Unbox, things are looking good already. Amazon Unbox and the Vision:M go together like peas in a pod, making the process of purchasing, downloading, and enjoying content on the go a real cinch. The Amazon Unbox Video Player, which queues, downloads, organizes, and plays your purchased movies and TV shows, recognized the Vision:M right off the bat. An icon for the Vision:M appears in the devices panel of the application, and you can immediately begin transferring downloaded content to the device. Once you're all loaded up, the Vision:M offers a great way to bring Amazon Unbox entertainment along for the ride.

Pros

• Crisp, vibrant color screen is great for video
• Generous video format compatibility
• Excellent sound quality and music management functions

• Narrow screen viewing angle may be a problem for some
• Finicky controls for some functions
• Slightly more bulky than other competitors

The Zen Vision:M has the features, ease-of-use, and power to become your constant media companion. See the Vison:M interactive demo.

Design
Let's get things out in the open. The Apple iPod is the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to the digital media player business and, unavoidably, every other device is measured against it. In most respects, the Vision:M matches up pretty well, and there are few things you may even like better. Length and width dimensions are exactly the same at 4.1 and 2.4 inches respectively. When it comes to girth, though, the iPod has the Vision:M beat; the Vision:M is .7 inches thick, while the iPod measures .4 inches. The Vision:M is slightly heavier, too. These details aside, the Vision:M feels comfortable, yet sturdy, in the hand, with curved surfaces in all the right places.

Creative takes a somewhat different approach with the Vision:M's controls, answering the iPod's Click Wheel with a vertical touch pad--which allows you to scroll up and down menus and control volume--plus four buttons that offer navigation through the user interface. The contextual menu button on the bottom right is a welcome addition, allowing you to make quick settings changes and view information about media files on the fly--functions that are more cumbersome on an iPod. Creative could have made the buttons a bit more sensitive--they require a firm press that gives an overall feeling of clunkiness to an otherwise well-designed user interface. Another annoyance is the touch pad's over-sensitivity; it's easy to make selections unintentionally, sending you on a wild ride through the user interface.

The Vision:M's screen, which measures 2.5 inches diagonally, offers sharp details, vibrant color, and excellent response with little or no video ghosting during high-action sequences. The 320 x 240 resolution is to be expected from a device this size, and although it's small, you'll likely have no trouble enjoying video while you're sitting on the subway or a flight, or in the back-seat of a car. Our only nitpick was the screen's less than stellar viewing angle, especially when compared side-by-side with a video iPod. While this can be good for maintaining privacy, the narrow viewing angle also means that friends beside you will struggle to see anything other than a black screen.

Music, Videos, Photos, and More
The Vision:M's music organization scheme is standard fare; you can browse playlists, artists, tracks, albums, and genres. Equalizer settings are robust, with a nice range of automatic settings, plus a custom equalizer that's easy to control. The music library's "DJ" function is a nice touch, allowing you to listen to your most popular tracks. It can also pull up the tunes you listen to least frequently--in case you've got some forgotten tunes lying around on the Vision:M's 30 GB hard drive. Sound quality is everything you'd expect from a top shelf digital audio player, and DRM'd Windows Media files played without a hitch. The device fully supports a whole range of "PlaysForSure" download and subscription services, such as Napster and Yahoo Music. Creative also ships a CD-ripping and music transfer application called MediaSource with the Vision:M.

Playback of Windows Media DRM'd video files (WMV9) was also hassle-free. Purchased videos delivered crisp colors and detail, with no frame drops. Video playback consumes a lot of power, bringing Creative's claim of four hours of video playback into serious doubt. Expect under three hours when watching videos continuously. Thankfully, if you need to come back to your video later the Vision:M's software remembers the timecode of where you left off--unless you power the device down between viewing sessions. In addition to protected and unprotected WMV files, the Vision:M can play MPEG 1/2/4, Motion-JPEG, DivX 4 and 5, and XviD formats, making it a very flexible device with respect to encoding options.

The Vision:M can also store thousands of photos, letting you browse through them or set up a slideshow. The device's TV-out option comes in handy here, as you can present slideshows on a TV or projector. Videos can be displayed this way, too. An FM radio with easy preset tuning functions and great signal reception, plus a voice recorder feature, round out the extra media features. There's also a handy application on the Vision:M that formats a portion of the drive for use as USB 2.0 mass storage, letting you set aside up to 16 GB for data storage.

Connectivity and Synchronization
A Creative Sync Adapter ships in the box with the Vision:M, making it a snap to connect the device to a USB 2.0-capable PC. With the connection made, Windows XP recognized the device right off the bat and Windows Media Player immediately asked us if we wanted to load the PC's music onto the Vision:M. Music management and synchronization has come a long way on the PC, and the experience of organizing and transferring music to and from the Vision:M was, barring a few curious click-through boxes, pretty seamless. The Vision:M also supports synchronization of your Outlook contacts, calendar, and tasks, in case you want to use it as a personal organizer of sorts.

Amazon Unbox Integration
To be truly successful, the Vision:M has to be more than a great media device, it has to integrate with Amazon Unbox and make the process feel like second nature. Although the Vision:M was tested using a beta version of Amazon Unbox, things are looking good already. Amazon Unbox and the Vision:M go together like peas in a pod, making the process of purchasing, downloading, and enjoying content on the go a real cinch. The Amazon Unbox Video Player, which queues, downloads, organizes, and plays your purchased movies and TV shows, recognized the Vision:M right off the bat. An icon for the Vision:M appears in the devices panel of the application, and you can immediately begin transferring downloaded content to the device. Once you're all loaded up, the Vision:M offers a great way to bring Amazon Unbox entertainment along for the ride.

Pros

• Crisp, vibrant color screen is great for video
• Generous video format compatibility
• Excellent sound quality and music management functions

• Narrow screen viewing angle may be a problem for some
• Finicky controls for some functions
• Slightly more bulky than other competitors

View the stunning, high-intensity 1.7-inch OLED screen from any angle.

The Sleek Photo 20 GB player holds up to 10,000 WMA or 5,000 MP3 songs. View larger.

Tune in to the built-in FM radio (which features 32 station presets) and listen live or record programming for listening when you're ready. Use the built-in microphone to record your voice--dictate memos, record meetings, hours of notes, lectures and reminders. Sync with Microsoft Outlook to transfer your calendar, contacts and task list so you'll never forget important anniversaries and appointments. You can also use the Zen Sleek Photo as an external hard drive for saving and transferring your most important files.

The equalization feature offers nine acoustic environments, such as "rock" and "jazz," enabling you to customize your listening environment. Other features include a 5-band graphic equalizer, easy-to-use touch pad control buttons, and upgradeable firmware. It connects to PCs via a USB 2.0 connection (cable included)--which features download speeds of up to one second per song--and it's compatible with Windows XP SP1/SP2 systems with Windows Media Player 10 software.

The Zen Sleek Photo Multimedia Player uses PlaysForSure technology. Look for the PlaysForSure logo if you're shopping for a portable music or video device and you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time. Match the PlaysForSure logo on a large selection of leading devices and online music stores. If you see the logo, you'll know your digital music will play for sure. Choose from a large number of digital music and video stores, including MTV's Urge, Rhapsody, Yahoo!, MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, Napster, Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and many more.

What's in the Box
Zen Sleek Photo digital audio player, earphones, power adapter, USB cable, pouch, CD-ROM with software and user guide, and printed Quick Start guide.
Price=$-0.01
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:49 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-12.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-12.htm
Decked out in an all-black suit, the Creative ZEN is smaller than your average credit card and sits snugly right in your palm. With an attractive 11.3mm thickness, this sleek player weighs a mere 65g, allowing you to carry it around easily. It's got a 4GB capacity and the ability to support different popular media formats. What's more, you can add as much capacity as you want with its SD memory expansion slot. With its patented ZEN user interface which offers more information to be viewed on the screen, navigating through mass content is simply a breeze Integrated FM radio with 32 preset stations. Get free video and audio podcast channels through your player from ZENcast Record important meetings or voice memos to yourself with the integrated voice recorder Built-in rechargeable battery for up to 25 hours of music or five hours of movies Creative ZEN comes with earphones, USB 2.0 cable, quick start Leaflets and installation CD (includes Creative Media Explorer software and ZENcast Organizer). +PLUS+ ACCESSORY KIT: 1GB SD Card - 3 Year Extended Warranty - LCD Screen Protectors
Price=$-0.01
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:49 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-13.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-13.htm
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 9,000 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. Watch it, listen to it, share it or show it off - As the flag ship of the Zen family of portable media products, the Zen Portable Media Center truly delivers an unparalleled audiovisual experience for people on the go. Movies, TV, music and photos can be enjoyed on the Zen's bright 3.8-inch color screen, through high quality headphones or its built-in speaker. You can even connect your Zen to external entertainment systems to sharedigital media with friends and family. This powerhouse entertainment player is housed in a compact and sleek design that is truly mobile. The Creative Zen Portable Media Center's rechargeable Li-Ion battery is removable, which means you can carry a spare battery and have many more hours of digital entertainment at your fingertips. Plus, Zen connects to your computer with a USB 2.0 port, giving you high-speed transfer for all your media. Zen supports all popular audio, video and picture formats including MP3, WMA, WMV and JPG. And, because it supports Windows Media Audio with DRM, the Zen Portable Media Center works will all popular download music services. You now have all your home entertainment wherever you go - experience the new wave of digital entertainment with Zen.
Price=$499.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:50 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-14.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-14.htm
Contents Include: Zen Sleek Photo digital audio player, earphones, power adapter, USB cable, pouch, CD-ROM with software and user guide, printed Quick Start guide

The Creative Labs' Zen Sleek Photo Digital Media Player allows you to choose your music and your device, and always know it's going to work. The Zen Sleek Photo is a slim, pocket-sized digital media device that features 20GB of data capacity. That's enough for up to 5,000 MP3s (@ 128 Kbps), 10,000 WMAs (@ 64 Kbps), or thousands of photos. Making it easy to carry around thousands of songs and pictures to enjoy wherever you go. JPG pictures are beautifully displayed on the stunning 1.7" OLED display. OLED makes your images pop with amazing brightness and clarity, and is easily viewable from an angle. An FM radio and microphone are also built-in, giving you radio and voice memo recording capabilities, too. It's everything you need for a better digital lifestyle. Support for WMA, MP3, and WAV files Compatible with PlaysForSure subscription services 32 FM station presets 8 Presets & custom EQ settings Connects to a PC through USB 2.0 Up to 19 hours playback per battery charge Dimensions(WxHxD) - 2.3 x 3.9 0.63
Price=$-0.01
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:50 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-15.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-15.htm
Zen Portable Media CenterMODEL: PMC001 VENDOR: CREATIVE LABS FEATURES: Zen Portable Media Center- Black Video, Music, Photos - When and Where you want. 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 9,000 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. Watch it, listen to it, share it or show it off - As the flag ship of the Zen family of portable media products, the Zen Portable Media Center truly delivers an unparalleled audiovisual experience for people on the go. Movies, TV, music and photos can be enjoyed on the Zen's bright 3.8-inch color screen, through high quality headphones or its built-in speaker. You can even connect your Zen to external entertainment systems to share digital media with friends and family. This powerhouse entertainment player is housed in a compact and sleek design that is truly mobile. The Creative Zen Portable Media Center's rechargeable Li-Ion battery is removable, which means you can carry a spare battery and have many more hours of digital entertainment at your finger tips. Plus, Zen connects to your computer with a USB 2.0 port, giving you high- speed transfer for all your media. Zen supports all popular audio, video and picture formats including MP3, WMA, WMV and JPG. And, because it supports Windows Media Audio with DRM, the Zen Portable Media Center works with all popular download music services. You now have all your home entertainment wherever you go - experience the new wave of digital entertainment with Zen. Includes Creative Zen Portable Media Center, Power Adapter, Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery, Protective Carrying Case, Pair of Earphones, USB 2.0 cable, Video & Line Out cable, Quick Start guide, Installation CD (includes Windows Media P
Price=$-0.01
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:52 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-16.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-16.htm
With a tiny, eye-catching design, smooth contours, and a discreet size, the Creative Zen V Plus 2 GB Portable Media Player fits perfectly in your palm and slides effortlessly into your smallest pocket. With 2 GB of storage space,

A 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, as well as the easy-to-use Creative interface. View all Zen V Plus features.

Not much bigger than a pair of earbuds! (black and orange model shown) See the Zen V Plus in 3D.

the Zen V Plus holds up to 1,000 songs, and the 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, full-color menus, and album art at any viewing angle. Another great feature built right into the Zen V Plus is the tiny device's ability to support subscription services and pay-per-download music. Plus, you'll never sweat formats--the Zen V Plus plays the broadest selection of MP3 and WMA music. And browsing your music collection has never been easier with Creative's innovative interface that enables effective and intuitive navigation and track selection. The Plus has an extra feature that it's predecessor lacked: the ability to play short video clips. With the Zen V Plus you can watch short clips in transcoded video format and impress your friends with the latest tidbits from the web or a brief glimpse of a home video.

Another great feature is the Direct CD Recording function that allows you to record songs directly from a CD player or other audio source without using a PC as an intermediary. You no longer need to burn CDs to your PC then download to your MP3 player. Just connect an audio device directly to your Zen V Plus, and record your favorite CDs, records, beats and more, directly from the source. Meanwhile, automatic track detection separates each song for you--a handy feature when you're converting analog (records and cassette tapes) to digital. If organization is a high priority, the Zen V Plus's Personal Organizer will help you stay connected and in-sync with your Microsoft Outlook information. Just connect the Zen V Plus to your PC, sync your Outlook information, and you'll be ready to carry around your contacts, calendar, and to-do lists right in your pocket. Plus, the Zen V Plus uses a handy built-in microphone so you can capture your latest thoughts, record lectures, and more.

No matter how you hold it, the Zen V Plus is just the right size.

Creative knows that sporty is sexy, and this player is ideal for any workout junkie. The skip-free playback is perfect on your morning jog or your most rigorous workout at the gym. The optional armband and case fit comfortably on your arm and keep your Zen V Plus safe and secure while running or lifting. The Zen V Plus player was designed for people who appreciate style and function. Don't be surprised when people take notice of your cool, colorful music and photo player. You can proudly announce that your device carries up to 1,000 songs, and you can show off your favorite photos and video clips that you've stored on this pocket-sized powerhouse.

What's in the Box
Creative Zen V Plus, earphones, drawstring pouch, lanyard, USB 2.0 cable, line-in cable, neck strap, installation CD including user manual, and quick start guide.
Price=$139.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:53 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-17.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-17.htm
Features30GB storage capacity: This Zen holds up to 120 hours of video or over 15,000 songs so that you can take your entertainment with you wherever you go. The expandable storage lets you store even more of your favorite photos, videos and tunes. The optional Compact Flash card adapter supports all your favorite memory card formats such as SD, MMC, Memory Stick and more. Watch your favorite movies: Zen Vision W supports many video formats, such as AVI, DivXTM 4 & 53, XviD4, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG4-SP, WMV9 and Motion-JPEG, which simply means more choices and fewer restrictions. 4.3" widescreen display: The widescreen display lets you watch your videos and view photos as they were originally created in widescreen format. Long-lasting battery: Get more video and audio playback time with the included removable and rechargeable battery. Enjoy up to 13 hours of music or 4.5 hours of movies. Additional features: This Zen is packed with additional features, including a voice recorder and personal organizer that lets you store daily tasks, contact lists and even a calendar that you sync with Microsoft Outlook, or edit with Creative Media Explorer.
Price=$-0.01
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:58 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-18.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-18.htm
The Creative Zen Vision W Multimedia Player lets you take all your movies, music and photos in a light, pocket-sized device that is loaded with 30 or 60 GB of memory. At this capacity you can carry tens of thousands of photos, 240 hours of movies (500 Kbps MPEG4-SP), or up to 30,000 songs (WMA encoded at 64 Kbps), all in the palm of your hand. You can also tune in the radio (32 station presets), record your favorite talk show, or make personal voice memos with the built-in microphone. And the big news about the Vision W is that it displays your media in a widescreen, 16:9 format.

The Zen Vision W brings widescreen enjoyment to your pocket. View a product demo (flash).

Multimedia Powerhouse in Your Pocket
Today's big screen blockbuster, yesterday's picnic home video, and even your favorite TV shows--they all now fit in your pocket and are ready to be shared. Zen Vision W supports many video formats, such as AVI, DivX 4 and 53, XviD4, MPEG-1, -2, -SP, WMV9, and Motion-JPEG, which simply means you have more choices and less restrictions. Instead of busting out your wallet to show snapshots of your kids, you can enlist the Zen Vision W to give viewers a glimpse of your precious memories--tens of thousands of them. Complete with a thumbnail gallery, the device makes it easy to scroll through your entire photo collection. Of course, music files are a big portion of anyone's digital canvas. Perfect for taking with you on the road or just around the house, this device makes all your music sound as good as the Zen Vision W looks. And with eight preset EQ settings and 97 dB signal-to-noise ratio, you can fine-tune your listening experience for any musical genre.

Great Connectivity
You can also connect the Zen Vision W to a projector or TV with the included AV cable, and put on a big show from this little device. Synchronize music files with photo or video montages for a taste of spectacular, personalized big screen magic. You can also transfer pictures from your camera to the Zen Vision W in no time flat. Simply slip in your camera's Compact Flash (CF) memory card, and let Zen Vision W do the rest. The optional CF card adaptor also lets you use other popular memory card formats, such as SD, MMC, Memory Stick and more.

Widescreen Machine
Viewing images and video on this device is a pleasant experience. The SharpPix 4.3-inch, high-resolution LCD screen features a 480x271 resolution, and hundreds of thousands of colors. What all this means is you see crisp, clear detail in every movie and photo, even under bright light. Creative didn't scrimp on design, either. The Zen Vision W features a lightweight magnesium casing that is both elegant and protective, and it sports a simple, intuitive keypad that makes navigation a breeze. And you'll get loads more playback time with the included removable, and rechargeable, battery. Enjoy up to 13 hours of music or 4.5 hours of movies on a single charge.

Other features include a personal organizer that you sync with Microsoft Outlook, and an integrated voice recorder that can store hundreds of hours worth of recordings. The Zen Vision W Multimedia Player uses PlaysForSure technology. Look for the PlaysForSure logo if you're shopping for a portable music or video device and you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time. Match the PlaysForSure logo on a large selection of leading devices and online music stores. If you see the logo, you'll know your digital music will play for sure. Choose from a large number of digital music and video stores, including MTV's Urge, Rhapsody, Yahoo!, MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, Napster, Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and many more.

What's in the Box
Creative Zen Vision W, earphones, power adapter, USB cable, AV cable, pouch, installation CD, and quick start guide.
Price=$399.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:59 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-19.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-19.htm
Zen Vision's 30GB multimedia center is bound to impress anyone who wants to carry all their digital entertainment files - tens of thousands of photos, up to 120 hours of videos, and 15,000 songs - everywhere. Zen Vision is not only lightweight and slim, beneath its classy magnesium casing are features that will fulfill all your digital entertainment needs.
Price=$399.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:13:59 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-20.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-20.htm
Creative Labs' ZEN Vision:M is the fusion of music, photos and video into one compact player. With its 30GB of storage you can store up to 15,000 songs, and up to 120 hours of video. Use it as a portable storage device, for sharing all your audio, video and photos easily. In between listening and viewing session you can hear the top songs on the FM tuner. Sync your player's personal organizer with Microsoft Outlook to transfer your calendar, contacts and task list so you won't miss your important appointments and anniversaries. Watch TV, film and video clips on the LCD monitor -- or connect the Zen Vision:M to a TV and enjoy video that's larger than life. Photo formats - JPEG, GIF, TIFF, PNG and BMP Video Playback - Up to 4 hours Syncs with and views Microsoft Outlook Contacts, Calendar & Tasks 8 EQ settings - Acoustic, Classical, Disco, Jazz, New Age, Pop, Rock and Vocal Contacts, calendar and tasks Repeat, resume, and random play Sleep and wake timers Outputs - TV-out with stereo audio; 3.5 mm mini-jack composite Battery life - Up to 14 hours (Charge time - 6.5 hours USB, 2.5 hours AC) Dimensions(WxHxD) - 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.7 Weight - 5.7 oz.
Price=$249.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:14:01 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-21.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-21.htm
Palm-size and pocket-friendly, the Creative Zen Touch digital music player is a treat for your eyes as well as your ears. And--with features like touch-sensitive navigation, 24-hour battery life, light weight (under half a pound with battery), and a staggering 40 GB, 10,000 song capacity (64 kbps WMA)--the tiny unit leaves little room for wondering if it's right for you.

Features Touch pad control for fast scrolling Up to 24 hours continuous playback Up to 97 dB signal-to-noise ratio--as good as expensive hi-fi systems 40 GB hard drive holds up to 16,000 WMA or 10,000 MP3 songs Create and customize playlists on the go Unique search function locates any song, album, or artist USB 2.0 for faster transfer 4-band custom equalizer and advanced EQ presets let you customize your music playback AudioSync lets you seamlessly update your Creative Zen Touch with your latest music on your PC at the touch of a button FM radio, voice, and FM recording via optional wired remote control (available separately)

The Zen Touch model HD0014 is compatible with both MP3 and WMA (Windows Media Audio) music files, and its super-fast USB 2.0 PC interface loads your music in record time. Use the player's search function to locate music by song, album, or artist, scrolling quickly and easily through your library with the handy touch pad while viewing your playlists and song selections on the Zen Touch's 160 x 104 blue EL (electroluminescent) backlit LCD. You can create and customize your playlists on the fly, or listen in random order at the touch of a top-panel button.

The unit's four-band custom equalizer and preset EQ curves help you tailor the sound to your preference or environment. If you're delving into the world of digital music for the first time, supplied Creative MediaSource software readily converts your CDs to MP3s or WMAs, while Creative AudioSync seamlessly updates the Zen Touch with your latest music on your PC at the touch of a button. Creative Explorer (also included) permits drag-and-drop transfers for data and music files to and from the Zen Touch.

What's in the Box
Creative Zen Touch Player, a pair of stereo earphones, an AC power adapter, a travel pouch, a USB 2.0 cable, an installation CD-ROM, and a quick-start guide.
Price=$299.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:14:02 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-22.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-22.htm
In its own right, the Creative Zen Vision:M is a very capable digital audio player, video player, photo viewer, FM radio, and more. Indeed, one could go on and on about how it has the right specifications to make it a constant companion for entertainment on the go. The really big news about this device, though, is that it's the first device to boast complete compatibility with Amazon Unbox, the new digital video and music download service from Amazon.com.

The Zen Vision:M has the features, ease-of-use, and power to become your constant media companion. See the Vison:M interactive demo.

Design
Let's get things out in the open. The Apple iPod is the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to the digital media player business and, unavoidably, every other device is measured against it. In most respects, the Vision:M matches up pretty well, and there are few things you may even like better. Length and width dimensions are exactly the same at 4.1 and 2.4 inches respectively. When it comes to girth, though, the iPod has the Vision:M beat; the Vision:M is .7 inches thick, while the iPod measures .4 inches. The Vision:M is slightly heavier, too. These details aside, the Vision:M feels comfortable, yet sturdy, in the hand, with curved surfaces in all the right places.

Creative takes a somewhat different approach with the Vision:M's controls, answering the iPod's Click Wheel with a vertical touch pad--which allows you to scroll up and down menus and control volume--plus four buttons that offer navigation through the user interface. The contextual menu button on the bottom right is a welcome addition, allowing you to make quick settings changes and view information about media files on the fly--functions that are more cumbersome on an iPod. Creative could have made the buttons a bit more sensitive--they require a firm press that gives an overall feeling of clunkiness to an otherwise well-designed user interface. Another annoyance is the touch pad's over-sensitivity; it's easy to make selections unintentionally, sending you on a wild ride through the user interface.

The Vision:M's screen, which measures 2.5 inches diagonally, offers sharp details, vibrant color, and excellent response with little or no video ghosting during high-action sequences. The 320 x 240 resolution is to be expected from a device this size, and although it's small, you'll likely have no trouble enjoying video while you're sitting on the subway or a flight, or in the back-seat of a car. Our only nitpick was the screen's less than stellar viewing angle, especially when compared side-by-side with a video iPod. While this can be good for maintaining privacy, the narrow viewing angle also means that friends beside you will struggle to see anything other than a black screen.

Music, Videos, Photos, and More
The Vision:M's music organization scheme is standard fare; you can browse playlists, artists, tracks, albums, and genres. Equalizer settings are robust, with a nice range of automatic settings, plus a custom equalizer that's easy to control. The music library's "DJ" function is a nice touch, allowing you to listen to your most popular tracks. It can also pull up the tunes you listen to least frequently--in case you've got some forgotten tunes lying around on the Vision:M's 60 GB hard drive. Sound quality is everything you'd expect from a top shelf digital audio player, and DRM'd Windows Media files played without a hitch. The device fully supports a whole range of "PlaysForSure" download and subscription services, such as Napster and Yahoo Music. Creative also ships a CD-ripping and music transfer application called MediaSource with the Vision:M.

Playback of Windows Media DRM'd video files (WMV9) was also hassle-free. Purchased videos delivered crisp colors and detail, with no frame drops. Video playback consumes a lot of power, bringing Creative's claim of four hours of video playback into serious doubt. Expect under three hours when watching videos continuously. Thankfully, if you need to come back to your video later the Vision:M's software remembers the timecode of where you left off--unless you power the device down between viewing sessions. In addition to protected and unprotected WMV files, the Vision:M can play MPEG 1/2/4, Motion-JPEG, DivX 4 and 5, and XviD formats, making it a very flexible device with respect to encoding options.

The Vision:M can also store thousands of photos, letting you browse through them or set up a slideshow. The device's TV-out option comes in handy here, as you can present slideshows on a TV or projector. Videos can be displayed this way, too. An FM radio with easy preset tuning functions and great signal reception, plus a voice recorder feature, round out the extra media features. There's also a handy application on the Vision:M that formats a portion of the drive for use as USB 2.0 mass storage, letting you set aside up to 16 GB for data storage.

Connectivity and Synchronization
A Creative Sync Adapter ships in the box with the Vision:M, making it a snap to connect the device to a USB 2.0-capable PC. With the connection made, Windows XP recognized the device right off the bat and Windows Media Player immediately asked us if we wanted to load the PC's music onto the Vision:M. Music management and synchronization has come a long way on the PC, and the experience of organizing and transferring music to and from the Vision:M was, barring a few curious click-through boxes, pretty seamless. The Vision:M also supports synchronization of your Outlook contacts, calendar, and tasks, in case you want to use it as a personal organizer of sorts.

Amazon Unbox Integration
To be truly successful, the Vision:M has to be more than a great media device, it has to integrate with Amazon Unbox and make the process feel like second nature. Although the Vision:M was tested using a beta version of Amazon Unbox, things are looking good already. Amazon Unbox and the Vision:M go together like peas in a pod, making the process of purchasing, downloading, and enjoying content on the go a real cinch. The Amazon Unbox Video Player, which queues, downloads, organizes, and plays your purchased movies and TV shows, recognized the Vision:M right off the bat. An icon for the Vision:M appears in the devices panel of the application, and you can immediately begin transferring downloaded content to the device. Once you're all loaded up, the Vision:M offers a great way to bring Amazon Unbox entertainment along for the ride.

Pros

• Crisp, vibrant color screen is great for video
• Generous video format compatibility
• Excellent sound quality and music management functions

• Narrow screen viewing angle may be a problem for some
• Finicky controls for some functions
• Slightly more bulky than other competitors

The Zen Vision can hold thousands of songs, snapshots, and movies in its 30 GB memory. View larger. You can also see a screen shot of the SharpPix display.

Simple, intuitive keypad makes navigation a breeze. See the Zen Vision in 3D.

Today's big screen blockbuster, yesterday's picnic home video, and even your favorite TV shows--they all now fit in your pocket and are ready to be shared. Zen Vision supports many video formats, such as AVI, DivX 4 and 53, XviD4, MPEG-1, -2, -SP, WMV9, and Motion-JPEG, which simply means you have more choices and less restrictions. Instead of busting out your wallet to show snapshots of your kids, you can enlist the Zen Vision to give viewers a glimpse of your precious memories--tens of thousands of them. In 262,144 vivid colors and 640x460 resolution, complete with a thumbnail gallery, this device makes it easy to scroll through your entire photo collection. Of course, music files are a big portion of anyone's digital canvas. Perfect for taking with you on the road or just around the house, this device makes all your music sound as good as the Zen Vision looks. And with eight preset EQ settings and 97 dB signal-to-noise ratio, you can fine-tune your listening experience for any musical genre.

You can also connect the Zen Vision to a projector or TV with the included AV cable, and put on a big show from this little device. Synchronize music files with photo or video montages for a taste of spectacular, personalized big screen magic. You can also transfer pictures from your camera to the Zen Vision in no time flat. Simply slip in your camera's Compact Flash (CF) memory card, and let Zen Vision do the rest. The optional CF card adaptor also lets you use other popular memory card formats, such as SD, MMC, Memory Stick and more.

Viewing images on this device is a pleasant experience. The SharpPix 3.7-inch, high-resolution LCD screen features a 640x480 (VGA) resolution, and hundreds of thousands of colors. What all this means is you see crisp, clear detail in every movie and photo, even under bright light. Creative didn't scrimp on design, either. The Zen Vision features a lightweight magnesium casing that is both elegant and protective, and it sports a simple, intuitive keypad that makes navigation a breeze. And you'll get loads more playback time with the included removable, and rechargeable, battery. Enjoy up to 13 hours of music or 4.5 hours of movies on a single charge. The optional extended-life battery pack lets you double playback time, so you can enjoy days of uninterrupted entertainment. Other features include a personal organizer that you sync with Microsoft Outlook, and an integrated voice recorder that can store hundreds of hours worth of recordings. Take a closer look at all the Zen Vision features.

The Zen Vision Multimedia Player uses PlaysForSure technology. Look for the PlaysForSure logo if you're shopping for a portable music or video device and you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time. Match the PlaysForSure logo on a large selection of leading devices and online music stores. If you see the logo, you'll know your digital music will play for sure. Choose from a large number of digital music and video stores, including MTV's Urge, Rhapsody, Yahoo!, MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, Napster, Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and many more.

What's in the Box
Creative Zen Vision, earphones, power adapter, USB cable, AV cable, pouch, installation CD, and quick start guide.
Price=$399.99
Buy ]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:14:04 -0600 http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-24.htm http://www.pmplayers.com/store/products/creative-zen/creative-24.htm
In its own right, the Creative Zen Vision:M is a very capable digital audio player, video player, photo viewer, FM radio, and more. Indeed, one could go on and on about how it has the right specifications to make it a constant companion for entertainment on the go. The really big news about this device, though, is that it's the first device to boast complete compatibility with Amazon Unbox, the new digital video and music download service from Amazon.com.

The Zen Vision:M has the features, ease-of-use, and power to become your constant media companion. See the Vison:M interactive demo.

Design
Let's get things out in the open. The Apple iPod is the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to the digital media player business and, unavoidably, every other device is measured against it. In most respects, the Vision:M matches up pretty well, and there are few things you may even like better. Length and width dimensions are exactly the same at 4.1 and 2.4 inches respectively. When it comes to girth, though, the iPod has the Vision:M beat; the Vision:M is .7 inches thick, while the iPod measures .4 inches. The Vision:M is slightly heavier, too. These details aside, the Vision:M feels comfortable, yet sturdy, in the hand, with curved surfaces in all the right places.

Creative takes a somewhat different approach with the Vision:M's controls, answering the iPod's Click Wheel with a vertical touch pad--which allows you to scroll up and down menus and control volume--plus four buttons that offer navigation through the user interface. The contextual menu button on the bottom right is a welcome addition, allowing you to make quick settings changes and view information about media files on the fly--functions that are more cumbersome on an iPod. Creative could have made the buttons a bit more sensitive--they require a firm press that gives an overall feeling of clunkiness to an otherwise well-designed user interface. Another annoyance is the touch pad's over-sensitivity; it's easy to make selections unintentionally, sending you on a wild ride through the user interface.

The Vision:M's screen, which measures 2.5 inches diagonally, offers sharp details, vibrant color, and excellent response with little or no video ghosting during high-action sequences. The 320 x 240 resolution is to be expected from a device this size, and although it's small, you'll likely have no trouble enjoying video while you're sitting on the subway or a flight, or in the back-seat of a car. Our only nitpick was the screen's less than stellar viewing angle, especially when compared side-by-side with a video iPod. While this can be good for maintaining privacy, the narrow viewing angle also means that friends beside you will struggle to see anything other than a black screen.

Music, Videos, Photos, and More
The Vision:M's music organization scheme is standard fare; you can browse playlists, artists, tracks, albums, and genres. Equalizer settings are robust, with a nice range of automatic settings, plus a custom equalizer that's easy to control. The music library's "DJ" function is a nice touch, allowing you to listen to your most popular tracks. It can also pull up the tunes you listen to least frequently--in case you've got some forgotten tunes lying around on the Vision:M's 30 GB hard drive. Sound quality is everything you'd expect from a top shelf digital audio player, and DRM'd Windows Media files played without a hitch. The device fully supports a whole range of "PlaysForSure" download and subscription services, such as Napster and Yahoo Music. Creative also ships a CD-ripping and music transfer application called MediaSource with the Vision:M.

Playback of Windows Media DRM'd video files (WMV9) was also hassle-free. Purchased videos delivered crisp colors and detail, with no frame drops. Video playback consumes a lot of power, bringing Creative's claim of four hours of video playback into serious doubt. Expect under three hours when watching videos continuously. Thankfully, if you need to come back to your video later the Vision:M's software remembers the timecode of where you left off--unless you power the device down between viewing sessions. In addition to protected and unprotected WMV files, the Vision:M can play MPEG 1/2/4, Motion-JPEG, DivX 4 and 5, and XviD formats, making it a very flexible device with respect to encoding options.

The Vision:M can also store thousands of photos, letting you browse through them or set up a slideshow. The device's TV-out option comes in handy here, as you can present slideshows on a TV or projector. Videos can be displayed this way, too. An FM radio with easy preset tuning functions and great signal reception, plus a voice recorder feature, round out the extra media features. There's also a handy tool to format a portion of the drive for use as a USB 2.0 mass storage device, letting you set aside up to 16 GB for data storage.

Connectivity and Synchronization
A Creative Sync Adapter ships in the box with the Vision:M, making it a snap to connect the device to a USB 2.0-capable PC. With the connection made, Windows XP recognized the device right off the bat and Windows Media Player immediately asked us if we wanted to load the PC's music onto the Vision:M. Music management and synchronization has come a long way on the PC, and the experience of organizing and transferring music to and from the Vision:M was, barring a few curious click-through boxes, pretty seamless. The Vision:M also supports synchronization of your Outlook contacts, calendar, and tasks, in case you want to use it as a personal organizer of sorts.

Amazon Unbox Integration
To be truly successful, the Vision:M has to be more than a great media device, it has to integrate with Amazon Unbox and make the process feel like second nature. Although the Vision:M was tested using a beta version of Amazon Unbox, things are looking good already. Amazon Unbox and the Vision:M go together like peas in a pod, making the process of purchasing, downloading, and enjoying content on the go a real cinch. The Amazon Unbox Video Player, which queues, downloads, organizes, and plays your purchased movies and TV shows, recognized the Vision:M right off the bat. An icon for the Vision:M appears in the devices panel of the application, and you can immediately begin transferring downloaded content to the device. Once you're all loaded up, the Vision:M offers a great way to bring Amazon Unbox entertainment along for the ride.

Pros

• Crisp, vibrant color screen is great for video
• Generous video format compatibility
• Excellent sound quality and music management functions

• Narrow screen viewing angle may be a problem for some
• Finicky controls for some functions
• Slightly more bulky than other competitors

The Zen Vision:M has the features, ease-of-use, and power to become your constant media companion. See the Vison:M interactive demo.

Design
Let's get things out in the open. The Apple iPod is the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to the digital media player business and, unavoidably, every other device is measured against it. In most respects, the Vision:M matches up pretty well, and there are few things you may even like better. Length and width dimensions are exactly the same at 4.1 and 2.4 inches respectively. When it comes to girth, though, the iPod has the Vision:M beat; the Vision:M is .7 inches thick, while the iPod measures .4 inches. The Vision:M is slightly heavier, too. These details aside, the Vision:M feels comfortable, yet sturdy, in the hand, with curved surfaces in all the right places.

Creative takes a somewhat different approach with the Vision:M's controls, answering the iPod's Click Wheel with a vertical touch pad--which allows you to scroll up and down menus and control volume--plus four buttons that offer navigation through the user interface. The contextual menu button on the bottom right is a welcome addition, allowing you to make quick settings changes and view information about media files on the fly--functions that are more cumbersome on an iPod. Creative could have made the buttons a bit more sensitive--they require a firm press that gives an overall feeling of clunkiness to an otherwise well-designed user interface. Another annoyance is the touch pad's over-sensitivity; it's easy to make selections unintentionally, sending you on a wild ride through the user interface.

The Vision:M's screen, which measures 2.5 inches diagonally, offers sharp details, vibrant color, and excellent response with little or no video ghosting during high-action sequences. The 320 x 240 resolution is to be expected from a device this size, and although it's small, you'll likely have no trouble enjoying video while you're sitting on the subway or a flight, or in the back-seat of a car. Our only nitpick was the screen's less than stellar viewing angle, especially when compared side-by-side with a video iPod. While this can be good for maintaining privacy, the narrow viewing angle also means that friends beside you will struggle to see anything other than a black screen.

Music, Videos, Photos, and More
The Vision:M's music organization scheme is standard fare; you can browse playlists, artists, tracks, albums, and genres. Equalizer settings are robust, with a nice range of automatic settings, plus a custom equalizer that's easy to control. The music library's "DJ" function is a nice touch, allowing you to listen to your most popular tracks. It can also pull up the tunes you listen to least frequently--in case you've got some forgotten tunes lying around on the Vision:M's 30 GB hard drive. Sound quality is everything you'd expect from a top shelf digital audio player, and DRM'd Windows Media files played without a hitch. The device fully supports a whole range of "PlaysForSure" download and subscription services, such as Napster and Yahoo Music. Creative also ships a CD-ripping and music transfer application called MediaSource with the Vision:M.

Playback of Windows Media DRM'd video files (WMV9) was also hassle-free. Purchased videos delivered crisp colors and detail, with no frame drops. Video playback consumes a lot of power, bringing Creative's claim of four hours of video playback into serious doubt. Expect under three hours when watching videos continuously. Thankfully, if you need to come back to your video later the Vision:M's software remembers the timecode of where you left off--unless you power the device down between viewing sessions. In addition to protected and unprotected WMV files, the Vision:M can play MPEG 1/2/4, Motion-JPEG, DivX 4 and 5, and XviD formats, making it a very flexible device with respect to encoding options.

The Vision:M can also store thousands of photos, letting you browse through them or set up a slideshow. The device's TV-out option comes in handy here, as you can present slideshows on a TV or projector. Videos can be displayed this way, too. An FM radio with easy preset tuning functions and great signal reception, plus a voice recorder feature, round out the extra media features. There's also a handy tool to format a portion of the drive for use as a USB 2.0 mass storage device, letting you set aside up to 16 GB for data storage.

Connectivity and Synchronization
A Creative Sync Adapter ships in the box with the Vision:M, making it a snap to connect the device to a USB 2.0-capable PC. With the connection made, Windows XP recognized the device right off the bat and Windows Media Player immediately asked us if we wanted to load the PC's music onto the Vision:M. Music management and synchronization has come a long way on the PC, and the experience of organizing and transferring music to and from the Vision:M was, barring a few curious click-through boxes, pretty seamless. The Vision:M also supports synchronization of your Outlook contacts, calendar, and tasks, in case you want to use it as a personal organizer of sorts.

Amazon Unbox Integration
To be truly successful, the Vision:M has to be more than a great media device, it has to integrate with Amazon Unbox and make the process feel like second nature. Although the Vision:M was tested using a beta version of Amazon Unbox, things are looking good already. Amazon Unbox and the Vision:M go together like peas in a pod, making the process of purchasing, downloading, and enjoying content on the go a real cinch. The Amazon Unbox Video Player, which queues, downloads, organizes, and plays your purchased movies and TV shows, recognized the Vision:M right off the bat. An icon for the Vision:M appears in the devices panel of the application, and you can immediately begin transferring downloaded content to the device. Once you're all loaded up, the Vision:M offers a great way to bring Amazon Unbox entertainment along for the ride.

Pros

• Crisp, vibrant color screen is great for video
• Generous video format compatibility
• Excellent sound quality and music management functions

• Narrow screen viewing angle may be a problem for some
• Finicky controls for some functions
• Slightly more bulky than other competitors

A 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, as well as the easy-to-use Creative interface. View all Zen V features.

Not much bigger than a pair of earbuds! (black and orange model shown) See the Zen V in 3D.

Other great features include a Direct CD Recording function that allows you to record songs directly from a CD player or other audio source without using a PC as an intermediary. You no longer need to burn CDs to your PC then download to your MP3 player. Just connect an audio device directly to your Zen V, and record your favorite CDs, records, beats and more, direct from the source. Meanwhile, automatic track detection separates each song for you--a handy feature when you're converting analog (records and cassette tapes) to digital. If organization is a high priority, the Zen V's Personal Organizer will help you stay connected and in-sync with your Microsoft Outlook information. Just connect the Zen V to your PC, sync your Outlook information, and you'll be ready to carry around your contacts