Creative Zen
Creative NOMAD |
ZEN is a series of
Three Creative Zens (the Portable Media Center, Micro Photo, and Vision:M) won the Best of CES award[2][3][4] from 2004 to 2006 in their respective categories, with the latter winning the overall award.[4] The ZEN series had a strong foothold in Asian Pacific markets, especially in Singapore, the location of the company's headquarters.
All players support
Models
NOMAD Jukebox Zen series
The first models branded as a "Zen" were released under the
NOMAD Jukebox Zen
Announced on October 14, 2002, the NOMAD Jukebox Zen was the first player to include the "Zen" branding. It had the distinct ability to connect via
NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX
The Zen NX, as it was later called, was released on August 20, 2003,[5] as an upgrade to the NOMAD Jukebox Zen, with a removable battery and a slightly smaller size. Included with the player was MediaSource, the music management software that would be used with subsequent Zen players.
NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra
The NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra, or the Zen Xtra (renamed by Creative for commercial reasons) was released simultaneously with the Zen NX.[6] The player was presumably named Xtra, thanks to the larger screen. The package includes the player, a leather case with belt-clip, a lithium ion battery, a USB cable, and a pair of standard earbuds. The Zen Xtra does not support the FM tuner from the original Zen and does not have recording capability.
The Xtra was the first
ZEN Portable Media Center
The Zen Portable Media Center, announced on January 8, 2004, and released eight months later,
ZEN Touch
The redesigned 40 GB Zen Touch was released on June 7, 2004.[8] The model incorporated major changes in design, functionality and technology.
The Zen Touch has a smaller form factor and larger backlit blue display in a curved industrial design. In addition, the device uses a touch-sensitive vertical strip on the front of the unit for easier file navigation. These changes were enabled by the use of
The Zen Touch has a brief uncredited appearance in
ZEN Micro
The ZEN Micro was released on November 12, 2004,[10] and is a microdrive player available in 10 colors. It is also the first ZEN release that sports the new branding, including capitals for all letters in Zen.
The ZEN Micro is much smaller than the Touch and shares a similar interface and controls (including the touchpad, without the 'OK' button. Making a selection would be done by tapping the touchpad). The Micro has a removable battery rated to last for up to 12 hours of continuous playback. In addition, the player has an
The Micro also features a built-in FM tuner/recorder, voice recorder and microphone, partitioning for data storage (i.e. acting as a removable hard drive for PCs), and the ability to synchronize contacts, tasks and calendars with Microsoft Outlook. Accessories for the ZEN Micro include matching color speakers, wireless headsets and a wired remote control.
The first 35,000 units shipped worldwide were packaged as a "Limited Edition" package that came with an additional rechargeable battery. Asian models of the Limited Edition included the extra battery and a wired remote control.
At CES 2005, it was announced that the ZEN Micro line would be expanded to include 4 and 6 GB models.
The ZEN Micro optionally supports the Microsoft Media Transfer Protocol and the PlaysForSure certification with updated firmware.
The Micro competed with players such as iPod Mini and Rio Carbon.
ZEN (Micro-based hard drive player)
The ZEN was released on April 6, 2005,
ZEN Neeon
The ZEN Neeon was released on May 17, 2005.
The Creative ZEN Neeon was criticized highly at the time of release for having a slow interface, more specifically slow start-up, menus and song switch. As well, the first released models came with a Windows virus.[13] A later firmware update provided a much quicker start-up time and interface.
Like the Zen Micro, this unit has an FM tuner and a microphone, but also has a line in record function. This model does not use proprietary USB drivers; it is a standard USB mass storage device.
On November 17, 2005, the microdrive player was updated to 6 GB and a new flash range was launched in capacities of 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB.
ZEN MicroPhoto
The ZEN MicroPhoto, released on July 28, 2005,
The player was first announced at the
ZEN Sleek/Sleek Photo
The ZEN Sleek was first available on August 30, 2005,
The ZEN Sleek Photo was released on October 6, 2005. It is the color-screen equivalent of the Sleek, with the extra ability to view JPEG photos on an OLED screen.
ZEN Vision
The ZEN Vision was released on October 1, 2005.
Like past models, the ZEN Vision comes with an FM tuner, a voice and FM recorder, and a calendar and organizer that can be synchronized with Microsoft Outlook.
The ZEN Vision has a 3.7-inch, trans-reflective VGA TFT-LCD screen. It has a video output (PAL or NTSC) port and a CompactFlash slot which can be used to transfer the contents to the player. An adapter for other memory card types is also available as an accessory. The ZEN Vision also supports an optional infrared remote.
ZEN Vision:M
The ZEN Vision:M, launched on December 8, 2005,
The ZEN Vision:M has won a number of accolades, including the "Best of Show" and "Best Portable Audio & Video Device" awards at the 2006
On August 31, 2006, Creative announced the availability of an upgraded player with 60 GB capacity. This version has a USB host adapter cable, which enables users to transfer photos from a digital camera directly to the player. It is only available in black and white, and was initially slightly thicker than the 30 GB model. On March 11, 2007, the 60 GB model was upgraded with a new slimmer profile - the same thickness as the 30 GB version.
ZEN Nano/ZEN Nano Plus
The ZEN Nano and the ZEN Nano Plus were released internationally on June 1, 2006. The player is a rebranded MuVo N200. The ZEN Nano Plus is a USB mass storage device, and does not require proprietary drivers. It has a battery-life of up to 18 hours using an AAA battery. Like the Micro and the MicroPhoto, the Nano is available in ten colors: black, pink, red, orange, green, light blue, blue, purple, gray, and white.
The ZEN Nano Plus is a Nano with an FM tuner with 30 custom presets, plus voice, radio, and line-in recording. Recorded audio is encoded in WAV (ADPCM), except for line-in, which encodes to MP3.
ZEN Neeon 2
The ZEN Neeon 2, a successor to the Neeon, was announced on August 2, 2006.
Like its predecessor, decal stickers called "Stik-Ons" are sold separately to customize the look of the Neeon 2's frontplate, though they cannot be interchanged. The players and their "Stik-Ons" are only available in Australia, Singapore and several other Asian countries.
ZEN Vision W
The ZEN Vision W was released on September 17, 2006.[22] A variant of the ZEN Vision, the portable media player has a 4.3-inch, widescreen (16:9) TFT-LCD display. The player comes in black and is available with 30 or 60 GB capacity. Like the ZEN Vision:M, a built-in microphone and an FM tuner are included, as well as support for the same media formats, a similar graphical interface and the ability to sync organizer data from Microsoft Outlook. It also includes a CompactFlash reader for extra capacity and the direct upload of images.
ZEN Stone/Stone Plus
Although it is slightly larger than the ZEN Stone, the ZEN Stone Plus is identical in design. However, the ZEN Stone Plus has a monochromic
A successor called the Zen Krystal was presented in 2008, featuring a pedometer.[26]
ZEN Wav
The ZEN Wav was released on May 25, 2007.
ZEN V/ZEN V Plus
Creative's first
The ZEN V Plus won the CNET Editor's Choice award during that month.
On September 29, 2006, Creative announced that the blue-and-black ZEN V Plus had been upgraded to 8 GB. Four days later, the company joined forces with the National Breast Cancer Foundation to release a pink version of the 2 GB model, available in most areas.[29] In Europe and Japan, the 8 GB version is available in a red-and-black color.[30]
On August 8, 2007, Creative released a 16 GB model of the ZEN V Plus,
ZEN
The replacement of the ZEN:VisionM, simply called "ZEN", offered many of the same features but in a small pocket-sized form factor.
ZEN MX
The ZEN MX is a derivative of the ZEN, released in 2009. It shares the same form factor as the ZEN, but reduced processing power, cosmetic changes and changes in firmware resulted in a slightly stripped-down and sluggishly operating player, retailing as a lower price.
ZEN X-Fi
The ZEN X-Fi was officially confirmed on July 10, 2008.
ZEN Mozaic
The ZEN Mozaic is a flash player that was released on August 3, 2008, in capacities of 2, 4, 8 , and 16 GB. The Mozaic features a 1.8-inch video screen, a keypad that resembles a mosaic pattern, and a built-in speaker (also in a mosaic pattern). It also includes features such as a built-in FM radio, voice recorder, and picture viewer. The ZEN Mozaic has two derivatives, the ZEN Mozaic LX and the ZEN Mozaic EZ300. The ZEN Mozaic LX is a more affordable model which lacks an FM Radio and built-in speakers. The ZEN Mozaic EZ300 is nearly identical in terms of function to the original Mozaic, but supports plug and play and only comes in solid colors (black, silver or pink).
ZEN X-Fi2
The ZEN X-Fi2, announced September 2, 2009[37] is a feature update to the X-Fi. It includes many features of the X-Fi, including flash memory, X-Fi audio enhancements, and expandable memory. However, there are several notable differences between the two. The X-Fi2 features a full touchscreen user input mode, unlike the original's keypad-esque input method. Also, the X-Fi2 no longer has wireless networking features, and trades the SD input for a microSD card slot. Added to the player is support for the lossless, open-source FLAC codec, A/V output to a TV, and offline RSS reader support. Compared to similarly featured models from competitors, it is lower priced as well. It comes in 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB variations. As with most other models, the Zen X-Fi2 charges via USB port, but can also be charged using a separately available wall adapter. An Application Development Kit based on the Lua programming language is offered[38] for homebrew applications and games.
ZEN X-Fi Style
The release of the ZEN X-Fi Style series was announced on April 8, 2010.[39] It was created as a more affordable version of the X-Fi2, with removed Wi-Fi capability and touchscreen. The X-Fi Style comes in capacities of 8, 16, and 32 GB. The player features a 2.4-inch display, video out, X-Fi technology, a built-in speaker, FM radio, alarm clock, calendar and voice recorder. The battery life is rated at 25 hours for music and 5 hours for video. However, the expansion slot is omitted.
ZEN Style 100/300
The ZEN Style series was announced at the same time as the X-Fi Style on April 9, 2010.[39] The series is available in 4, 8, and 16 GB capacities. Both the 100 and 300 models have the same portrait design similar to Creative's ZEN Mozaic, as well as the same sized screen as the Mozaic, at 1.8-inches. The series features an alarm, calendar, voice recorder, and video and photo support. The Zen Style 300 also includes a built-in speaker and FM radio. The battery life is rated at 32 hours for music and 4 hours for video. Unfortunately, the Zen Style is not compatible with Napster-To-Go feature.
ZEN Touch 2
The first ZEN with Android 2.1 on board. (Upgradeable to 2.2) Announced on November 2, 2010.[40] Has a microSD card slot, Bluetooth, wifi, and is available in 8 GB with GPS, or 8 GB or 16 GB without GPS.[41] The player comes bundled with the popular EP-630 in-ear earphones from Creative. A GPS version is also available in the 8 GB capacity.
A firmware to update the player to Android 2.2 was released by Creative on 26 April, 2011. With the update, the ZEN Touch 2 supported Flash and also Audible content for certain regions.
ZEN Style M300
The ZEN Style M300, announced on May 5, 2011,[42] is a compact and lightweight Bluetooth MP3 player with a 1.4" screen and capacitive touch controls. Despite its small form size, the player has a full range of features including FM radio, photo and video playback, built-in microphone as well as a microSD slot to expand your music and photo library on the player. The player comes in 4 colors (Black, White, Yellow and Red) and 3 capacities (4, 8 and 16 GB). A non-Bluetooth/FM radio version - the ZEN Style M100 Archived 2011-09-18 at the Wayback Machine is also available. Creative released an updated firmware (1.00.16) on the 11 of August 2011 which fixes some of the freezing and Bluetooth issues the player had when it was launched with its initial firmware.
ZEN X-Fi3
The ZEN X-Fi3 is Creative's 3rd MP3 player to feature its proprietary X-Fi audio technology. It includes X-Fi Crystallizer. Primary function of the Crystallizer is to "restore portions of the sound which were lost during compression". The available storage (8GB or 16GB) could be expanded thanks to the microSD card slot. The player was introduced at IFA 2011.[43]
The "compression" that is meant here is not the digital file-size reduction achieved by digital audio data compression technologies like for example mp3. Rather, the idea is to reverse the effects of dynamic range compression. X-Fi Expand allows you to experience surround sound effect on your earphones.
The ZEN X-Fi3 features a 2-inch non-touch TFT display with touch buttons. It supports Bluetooth 2.1 and apt-X codec.[44] Other features of the player include FM radio, photo and video playback, on-the-go playlist creation, built-in speaker and microphone and microSD slot (integrated).
Hardware
Most models are built with
The newer
Marketing campaign
Creative Labs was known for its fierce rivalry against Apple,[48][49] at one point "declaring war" with the iPod,[50] but the Zen line never managed to gain a significant foothold against the iPod.
In November 2004, Creative Labs announced a $100 million marketing campaign to promote their digital audio products, including the ZEN range of MP3 players. In particular, the company was heavily publicizing the Zen Touch and ZEN Micro. These two products had been featured in an increasing number of television commercials, print ads, and urban billboards.
Many celebrities were seen with the ZEN Micro, including Paris Hilton, pop group Maroon 5 and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.
Legal issues
Creative Labs, the American subsidiary of
Sales of Creative's MP3 players (which included the MuVo line along with the Zen) significantly decreased after about 2005,[59] leading to a financial loss in 2006.[60] This was due to tough competition in North America and Asia. However Creative continued so sell in high numbers in Europe.[61] Continental Europe provided the most sales for Creative Labs.[61]
As of Q2 2005, Creative (which included the MuVo line along with the Zen) held a 3.6% share in the American MP3 player market, placing it second behind Apple. A year later its share was 4.3%, but dropped to third behind SanDisk.[62] In Q1 2007 its market share was about 4% before dropping to 2% in Q1 2008.[63] In 2009 it dropped to 1%.[64]
Its global market share in 2007 was 6%.[49]
Software
Official software
Creative distributes official software with many of their players to help users manage their player.
- Creative Centrale
- Creative MediaSource
- Creative Media Explorer - Each player has their own version of Media Explorer to comply with format compatibility.
- ZENcast Organizer - A Podcast organizer
- Creative Video Converter
Alternative software
Third-party alternatives have been developed to enable legacy OS compatibility as well as compatibility with other operating systems.
- Free software:
- Amarok, a Linux media player [2]
- Rhythmbox, a Linux music player [65]
- Banshee, another media player for Linux [66]
- Gnomad2, which can transfer files to ZEN players with an FTP-like interface for Linux [3]
- KZenExplorer, a synchronization tool for KDE[67]
- XNJB, a synchronization tool for Mac OS X[68]
- A generic USB mass storage device driver allows hassle-free transfer of music on older OSes
- Proprietary software:
- Legacy OS Driver, a Creative driver that gives compatibility to PlaysForSure-certified ZENs for Windows 98 SE, Me, and 2000.[69]
- MediaMonkey, a media player that syncs with ZEN players. While the basic edition is freeware, the commercial Gold version has the ability to automatically convert media formats. [4]
- Notmad Explorer, a software suite from Red Chair Software that allows for file and playlist management for ZEN players.
See also
Notes and references
- ^ "Creative sells 25 million MP3 players". 19 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Creative Wins Second Consecutive "Best Of CES" Award At Consumer Electronics Show" (Press release). Creative Technology. 2004-01-12. Archived from the original on 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
- ^ a b "Creative ZEN Micro Photo Wins "Best of CES" Award" (Press release). Creative Technology. 2005-01-10. Archived from the original on 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
- ^ a b c "Creative ZEN Vision:M Wins "Best of CES" Award in MP3 and Portable Video Category and also Wins overall "Best in Show" Award". Creative Technology. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16.
- ^ "Creative Nomad Jukebox review". CNET. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
- ^ "Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra review". CNET. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
- ^ "Creative Zen Portable Media Center review". CNET. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
- ^ "Creative Zen Touch review". CNET. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "Pepsi: Hip Hop Can". Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "Creative Zen Micro (5GB) reviews and specs". Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^ Lazar. "Creative Zen 20gb (zen micro look) really available??? Price (with shipping): 369$". Creative. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16.
- ^ "Creative Technology Zen NEEON (5 GB, 1200 Songs) MP3 Player Specs". DealTime.co.uk. 2005-05-19. Archived from the original on 2009-01-14. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ Virus-infected Creative ZEN MP3 Players found CNET - September 1, 2005
- ^ "Press Relations". Creative.com. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^ "Creative ZEN MicroPhoto 1.0.0.0 software download". VersionTracker. Archived from the original on 2007-10-29.
- ^ Schweitzer, Jason. "Reviews – Creative Zen MicroPhoto 8GB". APH Networks. Archived from the original on 2006-05-21.
- ^ "Creative Zen Sleek 20 GBMP3 Player: Electronics". Amazon. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "Creative ZEN Vision (30 GB) Reviews and Specs". MP3.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
- ^ "Creative Zen VISION: M review". CNET. 2006-01-26. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "red dot award: product design 2006 - ZEN Vision:M Portable Media Player". En.red-dot.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "Press Relations". Creative.com. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- CNet. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
- ^ "Creative Zen Stone review". CNET. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
- ^ "YesAsia.com: Electronics: Creative ZEN Stone Plus White) MP3 Player 2 GB". Global.yesasia.com. 2010-08-02. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "Creative ZEN Stone Plus with speaker | MP3 Players". Uk.europe.creative.com. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "Creative Zen Krystal: Zen Stone Plus gets a doppelgänger".
- ^ "ZEN Wav - Free Your Ears". Gadgetell. Retrieved 2007-08-29.
- ^ "Creative Zen V Plus reviews and specs". Mp3.com. 2006-06-20. Archived from the original on 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "Corporate: Public Relations". Archived from the original on 2007-01-28. Retrieved 2006-12-28., Creative supports the National Breast Cancer Foundation in conjunction with launch of pink ZEN V Plus 2 GB. Retrieved January 28, 2007.
- ^ [1] Archived 2007-02-14 at the Wayback Machine, jp. Creative.com - ZEN V Plus. Retrieved March 12, 2007.
- ^ "クリエイティブストア限定 CREATIVE ZEN V PLUS 16GBモデル発売のお知らせ" (Press release) (in Japanese). Creative. 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
- ^ "Creative introduces the world's first 32 GB flash memory-based portable media player with the latest credit-card sized ZEN" (Press release). Creative. 2007-12-03. Archived from the original on 2008-04-23. Retrieved 2007-12-04.
- ^ France, Jasmine (September 14, 2007). "Creative Zen review: Creative Zen". CNET. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
- ^ "Creative ZEN Reviews and Specs". MP3.com. Archived from the original on 2007-10-23. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
- ^ "ZEN ZEN4GBBK - MP3 Players - Credit card-sized media player". Us.creative.com. Archived from the original on 2009-01-08. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "CREATIVE INTRODUCES THE ZEN X-FI AND THE ZEN X-FI WITH WIRELESS LAN - THE ONLY PLAYERS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF MP3 MUSIC PLAYBACK WITH X-FI AUDIO TECHNOLOGY". Creative. 2008-07-10. Archived from the original on 2008-09-29. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
- ^ "Creative touches the sound of perfection with the ZEN X-Fi2". epiZENter.net. 2009-09-02. Archived from the original on 2009-09-10. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ "ZEN X-Fi2 Application Development Kit (ADK)". Creative.com. Archived from the original on 2010-07-30. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ a b "Creative Delivers Pure Music on-the-go with ZEN X-FI Style Portable Media Player: Taking the Audio Goodness of ZEN X-FI2 to a new Level of Affordability" (Press release). Creative Technology. 2010-04-08. Archived from the original on 6 May 2010.
- ^ "Creative outs Android Zen Touch 2 MP3 player". 2 November 2010.
- ^ Creative.com Archived 2011-01-21 at the Wayback Machine Creative ZEN Touch 2 Mp3 Player product description page.
- ^ "Creative debuts compact, Bluetooth-enabled Zen Style M300 PMP".
- ^ "Home". September 2011.
- ^ "Press Relations". Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ "Creative Zen Vision:M". Rockbox forums. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
- ^ Raby, Mark. "Creative launches Zen player based on new media processor". Tgdaily.com. Archived from the original on 2007-12-01. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
- ^ "Creative Zen Vision:M". Rockbox forums. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
- ^ "Apple rival 'tries to ban iPods'". 16 May 2006.
- ^ a b "If You Can't Beat 'Em". Forbes.
- ^ "Creative declares war on iPod".
- ^ Goodman, Ron. "Automatic hierarchical categorization of music by metadata - United States Patent Application".
- ^ McHugh, Craig. "ZEN Patent Press Conference Speech Transcript". Creative Labs. Archived from the original on 2007-02-10.
- ^ "Creative wins MP3 player patent". BBC News. August 30, 2005. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
- ^ Hermida, Alfred (December 8, 2005). "Apple faces iPod patent dispute". BBC News. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
- ^ Dalrymple, Jim. "Creative sues Apple for patent infringement". Playlist Magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-10-14.
- ^ McMillan, Robert. "Creative sues Apple over patent". Macworld.
- ^ Dalrymple, Jim. "Apple sues Creative over iPod patents". Playlist Magazine. Archived from the original on 2006-06-13.
- ^ Marsal, Katie. "Apple's settlement seen as the right move". AppleInsider. Archived from the original on 2006-10-18. Retrieved 2007-01-26.
- ^ "Is Creative Technology Stuffed?". 31 December 1999.
- ^ "Creative Technology reports loss". 3 May 2006.
- ^ a b "Mobile-review.com MP3-players – Global markets". mobile-review.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2006. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ Wingfield, Nick (21 August 2006). "SanDisk Raises Music-Player Stakes". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ "Portable Media Player Gallery - 2000s".
- ^ "Zune to launch outside US". Financial Times. 16 November 2009.
- ^ "Apps/Rhythmbox - GNOME Wiki!".
- ^ "Banshee". banshee-project.org. Archived from the original on 12 June 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "KZenExplorer - Start Page". Kzenexplorer.sourceforge.net. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "XNJB". Wentnet.com. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ (C) Creative Labs 1999-2015. "Customer Support: Downloads". Archived from the original on 2007-03-12. Retrieved 2006-11-05.
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