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Review of Creative Zen Vision:M 30GB
Recently, I ordered myself a Zen Vision:M, which I think is the best in the Vision range. This review will explore all the key features of the glossy stylish MP3, which Creative has dropped upon us puzzled folks.
Prices
Note: Only links to companies are listed, but you can probably get it cheaper from people from Amazon.co.uk and Ebay. And all results of prices are subject to availability. Pink, Blue and Green are hard to find, and when found they are located on websites which resell for more than the recommended prices. You may be able to find them at cheaper websites, as these websites aren't 100% best prices.
Zen Vision:M 30GB Model
Black - £150 off Amazon.co.uk with free delivery.
Green - £160 off More4Computers.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
White - £165 off Play.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Blue - £178 off IT247.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Pink - £140 off bestpricedbrands.co.uk (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Zen Vision:M 60GB Model (only comes in Black)
Black - £195 off Amazon.co.uk with free delivery
What’s inside the Box?
The Zen Vision:M comes boxed with, 1 USB transfer/charge cable, 1 nice looking pouch to look after your Zen, a contact paper with all the numbers for different countries to contact Creative if you run into any trouble, and a nice thick instructions booklet with a load of different languages, a software disk with software to help you transfer media. Last but not least, the 30GB Creative Zen Vision:M model with a screen protector applied, which was very nice of Creative.
Included Software
Here I will explain what software came loaded on in the disk. One program was a general basic transfer media program, to just help you transfer your desired files. It's very easy to use, and helpful. It also has an integrated converting feature, which comes most in handy when you’ve add a load of files to the device, but some may not be compatible, so the software lists the incompatible videos and can be converted on the spot.
Screenshot
You can create playlists, manage playlists, add media and browse your media. You can also manage your personal information, calendar, contacts and tasks. It doesn’t do much else, as it’s really basic and easy to use.
When you install all the software on the disk, you also get a program called “ZENcast Organizer”, where you can download free podcasts. There are five main categories, Technology, Lifestyle, World Affairs, Lifestyle and Entertainment. There you can download podcasts which have come from a few different sites; e.g the Entertainment section would have IGN. It’s really good fun just to listen to some.
Interface
It's the fastest device I've ever used to transfer files. I transferred whole seasons and dozens of albums within five minutes or less, which was a big relief for me, as my collection is grand. So don't expect transfer times to be a problem. 30GB is also a lot, after major transfer, I still have 12GB of free space!
It's also really user-friendly; it's easily scrollable through its vertical scroll wheel, and four click buttons. One dedicated button for your desired shortcut, for example you could set it to Album of the Day, which is the default. And an essential play/pause button, a back button, and an options menu button. And on both sides of the vertical scroll wheel, you'll find a rewind and forward button. It's really easy to use and browse through, nothing complicated here.
The ZV:M specializes in Video, but has it done a good job? Hell yeah! Its visuals are abousltly stunning for its size, and do a really good job. There’s not much noticeable difference in quality from watching it on your computer and watching it on your Zen (except for size obviously). When you’re thoroughly engrossed into something, size will not even be noticeable.
The Outside
With great power comes great responsibility. You'll need to really take care of the player, due to its sensitivity to smudges, finger prints and it's magnetization to scratches. I would recommend a full body protector, which can be bought from here (www.bestskinever.com).
It may look a bit on the heavy side from the pictures, but it’s not. It’s actually quiet light, and slides right into your pocket with ease. It’s available in five vibrant colors, black, white, pink, green, and blue. All cool, but I own black.
The Cons…
One thing that really annoys me about Creative MP4/3 players is that most of them don’t even have a removable battery. But luckily the battery is not likely to fail on you anytime soon, as it’s really long lasting (unlike many Ipods). Another annoyance is that the scroll wheel is touch sensitive, but no other buttons are. It can feel quiet awkward when you’re scrolling with the scroll wheel, then you touch the play button, but you forget it’s not touch sensitive and you remember you have to press the buttons down. This can happen often, but as you get used to it, it happens less.
There’s actually one problem with the video. When you click on your desired video, it doesn’t start immediately, there’s actually a few seconds gap from when you choose it and when you’re viewing it, approximately ten seconds. It’s not a big problem, but obviously when you’re viewing lots of small clips at once in can be.
Extra Features
As an added extra Creative have added FM Radio with recorder, microphone custom backgrounds/themes ect, organizer to keep track of the dates, tasks and contacts. There’s even equalizer settings for eight different music genres, and on top of that you can create your own custom equalizer settings.
Competitors and Competition
Apples Ipod Video is the main competitor to the Zen Vision:M. The Ipod video may be smaller, thinner and sleeker, but it has less features and cost a bit more. Now, the Zen Vision:M may be bulky compared to other anorexic MP3s, but I assure you that size and weight is not a problem, but compared to other media players it may be.
Apple's Ipod, and Creative's Zen have a little in common. For one, they both have the same body and screen size. They both come in same memory sizes (30GB, 60GB). This is what makes it a direct competitor.
The Zen Vision:M has much more features than the Ipod Video. The Ipod video takes 4 hours to charge for up to 14 hours of play time, whilst the Zen Vision:M only takes 2 and half hours for up to 16 hours of juice. Another great feature about the Zen Vision is its connect ability to T.Vs for viewing videos and Photos; you can get these cables for free off Creative by filling in their application form. The ZV:M also supports more familiar video, audio and photo formats than the Ipod. Generally I think the ZV:M has more flexibility and is practical.
But don’t mistaken Creative's Zen for a copy of the Ipod, as they both have distinguished differences that tear them apart. Apple have gone for the traditional touch sensitive scroll wheel, whilst Creative have gone for the touch sensitive vertical "thumb" shaped wheel. All Apples buttons are layed out “inside” the wheel, Creative's non touch sensitive buttons are layed out around the thumb styled wheel.
Which one looks sexier? Well, Ipod looks a bit plain outside, and even inside. The Zen looks much cooler, with its glossy toned finish; it looks like it's had a tan! The symbols on the buttons even have blue LEDs to give it a clean finish.
Comparison Picture from CNET
Conclusion
The Zen Vision:M is one of those, do-it-all devices, and does all of it well. Photo’s, Videos, Music, Radio and hell even a Radio recorder, which is really neat. Really versatile and multipurpose, it’s a good investment for someone like me whose collection is really big, and/or is a regular traveler. I’ve not seen a fault with it upon purchase, and it’s turned out to be one of my best buys.
Recently, I ordered myself a Zen Vision:M, which I think is the best in the Vision range. This review will explore all the key features of the glossy stylish MP3, which Creative has dropped upon us puzzled folks.
Prices
Note: Only links to companies are listed, but you can probably get it cheaper from people from Amazon.co.uk and Ebay. And all results of prices are subject to availability. Pink, Blue and Green are hard to find, and when found they are located on websites which resell for more than the recommended prices. You may be able to find them at cheaper websites, as these websites aren't 100% best prices.
Zen Vision:M 30GB Model
Black - £150 off Amazon.co.uk with free delivery.
Green - £160 off More4Computers.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
White - £165 off Play.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Blue - £178 off IT247.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Pink - £140 off bestpricedbrands.co.uk (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Zen Vision:M 60GB Model (only comes in Black)
Black - £195 off Amazon.co.uk with free delivery
What’s inside the Box?
The Zen Vision:M comes boxed with, 1 USB transfer/charge cable, 1 nice looking pouch to look after your Zen, a contact paper with all the numbers for different countries to contact Creative if you run into any trouble, and a nice thick instructions booklet with a load of different languages, a software disk with software to help you transfer media. Last but not least, the 30GB Creative Zen Vision:M model with a screen protector applied, which was very nice of Creative.
Included Software
Here I will explain what software came loaded on in the disk. One program was a general basic transfer media program, to just help you transfer your desired files. It's very easy to use, and helpful. It also has an integrated converting feature, which comes most in handy when you’ve add a load of files to the device, but some may not be compatible, so the software lists the incompatible videos and can be converted on the spot.
Screenshot
You can create playlists, manage playlists, add media and browse your media. You can also manage your personal information, calendar, contacts and tasks. It doesn’t do much else, as it’s really basic and easy to use.
When you install all the software on the disk, you also get a program called “ZENcast Organizer”, where you can download free podcasts. There are five main categories, Technology, Lifestyle, World Affairs, Lifestyle and Entertainment. There you can download podcasts which have come from a few different sites; e.g the Entertainment section would have IGN. It’s really good fun just to listen to some.
Interface
It's the fastest device I've ever used to transfer files. I transferred whole seasons and dozens of albums within five minutes or less, which was a big relief for me, as my collection is grand. So don't expect transfer times to be a problem. 30GB is also a lot, after major transfer, I still have 12GB of free space!
It's also really user-friendly; it's easily scrollable through its vertical scroll wheel, and four click buttons. One dedicated button for your desired shortcut, for example you could set it to Album of the Day, which is the default. And an essential play/pause button, a back button, and an options menu button. And on both sides of the vertical scroll wheel, you'll find a rewind and forward button. It's really easy to use and browse through, nothing complicated here.
The ZV:M specializes in Video, but has it done a good job? Hell yeah! Its visuals are abousltly stunning for its size, and do a really good job. There’s not much noticeable difference in quality from watching it on your computer and watching it on your Zen (except for size obviously). When you’re thoroughly engrossed into something, size will not even be noticeable.
The Outside
With great power comes great responsibility. You'll need to really take care of the player, due to its sensitivity to smudges, finger prints and it's magnetization to scratches. I would recommend a full body protector, which can be bought from here (www.bestskinever.com).
It may look a bit on the heavy side from the pictures, but it’s not. It’s actually quiet light, and slides right into your pocket with ease. It’s available in five vibrant colors, black, white, pink, green, and blue. All cool, but I own black.
The Cons…
One thing that really annoys me about Creative MP4/3 players is that most of them don’t even have a removable battery. But luckily the battery is not likely to fail on you anytime soon, as it’s really long lasting (unlike many Ipods). Another annoyance is that the scroll wheel is touch sensitive, but no other buttons are. It can feel quiet awkward when you’re scrolling with the scroll wheel, then you touch the play button, but you forget it’s not touch sensitive and you remember you have to press the buttons down. This can happen often, but as you get used to it, it happens less.
There’s actually one problem with the video. When you click on your desired video, it doesn’t start immediately, there’s actually a few seconds gap from when you choose it and when you’re viewing it, approximately ten seconds. It’s not a big problem, but obviously when you’re viewing lots of small clips at once in can be.
Extra Features
As an added extra Creative have added FM Radio with recorder, microphone custom backgrounds/themes ect, organizer to keep track of the dates, tasks and contacts. There’s even equalizer settings for eight different music genres, and on top of that you can create your own custom equalizer settings.
Competitors and Competition
Apples Ipod Video is the main competitor to the Zen Vision:M. The Ipod video may be smaller, thinner and sleeker, but it has less features and cost a bit more. Now, the Zen Vision:M may be bulky compared to other anorexic MP3s, but I assure you that size and weight is not a problem, but compared to other media players it may be.
Apple's Ipod, and Creative's Zen have a little in common. For one, they both have the same body and screen size. They both come in same memory sizes (30GB, 60GB). This is what makes it a direct competitor.
The Zen Vision:M has much more features than the Ipod Video. The Ipod video takes 4 hours to charge for up to 14 hours of play time, whilst the Zen Vision:M only takes 2 and half hours for up to 16 hours of juice. Another great feature about the Zen Vision is its connect ability to T.Vs for viewing videos and Photos; you can get these cables for free off Creative by filling in their application form. The ZV:M also supports more familiar video, audio and photo formats than the Ipod. Generally I think the ZV:M has more flexibility and is practical.
But don’t mistaken Creative's Zen for a copy of the Ipod, as they both have distinguished differences that tear them apart. Apple have gone for the traditional touch sensitive scroll wheel, whilst Creative have gone for the touch sensitive vertical "thumb" shaped wheel. All Apples buttons are layed out “inside” the wheel, Creative's non touch sensitive buttons are layed out around the thumb styled wheel.
Which one looks sexier? Well, Ipod looks a bit plain outside, and even inside. The Zen looks much cooler, with its glossy toned finish; it looks like it's had a tan! The symbols on the buttons even have blue LEDs to give it a clean finish.
Comparison Picture from CNET
Conclusion
The Zen Vision:M is one of those, do-it-all devices, and does all of it well. Photo’s, Videos, Music, Radio and hell even a Radio recorder, which is really neat. Really versatile and multipurpose, it’s a good investment for someone like me whose collection is really big, and/or is a regular traveler. I’ve not seen a fault with it upon purchase, and it’s turned out to be one of my best buys.
Chaos wrote:
> And it's price?
Hahahaa I went so deep into detail, I forgot to include the price, sorry lads. I bought my black 30GB model for £150. I will update the original post for the prices of the MP£ player.
> And it's price?
Hahahaa I went so deep into detail, I forgot to include the price, sorry lads. I bought my black 30GB model for £150. I will update the original post for the prices of the MP£ player.
And it's price?
Review of Creative Zen Vision:M 30GB
Recently, I ordered myself a Zen Vision:M, which I think is the best in the Vision range. This review will explore all the key features of the glossy stylish MP3, which Creative has dropped upon us puzzled folks.
Prices
Note: Only links to companies are listed, but you can probably get it cheaper from people from Amazon.co.uk and Ebay. And all results of prices are subject to availability. Pink, Blue and Green are hard to find, and when found they are located on websites which resell for more than the recommended prices. You may be able to find them at cheaper websites, as these websites aren't 100% best prices.
Zen Vision:M 30GB Model
Black - £150 off Amazon.co.uk with free delivery.
Green - £160 off More4Computers.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
White - £165 off Play.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Blue - £178 off IT247.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Pink - £140 off bestpricedbrands.co.uk (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Zen Vision:M 60GB Model (only comes in Black)
Black - £195 off Amazon.co.uk with free delivery
What’s inside the Box?
The Zen Vision:M comes boxed with, 1 USB transfer/charge cable, 1 nice looking pouch to look after your Zen, a contact paper with all the numbers for different countries to contact Creative if you run into any trouble, and a nice thick instructions booklet with a load of different languages, a software disk with software to help you transfer media. Last but not least, the 30GB Creative Zen Vision:M model with a screen protector applied, which was very nice of Creative.
Included Software
Here I will explain what software came loaded on in the disk. One program was a general basic transfer media program, to just help you transfer your desired files. It's very easy to use, and helpful. It also has an integrated converting feature, which comes most in handy when you’ve add a load of files to the device, but some may not be compatible, so the software lists the incompatible videos and can be converted on the spot.
Screenshot
You can create playlists, manage playlists, add media and browse your media. You can also manage your personal information, calendar, contacts and tasks. It doesn’t do much else, as it’s really basic and easy to use.
When you install all the software on the disk, you also get a program called “ZENcast Organizer”, where you can download free podcasts. There are five main categories, Technology, Lifestyle, World Affairs, Lifestyle and Entertainment. There you can download podcasts which have come from a few different sites; e.g the Entertainment section would have IGN. It’s really good fun just to listen to some.
Interface
It's the fastest device I've ever used to transfer files. I transferred whole seasons and dozens of albums within five minutes or less, which was a big relief for me, as my collection is grand. So don't expect transfer times to be a problem. 30GB is also a lot, after major transfer, I still have 12GB of free space!
It's also really user-friendly; it's easily scrollable through its vertical scroll wheel, and four click buttons. One dedicated button for your desired shortcut, for example you could set it to Album of the Day, which is the default. And an essential play/pause button, a back button, and an options menu button. And on both sides of the vertical scroll wheel, you'll find a rewind and forward button. It's really easy to use and browse through, nothing complicated here.
The ZV:M specializes in Video, but has it done a good job? Hell yeah! Its visuals are abousltly stunning for its size, and do a really good job. There’s not much noticeable difference in quality from watching it on your computer and watching it on your Zen (except for size obviously). When you’re thoroughly engrossed into something, size will not even be noticeable.
The Outside
With great power comes great responsibility. You'll need to really take care of the player, due to its sensitivity to smudges, finger prints and it's magnetization to scratches. I would recommend a full body protector, which can be bought from here (www.bestskinever.com).
It may look a bit on the heavy side from the pictures, but it’s not. It’s actually quiet light, and slides right into your pocket with ease. It’s available in five vibrant colors, black, white, pink, green, and blue. All cool, but I own black.
The Cons…
One thing that really annoys me about Creative MP4/3 players is that most of them don’t even have a removable battery. But luckily the battery is not likely to fail on you anytime soon, as it’s really long lasting (unlike many Ipods). Another annoyance is that the scroll wheel is touch sensitive, but no other buttons are. It can feel quiet awkward when you’re scrolling with the scroll wheel, then you touch the play button, but you forget it’s not touch sensitive and you remember you have to press the buttons down. This can happen often, but as you get used to it, it happens less.
There’s actually one problem with the video. When you click on your desired video, it doesn’t start immediately, there’s actually a few seconds gap from when you choose it and when you’re viewing it, approximately ten seconds. It’s not a big problem, but obviously when you’re viewing lots of small clips at once in can be.
Extra Features
As an added extra Creative have added FM Radio with recorder, microphone custom backgrounds/themes ect, organizer to keep track of the dates, tasks and contacts. There’s even equalizer settings for eight different music genres, and on top of that you can create your own custom equalizer settings.
Competitors and Competition
Apples Ipod Video is the main competitor to the Zen Vision:M. The Ipod video may be smaller, thinner and sleeker, but it has less features and cost a bit more. Now, the Zen Vision:M may be bulky compared to other anorexic MP3s, but I assure you that size and weight is not a problem, but compared to other media players it may be.
Apple's Ipod, and Creative's Zen have a little in common. For one, they both have the same body and screen size. They both come in same memory sizes (30GB, 60GB). This is what makes it a direct competitor.
The Zen Vision:M has much more features than the Ipod Video. The Ipod video takes 4 hours to charge for up to 14 hours of play time, whilst the Zen Vision:M only takes 2 and half hours for up to 16 hours of juice. Another great feature about the Zen Vision is its connect ability to T.Vs for viewing videos and Photos; you can get these cables for free off Creative by filling in their application form. The ZV:M also supports more familiar video, audio and photo formats than the Ipod. Generally I think the ZV:M has more flexibility and is practical.
But don’t mistaken Creative's Zen for a copy of the Ipod, as they both have distinguished differences that tear them apart. Apple have gone for the traditional touch sensitive scroll wheel, whilst Creative have gone for the touch sensitive vertical "thumb" shaped wheel. All Apples buttons are layed out “inside” the wheel, Creative's non touch sensitive buttons are layed out around the thumb styled wheel.
Which one looks sexier? Well, Ipod looks a bit plain outside, and even inside. The Zen looks much cooler, with its glossy toned finish; it looks like it's had a tan! The symbols on the buttons even have blue LEDs to give it a clean finish.
Comparison Picture from CNET
Conclusion
The Zen Vision:M is one of those, do-it-all devices, and does all of it well. Photo’s, Videos, Music, Radio and hell even a Radio recorder, which is really neat. Really versatile and multipurpose, it’s a good investment for someone like me whose collection is really big, and/or is a regular traveler. I’ve not seen a fault with it upon purchase, and it’s turned out to be one of my best buys.
Recently, I ordered myself a Zen Vision:M, which I think is the best in the Vision range. This review will explore all the key features of the glossy stylish MP3, which Creative has dropped upon us puzzled folks.
Prices
Note: Only links to companies are listed, but you can probably get it cheaper from people from Amazon.co.uk and Ebay. And all results of prices are subject to availability. Pink, Blue and Green are hard to find, and when found they are located on websites which resell for more than the recommended prices. You may be able to find them at cheaper websites, as these websites aren't 100% best prices.
Zen Vision:M 30GB Model
Black - £150 off Amazon.co.uk with free delivery.
Green - £160 off More4Computers.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
White - £165 off Play.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Blue - £178 off IT247.com (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Pink - £140 off bestpricedbrands.co.uk (unavailable on Amazon.co.uk)
Zen Vision:M 60GB Model (only comes in Black)
Black - £195 off Amazon.co.uk with free delivery
What’s inside the Box?
The Zen Vision:M comes boxed with, 1 USB transfer/charge cable, 1 nice looking pouch to look after your Zen, a contact paper with all the numbers for different countries to contact Creative if you run into any trouble, and a nice thick instructions booklet with a load of different languages, a software disk with software to help you transfer media. Last but not least, the 30GB Creative Zen Vision:M model with a screen protector applied, which was very nice of Creative.
Included Software
Here I will explain what software came loaded on in the disk. One program was a general basic transfer media program, to just help you transfer your desired files. It's very easy to use, and helpful. It also has an integrated converting feature, which comes most in handy when you’ve add a load of files to the device, but some may not be compatible, so the software lists the incompatible videos and can be converted on the spot.
Screenshot
You can create playlists, manage playlists, add media and browse your media. You can also manage your personal information, calendar, contacts and tasks. It doesn’t do much else, as it’s really basic and easy to use.
When you install all the software on the disk, you also get a program called “ZENcast Organizer”, where you can download free podcasts. There are five main categories, Technology, Lifestyle, World Affairs, Lifestyle and Entertainment. There you can download podcasts which have come from a few different sites; e.g the Entertainment section would have IGN. It’s really good fun just to listen to some.
Interface
It's the fastest device I've ever used to transfer files. I transferred whole seasons and dozens of albums within five minutes or less, which was a big relief for me, as my collection is grand. So don't expect transfer times to be a problem. 30GB is also a lot, after major transfer, I still have 12GB of free space!
It's also really user-friendly; it's easily scrollable through its vertical scroll wheel, and four click buttons. One dedicated button for your desired shortcut, for example you could set it to Album of the Day, which is the default. And an essential play/pause button, a back button, and an options menu button. And on both sides of the vertical scroll wheel, you'll find a rewind and forward button. It's really easy to use and browse through, nothing complicated here.
The ZV:M specializes in Video, but has it done a good job? Hell yeah! Its visuals are abousltly stunning for its size, and do a really good job. There’s not much noticeable difference in quality from watching it on your computer and watching it on your Zen (except for size obviously). When you’re thoroughly engrossed into something, size will not even be noticeable.
The Outside
With great power comes great responsibility. You'll need to really take care of the player, due to its sensitivity to smudges, finger prints and it's magnetization to scratches. I would recommend a full body protector, which can be bought from here (www.bestskinever.com).
It may look a bit on the heavy side from the pictures, but it’s not. It’s actually quiet light, and slides right into your pocket with ease. It’s available in five vibrant colors, black, white, pink, green, and blue. All cool, but I own black.
The Cons…
One thing that really annoys me about Creative MP4/3 players is that most of them don’t even have a removable battery. But luckily the battery is not likely to fail on you anytime soon, as it’s really long lasting (unlike many Ipods). Another annoyance is that the scroll wheel is touch sensitive, but no other buttons are. It can feel quiet awkward when you’re scrolling with the scroll wheel, then you touch the play button, but you forget it’s not touch sensitive and you remember you have to press the buttons down. This can happen often, but as you get used to it, it happens less.
There’s actually one problem with the video. When you click on your desired video, it doesn’t start immediately, there’s actually a few seconds gap from when you choose it and when you’re viewing it, approximately ten seconds. It’s not a big problem, but obviously when you’re viewing lots of small clips at once in can be.
Extra Features
As an added extra Creative have added FM Radio with recorder, microphone custom backgrounds/themes ect, organizer to keep track of the dates, tasks and contacts. There’s even equalizer settings for eight different music genres, and on top of that you can create your own custom equalizer settings.
Competitors and Competition
Apples Ipod Video is the main competitor to the Zen Vision:M. The Ipod video may be smaller, thinner and sleeker, but it has less features and cost a bit more. Now, the Zen Vision:M may be bulky compared to other anorexic MP3s, but I assure you that size and weight is not a problem, but compared to other media players it may be.
Apple's Ipod, and Creative's Zen have a little in common. For one, they both have the same body and screen size. They both come in same memory sizes (30GB, 60GB). This is what makes it a direct competitor.
The Zen Vision:M has much more features than the Ipod Video. The Ipod video takes 4 hours to charge for up to 14 hours of play time, whilst the Zen Vision:M only takes 2 and half hours for up to 16 hours of juice. Another great feature about the Zen Vision is its connect ability to T.Vs for viewing videos and Photos; you can get these cables for free off Creative by filling in their application form. The ZV:M also supports more familiar video, audio and photo formats than the Ipod. Generally I think the ZV:M has more flexibility and is practical.
But don’t mistaken Creative's Zen for a copy of the Ipod, as they both have distinguished differences that tear them apart. Apple have gone for the traditional touch sensitive scroll wheel, whilst Creative have gone for the touch sensitive vertical "thumb" shaped wheel. All Apples buttons are layed out “inside” the wheel, Creative's non touch sensitive buttons are layed out around the thumb styled wheel.
Which one looks sexier? Well, Ipod looks a bit plain outside, and even inside. The Zen looks much cooler, with its glossy toned finish; it looks like it's had a tan! The symbols on the buttons even have blue LEDs to give it a clean finish.
Comparison Picture from CNET
Conclusion
The Zen Vision:M is one of those, do-it-all devices, and does all of it well. Photo’s, Videos, Music, Radio and hell even a Radio recorder, which is really neat. Really versatile and multipurpose, it’s a good investment for someone like me whose collection is really big, and/or is a regular traveler. I’ve not seen a fault with it upon purchase, and it’s turned out to be one of my best buys.