Creative's new 20GB Zen
By Ryan Block 
posted March 17th 2005 10:20AM
posted March 17th 2005 10:20AM
If there was one 1.8-inch drive music player that needed a serious overhaul, it was Creative's
Zen Touch—and it finally got one, albeit in the form of
taking after its cuter younger sibling, the Zen
Micro. It still may not be the best looking player in the world, but we only think it's a little funny because it's
a bit like your parents dressing you up like your kid sister on prom night. The new 20GB Zen plays back MP3 and WMA,
has USB 2.0, a 1.65-inch display, 11-hour battery, FM radio, voice recorder, and is a mere 2.4 x 3.7 x 0.76-inches—a
size not too terribly far off from the iPod.
[Via DAPreview]
Bump it to 60Gb and have it sync with Outlook and I'll buy two.
Just for comparison's sake:
iPod: 4.1" x 2.4" x 0.57"
Gmini 400 (Archos): 4.2" x 2.4" x 0.7"
new Nomad Zen: 3.7" x 2.4" x 0.76"
iPod mini: 3.6" x 2.0" x 0.5"
Zen Micro: 3.3" x 2.0" x 0.7"
Rio Carbon: 3.3" x 2.5" x 0.6"
Gmini XS200: 2.9" x 2.3" x 0.7"
Actually, no, I don't want to be at work today. Why do you ask?
The Zen Touch had 20 hour battery life. This is a step in the wrong direction in that regard. I do like the size, though.
It probably does sync with Outlook like the current Zen Micros. I'd like to see a color screen version (like the forthcoming Micro).
Where is the f'ing OGG support?
I know Apple will never do it but why would someone trying to gain their market share not want to give us every reason to buy theirs?
I have a zen touch 40gb. It's a wonderful player. It looks and sounds great, and the 24 hour battery life comes in handy. I love the software - drag and drop your music files right into the player and you're done. I know some swear by iTunes, but having a familiar interface, to me, is preferable.
Can the battery be replaced like for the Zen Micro? I feel to many manufacturer don't see this as important yet I feel it's only normal to be able to exchange it once it comes to the end of it's life span. Give me that and a 40 gig capacity or more and I'll lose my Ipod for one.
Sorry Scott, much as you'd like to believe otherwise, the 200 nerds that buy a new player because it supports OGG aren't going to be enough to truly sweigh any market share numbers. Don't we all wish.
If this thing had the 24 hour battery that the touch has, I would throw out my 20GB Touch in 2 seconds.
But that battery life is whats keeping me glued to the thing even though there are other nicer looking players out.
Gapless playback? :¬P
(I'll file that with OGG support under "who cares?")
If this thing had the 24 hour battery that the touch has, I would throw out my 20GB Touch in 2 seconds.
But that battery life is whats keeping me glued to the thing even though there are other nicer looking players out.
Zen touch battery is replaceable:
http://tinyurl.com/6h4vy
(Link goes to a replacement battery product page)
Yea, 11 hours of battery life is kind off lame. Hopefully they can improve that with a higher capacity battery or something. I like that it is now sheathed in a nice high quality magnesium alloy case as opposed to the plastic cases of the zen micro and the ipod. Hopefully they can boost that battery life though.
Wow, its not on their website yet, anybody know when this will be available. Oh and by the way, while slapping 60 gig in this thing would great, that would have to make it marginally bigger (like Apple had to) to account for the two platter hard drive. They could probably make a 30 gig version of this at the exact same size, however.
I know the battery is a little short but remember it's REPLACEABLE as if you had an MP3 player that uses AA batteries. The Zen Touch Is NOT, unless you want to open the case entirely w/screws and all.
I think this was a step in the right direction HOWEVER, I wish they could have been a lot more innovative and make it look different from the Micro. Either they are thinking "if it's not broken, don't fix it" OR "we are lazy son's a bitches" I just hope their Remote is 100X better than the Nomad Zen USB 2.0's. (what a peice of crap)
#3: I belive I read somewhere that the Zen Touch basically had two batteries on it - hence the large size ;)
#3: I belive I read somewhere that the Zen Touch basically had two batteries on it - hence the large size ;)
JK - "Sorry Scott, much as you'd like to believe otherwise, the 200 nerds that buy a new player because it supports OGG aren't going to be enough to truly sweigh any market share numbers. Don't we all wish."
Certainly not that alone, but then why buy this instead of the market leader?
By the way, OGG is a lot more popular than you think, but yes, it is by and large a nerd / buck the standard kind of thing.
It's only available in Asia now
when will it be available in the USA?
It comes out nine months after the 4gen iPod, and it's 18% bigger? Yikes.
It comes out nine months after the 4gen iPod, and it's 18% bigger? Yikes.
this would be the mp3 player i would get when it comes out, but when will it be out in England?
The zen micro is too small, but then the zen touch is just an ugly brick, this seems like the perfect medium (apart from the battery size)
Oh well nothing's perfect. But this seems, for my needs, to be damn close to perfect...
I just received my Zen 20G last week, and let me say a few things. I bought the Zen Micro at the beginning of June. I liked it so much (except that I craved the bigger drive) that I returned it to the store and ordered the Zen 20G from yesasia.com, who delivered it to me in NY, USA.
1) To the compaints about the size o fthis "Behemoth", this player is smaller (l x w) than my boss's iPod, though slightly thicker. Fits my hand (and my pocket) like a glove.
2) In black, it looks dead sexy, even better than the Zen Micro in black since it doesn't have the goofy white plastic case.
3) It doesn't have the slide off back for battery access that the Zen Micro has. There is an access panel held in by a tiny star head screw. I haven't gotten out my tools to open her up and see if the battery is easily replaceable yet though.
4) I don't know about you, but I don't find myself in a situation where I am not near an electrical outlet for more than 11 hours at a time. I find the battery life to be perfectly acceptable.
Make that 201 OGG fans. I have yet to buy an MP3 player, but am planning to buy one next week. Given the same sound quality, I will go for the player that supports OGG - or that can at a minimum be upgraded to support OGG. If none can be found, I won't bother to buy an MP3 player yet, and will stick to ye olde walkman.
Make that 201 OGG fans. I have yet to buy an MP3 player, but am planning to buy one next week. Given the same sound quality, I will go for the player that supports OGG - or that can at a minimum be upgraded to support OGG. If none can be found, I won't bother to buy an MP3 player yet, and will stick to ye olde walkman.