Creative cuts the chub from Vision M and Vision W players

In the consumer electronics' quest to push thin 'till it snaps, Creative just announced new slimmer versions of their 60GB Zen Vision W and M players. We'll have to wait for the ritualistic splaying to see if these are sporting the newest 60GB slimsters from Samsung, Seagate, or perhaps Toshiba. Regardless, Creative managed to peel back enough pudge to bring the 60GB fatties in line with the 30GB models. In other words, the 4.3-inch Vision W drops from 26.4-mm to 22-mm while the Vision M with 2.5-inch display drops from 22.1-mm to 19-mm. Slim is nice and all, but where are the 80GB and 100GB models Creative?

[Via Impress]

[Mark @ Mar 12th 2007 8:05AM]

blah blah blah RELEASE DATE! This info is bittersweet. I was planning on buying a 60gb V:M today, but now I don't know how long I need to wait for the diet version.

[Michael @ Mar 12th 2007 8:11AM]

This is kind of disappointing. I was hoping for a case redesign of the Vision M with a 3 inch screen.

[DM @ Mar 12th 2007 8:30AM]

I'm glad I did not purchase the 60gb version when she was fat. Great job creative.

[PEZ @ Mar 12th 2007 8:36AM]

Its not that much thinner to justify caring at all. There are so many GOOD contenders, this dosnt make it more desireable.

[CLE @ Mar 12th 2007 8:48AM]

I'm glad to see the 60GB ZVM is as thin as the 30GB model, but the 30GB could be thinner as well. The ZVM has always been a leader in it's class in terms of features, and it's still right up there, but it's been out for over a year now, and the iPod has creeped up on it with gapless and games. Would be nice if the ZVM could also get 2 or 3 new features added as well.....

[Mike @ Mar 12th 2007 9:25AM]

Awesome..... finally a 60GB player with all the features and still small enough to be desirable.

thank you Creative.

[Leonard Nimrod @ Mar 12th 2007 9:31AM]

I have no problem with Creative putting the newer 60GB drives in the 30GB case, but they really should have upped the drive capacity for the larger size casing to 100, 120 or even 160GB.

Are they waiting until Apple ups the ante before following suit?

[R2P2 @ Mar 12th 2007 9:42AM]

The 80GB iPod is 14mm. The 60GB Vision M may be as "thin" as the 30GB Vision M now, but it's not like the 30 is actually thin.

[Leonard Nimrod @ Mar 12th 2007 10:08AM]

You're right, the 80GB iPod is quite abit thinner than the 30GB Zen M and W series. I wouldn't have guessed.

[Ed @ Mar 12th 2007 10:16AM]

This is why I'm afraid of getting a Zune, it's so nice but even with the 3' inch screen it's some what too big. Have when is Microsoft planing the new Zune?

[BooBoo @ Mar 12th 2007 11:06AM]

The Zen Vision:M cannot be as thin as the iPod is in terms either the 30GB/60GB single-platter HDD's, or the 80GB or larger double-platter drives, without Creative Labs doing an extensive over-haul of the ZVM's design. When Creative was designing the ZVM, they followed the old architecture that they, Apple and others adhered to, which was based on the available lithium-ion slab battery designs at the time: a slab that's basically the length, width and thickness as the HDD, and rests stacked against the HDD, and behind the HDD and screen.

Apple changed their design with the 5th generation iPod with video. Their battery is more "gum-stick" shaped than slab-shaped, and sits at the bottom of the iPod, UNDERNEITH the HDD and screen. The Zune is also designed this way. This design better enables the thinness of the iPod (0.43") and Zune's (0.55") form factor.

Unfortunately, Creative was well underway with the design of the ZVM when the 5G iPod came out, and could not change direction. It also would have been impractical on a manufacturing scale to change course in mid-stream during the past year, and redesign the ZVM after just releasing it. This is why the ZVM has been so thick in comparison. Switching from a double-platter 60GB HDD to a single-platter 60GB HDD does not require any major design changes, and really should've been expected.

Hopefully this switch to the single-platter HDD will not represent the next-generation ZVM, but is only a temporary adjustment, and we will still see the Zen with built-in X-fi technology and the Sigmatel 3600 SoC processor that's been proposed.....

[Calibur @ Mar 12th 2007 11:19AM]

Hi,

I just contacted customer support to see if a swap would be possible. I got him to talk to his product supervisor and even had him go to the press release and translate it. He told me it is strictly a Japanese release, not even where headquarters is. So if it is coming here it will probably be a while. I hate to be a bearer of bad news but I was let down as well. Take care

[Mike @ Mar 12th 2007 11:53AM]

Anyone know if they will add USB host to it? The lack of USB host in the Zen W made me buy an Archos, but I like Creative's design better.

[Kev50027 @ Mar 12th 2007 12:31PM]

While this is good news, I find after I purchased the Samsung YP-T9, I have no need for my 30GB Zen Vision:M. It's just so big and scratch prone that I'd rather stick with my far smaller YP-T9. The Samsung also has far longer battery life, and 4 GB is plenty of room for the audiocasts and playlists I listen to most often.

[Rob Fleming @ Mar 12th 2007 12:55PM]

DO NOT BUY ONE, I REPEAT, DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! They rarely update their firmware, many people have problems that go unresolved by Creative. There is nearly ZERO OEM and aftermarket support. The best proof of this is Creative Labs Forums themselves. There isnt even a dock available (one was supposed to be originally for the W).

I own a 60gig Ven Vision W. The video is great, then it all falls downhill from there. Gaps in audio track playback, the control pad is hard for normal fingers to navigate, nearly "zero" in car support, cannot list by Album Artist (only track artists, so I have 450 Artists where there should only be about 180, and yes, my Mp3's are well organized), no AC3 support (so there goes about 50% of my Divx titles). Its less than an Ipod. Read the Creative Forums for yourselves.

[DM @ Mar 12th 2007 2:15PM]

You should've at least pasted the link to that specific forum if you want us to believe you. I'm not sure if you actually own one or just basing your facts on forums, all i can say is, you might also check the iPod forums as well, I'm pretty sure you'll see more negativity there than the ZVM forums. You can check all the unbiased review sites comparing ZVM to iPod. ZVM just hands down beat iPod.I own a ZVM and never had any problem with it since.

[spock3 @ Mar 12th 2007 12:59PM]

Does anyone know if one can fit one of these newer, slimmer 60 gig drives in the 30 gig housing? Maybe I can do it myself instead of waiting for Creative.

[kuonji @ Mar 12th 2007 1:04PM]

Does the W still have that highly annoying LCD screen that looks terrible at almost any angle?

[Rob Fleming @ Mar 12th 2007 1:45PM]

The W's current screen is actually amazing.

[v_dogg @ Mar 12th 2007 9:15PM]

ya, the W's screen is almost perfect and the viewing angles are amazing. but my question is... why dont they slim down the 30 gig >????

[ten cent @ Mar 12th 2007 7:36PM]

What the hell is splaying in this context? I can understand gutting, disassembling, dismembering but splaying??? Or is it spaying? Is the product good enough to be neutered?

[defwack @ Mar 12th 2007 10:02PM]

Does this mean my current 30gig protective sleeve will fit onto a 60gig model?

[steeeve @ Mar 15th 2007 1:57PM]

Oh wow, that reminded me of this one time when I almost cared.

[aholic @ Mar 19th 2007 6:16PM]

I love my 30 gig Zen Vision, had it over a year now. I never found a Divx or Xvid it couldn't convert which truly amazes me. I have to convert AC3's every time but that only takes 45 minutes at best quality for a full length movie.I never watched a movie on it though, I use it as a Divx, Xvid, Avi player and watch it on the tv though the av cables. I use mine so often I bought the Portable Media Center for wife, I hooked it up to an irock fm transmitter and she listens to it through her car stereo system, and she loves it. Drag and drop is awesome...I never had real problems with it..and I would recommend a Zen to anyone anywhere anytime.

[cmlevy @ Mar 20th 2007 2:15PM]

I gave into the Establishment and bought the 60GB Ipod with a $100 coupon from Audible.com. No problems. Elegant looking and functioning. The 16oz glass of water killed that. Even the battery replacement kit didn't work; it must have screwed up a voltage regulator or some board. Well, here comes a coupon of $200 from NetBank. Zune just came out - the Ipod killer and I was in a murderous mood. Why didn't they disclose that Microsoft couldn't afford a license from Audible.com. No more of their books for me. Even the conversion software was marginal - it replays the music and "re-records " it. On top of that not bookmarks on the Zune. For my purposes the Zune is garbarge (even if there is an undocumented bookmark function). Audible does big business. They don't affirmatively disclose the incompatibility on their site and neither does Zune. (The Zune just came out; maybe it was an oversight. Sure).

Now I want to move on to something that reads Audible files, bookmarks, is elegant in looks and operation and syncs with a computer without a fight. I've seen what appears to be 6 different 30GB models and 60GB models. Some say they are compat. with Audible.com. Some avoid the issue. Most don't mention bookmarking in their ads. So what is it - mainly for Audible.com files and a bookmarking feature. Slim, fat, tall or short. New, old. I want music also. Easy, whether it be a rental service or jpegs that randomly fly out of my computer. Playlists. Cases for W as well as D models? The screen scratches. No it doesn't. Can someone give me an up to date opinion and a site with a good price and only the newest versions.

Thanks.

C

[Sonne @ Apr 18th 2007 4:11AM]

I am waiting fot 80GB or 100GB ZVW and/or with 16M Color. Price 450-500 USD would be nice.....

[Nick @ Jul 6th 2007 10:17PM]

I just shot Creative an email asking about a release date for North America, and here is the response:

"Unfortunately, we do not have a release date for the slimmer version Zen Vision M 60gb. We are expecting to receive this model, but do not expect it for another 2 - 3 months."

I don't know if I want to wait that long. I may just ebay it.

[Amanda @ Aug 30th 2007 1:59PM]

I spoke with creative yesterday. I have been trying to purchase a Zen Vision: M 60GB and cannot find one anywhere!!! They are totally sold out on literally every site. So I asked when Creative would be getting more in and they said that they were discontinued and that they are not getting more of the 30GB in either. Apparently they are changing their Mp3 players and they are no longer making them with large(r) hard drives. Considering the demand for larger hard drives I do not understand this move at all. So if you like creative and want either a 30GB or 60GB and can find one buy it!!! Because soon they will not be making either anymore.

[Alexandra @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:29PM]

I don't really care how thin or thick it is... I just care about the music on the divice! ^^