Creative Zen shows up again, this time officially

There it is again, the Creative Zen. Yeah, not Zen something, just Zen. Yep, it's the same device with a 2.5-inch flash player with up to 16GB memory and an SD slot (as well as sick codec support, including MP3, WMA, PlaysForSure, AAC, Audible, WMV, DivX, Xvid, etc.), 5 hours of movie playback, FM radio, and PIM features. You saw it all earlier today, but now it's official, so move on with yourself.

[Thanks, Steve]

[Waveblade @ Aug 29th 2007 3:37AM]

It's been up for a while now *shrugs*

[ReCkLeSs_X @ Aug 29th 2007 3:59AM]

Have they announced a price?

[Vizion @ Aug 29th 2007 4:06AM]

149, 199 and 299 for 4,8 and 16GB respectively.

Also engadget, the name is ZEN rather than "Zen".

[shamrock593 @ Aug 29th 2007 4:06AM]

*Nudges Steve Jobs*

Apple get a move on! =)

[Jagannath A @ Aug 29th 2007 4:09AM]

sweeeeeeet!!!

[Jagannath A @ Aug 29th 2007 4:30AM]

'sick codec support' ??? LOL

'slick' it is :D

[Thanol @ Aug 29th 2007 9:00AM]

No it's sick. Use urban dictionary next time bud, especially since you aren't familiar with basic American slang. Saying slick makes you sound like a grandpa.

[Jagannath A @ Aug 29th 2007 9:32AM]

hmmm thanks for that pal :D

[Jagannath A @ Aug 29th 2007 9:34AM]

hmmm... thanks for that pal :D

[Roberto Carballo @ Sep 18th 2007 3:46AM]

¡Tantos artefactos, tantos ....! ¡Qué locura! ¡Qué despilfarro! ¿Cuantos de todos estos tienen más de un mes de vida? y ¿cuantas ilusiones vanas? ¿cuantas frustraciones? ¿Para qué buscar el cambio? ¿por cambiar?. El cambio, la dinámica es .... es, sin nosotros. El rio sigue su curso. Pero, ¿nosotros seguimos el rio o queremos montar otro rio más caudaloso y en paralelo, que si puede se engulla al rio original? ¡Qué despilfarro!. Os invito a www.robertocarballo.com . Vemos la innovación inserta en los procesos naturales y en los humanos. No nos interesa tanto llamar la atención, y hacer un buen flash, que contribuir paso a paso y error a error a que la humanidad siga caminando, y no que siga corriendo. Casi todos podemos caminar; pocos pueden correr, y menos a 30 kms por hora. Os felicito por el éxito, y os espero, Dr. Roberto Carballo. Universidad Complutense de Madrid

[ryan @ Aug 29th 2007 11:09AM]

i wonder if it will do FM radio recording... but in any case this looks like it could be an Ipod Video contender.

[j.d.ripper @ Aug 29th 2007 5:25AM]

yeah, that's right "sick"
keep up with teenage street speak ....

[helfrez @ Aug 29th 2007 12:00PM]

So sick of the madness...I'm the cam one, but I am pretty sick of people pimping ipod nonstop. This device has the ipod beat hands down, but still you get ominous warning of wait on apple the ipod will be even better. I have one question, what Apple portable device to date has come out with removable storage and support for anything other than apple pimped codec support? Sound alot like the same people who say wait for Ipohone 2.0 or AppleTV 2.0...devices not likely to change in core functionality. I think it will be a cold day in hell when Apple released a Ipod with DIVX and WMV native support...not IMPOSSIBEL, but very IMPROBABLE...I'll be getting a Zen, if nuthin more than to piss on people I see with ipods by watching divz movies of a SD card lol...

[John A. @ Aug 29th 2007 7:30AM]

According to the UK press release, it most definitely has SDHC support, as well as (unprotected) iTunes AAC files.

http://uk.europe.creative.com/corporate/pressroom/releases/detail.asp?ref=12790

And lots more photos, including launch accessories:

http://uk.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=16999&nav=21

[TrueDis @ Aug 29th 2007 1:51PM]

When are they going to start putting Bluetooth in these things!?

[PenaltyKillah @ Aug 30th 2007 2:25AM]

SDHC (according to some British rag) and AAC (un-protected, of course, unless Creative wants to have some legal action/fun with Apple)? I think this ZEN *nothing else* might get a 8.7 or more at CNet. Methinks it should be released around CES 2008, and get Creative its 3rd MP3 Players Best of CES Award (and who knows, like its bigger, fatter, yet same screen size, brother, the ZEN Vision:M, a Best of CES Overall?)

[jhakmail2 @ Sep 2nd 2007 2:51PM]

Actually it will be released this month (September).

[PenaltyKillah @ Sep 4th 2007 3:03PM]

Well, it was my opinion that the ZEN should be released just before CES, not now...

[Chad Magendanz @ Sep 10th 2007 1:59PM]

While the Meizu M6 Miniplayer has a bit more polished industrial design and a touch strip that I prefer over the traditional 5-button nav pad, the SDHC memory expansion really makes the ZEN a compelling alternative. I would hope that Creative's product support would also weigh heavily in its favor, but with their new mandatory $25 "diagnostic and labor fee" for any RMA they're probably not any better than purchasing from a Chinese reseller.