Is this Creative's full-screen Zen Vision?

Sit down, we're going to take you for a bit of ride which might just end with Creative launching the next generation Zen Vision model sporting HD video and GPS navigation. Some forum jockeys on Epizenter.net have put 2-and-2 together over at the 3DLABS Semiconductor site. See, 3DLABS -- a former subsidiary of Creative -- has a DMS-02 media processor with DMScaler technology which can playback 720p, H.264-formatted video on the small screen without transcoding or upscale it for output to your 1080p television. It also features high-end 3D navigation which looks pretty damn responsive even when slicing through fully textured maps overlaid with satellite images. What has Zen Vision fans now in a tizzy -- uh hmm, nearly 4 months after the video and pictures were released -- is that 3DLABS is demoing their wares on a touchscreen device sporting a Zen Vision video cable. As speculative as all this is, devout Creative fanboys who may have recently lost their way should be stoked by the prospects of a full-screen device they can call their own.

[Via Epizenter, thanks Dan]

[shaun @ Sep 7th 2007 4:47AM]

Careful with how you name that, Creative, or HTC will come after you too!

[Dan @ Sep 7th 2007 8:04AM]

Creative actually had a player named the Touch too. It was their pioneer of the touch pad.

[Adeel @ Sep 7th 2007 7:23PM]

To make this creative vision a step closer to perfection is to get rid of that dongle.

[Paul @ Sep 7th 2007 5:04AM]

Wouldn't it be sweet if they heard all of the Touch complaints and turned around and put out a product that filled all the needs that those Apple folks felt were left out?

[MatthewJ @ Sep 7th 2007 7:35AM]

The usual suspects still wouldn't buy it as it wouldn't be seen to be as cool as something with a fruit logo on it.

[Paul @ Sep 7th 2007 11:09AM]

Maybe for fun they could put a banana on the back....or an orange.

[Kevin @ Sep 7th 2007 5:00AM]

Widescreen, Touch... Ipod Touch?
HD, GPS and, please, large hard drive (160g for a laugh) and wireless... ipod "should have been" touch.

[Lucas @ Sep 7th 2007 5:07AM]

Give it 160GB and I will forget my Archos' name.

[Dustin Frazier @ Sep 7th 2007 5:15AM]

Slut

[Lucas @ Sep 7th 2007 5:19AM]

Hey, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do...

[fusen @ Sep 7th 2007 6:06AM]

you realise there is a 160gb archos 605?

[Lucas @ Sep 7th 2007 6:10AM]

Yes, I have a 504 160. It's buggy, but it gets the job done for now.

[iansarchibald @ Sep 7th 2007 7:29AM]

I was beginning to consider getting an 80GB Archos 605, but I love my ZVM, so 'm gonna wait a while to see what this turns out to be.

[Fraggler @ Sep 7th 2007 2:30PM]

Oh please, oh please, oh please... I need a convergence device like this. GPS, large harddrive, decent battery life, throw in a little wifi action and some simple games and I will pay $500 for one. I love Creative products, but like some previous posters, I was starting to lean towards an Archos 605. The new ipods are weaksauce. Every year I keep thinking that Apple might win me over, but every year they fall short. If they combined the storage of the classic with the design of the touch (with bluetooth and a 4.3" screen like its competitors) and I would be happy to pay iphone prices for one. I don't need every device to be thinner than a credit card. I will happily take some bulk to get storage and good battery life.

[Galley @ Sep 7th 2007 9:03AM]

Who's the hottie?

[Musketeer @ Sep 7th 2007 9:25AM]

Hehe - that's what I was thinking too!

[alex @ Sep 7th 2007 10:48AM]

It almost looks like Nicole Kidman only with brown hair

[Ruben @ Sep 7th 2007 9:07AM]

If thats real, screw anything Apple makes or even the Zune. This is everything a media player needs. It should have the same support as the current Zen, meaning Divx, will have its already excellent audio support, and now the possibility for hi-definition output to TV. This will destroy all.

But one thing. NO FLASH!!! (unless its 32gigs, which it wont be)

[DaIntellectual @ Sep 7th 2007 10:45AM]

Interesting...suddenly subject to neurological issues...memory loss...Ipod Touch wat?...

[Scott @ Sep 7th 2007 11:50AM]

Has Creative ever fixed their horrible, awful, terrible software that comes with their media players? I had a Zen Extra at one time, and the software made the entire thing useless. I'm talking about on the player itself and the host computer.

[Bobs @ Sep 7th 2007 11:49PM]

What are you talking about? my zen runs fine. only thing i would change would have the longer albumb titles scroll automatically. other than that, it runs perfectly, i even installed an 80 gig laptop harddrive that was laying around.

[Bobs @ Sep 7th 2007 11:50PM]

Hmm, GPS, I could use something like that, but I dont think ill give up my archos unless they get a camera attachment, WiFi, or a huge harddrive. the non-removeable battery in the 605 kinda puts me off for a bit, i like being able to use my device forever, thanks chinese battery makers!

[barry.padgett @ Sep 7th 2007 11:49AM]

Hmm. I may have a ZVM for sale soon.

[block1of4 @ Sep 7th 2007 12:25PM]

the epizenter link doesn't work. does anyone at least know which forum/thread it is?

[pcgecko85 @ Sep 7th 2007 12:19PM]

you dont need to use their software... I have a Zen Micro and avoid their media player

[Diego AC @ Sep 7th 2007 1:01PM]

Actually the video cable of my Zen vision w is pretty generic, it isn't some crappy cable that only works with one device.

But it would be pretty cool to have a 3d gui, gps, pdf reader and OTA TV (NTSC or ATSC, don't just 1Seg or freeview)

[Rob Fleming @ Sep 7th 2007 1:30PM]

sadly, i have to again remind people to not buy a creative media player.

the firmware is NOT updated enough, and my old player, the zen vision w, had many problems that were never corrected and the company refuses to put out any new firmware to fix the problems. a competitor, like apple, if they had the same complaint, would fix the problem with the firmware, and be embarrassed to have a poorly functioning product.

stay away everyone.

[Justin @ Sep 7th 2007 2:33PM]

I have owned a Creative Zen Vision:M, Vision:W, and the little V plus. I haven't had a single problem with any of them. Actually, not true, I lost my Zen Vision:M. In general, Creative makes a better quality product than Apple. Apple has the iTunes universe going for it along with some sexy form factors. If you want the better hardware, stick with Creative, Iriver, or Archos.

[Darkest Daze @ Sep 7th 2007 6:19PM]

My g/f's Zen Vision:M has never had an issue and has lasted longer than all of her friends iPods. (Along with supporting much better video codecs)

[Passy @ Sep 7th 2007 1:50PM]

Could the iPod Touch or the iPhone running an adapted version of VLC with AV cables out do the same?

[Wwhat @ Sep 7th 2007 4:35PM]

Looking at the hair and eyelashes andsoforth in that picture I'd say the resolution was about 160x128 pixels, I'm not too excited.

[tcardone05 @ Sep 7th 2007 6:02PM]

http://epizenter.net/comment.php?comment.news.329
That should be the proper link- or just epizenter.net on the homepage

[PenaltyKillah @ Sep 29th 2007 12:00AM]

"...720p, H.264-formatted..."

Finally.

Hopefully this would be a good succesor of the Vision W and reclaim its claim as the bestselling big PMP on the Amazon charts.