Creative finally confirms 32GB Zen

Like we needed any more confirmation, but Creative has finally put an end to any remaining incredulity on our part by posting a press release with all the sordid details of its new 32GB Zen. We're not really used to "world firsts" from Creative in the DAP space, but the doubling in capacity over competing flash-based players certainly qualifies as one -- though Sansa seems to be hot on Creative's heels. The Zen is otherwise the same as its 4GB, 8GB and 16GB siblings, including that SD card slot for expansion should 32GB prove limiting for you. The new player will be available mid-December in Singapore for S$549.00 (about $380 US), and there's no word on release dates for Europe or the States. Get ready to import!

Update: Friendly tipster Justin R. pointed out that you can indeed pre-order the 32GB Zen from Creative's US store for a mere $329.

[Thanks, Rene]

[Alex Padilla @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:22PM]

Wow. Pardon the ignorance, but do these work with Macs? I want one.

[spyder91 @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:18PM]

Unless they changed the underlying software, no :-/

[Sid @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:50PM]

Assuming it uses the same software as the ZVM, this program will let you transfer all your music and videos using your Mac.

http://www.wentnet.com/projects/xnjb/

[zapperdude60 @ Dec 3rd 2007 7:56PM]

just use bootcamp or one of those other programs

[welshjm @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:23PM]

Does anyone know if the SD card functionality on the Zen is still crippled? ie, it won't see songs on the internal memory and external card as one entity.

[Tony @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:33PM]

No one mentioned any changes to that.

Although a good solution is to simply store only video files on the memory card, and store only songs/photos on the internal memory. Easier for me anyway.

[AlexNC @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:57PM]

Agreed Tony. That is a good idea. Man, 32gb flash - finally a good alternative to the crappy hard drives. Good job Creative for pushing the market forward! God knows Apple and Microsoft would hold off for another year if they could. Maybe this will push them to offer a 16gb Nano/Zune player, or better yet, 32gb option. I am still happy with my $99 Zune though =)

[Akshat @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:44PM]

32GB for $380? Doesn't that mean that a 64GB SSD should come for around $500-$600... and not the $1000 Dell and other guys charge?

[Joel @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:22PM]

The 64MB SSD that Dell offers is in a different performance league from the 32GB SSD in an mp3 player. There is more than just size in play.

[rTwelve @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:44PM]

I wish Zens used a different system font. Century Gothic is just so... bleh.

[St. Stephen @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:56PM]

lol of all the things to bitch an moan about.. you prolly sound like kyle's mom from south park. what if this thing gave you blowjobs nightly, would you still complain? do you actively search the internet blogosphere just searching for a reason to gripe?

[rTwelve @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:10PM]

Maybe it's the only thing I don't like about the player, and that on the whole I like it? Do you actively search blog posts looking for someone to attack?

[Markus @ Dec 3rd 2007 2:47PM]

Actually i completely agree on Creative's display font, it looks dated... so cram it St. Stephan!

[Dan @ Dec 3rd 2007 7:28PM]

Hacks have been made available to change the ZVM font. Booyahkasha!

http://zvmtools.moo.no/

[The Truthbearer @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:48PM]

The reason this is so good is because now Apple will have to soon put out a 32Gig iphone or flash ipod. I love competitiveness!

[MacVicta @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:57PM]

Indeed. Apple will be under tremendous pressure from the 350,000 of these that Creative sells.

[Argot @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:59PM]

But why would you want to buy an Apple when you can have this?

[kuthippie @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:54PM]

like I'm buying an crippled player for 400 euro's :s...

[riggs @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:56PM]

crippled how exactly? oh thats right youre talking out of your anus.

[riggs @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:56PM]

crippled how exactly? oh thats right youre talking out of your anus.

[St. Stephen @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:57PM]

like anyone here cares

[kuthippie @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:05PM]

stuff on sd card not in library...

[Aaron S @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:33PM]

firstly, $329 really isn't anything like €400..... It will probably launch in europe at around €249 here.... and the 32gb isn't crippled, it's just any gb you decide to add on top that is :-P

[Homeboy @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:04PM]

Sorry to say it but even though it's slim and has 32GB the controls are rubbish. D-pads are inefficient and uncomfortable to use for navigating long lists, that's why third device isn't ranked high on my list.

[riggs @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:09PM]

ha. double burn.

[Seb @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:10PM]

sorry is i sound like a fool but in that image the headphones have no wires dose this mean they are wireless

[besaid @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:49PM]

its EP-480,my friend...all creative players are bundled with these

[Seb @ Dec 3rd 2007 6:36PM]

Sorry but are dose ones wireless or not becaus ei googled it and they are not so please clear this up for me

[riggs @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:10PM]

so you dont hold the down button for more than 1 second i take it?

[xyx @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:25PM]

i dont get it i had a zvm and it was nice but comeon y dont u want to accept that creative players are like toys specially the quality of the built not mentioning the menues and the software which doesnt exatcly do any thing AND WHAT THE HELL THATS THE PRICE OF A IPHONE OR EVEN +40$ IPOD CLASSIC 160!!anyways creative sound like cheap made players to me i own 4 and their all really nice players but cheaap but i love my ipod can use it with mac use it in my car have toons and tons of accsesories and seemms like everyone know them very well!

[Justin @ Dec 3rd 2007 2:16PM]

Further evidence, folks, that iPods rot your brain.

[Jon @ Dec 4th 2007 5:38AM]

With news that monkeys are better than humans in term of cognitive memory, xyz further cements the awful truth that we humans are indeed further down the evolutionary ladder. Or maybe it is just Ipod users.

[applefreak @ Dec 3rd 2007 2:09PM]

for that much I would want an iPod touch/samsungP2
anyway i still want a Sansa View

although 32 gig is pretty nice considering that 2 or so years ago that was a HARD DRIVE player with a ton of storage

[-TrEaT- @ Dec 3rd 2007 2:56PM]

i agree that the samsung p2 is pimp. and the only ipod i would think about ever buying is the touch. but the touch only has 16gb of storage and its price is sky high. maybe if apple threw down a 64gb ipod touch for $400 i would buy but for now ill stay with my archos 605.

[stewart_barnes @ Dec 3rd 2007 4:00PM]

Well 32Gb is better ,but you still have to resize all your videos to 320x240 to use on this device (at least it will accept re-sized xvid videos)plus the expansion SD card can't be cataloged with the player's main memory.And there is "NO VIDEO OUT!!!!"

[Alex M @ Dec 3rd 2007 4:43PM]

No video-out was the deal breaker for me. The cataloging would add a few extra button presses. But another thing about their products is just that they don't get loud enough. I'm not saying I want to blow my ears out but I'm saying when I had the vision:w and Vision:m on the bus I couldn't watch a video. It wouldn't go that loud. I ended up buying a D2 which should come in the mail by weeks end.

[Dee @ Dec 3rd 2007 5:13PM]

//We're not really used to "world firsts" from Creative in the DAP space//

Is that sarcasm? Creative released the first HDD mp3 player. (Nomad Jukebox) out earlier than Oct 2000 (a year before the first ipod).

[ilh @ Dec 3rd 2007 8:31PM]

Not only that but there's the Zen patent as well as first to 16Gb flash, sure there's more firsts as well.

[Jon @ Dec 4th 2007 5:48AM]

They also made the first useful UI for mass storage audio players, which Apple then stole.

[mkh @ Dec 3rd 2007 5:20PM]

FYI, Creative's site no longer says "Pre-order now," it has changed to "Out of stock (Restock date unavailable)".

[PenaltyKillah @ Dec 5th 2007 12:53PM]

Hallelujah! (Btw, I don't see anyone initially complaining about the iPod's Myriad/Lucida font, but there's some complaining Apple's switch to Helvetica/Arial...)

[G Man @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:04PM]

Cool I have been waiting so long for a 32GB Flash player.
If anyone wants one, please email me at geraldino DOT 10 AT gmail DOT com, I am in Singapore and can get you a set.

[John A. @ Dec 4th 2007 8:13AM]

Aargh! Just bought the 16GB version. Ah well, got a good eBay deal on a new one (~$190) so I shan't complain. And "announced" is a long, long way from "shipping" anyway...

[MasterCKO @ Dec 6th 2007 4:26AM]

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet my next media player. 8^D

I almost got a Zune cuz of some of the interesting features. But the gimpedness of the Zune desktop software (tried it: very slick, but good god how handicapped can one piece of software be?) coupled with the 32GB of this device has me staying Creative for the near future.

[james @ Feb 13th 2008 10:45PM]

nice Mii, go with creative