Creative Zen Zii screenshots unearthed, possibly faked

As you know, we've been hearing some mind-blowing Zii hype lately. If this latest rumor has any weight to it, among earth-shattering revelations unearthed in Creative's booth at CES will be a Zii-powered Zen. Of course, screenshots like these can be faked all too easily -- but really, why would anyone bother? What we have here is something that resembles previous Zen interfaces, formatted landscape rather than portrait, with what appears to be a widescreen display. Really, guys? Is this what passes for "revolutionary" these days? Call us jaded, but it's rather hard for us to believe that any PMP would have the power to "better lives beyond our imagination." Unless, of course, you're talking about the MySpace MP3 player. We so want one of those.

[Thanks, Oscar M.]

[broli @ Jan 5th 2009 7:54PM]

Can't you guys steal some info being official blog partner and what not.

[Waveblade @ Jan 5th 2009 7:54PM]

A new Zen huh. If it's an HDD one...well it better be

[Tom @ Jan 5th 2009 8:01PM]

That almost exactly the current Creative Zen interface with a custom background (which is user selectable). The zen is orientated landscape, so the only new thing is widescreen.... I hope all the crazy invention stuff is in the 'Others' section. Im guessing some Zune like sharing capabilities...

[Frobs @ Jan 5th 2009 8:05PM]

Because that zune was so life-changing.

[telepheedian @ Jan 5th 2009 8:16PM]

Give the Zune a few years, and it'll have the iPod beaten. It's already beaten it quality wise, now it's just going for adoption rates, and I've noticed more and more people switching over. Heck, the people at my local best buy are recommending them, and with the tech literacy of the people in my state, that should be more than enough to get some sales going.

[Darrel @ Jan 5th 2009 9:25PM]

Sorry, that is NOT the only thing "new".

I own a Zen Vision:W ... W=Widescreen. While I have loved it dearly, and my listen/carry-30gb-of-anything-you-want Rhapsody DRM subscription for years..... It is kinda huge with it's 4.3" widescreen.

The wife has a new iPhone for her birthday and swears (with her old iPod before too) that iTunes rocks. Don't know about that, but the iPhone is pretty nice and SUPER easy to use, and even though I haven't had any Rhapsody syncing nightmares lately, it would be nice to never have to worry about that again.

[Sizer @ Jan 5th 2009 8:03PM]

The player they make with the Zii chip is going to be the least interesting bit of it (at least if any of the hype holds up), unless it has some truly spectacular features.

[tekdroid @ Jan 5th 2009 8:09PM]

Well said; I couldn't agree more. As much as I'd love my mind to be blown...

[tekdroid @ Jan 5th 2009 8:04PM]

Gut instinct says unquestionably fake.
Guts rarely ever wrong here.

The consistent, superfluous Zii logos triggered the gut reaction. Poseur detected.

[Wwhat @ Jan 6th 2009 4:09AM]

agreed

[tidx @ Jan 5th 2009 8:08PM]

I'm going to get a Zii tattoo!

[Tomas @ Jan 5th 2009 8:15PM]

How about a Zen with a battery with nanotechnology and 48 hour life, plus a pico projector?? OK...maybe thatsa little to much to ask...

[MyHeadisFed @ Jan 5th 2009 8:21PM]

wiggity wack.

[mike @ Jan 5th 2009 8:34PM]

I doubt his minions will pester him with the likes of *spits* Creative, but if he ever needs a good laugh, SJ will look over this kind of filth and feel flattered that Creative liked his idea to rip it off and make it look butt ugly, so you know the difference between this and, say, Front Row, or the AppleTV for that matter.

[ed. @ Jan 5th 2009 8:48PM]

Didn't Apple lose a lawsuit to Creative for ripping UI elements in the ipod

[Hey Ya @ Jan 5th 2009 10:12PM]

I think it was more of a wholesale ripoff.

[CLE802 @ Jan 6th 2009 11:04AM]

wasn't the additional features in the 5.5 upgrade from the 5.0 iPod ENTIRELY due to the Creative Zen Vision:M? Wasn't a single feature added (video playback adjustments, adjustable screen brightness, alpha search function, etc.) that wasn't already included on the Zen....

[mocax @ Jan 5th 2009 8:39PM]

Probably a sound chip that can synthesize human voice perfectly
ie. doesn't sound robotic.

[1234321 @ Jan 5th 2009 8:57PM]

it's probably a Zen channel for the Wii

[theefman @ Jan 5th 2009 9:40PM]

Why dont you so called writers at engadget actually wait for the full, official announcement and see the product in action before you make snide remarks? Whenever another overpriced and underpeforming dock for the ipod is released you are there proclaiming its the best thing since sliced bread and splashing it all over your front page but anything done by an apple competitor is automacally dismissed. You are so biased against non-apple products, its sickening.

[Jon @ Jan 5th 2009 10:03PM]

exactly.

[Hey Ya @ Jan 5th 2009 10:15PM]

I don't think this article is too biased. I use a Zen. These pics look exactly like the current UI. I don't think it's out of line to expect more updates to a tired UI.

[Trey @ Jan 5th 2009 11:58PM]

Amen, as someone who sold his ipod for a Zen i can honestly tell you it's the best decision i ever made.
What can i say, i bought into the marketting hype when i bought my ipod. Thats all it is sadly.

Engadget is biased. Terribly biased. I just wish they made it less obvious and give credit where credit is due.

[giuliop @ Jan 6th 2009 5:33AM]

It's not only about being biased: it's about twisting facts (or the lack of them) so that they appear ludicrous.

Just look at this "fine" piece of journalism: first the author talks about a Zii-powered Zen, then - even if we know he has no clue, because nothing has been announced yet - he immediately jumps to the conclusion that this alleged Zii-powered player is all what Zii is about, and then expresses his disappointment on a fact he's just made up, all based on random "screenshots" he himself deems probably fake.

The situation is then aggravated by people who take everything that is written here for granted and make remarks on a story someone has just invented.

[Rex @ Jan 5th 2009 10:12PM]

Joseph Flately sounds like a douche. Other than that, I can't wait to see what Creative has in store with their Zii Revolutionary thing.

[giuliop @ Jan 6th 2009 6:07AM]

Sadly, a very few people at Engadget aren't...

[FILA @ Jan 5th 2009 10:51PM]

all man you know i love Creative (Sorry Guys), but until recently, lol, the only way they can pull me back now is with a HDD base player, which i seriously doubt since they said they were gonna stop with hard drives. although they could of saw what a terrible mistake they took after the Vision M and maybe continue with that line, but thats a joke right there.

Damn that Archos 5 looks really nice. i need money nigga

[bot @ Jan 5th 2009 10:59PM]

Dear Creative,
Instead of coming up with marketing hype for something new that no one will care about, how about you just try to make your existing platform better? You have a nice form factor and pricing on the Zen and X-fi, but I don't want to worry about a clunky UI and freezes/resets. Make it rock solid, make SD integration better, and I'll buy it. In the meantime I'll stick with my Cowon D2 which has many of the hallmarks of a great portable music player: sound quality, battery life, customization, wide support, and expandability.

[jesse @ Jan 5th 2009 11:37PM]

you guys are forgetting the point here, talking about a new zen, and some new features.

this "unveiling" is being touted as "STEMCELL COMPUTING", "everything we know is about to change", "revolutionary"

...it better not be a new zen player, because that would just be a fuckin insult.

[KC @ Jan 6th 2009 2:14AM]

Maybe that's what it is... a Zen with a little application that does some sort of folding@home. Would be terrible... can you imagine the battery life on it?

[Stephen Lang @ Jan 6th 2009 2:26AM]

Are you kidding? The bio-nano computing technology in the next Zen player will be smart enough to avoid the Z2K bug.

[Wwhat @ Jan 6th 2009 12:48PM]

Haha, n1 stephen.

[Alex @ Jan 5th 2009 11:47PM]

New player or just new OS?

[Demo @ Jan 6th 2009 12:35AM]

I love how everyone is getting into an uproar over these screens which have absolutely no confirmation as to whether or not they are real or fake. Relax and wait for an actual announcement before you make any judgements. I could have made those screens, and I'm AWFUL at photoshop.

[pika2000 @ Jan 6th 2009 1:49AM]

Stemcell computing my a$$ if it's just a refreshed Zen with different menu backgroud.

[FILA @ Jan 6th 2009 3:13AM]

This is probably just a mockup or a fake, because look at the picture, no where on that menu it says "Photos" when usually it should be next to the video or music. uh huh

[superhobo @ Jan 6th 2009 4:57AM]

The Zii stemcell chip will be able to read your THOUGHTS.
Just think of a song and it'll play it. Think pause and it'll pause. And so on.

Thats the only way it can be revolutionary.

[H30 @ Jan 6th 2009 9:55AM]

I say it's fake. And pretty obvious. Pretty much exactly like the Zen interface but with Zii photoshopped on it

[woodchuk @ Jan 6th 2009 5:58PM]

Creative, you want ME to pull that soundcard you shoved up my butt and
then dirty-sanchez'd me with the drivers, and still buy another of your products?
Nope, not gonna happen.... EVER, again.

[pen15 @ Jan 7th 2009 1:24AM]

engadget is a joke.
look at the bottom comment on this link. LOL
http://creativezii.com/

[Deman @ Jan 7th 2009 2:27AM]

the menus look like a front row 2.0 (the one that comes with leopard) skin, compare it your selves.
The apple ones just look better!