It's hard to know where to begin with this, but Creative has confirmed that
Zii EGG handheld we saw pass through the FCC a few weeks ago, and proceeded to slap every odd marketing term the company has come up with over the past few years on it. The Zii EGG runs the new "Plaszma" platform, which has something to do with "
StemCell Computing" and allows developers to simultaneously develop for Plaszma and Android. Since for now the Zii EGG is aimed at developers and OEMs, it runs fairly vanilla Android on top of Creative's
ZMS-05 chip. The hardware itself is rather impressive, with front and rear facing cameras, HD playback, 1080p video output, OpenGL ES support, X-Fi audio processing, 32GB of built-in memory and a
full SD slot. Other more "run of the mill" features include WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and a 3-axis accelerometer. The 320 x 480 screen sounds strictly ordinary, but on top is some 10-point multitouch capacitive input -- Synaptics' new
ClearPad 3000 if we had to guess.
The big drawback here is the lack of cellular data, but hopefully somebody can solve that before long. The Zii EGG is a developer platform, after all, but Creative says the platform is "market-ready" for picking up by OEMs for production -- hopefully they aren't far removed from shoehorning a 3G chipset in there somewhere as well. The Zii Plaszma Starter Kit bundled with the Zii EGG can be had for $400. A video demo is after the break.
[Via
DAP Review]
posted Jul 28th 2009 10:03AM
Hopefully the X-Fi in this one isn't "fake" like the Zen X-Fi.
Those specs are mad cute. I like.
which came first? The chicken or Zii EGG?
I need my dumb joke to be at the top to annoy everyone.
Must reply off-topic to first comment.
As far as I know Android does not support the multi-touch yet. How did they put it in there?
@OBC... it has been added in both others, or simply said they probably worked with google a bit during the development and have an unreleased version.
by = both**
Android is open-source, adding multitouch support to it is trivial. Homebrew hackers originally added multitouch support to the G1's web browser a couple of months after it launched. The Hero also has multitouch support in a lot of its built-in apps.
The real reason why Android doesn't "support" multitouch is because there's no library for it in the SDK. Nobody can write an app that uses it even though all the hardware released so far has been designed to be multitouch compatible.
looks like an iPhone to me. but hey everyone rips off Apple so what's new? Losers.... i'll be waiting on the iTablet
@ OneLove
Depends on which one is better on bed. ;)
The article forgot to mention that one of the cameras is HD and that there's an ambient light sensor and an X-Fi audio chip.
@derrik enjoy only being able to run the software that Apple, Inc. decides you are allowed to on your $1500 netbook spec tablet.
And Apple don't rip people off derrik? I take it you haven't heard of the so called "Zen" patent? Apple paid $100 million to Creative to settle a case over the iPod hierachical interface.
And don't forget how Apple stole its name and logo from trees.
@ derrik
Funny, I don't recall anyone asking for a fanboi to speak. Also, does the iPhone support 1080p out to your HDTV? And Last I checked, the iPhone doesn't have an expansion port for memory cards.
Not everything is an Apple clone. The specifications listed are standard / or the soon to be expected standard for personal media players.
He-he
Why everyone forget so quickly about battery?
Can this provide even a hour of pleasure on one charge?
Or can i have a 20 minutes of 1080p output without connecting power brick?
BATTERY! BATTERY! POWER? POWER?
@derrik: OMG it has a touchscreen! And wait, it can run applications. No doubt about it, it must be an iPhone knockoff! Idiot.
If what they say is true, this is one of the biggest jumps in mobile technology. Ever. 1080p? The Atom has trouble doing any kind of HD.
A processor designed to deal with HD video in a specific format is completely different from a general purpose cpu like the Atom. It's not a quantum leap because they're not really comparable.
Where does this processor say that it was specifically designed to run HD video? It's not.
@Cory
Uh, yeah it does.
Nice try though, troll.
Watch the vid, he clearly call it a "dedicated media and 3D processor". Kind of like a GPU for a phone, I guess?
Dude, news flash, its called Tegra and is capable of 1080P.
@Adam, it's not running a Tegra- the Zii is a competing platform.
Isn't that a leaked iPhone 3GS, with the higher positioned speaker?
But.... Is that a phone?
I was wondering that too. I know I like it and it seems cool - but 'what is it?' - Phone, MP3 / MP4, MID, Portable HD?
It's a HANDHELD, duh!
Oh, wait... good question.
I want...
Then buy it. All you have to do is sign up as a developer and give them 400 bones.
i seriously just bought it.
went over to this article not even 10 minutes ago, fell in love, and bought it.
today's a good day :)
i want too .... and if what they say is true ...that it ll be available for 200 later on i ll be the first to get it
I signed up for a developer account. I just can't bring myself to dropping 400 bucks on this thing.
$400 is dirt cheap for the SDK plus this amazing little thing.
It is if you're the type of person who has the skill to do something with the SDK.
I'm not. So, to me, it makes more sense to wait for a retail version of the device.
But considering a 32GB iPod Touch also runs for $400..
Believe me. I see the value in the hardware. The thing is loaded.
However, for me, it would just be another in a pile of expensive media players that I don't use. I've already met my stupid PMP purchase quota for the month. I can't afford to take a chance on another yet.
That being said, if I was in the market for a 32GB Touch, I'd seriously consider the Egg. I'm just not in the market right now.
If it had at least two programmable buttons I would've bought one.
I've always been a Creative fanboy, but as soon as Apple released the iPod Touch, I jumped ship.
But fiiiiiinally it looks like its safe to go back to Creative again
Yes indeed. I was sad to see the high-capacity creative PMPs go away. The iPod interface is just horrible in comparison.
..which is ironic since Apple stole that interface from Creative.
Omnia HD without phone function and smaller screen resolution, half the price.
So whats so good about it? I don't want a phone-sized PMP without a phone to carry together with phone.
While I've not tested either, so this is purely speculation on my part, my guess is that you would notice a bit of a difference in the audio output on a samsung phone, and a creative PMP specifically made for audio and dedicated hardware for that.
Well, at least I hope so ;) The price is lower too though, yes?
Isn't the Omnia on a contract though? this isn't a phone, and it isn't on a contract.
Hmm, OK.Since when has the Omnia HD had 32GB internal storage, 1080p output, and run Android OS? By having the Omnia HD run S60v5, Samsung have rendered it a piece of crap, irrespective of its hardware.
/ex-5800XM owner
If this thing is a phone, it looks like a combination of a lot of other devices...but better. its more powerful than most netbooks
Unlike this, Samsung Omnia HD is a phone. Features sound similar.
Can't dislike the price drop though - Omnia HD = $700+
how is this compared to the iphone in power? all the demo here looks like can be done with the 3gs iphone, except the HD output, or can u do this with iphone?
Nvidia chip looks much better.
Nvidia chip looked better since the announce of Zii but who cares? Not Creative.
iPhone is powered by ARM CPU, and has 128 MB of RAM. Zii is powered by multicore ARM processor called ZMS-05 along with 512 MB of RAM. iPhone is great but sheer processing power of the Zii handheld computer is much, much higher.
Why do you care about the aesthetics of a processing chip?
The Zii is WAY more powerful than the Tegra that's going into the Zune HD. I'm not sure about the power consumption though.
WANT android device(s) without monthly fees.
+1
Adding a phone to it would actually ruin it for me. Do not want phone.
Make another version with phone for the rest of the people, but leave one without phone for me.
Other than that it's looking pretty sexy. I have a 320x480 screen on my oldschool Palm LifeDrive, and I don't find it to be a limitation at all.
Videos at decent bitrates and full resolution look as stunning as my Sony HDTV
There already are. SmartDevices Q5 and Q7.
As a dev. platform this thing could be huge. All a developer has to do is slap a cellular radio and 3G in there, plus an oled screen and a custom android interface and they will sell a butt load of phones.
Who's buying one? I know nothing about programming, but I'm impressed enough by the hardware to buy one!
I really want one as well and $400 isn't bad for everything they have thrown into this.
i just bought it.........
I might... to have a device I can tether to an Android phone (think Android apps [host] + [client]) to have a device that pairs with a 3G capable phone. For what purpose though... I'm still trying to decide. ;) Right now it's a solution looking for a problem.
Screen resolution = fail. Especially if it is capable of 1080p video playback. Least they could have done is put on a higher resolution screen that is getting common on devices these days.
HDMI out?
same resolution as the iPhone and iPod touch's screen
"Screen resolution = fail. Especially if it is capable of 1080p video playback"
So you're saying you want a 1080p screen on a phone/pmp LOL
HD playback is only for output to a TV/Monitor.
That's not a fail if it has video out capability (does it?). A 1080p capable screen would make this device substantially more expensive, wouldn't it? 320x480 is pretty low, but I don't think they could go too much higher without price and batt life consequences.
No, I was hoping it would have 800 by 480 like the Touch HD, SE X1, X2, X3, Touch Pro2 ,Touch Diamond 2, OmniaHD and whatever else is out there.
1080p on a phone would obviously be useless but it can be much better than measely 320 by 480.
The Omnia HD has 640 by 360, also known as QHD.
But this thing and my Omnia HD would be a massive win, after my Zen X-Fi gets a little boring. :)
uh oh and I was getting ready to throw my zen at a wall
I wonder how this would run the HTC Hero Sense UI
more expensive and less useful than a netbook
apples and oranges. this is a totally new product category...it's neither a phone nor a simple PMP..its specs leaves its competitors (Ipod touch, sony x-series) in the dust.
Looks good I might consider this instead of zune hd
both look good
def same for me
decisions decisions
It beats the Zune HD in the specs department. Though I still think the Zune looks better. With the Android Marketplace behind it, it's the first real competitor to the iPod Touch we've seen. I hope they'll do some customization on top of Android (like HTC did). With a multi-touch screen, it makes little sense to still have to use those Plus/Minus buttons for zooming.
Still... this is a developer's version. I'm sure they'll release a more consumer-oriented (read: more shiny) version soon.
WTF is this Zii crap? Who the hell thought up that name? Why isn't Nintendo bitching?
Nintendo has no cause to bitch because Wii and Zii are two different words !
Wintendo Zii!
Yeah whats with this "Zii EGG" carp? I mean why couldn't they just call it Zen like everything else they make? that was such an awesome name...
I mean, the thing is looking great, but couldn't they have picked a less borrowed name? Wintend Zii indeed! And the EGG? Is this thing doubling as a vibrator? I'm confused.
Yeah...it's not like Creative had the name registered LONg before anyone on Earth ever heard of the Wii or anything!
/sarcasm
http://www.who.is/whois/zii.com/
Because Zii EGG was first!
Nintendo say Wii is universal for We or whatever, Zii is German English for The...
It's probably the camera they shot this with(although I didn't see it on the real life guy) but that video they were showing on the TV showed some definite interlacing.
That said, your play, Microsoft.
"the Zii EGG runs the new "Plaszma" platform, which has something to do with "StemCell Computing""
Yes, but will it cure Diabetes or Alzheimer's?
It's just a trademark name for marketing purposes. A pity they didn't name it "MicroBlackHole Computing" instead to get everyone hyped-up about the end of the universe...
Is it just me, or is StemCell Computing a pretty creepy name for what appears to be a development framework?
I know if I was a marketing expert I'd typically want to avoid any possible connections my product could have with frozen human embryos. But I guess that's why they're making the big bucks.
Adult or embryonic stem cells?
@ david: only if you're a pro-life nutjob.
Damn this thing is pretty cool. I'm still unclear is this thing a pmp or a phone?
from the video he says its a pmp for now but its open for developers to add 3g/wimax whatever and make it a phone.... still a damn good pmp i'd say
Yeah I went to the site and did some more investigating. This thing is really cool with the right development community this thing could easily surpass the iPhone/iPod touch. (the former assuming someone turns it into a phone).
Verizon this is an iPhone killer and it is armed to the teeth.
It is a handheld computer and it can run Android or that's what they say. You call people on Skype and you can watch movies using a computer so I guess the same goes for a handheld computer.
This device + the newly announce NAM 3G version of the Novatel Mifi + Google Voice == no need for a cell phone. Assuming you don't mind the lack of a physical keyboard.
But, this device + physical keyboard + dpad ... I'd be TOTALLY sold.
A big touchscreen, a physical keyboard and a dpad?
You've got hopes, kid.
Not such a tall order considering all 3 of those are available on both the Nokia N810 and the new Samsung tablet.
Except the N810 is utter garbage, largely due to its shitty processor.
Last I heard, having a shitty processor does not preclude its keyboard being desirable.
Very Cool. Yes I like this alot
Very Cool
I ji**** in my pants.... I ji**** in my pants!!!!
Oh!!!!
I ji**** right in my pants..... When the Zii is next to me... And when it's in my hands, it's like having sex to me!!!
You say I'm premature, I just call it ecstasy...
No, I just call you an idiot.
Nice to see Creative return the favor and borrow a few cues from Apple. Will keep my eye on this thing.