Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player (Black/Blue)
by Creative
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: CreativeBrand: Creative Labs
Edition: Electronics
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD
Platform: Windows
Model: 70PF2072001Y1
Publisher: Creative
Studio: Creative
Music Label: Creative
Product features:
- Product Type - MP3 Player
- Memory - 4GB
- Battery - Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
- Storage Capacity: 4GB (2,000 songs)
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player (Black/Blue)
Customer Review: REVISED: this mp3 player makes little sense, functions are IMPRACTICAL, MAJOR HASSLES. 1 STAR.
Summary: 3 Stars
I just recently purchased this item and have owned it for one day. I will list the type of features I look for and then the good and the bad of this mp3 device in order below. By the way, this player has frozen on me once so far (reset was successful).
Background Info: I've owned at least 7 different mp3 players since 2001, including this Zen V Plus 4GB. If you are like me, you are looking for a simple mp3 player that will seamlessly interface with your computer (via Windows Explorer), has SPECTACULAR audio quality, and has a few cool features like voice recorder and FM radio. I strongly prefer NOT to install proprietary software included with the mp3 players I purchase, and would like the simplicity of simple drag-and-drop from one folder to the mp3 player's music folder and vice versa. I got this to replace my iAudio U2 1GB mp3 player (an excellent player in all aspects) and have found that the only real advantage that this player has over the prior is capacity (4gb vs. 1gb). Now for the good and bad below.
GOOD:
1. CAPACITY & STORAGE TYPE: This player holds 4GB of FLASH memory. Typically, this would mean that it consumes less battery life, resulting in longer hours of music enjoyment due to the storage type. 4GB is usually acceptable for holding between 800 to 1,000 songs. (The box advertises 2,000 songs, which is just false advertising unless all your songs are 64/92kbps. If they are, stop reading this review now.)
2. PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS & CONTROLS: This player's size and shape is EXCELLENT. It is very well-designed, no sharp corners, very compact and feels fairly robust. The tactile-controls are great and easy to manage, with the volume controls on the side. The navigational nub is also very responsive.
3. SOUND QUALITY: For audiophiles out there, this is a great mp3 player. The sound quality is great, which you would come to expect from a company like Creative that has been working in digital audio technology since the days of the original Sound Blaster card.
4. DISPLAY & OTHER FEATURES: The display is clear, brightly lit, and shows the necessary information well. The other features, such as FM radio, voice recorder, etc. work well.
BAD:
1. FILE MANAGEMENT: As with my interim MP3 player that I used before this (Zen MicroPhoto 8GB), I initially connected it to my PC in hopes of being able to use only Windows Explorer to manage my mp3 files. This is very limiting because a)I wasn't able to play mp3s from my Zen V Plus via PC application like Winamp, b)files aren't arranged by filename, but rather by Album Title(?!?!?), and c)deleting or copying files takes EXTREMELY LONG (especially deleting). So in other words, you are forced to use their proprietary software.
2. TRANSFER SPEEDS: Transfer speeds on this mp3 player are abysmal. It took about 25 minutes to transfer 2 gigs of audio files.
3. BUNDLED SOFTWARE: Adequate, but could be much better.
4. RECHARGING & BATTERY LIFE: It takes 6 hours to recharge the battery. 6 HOURS! When I had my previous iAudio mp3 player charging via USB, it took less than an hour to fully charge. Seriously, it should not take 6 HOURS to charge an mp3 player that has a battery life of 20 hours.
5. PLAYING FILES IN ORDER: Unless you create a custom playlist(s), the songs will play in alphabetical order of ALBUM! WHY?!?!? It should be in order of ARTIST! What were Creative's engineers thinking???
CONCLUSION: The mp3 player is great in terms of sound, navigation, it has enough features to satisfy most users, it is sturdy, and it looks nice. However, file transfer speeds are slow, file management via Windows Explorer and even the Creative software is poor, and the time to recharge the battery is way too long. If you are the type who likes to add music at least once or twice a week to your mp3 player, and you want to transfer files quickly and easily & spend less time having your mp3 player connected to your PC for recharging, then this is NOT what you are looking for. I see myself using this, until maybe iAudio comes out with an 8GB flash-based mp3 player. As for now...*sigh*, this will have to do.
ADD-ON TO REVIEW (10/17/06): Hi, just want to add a few more notes on this review. In the manual, there is a warning that reads, "the cord(s) included with this product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling." Hmm...so I guess if you're pregnant, or want to avoid cancer altogether, this may deter you from purchasing this mp3 player. Another thing, you can't delete songs/files directly using just the mp3 player. You have to delete from a connected PC. Though the mp3 player menu has a "remove" option, it will only remove the song/file from the list, but the file will STILL OCCUPY SPACE on the mp3 player. And when I use the Creative software, there is nothing that indicates which files are "removed" and which files aren't. One last thing: when you are in the middle of an audio file, and let's say you pause, walk away for a few minutes, and come back to find that it's turned itself off (to conserve battery life; shutdown from idle time can be configured), the mp3 file doesn't resume from the place it was paused. It will only start BACK FROM THE BEGINNING. This is a major problem, particularly if you listen to hour-long podcasts or really long audio tracks. Even when I go into menu mode, and accidently go into voice record,fm radio, or line-in record mode, it will stop the audio and you'll have to start back from the beginning again! The chances that I will return this product now? 99.9% (I bring my review down to 1.5 stars)
Description of Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player (Black/Blue)
The ZEN V Plus player was designed for people like youthose who walk a step or two ahead of the pack. So do not be surprised when people take notice of your cool, colorful music, photo and video player. Tell them you carry up to 2,000 songs with you. Tell them you can watch video on the go. Show them just a handful of the photos youve stored on the pocket sized powerhouse. And tell them there is even more but they will have to get their own.Amazon.com Product Description With a tiny, eye-catching design, smooth contours, and a discreet size, the Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player fits perfectly in your palm and slides effortlessly into your smallest pocket. With 4 GB of storage space,
 A 1.5-inch OLED screen displays rich and vibrant photos, as well as the easy-to-use Creative interface. View all Zen V Plus features. |
 Not much bigger than a pair of earbuds! (black and orange model shown) See the Zen V Plus in 3D. |
Another great feature is a Direct CD Recording function that allows you to record songs directly from a CD player or other audio source without using a PC as an intermediary. You no longer need to burn CDs to your PC then download to your MP3 player. Just connect an audio device directly to your Zen V Plus, and record your favorite CDs, records, beats and more, direct from the source. Meanwhile, automatic track detection separates each song for you--a handy feature when you're converting analog (records and cassette tapes) to digital. If organization is a high priority, the Zen V Plus's Personal Organizer will help you stay connected and in-sync with your Microsoft Outlook information. Just connect the Zen V Plus to your PC, sync your Outlook information, and you'll be ready to carry around your contacts, calendar, and to-do lists right in your pocket. Plus, the Zen V Plus uses a handy built-in microphone to double as a voice recorder, so you can capture notes, record lectures, and more.
 No matter how you hold it, the Zen V Plus is just the right size. |
What's in the Box
Creative Zen V Plus, earphones, drawstring pouch, lanyard, USB 2.0 cable, line-in cable, neck strap, installation CD including user manual, and quick start guide.
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