Creative Technology is introducing their new Zen Vision:M featuring a 2.5-inch screen at 320×240 resolution and a 30GB hard drive. The press release from Creative Japan states that the Zen Vision:M will come in white, black, and green and is due in mid-late December in Japan (worldwide release information and/or dates goes unmentioned in the press release).
Singapore-based Creative claims capacities of 15,000 songs and approximately 120 hours of video for the unit. Video playback formats supported include: WMV, MPEG4 and DivX, MPEG2, MPEG1, and Motion-JPEG. Creative claims battery life of 14 hours for music and 4 hours for video.
The unit measures 62mm x 104mm x 19mm (width, height, depth) with a weight of 166g.
Apple’s iPod also features a 2.5-inch screen at 320×240 resolution. Apple’s iPod specs state 7,500 songs and 75 hours of video for their 30GB iPod (15,000 songs and 150 hours of video for the 60GB iPod model) with a battery life of 14 hours for music and 2 hours for video (20 hours for music and 3 hours for video for the 60GB iPod model). Apple’s iPod supports H.264 and MPEG4 video formats.
The 30GB iPod is thinner and lighter than the Creative unit. Apple’s iPod 30GB measures 61mm x 104mm x 11mm with a weight of 136g.
Creative’s price for the unit is quoted in the press release at ¥39,800 (US$329) vs. Apple’s US$299.
Creative’s press release (translated from Japanese to English via AltaVista’s Babel Fish) is here.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? And why do iPod cloners (like Mac and Mac OS X cloners) always damage the chromosomes?
From Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
cre·a·tive
Pronunciation: krE-‘A-tiv, ‘krE-“
Function: adjective
1 : marked by the ability or power to create : given to creating (the creative impulse)
2 : having the quality of something created rather than imitated : IMAGINATIVE (the creative arts)
3 : managed so as to get around legal or conventional limits (creative financing); also : deceptively arranged so as to conceal or defraud (creative accounting)
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Related articles:
Beleaguered Creative waves white flag, surrenders self-declared MP3 player war to Apple iPod – November 07, 2005
Beleaguered Creative shifts promotional efforts from music players to new sound card line – September 21, 2005
Apple debuts iPod nano, iTunes 5: how are Microsoft, Napster, Real, Creative, Sony feeling today? – September 08, 2005
Creative explores new way to beat Apple iPod: patent litigation – August 30, 2005
Creative plans ‘very vigorous defense’ of iPod navigation patent – August 31, 2005
Beleaguered Creative Technology’s ‘war’ on Apple iPod not faring well – August 15, 2005
Apple’s iPod shine dims beleaguered Creative Technology’s outlook – August 08, 2005
Microsoft not buying stake in Creative Technology – August 02, 2005
Creative CEO Sim Wong Hoo adds fronts to war against Apple iPod – August 01, 2005
Analyst: Microsoft could buy Creative Technlogy in bid to compete with Apple iPod – July 14, 2005
Beleaguered Creative CEO Sim Wong Hoo ‘optimistic’ the company will survive ‘MP3 war’ – July 01, 2005
Beleaguered Creative may have to write off unsold stock as losses loom – June 28, 2005
Creative Tech’s reduced outlook drags on Apple, PortalPlayer, SigmaTel – June 27, 2005
Creative Tech cuts sales outlook, drags Apple down in early trading – June 27, 2005
Apple passed 20 million iPods sold milestone in early June – June 24, 2005
Apple’s understanding of what really counts makes iPod+iTunes impossible to beat – June 22, 2005
Creative Technology shares slide to lowest mark in almost two years – May 18, 2005
Apple squeezes and Creative’s profit plunges 72-percent – April 23, 2005
Apple iPod pressure forces Creative to drop prices on music players – March 01, 2005
Creative’s self-declared ‘MP3 player war’ against Apple isn’t going very well – January 20, 2005
Creative CEO: Apple iPod shuffle ‘a big let-down, worse than the cheapest Chinese player’ – January 12, 2005
Creative declares ‘war’ on Apple iPod, shoots for 40% market share of MP3 players – December 21, 2004
Creative Technology declares ‘MP3 War’ against market-dominating Apple iPod – November 17, 2004
Mossberg: Dell, Rio, Creative ‘iPod mini killers’ lag badly behind Apple iPod mini – October 27, 2004
Creative pushes to become ‘Pepsi’ to Apple’s ‘Coke’ in digital music player market – August 07, 2004
Another iPod knock-off! Oh boy, Apple’s legal team will kill this one if the market place doesn’t!!
It will make a nice paperweight.
white, black and GREEN!
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i think id wait until the ship date before suing them, that way they will waste all of their money on tooling, developing, packaging and marketing, before they have to stop selling them.
They must like losing money, or have gotten some ‘investment’ from M$.
Price point is the question. If the Zen can compete, it can compete.
Gee FM tuning will run wild in Japan. Hell with only one or two stations in some cities I’ll be lining up to buy this one. Most people love the iPod since they can get away from radio. If I need to listen to NPR or whatever just turn the iPod off and turn on the radio in their car.
Feature rich execution poor.
But on a serious note, the Divx option is pretty dang sweet wouldn’t need to transcode a lot of files.
that looks so similar it’s not even funny. When I just glanced at the image I thought it was 4 iPods. I wonder if Creative thinks that their claim that they own that style of interface prevents Apple from suing them for having it look exactly the same.
Am I the only one in the world capable of original thought or what?
The Zen had it’s day in the sun. The only people I see buying the Zen are those that have a serious anti-Apple bias. The Anything but iPod mentality.
Having owned them both. iPod and Zen when it comes down to it the iPod wins handsdown overall. Just a lot nicer.
It looks like a exact copy of the interface. Same color details and same system format. You guys think apple will complain.
but I hope you don’t have that many songs!
A wheel lets you get through thousands easily.
They really are taking the piss with this one…! Could this be Creative’s last stab at staying in the market?
Creative CEO – “OK guys, things are pretty desperate. What the hell do we try next?!”
Creative employees – “How about we trick a few naiive buyers into thinking they’re actually purchasing an iPod…”
Creative CEO – “Genius!”
Is this due out in the US in mid Dec?
Or is this going to be just a Japan release for now?
If that’s really what the device and interface looks like, then Apple will sue.
How Creative!
IF ONLY THE IPOD PLAYED ALL THOSE FORMATS!
The name “Creative” strikes me as ironic…
Jeezus.
SB
They copied everything from the dock to the remote control.
Apple will hopefully put a stop to this.
This article does not reveal that the Creative iPod rip off comes preloaded with 30G of gay porn by their CEO.
OK, so it can do all that. BUT
Where will the content come from. Currently the only source for decent video (legal that is) is the US iTunes Store. Do they connect to Mac? Do they work with iTunes?
the short and to the point comment award goes to gRen. Well played.
the pointful analysis award goes to but it doesn’t. I have encountered quite a bit of “anything but iPod” sentiment from hardcore techies. OGG is usually the main consideration proffered. I strongly suspect that DiVx will fill that role now.
Hopefully Apple will allow a broader range of video formats one day. I suspect that their relationship with the content providers will be a disincentive though. Why buy off the store if you can get it off bit-torrent and put it straight on your iPod?
We shall see …
Imitation is also the sincerest form of trade dress infringement. Release the lawyers!
Hmm, a more expensive iPod ripoff? No, thanks.
P.S. “Creative” is NewSpeak from the Ministry of Truth.
Creative: When you don’t care to send the very best….
Re: (hammer) “i think id wait until the ship date before suing them, that way they will waste all of their money on tooling, developing, packaging and marketing, before they have to stop selling them.”
<wait for it, wait for it, wait for it . . . O.K. NOW!>
That was funny! Thanks for the chuckle!
Its the iPod’s retarded younger brother!
No offense intended to the learning disabled
I’m kinda glad that so many of the road-kill competitors to the iPod include FM radio, because it’s a perfect shut-up argument to those who scream that the iPod needs to add FM itself. I mean, look at all those competitors that offer radio and iPod still kicks their asses. FM radio obviously isn’t the important.
Board Room Meeting with CEO holding iPod:
CEO: “Okay. So we have the shape, screen and system copied. The green battery indicator in the upper right corner was genius.”
Brown-noser: “Thanks.”
CEO: “Now we need to come up with a solution for the wheel. Hmmm…”
Brown-noser2: “How about a multi-colored triangle?”
CEO: “No, that’s gay.”
Brown-noser: “How about a square?”
CEO: “No, that may be too hard to navigate through more than a few songs.”
Lisa: “How about an oval? It’s almost a circle?”
CEO: :Brilliant!! I want a prototype on my desk by the end of the week, and I want product shipped to Japan by Christmas.”
Legal Team: “But what about the legal ramifications? Apple will likely sue.”
CEO: “F*ck Apple. F*ck Steve Jobs. We are Creative Labs, and our name says so. Oh, and Jill? Can you have the marketing team create some product shots? You know, white on white with reflections as if they are sitting on a glass table?”
Jill: “Wow. That’s a great idea, boss.”
Jill to Lisa under her breath:
“And then we can start working on our resumes before the ship takes on water.”
Lisa to Jill: “Uh-huh. You go girl.”
The End
For some reason the green model still has a white central button.
The thing is that no matter how much they knock it off they can’t compete with the iPod without the scroll wheel. Apple basically has one big button in the centre with 5 buttons built into it which in themselves are double function. Any competitors have to have a load of unsightly buttons which throw off the whole styling. Even worse is that they still don’t look as good as the old iPods that had separate buttons before they came up with the clickwheel.
Take that price difference with a grain of salt. Let’s see MDN translate the Japan price for a 30 GB iPod into USD as well so that we can see the real difference.
having said that, there are only so many ways you can build a white MP3/Video player with a 2.5 in. screen and a mini 30 GB hard drive, but, this copy of an iPod is awfully close to the real McCoy.
Lawyers, start your Powerbooks.
MDN misleading headline: “Creative announces 30GB Zen Vision:M video-enabled ‘iPod killer'”
Where does the company claim this is an “iPod Killer”????
If Kodak releases a new camera is it a “Nikon Killer”?
If Ford releases a new car is it a “BMW killer”?
Once again, amateur journalism by the small boys at MDN with its, “My wiener is bigger than your wiener ranting”.
———
And why the fear of competition with Apple? Do Canon camera and copier chat sites make fun of every new camera or copier machine that comes out…deriding each one as “Canon Killer”?
—-
And if you wouldn´t have advertises it hear none of us would have ever seen it or cared about this product.
MDN – let´s see you come up with a different design for this type product.
Ever notice how all cameras, TVs, drawing tablets, phones, etc, etc, etc, have the same basic form – is no one creative there or its the most logical shape for the parts included in the object?
Karl,
The design for a portable digital media player all seems very logical now that Apple has done all the work.
I did a double take. If Apple doesn’t sue their asses off something is wrong. They did it with eMachines I think. Too close to claim similarity. Out ‘n out theft. If Apple loses a design copyright suit the wannabe tech guys at Circuit City and Best Buy will have a field day. The specs seem close enough that the uneducated will buy if the price is right.
And they look good enough that people will still have the cache’ of style. Could be big trouble even though the formats, software, compatability, and integration suck. That hasn’t stopped millions of Windows users before. They’re happy with almost works! I often wondered why others didn’t copy the profile and color of the iPod. That’s what’s iCatching.
The 30 gig ipod costs 34800 yen in Japan. At current prices that’s around $280. So in fact it may be even cheaper than the Creative offering.
It would be interesting to find out if Creative are starting to lose money on MP3 players. If not yet maybe soon. This beast will probably tank big time especially when you can get a comparable iPod for less money.
And it will still lose in the marketplace.
Karl,
It’s not so much the look of the thing, but the OS of it. From these photos, it looks almost EXACTLY the same.
Queezzie,
Where does the company claim this is an “iPod Killer?”
– In the very design of their product.
If Kodak releases a new camera is it a “Nikon Killer”?
– If they copy a Nikon camera, yes.
If Ford releases a new car is it a “BMW killer”?
– If they copy a BMW, yes.
And why the fear of competition with Apple?
– Where does MDN show any bit of fear of Creative?
“I know this music…time to up the tempo.”
– Jean-Emmaneul Baptiste Zorg
Hurray! At last an iPod that supports WMA!
Don’t most killers end up on death row?
I want a green iPod!
Apple’s lawyers are gonna have a merry Christmas
I don’t know why you would produce a “more” expensive rip-off. No iTunes sync…me no buy.
I do like the green though.
MW- green…yeah
Replay:
Good one!
REPLAY: “Don’t most killers end up on death row?”
Answer: No.
The price quoted is suggested retail price – the real price will be lots less.
Price point is the question. If the Zen can compete, it can compete
—
PC apologist hm? What the hell do you have to say for yourself? This thing is a monster!! ARgh.. what an ugly pos..
forget it.. just.. no.. can we stop accepting applications for innovation from the PC industry.. between this and MS’s kludgy media center.. it’s starting to look like every company besides apple is mentally handicapped..
I don’t see this as a rip off. There are very distinct differences that make the Zen interface a much truer expression of their product. Look at the interface. Starting from the upper left there is the logical “curved arrow” icon that kind of says “hey, I’m going this way, but I really want to be over there.” Then in the upper right you have the standard “pause/play” button, again logically located so that the majority right-handed population can hold the device in their dominant hand and then have the option of using their left hand to press the button or practice dislocating their right-thumb for one-handed operation. Below that is what I believe is one of those ‘gliphs from the movie “Blade” that says “hey, Creative tapped my artery for over 300 bucks, now I’m thier bitch.” My favorite icon is in the lower left, the “broke dick” symbol that indicates the limited potentcy of the product and gives a subtle warning to would be buyers by pointing away from the centerpiece to the interface as if to say “you don’t want to use this thing, do you?” Lastly is the big white button that really doesn’t say anything. It just leaves you wondering “what does this do and how?”
MDW likely, as in this is likely the last article we see on this one.
No compatibility with OS X! What a piece of crap!
Man this is sad.
Apple: Get your legal guns warmed up!
Bloody hell!!! Look at the remote for it:
This is surely the most un-Creative company ever…
what makes this extra sad is the zen is the only mp3 player that really even comes close to competing with the ipod.. now they are copying to blatently, theres nothing there for people who want variety… I love the ipod, but i was hoping to see some great new steps in the right direction by creation more variation in the market.
Queezie,
Yes, camera news and rumors sites that have forums dedicated to specific camera brands feature threads along those lines….
Check out http://www.dpreview.com
Could this be the reason Creative went on their patent tirade a few months back, claiming Apple ripped off their GUI? A pre-emptive strike saying Apple ripped THEM off to head off the bad press when this thing came to light? Just a thought….
Aww, thats so cute, it thinks its an iPod! It wants to be all grown up, and play with the big dogs. And its called Killer! Awwww. Kinda like my pekinese, he thinks he is big too!
Absolutely brilliant analysis, nuffsed!
Like the iPod, but with a clunkier interface, and costing thirty bucks more? Is this thing dead yet?
“IF ONLY THE IPOD PLAYED ALL THOSE FORMATS!”
why would we want to? so we can have over complicated forest of formats, some work excellently some not so good others not at all. sorry take one format and stick with it, and why would we want to pay m$ so we can use their sh*ty format?
yet again creative follow the leaders
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD!!!@!
when will the nasty little korean/chinese dork realize that he’s done? someone stick a fork in him?
Divx playback is inherently sweet and would seriously reduce a great deal of the almost obligatory transcoding needed for iPod playback. I for one would love to see this supported on the iPod, however, as stated previously, Apple’s relationship with content distributor’s in all likelihood forbids this option.
I comment:
They are really thick!
Quezzie asked
“Do Canon camera and copier chat sites make fun of every new camera or copier machine that comes out…deriding each one as “Canon Killer”?”
No, they don’t. (at least for cameras, I’ve NEVER seen a copier fan site) Thats becuase the competition for Canon, like Nikon, is able to actually offer competition. Canon has lenses with specs that aren’t in the Nikon lineup, and Nikon had lenses with specs not in the Canon lineup.
As far as camera bodies, no matter if you like canon, nikon, or both, they are constantly one upping each other in some area or another. In other words, there is true competition. Nikon offers a great alternative to Canon. Canon offers a great alternative to Nikon.
Compare the situation to iPods. iPods have EVERYTHING! style, function, great easy to use features, best of any breed interface, seemless integration on PCs and Macs to the #1 iTunes music store. If Apple is comparable to Canon, all the iPod wannabes are more representative of ACME, Vivitar or Keystone, NOT Nikon. Apple doesn’t have an equal worthy competitor like Nikon is to Canon.
Should they be able to use the name ‘Creative’?
Kind of like ‘Fair and Balanced’, isn’t it…
Good gosh, it looks almost like and iPod. And the interface as well!
Hey “Creative,” here is a clue…
innovation (noun)
no appliance manufacturer can survive without an ongoing commitment to innovation change, alteration, revolution, upheaval, transformation, metamorphosis, breakthrough; new measures, new methods, modernization, novelty, newness; creativity, originality, ingenuity, inspiration, inventiveness; informal a shake up.
– Mark
The oval reminds me of a toilet seat.
Why bother so much about what Creatives and others are coming out with? Copycats will always be there.
If Apple is truly innovative, IT HAS TO CONTINOUSLY INNOVATE. Innovation and creativity should be a way of life for Apple.
It’s the only way to stay on top of the “average” competition.
You’ve got a point there…
How can something try so hard to look like the competition and yet still end up so BUTT UGLY!!!!!
And trying WAY too hard with the name Creative Zen Vision:M REALLY!!!!
I used my Creative Zen Vision the other day and visualized a world without overwrought empty monikers.
MW = stand
as in, I can’t stand it anymore! Okay I’ll stop ranting now…
When will they learn. Apple will bankrupt the competition, just by sitting back and letting them do it themselves.
Elmer, you actually bought a Zen ?
Creative has just two problems with this: Design (half-assed knockoffs will not sell) and price.
They also have the problem that “more” features is not “better” features. Windows Media Player or whatever it’s called can not compete with iTunes.
Am I going to recommend any of these to non-geek friends when even my geek friends are getting frustrated with the shoddy software you need to use it? No way.
I can’t put my finger on it, lah. Oh, I get it.
Kotex should sponsor this in return for branding the central button. Upturned edges give you “extra protection” (said while showing a bikini clad girl tossing a beach ball into the air). Introducing…
…the Creative Sanitary iPad. Brought to you by the country with mandatory death sentences for certain crimes. There’s no chewing gum in this tropical paradise where racial harmony reigns. Unless you’re a member of the opposition, that is. Just like their northern cousins.
On the other hand, the iPad handles a wider variety of video formats like divx and wmv. Porn collectors should go gaga over this. Perhaps that explains the shape of the central button.
When will those cloners get it. The iPod is Super Number 1 thanks to the very unique click wheel experience that no other players can ever have, the way i see it, people keep buying iPods not only for its both excellent form & function factors but also Apple brand is a so hot, trendy & preferrable premium brand name now for tech gears, though not only mp3 players, the same reason people buying designer’s clothings. Apple’s another clear advantage is its very competitive pricing too, why would anyone in their right mind would pay the same amount – even more in this case – for something not as hot, not percieved as a cultural icon, not The One.
I personally have family members & friends who used to buy Dell’s dj & the likes because they were cheaper but now all just recently replaced those heavy ugly things with Apple 60gb video iPod.
eww, look that thing (& all of those players out there currently) trying to immitate The Wheel with button arrangement, all fails so miserably, Sad to see the peecee creators from MIcrosuck to anyone can only copy Apple nowadays, so much for creative eh.
cvbncv
The millionth ipodder on threads and forums like this who think they’re being witty and ‘creative’ by writing ‘how creative’, is the biggest irony.
Anyone would think competition is bad…Gawd, these are DAP’s people, hardly a necessity in life and hardly on par with poverty and starvation as issues. Enjoy you’re ipod, zen or whatever and have some f@*king perspective.
It’s the zealotry that turns me off any product.
IPOD SUCKS CREATIVE RULE!!!!!!
apple thinks they are good whahahaha CREATIVE ALWAYS THE BEST!!!
i dont see why everyone is making a big deal on the design. it looks like a bigger version of the zen micro, so i dont see the problem,
It’s an awesome idea, come on, play sick video formats, plus the MP3 can play WMA’s. So it rules, and if appple adds more formats to the video, then apple will still own the market, but otherwise, i see creative taknig a good size market share.
Hm…I just think that the creative stuff are more reliable…because in an ipod…when the battery wears out…what can you do? At least wtih a creative product you can always refill your battery life!…This is my opinion…
Yeah…. I see there are lots of ignorant die hard fanboys in here (In a mac website? NO WAY!). I’m don’t give a crap about apple either way, i’m still deciding if i’m going to go with an ipod or the vision:M. The price for the creative is a poor choice seeing as how ipod is the industry standard and the ‘big brand’ name, so you’re going to have to at least match ipods price if you want to convert anyone. On the other side the video formats that vision supports is far better than ipods backwards system. Longer video play too, that’s cool. But still, i’m already spending tons of money on one of these so the extra 30 bucks does make a difference. It’s going to pretty much come down to going to the store when the vision comes out and comparing them face to face.
Too bad Apple filched Creative’s menu interface years ago. Get over it, fanboys. Quit whining.
you apple freaks just dont even bother giving anything else a chance. this product is clearly different and just as well designed and put together as an ipod and has better features
Well, it’s 5 years later and clearly this is a better product. No more guessing needed! I’ve had both products and the Vision M wins hands down!