RUMOR: Creative to launch online video store?

“It used to be that you-know-who had a monopoly on cryptic invitations designed to create buzz about product launches. But it seems that just about everyone is jumping on that bandwagon, so it’s somewhat fitting that the latest company to hitch a ride is one of you-know-who’s arch-rivals, Creative,” Marc Perton writes for Engadget.

Engadget has an image of what’s purported to be an invitation from Creative that was received by French site generationmp3.com that basically translates as “Which is the program? Find out on March 30.”

Perton writes, “Generationmp3 theorizes that this could be a teaser for the launch of a Creative video store, tied in to the Zen Vision M, which is pictured. Then again, the way rumors are flying around these parts lately, it won’t surprise us if Creative rolls out an ultramobile wireless PC with a 4-inch display bundled with a speaker system and leather carrying case.”

Full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Sketchtrain” for the heads up.]

MacDailyNews Take: Creative is an also-ran, floundering device maker. Shouldn’t they have an also-ran, floundering music store first, before trying to launch an also-ran, floundering video store? If this is not a fake, it’s likely to be a misinterpretation. Hopefully, though, it’s real and Creative is actually going to try something like a video store because we like a spectacular crash and burn as much as a drunk NASCAR fan on Sunday. Most likely, “the program” that’s really upcoming for Creative is a series of meetings with lawyers and accountants regarding bankruptcy proceedings.

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Beleaguered Creative reports 95-percent slump in quarterly profit – January 26, 2006
Don’t call them podcasts! Derivative, er, Creative introduces ZenCast app for ‘audio & video blogs’ – January 04, 2006
Creative’s Zen Vision:M green with Apple iPod envy – December 09, 2005
Apple faces prospect of bruising iPod patent dispute from Creative Technology – December 09, 2005
Creative Technology’s official press relase for Zen Vision:M Apple iPod knockoff – December 08, 2005
Creative’s Sim Wong Hoo vows to ‘aggressively pursue’ Apple over iPod patent – December 08, 2005
Creative announces 30GB Zen Vision:M video-enabled ‘iPod killer’ – December 07, 2005
Beleaguered Creative waves white flag, surrenders self-declared MP3 player war to Apple iPod – November 07, 2005
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Creative explores new way to beat Apple iPod: patent litigation – August 30, 2005
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15 Comments

  1. March 30th?!? Yeh-heh-hehessssss. Not de end of de month. Not de beginning of de month. How . . . “creative”.

    No, no, no, this is good. This is excellent. On de following Monday or Tuesday when Apple celebrates their 30th anniversary with a huge announcement, it will show de world just how pathetic the Creative event was.

    Yeh-heh-hehessss, Apple will reveal just how effective Creative can be at sucking.

    Kind of like Bode Miller.

  2. Do you guys realize, creative is actually successfully copying the ipod and selling tons of ipod alike mp3 players?

    They seem to have mastered copying and they are probably going to succeed in video store also

  3. Hey Cheese,

    “Selling tons” is relative. If you’re Apple, selling tons means 40-60 million iPods/year.

    I suppose to Creative it might mean selling 4-5 million/year.

    Seeing as they failed at catching up with the iPod, what makes you think they are going to “succeed in a video store also?”

    More likely they “fail in a video store also,” as you might put it ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />

  4. The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
    What average consumer even knows, intimately, who Creative even is? They probably just buy it cause it’s cheap, it’s the first thing they see, and it’s probably 10% off at Wal-Mart.
    Either than that, who in the world is going to care if Creative does that? Who would ever even know?

    Everybody who uses the iPod, uses iTunes, and it has that cute little “Music Store” button that everybody’s familiar with. But how in the world is Creative going to manage to:

    A) Integrate their store successfully into a popular or new music player
    and B) Let people know about it

    They can’t.

  5. What’s wrong with competition. All Creative is doing is providing an alternative. Everyone here should give a serious look at it.
    And is Creattive really doing something worthless.
    Ever since onboard sound became accemptable, their sound card bussiness has been in the dump.
    They are doing what any bussiness wouod once one of your major money making product tanks
    Finding a new way to make money
    Good luck creative

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