Craetive Zen - Disadvantages
[81 byte] By [jackash] at [2007-11-9 15:27:36] 
Hey there, I was wondering what the disadvantages of the creative zen are? thanks
# 1 Re: Craetive Zen - Disadvantages
Speaking as a previous user of Creative's Zen, the disadvantages which were most aparent to me during day to day use were.1) Form factor, the zen dwarfs the iPod, and is signifigantly heavier, the iPod is much more pocketable
2) With the release of iTunes for windows, managing my mp3 collection has never been easier, with iTunes you can manage all your music using it's library function, and any changes are immediately sync'd to your iPod as soon as you mount it to your pc.
3) Ease of use, though the Zen is not hard to use, it's not nearly as easy as the iPod, using an iPod is a joy, everytime you use it.
4) WARRANTY: Hopefully this will never be an issue for you, but I had both a Zen and an iPod stop working. Zen simply refused to turn on, iPod displayed the !Folder icon upon startup, went through the various steps to fix it, but didn't have any luck. Apple paid shipping, and their turnaround time was 3days (sent it off on Tuesday, it was back on Friday...and I live in Canada) My Zen broke months ago, since it was over 3 months old, Creative requested $20 USD from me to diagnose what was wrong with the player. Initially, the zen had been gone for about 2 weeks before I heard anything from Creative, upon request for the funds, they were given a credit card which they could charge the funds to...about 2 weeks after that, I was contacted again and told I would have to pay an additional $60 to fix my problem (aparently they had to replace the main board). My Zen is still MIA as of today. After this experience with creative, it's highly unlikely I'll ever put down any money on any of their products again. 90 days is hardly a warranty, and taking months to process an RMA is NOT acceptable in my opinion.
5) If you want to buy accessories, such as cases and whatnot, you're out of luck as far as the Zen is concearned..I've got a couple iSkins on order myself and can't wait for 'em to arrive.
Spoonman at 2007-11-15 18:08:33 >
# 2 Re: Craetive Zen - Disadvantages
Good list...The limited accessories and 3rd party support has always been one of the biggest drawbacks in my mind.
IronSerif at 2007-11-15 18:09:33 >
# 3 Re: Craetive Zen - Disadvantages
Not sure about the Zen but I have used the Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen NX 20gb and I find much more advantages in it compared to the iPod 3rd Gen. Only thing I can't stand it is the super huge size. The audio qualities are also not comparable to the iPod.
read more of my reviews here:
http://www.ipodlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12442
arcanehacker at 2007-11-15 18:10:32 >
# 4 Re: Craetive Zen - Disadvantages
I don't get it...eq aside what does music related features does the zen have over the iPod?Spoonman at 2007-11-15 18:11:36 >
# 5 Re: Craetive Zen - Disadvantages
Originally posted by Spoonman I don't get it...eq aside what does music related features does the zen have over the iPod?
Well, there's functions like, deleteing files directly from the device. This is good as sometimes I sync songs that are corrupted. I usually dun listen to all songs on my PC. I sync them in first and then listen. If I sync a playlist into the iPod and one of the song is corrupted, I've gotta stick with the fact that the song is still inside and skip it everytime it comes to the song. Then I gotta wait till I'm home to sync and remove it.
Then there is add to playlist functions. I can add songs to playlist on the device itself.
Also search for songs in device. Search is a very useful function. Can even search by Albums, Artist, Playlist.. etc. Can't believe the iPod do not have that.
I'l post more when I can remember.
arcanehacker at 2007-11-15 18:12:35 >
# 6 Re: Craetive Zen - Disadvantages
Originally posted by arcanehacker Well, there's functions like, deleteing files directly from the device. This is good as sometimes I sync songs that are corrupted. I usually dun listen to all songs on my PC. I sync them in first and then listen. If I sync a playlist into the iPod and one of the song is corrupted, I've gotta stick with the fact that the song is still inside and skip it everytime it comes to the song. Then I gotta wait till I'm home to sync and remove it.
Then there is add to playlist functions. I can add songs to playlist on the device itself.
Also search for songs in device. Search is a very useful function. Can even search by Albums, Artist, Playlist.. etc. Can't believe the iPod do not have that.
I'l post more when I can remember.
How are you gettin corrupt mp3's? I've never encountered a corrupt mp3 and I've been using them since inception...deleting a file isn't music releated though...it's got nothing to do with playing music.
I never found much use for search on the Zen...and I'd rarely use it on my iPod, using Genre's to narrow my search, I can already get to any song I want to hear within a few seconds...that's plenty quick enough for me.
As for adding songs to playlists...you can sorta do that on the iPod with dynamic smart lists...another thing I like to do is add a playlist to my OTG list, then add songs to it, and when it's sync'd you can overwrite your old list with the OTG one (provided you are using iTunes and have the OTG sync capability)
I'm not bashing the Zen...just listening my workarounds on the iPod
Spoonman at 2007-11-15 18:13:34 >
# 7 Re: Craetive Zen - Disadvantages
Originally posted by Spoonman How are you gettin corrupt mp3's? I've never encountered a corrupt mp3 and I've been using them since inception...deleting a file isn't music releated though...it's got nothing to do with playing music.
I never found much use for search on the Zen...and I'd rarely use it on my iPod, using Genre's to narrow my search, I can already get to any song I want to hear within a few seconds...that's plenty quick enough for me.
As for adding songs to playlists...you can sorta do that on the iPod with dynamic smart lists...another thing I like to do is add a playlist to my OTG list, then add songs to it, and when it's sync'd you can overwrite your old list with the OTG one (provided you are using iTunes and have the OTG sync capability)
I'm not bashing the Zen...just listening my workarounds on the iPod
How? I download MP3s without listening to all. So there are many chances that MP3s are corrupted. Even encoding from CDs will produce sub-standard MP3s due to the different typs of audio CD formats. So when I'm on the read and these MP3s are inside, I need to delete them and re-encode the CDs when I get back. Yes, deleteing function IS 'music related', comparing to Contacts and calendar. I mean why the hell would someone want sub-standard PDA functions when almost 3/4 of the population over here has PDAs already. Even my REX6000 is a way better PDA.
I rather the programmers use that extra time and effort to make better functions rather that creating not related programs on the device. I'm buying an MP3 player not a Sub-standard PDA or gameboy!
Doesn't mean that You rarely use the search function means that OTHERS do not too. I use that function and I find it useful. Imagine you have tons of playlist and you need to scroll the Wheel more than 10 times to get to the bottom.
What smart playlist you talking about? The only smart playlist I know is in iTunes. Nothing in the device to do any of that.
I'm neither bashing the iPod nor the Zen NX too. I still love my iPod. I'm just suggesting that the iPod should have functions comparable to the Zen NX's.
arcanehacker at 2007-11-15 18:14:38 >
# 8 Re: Craetive Zen - Disadvantages
Originally posted by arcanehacker How? I download MP3s without listening to all. So there are many chances that MP3s are corrupted. Even encoding from CDs will produce sub-standard MP3s due to the different typs of audio CD formats. So when I'm on the read and these MP3s are inside, I need to delete them and re-encode the CDs when I get back. Yes, deleteing function IS 'music related', comparing to Contacts and calendar. I mean why the hell would someone want sub-standard PDA functions when almost 3/4 of the population over here has PDAs already. Even my REX6000 is a way better PDA.
I rather the programmers use that extra time and effort to make better functions rather that creating not related programs on the device. I'm buying an MP3 player not a Sub-standard PDA or gameboy!
Doesn't mean that You rarely use the search function means that OTHERS do not too. I use that function and I find it useful. Imagine you have tons of playlist and you need to scroll the Wheel more than 10 times to get to the bottom.
What smart playlist you talking about? The only smart playlist I know is in iTunes. Nothing in the device to do any of that.
I'm neither bashing the iPod nor the Zen NX too. I still love my iPod. I'm just suggesting that the iPod should have functions comparable to the Zen NX's.
I don't have a PDA, I use the contacts and calanders daily...as for smartlists, you can create a smartlist of all say..rock songs with a rating of 3 or higher...if you change the rating of one of the songs in that list, to less then 3, it will be removed from the list, or, if you change the rating of a rock song that is not in the list to 3 or greater, it will be added to the list.
As for the search function, sure it's got it's uses...but I don't see it being a big deal...I can still find a song on my iPod faster then I could on my zen...search function or no search function. The LAST thing I want them to do is make the iPod menu system similar to the Zen's...I hated having to click an artist...click open...click an album...click open...can't say I miss having to do all that redundant clicking one bit.
Spoonman at 2007-11-15 18:15:41 >
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