60GB, $399 nomad Zen.

marloe · April 30, 2003 5:14PM

http://www.americas.creative.com/cor...D=334&nav=2003

seems that after the release of the new 30 GB iPod, Creative Nomad has released one with more storage(60), Fm, radio, etc....competition???(they even mention it in this article)

I dunno...it's a bit heavier, 250 grams and not as cool looking...but it is usb2/firewire, etc..

709 · April 30, 2003 5:15PM

Moving in 3....2.....

luca · April 30, 2003 5:36PM

I read a review of it... this was when it was $299 for a 20 GB version vs. $299 for a 5 GB iPod or $499 for a 20 GB iPod. The reviewer said that if you're only concerned with storing music, you may as well get the Zen, but it's not nearly as good (or as small). I've seen one in person - it's kinda cool, looks pretty scratch-resistant. But I think it would be tough to fit it in your pocket. And it requires proprietary software to connect it to a computer, you can't just hook it up and use it like an external hard drive like the iPod, you have to install the software first.

I guess it makes sense if you're on a budget AND you have more music than an iPod could hold. If I had 40 GB... I'd get a Zen. But I only have about 6 GB of music so a 10 or 15 GB iPod (maybe 15 GB just for the extra stuff you get, and it'll give me more overflow storage) would be better for me. Same price, less storage - but a much nicer user experience.

mcq · April 30, 2003 5:41PM

Hm... how many people have 16,000 mp3's? Just curious. I suspect the answer is no one (or maybe 1 or 2).

cygsid · April 30, 2003 5:50PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MCQ

Hm... how many people have 16,000 mp3's? Just curious. I suspect the answer is no one (or maybe 1 or 2).

so? what's your point?

Bill Gates once infamously said that no one would ever need more than 128 KBytes of RAM (or was it 256 KBytes)....

bioflavonoid · April 30, 2003 6:12PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cygsid

so? what's your point?

Bill Gates once infamously said that no one would ever need more than 128 KBytes of RAM (or was it 256 KBytes)....

Well, I partly agree - but, that's completely different because in terms of the way people encode mp3's right now, not too many people have 60 GBs of music. Also, Bill was speaking about the future market, and this is the current market.

marloe · April 30, 2003 6:20PM

60 GB of music is toooo much...i agree, although i know a ton of ppl with 15-20 GB of music, and like the ability to store their favorite other DATA files on the Portable devices..videos, work files, programs, etc

amorph · April 30, 2003 6:45PM

This is not future Apple hardware, so I'll punt it over to Digital Hub.

luca · April 30, 2003 6:47PM

I believe Gates said that 640 kbytes would be enough.

jared · April 30, 2003 7:35PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MCQ

Hm... how many people have 16,000 mp3's? Just curious. I suspect the answer is no one (or maybe 1 or 2).

I have exactly 119 GBs of music

luca · April 30, 2003 7:37PM

Do you just copy CDs straight to your computer or something?

jared · April 30, 2003 7:43PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Luca Rescigno

Do you just copy CDs straight to your computer or something?

Yes. I even have vinyl record copies of CDs I have...but I do not play either...just the stuff on my computer (except records that I do not have the CD of).

cygsid · April 30, 2003 8:56PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bioflavonoid

Well, I partly agree - but, that's completely different because in terms of the way people encode mp3's right now, not too many people have 60 GBs of music. Also, Bill was speaking about the future market, and this is the current market.

60 GB might or might not be too much for just storing music, but that's beside the point of this thread. To me that sounded like an attempt to dismiss the Zen based on a blanket statement about people's supposed needs or lack thereof. The fact is the Zen offers twice the capacity of the most spacious iPod at 3/4 of the price. I am not saying that that makes the Zen a better proposition than the iPod. I am just saying attacking it on the grounds that nobody needs 60 GB of space for music is a misguided argument.

sully · April 30, 2003 9:23PM

i have 15gigs of mp3s

matsu · April 30, 2003 9:56PM

Can the zen function as a portable HDD? If it can, then to me, it's as good as an iPod, even better because the 2.5" drive should make for better HDD performance. But does it? If not, then that extra capacity is just too clumsy to use, forget it.

bunge · April 30, 2003 10:18PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Matsu

...even better because the 2.5" drive should make for better HDD performance.

That is unless the performance you're talking about is battery performance....

luca · April 30, 2003 10:54PM

I just checked Creative Labs' website - they don't have Mac drivers for the Zen. According to a TechTV review written in December of 2002, they were apparently working on them but they're not out yet. It requires two different pieces of software to move regular data and music over to the device, which is a big hit in my book. And the fact that it doesn't support Macs yet, and they may never support them, I don't think it's a viable choice for anyone here. Even if it did, it would be very clunky to have to use special software for it.

gardnerj · May 1, 2003 3:38AM

when are mp3 player manufacturers going to introduce interchangable disks for this sort of thing. Disk technology is moving so fast we should just be able to buy a bigger disk when is becomes available and plug it in. Goes for laptop, tivos etc to.

eugene · May 1, 2003 5:22AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gardnerj

when are mp3 player manufacturers going to introduce interchangable disks for this sort of thing. Disk technology is moving so fast we should just be able to buy a bigger disk when is becomes available and plug it in. Goes for laptop, tivos etc to.

Answer 1: They want you to buy new hardware.

Answer 2: Added complexity leads to added cost and reliability issues.

Answer 3: With compression getting better and HDDs rapidly getting more spacious, is there really a need?

matsu · May 1, 2003 7:13AM

There might be, a small cheap [fast] interchangeable disc could be a boon to mobile device makers, provided everyone from PDA, cell phone and camera makers gets on board. Dataplay looked like an interesting idea, but to really fly, such tech would need more storage, be cheap, as in no more than a dollar a disc (like blank CD's) and provide at least 1gb or RE-writeable storage. Should't be any larger than about 1.5" either.

By that time, HDD and compact flash may be so cheap that the need disappears. Ther is some work on a 1" blue laser disc that holds 1GB, but it may com along too late to matter. CF cards are still massively expensive, but since they're also emminently re-useable, it ain't so bad. Mini-HDD's (CF and 1.8" size) are going up in storage capacity all the time, but perhaps a few durability issues still prevade their all out production and use? The shock rating for many of the 1.8" drives seems to be very high, mebbe the decrease in mass, while making the parts more delicate, also reduces inertia, and the overall package, if sealed up correctly, less prone to mechanical failure do dropping. The surface of the platters themselves will only get more delicate, but this is true of all drives.

I wouldn't say that there's no need for a common media format, there is, but by the time any of them are potentially done, there may not be any more.

rickag · May 1, 2003 10:16AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gardnerj

when are mp3 player manufacturers going to introduce interchangable disks for this sort of thing. Disk technology is moving so fast we should just be able to buy a bigger disk when is becomes available and plug it in. Goes for laptop, tivos etc to.

Hmmmm, the ipod is firewire, right? How hard would it be for Apple to add the capability(re: drivers??) to connect 2 or more together and interface with both? Not exactly interchangable disks, but close enough maybe??? Wonder what software Apple has developed in-house for the ipod???

60GB, $399 nomad Zen.

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