Creative Zen X-Fi

[Freakster]

 

http://gr.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=17811&nav=0&listby=

 

 

Το καινούριο mp3 της Creative, με wifi και im δυνατότητες, wireless streaming απο το πισι, ειδικά χαρακτηριστικά για ενίσχυση του ήχου x-fi expand και x-fi crystalizer και συνοδεύεται απο ένα καλύτερο (υποτίθεται, ίδωμεν) software που θα κάνει τα πάντα απο convert dvd ripping, music management. Τα πολλά πλήκτρα που βλέπετε δεξιά είναι στην ουσία ένα dpad 8 κατευθύνσεων με κεντρικό πλήκτρο, αλλα και θα χρησιμεύει για πληκτρολόγηση.

 

 

Φαίνεται καλό! τα ακουστικά που βλέπετε θα είναι στανταρ στη συσκευασία, τα καινούρια ep-830. Έχοντας μείνει πλήρως ικανοποιημένος απο το Zen μου σίγουρα θα το κοιτάξω και αυτό με μεγάλη προσοχή.

 

Ακολουθεί το άρθρο απο το site που το ανακάλυψε πρώτο.

 

p.s. Προσοχή μόνο η έκδοση των 16 και 32 gb έχουν wi-fi δέκτη.

 

Εδώ μια gallery με φωτογραφίες http://gr.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=17811&nav=artwork&ucmsid=true&listby=

 

και εδώ ένα 360 demo http://gr.europe.creative.com/products/includes/flashpop.asp?prod=17811

 

[Freakster]

Exclusive: The ZEN X-Fi revealed!

Since we opened in 2006, we've been the first place to leak just about every player that Creative has released. We first told you about the ZEN X-Fi a few months back, and now I might have an actual photo of it. So without further delay, I present to you the Creative ZEN X-Fi:

 

Is it real? Of course I can't confirm that right now, but it was sent to me by the same source who first told me about this player (and the Zen Share). The look of the player is fairly similar to how it was described as earlier. It was said to be similar to the original ZEN in design and with a "silver backing", which we can see is really chrome. The chrome edges does give the player an iPhone-esque look, which I'm sure was intentional.

 

The ZEN X-Fi has the same control layout as the original, but adds 4 buttons along the edges of the D-pad. The SD-card slot is also located on the bottom this time (actually it's not! read below). I don't have any other specifications for this player, but I hope to get that information soon. As usual, everything posted here is a rumor, and will remain so until Creative confirms it. I want to know what everyone thinks about this device. I personally think it looks classy, but for some reason it just doesn't look "real" to me. We'll make sure to update you when we find out more.

 

Update: Creative confirms the Zen X-Fi, Plus features revealed

 

Well that was quick. A few hours after I revealed the image above, one of our members searched Creative's site and found official confirmation of the ZEN X-Fi. It comes in the form of a "ZEN X-Fi Starter pack" which is chock full of information about Creative's new player. So here we go.

 

From the user guide, we know the following:

 

The picture above is the real deal:

 

 

(Click image to see what those numbers correspond to)

 

 

That slot at the bottom that I thought was a SD-card slot is actually a built-in speaker! The SD-card slot is still at the top. The power switch as you can see is located on the back of the player Like the original ZEN, the X-Fi will have an FM tuner and Voice recording.

 

WiFi is built-in - WiFi will be used for

 

 

 

a.) Instant messaging. You can set up an account with Creative that will allow you to chat with contacts from Yahoo! Messenger and Microsoft Live! (aka MSN Messenger). The 9 buttons in the picture above will be used for typing, similar to the way you'd use a cell phone for texting.

 

b,) Wireless Streaming. You have the ability to connect to Creative's "Public Media Server" or to your home server to play or download files directly on the player.

 

There are two X-Fi settings:

 

Turning X-Fi on and off appears to be menu based. There are two options: X-Fi Crystalizer, and X-Fi Expand. Here's the official explanation for both: X-Fi Crystalizer intelligently restores details that were lost during compression of audio files. It makes audio richer and clearer, delivering sound that is closer to the original quality.

 

On the other hand, X-Fi Expand gives audio a realistic and natural feel. It moves the sound away from your ears and repositions it in front of you - as if listening to a live performance on stage. X-Fi Expand works best with your earphones or headphones.

 

Creative Centrale - A better software solution

 

 

 

Creative has created a new all-in-one program called "Centrale". It looks and performs much better than its predecessors from my little time with it. It supports your music, videos, and photos and even appears to have options for DVD ripping.

 

Do all players have Wi-Fi?

 

 

 

One interesting tidbit was found when checking out the Wi-Fi section of the user guide. At the top it states: "This section applies to ZEN X-Fi players with wireless LAN features.". That seems to imply that there are some models that will not have WiFi built-in. Considering Creative is known for making multiple versions of the same player (e.g. Zen V and V Plus), this wouldn't be a surprise. In fact, that's likely the reason the player is named the ZEN X-Fi and not the Share, nor the WiFi.

 

 

I'm so happy to see all this information confirmed so quickly. That's a good sign that this player is ready to be shipped. I have a good feeling Creative will officially announce the player within the next month or so.

 

The ZEN X-Fi appears to be quite feature-packed, but I'm not sure it's the features that people actually want. Chatting is nice, but this player isn't the most practical for it. Cell phones are perfectly fine for that. I am glad to finally have X-Fi on the go. It's been years since we were promised an X-Fi player, and now that time has come. Hopefully it doesn't kill our battery life.

 

There's still plenty more to learn about this player, and we'll have that info for you as soon as we get it.

 

 

LINK (via Our Forums)

 

Thanks brahmasoccer09 and Varuna!

 

Update 2: More info in two days

epizenter.net

 

Αντε να μαθουμε μεγεθος οθονης..

[N.I.C]

Χμμμ.... καλό φαίνεται... και ενδιαφερόμουν για MP3 αυτόν τον καιρό... φίλε Freakster να μας κρατάς ενήμερους!

[Freakster]

Ααα νατο 2.5 ίντσες οθόνη.. Μπορούσε και καλύτερα.. τεσπά!

 

So here we have it: The Creative Zen X-Fi. Officially announced by Creative in Singapore, the X-Fi is what we expected: a Wi-Fi-capable player with Yahoo and MSN instant-messaging clients, 2.5-inch LCD, onboard speaker, SD/SDHC expansion, FM radio, voice recorder, and 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB flavors for the taking. In surprise territory we have a bundled pair of nice EP-830 earbuds and Creative's X-Fi Crystalizer technology. If that weren't enough, Creative spiced up the X-Fi's launch with limited-edition Red Cliff editions (pictured above). Along with the player's launch, Creative announced several accessories, including the TravelSound Zen X-Fi Docking Speaker System, Armband, Silicone case, and leather case.Still no word when we'll get our hands on the X-Fi here, but Singapore prices come in at S$229 ($145US), S$329 ($209US), and S$399 ($254US) for the various models.

 

[Thanks, yutaka]

απο engadget

[Freakster]

Καταιγισμός απο post, αλλά τι να κάνουμε, βγήκε ως και το πρώτο review!

 

http://nothingbutcreative.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/creative-zen-x-fi-review-part-1/

 

 

έχει πολλές φώτο!

Creative ZEN X-Fi review Part 1

Rumours of a Creative X-Fi player have been floating around since the middle of last year. But at every financial conference, Creative repeatedly delayed the release of the X-Fi player due to technical difficulties. The powerful X-Fi chip was simply too battery consuming to be placed into a portable device. While the engineers were coming up with a solution for this problem, Creative itself was under going a turbulent period of mid-life crisis. After several quarters of less-than-stellar financial results, Creative has been taking measures to cut cost, increase itʼs profit margin and return to profitability. This included laying off workers, delisting from NASDAQ, closing down unprofitable subsidiaries, selling off a factory in Malaysia and - God bless our souls - putting up its headquarter in Singapore for sale.

As a long time supporter of the company, I prefer to see these actions as simply means to reinvent itself to stay relevant and more importantly, alive. Afterall, the PDE industry is a highly competitive one that is dominated by one major player. Appleʼs iPod is still the number one selling player after all these years and efforts by other companies (way larger than Creative in every aspect) like Sony, Microsoft and Samsung to dethrone it have been unsuccessful. Therefore, Creative is not without its merit. Over the years, Iʼm glad that Creative has gotten off the high horse and eat the humble pie. From the days of annoucing a USD$100 million dollar advertising campaign to upset iPod till today where it is part of Appleʼs Made For iPod programme, it is no doubt that Creative has came a long way. It revamped its websites, improved its product design, increased its advertising expenditure (and expand its retail outlets along the way), it seems like Creative has indeed been getting its act together.

Could the ZEN X-Fi be the product that bring Creative back to its glorious days? Letʼs find out.

Creative ZEN X-Fi - The Sound of Perfection

The Creative ZEN X-Fi comes in one colour, three capacity (8GB, 16GB and 32GB) and in typical Creative fashion - two versions: one with Wireless Lan (the 16Gb and 32GB ones) and one without (8GB). I wonʼt exactly call the ZEN X-Fi a new player but rather a upgrade of the original ZEN. This upgrade consisit of an X-Fi enhancer, Wireless Lan, inbuilt speaker and six new buttons.

Other features of the ZEN X-Fi includes:

Capacity: 8, 16, and 32GB with SD expansion slot

Display: 2.5″ with 16.7 million colors and 320 x 240 resolution

Audio: MP3, WMA, AAC (unprotected), WAV, and Audible

Video: WMV, MPEG4-SP, Divx 4/5, Xvid, and MJPEG

Built-in X-Fi technology with two effects

Built-in Wi-Fi for instant messaging (Yahoo! and Windows Live!) and wireless streaming

FM Tuner and Voice Recorder

Built-in Speaker

Premium quality earphones included

Battery Life: 36 hours for Audio, 5 hours for Video

Dimensions: 83mm x 55mm x 12.8mm

Unboxing of the ZEN X-Fi

The first impression I had of the packaging of the ZEN X-Fi was: “Wow!” Thanks to its new acrylic box packaging, the ZEN X-Fi does has this sohphisicated and minimalistic look that induced a wow-factor.

Package Contents

Creative ZEN X-Fi

EP-830 in-ear earphones with 2 pairs of earbuds

Mini-CD Software Installation

Quick start leaflet

Wireless function quick guide

Cross-sell leaflet(s)

USB 2.0 cable

Form Factor

As Creative have previously announced, it will no longer be manufacturing HDD player. This might upset many as I myself would have loved to see a 160GB ZEN. Creative cited reasons like falling flash prices, slimmer form factor and overall a more stable part (flash has got no moving parts, unlike HDD) for its decision to go flash. Therefore, like the ZEN, the ZEN X-Fi is credit card size and a little thicker than the ZEN (12.8mm v.s 11.3mm).

The ZEN X-Fi has got a very sturdy feel to it. For the ZEN, I felt that it was too light and plastic-ky that makes it looks toy-like. However, the ZEN X-Fi is a bit heavier (in a good way) at 68.75g compared to the ZENʼs 65g, has a sleek metallic silver rim around the player and a silver chrome backing. No ripples at the back this time but overall, the player feels really good in the hand.

One new feature of the ZEN X-Fi is the Wireless Lan. It enables you to chat on MSN and Yahoo! Messenger and also stream content over your home server. In replacement of the five-way tactile pad is 9 small round buttons. It works the way you text on your hand phone (Number 2 button represents “a”, “b” and “c”) for the instant messaging function while during normal player usage, the buttons 2, 4, 6 & 8 represents your up, left, right and down respectively. Itʼs rather idiot proof and you will get a hand of it instantly. However, the buttons might be too small for instant messaging, but more on that later.

Creative have been pretty obsessed with built-in speakers recently (ZEN Wav, ZEN Stone Plus with built-in speaker) therefore, it makes perfect sense (to them) to incorporate one into its latest flagship player. Unlike the ZEN Stone Plus where the speakers are at the back of the player, it seems more logical for the speaker to be placed below the player, actually it would be more logical if itʼs in front but i guess no one wants another ZEN Wav disaster here. The speaker is reasonable decent, afterall itʼs a good to have and not really a feature.

Someone asked if the TravelSound ZEN X-Fi can also accomodate the ZEN. Personally, i think the answer is no. Although the 3.5mm jack of both the ZEN X-Fi and ZEN is placed at the same position, the USB port is not. Therefore if the ZEN X-Fi can charge while it is docked, obviously it canʼt dock the ZEN as the USB would be sticking out.

The power button is now placed at the back of the player. While the re-set button is on the side. I think itʼs god sent that the reset button is no longer so deep into the hole like it is on the ZEN. If your player hangs, you simply need a pointed object to reset it. For other players like the ZEN V Plus, Stone, you really need a needle for that. Above the headphone jack is the power LED light which shows green when itʼs on, orange when its charging and red when itʼs battery is low.

Same as the ZEN - is the SD Slot and Mic.

ZEN X-Fi V.S ZEN

EP-830 premium in-ear earphones

The EP-830 is Creativeʼs latest mid-range in-ear earphones. It is the predecessor of the highly popular EP-630. I have both the 630 and 830 and although the specs for both earphones are similar, I feel that the bass of the 830 is better. And because the 830 is longer than the 630, it gives a better fit in the ear as my 630 often drop out of my ear because itʼs simply … too small. This is the first time Creative is bundling a premium pair of earphones for itʼs player. And for the price, it does make it an attractive price to pay for the ZEN X-Fi. X-Fi + Premium in-ear earphones? I think some audiophile just died and went to heaven.

[Part 2 of the review will be up soon. Thanks for the patience. Do leave a comment if you have any questions! =)]

 

 

p.s. θα έχει και part 2 όπως λέει.

[FarCry]

Εδω ειναι το δευτερο μερος. update your bookmarks

 

http://nothingbutcreative.blogspot.com/2008/07/creative-zen-x-fi-review-part-2.html

 

X-Fi Crystalizer intelligently restores details that were lost during compression of audio files.

 

αυτο δεν ισχυει. ειναι σαν της nvidia: the way its meant to be played

[Freakster]

I can't keep up with 6a.m.! Will beat you at part 3!

 

Ότι και να λέει ο τύπος για τα πλεονεκτήαματα του crystalizer, πρέπει να το ακούσω για να το πιστέψω..!

[sapphire]

Εξαιρετικό μου φαίνεται, κι αν τα ακουστικά είναι πραγματικά ο διάδοχος των EP-630, τότε θα έχει και άριστη ποιότητα ήχου!

[FarCry]

Εξαιρετικό μου φαίνεται, κι αν τα ακουστικά είναι πραγματικά ο διάδοχος των EP-630, τότε θα έχει και άριστη ποιότητα ήχου!

 

 

τα ακουστικα ειναι ο διαδοχος των 630. οπως ειναι τα CX400. μη φανταστεις κατι διαφορετικο

 

EP630 ~ CX300

EP830 ~ CX400 ~ CX500.

[Freakster]

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

 

Creative ZEN X-Fi questions

 

 

 

Qns: Can we surf the web with the ZEN X-Fi?

Ans: No, there's no in-built browser on the ZEN X-Fi. Furthermore, it would be technically impossible to surf the web on the ZEN X-Fi looking at its navigating controls. Although a worker at the Creative store told me it might be possible soon with a firmware upgrade, I believe he doesn't know what he's talking about.

 

Qns: How much space does the ZEN X-Fi comes with?

Ans: 30.637GB although mine is a 32GB version. Should I sue?

 

Qns: Is there really an X-Fi chip in the ZEN X-Fi?

Ans: Creative has never claimed that there's an X-Fi chip in the player and I believe there isn't. As explained below, i think they used a software to emulate the effects of the X-Fi, which worked pretty well IMO.

 

Qns: Is the ZEN X-Fi louder than the ZEN?

Ans: In my opinion, i think and feel it is

 

Qns: Does the ZEN X-Fi have SD integration?

Ans: Do pigs fly?

 

Qns: Does the player turn off its speaker when you plug in your earphones?

Ans: Yes. And it automatically turns on the speaker when you plug out the earphones. Best of all, it remembers the volume when you're using the earphones and when you're using your speaker. You can also set your shortcut button to ON/OFF speaker.

 

Qns: Is the back shell of the X-Fi actually made of metal, or is it just plastic with a shiny paint job?

Ans: It is plastic with a shiny paint job.

 

Qns: I guess the ZEN X-Fi has the "Extras > Removable Disk" option.. like the Zen right?

Ans: Nope. However, it does act as a MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) removable disk and also as an SD card reader.

 

Qns: Do you need to install software in order to put music/vids? or is just apears as an external hd?

Ans: The ZEN X-Fi is a MTP device therefore it will appear as an external hard disk. You are able to transfer music, photos (although you cannot automatically re size them as you transfer) and video (it will accept all video, however, if the format is incompatible, it also cannot be played on the ZEN X-Fi). Thus, the installation of Creative Centrale is recommended.

 

Qns: Youve tried the Xmod, and so have I.. now youve tried the Zen X-Fi.. Is the Zen X-Fi as good as the Xmod ?

Ans: No, the ZEN X-Fi, to me, don't sound as good as the Xmod. Mainly is because with the Xmod, you can control the degree of effect the Crystalizer have on your music while the X-Fi only has ON & MAX.

 

Qns: Just being sure, X-Fi expand.. same as CMSS 3D rite?

Ans: If the X-Fi expand is the same as CMSS 3D, couldn't they just call it "CMSS 3D"? According to the website: X-Fi CMSS-3D "expands music from your headphones outwards, so that it sounds like you're surrounded by multiple virtual speakers." while the X-Fi Expand "intelligently moves a conventional left/right earphone stereo source away from your ears, virtually expanding it for an audio experience with a breathtakingly realistic depth of field."

 

Qns: I would like to know if the ZEN X-Fi wireless lan needs an open network or you can use keys, like the WEP ?

Ans: You can use the wireless function of the ZEN X-Fi on both open and secured network (provided you have the WEP for it).

 

Qns: I have been using iPods and would like to get the player, but was thinking of adding a 16GB card into it, and was wondering how it would affect me if there were no SD card integration.

Ans: The ZEN X-Fi has no SD Card integration. Which means the files on your SD card will not appear in your main library. To access the songs/photos/videos on your SD card, you have to access it in a separate menu. It's just really inconvinient. But do keep in mind that you are able to download the files onto your ZEN X-Fi. So if you want to use the ZEN X-Fi as a storage device for your photos while travelling, it's good enough.

 

Qns: Kingone, do you think you could compare the sound quality of the Zen X-Fi to another well known DAP? For e.g. the Rio Karma or the newer iPod Classic perhaps? That would be much appreciated!

Ans: Sure. I do not have or know anyone who has a Rio Karma, so i shall compare it with the ipod. Without the X-Fi on, the sound of the ZEN X-Fi sound alittle louder and richer than the iPod. But with the X-Fi on, your bass is so much deeper and the vocals are much clearer. Ok, I might not be very professional sounding here, but all i can tell you is that, with the X-Fi on, the difference is much bigger.

 

Qns: Can you please explain how easy or difficult is to use the messenger via Wi-fi on the Zen X-Fi, I will really apreciate your answer thanks -

Ans: It's rather difficult to really chat on the ZEN X-Fi, considering the small buttons and the lack of a T9 dictionary that we are already so familiar with. Nevertheless, it is a good to have function that porvides you a quick and easy way to communicate with your friends.

 

Qns: I wud want to know if the zen is able to read the SD card well enough. Unlike the previous zen. Also cud u tell me if the body is scratch resistant? - Peter

Ans: The SD function on the ZEN X-Fi is almost the same as the ZEN. The back of the palyer is rather scratch resistant. However, because the front of the player is made up of glossy hard plastic, you might want to protect it with a silicon skin or a 2.5" screen protector.

 

Qns: Would also like to know if the SD card is truly integrated this time. This is what drove me to return my creative zen … it was very annoying not to have it integrated. Additionally - can it read video files that are encoded at resolutions greater then 320×240? Having to recode video was also very annoying on the original zen. I suspect this is still the case on teh X-Fil but hoping it is not. Finally - I can it listen to streamed files over WiFi from any Upnp server or does it have to be creativeʼs server?? - David

Ans: No, the SD card is not integrated. No, you have to recode your video to 320x240 to make it playable on the ZEN X-Fi. Yes, you can stream files from any Upnp server.

 

Qns: Anybody know if itʼs possible to plug the device to the TV using a cable or somehow ? - Evans

Ans: No, the ZEN X-Fi does not support Video Out, unlike the ZEN Vision series of players.

 

Qns: How did you get the input to work like a phone? I tried instant messaging with it and I had to navigate using using the arrow keys to the corresponding keypad. - Optimus Prime

Ans: In the chat screen, click on the option button. Once the drop down menu is out, choose text input > keyboard input.

 

Qns: I love creative Players! Im glad they incorporated WiFi into this one, but they could add a simple text browser or a text and image/html/css web browser and maybe youtube support. that would be awesome. - James

Ans: Haha, me hope so too. Let's hope Creative read this blog and see your request!

 

Qns: Does it get TV out from the headphone jack as old ipods and zune do? - Leo

Ans: Nope it doesn't.

 

Qns: I would want to know if you can replace the battery easily.. unlike creative zen M or ipod - Shashank

Ans: No, you can' replace the battery for the ZEN X-Fi.

 

Posted by kingone at 12:12 PM 8 comments Links to this post

Labels: ZEN X-Fi

 

 

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

 

ZEN X-Fi Review Part 3

 

ZEN X-Fi Wireless Lan

Besides the X-Fi, the other selling point of the ZEN X-Fi is its Wireless Lan (Wi-Fi) function. The Wi-Fi function here has two main capabilites. One is to stream/download media content wirelessly from your PC or to your ZEN X-Fi. The other is to chat with your friends via MSN or Yahoo! Messenger. The player's WiFi operates on the widely used 802.11b and 802.11g protocols. And it works on both secured (encryption key needed) and unsercured network. Once you successfully connect to a particular network (e.g your home network), you can save it as a (up to 10) preferred network, so that you do not have to manually key in your username and password every single time you connect.

 

 

Secured Home Network - Connecting to your home wireless network is effortless. Once you enter the player's ONLINE menu and select MEDIA SERVER, it will automatically display all detected network. Choose the one that is yours and key in your username and password and you're ready to go.

 

 

Public Unsecured Network - If you're using the free wireless at cafes or shopping mall, repeat the above steps, the only difference is that this time, there might be many more network detected.

 

 

 

 

 

Streaming/Downloading Media Content to your ZEN X-Fi

I must admit this is one of the coolest function with the ZEN X-Fi. Because with the X-Fi, you still have to explain to your friend what the hell is xtreme fidelity and how it restores the blah,blah,blah. But once you tell them your ZEN X-Fi is able to stream your porn from your PC to say the toilet, suddenly they will all look up to you with new foudn respect.

 

 

Ok, I digress. Once you sync your ZEN X-Fi to your PC using the Creative Centrale, you are able to view (no lag) and download music, photos and video to your player. However, it will not stream ALL your videos, below is the recommended video formats for wireless streaming:

Besides your own media files, you're also able to access the Creative Mediabox. Basically, the Mediabox is like a mini ZENcast.com where you can stream podcast from many different channels in categories like "Comedy", "Education", "Envirnonment" etc. You can access this anywhere with Wi-Fi connection. However, you can't download, rewind or fastforward the podcast.

 

Below is a video demo of the ZEN X-Fi's ability to stream/download music, photos and videos from your computer to your ZEN X-Fi:

 

 

 

MSN / Yahoo! Chat on the ZEN X-Fi

To chat on MSN or Yahoo! on the ZEN X-Fi, you have to firstly register for an ZEN X-Fi Chat Account with Creative. The account will act like a gateway for your MSN or Yahoo!, so instead of the chatting interface that we are already very familiar with when using these chat services on our PC, the ZEN X-Fi's chat interface is quite different.

 

You can't choose a display picture for your ZEN X-Fi chat (though you can see your friend's one). However, you can create your own avatar:

 

Chatting on MSN:

 

 

 

There are two types of text input on the ZEN X-Fi: the keyboard input and the circular keyboard. Personally I like the keyboard input more as it acts almost like your handphone. The circular keyboard is more difficult to use but some might like the uniqueness of it. However I would like to stress that chatting on the ZEN X-Fi really isn't that easy as the buttons are really small and it doesn't have the T9 dictionary that we are all so familiar with. And also, while chatting, you will not be able to play songs at the same time.

 

 

 

Below is a video demo of how the ZEN X-Fi chat works:

 

 

 

Creative Centrale

Another change with the ZEN X-Fi comes in the form of its software. Unlike previous players which comes with its respective software (ZEN V Plus would have its ZEN V Plus explorer etc), the Creative Centrale is set to be the default software for all past and future Creative players. It allows you to edit the tag information, add album art, rip CDs and organise your music. The best thing about Creative Centrale is that it allows you to rip unprotected DVDs.

 

Personally, I find ripping DVD a chore even with the iRiverter. Therefore, I wasn't having high hopes when I heard that Creative have included a DVD ripper with the Centrale. But after toying around abit with the ripper and ripping a couple of DVDs, I do find that it does a pretty decent job although there's still much room for improvement.

 

 

Once you insert your DVD into your computer, you will be prompted to "Rip DVD with Creative Centrale". I took 28 minutes to rip a 1 hour and 51 minutes DVD. All videos will be ripped into .mpg with the resolution of 720 x 480. One major problem with Creative is that its software is not compatible with its hardware and clearly, it hasn't learnt from its mistake. Videos taken on the Creative Vado (.avi format) is not compatible on both the ZEN and the ZEN X-Fi. Neither are videos ripped using the Centrale. Instead, after ripping your DVD to .mpg, you have to convert the file (which is usually above 4GB) to .wmv to be able to transfer to the ZEN X-Fi which takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r. What I did to overcome this problem is to use the Creative Video Convertor to convert the file to .wmv which took me about 2 hours. Also, you are unable to select the resolution of the video nor subtitles for the video. Hopefully, a software update will provide an improvement in this area.

 

 

SD Slot

There are many media players in the market that supports SD intergartion, sadly, not the ZEN X-Fi. This means that files on your SD card are not accessible in the ZEN X-Fi's main library. Instead to view the files on the SD card, you have to enter a separate menu. This has dissapoint many as many of the original ZEN users have feedback that they wanted SD integration. The SD feature on the ZEN X-Fi is almost similar to the ZEN, except that it allows the ZEN X-Fi to act as an SD card reader.

 

 

Accessories

The ZEN X-Fi is available in 8GB (no Wi-Fi), 16Gb & 32GB (Wi-Fi) versions. In terms of accessories, there's the armband, leather case, silicone skin, screen protector and the Travelsound ZEN X-Fi. For me, I chose the silicone skin and the ZEN screen protector for my ZEN X-Fi.

 

Last Words

The ZEN X-Fi is no doubt Creative's best sounding player to date. The X-Fi feature does dramatically enhance your music quality. It's form factor is very much like the ZEN. However, we're impressed at how they managed to squeeze in a speaker, Wi-Fi chip, X-Fi enhancer and yet deliver a longer battery life. The Wi-Fi function on the player isn't perfect but we guess it's a rather good to have. However, we do hope that Creative would improve on the chat function of the player (T9 dictionary maybe?) and also integrate the SD slot with the player's library. It isn't an impossible task as many of the other players in the market already has such a function. Maybe as we listen to Creative's Sound of Prefection on the ZEN X-Fi, Creative should Listen Up, to what it's consumer really wants from them.

 

 

[Read Part 1 and part 2 of the ZEN X-Fi review]

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.nothingbutcreative.blogspot.com/

[soturin]

μόλις πήρα το zen και τώρα βλέπω αυτά τα πράγματα, α ρε τρελαμένη creative

[Freakster]

Εαν δεν χρειάζεσαι το wifi.. Δε νομίζω να χάνεις τίποτα. Δεν το θεωρώ και τόσο μεγάλο το upgrade που έκαναν. Καλύτερα να το έλεγαν zen 1.5 ξερω γω. Wifi και ένα sound effect. Meh, μπορούσαν καλύτερα, με μια widescreen μεγαλύτερη οθόνη τουλάχιστον, λεπτότερο και full sd integration.

[soturin]

δεν το λέω ότι έχασα ευκαιρία, απλα επειδή ως πριν λίγο καιρό δεν είχα ασχοληθεί να δω τι κυκλοφορεί σε αυτά, η creative είναι σαφώς μπροστά.

[Nauseas]

Γεια χαρά και απο μένα

Γνωρίζει κάποιος εάν στην έκδοση των 8Gb δίνουν στο πακέτο το ζευγάρι ακουστικών EP-830 ?

 

Το ρωτάω διότι:

1)τα ακουστικά μόνα τους κάνουν καμια 40?

2) παρόλο που στο επίσημο site της creative καθώς και στο pixmania αναφέρεται οτι στα 8Gb δίνεται και το παραπάνω ζευγάρι ακουστικών, στο review απο το cnet αναφέρεται οτι αυτό ισχύει μόνο για τις εκδόσεις 16 και 32 Gb

 

Γνωρίζει κάποιος κάτι παραπάνω?

[FarCry]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-70-PF2420-00-1F/dp/tech-data/B001C9RY34/ref=de_a_smtd

 

Premium quality Creative EP-830 headphone supplied