Creative ZEN Stone Review

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Our partner Digital Trends reviews the Creative ZEN Stone DAP.

Quote from the review:
"What does $40 USD get you in today’s consumer electronics world? How about a decent USB flash drive? How about a cheap portable DVD player? While neither may interest you all that much, Creative is betting their recently released Zen Stone portable audio player will grab your eye and wallet. Read more

Posted on Mon, 4 Jun 2007 09:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Zen V Plus Review

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The Tech Lounge reviews the Creative Zen V Plus mp3 player.

Quote from the review:
"When compared to the iPod shuffle the Zen already has twice the capacity at a price that is nearly identical. We’re not doing a head-to-head comparison between the two products, but it is interesting to see how much of a price premium you pay for an Apple branded product just in terms of capacity, not to mention the many features the Zen V Plus can boast of as well. Read more

Posted on Fri, 11 May 2007 08:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Zen Stone

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Creative announced today the new iPod shuffle competitor Zen Stone.

The Creative Zen Stone is a tiny 1GB mp3 player without display. On 1GB storage you can carry about 250 songs. The Stone supports of course random play and has an acceptable battery life of 10 hours. It plays WMA and MP3. No DRM support. Read more

Posted on Thu, 3 May 2007 08:10:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative introduces World's First 2MP Auto Focus Webcam

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Creative introduced the Creative Live! Cam Optia AF webcam, the world's first webcam to offer auto focus technology and a true 2.0 megapixel CMOS sensor.

The new Creative Live! Cam Optia AF captures video at true 2.0 megapixel resolution and still images up to 8.0 megapixel interpolated resolution.
With the automatic focusing technology, the Creative Live! Cam Optia AF has its lens refocus upon detecting any movement of the subject, ensuring that focus is always spot-on and images stay sharp.
Like the new Sony Playstation Eye, the Cam Optia AF also features a noise-canceling microphone. Read more

Posted on Fri, 27 Apr 2007 06:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Aurvana DJ Headphones

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Creative announced today the cool and stylish Aurvana DJ Headphones.

The Creative Aurvana DJ Headphones feature brushed metal and diamond-cut finishing and designed for ultra-comfort high-grade acoustic performance.
The powerful but lightweight Neodymium drivers with Copper-Clad Aluminum Wire voice coils allow the headphones to accurately reproduce music or sound from any media source.
Read more

Posted on Wed, 4 Apr 2007 07:21:42 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Live! Cam Optia Reviewed

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Webcams are getting better and better all the time. Creative has a new webcam that adheres to the USB Video Class spec, meaning that any OS supporting UVC can use the Live! Cam Optia with no need for drivers.

This driverless support works in both Windows and Mac as well as Linux. It appears lots of software is included with the cam, which can be good or bad. At least you can choose which applications you want installed rather than just getting them all. Read more

Posted on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 10:20:06 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Fatal1ty Plays Quake 4 One v. One at the CES 2007 Creative Booth

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Not sure how industry attendees at the CES would have time to play a little one on one against celebrity professional video gamer Fatal1ty, but he is available at the Creative booth to beat your ass.

Fatal1ty has of course a product brand partnership with Creative featuring the Creative Fatal1ty Professional Series Laser Mouse or the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro Series Sound Card.

See also the Video Interview by our Nikki Inderlied with a Fatal1ty Manager at the CES 2007. Read more

Posted on Mon, 8 Jan 2007 01:00:00 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Wireless Headphones SE2300

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Creative offers a new Bluetooth wireless stereo headset dubbed SE2300.

The Creative SE2300 support A2DP and AVRCP Bluetooth profiles and have a 8 hour battery life.

Amazon.com sells the SE2300 for $110.58 .
Read more

Posted on Thu, 21 Dec 2006 06:00:00 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Reinstates FM Recording on Zen Players

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A while back Creative decided to release a firmware upgrade that removed the ability to record FM radio on their Zen players. Creative blamed the evil empire…RIAA… for the move.

If you were one of the many that downloaded the firmware without realizing it would stop you from being able to record FM radio, you will be glad to hear that Creative is reinstating the FM record feature. Read more

Posted on Mon, 20 Nov 2006 13:00:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

New Creative Live! Cam Optia

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Creative introduces the Creative Live! Cam Optia plug'n'play USB Webcam.

The Creative Live! Cam Optia requires no driver installation for PC systems using Windows XP Service Pack 2 and above.

It features a precision Lens, 640x480px video capture at 30fps and multi-axis swivel.
Its multi-usage base attaches to CRT monitors, LCD panels and notebook LCDs and sits comfortably on tables or other flat surfaces.

An included handsfree stereo headset takes care of the audio capture. Read more

Posted on Thu, 2 Nov 2006 07:00:00 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Xmod Review Round-up

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The for $79.99.

Digit-Life reviews the Creative Xmod in context of using it with notebooks and PCs. They test the signal quality with LynxTWO (details) professional grade sound card. Their verdict is that the Xmod is an interesting device for notebooks, but for the money you could buy a sound card with similar functionality.

CNET reviewed the Creative Xmod with portability in mind. They like the audio quality, but would rather see the Creative X-Fi functionality integrated in mp3 players. The Xmod needs a power supply away from a USB port, which is not included. Nota true portable solution. Read more

Posted on Sat, 28 Oct 2006 05:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Xmod Announcement and Review

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Creative announced the Xmod, which uses Creative's X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity audio platform to improve music playback quality for MP3, WMA, iTunes or AAC songs to beyond the original CD quality.

Update:
Creative Xmod Review Round-Up

Sounds like a magic device. French site GenerationMP3 already had the chance to test the Xmod.
I could not really determine in the review, if the resulting sound is awesome or not. I guess it will feel as adding more depth and volume to the sound.

Technically the Creative Xmod enhances the low and high frequencies while improving audio dynamics for cleaner, richer sound that surpasses the original audio CD. Read more

Posted on Wed, 4 Oct 2006 05:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Zen Vision W on Sale

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Creative announced the new wide-screen Zen Vision W on September 1st. Amazon.com is now selling the 30GB and 60GB Creative Zen Vision W.

The 30GB Creative Zen Vision W sells for $299.99 and the 60GB Vision W sells for $399.99.

The given shipping dates are still a bit long though with 2-4 weeks. It sounds to me that this should be still called pre-order. Read more

Posted on Sun, 17 Sep 2006 12:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Zen Vision W 60GB PMP Officially Announced

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The Creative Zen Vision W portable media player was surfacing on the web already, but now Creative has officially introduced the new Zen Vision follow-up model.

The Creative Zen Vision W features a larger screen with 4.3 inch with up to 60GB of storage. Other features of the Zen Vision W include built-in Compact Flash slot, video support of MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4-SP, MJPEG and XviD and Built-in microphone. Read more

Posted on Fri, 1 Sep 2006 02:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Apple and Creative Announce Legal Settlement and Love Each Other Now

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Apple and Creative Technology announce a settlement of their patent dispute.

Apple will pay Creative $100 million for a paid-up license to use Creative's recently awarded patent in all Apple products.
Apple can apparently recoup a portion of its payment if Creative is successful in licensing this patent to others.
But that is not all: Creative has joined Apple's "Made for iPod" program and will be announcing their own iPod accessory products later this year. This is kind of interesting as Creative has its own line of portable players and is competing with Apple. Read more

Posted on Thu, 24 Aug 2006 06:55:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Zen V Plus Review

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Generation MP3 reviews the new Creative Zen V Plus music player.

The Creative Zen V plus features a color OLED display, FM Tuner, Line-in recording, voice recorder, MP3, WMA, WMA DRM10, WAV and PlayForSure support and more. The measurements of the small flash player are 43.5 X 67.5 X 15.9 mm.

Generation MP3 published a detailed review (French) (translated), but also a video demoing the Zen V Plus. Read more

Posted on Sat, 8 Jul 2006 02:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative MuVo S200 with PLED Display

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Creative added another flash player to its MuVo line-up called S200.

The Creative MuVo S200 features a PLED display that uses less power than OLED displays, but is still very bright. Find out more about PLEDs at One Stop Displays, a maker of PLED displays.

On a single AAA battery the S200 delivers 17 hours of music play time. 17 hours is though not impressive by far anymore. Panasonic just announced the D-Snap SD770V with a 150 hour battery life. Read more

Posted on Wed, 22 Mar 2006 01:52:52 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative 8GB Zen Micro Photo Only $229.88

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Wal-mart has the dark blue Creative 8GB Zen Micro Photo portable music player currently on sale for $229.88.

This price is lower than any other store offers in our price comparison engine.

The 8GB Zen Micro features lots of storage for photos and music. It features a color OLED display, 15 hour battery life, glowing case, FM radio, FM recorder, voice recorder, MS Outlook Calendar and Contacts synchronization and MP3, WAV, WMA (DRM) support. Read more

Posted on Tue, 28 Feb 2006 02:09:53 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative's 3DLabs Changes Focus to Graphics for Portable Devices

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Creative announces today that its subsidiary 3DLabs will 'de-emphasize' (stop) making graphics cards for the PC market. 3DLabs refocuses on portable handheld devices.

3DLabs mainly offered 3D graphics cards for professional graphics workstations.
The reorganization kills 100 jobs and Creative expects to take a one-time restructuring charge of approximately $9 million in the current fiscal quarter and a non-cash impairment charge of approximately $25 million for goodwill and intangible assets relating to 3Dlabs. Read more

Posted on Fri, 24 Feb 2006 05:57:56 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

How-To Guide: Disassemble the Creative Zen Vision:M

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Anything But iPod decided to look inside the Creative Vision:M and published a guide on how to open the player without breaking it.

Quote:
"Disappointingly, there is not an extra three millimeters to squeeze in a bigger two platter 60GB or 80GB hard drive. This goes along with the earlier discovery of the larger docking station inserts. It is possible however to replace the 3.7v li-ion battery. "
Read the full how-to report. Read more

Posted on Thu, 23 Feb 2006 01:37:38 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Creative Distant 2nd in MP3 Player Race

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Creative announced its quarterly earnings and they were not that pretty - at least they are profitable.

Net income for the Quarter ending December 31st 2005 was only $1.3 million (with investment earnings substracted). Sales were up a bit from last year with $390.8 million. Creative met their goal though to become profitable again. The company sold 2.6 million MP3 player in the so important holiday season Quarter. Apple sold in the same time frame 14 million iPods.
Creative's chairman and CEO of Creative has his hopes now on the Creative Vision:M that was announced at the CES 2006 and won best of CES in the MP3 player category and Best in Show. Well, Apple does not exhibit at the CES. Still it is not bad to be 2nd. All those other mp3 player manufacturers have even less market share.
Read more

Posted on Fri, 27 Jan 2006 09:16:48 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr