Mar 10, 2009 07:04 AM
3435 Views
I have this player for over a year plus so it is fair to say that I can give an accurate opinion on my experience with this mp3 player. First the pros:
It is light.
*Easy to upload music and photos.
Has a FM radio.
Can double as a flash drive.
Can sync it with Outlook Contacts, Calendar, etc.
Comes in many colors.
Built-in microphone.
*I have the limited edition pink Zen Plus V 2GB and the main reason why I purchase it was because I needed something to occupy my time when commuting to and from work. I also wanted a player that I can use when I am working out. It took me several months but I finally settled on this brand. I have nothing against Apple but I just wanted to be different. When I finally purchased it, I quickly manuevered on how to upload music and photos. You can use the Creative driver to do that or use Windows Media player. You can also use a variety of other media players to upload and sync music and photos, but those are the main ones I used most often. I like the fact that it comes with a FM radio, instead of purchasing a separate add-on device. It also has a feature in which the user can sync with Outlook, but I rarely use that feature. But then again I don't use Outlook aside at work. It it has the option where you can check how much free space you have left. I believe you can go onto the Creative website or use the Creative mp3 software to update the drivers for this device. I almost forgot that this device has a built-in microphone. This is an excellent option for students who want to record a lecture and what have you.
Here are the cons:
*It occasionally locks up.
Tiny storage space for a music hound like me.
Crappy earbuds that comes with this device.
Doesn't play movies per se(I will explain later).
Tiny screen to view videos/photos.
Tiny control joystick.*
Relatively short battery life.
Yes it tends to lock up but in my experience, it happens on a blue moon. Usually I press the reset button with a pin or a toothpick. Sometimes it will rebuild the library but I rarely have any problems with it. The storage space is too small for my taste. With 2GB you can store around 300, maybe 400 songs and that is being generous. As for playing movies, forget about it. With tweaking the compression rate and whatnot, it will still be too big to be able to play. But you can play short clips like music videos but I am past that age where I cared about music videos. I am more into independent movies and foreign movies(Korean, Japanese, etc). But when you take into account where the screen is about the same area as a processor chip, it is pretty pointless straining your eyes to watch something. I was irked about that when I assumed that I could watch videos. But I got over it. If you have big fingers, the joystick in the middle would be a thorn in your side. I have long fingers and long nails so it hasn't been much of a issue. For a small mp3 player, the power drains like crazy. I think I could get around 5 hours of play time, maybe more when I set the screen to dim down when not manipulating the device by switching songs. Oh the accesories that comes with this device are lackluster at best. The earbuds are basically trash. Mine lasted about 6 months before they fell apart. It doesn't come with a AC charger, well mine didn't but I didn't miss it much. I heard that the AC adapter tends to blow out the mp3 adapter so I have been using the USB cord to charge my device, I guess that's why mine lasted this long. For a small mp3 player, it's pretty durable. I have dropped it several times, even at one point the button plate popped off, it still works pretty well.
In conclusion, this is a great starter mp3 player for someone who is new to the whole mp3 players. IMO the learning curve is pretty small but then again I am very comfortable with electronic devices. I usually program the devices without looking at the manual. Great for someone who is a casual listener or those who needs a inexpensive mp3 device. This device has served me well but I moved on to a mp3 device that is better suited to my needs.
