Creative Zen Vision:M 30GB Digital Multimedia Device - 70pf169000001
Creative Zen Vision:M 30GB - Digital Multimedia Device - 2.5" Color LCD - Black

Ok, this review is 2yrs in the making! I purchased this device back in July 2006. I have yet to regret it. While everyone can point to Apple as the leader, Creative built a workhorse! No, it's not as thin as paper (not bad considering when it was released). The device has gone through a couple of firmware updates (do not run it without the latest) and software updates as well that have made it extremely stable. This is the device you use for solid reliable performance. I use it with Audible.com for my audio books, use my mp3 library (which I edit with MediaMonkey (mediamonkey.com)), have use it with some videos...but not much. I use it primarily for mp3's, FM radio works wonders, the recording of sound with built in mic, and recording of radio. You need a silicone skin to keep it protected and a screen protector (the film type, don't use hard plastic shield...mine got some scratches UNDER through rubbing friction). A tip I will give is that you do not want to use the sync or transfer function for music with the software provided. Instead use the Creative Media Explorer and open the Music folder and drag/drop your music into it...the sync/transfer functions sometimes wreck havoc with music tags. Overall, I'm traveling in Italy and the 14hr flight was made a lot easier with it. Extremely worth the money...or the next release of this device.
 
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I was never a big fan of apple products so I gave the Creative Zen Vision: M a go. It is larger than the Ipod (which I like because it's easier not to lose in my bag or feel like I'm going to break). Many choices for backgrounds instead of the boring black and white on most players. You can adjust the dimness of the screen to whatever you want. Pictures, movies, and music are downloaded and moved onto the player pretty easily with the Creative software included in the packaging. I've only had one problem where I was pressing too many buttons at one time while it was loading music and it froze up on me. All I had to do was hit the reset button (which is safely hidden so you don't hit it accidentally) and everything was back to normal without the loss of data. Very good volume, sound and video quality as well. Many different cases and accessories to choose from as well. Overall, in my opinion, a very good product.
 
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I bought this player around the beginning of 2007, and have had the best experiences with it. It has plenty of space for music, videos and pictures. It's so easy to use, it even tells you if a movie is not the right format for the player and converts it for you when copying it over!<br><br> I use my Zen at least 4 days a week, and take it with me to the gym to make my workouts zip by while watching movies. I also have many playlists I kick off while shopping or working on a creative project for 30 minutes or more. <br><br> My only complaint with this unit is small - you really have to use the pc-based interface to organize all your files and make playlists. The built-in interface is cumbersome and not nearly as easy to navigate as what is delivered with the pc software. <br><br> I got a great deal on this through buy.com when they had a promotion of $200 for the unit and a $50 rebate. I would buy this over the iPod in a heartbeat -- my husband has a 30GB iPod and can't copy files back and forth to his hard drive (let alone watch movies). Because of its size, the Zen is like a backup for all my mp3's; every one from my library is loaded onto it. And as an added bonus, if my daughter is bored somehwere with me, I just start up a kid's movie for her.
 
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Attractive, compact, features galore, quality sound, and then some. This product has it all! I got a Zen Vision M as a Christmas present last year ('06), and I've been enjoying it ever since. Transferring the songs I wanted to the Zen player was no problem thanks to the included software. The player is easy to use, fairly intuitive, and the sound quality is nothing short of superb. Even the photos (Yes, it includes a photo viewer) are crisp and sharp. I haven't watched any videos on it yet, but that's coming. I still have other Zen Vision M features to explore, and I'm looking forward to that. Bottom line? Based on what I knew about the Zen Vision M, I would have bought one if I hadn't gotten one for Christmas. And from what I've seen, it would have been money well spent. Try it. You'll love it!
 
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I would recommend purchasing a Zen if shopping for a portable media device. The screen is awesome and 30 gigs of memory doesn't hurt either. However if you are into what people think about your mp3 player, buy an iPod, because the Zen, while a great device, is not exactly fashionable. As for me I don't give a crap what people think about my media player so I love it. If you do buy one, also buy a protective case, because it scratches easily.
 
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I have been using this unit extensively for the past month. XVID playback is great, but I wish it supported AAC audio. Battery life is fantastic, much better than my friend's video iPOD. I wish Creative included the video/audio out cable for playback on to a TV with the unit, but I had one from my Sony camcorder and that has been working fine. I purchased a Crystal Clear Touch screen protector from Boxwave for my unit and have been very happy with it. Application was easy and there is essentially no reduction in screen visibility or clarity. I would highly recommend the Crystal version over the Anti-Glare, much better clarity (I'm using the Anti-Glare version for my digital camera, which is great for outdoors). In retrospect, I've already filled up the 30 GB with video and audio and the 60GB unit would be nice. Since the new 60GB came out, the price break/rebate on the 30GB unit was hard to pass up.
 
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I was very happy with that player to the moment I lost it. At the beginning I had problems with using the keys for scrolling and pressing. It is also a little too heavy when you work out and keep it on your arm. But it has an enormous memory and I had on it 30 books on tape and probably could have 300. I bought it for $160 and was happy for its price and performance.
 
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The reviews really sold me on trying the Creative Zen product. I purchased a FujiLab 2G and it sucked!! So I decided to upgrade my choice. I wanted to purchase a MP3 that would be comparable to the 30G Ipod I have. Hands down the Zen Vision M is very impressive. The color display is vibrant, sharp and mature. It's not childish, near animated like the FujiLab. It's user friendly with great features. I'm not savvy with downloads but after a bit of time I was successful. The earphones are a joke, only one ear bud works. I'm so happy to find a product other than IPOD that is truly a great buy without the excessive expense and hype.
 
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Overall very satisfied. First unit crapped out after a few days but Newegg replaced quickly and with no hassle. Pros:Beautiful display, great sound and very good price. Software package is easy to use. Very small size for a 30 gig drive. Drive appears to be rugged enough for general use. Cons: Needs a case to prevent scratches, selector pad is very sensitive, takes a little getting used to.Included earbuds are low quality, but with a good set the sound is super.
 
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I was happy with my first vision m and i saw the good price on buy.com and bought my girlfriend a second one. i've had my first for about 6 months and my second about a month. I think the vision m is a quality product. thank you. j.d.
 
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I had a Rio Karma for years and it was a good MP3 player, but when it died I looked for a replacement. One daughter has an Ipod Nano and an Ipod 20Gb both of which have had several issues and have been returned to Apple for repair. Another daughter has a Zen 8gb micro photo, and it is the best little MP3 player I have ever used. So I bought the 30Gb Vision because of the ease of use and the support software. What I really like though is the screen, very clear and easy to see. After I had used this Zen for a few weeks, I ordered a 20Gb Micro Photo to replace my daughters Ipods. We will be an Ipod free home.
 
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As always Creative beats ipod in quality. Video is stunning and sound quality is tops. Creative has much improved their ease of use but still can do more. However that is a small price to pay for what you get with the Vision M. Multiple movie formats, of course multiple music formats and the ability to carry tons of photos as well make this a great all-round multimedia device at a great price.
 
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i bought this from buy.com and the product itself was very neat and works very nice. just a day after receiving the packet, unfortunately i dropped the mp3 player and it hits the ground very badly. there was only a couple scratches on the back, which is not too bad i think. the player could still work, and the display shows a professional look.
 
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This is a great product for your kids and grand kids that are grduating. Good for Father's day which is coming up. It's light weight with many great features on it. Once you pick it up it's hard to put down. Listen to your favorite music while you learn to use it. AWESOME!
 
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I have had my Creative Zen Vision for about two weeks, and I am loving it. I think it is fairly easy to use, and it has a ton of features. I have watched movies, listened to zencasts, listened to music, used the FM radio, added my outlook contacts, viewed pictures and used the calendar. I would recommend this player to anyone... it is a great value. The three things that I would like to see improved for this product are: 1) more accessories (a downside of not getting an iPod), 2) one program that manages everything on the computer (currently there are three very capable, but very separate programs.), 3) faster video conversion. That's it... everything else is amazing! In fact, I bought one for my wife, and she loves hers. I also got her the Zen Dock so that she could utilize it in her studio... big thumbs up for that as well!
 
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