Creative and the Zen Vision: at war with more than Apple

We don't even know for sure that Apple is working on a video iPod (though we'd lay down our hard earned bucks betting they were, no doubt), but Creative's obviously not taking any chances in attempting to predict their next move with the Zen Vision. But besides finally announcing the price of the Vision ($400, which will undoubtedly severely undercut a video iPod offering), Sim Wong Hoo apparently believes their war on Apple is only small fries—what they're really after is the whole living room. Sour grapes for a losing battle? Well, exactly what they'll be doing to try and annex that territory has yet to be seen, but they're apparently placing a lot of stock in a new audio processing technology they're calling Xtreme Fidelity (X-Fi, for short), which they think we'll see in just about every kind of device eventually.

[Thanks, Jake]

[tino @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Isn't the top of the line iPod has always been 399?

[SD @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

#1 - No.

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/instant-expert-a-brief-history-of-ipod/

Several iPods have been introduced at a $499 pricepoint over the past 4 years.

[Will @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

IGNGear once reported about Creative's X-Fi and basically said it was nothing short of unbelievable in terms of both quality and fidelity. I can't wait to hear it, myself.

This is why I'll never buy an iPod. I know sound quality is subjective, but from what I've read, Creative, Cowon, and Sony players are reported as sounding better.

[Pip @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

If they want to win the living room, they need to stick a cable card slot on the sucker, two tuners, and component, dvi, and HDMI outputs on the thing. And a a 10/100/gigabit network jack.

And a bigger hard drive.

[jh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

the video ipod if it comes out and is the next genaration ipod will probably cost 499 and 599 like the original ipodphoto

[thecaramelsensation @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Haha - I just picked up a Time issue from Nov. '01 - and it's introducing the iPod and it's $499. This was when they were only 10GB.
So yeah, they've always been that way...
- The Caramel Sensation

[Eric @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

The problem Creative faces is a problem many have faced trying to get into the living room: getting the message out there.

Sure Apple spends a lot on advertising but it's through the spread of the media and technologically unsavy computer store users, that the iPod has become a household name.

Apple designed a good product, imo it's not great. But the bottom line is the hype was because it came from Apple. Without the apple logo, the very same product would not have been successful with or without iTunes. The Apple brand sold it. And that tells you everything you need to know.

[tim @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

>The Apple brand sold it

I have heard this argument a lot and I don't buy it. When Apple came out with the iPod, their brand was flagging and the majority of consumers thought Apple was a small computer company that missed the personal computer wave. Most people (think about your parents, their friends, normal people who aren't geeks) didn't even know what Apple did.

iPod reenvigorated Apple's brand, not the other way around.

As for Creative in the living room, I don't really get it. Look at their line up. I can't see their speakers in anyone's living room. All their products are computer prephrials, and their IDs don't look very living room. Maybe they are coming out with something new we don't know about yet?

[Tom @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

#5 - The first iPod was 5gb and cost $399. Then came the 10gb for $499 a several months later.

[Bill @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

My understanding is that X-Fi is a new audio processor (the next generation of the one included on Audigy sound cards), and that it's pretty impressive (though marketing claims about taking MP3's and making them better than the original CD is pure crap)

But while Creative may have some great audio technology, they have absolutely no sense of what it really takes to get anything "into the living room." (And Sim is far from being a visionary - the term "goober" comes to mind).

[Bill @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

My understanding is that X-Fi is a new audio processor (the next generation of the one included on Audigy sound cards), and that it's pretty impressive (though marketing claims about taking MP3's and making them better than the original CD is pure crap)

But while Creative may have some great audio technology, they have absolutely no sense of what it really takes to get anything "into the living room." (And Sim is far from being a visionary - the term "goober" comes to mind).

[carl @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Does "Xtreme-Fi" mean that the components are going to want to swill Mt. Dew and jump off my component rack whilst screaming? If so.... sweet!

the Xtreme movement is so '97. Why not iHi-Fi? Or just iiiiiiii? Creative needs to get with the program.

[James @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

When are they gonna release the damn thing?? :)

[dave @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

The Zen Vision showed up on Amazon today with an AISN. The wait shouldn't be much longer the the price point is very attractive!

[Scott Dupuie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Creative is delusional. They make crap and then don't support it. They are too busy moving onto the next greatest thing to support their existing customers. Take my Creative Wireless Music system for example. There hasn't been a firmware or feature upgrade since the middle of '04 (not even a bug fix, and believe me there are some bugs). Compare that to the iPod or my Roku Soundbridge, both of which have regular firmware upgrades for bug fixes and feature enhancements.

[Keith @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Creative's difficulty competing with Apple has more to do with software than hardware. I have a Zen Micro and an iPod Mini. The iPod gets all the use while the Zen Micro collects dust. Why? One word: iTunes. Should Apple use iTunes for video distribution it would crush Creative.

[Paul Smith @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Wasn't Creative supposed to crush the ipod too? I remember an article where Sim Wong Hoo said he would have 50% of the MP3 Player market within a year (didnt happen - not even close).

They ought to branch out and make something else. I had a Nomad IIc which was an excellent product.

There's just no way they can compete with Apple, superior product or not.

[south @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Good work, Creative, until Apple comes out with a similar device 6 months later with fewer specs and at twice the price, that everyone will buy, forcing Sim Wong Hoo to fly into a petulant rage, screaming "HOW DO THEY DO IT??.... HOW???"

[EC @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

so is the vision going to have this new x-fi sound chip?

[KC Ng @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I like the Vision player. From what I have read so far, support for DIVX will be a cool thing to have. With that hugh awesome screen and yet small enough footprint, I think it will be quite handy to double as my MP3 player since Creative has being known for the excellent audio quality. Finally, a MTV player?

[NS @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Do you know what CPU / chip Zen Vision is using? It is TI-OMAP or Intel Xscale chip. I am thinking about the hackability of this device to linux. Is the usb a host/client chip similar to those Toshiba PDA and Nokia N770. The usb port is good since we can put usb bluetooth dongle to it. Surf the net with it. I wish some of the parts /chips use in is same with new HP IPAQ and N770. If somebody got this device, probably you can drop in handhelds.org to post the spec and entry for linux porting.