Typical price: £300
What is it: Portable hard drive-based media player, with support for video, audio and photo
What we think: The Zen Portable Media Center is a solid media player with a brilliant interface. But it needs to lose some weight
What you need to know
Reviewed on: 14 May 2005
Tags: Creative, Creative Zen Portable Media Center, music files, PAL, resolution
We like:
Intuitive onscreen interface; large, colourful screen; solid battery life; impressive integration with Windows Media Player 10.0 and Windows XP Media Center Edition
We don't like:
Bulky design; lacks a built-in kickstand; reflective screen not ideal for outdoors use; no audio- or video-recording capabilities; works with Windows XP and Windows Media Player 10.0 only
You might also need:
Optional FM-tuner remote; docking cradle
CNET UK judgement:
Eight months after its announcement, the Creative Zen PMC is finally here. Despite its bulk, the player is solid, but it's the Microsoft Portable Media Center software that deserves most of the praise
Full review:
The portable video player market is percolating, with some manufacturers already releasing second- and third-generation devices such as Archos's AV420. A major offshoot of this fledgling category is the Portable Media Center (PMC), which was first introduced back in January at CES. The Creative Zen Portable Media Center is the first device of many to employ Microsoft's Windows Mobile-based Portable Media Center operating system; competing devices from Samsung and iRiver aren't far behind. Continue Reading...
Creative Zen Portable Media Center History
5 Dec 2005 in Crave
Creative Zen Vision: Buddha's media centre
The Creative Zen Vision -- black as the night, sleek as the iPod and as easy to use as a pencil. But with Archos finally getting it right with the AV500, is there any need for Creative to be muscling in on the portable media player market?
26 Aug 2005 in Crave
Archos AV700: muggings guaranteed
The follow-up to the Archos AV400 is here -- DivX fans rejoice! The upgrade sees a massive jump in screen size and an even slinkier chassis. You certainly won't fit it in your pocket, but it's set to be one of the year's hot gadgets
1 Aug 2005 in Crave
We try out DivX 6.0 -- a video compression package that lets you fit a DVD movie onto one single CD. The latest version also has built-in menu support, allowing you to create a DVD-style front end for your videos
10 May 2005 in Reviews
Movies on the go: portable video players
Boring journeys should be a thing of the past, thanks to the wide range of portable video players on the market. Here's four of the best
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