This little gem launched today, and I assume the 32GB is flash storage, every site I saw this thing at referred to the storage as “memory” and the capacity is a rounded out flash size like 8, 16, 32, 64, instead of HDD sizes like 200, 250, and 400GB. Anyways, it’s a Creative Zen model, and it comes in black, and it can store about 8k songs.
So first, the Zen Stone came out from Creative, and the fact that it wasn’t an Apple product, combined with the fact that it was the same size, with similar functionality as the Shuffle, and it was slightly cheaper, well that was enough to help the original model sell a good number of units. Well now it appears Creative is besting Apple’s Shuffle in more areas than price.
In fact they are fixing one of the few flaws of the shuffle, the lack of a screen for navigational purposes. Then they are upping the storage to iPod Nano levels with 4GB for the Zen Stone Plus.
At their IFA 2007 Press Conference Creative pretty much said “iPod who?” as all eyes were on their credit-card sized ZEN PMP. The tiny device – which measures just 55 x 83 x 12mm – is easily Creative’s best mobile device to date, with a 2.5-inch, 16.7-million-colours screen, a choice of 4, 8 or 16GB of internal memory (expandable via an SD/SDHC slot) and support for MP3, AAC (unprotected), WMA, WMV, MPEG-4, DivX and XviD files.
Creative has just announced the release of their latest PMP in the Zen line which is small, yet still packs a decent-sized screen.
If I’m blunt, the Creative Stone struck me as being a bit “meh”. Apple has done the screenless PMP already, and was – in my opinion – shown up nicely as competitors lined up to undercut it in price while simultaneously adding features and a screen. Perhaps Creative have read my mind, anyway, because they’ve now introduced the Stone Plus; a 2GB DAP with a simple OLED display.
Creative won’t give up on media player market yet and is adding a new Zen to their player portfolio. The Zen Wav, a new player that is believes to be competiting with iPod Nano. The Zen Wav has similarity in navigation feature with its sibling Zen Neeon using a joystick and two buttons in front of the player.
Apple has been quite successful with its iPod shuffle. The screenless iPod is targeted to lower budget iPod users and provide super portability of an audio player. Creative will not sit tight and let Apple roam around the industry with every product line up they have.
It seems like it’s been ages since we’ve seen the smiling face of Everything USB’s Scott Clark as he uses any excuse to get photos of himself onto the internet. In this case, it’s reviewing Creative’s latest webcam, the Live! Cam Optia, that gives him the opportunity, the sly minx. Still, he puts together a damned good review as well, and the Cam Optia is one of a growing number of slightly unusual webcams notable for – in some cases – not needing any specific drivers.
Current fashion in architecture seems split between designing buildings that stand out in their surroundings and make a statement, and buildings that blend into the environment and whose statement is more about living harmoniously with what was already there. The problem with the latter, perhaps, is that in preserving the location you sometimes have to compromise the design of your construction. As technology and building materials advance, however, innovative ways to maximise living space and have a home in-keeping with nature are becoming more accessible and imaginative.
This forest home designed by 24H architecture sits happily within its natural setting, and yet its occupants aren’t denied the space or light by compromise. The end section extends out, revealing a bank of windows and giving more internal room.
Modding computers is all very well, but it’s a bit niche – I can’t exactly see my mother picking up the Dremel and adding a window to her computer (or her kettle, for that matter) – what’s needed is an easier way for people to imprint their individuality on an object. That in mind, the wouter Geense Design Studio present the Tune ‘n Radio, a simple FM radio that comes without aerial or speaker-holes, and with only rudimentary controls.
New owners must decide for themselves what might be the best aerial – aesthetically and technically – where to punch the holes and what items to use as controls. wouter Geense describe it as a canvas that, once decorated, a user feels bonded to, in effect a little bit like spray-painting your initials on your cat.
wouter Geense [via Neatorama]
SlashGear Japan
