Started out great, but eventually crippled with problems
Written: Aug 05 '07 (Updated Aug 05 '07)
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Pros: pc friendly, looks cool
Cons: major operational problems made worse with the battery drain firmware patch
The Bottom Line: My zen experienced horrible battery drain, and the firmware patch that was supposed to fix it rendered my zen unusable.
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| subcriminal's Full Review: Creative Technology Zen Micro Black (6 GB) MP3 Pla... |
I was thrilled when I first bought it, I didn't want to buy an ipod because I wanted something PC friendly that synched with outlook. Initially it worked wonderfully, I was happy as a peach. It was cute, blue, small, and a great alternative to the popular ipod. The sound quality from the earbuds was great, I heard lots of subtle sound detail and depth that my computer speakers weren't sophisticated enough to produce.
Once in a while the zen would freeze or crash, but not often enough to be a nuisance (at first). Slowly the battery drain problem set in. Next thing I know my battery doesn't last more than a half hour.
It was pointless to buy another battery until Creative Tech released the firmware patch to fix the battery drain. Finally it came; I ordered another battery, downloaded the zen patch and hoped for the best. Sadly that's when things spiraled even further downhill.
The zen firmware patch only added more problems, even after numerous wipes and reinstalls. It caused constant crashes. I couldn't listen to a single song without it freezing up on me, and I'd have to pop out the battery to restart only to crash as soon as I directed it to play another song. I tried everything, ane even read through countless support and knowledgebase articles on the Creative Tech website. My zen was so messed up from the new firmware I couldn't restore the previous version which worked better despite the battery drain. So frustrating!
That's when I gave up and tossed it in the trash.
My zen was purchased just as they put them on the market, it is possible that later models are less problematic than mine. but I'll never find out since I won't ever buy another.
Later on I played with a friend's ipod and found it to have a better user interface, it was easier to use with less navigational button complication. As much as I tend to dislike apple, they put a lot of thought into the ipod. I should have bought an ipod instead of the zen.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 250
Recommended for: Beginners - Easy Enough for Tech Newbies
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Epinions.com ID:
subcriminal
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Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 1 member
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