Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Blue)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Absolutely fabulous!
  • A solid, convenient player
  • Mine survived a dunking!
  • wash and wear
  • Versitle Little Booger
Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Blue)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

MP3 PlayersMP3 Players | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics | Flash Drive-Based | Hard Drive-Based | Portable Digital Media Players
MP3 PlayersMP3 Players | Portable Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Audio & VideoAudio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Similar Items:
  1. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Blue) Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Blue)
  2. Creative MuVo V100 2 GB MP3 Player (White) Creative MuVo V100 2 GB MP3 Player (White)
  3. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player Red Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player Red
  4. Creative TravelDock 900 Docking Speaker Creative TravelDock 900 Docking Speaker
  5. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player 1GB ( Pink ) Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player 1GB ( Pink )

Accessories:
  1. Creative XM Travel Audio Speaker ( 51MF5030AA006 ) Creative XM Travel Audio Speaker ( 51MF5030AA006 )
  2. Creative Zen Micro Wired Remote Creative Zen Micro Wired Remote
  3. Headphone HN-700 Ef Headphone HN-700 Ef
  4. Creative EP-630 - Headphones ( in-ear ear-bud ) Creative EP-630 - Headphones ( in-ear ear-bud )
  5. Sennheiser HD 202  Headphones Sennheiser HD 202 Headphones

Product Features:
  • Personal MP3 player with 1 GB internal flash memory
  • Integrated FM tuner, voice/FM recording, and line-in encoding
  • Super-slim, lightweight design and high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity
  • Drive mode lets you store data files such as photos and presentations
  • Measures 1.32 x 2.58 x 0.51 inches (W x H x D); 1-year parts warranty

ASIN: B0009R5KMM

Product Description

The Zen Nano Plus 1GB MP3/WMA Player blends functionality wth style, for a practical MP3 player that fits your life. This slim, trendy MP3 player was designed to fit perfectly in a pocket or backpack, or on your armband. Bring your favorite tunes with you everywhere, without having to lug around space-eating CDs. Signal-to-Noise Ratio - Up to 90dB Frequency Response - 20Hz-20KHz Harmonic Response Output - <0.1% Requires 1 AAA Battery System Requirements - Windows 98SE to XP, Pentium 350 MHz or AMD 450 MHz processor Dimensions(WxHxD) - 1.32 x 2.58 x 0.51 Weight - 0.8 oz. (without battery)

Amazon.com Product Description

Ready for remarkably thin and powerful performance from your portable music device? The Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player is the ticket. Incredibly thin and lightweight, it's packed with the latest features to meet all your needs. Enjoy amazing, skip-free audio quality when you're listening to your MP3 and WMA music.


The Zen Nano Plus is incredibly thin and can store 500 songs on its 1 GB flash memory.


The built in mic lets you record conversations.


The LCD is built for left or right handed operation.
The Nano Plus is much more than just a music player; it includes an FM tuner, voice/FM recording, and line-in encoding for direct connection and recording from any audio source. Use the Nano Plus to record music directly from your CD player, without a computer.

Of course, if you do have a computer you can transfer audio and data files in seconds with "drag-and-drop" ease--and without software--using the player's USB 2.0 connection. Meanwhile, the Auto Synchronization feature makes it easy to transfer your favorite songs and albums from CDs through the line-in port. Battery life is outstanding, allowing you to listen to music for up to 18 hours on a single AAA battery. Now you can keep the tunes rolling all day long, and do it in style, as the Zen Nano plus comes in ten fun, vibrant colors. The 1 GB model's flash memory can store up to 500 songs (WMA-encoding, 64 kbps).

The FM tuner lets you tune 32 stations. As mentioned, you can also record FM radio so you can catch your favorite tunes or talk shows later on. The built in microphone lets you record voice conversations -- great for those long lectures at school. You can also use the Nano Plus as a portable mini hard drive, allowing you to store data files such as photos and presentations. The unit's LCD is even reversible for left or right handed operation. Last but not least, the Zen Nano sports equalizer presets (Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock) that make your music sound better.

The Zen Nano Plus uses PlaysForSure technology. Look for the PlaysForSure logo if you're shopping for a portable music or video device and you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time. Match the PlaysForSure logo on a large selection of leading devices and online music stores. If you see the logo, you'll know your digital music will play for sure. Choose from a large number of digital music and video stores, including MTV's Urge, Rhapsody, Yahoo!, MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, Napster, Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and many more.


What's in the Box
Zen Nano Plus, high quality earphones, AAA battery, USB 2.0 cable, line-in cable, quick start booklet, installation CD and neck strap.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Absolutely fabulous!.......2007-09-22

Would definitely deal with this seller again. Delivery was on time without any problems.

4 out of 5 stars A solid, convenient player.......2007-09-16

I love the small size of this player - it's about the size of a pack of gum (between a 5 and 25 pack). I purchased it mainly because of the recording feature. It has a built in mic and you can also attach a line-in recording source. The built in mic has decent quality and records individual mp3 files so you can download them to your computer for archiving.

Upsides: Nice drag-and-drop transfer of files. You don't have to use any annoying proprietary software. Relatively good recording quality. Decent interface. Wonderfully small size. Good battery life.

Downsides: The line-in jack is not a standard size. It looks like a 1/16th inch jack and comes with an adapter cord to make it compatible with an 1/8th inch jack. Then, if you want to plug in an RCA or mic source, you'd have to have even more converters. I haven't even attempted to do so yet so I'm not sure how the quality is. I hope to use it at some point for remote podcasts.

You have to use a separate cord to interface with a PC. The older version of this player (which I almost bought) allowed you to plug directly into USB (meaning there was a male USB connector built into the device. I really would like this feature because it would allow you to plug the device into remote computers without having to carry around the little adapter cord.

5 out of 5 stars Mine survived a dunking!.......2007-09-08

This is one great little player! Bought it to listen to recorded books and was so wrapped up in listening to one I walked into the swimming pool wearing it. Zap! I was heartbroken, couldn't bring myself to throw it away. I was going to order a replacement the next day, and pressed the on button one more time just in case--and the player came on and has been running like a champ ever since. I've probably negated the warranty, but I got to finish the book I was listening to!

5 out of 5 stars wash and wear.......2007-09-04

I bought this about 18 months ago and have never have had any complaints. Writing a review this morning because yesterday I accidently put it throught the washer and dryer, when I found it in my pants pocket this morning it fired right up and works fine (after replacing the battery). Try that with a freakin iPod. Keep it in the rubber sleeve that comes with it and it's almost indestructible.

4 out of 5 stars Versitle Little Booger.......2007-08-28

Not a bad little player, all things considered.
It is light, and sturdy. I have had it 3 months and it works well. The one jog wheel design is a nice feature, but it is hard to find a song without shuffling thru one by one.
Battery life is excelent and it records FM radio very well.
Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Blue)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Good little MP3....
  • mp3
  • Can't Run Without It
  • Great Product but no instructions
  • Very easy to use
Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Blue)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

MP3 PlayersMP3 Players | Portable Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Audio & VideoAudio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
1 GB1 GB | Flash Drive-Based | MP3 Players | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics
Electronics/GadgetsElectronics/Gadgets | Products |
TeensTeens | Products |
HimHim | Products |
HerHer | Products |
TeensTeens | Gifts | Products |
HimHim | Gifts | Products |
HerHer | Gifts | Products |
Similar Items:
  1. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Black) Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Black)
  2. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player 1GB ( Pink ) Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player 1GB ( Pink )
  3. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Blue) Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Blue)
  4. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player Red Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player Red
  5. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (White) Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (White)

Accessories:
  1. Koss "The Plug" Portable Headphones Koss "The Plug" Portable Headphones
  2. iRiver AFT 100 Mobile FM Transmitter iRiver AFT 100 Mobile FM Transmitter
  3. iTunes $15 Prepaid Card iTunes $15 Prepaid Card
  4. Creative XM Travel Audio Speaker ( 51MF5030AA006 ) Creative XM Travel Audio Speaker ( 51MF5030AA006 )
  5. Creative Headphones HQ-140 Sound Qlty Comfortable Neck Design Creative Headphones HQ-140 Sound Qlty Comfortable Neck Design

Product Features:
  • Stores up to 500 songs on 1 GB internal flash memory
  • Includes an FM tuner, voice/FM recording, and line-in encoding
  • Super slim, lightweight design and high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity
  • Drive mode allows you to store data files such as photos and presentations
  • Measures 1.32 x 2.58 x 0.51 inches and weighs 0.8 ounces without battery

ASIN: B0009F3SGE

Product Description

The Zen Nano Plus 1GB MP3/WMA Player blends functionality wth style, for a practical MP3 player that fits your life. This slim, trendy MP3 player was designed to fit perfectly in a pocket or backpack, or on your armband. Bring your favorite tunes with you everywhere, without having to lug around space-eating CDs. Signal-to-Noise Ratio - Up to 90dB Frequency Response - 20Hz-20KHz Harmonic Response Output - <0.1% Requires 1 AAA battery System Requirements - Windows 98SE to XP, Pentium 350 MHz or AMD 450 MHz processor Dimensions(WxHxD) - 1.32 x 2.58 x 0.51 Weight - 0.8 oz. (without battery)

Amazon.com Product Description

Ready for remarkably thin and powerful performance from your portable music device? The Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player is the ticket. Incredibly thin and lightweight, it's packed with the latest features to meet all your needs. Enjoy amazing, skip-free audio quality when you're listening to your MP3 and WMA music.


The Zen Nano Plus is incredibly thin and can store 500 songs on its 1 GB flash memory.


The built in mic lets you record conversations.


The LCD is built for left or right handed operation.
The Nano Plus is much more than just a music player; it includes an FM tuner, voice/FM recording, and line-in encoding for direct connection and recording from any audio source. Use the Nano Plus to record music directly from your CD player, without a computer.

Of course, if you do have a computer you can transfer audio and data files in seconds with "drag-and-drop" ease--and without software--using the player's USB 2.0 connection. Meanwhile, the Auto Synchronization feature makes it easy to transfer your favorite songs and albums from CDs through the line-in port. Battery life is outstanding, allowing you to listen to music for up to 18 hours on a single AAA battery. Now you can keep the tunes rolling all day long, and do it in style, as the Zen Nano plus comes in ten fun, vibrant colors. The 1 GB model's flash memory can store up to 500 songs (WMA-encoding, 64 kbps).

The FM tuner lets you tune 32 stations. As mentioned, you can also record FM radio so you can catch your favorite tunes or talk shows later on. The built in microphone lets you record voice conversations -- great for those long lectures at school. You can also use the Nano Plus as a portable mini hard drive, allowing you to store data files such as photos and presentations. The unit's LCD is even reversible for left or right handed operation. Last but not least, the Zen Nano sports equalizer presets (Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock) that make your music sound better.

The Zen Nano Plus uses PlaysForSure technology. Look for the PlaysForSure logo if you're shopping for a portable music or video device and you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time. Match the PlaysForSure logo on a large selection of leading devices and online music stores. If you see the logo, you'll know your digital music will play for sure. Choose from a large number of digital music and video stores, including MTV's Urge, Rhapsody, Yahoo!, MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, Napster, Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and many more.


What's in the Box
Zen Nano Plus, high quality earphones, AAA battery, USB 2.0 cable, line-in cable, quick start booklet, installation CD and neck strap.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Good little MP3...........2007-07-09

This little gizmo is pretty great for the price. It's a little hard to access the files and repeat, play and what not, but all in all it's a great little MP3.

4 out of 5 stars mp3.......2007-06-27

It's a good mp3 player for the price. And it's VERY VERY easy to use. Great choice!!!

5 out of 5 stars Can't Run Without It.......2007-05-18

Creative's Zen Nano Plus is small and light yet it can hold so much music and it also has an FM radio. I take it with me whenever I go running--which is 6 days a week. I highly recommend this music player which is easy to use and inexpensive. -Harry from Fremont, CA

4 out of 5 stars Great Product but no instructions.......2007-05-16

The MP3 player itself was great, it gets 5 stars. The earphones that come with it were extremely uncomfortable for my 11 yr old son whom I purchased the NANO PLUS for. I replaced them with Marshallow earplugs from Walmart that a friend suggested as very comfortable. They were. They're made by JVC, I think, or SONY. If you are somewhat electronically savvy you will figure out how to use this MP3 player, but the directions it comes with are pretty much non-existent and the website directions do not apply specifically to this product but to the CREATIVE products which are newer. I think the player was well worth the price. I'm having fun loading CD's onto it. I also tried to use it as a voice recorder, and that works great too.

5 out of 5 stars Very easy to use.......2007-05-16


This is my first mp3 player and so far I am very pleased with this product. The fact that it uses an AAA battery means that you don't have to put an adaptor in your backpack. If you want to travel light, it is a good advantage over other players which usually don't come with this option. The sound quality is very good. The software is very intuitive to use. I remember that my cousin had to spend long hours to learn how to manage the software iPod comes with so I was a little woried about it. But I did not even have to read the booklet to use the software. You can easily add, delete and reorganize the music.

Initially I thought that this player doesnot have enough volume. Then I realize that the jackphone was loose and you have to push it hard for it to go all the way in. Then I had such a high volume that I will probably use it in half volume most of the time.

The only negative comment I have is that transfering music is a little slower than I expected.
Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Light Blue)
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • Very Good MP3 Player - but is it right for you?
  • I've had some problems, but I'll keep it for awhile
  • Super Easy to Use
  • Two out of three is weak.
  • After reading these reviews, I don't feel so bad...
Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Light Blue)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

MP3 PlayersMP3 Players | Portable Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Audio & VideoAudio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
1 GB1 GB | Flash Drive-Based | MP3 Players | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics
Similar Items:
  1. CREATIVE LABS SBS Vivid 60 Speakers (Light Blue) CREATIVE LABS SBS Vivid 60 Speakers (Light Blue)
  2. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Blue) Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Blue)
  3. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player 1GB ( Pink ) Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player 1GB ( Pink )
  4. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player Red Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player Red
  5. Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Black) Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player (Black)

Accessories:
  1. iTunes $15 Prepaid Card iTunes $15 Prepaid Card
  2. Shure E4c Sound Isolating Earphones Shure E4c Sound Isolating Earphones
  3. Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro Earphones (White) Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro Earphones (White)
  4. Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB Earphones (White) Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB Earphones (White)
  5. Belkin F8V3080 TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter Belkin F8V3080 TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter

Product Features:
  • Stores up to 500 songs on 1 GB internal flash memory
  • Includes an FM tuner, voice/FM recording, and line-in encoding
  • Super slim, lightweight design and high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity
  • Drive mode allows you to store data files such as photos and presentations
  • Measures 1.32 x 2.58 x 0.51 inches and weighs 0.8 ounces without battery

ASIN: B0009F4ORG

Product Description

The Zen Nano Plus 1GB MP3/WMA Player blends fucntionality wth style, for a practical MP3 player that fits your life. This slim, trendy MP3 player was designed to fit perfectly in a pocket or backpack, or on your armband. Bring your favorite tunes with you everywhere, without having to lug around space-eating CDs. Signal-to-Noise Ratio - Up to 90dB Frequency Response - 20Hz-20KHz Harmonic Response Output - <0.1% Requires 1 AAA battery System Requirements - Windows 98SE to XP, Pentium 350 MHz or AMD 450 MHz processor Dimensions(WxHxD) - 1.32 x 2.58 x 0.51 Weight - 0.8 oz. (without battery)

Amazon.com Product Description

Ready for remarkably thin and powerful performance from your portable music device? The Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player is the ticket. Incredibly thin and lightweight, it's packed with the latest features to meet all your needs. Enjoy amazing, skip-free audio quality when you're listening to your MP3 and WMA music.


The Zen Nano Plus is incredibly thin and can store 500 songs on its 1 GB flash memory.


The built in mic lets you record conversations.


The LCD is built for left or right handed operation.
The Nano Plus is much more than just a music player; it includes an FM tuner, voice/FM recording, and line-in encoding for direct connection and recording from any audio source. Use the Nano Plus to record music directly from your CD player, without a computer.

Of course, if you do have a computer you can transfer audio and data files in seconds with "drag-and-drop" ease--and without software--using the player's USB 2.0 connection. Meanwhile, the Auto Synchronization feature makes it easy to transfer your favorite songs and albums from CDs through the line-in port. Battery life is outstanding, allowing you to listen to music for up to 18 hours on a single AAA battery. Now you can keep the tunes rolling all day long, and do it in style, as the Zen Nano plus comes in ten fun, vibrant colors. The 1 GB model's flash memory can store up to 500 songs (WMA-encoding, 64 kbps).

The FM tuner lets you tune 32 stations. As mentioned, you can also record FM radio so you can catch your favorite tunes or talk shows later on. The built in microphone lets you record voice conversations -- great for those long lectures at school. You can also use the Nano Plus as a portable mini hard drive, allowing you to store data files such as photos and presentations. The unit's LCD is even reversible for left or right handed operation. Last but not least, the Zen Nano sports equalizer presets (Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock) that make your music sound better.

The Zen Nano Plus uses PlaysForSure technology. Look for the PlaysForSure logo if you're shopping for a portable music or video device and you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time. Match the PlaysForSure logo on a large selection of leading devices and online music stores. If you see the logo, you'll know your digital music will play for sure. Choose from a large number of digital music and video stores, including MTV's Urge, Rhapsody, Yahoo!, MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, Napster, Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and many more.


What's in the Box
Zen Nano Plus, high quality earphones, AAA battery, USB 2.0 cable, line-in cable, quick start booklet, installation CD and neck strap.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Very Good MP3 Player - but is it right for you?.......2006-08-11

[Note: all 10 colors are available at retail price from Creative Web site. Cambridge Soundworks stores also carry a good variety of colors.]

I would have given Creative Zen Nano Plus (abbreviated "CZNP") 5 stars, except for two small deficiences: it does not have gapless playback (see #10 below), and the build quality and controls are kind of cheap (see #4 below). Assuming it lasts, it seems a very good unit for the money. Here's why I bought mine, and some questions to ask yourself when you're choosing. [Updated 8/28/2006]

0. Do I want to make a fashion statement with my MP3 player?

Some people will only buy a trendy iPod. Buying a lesser-known unit like CZNP makes a different statement, and you can choose from 10 colors. I prefer function over form, but CZNP offers some of each. I bought an orange one because it is easy to find in my black bag.

1. Do I want to play more than just sound?

The CZNP is a basic MP3 player, FM Radio, and recorder. It has a simple monochrome display and controls that make it a good choice for playing music, podcasts, and ebooks, and listening to local radio stations. It can record from the built-in mike or radio, or from a line input, which may be handy for some.

Some players can play videos, show pictures, etc, and cost a lot more because of the required color screen and larger memory. I don't need these things and prefer not to spend the money needed to get them.

Of course this player can STORE any kind of content, just like a thumb drive, but it only plays audio.

2. Will I be listening to mostly music or mostly spoken content?

When you switch off a unit while it is playing, or pause it and it turns off automatically after awhile, some units will resume at the beginning of the current track, and others (e.g. CZNP) resume exactly where you left off. If you are playing music, you usually prefer to start the song over again. For ebooks or long podcasts, I need to resume where it was turned off (like CZNP does), because it is hard to fast-advance back to where you were.

3. What kind of accessories can I get?

Creative has a set of speakers tailored to the CZNP, and there are many generic accessories that will work with it. By comparison, there are entire catalogs of accessories tailored for optimal use with an iPod (and may not work with others). I have what I need, but pine for some things available for iPod only.

The best accessory of all is a cable that has a 1/8" stereo plug (like the headphone plug) on one end, and two RCA plugs on the other. Plug one of these into the auxiliary or CD input of all the stereos you use, and you can quicly plug this in and play on the speakers. Such cables are available at Radio Shack and most places selling electronics products.

4. How convenient is it to use?

MP3 players vary considerably on how easy they are to use. The iPod is famous for ease of use, though it does not do everything I want to do. The CZNP has relatively cheap controls that work well enough, and does what I want. You don't have to be a computer whiz to use it or its software.

I have been using it while driving with reasonably good results. It is easy to pause and start it, turn it off, adjust volume, skip or repeat tracks, back up or move forward in the current track, and small enough to hold in your hand and still be able to hold onto the steering wheel.

But if you want to skip to a different album, you have to skip, wait, listen, and skip until you find the first track of the desired album. Of course there is a menu way of getting there more easily, but you can't use menus while driving.

It is small and light. About like a Bic cigarette lighter except twice as wide. So far I have found the size very convenient; I don't think I would want it any smaller. But being small, it might be easier to lose - which is why I bought an orange one.

5. How long will it last?

On Amazon, click the link "See all ... customer reviews", then look for the dropdown "Show:" and choose "Lowest review first" and click the Go button. There are a number of reports from people who had problems with their CZNP, some bad enough to throw it away. Some are real problems, others might be a lack of understanding how to use the player.

Despite these complaints, the average review is high. You'll find about the same mix of reviews for most players.

I decided to take a chance. My unit will be well-cared for. If I have a problem, I'll update this review.

6. Can the battery be replaced?

CZNP uses an AAA battery which is said to last for 15 hours and can be changed easily.

The iPod Nano has a rechargeable battery that is not designed to be replaced, which means the iPod Nano becomes landfill when the battery no longer takes a charge in a couple of years. There will be millions of iPods being thrown away simply because the owner cannot make them continue to work, which has an impact on the environment. There are now battery replacement kits for iPod, with tools and instructions, so this concern is lessened for DIY people, but most won't bother.

7. How does it sound?

The CZNP sounds very good to when when I use good earphones like Koss "The Plug", or when plugged into a stereo.

The free headphones you get with it won't give you the best sound, and you should not judge any player on how it sounds with the included headphones. Go buy quality earphones for any new player, as this will make a huge improvement in your enjoyment at relatively low cost.

8. Does the player use flash memory or hard-disk for storage?

CZNP uses flash memory. Flash memory is more expensive per MB/GB than hard disk memory, and flash memory players are smaller than hard disk players. I would not want a hard disk, which I think is too heavy and too fragile for a portable player. Get a hard disk player if you want to carry a lot of content, but make sure you have a backup. Get a flash memory player if you want to hold the content you will listen to today or this week.

9. Does the player have enough memory?

I use Highest Quality VBR, which gives me MP3s usually 200-250 KBPS, and I get about 10 hours of MP3 music. For podcasts or other material recorded at lower quality, you'll get a lot more. With that much space I can have some new or favorite albums left on the player, and have plenty of room for content that changes (like podcasts). If you don't use a computer regularly, you might want more memory, maybe even a hard disk, but 1GB is very convenient for my purposes.

10. Does the player support gapless playback between tracks?

Some albums have music that flows continously from one track to the next. Examples: Radiohead "OK Computer", Dandy Warhols, Moody Blues. The listening experience is disrupted if the tracks have a gap as the player switches from one track to another.

I don't know of any portable MP3 player that offers gapless playback (without Rockbox), though it's bound to come. The CZNP has a brief gap with no clicks, but it is still somewhat disruptive. One solution is to rip the album as one continuous track. The Rockbox open-source technology essentially replaces the firmware on your player, and it features gapless playback. It is supported on a few players, including some iPods, but not CZNP.

11. Does the player require proprietary software or hardware?

CZNP includes software, but since it also works like a USB drive, you can manage content with Explorer / Finder if you want to. All connectors are industry-standard and you can find matching cables in electronics and computer stores.

iPod can only load music using iTunes, and other players require software supplied with the unit, or with Windows. The iPod and others also use proprietary connectors, so replacing a lost cable is more expensive. I would not be happy with such restrictions. Open standards promote flexibility and interoperability. On the other hand the iPod is widely supported and it's easy to find compatible accessories.

For me, at a minimum, the player needs to look like a USB drive when I connect it to the computer, so that I can load it by dragging files to the player's file system, and the CZNP does that. I want to have a program automatically create a custom listening program of various short podcasts that play in a particular order to support Radio on Demand, and I want that to happen by simply connecting the device to the computer, with no keyboard or mouse interaction involved. I have not found such a program, and may have to write it, but I can do that if I want to. With an iPod I have no choice but to use iTunes (or replace the firmware with Rockbox). iTunes will not do what I want it to do, and there is no option to use my own or third-party software.

12. Is the player file-based or tag-based?

The CZNP is file-based: it will play songs in alphabetical order for a given folder. Naming songs with a two-digit sequence number at the beginning of the filename ensures they play in the correct order. It also has shuffle play, etc.

I had tried the SanDisk Sansa, but returned it because all content is organized and played on the basis of tags, exclusively. While my music has tags correctly set to play the way I wanted, podcasts don't use tags consistently enough to play them in a particular order that I chose. With the CZNP you can at least control the order by putting a sequence number at the beginning of each filename.

Tag-based may have some advantages over file-based (though not for my uses), but only if all of the content you want to play is properly tagged.

3 out of 5 stars I've had some problems, but I'll keep it for awhile.......2006-07-15

I'll start off by saying I wish I'd gotten an iPod Shuffle. But I've got this working now, so I'll keep it for 6 months and then maybe get the iPod.

I'll start with the positive aspects of the Zen Nano:
1) It is cute and lightweight
2) It has a radio
3) It is easy to forward through the albums and songs
4) It holds about 20 albums

The negative aspects are:
1) You can't easily download iTunes songs into the Nano. You have to burn the iTunes files onto cd then rip them into Windows Media Player. Unfortunately, the song titles and album information doesn't copy, so you have to either type it in or click "find more info" and hope that it will copy it from the internet. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't.

2) If you don't get the software upgrade, your Nano will eventually not power on. So you MUST go to http://www.creative.com/ and get the upgrades for the Nano Plus when you first get it. I didn't and lost all the music I had on it when I finally did the upgrade. It has worked fine since I got the updated software.

3) The headphones aren't good enough, so you'll probably want to get different ones.

4) The software it comes with is a little confusing to work with. So I download the music using Windows Media Player, then use the Creative software to organize the folders.

So in conclusion, if you do not buy music from iTunes and will only be downloading from cds, then this player is fine. But if you have a lot of iTunes files, it will be better to get an iPod.

5 out of 5 stars Super Easy to Use.......2006-07-14

I have no idea what everyone's problem is with this thing. I am super technology-ignorant and I found the Creative Zen Nano 1GB to be extremely easy to set up and use. The drag and drop feature was quick and easy, although I did find that dragging an entire folder of songs versus individual songs worked much better (dragging individual songs decreased the capacity of the player for some reason; dragging a folder of songs alleviated that problem). I also read on other reviews that the Zen Nano functions like the iPod Shuffle, which I find to be untrue. As long as you drag your music onto the Nano in album folders, it stores the songs per album, per artist. So you can listen to an album in its entirety--it does not shuffle around like other people have said. Also, you can customize the eq, and it really sounds pretty good once you have it set up. The battery life is fine--about 15 hours, which is pretty good, and since it only takes one AAA battery it's not a big deal to change it out once in a while. Another good thing is its size and weight. It's TINY!!! I can easily fit it into my pocket, plus it comes with a nice gummi carrier which actually does not detract from the player's coolness. I had some intial concerns about the durability of the thing, but I have had it the side pocket of my purse for the past month, which has gone across the country with me on an airplane and been stuck under my feet for 5 hours, and it's totally survived. The earphones do suck; they're big. I purchased the el-cheapo JVC Gummi ones and they work very well and are about as comfortable as $7.00 earphones can get. Overall, I think the Zen Nano 1GB is a great value (I found mine for $70, although I've seen it for as much as $130 on-line).

1 out of 5 stars Two out of three is weak........2006-05-18

My gripe is with Creative and the MuVo Micro which has morphed into the Zen Nano Plus. I bought 3 of these for Christmas gifts, and now, less than 6 mos. later, 2 of the 3 have bit the dust, refusing to stay powered on for more than 5 secs. Useless. No downloads or upgrades helped. The 90 day labor warranty had expired and a $25 fee was required for each unit I wanted to fix...i tried to get them to look at both for $25 (they shared the same problem), and they responded with a this-is-the-warranty, send $50 if you want them fixed, "have a wonderful day" e-mail, which i found particularly irritating.

1 out of 5 stars After reading these reviews, I don't feel so bad..........2006-02-27

What a piece of junk! After four hours of messing with this thing and at least that many system recoveries, mine is repackaged and ready for return. The "simple" drag and drop loading of this turd has locked my computer up more times than I care to recount. The one time I was able to get more than 20 songs onto the thing without having to CTRL + ALT + DEL and start over from scratch, the player itself locked up! I consider myself to be fairly computer literate, but this thing made me feel like a complete and total idiot. I'm so disgusted right now, I'm not even going to waste my time with Creative Labs' customer support (which, by the way, is only open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday). Save yourself the time, trouble and headache and buy something else -- anything else. Aaaaaarrrrrgh!

Electronics:

  1. Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player (Black/Blue)
  2. Creative Zen Vision W 30 GB Widescreen Multimedia Player (Black)
  3. CURTIS-YOUNG(TN893) Toner Cartridge for Phaser. 790, Yield 6,000, Yellow
  4. Cyan High-cap Toner Cartridge Phaser/ 7700
  5. Cyan Image Drum with Extra Toner for C3200 Color Printer
  6. Cyan Toner Cartridge 1.5K for C3200 Color Printer
  7. Cyan Toner Cartridge for Phaser 790
  8. Cyan Toner for Lj 4500
  9. Cyber Acoustics CA 3000 - PC multimedia speaker system ( CA-3000WW ) OEM
  10. CyberHome CHLDV1010 10" Progressive Scan Portable DVD Player (Silver)

Electronics

Electronics