Creative Unveils Android, Multi-touch Zii MP3 Player Comments

So this could potentially be a killer phone if Creative actually decided to include a phone module. Instead it'll be used as a uber skype phone. Also looks like an iPhone/iPod but not quite. Impressive indeed! Especially if it'll go for £140.

This could potentially be very interesting, especially since the platform seems exceptional from the video/feature list. It does seem as though Creative isn't releasing this as a consumer product by itself though, as the website seems to market the potential of the platform instead of the consumer qualities.

Here's hoping that some company takes this, puts it in a nicer looking shell (it looks cheap to me atm) and adds phone functionality, then Creative/whoever else may have quite the money maker on their hands.

Fantasic spec list. But 1 question is left in my mind. Do you really want to carry ANOTHER device around with you when something like the iphone or HTC will entertain you.

Crikey.

Stick a phone in there please. PLEASE. I'd buy 4. Right now.

Love is a very splendid thing, cant wait to see the build quality,

Creative could really screw this up if they don't go for high quality and great value, its the only sector that's moving.

colour me interested

Kinda disappointed in the resolution, why put all the 2D, 3D, and video playback in if you can't see it? Especially since creative removed the HDMI connector. If you want the original version with HDMI on preorder now at: http://www.zii.com/Developer/SDKProducts.aspx

Or if you want similar with double the pixels, larger screen, fast cpu (rumored 1 GHz arm), android, and of course a cell phone check out the Sony Xperia X3, also on preorder (not in the USA though).

Well, for starters, this is a development platform, so it's not as if it'll be sold as is to consumers.
The reason for the lack of a phone part is most likely also because of this, as it has just about every other feature that a high-end Smartphone could possibly need. The only disadvantage would be the relatively low resolution display (320x480) compared to the most recent crop of Smartphones.

Also, it does do HD out, but it wasn't mentioned if this was over component video or HDMI, but as it does 1080p out, one has to guess that it's HDMI.

It's actually interesting to see how similar the ZMS-05 Zii processor is similar to the Nvidia Tegra processors, as both use dual core ARM processors, although the ZMS-05 seems to be clocked at far lower speeds than Tegra, but it's a bit hard to tell, as Creative/Zii hasn't released any clock speeds that I could find...

Spec looks great though it looks less sleeky than ipod touch and feels quite thick from the pics..

oh, I thought the ipod/media player market is shrinking, isnt it?

I agree with Williamn. Convergence is all well and good, except when you end up with several devices that do many of the same things. An iPhone-class smartphone would render this pretty much redundant. Admittedly I still carry other devices in addition to my smartphone - an MP3 player or sometimes a digital camera - but only because these are single-purpose devices which do their job particularly well. I can't see the need for more than one jack-of-all-trades entertainment device. Of course, this won't be an issue for don't want a smartphone, and on its own terms it should stand up well against the iPod Touch.

Now if only Creative could get back to making high-capacity MP3 players, so that the iPod classic isn't the ONLY choice out there.

I'm finding it hard to get excited about this. But then I find it hard to get excited about any such device without some sort of mobile data provision. But the iPod Touch obviously has a market and a competent device running Android would be very welcome competition. I think it'll be a bit of a 'wait and see' though...

Shame the design sucks.

Also, a crucial point is missing, Plazma will come with no app-store whereas Androids is already up and running, just my 2 cents.

Well all very lovely, but with no phone component (unless someone adds it) it's not that interesting. As people have said the media player segment is shrinking, even iPod sales are down as people move to iPhones instead. Convergence often leads to inferior products, but the tech is there now to have a phone/media player in one that excels in both departments. It's not that yet to merge with cameras yet, we still need that seperately if we care about quality, but in 2009 we've reached the point where it should no longer be necessary to have a device for both phone calls & playing music.

So I don't think this'll do for Creative what the Pre might do for Palm as the market just isn't there anymore. They need to expand their horizons, Apple did and that's set expectations within consummers that this product falls short of reaching.

Have to agree with HK here, no phone, no sale.

If you're going to spend the money on an iPod Touch, you might as well get the iPhone, buy it outright and use it on pay as you go if the plans are too much.

I don't see much hope for this product.

After reading all the comments, I feel sorry for Creative...

@ Ohmz
the iPhone on pay as you go is around £350, so making it out to be a substitute for the iTouch isn't a great comparison in my opinion. There is still a market for PMP's, but it's shrinking rapidly as people realize they can get the functionality from a phone, now I just wish there were some phones around that did music/video to the standards of most decent PMP's because there isn't really one around at the moment (the iPhone doesn't count for the lack of drag n' drop and for being tied to the abomination that is iTunes).
@ xbrumster
There's no doubt they have a great device on their hands (though personally I'm still more interested in Nvidia's Tegra as there's much more solid info on that platform), however stuffing all these features into such a device will put the device in the price range of contract phones and with Android compatibility it really leaves people wanting for that phone functionality.

@Ohmz I'd agree if PAYG on the iPhone wasn't over 2x the price of the iTouch and the 32GB wasn't over £500.
Economical in the long run? maybe......
A LOT to pay out in one go? definitely!

There is a lot of promise here, remember the iTouch and iPhone share a lot of parts, so it cant be THAT hard to re-package the Zii as a smartphone.

Let's hope we start seeing some Creative adds on TV..... ffs, Apple's "some steps missed" demo of the iPhone was simple and got the job done. I'm wondering whether Creative is trying to pass the buck on advertising onto the 3rd party manufacturers.

Let me also add my voice to the "OMG I want a phone version" clamour!

@ Gnormie, gingerbreadman85, I see your (guys?) point on the pricing.

Personally, I always thought that IF I wanted the Touch I'd just eat the cost and get the iPhone and get the whole wireless experience. To me the cost isn't THAT ludicrous that I wouldn't give it serious consideration.

I was all geared up for the iPhone actually, but now with the Palm Pre, Google Android, and who knows what else, I have a lot to consider now before I take the plunge.

This Creative device isn't even on my radar to be honest, I don't see the point in having a mobile phone AND a device as large as this in my pockets. Cue the "...or are you just happy to see me" jokes...

@Gordon
I don't understand why people don't like the abbreviaton 'iTouch' :P I guess in audiophile circles it's used as a condescending term but I just find it easier then typing out iPod Touch. And if the kittens that explode are anything like my former cat...
itouchitouchitouchitoughitouchitouchitouch
(my former cat was literally the reincarnation of satan! :P )

@Gordon:
"Every time someone says 'iTouch' somewhere a kitten explodes."

LOL! ...and I completely agree with the sentiment...

my apologies Gordon.....

I have a nice little E51 as my phone, i have no need for go-everywhere internet as a teacher.... i'll either be at home with WiFi or at school (10min drive away) with WiFi. However having a decent MP3i can watch vids on is something i find handy.

I just dont see myself getting the use out of the iPhone (or equivilant) so a iPod Touch (miaow Gordon!) or Creative Zii sans phone fills my needs. I doubt i am the only one in that situation either, there are plenty of us out there that dont need to be wired into the internet 24/7, even amongst the more IT savvy individuals.

As is, i have an 8GB iPod on the way with a MacBook Pro 13.3" (£145 rebate cant be argued with) and i look forward to using them together in my classroom.

If it were a phone as well, I would consider it. However, having just bought an X1050, I'm not really interested in forking out *again* in so short a time...
So I'll join the crowd wanting a phone.

This is clearly a competitor to the iPod Touch not the iPhone and that's the one iPod line that isn't decreasing in sales volume.

If they get this right and if it has access to the Android app store then there's a real challenge on in the high end PMP market again.

Hold yer horses!

I used to have an iPaq, which i could add wireless connectivity modules to by utilizing the SDIO slot.. How hard would it be to use the full-size SD slot on the Zii to carry a phone module?

maybe some people don't want an iphone because they care about the audio quality of the music they listen to on the go. I used to own an ipod and was very disappointed to find out that my sony psp and my cheap sony ericsson phone both sound noticably better. Haven't used it since. Also, my tiny (dumb)phone still works perfectly well and is barely noticable in the pocket - am i the only person here who doesn't want a huge phone in their pocket when they go out in the evening?

@ThaDon

Assuming it's SDIO capable then should be possible. It would need an external antenna though which would be particularly awkward due to the SD slot being on the side. And the phone gubbins and SIM card slot may need to be external too though phone bits look to have been shrunk quite a long way recently - see the watch-phones.

@stripy
Wow, the iPod audio is worse than the PSP? Even I'm surprised.

As for the Plaszma, Creative should be shot for their naming conventions, but the fact this may eventually end up in a phone is intriguing.

@drdark

shameful eh!

@stripy. Actually, I agree with you on the smartphone front. The screens seem to be getting progressively larger, but if I can't fit it in my pocket, what's the point? Unfortunately it's just marketing one-upmanship. It's as if your screen has to be bigger to be 'better' than the competition's. I was really looking forward to SE's new Android phone until I found out it has a 4in screen! Too much...

I prefer a separate music/video device to my phone so that when my battery runs out, it doesn't mean I can't contact people. I would like a mobile/music/video player that had two batteries in it. One for the player and one for the phone.

I would prefer a separate device for listening to music and surfing the net too.. my phone is meant for making calls. I saw another video showing 3D gameplay on the zii at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L48tLjclUCM

Why would you be happy listening to music on a phone when friends can call you/text at any time thus disturbing your listening pleasure? A music phone with a dedicated audio chip I bought recently (Nokia 5310 Xpressmusic to be precise...) isn't quite as good as my Creative Vision:M. I prefer listening to music only with no interruptions. :)

(P.S Well partly because my phone has stopped working and I was using for music a lot! XD)