looks pretty sweet, but its a shame SD isnt integrated..

The manual says that your [i]computer[/i] considers it a removable disc. While it might be seen that way, this doesn't necessarily mean that the player doesn't manually integrate it after you disconnect the Zen from the computer.

I'm not getting my hopes up, but that language doesn't rule integration out.

Grahm: I can't see them getting too worried about DRM. DRM on music is hanging by the skin of it's teeth thanks to iTunes Plus, Amazon, and now Napster (DRM on video isn't, but that's another issue in itself) offering DRM-Free music for download. While they may have made the Zen Vision: M being compatible with nearly every service out there other than iTunes, all music downloaded legally had DRM at the time. It just isn't as essential as it was three or four years ago.

Even if you were to buy some music with DRM, you can still put it on the player itself. The photo thing could be so that it'll appeal to some people with cameras so you can empty your memory card without a computer.

But like I said, I'm not getting my hopes up, merely pointing out that the language used doesn't rule it out completely.

@JQuilty... Indeed, im convinced its not ruled out. i removed that part of the article. =)

I aim to please. :)

But let me throw this one out there too, im comparing the Zen to the Zen X-Fi in the manual and it looks like the two are identical in size- that leaves very little room for those 13 buttons on the side.

So is wi-fi something to sell the D2 for?!

If SD is integrated, and no limit, i would sell all my 8gb sd's and buy a 32gb, if internal capacity isnt 60gb. Flash memory is nice though. Drag and drop i couldnt live without now, its so simple.

Web browser or just AIM?

Love the ZVM, but the d2 owns it.

Matt

If Creative can make it sound good, have proper SD integration and keep it reasonably priced, I'm very interested.

Worth noting, from the manual it seems there may be both Wi-Fi and non-Wi-Fi enabled versions, see the epizenter link in the article.

With the exception of the completely 'old school' 4:3 LCD ratio, it sort of looks the part of a quality piece.

But it'll take a lot more than decent looks to erase the horrible experience I'm having with my Zen 16gb, with it's abysmal output volume, marginal build quality and ultra-buggy firmware/hardware.

The 'preemptive' text input sounds rather strangely implemented here, and, frankly, I don't see the value of such an option on a DAP, but... who knows?

As long as Creative can drastically improve the dull/lifeless/boring sound quality and battery life as compared to the Zen, I'll give it another shot...

We'll See Soon Enough.

I almost died reading this! Thank you creative labs1 I just hope its better in SD integration than the ZEN.

Very excited for this. However, I still feel that Creative needs to step it up. I need more screen and more resolution. I need something fresher in firmware/navigation. I used to have a ZV:M (it got stolen) and I now have a Samsung P2. After the ZV:M I was a big fan of Creative. But I'm not sure if the X-Fi can pull me away from my P2.

I hear you Vuhuy

I think I've finally given up on Creative. I've been waiting 2 and a half years for a good ZVM replacement, and we get this? If I want to chat via a messenger protocol, I'll just use my phone. I was looking forward to an Internet Browser and a decent amount of flash storage since Creative has given up on hard drives. Instead, Creative slaps an unusually ugly array of buttons on the side of a Zen for chatting and file transfers? What a waste of Wi-Fi. Guess my next PMP is probably going to be a next generation Zune.

I agree with you Omar. Also I feel that staying inside the design boundaries of the Creative ZEN was a mistake. Cuz the X-Fi is really just a ZEN with more face buttons and a chrome bezel (design-wise that is). I wouldn't mind a bigger player that can offer something a bit more robust (screen size->navigating the web?). If I wanted small and more simple then I would just get the ZEN.

I'm not impressed. The design is awful, and I wouldn't want to text using those goofy buttons. It's a shame considering this is from the folks that produced the Zen Vision M. I just hope that, if this is part of a series, future players will improve. Otherwise, the competition is looking good to me.

I want A2DP streaming.

A lot of top of the line car audio systems have A2DP support now, no more docks, no more cables, no more engineering dock connectors.

@zaw:
That's what I love about my P2. I don't actually have a car with A2DP support, but I've tried it in my brother's TL and now it's hard to go back to my cassette adapter.

a bit of a letdown. why im on an mp3 palyer and only locally? not like i have wi-fi on my morning commute.

why the funky key pad? in a age of touchscreens why not just go with a larger touchscreen and get rid of the buttons?

sd does integrate!
This operation transfers all files in your memory card to your player. After transferring the files, you can view pictures files (.jpg) on your player. To view files that are in other formats, use your computer.

Insert your memory card into your player's SD memory slot. For more information, see Inserting a Memory Card.
In the main menu, select Memory Card.
Select Import All.
When a message appears telling you that the transfer is complete, press any button on your player to continue.
To view transferred photos (.jpg) using your player, select Photos Imported Files . For example, if you transfer files on November 15, 2007 at 6:30:35 PM, the folder name is 2007-11-15 18H:30M:35S.
To locate all transferred files, connect your player to your computer using the supplied USB cable. Click your player's icon in My Computer, and click Storage Media Imported Files .

that thing is really ugly. my zen is much more sexy.

Am tired of this crap... ZV:M was the best to ever come out of their labs... and instead of improving on this, this is the best they do with their WiFi?! some awful buttons... how is this to compete with d ipod touch?
They have internet browsing, large screen for videos. Looks like creative is jus drawing at straws. If this is their improvement to d ZV:M i really hope it offers us some surprises

@ Josh
I don't think this is really the SD integration that people are interested in. In order to have the Zen detect files from an SD card as part of the same library as you Zen when searching for files, you have to transfer them onto your Zen! This completely defeats the purpose of having an SD card as an extra chunk of memory on your player. Instead, in order to use that efficiently, you have to waste your player's memory. It's a big problem that a little firmware update could easily fix.

@ Josh
I don't think this is really the SD integration that people are interested in. In order to have the Zen detect files from an SD card as part of the same library as you Zen when searching for files, you have to transfer them onto your Zen! This completely defeats the purpose of having an SD card as an extra chunk of memory on your player. Instead, in order to use that efficiently, you have to waste your player's memory. It's a big problem that a little firmware update could easily fix.

Thats how the wasted space Compact Flash slot does in my Zen:W.

I don't really care about Internet browsing, or touch screens.

I need big buttons to go along with big screen. I use it in the car and its much easier with bigger buttons and screens.

Built in FM Mod be also nice feature. I'll take that over BlueTooth or Wireless.

Don't care about SD integration, wifi, texting... It all comes down to audio quality for me. I hope it lives up to the x-fi name. FLAC would be excellent feature too!

How often does Creative post new firmware for the Zen? The lack of SD card integration is a buzz-kill. If Sandisk/Sansa and their HORRIBLE software writers can do file integration from an SD slot (and they do), then so can Creative.

this device has served as an alternative to an apple nano. It has everything, as I speak now, im listening to the FM player. I'm trying to find the manual though, want to record from FM.