Is Creative Slowly Dying?

[copeys]

Originally Posted by EnzoTen

They simply don't listen to users. They would still be in the game if they built upon the ZVM, still a player i would put in the top players of all time.

If Creative was to start up the production line of ZVM, slimming the model down and sticking a bigger hard drive in, I beleive they would still be in the game and may have a chance. It still is a good player, it still has a lot of potential, all the would need to do is redo the old player, and maybe the software for syncing. There is still a spot out the for HDD players!

[JunglePimp]

Well we can only guess/assume/hope.

Creative can do it, but will it?

I don't know.

[Popcorn]

I agree with the comments about building on the ZVM and making it a better product. I just read an article online that Apple is rumoured to be coming out with an iPod Touch with a 9 inch screen in late '09. It said it would probably retail around $500 USD.
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/16475.cfm
If creative would even come out with an improved and slimmed down ZVM with at least a 4" screen I would certainly buy it.

[copeys]

Originally Posted by Popcorn

I agree with the comments about building on the ZVM and making it a better product. I just read an article online that Apple is rumoured to be coming out with an iPod Touch with a 9 inch screen in late '09. It said it would probably retail around $500 USD.
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/16475.cfm
If creative would even come out with an improved and slimmed down ZVM with at least a 4" screen I would certainly buy it.

One of the comments further down I did enjoy...

Originally Posted by mike.m

Have fun fitting that into your pocket.

(http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/16475.cfm)
lolz

EDIT: They don't need any of the fancy stuff like touch screens, x-fi, wi-fi, etc. Even though that would be nice Creative has really IMO rushed things. Able to play from and SD card is nice, but to have it fully integrated into the systems library is nicer, and could have been acheived by creative with a little TLC. Usually, the product to have something 'new' first, can be a flop, with technology developing over that within minutes.

[ZenChick]

Originally Posted by Popcorn

I agree with the comments about building on the ZVM and making it a better product. I just read an article online that Apple is rumoured to be coming out with an iPod Touch with a 9 inch screen in late '09. It said it would probably retail around $500 USD.
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/16475.cfm
If creative would even come out with an improved and slimmed down ZVM with at least a 4" screen I would certainly buy it.

A nine-inch screen??? Sheesh, that would take it right out of the PMP category and throw it in with netbooks! Even most netbooks aren't that big!

Next, they'll be selling backpacks to carry the thing in!

[musichound]

Popcorn, the 9 inch screen is most probably nothing but a rumor, and it will never materialize. I think the only way this can become a reality is by superimposing two smaller screens, that can expand to 9 inches.

[Zenon]

Some of the comments about marketing are silly imo. Apple is worth 100$ Billion according to some fairly recent evaluations, just google it, while creative is worth only 350million
http://investing.businessweek.com/re...symbol=CREA.SI

Stevie's personal fortune is more than that right?

Creative are tiny compared to Apple. How can they and other small players in the PMP market compete with the advertising and R&D budget of Apple? Plus Apple had the sense to offer a vertiical solution with both the player and native integration with their own online music store.

Anyway for me the 8GB X-fi ticks most of the boxes. The SD card download function is perfect as I can then download pictures from other peoples' camera SD cards onto my Zen. Great for holidays.

[JunglePimp]

I somehow seem to agree.
Tap the potential into a solid non gimmicky product that serves the market well for some time.

Also I think every player should be compared with the player of it's own strata.
So ZVM vs an iPod Touch (9 inch) would seem a little awkward.

But that's just M.O.

[BobbyRS]

...and the hits just keep on coming:

Creative posts $32.4 Million Loss for Q2 2009

Revenues for the second quarter were $155.7 million, compared to revenues of $262.5 million for the same quarter last year. Net loss for the second quarter was $32.4 million, with loss per share of $0.44. This compares to net income of $7.6 million with earnings per share of $0.09 for the same period last year.

“Based upon the continuing decline we saw in market conditions in the second quarter, we took aggressive actions to reduce our inventory position, which negatively affected our gross margins in the period. We reduced our inventory position to $57.3 million, a 45 percent reduction from last quarter. Our performance was further impacted by the downward shift in other currencies against the US dollar from the previous quarter, which reduced our revenue and gross margins in Europe and contributed to a significant currency exchange loss in the period,” said Craig McHugh, president and COO of Creative. “Looking forward, we expect that the difficult market environment will continue to deterioriate. We are evaluating the structure of our field organizations so we can significantly reduce our operating expenses.”

From the famous words of E.T....... Ouuuuuuch!

[Utew]

Vee are nearing Zii end...

The next two quarters look to be much of the same, in my estimation... how long can you hemorrhage cash and remain standing?
I just can't see anything here but a dead man walking.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by Utew

Vee are nearing Zii end...

how long can you hemorrhage cash and remain standing?

Ask the government after these last 8 years.
*crossing fingers*

[Utew]

Originally Posted by Marvin the Martian

Ask the government after these last 8 years.
*crossing fingers*

Ah yes.. and it's been going on for a lot longer than even that...
..and no doubt we'll be saddled with even more debt as taxpayers, until it swamps us totally.

It does bring up an interesting point though.. that being, whether the Singaporean govt. is in the business of bailing out floundering companies on their own home turf.

I could guess the answer, but if someone living in Singapore can enlighten us.....

[dfkt]

Originally Posted by Utew

that being, whether the Singaporean govt. is in the business of bailing out floundering companies on their own home turf

Didn't they get evicted already?

[Utew]

Originally Posted by dfkt

Didn't they get evicted already?

I thought I saw a notice of eviction on the Corporate front door!

Oh.. wait a minute... it's just a past due rent notice..

[JunglePimp]

So well assuming that creative is out of the market as a major brand, would that give the other smaller brands a chance to rise?

[copeys]

Originally Posted by JunglePimp

So well assuming that creative is out of the market as a major brand, would that give the other smaller brands a chance to rise?

Or just remove the shelter keeping those companies alive?

It might provide some feirce competition though Yay! Cheap good stuff

[JunglePimp]

Originally Posted by copeys

Or just remove the shelter keeping those companies alive?

It might provide some fierce competition though Yay! Cheap good stuff

LoL.

What I feel is that it will give a place for the smaller companies to come up, as they see a slot empty, motivation might lead to better quality in their products.

Yes a very vague-tarded piece of imagination , but thats what i feel.

[copeys]

Originally Posted by JunglePimp

What I feel is that it will give a place for the smaller companies to come up, as they see a slot empty, motivation might lead to better quality in their products.

Lets hope so, otherwise it might be a short time before we all become isheep lol

[JunglePimp]

Originally Posted by copeys

Lets hope so, otherwise it might be a short time before we all become isheep lol

LOL @ "iSHEEP"
Nice coinage.


Well on the other thoughts, I shall never become an iSheep, even if they were:
1.cheap like ----
2.the only pmps available
3.free.

[BobbyRS]

Interesting article:

Creative Labs Lists its Priorities for 2009

Within all the fluff, I did take note of this:

In terms of the technology trends that will drive 2009, these include:
Ease of use: The new age customer looks out for a product, which is a league apart but should be handy and easily navigable. Creative is mastering this mantra by coming up with user-friendly product range.

Higher capacities: For MP3 players to handy camcorders, data capacities have always been the cutting edge of technology. Creative has been upgrading its existing range of products and we will be introducing some new marvelous products with higher storage capacity.

Stylish look: Digital entertainment products need to have a stylish look apart from the advance technology embedded in them as they have now become more of a style/status symbol for the youth then a gadget.

Perhaps they have changed their mind regarding a higher capacity hard drive player or maybe this means the first 64GB flash player......