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CREATIVE ZEN VISION: M VIDEO PLAYER
Apple’s iPod video has a Creative competitor – Zen Vision: M
The Creative Zen Vision M could be a worthy competitor to the
Apple iPod.
30 December, 2005
MUMBAI, INDIA
Creative chief executive officer Sim Wong Hoo unveiled the 'Zen Vision: M' launched by his firm in a bid to lock horns with Apple’s iPod video.
Hoo described Zen Vision as part of "next generation" of MP3 players, which has a colour screen "to display four times the colour of competing portable video players," media reports said.
It may be recalled that Creative had declared a war against rival Apple a year ago.Riding on a wave of success after iPods stormedthe world, Apple had unveiled its iPod video in October.
Hoo said the firm had deliberately put more features in the Zen Vision: M aswell as avoided making it “too small”. This is seen by analystsas taking a dig at Apple’s iPod.
There had been a deluge of complaints against Apple’s Nano, mostly about cracked screens. Many believe Apple has compromised on quality in its bid to make the iPod too sleek and small.
"M stands for mini, micro, media — whatever you want. We've put more features," Hoo reportedly said. "We've avoided the small syndrome. We believe you can have too small, too slim where quality is compromised," he said.
But despite Hoo’s jibe at Apple, the Zen Vision bears a resemblence to Apple’s iPod, analysts said.
Creative has added extra features in its Zen Vision: M, including an improvised colour screen, FM radio and in-built microphone.
The Zen Vision: M will cost around $349, while Apple's iPod video costs $329 plus (both figures without taxes).
The Singapore–based Creative has been toying with the idea of taking on Apple for many months and the Zen Vision: M is its first offering in that direction.
Creative had tried a price cut of its MP3 products, increased spending on advertising and even offered incentives for retailers in its war on Apple.
It won an US patent in August for a user interface for MP3 players, which enables better navigation of select tracks.
The firm, which describes this as Zen Patent, claims that rival MP3 products infringe this patent, in what is apparently seen as putting pressure on Apple’s iPod. It is not known if the firm is thinking of a law suit in this connection
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