Since we opened in 2006, we've been the first place to leak just about every player that Creative has released. We first told you about the ZEN X-Fi a few months back, and now I might have an actual photo of it. So without further delay, I present to you the Creative ZEN X-Fi:




Is it real? Of course I can't confirm that right now, but it was sent to me by the same source who first told me about this player (and the Zen Share). The look of the player is fairly similar to how it was described as earlier. It was said to be similar to the original ZEN in design and with a "silver backing", which we can see is really chrome. The chrome edges does give the player an iPhone-esque look, which I'm sure was intentional.

The ZEN X-Fi has the same control layout as the original, but adds 4 buttons along the edges of the D-pad. The SD-card slot is also located on the bottom this time (actually it's not! read below). I don't have any other specifications for this player, but I hope to get that information soon. As usual, everything posted here is a rumor, and will remain so until Creative confirms it. I want to know what everyone thinks about this device. I personally think it looks classy, but for some reason it just doesn't look "real" to me. We'll make sure to update you when we find out more.

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Update: Creative confirms the Zen X-Fi, Plus features revealed

Well that was quick. A few hours after I revealed the image above, one of our members searched Creative's site and found official confirmation of the ZEN X-Fi. It comes in the form of a "ZEN X-Fi Starter pack" which is chock full of information about Creative's new player. So here we go.

From the user guide, we know the following:

The picture above is the real deal:




That slot at the bottom that I thought was a SD-card slot is actually a built-in speaker! The SD-card slot is still at the top. The power switch as you can see is located on the back of the player Like the original ZEN, the X-Fi will have an FM tuner and Voice recording.

WiFi is built-in - WiFi will be used for



a.) Instant messaging. You can set up an account with Creative that will allow you to chat with contacts from Yahoo! Messenger and Microsoft Live! (aka MSN Messenger). The 9 buttons in the picture above will be used for typing, similar to the way you'd use a cell phone for texting.

b,) Wireless Streaming. You have the ability to connect to Creative's "Public Media Server" or to your home server to play or download files directly on the player.

There are two X-Fi settings:

Turning X-Fi on and off appears to be menu based. There are two options: X-Fi Crystalizer, and X-Fi Expand. Here's the official explanation for both: X-Fi Crystalizer intelligently restores details that were lost during compression of audio files. It makes audio richer and clearer, delivering sound that is closer to the original quality.

On the other hand, X-Fi Expand gives audio a realistic and natural feel. It moves the sound away from your ears and repositions it in front of you - as if listening to a live performance on stage. X-Fi Expand works best with your earphones or headphones.


Creative Centrale - A better software solution



Creative has created a new all-in-one program called "Centrale". It looks and performs much better than its predecessors from my little time with it. It supports your music, videos, and photos and even appears to have options for DVD ripping.

Do all players have Wi-Fi?



One interesting tidbit was found when checking out the Wi-Fi section of the user guide. At the top it states: "This section applies to ZEN X-Fi players with wireless LAN features.". That seems to imply that there are some models that will not have WiFi built-in. Considering Creative is known for making multiple versions of the same player (e.g. Zen V and V Plus), this wouldn't be a surprise. In fact, that's likely the reason the player is named the ZEN X-Fi and not the Share, nor the WiFi.


I'm so happy to see all this information confirmed so quickly. That's a good sign that this player is ready to be shipped. I have a good feeling Creative will officially announce the player within the next month or so.

The ZEN X-Fi appears to be quite feature-packed, but I'm not sure it's the features that people actually want. Chatting is nice, but this player isn't the most practical for it. Cell phones are perfectly fine for that. I am glad to finally have X-Fi on the go. It's been years since we were promised an X-Fi player, and now that time has come. Hopefully it doesn't kill our battery life.

There's still plenty more to learn about this player, and we'll have that info for you as soon as we get it.


LINK (via Our Forums)

Thanks brahmasoccer09 and Varuna!

Update 2: More info in two days

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