Welcome to epiZENter. You are seeing this message because you are either not registered or not logged in. If you're new to this site, I'll tell you what we're all about. This is a Creative fansite that focuses on their various players such as the very popular Creative ZEN. We make it our duty here to provide you with all the latest news and information to help you with your player, and to aid in your buying decision if you don't own a player yet. epiZENter is part of the DAPreview webring.
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If you're sick of people telling you that everything you know is going to change ... so are we. It has been more than 14 months since Creative first unveiled the Zii Platform and till today, we have yet to see any actual working Zii product that we can buy. However, could this fact change very soon? Just recently, Creative silently updated the Zii website with the Zii Dock, Zii AV Cable and a new Zii Development Kit which supports 3G mobile modules. Furthermore, Intrinsyc (the company behind Barnes & Noble's Nook) announces Android RapidRIL Support for ZiiLABS Cellular Platforms. Lastly, a source familiar with Zii's operations have informed us that Creative is on track to complete customizing the Android OS for the Zii platform by March. Could this mean that we could very well see a Zii Phone as soon as April? We certainly ain't gonna bet on this as Creative have let us down once and again. And of cause the theory that Creative would never release a Creative Zii branded device as it will contradict its Shanzai strategy. But if no one is interested in adopting the Zii platform, it only makes sense for Creative to release something on its own to show what the Zii could actually do. The thought of Creative finally releasing a working Zii device is pretty exciting for us. Do tell us what you think. And for all those with the Zii EGG, how has the firmware update coming along? Is the Plazma OS finally stable?
In honor of President's day here in the US, Creative is having a nice little sale. The most notable product is a 16GB ZEN MX for just $79.99 shipped. The MX edition if you'll recall is a stripped down version of the original ZEN. It has most of the same features, but removes AAC support, and limits videos to a CMV format. I own the player and despite a few limitations (no SD card integration for one) it's a pretty solid device.
Creative officially releases an App development kit for the ZEN X-Fi2
A few weeks ago we reported on a contest co-sponsored by Creative and University of Science and Technology of China that gave students access to an application development kit (APK) for the ZEN X-Fi2. A lot of interesting apps were created, most of which were games (check them out here). Now Creative has officially released this APK to the general public. They're calling out all developers with experience using Lua, one of the most popular scripting language for making games and apps. The kit even includes a "ZEN X-Fi2 Simulator" which allows programmers to easily preview their apps on a virtual ZXFi2 on their PC.
I'm really glad to see Creative publicly supporting the developer community. I think that's a great (and cheap) way of expanding the features of their players, which will inevitably increase the interest in them as well. Hopefully kits like this become standard for all future ZEN and Zii devices. Make sure to spread the word to all your scripting friends!
Download and Learn more about the ZEN X-Fi2 APKHERE
On Sunday, The Simpsons were the latest to poke fun of the Nintendo Wii. Of course to avoid any lawsuits they didn't actually call it the Wii on the show; they named it the "Funtendo Zii". And now you know why I'm writing this here! Creative owns the trademark for the term "Zii", so let's hope they sue the pants off of Fox! Or I suppose we can all just laugh at their attempted humor.
You can see the full episode at Fox or Hulu (Some Regions are locked out)
Bluetooth SIG Crowns Creative Inspire S2 Wireless Speakers Winner of 5th Annual Best of CES Awards
Blutooth SIG - the trade association responsible for promoting the Bluetooth standard - has awarded the Best of CES Award to the Creative Inspire S2 Wireless! Praising the speakers for its functionality, innovative design, and positive user-friendly experience, it said that the Inspire S2 Wireless "exemplifies all these characteristics and more, capturing the best in the evolution of Bluetooth technology." The Inspire S2 Wireless Speakers are a collaboration between Creative and apt-X (who enhance the music quality with its apt-X codec while streaming with bluetooth) and it's also Creative's first wireless speakers for the Inspire series. We hear that the upcoming Zii Sound speaker dock would also use this same technology but more on that later when we have the news!
CES 2010: Creative EP-3NC Noise-Cancelling earphones announced
CES 2010 is officially underway, and Creative has some new stuff to show off. The first is a pair of noise-canceling in-ear earphones called the EP-3NC. The EP-3NC boasts an impressive 100 hours of battery life from a single AAA battery. It also has a really cool Monitor function that allows you to listen to outside noise without removing the earphones.
Key Features
Effective ambient noise reduction by up to 90%
Stylish closed-type earphones with 9mm Neodymium magnet drivers produce superior audio with deep bass for all types of digital music and entertainment
Extended battery life of up to 100 hours with a single AAA alkaline battery
Ergonomic in-ear design allows the earphones to serve as passive noise isolation earphones when Active Noise-Cancelling is switched off or when battery power runs out
Convenient push-to-hear Monitor function allows users to listen to ambient sound without taking off the earphones
Comfortable soft silicone eartips in 3 sizes ensure an optimal fit for long hours of usage
Technical Specifications
9mm Neodymium magnet drivers
Frequency response of 6Hz ~ 23kHz
Impedance of 33 ohms (ANC on) and 16 ohms (ANC off)
Sensitivity at 1kHz of 104dB/mW (ANC on) and 102dB/mW (ANC off)
Cable length of 1.3m Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) wires
Battery life of up to 100 hours from 1 x AAA alkaline battery. Duration may vary depending on temperature and condition of use
Product weight of 27 grams
The EP-3NC earphones are already available at Creative's online store in Singapore for a price of 149 Singapore dollars, or roughly $107US.
Creative opens up Software Design Contest in China
Creative and the University of Science and Technology of China have partnered to make "Creativity Unlimited". From what I've gathered, the group is holding a competition at USTC to design software for the ZEN X-Fi2. Students are allowed to use the scripting language LUA to program a variety of applications. The grand prize winner will receive a 16GB ZEN X-Fi2, and 1,000 Yuan. 15 other entries will receive an 8GB ZX-Fi2 and a reward of 300 or 600RMB.
Could this be a sign of change for Creative? For years, we here at epiZENter have been campaigning to get Rockbox working on the Vision:M. Some companies such as Sandisk and Cowon have actively supported such open-source software, and now there's a thriving community that brings new life to older players. With the Zii EGG, and the upcoming Trinity phone platform, Creative will no doubt need support from eager developers around the world. Since those platforms are based on Android, a more open-source friendly OS, that shouldn't be too hard.
I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone here for their support, and to wish you all the best for the New Year!
Today Only! Get a red Vado HD (8GB) and Accessory Pack for $79.99 shipped! [Sold Out!]
I was just notified about this deal by Creative, and it really caught be my surprise. First, I had no idea the Vado HD came in red! It looks really sexy in that color. Second, it's on sale for just $79.99, which is a killer deal for the camera itself, but it also includes an accessory pack with a mesh case and what looks to be a USB AC adapter included. The camera is sold by Amazon, but is being Fulfilled by Creative. This deal is good for Today (12/17) only, and according to Creative they're in limited supply.
Nintendo trademarks "Zii" in Japan, are they trying to block Creative?
I will admit, when the Zii was first announced, I laughed a little at the name. It sounded like a complete rip-off of the Nintendo Wii. Later, we learned the name was a shortened form for "ZEN II". Whether that's true or not, it seems like Nintendo sees enough similarity to do some patenting of their own. On October 30th, they trademarked the word "Zii" which they claim will be used for "video games and other electronic devices".
There isn't any proof that Nintendo is actively trying to block Creative from releasing any Zii related products in Japan, but a popular and well-informed gaming blog called Kotaku updated their article on the matter to say this: "Update: Looks like Nintendo is attempting to block the branding of the Zee [sic] EGG in Japan."
Creative has already trademarked "Zii" in the US, but it'll be interesting to see how this plays out from here. If Creative wants to release any Zii product sin Japan, it'll likely have to be under a different name.
Take a virtual stroll around Creative's Headquarters
Have you ever wanted to vist Creative's HQ? Haven't we all, but sadly few of us live in Singapore, and fewer still can justify such a trip! Now thanks to Google, our future dungeon masters, we can click our way right to 31 International Business Park to see where Mr. Sim Wong Hoo works his magic.
I love using Google's Street View! I often navigate through the streets of my own city (New York), discovering all kinds of new and interesting places. It's nice to know I can do the same with a country thousands of miles away too.
Nintendo trademarks "Zii" in Japan, are they trying to block Creative?
I will admit, when the Zii was first announced, I laughed a little at the name. It sounded like a complete rip-off of the Nintendo Wii. Later, we learned the name was a shortened form for "ZEN II". Whether that's true or not, it seems like Nintendo sees enough similarity to do some patenting of their own. On October 30th, they trademarked the word "Zii" which they claim will be used for "video games and other electronic devices". 
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... my google is dutch on default ; )
