Amazon.com Product Description

Weighing just a little more than an ounce, the incredibly thin Creative Muvo Micro N200 packs a lot of features into its small package. In addition to multiformat digital audio playback--both MP3 and WMA--the Micro N200 also offers an FM radio, voice recorder, and line-in recording capability.

The Micro N200 plays both MP3 and WMA digital audio files; the 512 MB internal flash memory will store up to 16 hours of WMA files at 64 kbps or up to 8 hours of MP3 music at 128 kbps. With support for WMA, MuVo Micro N200 offers you access to the widest selection of music download services on the Internet, including Best Buy MusicNow, Buy Music, Musicmatch, and Napster.

The Micro N200 enables line-in recording to create MP3 files directly from a CD, mini-disc or record player, and high-quality digital voice recording via the built-in microphone--perfect for recording voice notes, interviews or lectures. The Micro N200 also plays and records FM radio. You can also use the Micro N200 as a mass storage USB drive, enabling you to carry important documents and presentations.

It's powered by 1 AAA battery that provides up to 15 hours of continuous play. With super-fast USB 2.0 connectivity and simple drag-and-drop transfer without software, the Micro N200 accepts music files as quickly as a song per second. A blue, backlit LCD screen--reversible for left- or right-handed operation--displays song title, play time, play mode, FM tuner and preset settings. Songs and EQ settings can be easily accessed and selected with one-finger using the side-mounted scroller button.

What's in the Box
This package includes the 512 MB Muvo Micro N200, dynamic bass stereo headphones, neck strap, sports armband and case, line-in cable, 1 AAA battery, and CD-ROM with Creative MediaSource music management software. MediaSource is an easy-to-use application for ripping CDs, organizing entire digital music collections, and easily transferring MP3 and WMA files. ... Read more

Features

• Holds up to 16 hours WMA or 8 hours MP3 music
• Line-in connects directly from any audio source for music recording
• Built-in mic allows recording quick notes or lectures
• USB 2.0 connection transfers songs from your computer in seconds
• Compatible with Windows 98SE, 2000, Me, XP

Amazon.com Product Description

Weighing just a little more than an ounce, the incredibly thin Creative Muvo Micro N200 packs a lot of features into its small package. In addition to multiformat digital audio playback--both MP3 and WMA--the Micro N200 also offers an FM radio, voice recorder, and line-in recording capability.

The Micro N200 plays both MP3 and WMA digital audio files; the 512 MB internal flash memory will store up to 16 hours of WMA files at 64 kbps or up to 8 hours of MP3 music at 128 kbps. With support for WMA, MuVo Micro N200 offers you access to the widest selection of music download services on the Internet, including Best Buy MusicNow, Buy Music, Musicmatch, and Napster.

The Micro N200 enables line-in recording to create MP3 files directly from a CD, mini-disc or record player, and high-quality digital voice recording via the built-in microphone--perfect for recording voice notes, interviews or lectures. The Micro N200 also plays and records FM radio. You can also use the Micro N200 as a mass storage USB drive, enabling you to carry important documents and presentations.

It's powered by 1 AAA battery that provides up to 15 hours of continuous play. With super-fast USB 2.0 connectivity and simple drag-and-drop transfer without software, the Micro N200 accepts music files as quickly as a song per second. A blue, backlit LCD screen--reversible for left- or right-handed operation--displays song title, play time, play mode, FM tuner and preset settings. Songs and EQ settings can be easily accessed and selected with one-finger using the side-mounted scroller button.

What's in the Box
This package includes the 512 MB Muvo Micro N200, dynamic bass stereo headphones, neck strap, sports armband and case, line-in cable, 1 AAA battery, and CD-ROM with Creative MediaSource music management software. MediaSource is an easy-to-use application for ripping CDs, organizing entire digital music collections, and easily transferring MP3 and WMA files. ... Read more

Features

• Holds up to 16 hours WMA or 8 hours MP3 music
• Line-in connects directly from any audio source for music recording
• Built-in mic allows recording quick notes or lectures
• USB 2.0 connection transfers songs from your computer in seconds
• Compatible with Windows 98SE, 2000, Me, XP

Amazon.com Product Description

Creative's Muvo TX FM makes it a breeze to take your favorite music with you wherever you to--to the office, to the gym, or on a rollerblading expedition. The size of a small USB flash memory drive, the Muvo TX FM weighs just 1.1 ounces with the single AAA battery inserted into the battery pack. This multiformat player is compatible with both MP3 and WMA files, and it also includes an FM tuner and the capability to record music directly from the radio. It also includes a built-in microphone for recording short voice notes or long lectures. You can also use the Muvo TX FM as a mass storage USB drive, enabling you to carry important documents and presentations.

The 128 MB internal flash memory will store up to 4 hours of WMA files at 64 kbps or up to 2 hours of MP3 music at 128 kbps; it will also store up to 8 hours of voice recordings. With support for WMA, MuVo Micro N200 offers you access to the widest selection of music download services on the Internet, including Best Buy MusicNow, Buy Music, Musicmatch, and Napster.

It's powered by 1 AAA battery that provides up to 15 hours of continuous play. With super-fast USB 2.0 connectivity and simple drag-and-drop transfer without software, the Muvo TX FM accepts music files as quickly as a song per second. The 96 x 32-pixel blue backlit LCD displays file information, and you can scroll through folders, playlists, or individual songs. You can customize playback with a five-band graphic equalizer with four equalization presets, as well as environmental settings for pop, rock, jazz or classical.

What's in the Box
This package includes the 128 MB Muvo TX FM digital audio player), earbuds, 15-inch velcro armband, carrying case with beltclip, and CD-ROM with Creative MediaSource music management software. MediaSource is an easy-to-use application for ripping CDs, organizing entire digital music collections, and easily transferring MP3 and WMA files. ... Read more

Features

• No cables required - Plugs directly into an available USB port
• Supports USB 2.0 high-speed data transfers
• Holds roughly 4 hours of WMA music at 64Kbps, or 2 hours of MP3 music at 128Kbps
• Easy drag-and-drop functionality for adding music files to the MuVo
• Built-in FM tuner with recording capabilities

Amazon.com Product Description

About the size of a credit card and just over 1.5 ounces, the Light Blue Creative Muvo Slim digital audio player is compatible with both MP3 and WMA files and has a built-in FM radio and voice recorder. The 256 MB memory will store up to eight hours of WMA files at 64 kbps or up to four hours of MP3 music at 128 kbps. With super-fast USB 2.0 connectivity and simple drag-and-drop transfer without software, the Muvo Slim accepts music files as quickly as a song per second. The 256 MB model comes in Light Blue, Black, Pink, Silver, and Dark Blue.

With built-in support for Windows Media Player 9 Series, the Muvo Slim offers compatibility with a wide range of popular music services, including Best Buy MusicNow, Buy Music, Musicmatch, and Napster.

The Muvo Slim features an FM radio with 32 presets, plus FM recording capabilities to record favorite radio shows or songs. With the built-in microphone, the Muvo Slim can record up to 16 hours of voice recording, from important meetings to reminders to yourself. You can customize playback with a five-band graphic equalizer with four equalization presets, as well as environmental settings for pop, rock, jazz or classical.

The removable battery is rechargeable via the player's USB connection, providing up to 17 hours of continuous playtime. The 132 x 32-pixel blue backlit LCD displays file information, and you can scroll through folders, playlists, or individual songs.

What's in the Box
This package includes the 256 MB Muvo Slim (Silver) digital audio player), neodymium earphones, carrying case, and CD-ROM with Creative MediaSource music management software. MediaSource is an easy-to-use application for ripping CDs, organizing entire digital music collections, and easily transferring MP3 and WMA files. ... Read more

Features

• 256MB holds up to 8 hours WMA or 4 hours MP3 music
• Stores data files such as photos and presentations (256MB: Equivalent of 176 floppies)
• Built-in FM and FM recorder with 32 presets
• Removable Li-ion battery recharges via USB - upto 17hrs* of continuous playtime
• Mass storage class - simple drag-and-drop music and data file transfer

Features

• Listen to the MP3's on your PC in another room of your home over your 802.11b or 802.11g wireless network
• View and choose songs and playlists from your entire MP3 collection on the remote control's built in LCD screen
• Place the music receiver anywhere since the remote uses RF transmission it doesn't require line of sight
• Works with home stereo and standalone speakers featuring digital optical (SPDIF) and standard RCA connectors
• Compatible with Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, and XP

Reviews (29)

Disappointing. Great remote, unbelievably slow interface.
I have a Turtle Beach AudioTron, but wanted a device where I had more flexibility with the remote and the display. In that regard, the Wireless Music delivers; the remote is far easier to read than the AudioTron's display, and it's nice to be able to use the Wireless Music's RF remote places that are outside of line-of-sight but still within listening distance.

Problem is, the unit is unusably slow with a large MP3 collection. I'm not talking laggy, or a few-second wait for certain actions -- loading a large playlist (1000+ MP3s) or selecting a genre with a large number of MP3s to play randomly can easily take *5 minutes* to queue up. While the device would seem to work fine for people who only have a collection of a few hundred MP3s or only use small playlists, it's maddening with a large one. I spoke to Creative technical support, and they indicated that my experience was due to limitations of the device.

Close, but no cigar. Hopefully, the next generation will be more capable; I like the interface a lot.

Early product but ready for prime time
I had a few hiccups trying to get the Creative Wireless Music to operate consistently with my wireless network. In the end, I adjusted my network to accomodate the Sound Blaster. My network was WEP encrypted and configuring the SB to fit in, it would often not communicate with the wireless router, a D-link DI-624 502.11g router. My laptop connection which was previously stable now started to flake out. I am not sure what the interactions were but after playing with a lot of settings, the whole network just worked a lot better without the WEP encryption. To protect my home network somewhat, I disabled SSID broadcast and also enabled MAC address filtering to allow only my wireless devices access to the network and no other. The SB Wireless Music receiver remote has the MAC address in the "info" section. All seems to work flawlessly. I should add though that I don't live in an urban setting where my wireless network needs pretty stiff protection.

My large MP3 collection doesn't have the best ID3 tags. This is really a big problem as it's hard to navigate without proper tags. I'm currently in the process of using Ultra Tag Editor to get my collection in order. I think the navigation on the SB Wireless Music is pretty great with a lot of different options to find just what you want.

Firmware 5/04, works great. The remote is a lot more responsive. What I don't like is that sometimes the remote freezes or doesn't do anything and their is no error message. In some cases, the location of my Mp3's changed or file names changed but it would be nice to know why the device is freezing up.

Sound is excellent. I use the optical SPDIF output to my digital decoder preamp.

I have been waiting for a product like this for quite some time. The SB has some quirks but is nonetheless more or less what the doctor ordered. Best of all, I got it for $160 at a major online retailer.

Another fine product from Creative
Of the devices in this category, this one certainly looks the best! It has a sleek modern look, which goes along with its function. But, as in everything else in life, that physical beauty is only skin deep. The beauty in this device is in what it does!

I was not disappointed that it does dot play streaming audio from the internet, or my movies from my computer. Being in the Army and being faced with lengthy deployments to miserable places, I purchased a Creative Nomad Zen Xtra 40GB MP3 player so I could take all of my CD's with me to enjoy. And then I came across this bad daddy- what an awesome concept. A wireless receiver that will hook into my wireless network and play all of the MP3's in my computer! So I bought it.

Fortunately for me, it has not performed as the numerous reviews state. It has been fantastic. (1) Getting setup. Easy, but could have been easier. I had to manually configure the device to connect to my 802.11g WEP enabled network. Automatic would have been slick, but this also gave me the chance to be hands on, and learn about the wireless network which was also new to the house with this device. (2) Connectivity. No problems here. I live in a modern German apartment building- constructed of steel and concrete. There are two walls and a kitchen between the receiver and the network hub, and it has never lost its connection. Playback has been flawless. (3) Function. Hmm. Here's where it starts to lose a little ground. Why does it take 3-5 seconds to finds the next song when advancing the playlist with the remote? The manufacturer could probably improve this performance with a firmware update. I am not a programmer, but that seems to fix other MP3 products! But, the sound through my stereo is awesome, true to life and very dynamic. And, I have yet to suffer any electronic "glitches" during playback. (4) Features. I don't care that it doesn't play my pictures through the TV or streaming internet audio. I didn't buy it for that. It does what I bought it for and does it well. (5) Network connection. Yes this device is 802.11b and will slow down a "g" network. But Creative thoughtfully has given it an autooff feature, when you dont use it, it turns off and drops out of the network, ensuring that you will maintain the highest rates of through put for data at the other stations. And who cares if it is "b," when I am listening to music I am not surfing the net or playing networked games.

I would definitely recommend this product. But, be prepared to manually "connect" the device to your network and for long lags between songs when manually advancing the playlists. Other than that, enjoy this beautiful new addition your home A/V system!

NEEDS MORE WORK TO WORK!
The good things:
1) The product looks cool and is very compact.
2) It was VERY easy to install on my existing wireless network.
3) It works to some limited extent, but not what I was expecting.

The bad things:
1) The remote barely works in the same room, nevermind in a different room. And it locks up every now and then.
2) There seems to be no way to play all tracks on random without creating a "playlist." A pain.
3) After creating a playlist with about 7000 MP3s, there is no easy way (or any way) to add new songs to an existing playlist w/o creating a new playlist.
4) When starting my playlist and setting it at random, the first song is always the same, and takes literally five minutes to load and then start playing.

No great, not horrible. Three stars.

Lots of pros, but one con too many
Pros:
1) Don't need to point the remote at the base unit for it to work.
2) Does not require a TV, since all browsing is done on remote.
3) Fast browsing on remote even for large (10,000+ songs) collections (with firmware update).
4) Excellent software for both the remote and the PC. Users of Creative sound cards or portable mp3 players may already be familiar with Mediasource.
5) Great sound quality.

Cons:
1) My unit would occasionally lose the network connection, sometimes right in the middle of a song. This did not happen often, but it was enough that I returned it. I updated firmware for this and my Linksys router and access point. It may have been poor placement of the device (inside a stereo cabinet), but that is where I wanted to put it.
2) No capability for wired ethernet (it is wireless only). Since my home is wired for ethernet, I have a jack by my stereo. If the Creative device had a wired ethernet port, I may have not returned it.
3) RF Remote should be able to have better range. It will operate slightly farther away than standard infrared devices, and it does not require line-of-sight. However, an RF remote should work most anywhere in the house, in my opinion). Mine worked only in the room with the base, and in the adjacent room.
4) Creative's technical support is among the worst in the industry.
5) Although Mediasource is good software, it is required that you import your music into it. Some competing devices will simply ask you what folders contain your music, and you don't have to import anything.
6) Having good ID3v2 tags is critically important for the software, because you can't browse by folder and file name. I tried Ultra Tag Editor based on another review here, and found it extremely useful for getting my tags in order.
7) No support for pictures or video. Some competing devices support more than just music.
8) RF remote codes can not be programmed or learned by other remotes. But, you would need the LCD screen on the remote anyway. Competing products have standard infrared remotes and require a TV for music browsing instead of doing it on the remote.
9) Playlists must be setup in Mediasource. You can't use standard m3u format playlists in Mediasource, and you can't use Mediasource playlists with other software.

I ended up returning this and purchasing the Linksys WMA11B. The Linksys device is working perfectly for me because I can use a wired ethernet connection (wireless is optional). It also supports pictures(JPG, BMP, etc), and I can program the remote codes in my Philips Pronto (TSU-2000) remote. It does not require importing songs into any software, and you can browse by folder and file name. It will also play playlists in the standard m3u format.

One drawback to the Linksys is that you have to be in front of the TV to change or pause the music. The browsing interface is also better on the Creative device. It is far easier to assemble a custom playlist using the remote with the Creative device. The Linksys is pretty much limited to selecting all songs of a particular artist, album, genre, folder, etc. The creative will allow you to queue individual or groups of songs on the remote any way you want to.

Also if you browse artists on the Linksys, you have to scroll through all artists starting with the beginning of the alphabet. With my collection, you could be scrolling for a while. On the Creative, after browsing artists I am prompted with the letters A through Z for the first letter of the artist's name. So, I could scroll down to "R" and quickly get to the "Rolling Stones" without a lot of scrolling, for example. These browsing issues weren't as important to me, since I will probably setup playlists on my PC most of the time. ... Read more

Product Description

Creative Labs (70PD000000039) Carry an extra rechargable battery for your Zen Micro for an additiona ... Read more

Features

• 40 GB storage lets you bring up to 10,000 WMA songs (80 kbps) or MP3 songs (128 kbps) everywhere you go
• Use AudioSync to synchronize your music on your player with your PC at work, school and home or on the road
• Load a song a second with ultra fast USB 2.0 port, compatible with USB 1.1 too
• Removable, high-capacity Li-ion battery -- up to 14 hrs continuous playback per charge
• Compatible with Microsoft Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, and XP

Reviews (74)

This thing roxxorz
I purchased this player last week. I did a little research on the web and this is the player I decided on. I refuse to buy anything made by Apple and the Nomad is about $200 cheaper anyway. I have had no problem what-so-ever with this product. The software installed flawlessly and without any problems on my Windows 2k machine. The headphones aren't the best, but you can really expect much out of the small headphones you insert in the ear cavity. The battery life seems good, takes very lttle time to charge, it uploads mp3s quickly and there is no delay between songs. Took me a few tries to get use to the navigation, but it's a very user friendly player IMO. I haven't messed with the firmware at all, the player worked perfect for me right out of the box. All-in-all, this is another excellent Creative product. If you have the money and need 40 GB, this is the player for you. It's small, light and nice looking and the display is decent as well. I would recommend this product to anyone.

Important Zen Information
This player is an overall disappointment with a couple of big flaws that potential buyers should be wary of; and all readers need to know about a third party software company that resolves virtually all of the Creative MediaSource file transfer issues.

Zen Good points:

1. I achieved my basic objective; my entire CD collection is on a portable device with lots of room to store more.

2. Most MP3 players have a gap between the end of one track and the start of the next; it's annoying in music that is intended to be continuous. The Zen has minimal stoppage between tracks; when listening to music that continues from one track to the next the gap is just a hesitation - a slightly audible click; if I am not listening for the progress from one track to the next I don't even notice the click.

Flaws:

1. Creative MediaSource software is OK to rip, catalog & burn music if you are starting from scratch; but I used MusicMatch to rip my CDs before I bought the Zen (278 CDs; 3,400 tracks; 12.5Gb of music all ripped at 128bps) and guess what? MediaSource did not recognize my tags! My choices at that moment were to manually re-tag my music or re-rip using MediaSource. I don't think so. BTW, if you *are* ripping your CDs, MediaSource accesses the CDDB music catalog over the Internet and the few CDs I experimented with all provided good quality [correct & uncluttered] tag information.

2. Despite most reviewers giving kudos to the Zen for music quality, I experienced a flaw using EAX. After about 45 mins of listening there was audible static in the player. When I turned EAX off the static disappeared. When I turned EAX back on the static was also not present. Creative are *the* sound people for computers, I can't understand why EAX would introduce static. Is EAX faulty? Is my unit defective? Was I just unlucky at that moment? Was it a full moon that night? I haven't figured it out yet.

3. MediaSource is an application with serious user interface flaws. Do not underestimate this in your purchase decision. Many reviewers refer to it as "clunky" or "difficult" - heed their warnings. Some Amazon reviewers say it corrrupted their music files; I didn't use it long enough to know, but clearly you need to use it with caution.

4. The Zen *stores* data files, but does not allow a folder structure nor does it allow documents to be opened or programs to be launched from its disk (they must be copied to another hard drive to be launched). In other words, the Zen is not a convenient data storage device; only buy the capacity you need for your music collection (see point 1. for some sizing information). My goal of using it as a music player *and* data storage device has not been met; don't make the same mistake.

5. The Zen does not have a Stop button! You can stop playback by pressing 2 buttons, first the Pause button, then the "Next Track" or "Previous Track" button. But this is *not documented* in the Zen manual - neither the hard copy nor the CD version. To discover this I had to read about 10 online reviews (with many complaints about the lack of Stop button) before I found one reviewer who was smart enough to both figure it out & document it.

6. The Zen NX battery requires the AC adapter to recharge; it does not charge by USB cable; this is not tragic, but USB recharging would be a convenient (additional) choice. If you are buying a Zen Xtra check whether the battery recharges via USB; it does not on the Zen NX.

7. MediaSource did not install on my personal notebook. It referred to a "Microsoft Jet Database Engine" error and the install program suggested I download a service pack from the MS website to fix the problem; I did that and re-installed the software but had the same error. Creative provided e-mail support; I followed their advice but that failed, too. I experimented with installing MediaSource on 2 other computers at home and it worked fine. So it is probably "just bad luck" on my part that the personal notebook I own had this install error. However, it did motivate me to find a work-around solution.

Third Party Software To The Rescue

After much frustration (above) I found the Notmad Explorer; cute product name for software that resolves virtually all of the Creative MediaSource FILE TRANSFER & ORGANIZATION problems. I am not associated with the company, I am not providing a URL, but search for NotMad and you should find it pretty easily. This provides drag & drop transfers of music between the computer & Zen; each time it transfers music to the Zen it asks if you want to generate a playlist; it allows playlists developed in other software to be transferred to the Zen (.m3u files are used by most mp3 players like MusicMatch and Winamp, but not Creative - without Notmad you need to manually recreate your playlists); it doesn't care what software you use to rip or catalog your music - Creative or any other company - all my 12.5Gb of music were transferred to the Zen with correct tags - hooray! Notmad has other features too, but this is not an advertisement so please see the company's web site for more information ...

Conclusion:

If I knew then what I know now I would have paid the extra to get an iPod & avoided the Zen. Given that I already have the Zen the only reason I am happy with it is because of the Notmad software. And I am hoping the static I heard when using EAX was a blip ...

To summarize, I am using the Creative Zen as a mobile device; I am using MusicMatch to rip & catalog (and if I choose, download) music; I am using Notmad Explorer to move music & playlists between the Zen & my computer. The only Creative software I am using is the device driver(s).

What more could you want - and the price is right!
I finally bought an MP3 player when there was a reasonable alternative to Apple. I was involved with Apple when they built the first one and had an Apple 1 in the late 70's. I saw them get very close to the vest and I was closely involved with IBM when they broke all their "Big blue" rules and turned a group loose in Boca Raton FL with but one charge - to get out a PC in two years regardless. I had a Beta test model.

That led to creation of a VERY open software platform, the relagation of Apple to schools and graphics types, and the creation of countless numbers of millionaires and the VERY rich William Gates. So now that I don't have to deal with "my way or the highway" Apple, I can get it my way.

The Nomad Zen Xtra 40 GB is every thing I want and then some. Those who fault the size being bigger than iPod did not grow up in the days of 30 pound luggables with a whopping 64 KB like I did. The software is top notch and works seemlessly and rapidly with my PC. The manual leaves a few holes but once you play around, you find that you can do all sorts of stuff with the Nomad connected to the computer that you cannot do with it disconnected.

The data storage is a big plus. I will still use my flash drives (128MB & 256MB) for portability of a lot of my data, but to back up my growing digital picture files this will be invaluable. I can take my entire picture collection around with me.

This is a real winner and I have not even gotten my FM attachment yet!

Almost 1 year!
I received this player as a gift in the fall of last year. I have never had a problem with it. It has been great on trips and I bought an RF adapter that plays it through my car radio.
I take this thing everywhere. I know a lot of people like iPods. I have never used one. I HAVE used this player and can tell you that it has been nothing but great to me! I have only used up half the memory so far. I upload tons of CDs all the time. I even have a book on tape on it (28 compact discs alone!) the memory is huge on a 40 gb.

Great Travel Mate
I take this unit everywhere, and love it. I use this in my car with a C. Crane FM Transmitter and boy is it oh so nice to essentially have your own radio station.

I have to admit that the case could be a little better. You have to open it to see the display and make music selections.

I also wish it came with a car power adapter, I'm still trying to hunt one down for this particular model so that I don't have to run it off the battery all the time.

Other than these two minor issues, this unit is a great value. The battery is easy to get to (meaning you don't have to take the thing apart like the Ipod) and it will play wma files and hooks up to my Windows Systems! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

WWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW
All i can say is that you need this. wow wow.

Wow what sound!!!
I was looking for something small and easy to use. This is it.
I downloaded some songs off my computer and one site and that was it. The sound is great.
I haven't tried to do anything else yet as it isnt user friendly on the instructions for the other stuff, so someday will check it.
It works for what I wanted it for. Very lightweight. Great for just anywhere ... Read more

Product Description

Creative Labs (70PF119000000) Zen Micro Wired Remote White ... Read more

Features

• Store up to 128 hours of WMA or 64 hours of MP3 tracks
• 4 band custom equalizer and 4 equalizer presets
• USB 2.0 for super fast file transfer - load a song a second!
• Up to 14 hours continuous playback
• Compatible with Windows 98 SE, 2000, Me, and XP

Reviews (31)

4.5 Stars For Value and Flexibility
The Muvo2 is not my first "compactflash" mp3 player. My NEX IIe with 512mb compactflash still function perfectionly after 2 years of daily usage after numerous drops. So with such background here is my review on the Muvo2.

PROS:

*Under $200 ... got it for $188 shipping included
*Very light ... light
*High Volume Sound..you can damage your hearing with this player
*USB2 Connection ...fast data transfer
*Charging Without Adaptor ...just use the mini USB2 connection
*External Drive ...can store any type of data
*Long-life Replaceable Battery ...that's the way it should
*Sound Quality ...excellent.
*4Gig Microdrive Extraction ...it will come in handy


CONS:

*Carrying Case ...nothing to brag about...velcro cover for this small player...very dumb.
*Buttons ...poor designed especially the On/Off.
*Playlist Management and Navigation ...primitive.


So why is the Muvo2 for me? Well it all comes to value, flexibility, and personality. Got it at a deal for way under $200 shipping included. I have a iPAQ H2215 and the NEX IIe so if I do get bore with this I can alway use the 4gig Microdrive.
I will never buy an Ipod...it's over priced and why getting something where everyone has it.


Conclusion: If you're a white-tanktop-constantly-looking-at-yourself- in-the-mirror type of a guy then go with the iPOD Mini but if you're a I-come-to-the-gym-to-lift-and-not-looking-pre tty type of a guy then go with the Muvo2.

Good bang for your buck if you get it under $150.00
First, yes, I am an iPod user. That's important for me to admit because users of the Apple iPod never like other MP3 players since the iPod is such a high quality, attractive, easy to use device.

I bought one of these MuVo^2 devices to use at work where I'm afraid my $400 iPod will get stolen. I just got the MuVo^2 today but I've used it enough to give a simple review. Simply put, it's a decent MP3 player with great storage capacity for its size.

Pros: High capacity 4GB Hitachi MicroDrive inside a small player (2.5 inches square); removable LiIon battery; lightweight; excellent sound quality for an MP3 player; very simple to copy music onto it in Windows -- You don't need any special software, just Windows Explorer!

Cons: The included protective nylon case is about useless since it's so rigid and doesn't give you access to the buttons; the buttons on the unit are difficult to press with big man fingers; the interface feels chunky making it hard to find songs and do other functions like lock the unit's keys; it's relatively ugly and made of cheap-feeling plastic when compared to the new iPod Mini (its direct competitor); its LCD screen is backlit but poorly making it difficult to read in the dark; the LCD screen is tiny (about two or three lines of text at most).

All in all, I say it's a decent MP3 player. If you just want a really cheap Hitachi MicroDrive, it's easy to open this up and remove the drive from inside for use in your digital camera. As an MP3 player, though, it's definitely just "so-so". I would never EVER recommend you pay the full $200 for it. If you're already preparing to pay $200, pay $50 more to get an iPod Mini and you'll have no regrets.

Little dissapointed...
Looks like this ended up being a verion 2 unit... too bad, very nice MP3 player though, but not the "original". For my purposes did not matter though. Great player!

Excellent Player
Recently I was in the market for an mp3 player, and was deciding between an iPod mini, or this muvo2. After much research, I decided on the muvo2 for a few reasons. Firstly, after hearing so many complaints about the iPod's lack of a removable battery, I liked the removable one on this player. Just ask anyone who has owned an iPod for more than a year how much their battery life has diminished. In addition, my friends have both of these players. After comparing the sound quality, I would definitely recommend the muvo2. However, it does not come with this out of the box, and you need to adjust the equalizer. After doing this, the muvo2 sounds far greater than the iPod mini. The only complaint I have, is that at first, its two line screen can make it hard to organize 4 gigabytes of music. Ease of organization is where the iPod excels. However, I've found that after downloading the beta version of Windows Media Player 10, it is much easier to organize music because of the new file system it creates on the player through the synchronization feature. It is still no iPod, but it is definitely adequate. I would suggest ditching the included Media Source software. The bundled earbuds aren't great, but they never are on any player. In all, I love my muvo2 and and am completely satisfied with my decision. And in the end, I especially love how it is about half the size of the iPod mini and comes with a belt clip.

Compelling capacity outweighs fumbling and bundling.
The four stars are strictly for the following:
-4Gb hard drive, which alone is a $300 item in bulk;
-WMA and MP3 playback;
-nice LCD interface;
-USB 2.0 speeds for really fast xfer rates;
-instantaneous recognition by WinXP/2k machines.

Those features above make this an outstanding player, and should make this a 5-star item. However:
-the enclosed headphones are earbuds, I don't like 'em;
-it isn't armored enough for decent shock-resistance (would like to see it rubber-skinned like its cousin the Rio Cali);
-no belt-loop holster or anything like an armband, so exercising with it might be a little challenging;
-FM headphone function is extra (boo!);
-controls are dexterity-building exercises in themselves.

This thing has an LCD screen, so why not use a thumb-wheel with pushbutton ability to handle on/off and playback? Granted, it has a four-way pad and a separate button which should be sufficient, but my banana-sized fingers keep jumping selections to "Menu" instead of scrolling left or right through the playlist.

Here's why this is so critical: this player can hold 500-1000 songs, depending on how dense the encoding is. Navigating through a straight list of 500 or 1000 songs takes awhile. Folders become paramount to organizing songs or artists, just so you can find something you like inside of a minute.

But does it play well? Does it do what it should? Oh yes, most definitely. And having a Li-On battery in it that recharges off the USB port is *exactly* what every player should have (if it used my Nokia 3650's battery I'd have given it the fifth star for the serendipitous convergence).

"Would I buy it again?" Sure, if I could find another one.
"Is it better than the Rio Cali?"

Hmmm... the Cali is definitely nice, armored with an armband I really like, better UI (LCD presents info much faster, is square and shows more at a glance), has FM built-in. But 4Gb makes up a lot of ground on 256Mb, even 768Mb if you pony up some cash for a 512Mb SD Card. Nah, the Muvo2 isn't perfect, but it's capacious, and sometimes that's more important.

Fred ... Read more

Features

• WxHxD-2.64 x 2.62 x 0.8 / Weight-2.8oz without battery / 3.6oz with battery
• Storage Capacity-5GB (3.78GB available for storage)
• Battery Life-Up to 14hrs of continuous playtime per full charge
• Playback Formats-MPEG Audio Layer 3, (MP3), Windows Media Audio (WMA)
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio-Up to 98dB

Amazon.com Review

The latest iteration of Creative Labs' Nomad Jukebox line, the Nomad Zen, is a smaller version of the CD-player size 20 GB that, like its processor, can hold more than 8,000 WMAs ripped at 80 kbps or 5,000 MP3s ripped at 128 kbps. Similar to the older models, the Nomad Zen offers connectivity via Firewire (IEEE1394) or USB 1.1 but this model offers support for USB 2.0, versatility that the original Apple iPod (the device whose form factor the Zen imitates) lacked. Gadget freaks familiar with older Jukeboxes will recognize the familiar interface that's displayed on the Zen's 1.7-by-0.8-inch (132x64 pixel) backlit LCD and welcome the up to 12 hours of playback time (the USB 2.0 model promises up to 14 hours of playback time) that the built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery affords you.

The body is constructed of anodized aluminum, and while it's slightly larger than the iPod, it can still fit in your pocket. The Zen also ships with a travel pouch that clips to your belt. Seeking to build on an already strong product, Creative added a variety of touches that make the Zen stand out from other large capacity MP3 players; the included USB cable doubles as a battery charger, you can transfer titles between the player and your PC, and you can even create, organize, and edit playlists away from your PC.

While it’s easy to gush about the Zen it does have a few downsides. Unlike previous Nomad models the Zen lacks additional audio outputs, and FM tuning and audio recording capabilities are only available with aftermarket wired remotes. We had hoped that a device at this price would support these features right out of the box. Furthermore, in order to play songs randomly you have to first create a playlist and choose to play that list randomly. Other large capacity players allow you to simply play all of the songs that are on the device randomly. Lastly, we found the thumb jog dial a little difficult to scroll through, especially when compared to the iPod’s ingenious navigation system.

After all is said and done though, anyone who purchases the Nomad Zen will be pleased with it. With transfer speeds of up to 0.77 MB per second with USB 1.1 or 3.35 MB per second via Firewire, it shouldn't take long at all to fill up the device's massive 20 GB hard drive. Throw in a set of decent headphones (the wraparound ones that ship with the Zen are less than admirable), and you're good to go. --Wil O'Neal ... Read more

Features

• High-speed file transfer via USB 2.0 or Firewire (IEEE 1394)
• 14-hour rechargeable Li-ion battery
• Support for MP3 and WMA file formats; stores up to 5,000 songs (MP3/128 kbps)
• Fits easily into a pocket
• Requires Microsoft Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP

Reviews (82)

Small size - Great sound
The Nomad Jukebox Zen is outstanding. The controls are intuitive and the 20 GB hard drive lets you take all of your music with you. Also, the 20 GB drive lets you run your files at a higher rate. I am running WMA's at 160, because I can. I can't tell the difference from my CD's, except for no skips. The player takes up a lot less space in my briefcase than my CD player, carry case, and CD's.

The unit runs for a long time on a single charge. I haven't run it down in a single day of listening, but then I don't listen non-stop. I would have liked to see Creative offer a AA battery pack add-on for those times you are away from a plug. The lack of replaceable batteries almost kept me from buying this unit. I am glad it didn't.

I looked at the Ipod, but there were too many reviews that talked about compatibility problems with Windows. I haven't had any problems with XP Home. It worked fine with USB 1.1 and the Belkin USB 2.0 notebook card that I bought to speed up file transfers. However, see my software recommendation below.

This is my first "MP3" player and I am impressed with this player. Of course I can't leave things as I got them. I replaced a few things for better sound and convenience.

· Phillips SBC HS500 behind-the-neck headphones - These have excellent sound, are comfortable, and are cheap. I had to turn down the volume when I replaced the Creative headphones that came with the player. I kept thinking of Spinal Taps' search for the amp that goes to 11 and their advice to "Play loud". These headphones can be worn with glasses, a major plus. Also, they are generously sized, so they actually fit.

· Notmad software by Red Chair - This software is simple to use and is fast on the transfers. Red Chair offers free upgrades and the price is right. How often can you simplify your life this easily?

· Bose Quiet-Comfort 2's - These work great on the plane. I can listen to classical, actually hear it, and not arrive feeling thickheaded from the jet noise/cranked up volume. The 2's have a single lead, the battery in one of the phones (no battery box), and the phones rotate flat. I owned the "1's" before I got the 2's and they are an improvement.

The one complaint I have is a small one. The rocker switch for the tracks works just the opposite of the display. For the next track, the display moves down to that track. The top of the rocker switch makes this happen. So up is down and down is up. Sort of Wonkaesque.

My advice, buy the player! I got my money's worth.

save your money
worked great for 7 months, then died. Only 90 day warranty. Very few are still working after 9 months from what I've seen.

Worked OK for 4 months, then it died.....
I purchased the Zen Jukebox in October 2003 because it seemed like a good deal compared to some of the other MP3 players out there. The software was a bit of a problem to use, and the controls on the unit felt cheap. I took great care of the unit - I kept it in a case, and it never took a fall. A few days ago (February 2004), I found that the jack where the headphone plugs in was loose, and I couldn't get any sound from the unit. I checked my warranty, and found it was only 3 months (shame on me for not checking the warranty before I purchased the unit). I will never purchase an item from these guys again. A 3 month warranty??? I guess they don't think much of there product either. Don't waste your money on this thing.

Waste of money!!!
I decided to save myself $200 by buying the Zen 2.0 rather than an iPod. What a mistake. I received it in mid-October. By mid-December the display screen no longer worked. Because I had memorized the menu system by that point I was still able to use the product. I went on vacation right after this happened and didn't have time to deal with getting this fixed under warranty. (So I'm not sure how helpful they are.) I continued to use the player until yesterday when it just completely died on me. That's why I decided to write this review. It's not worth the $200 I saved. It's too bulky. The software that it came with never worked properly either. It would never connect to the CDDB database to name the files so I had to do it manually until I finally got iTunes and started ripping CD's in that. What a pain...! Take a guess what I'll be buying next. I had read other reviews talking about the screen display not working but decided to take my chances. I gambled and lost!

Waste of money!
I decided to save myself $200 by buying the Zen 2.0 rather than an iPod. What a mistake. I received it in mid-October. By mid-December the display screen no longer worked. Because I had memorized the menu system by that point I was still able to use the product. I went on vacation right after this happened and didn't have time to deal with getting this fixed under warranty. (So I'm not sure how helpful they are.) I continued to use the player until yesterday when it just completely died on me. That's why I decided to write this review. It's not worth the $200 I saved. It's too bulky. The software that it came with never worked properly either. It would never connect to the CDDB database to name the files so I had to do it manually until I finally got iTunes and started ripping CD's in that. What a pain in the butt! Take a guess what I'll be buying next. I had read other reviews talking about the screen display not working but decided to take my chances. I gambled and lost! ... Read more

Features

• 128 MB of flash memory holds up to 4 hours WMA or 2 hours MP3 music when recorded at 64 kbps (WMA) or 128 kbps (MP3)
• Works as a USB Flash Drive with any PC or Mac with USB 1.1 port, holds the equivalent of 176 floppies
• Built-in microphone records up to 8 hours of high quality monaural voice recording
• Connect to any Creative Speaker system with the M-PORT interface for instant music playback through your speakers
• Compatible with Windows 98SE, 2000, Me, and XP

Reviews (21)

Good, but flawed
The MuVo NX is the big brother to the MuVo NOMAD. The new features included make using this MP3 player an absolute breeze. There's now an LCD screen with backlight, which, despite the odd inaccuracy with the timing and the average brightness of the light makes selecting songs much easier. There's even a high quality EQ system, which allows you to use a custom EQ setting or a preset. The microphone comes in handy, though the 8-bit quality means bootlegs are out of the question! It's also much easier to navigate your music files, and a copy of Creative MediaSource is even thrown in which is superb for ripping and recording. The batteries last ages, though the backlight, EQ and jog dial tend to drain them quicker. The player can also be used as a flash drive - those used to floppy disks know the relief this brings. The 128MB is not huge, but you can squeeze on about 40-45 MP3s. Just the size of the player alone is one aesthetic quality that prompted me to buy it (apart from being a previous Creative NOMAD user).
However, the sound quality is not amazing through the standard issue headphones, and they quickly die out being so delicate. There also seems to be a common glitch with most of the NX users I know that results in a sound cut-out if the player is put down in a certain way - possibly a poor quality eadphone connection. Creative have also done away with the handy neck-cord - instead, an armband contraption is thrown in that is absolutely no use to me. The jog-dial - despite being better than the tiny switches on the NOMAD - is far too delicate.

a happy balance
i've owned the device for 5 mo now, and it's done a beautiful job as a "walkman" and a usb storage device (ppt files, etc.). having read every review on amazon, i was a bit concerned about the 'lasting quality' of the device, but i haven't had any trouble, even after having dropped it a few times. the factory headphs are undeniably bad; i bought a pair of sennheiser mx500s as a replacement. the irivers obviously have a solid reputation when it comes to these "compact mp3" players, but i couldn't deal with having another connecting cable (from mp3 player->computer) on my desk. the built-in plug on the muvo and its size just makes it an all around convenient little gadget. to echo a previous reviewer, if you're concerned about the 'order' of your uploaded songs, use the "copy to device" function in windows media player. oh and for those that are just doing +/-30-min workouts, 128mb is more than enough storage space.

finally, if you're really paranoid about warranties, etc. look into your credit card options - visa (platinum) said it would double the manufacturer's warranty, so that took my muvo from 3->6 mos. if that's still not enough for you, then look into buying an iriver from best buy and purchasing the additional 1-2yr coverage direct through best buy.

Works great for me
I love it. Small, lightweight, easy to use.

The headphones are terrible!

Great player but drains batteries
This is a really good MP3 player & USB storage device. I bought the previous version and this one with the LCD display is so much more useful.
The only problem is that it constantly drains the battery (a problem with the previous version also) even when the player is off. So if you don't use it for a while and leave the battery in it, you will find that the battery has less "juice" or is completely drained (for you geeks: it draws 700uA to 800uA in the
"off" state). I would guess that it's because Creative is using an electronic "power" switch instead of a mechanical one....poor choice. Just remember to take the battery out when not in use!

MY EXPIERIENCE WAS PRETTY GOOD
SO YOUR THINKING OF BUYING ONE OF THESE?I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO GET AN MP3 FOR THE LAST 9 MONTHS,BUT I WAS AFRAID I WAS GOING TO GET STUCK WITH SOMETHING THAT WAS, TOO HARD TO FIGURE OUT (SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE),AND WOULD BE STUCK.I HAD ORIGINALLY PURCHESED THE MUVO WITH NO LCD SCREEN NOT KNOWING THERE WAS ONE OUT THERE WITH ONE.I BOUGHT IT AT WAL-MART SINCE THEY HAD A 3 MONTH RETURN POLICY EVEN IF IT WAS USED.I TRIED IT OUT HAD TO CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE WHICH WAS VERY HELPFUL,ONLY DRAW BACK WITH THAT IS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE AN 800 HUNDRED NUMBER.SERVICE MADE UP FOR IT.TURNS OUT THE MUVO I BOUGHT WAS DEFECTIVE.RETURNED TO WAL-MART,NO PROBLEM.WHILE I WAS TALKNING TO THE REP,HE DIRECTED ME ON TO THE WEBSITE AND I NOTICED ONE HAD AN LCD SCREEN,ORDERED IT ONLINE FROM WAL-MART,'CAUSE THEY ALSO HAD A RETURN POLICY EVEN IT WAS USED.I TRIED IT OUT AND HAVE HAD IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH I LOVE IT. NEVER EVEN TRIED THE EARBUDS,THOUGH,I JUST DON'T LIKE THOSE THINGS, BOUGHT SOME OTHER HEADPHONES, IT CAME WITH AN EXTRA CASING FOR BACKUP POWER AND ARM BAND WHICH IS REALLY GREAT, YOU ALSO HAVE THE OPTIONS TO USE THE BELT CLIP WITHOUT THE BAND.IT'S GREAT DRAG AND DROP FILES.BELIEVE I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF THESE REVIEWS,HOPE IT WAS HELPFUL YOU REALLY SHOULD GIVE THIS ONE A TRY.ALSO, ON PERSON WROTE THE SONG ONLY PLAY IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, NOT TRUE. ... Read more

Features

• 256 MB of flash memory holds up to 8 hours WMA or 4 hours MP3 music when recorded at 64 kbps (WMA) or 128 kbps (MP3)
• Works as a USB Flash Drive with any PC or Mac with USB 1.1 port, holds the equivalent of 176 floppies
• Built-in microphone records up to 16 hours of high quality monaural voice recording
• Connect to any Creative Speaker system with the M-PORT interface for instant music playback through your speakers
• Compatible with Windows 98SE, 2000, Me, and XP

Reviews (44)

Incredible MP3 Player
The MuVo NX is the absolute best MP3 player I have ever had.

The ultra-small and ultra-light chassis makes it about as burdensome as a lighter. The battery case is also interchangeable giving you a choice between blue and black.

The sound quality is top-notch, not including the fact that a five bar equalizer gives you tons of options.

It is incredibly easy to load music onto it:
1) Remove flash card from battery case
2) Insert flash card into USB slot (it can be awkward without a front USB port)
3)Drag CD folders straight onto it (the MuVo NX is recognized as a external hard drive, open it through My Computer and go to your song folders, then drop onto the hard drive window)
4)Re-insert into battery case
5) Listen to music!

You can also use it as a voice recorder, or drag non-music folders onto it and transfer them to another computer as with a normal flash drive.

It comes with earbuds, but to truly enjoy it's great sound, I recommend getting some nice headphones.

All in all, this is an INCREDIBLE MP3 PLAYER.

P.S. I have only had it for about a week
P.P.S. DO NOT USE WINDOWS FORMATTING SOFTWARE (I haven't done it, however it says it in the manual in very large letters)

Perfect Workout Companion!
Pros: Tiny player with great sound, features like shuffling and EQ, lightweight, easy to set up and copy music or files
Cons: Buttons may be too small for bigger fingers, one AAA battery life only about 5-6 hours, included ear buds are dinky

I already own a CD MP3 player, which is fine for most applications except when I'm at the gym. It's too big and it skips whenever you move. So I really wanted one of the new tiny players. My wonderful boyfriend got me this player for a birthday present.

It is super simple to set up; just install the Creative software, plug the player into an empty USB port, and you'll be copying files in no time! I can either drag and drop from my folders, or create a playlist in Windows Media Player and copy it automatically. It also holds any kind of file. I've used it to copy photos from my laptop to my home PC.

The sound is terrific. I like to turn up the volume fairly high, so that probably eats into the battery life. I was pleased to find out that I can randomly shuffle files, skip folders, or maneuver around my songs any way I like. I can also set the EQ to boost the sound even more.

I find the buttons easy to use, but someone with thicker fingers might not like it as much. Just rock the slider back and forth to move from song to song. The attractive and readable display shows you the time elapsed and any MP3 tags included in your file.

The included belt clip is very secure and slides into the included armband. I've only used the armband once, but I noticed a funny rubbery smell on my arm after working out. Could be because it's new!

I have not yet tried rechargeable batteries with the player, but a normal alkaline battery lasts about 5 or 6 hours. That's certainly long enough for any intense workout, or a 2 or 3-hour flight, but I don't want to have to keep changing batteries. Two colored battery "skins" are included, blue and gray. (You can also buy more skins via the Creative website for about $8-10 apiece.) You could either swap the player out to a different color and match your outfit, or keep a battery in each skin and use the alternate skin as a backup.

I also bought new sports-style headphones because I found the included earbuds to be totally useless.

Overall I love this little gadget! It's exactly what I needed in an attractive usable extra-light package. Thanks, sweetie!

IF it was a woman I'd marry it.
Okay, So this is the 4th MP3 player I purchased in the past month. I tried the Dell Juitbox 20G. A Samsung and a IPOD. I needed to take off a week of work to stay home and figure out the Dell. On my Harley the thing kept freezing and finally just bit the dust after 2 weeks. The Samsung would NOT let me download from Musicmatch WMA files. The IPOD was miserable to figure out menus. So I purchased the Creative Labs Muvo NV 256MB as a last resort before returning back to my simple Tape cassette player on the bike. Plain and simple: This is SO SIMPLE, beautifully designed, AGAIN SIMPLE to use MP3 there is. It downloaded all songs both MP3 and WMA files no problem and no glitches. The menus on it are superb, easy to read, easy to navigate, no brainer toggleing. Its tiny, amazingly free of glitches, and wont freeze on my Harley. Plugs directly into the USB port with no wires and no problems with my windows XP like the others had. I actually hired a guy to help me figure out the other MP3 playes I purchased and even he was boggled. I didnt even call him for this. Whoever invented this thing is a genious and realized that I AM NOT. BUY this thing and dont think twice. Enjoy.

good mp3
this is a great little player, i would have given it 5 stars but the head phones the give u is crap!!!!. The head phones lasted me 3 week and the broke(one side stoped working).

AWESOME portable player
As an owner of an Archos 30GB jukebox, which I love, I needed something that I could take a CDs worth of music with me while I work out.

I bought this player and it is THE best thing I have ever taken with me. I can take about 2-3 CDs worth of music, put it on my arm while I run, exercise, etc. and it works beautifully. All the buttons are easy to reach on my arm. The menu is EASY to use, it doesn't skip (flash memory), and haven't tested out the battery lifve, but using a AAA battery, it's no big deal to just put another one in.

This is the best portable I have used, I now carry it EVERYWHERE I go as it can be used as a portable drive as well. I love it. ... Read more

Product Description

Creative Labs (70PF119000001) Zen Micro Wired Remote Black ... Read more

Features

• All the great features of the Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox at a great price
• Portable digital audio player with 6 GB of built-in storage; store up to 150 CDs at 128 Kbps MP3 audio format encoding or up to 300 CDs at 64 Kbps WMA audio format encoding
• Plays MP3 and WMA files; upgradable to support other formats and is SDMI compliant
• USB interface for fast digital transfer; compatible with Windows and Mac
• Comes with one set of rechargeable batteries and AC adapter; does not include carrying pouch or headphones

Reviews (17)

By far, the best gadget I have bought in a long time
As you can tell by the rating and the title of the review, I am one happy camper with my Nomad Jukebox.

Why? Well first off, 6GB of MP3's is a LOT of CD's. Next, because I am a music freak, I bought the 20GB upgrade for the Jukebox (search the web for Nomadworld). Anyhow, the dang thing just runs great, is slick, and now I have 500 CD's to cart around with me (yes 500 CD's on this thing!).

The only drawback is that the battery power get's drained quickly, but Creative Labs has been kind enough to give you two sets of rechargable batteries so you can listen to 8 interrupted hours of music without a recharge.

The software that comes with the Jukebox Ripps CD's in a flash, is easy to use, and makes managing all of this music a snap (thank goodness).

Makes flying in an airplane just fly on by (yes, pun intended).

Get it - it is well worth the money. Why waste your time with a 64 MB MP3 player... uploading, deleteing, uploading, deleteing. This thing will hold all of your music.

Good, but should be better
Pros: (almost) 5 gigs of storage, attractive design, good sound, nice headphones included, software is upgradeable, plays well with iTunes on Mac.
Cons: Many people (including me) have problems with the built-in battery recharger. No battery power display in main menu screens (you have to dig for it). Software is poor in general; you can't search for a song by title or queue an entire artist's library by name; no "queue all" feature; playlists uploaded to the player aren't saved - you have to remake the list on the player. No downloading capability! This is VERY lame if you want to share songs with a friend or backup the tracks that comes preinstalled on the player. Hopefully this will be remedied with future software releases. No forward or reverse scanning - this is very inconvenient if you're listening to audio books or other long tracks and want to come back to the middle of the chapter.
Conclusion: if you can't wait to get a portable hard-drive type mp3 player then this should satisfy you, but personally I would wait for the next generation of models which will have greater storage and improved software.

Great MP3er
It is a great device. It is a little bulky, about the size of a CD player, for an active person (hard to run with) but works great in a car or anyother place that isn't too wild. People are right about it [using]up the batteries, but with an AC charger and a DC charger it makes it possible to charge and run anywhere. It has its misshaps with some songs, which happens in the same place (it skips), but deleting and then putting the song back on solved the problem.

One year later
So, I've had the Jukebox for just under a year now and here's what I think: It does everything that they say it does. It's reliable and eliminates the need for a cd player. Overall, I'm happy with it. However, a word of warning. The "Playcenter" software that ships with the unit installed easily when I was running Windows 98. When I moved to an XP machine, it was a different story. The updated drivers at the Creative site were more confusing than anything else. Eventually I ended up following directions from a site dedicated to Nomad users, and after two days of hell I got it to work. Apparently this is a common problem. I couldn't tell you what I did and hope that I never have to do it again. Now that it's done, everything is great and I love my Jukebox.

KICK BUT MP3 PLAYER
IF YOU WANT A GREAT MP3 PLAYER THAT DOES EVERYTHING IT SAYS IT WILL DO AND MORE, IS EASY TO USE, IS GREAT QULITY AND IS FROM A GRAT COMPANY THAT STANDS BEHIND ITS PRODUCTS 100% THIS IS FOR YOU! GREAT JOB CREATIVE I WILL ALWAYS RESPECT YOU AS THE #1 ELECTRONICS COMPANY! THRUST ME I KNOW I HAVE A NOMAD AND 5 OTHER PRODUCTS FROM CREATIVE INCLUDING WEB CAM ANS SOUND BLASTER EDUGY etc. I HAVE BEEN VERY EXITED AND OVERSATISFIED WITH EVERY CREATIVE PRUDUCT I EVER OWNED! ... Read more

Amazon Product Description

The Zen Micro digital music player from Creative Labs packs an incredible 4GB of storage capacity into a shell small enough to sit comfortably in yourjeans pocket. It also rides nicely in your hand, with a palm-fitting profileand thumb-friendly front-panel controls. It's a bit shorter than an Apple iPodMini, yet its rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides 12 hours of continuousplayback--50 percent more than iPod Mini's. The Zen Micro is compatible notmerely with MP3s and WAV files, but with WMA as well. Toss in USB 2.0 connectivityand you're looking at one spiffy portable music player.

But playing isn't all the Zen Micro does. You can useit to receive FM radio (with 32 station presets to keep your favoritesat the ready), and to record, either from the radio or from live sourcessuch as voice dictation or lectures using the built-in condenser microphone. Trimmed in a luminescent blue glow and with easily visible backlit buttons,this stylish orange player holds up to 1000 songs (64 hours) at 128 kbpsor 2000 songs (166 hours) at lower-fidelity 64 kbps (MP3/WMA)--that'sa solid week's worth of music listening, never playing the same song twice.Compatibility with Microsoft's WMA compressed-audio format grants accessto over 2 million downloadable songs offered promotionally or for saleonline. Perhaps the Zen Micro's coolest attribute is its DJ feature, which willshuffle not only all the songs you've loaded or all the songs on a givenalbum, but also, at your discretion, only the tracks you listen to mostor the ones you rarely hear, taking the work out of selecting your favoritesor hunting out all the music you're still getting to know.

What's in the Box
The Zen Micro player, stereo earbud headphones, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a USB 2.0 cable, an installation CD, a quick- start guide, and Creative MediaSource software. ... Read more

Features

• Vertical touch pad simplifies navigation; body is curved to fit your hand
• FM radio with 32 station presets for listening and recording; 10-hour voice recording through built-in microphone
• 12 hours continuous playtime using the supplied rechargeable lithium-ion battery; extend your listening using multiple batteries (sold separately)
• Includes headphones, a belt clip, a stand, and an AC/DC power adapter
• Micro-sized 4 GB digital-music player holds 2000 songs at 64 Kbps WMA or 1000 songs at 128 Kbps MP3

Reviews (40)

A Real Review
I bought this player at the end of august 03.
I had been looking for a mp3 player for a while
because I am tearing my hair out on my long train
rides to college. After reading about 100 reviews
on about 10 different websites. i decided to buy it.
the price is well worth it. another bonus is that
it fits the same smart media card as my digital camera.
ok, the ups are thats it fairly light, and small, and
you can listen for hours on 1 battery. the sound quality
is excellent and the volume doesen't distort the higher
you put it. it's got a few other cool extra, voice, time,
5 preset sound settings and a custom one. the downs are
you can't continue listening to the music when going
through the othere extras on the menu. the software
is mediocore, i get a few error messages sometimes, but
then you just try again and it's fine.
overall, i am really happy with product.
and recommend it to anyone who appreciates
value for their money...

Best Value for the $
For the price it's really hard to beat it. First thing I did was to go to the Creative site (Nomadworld.com) and I updated the firmware so that it would accept 128 meg smartcards... the whole process was a piece of cake. I can't really see how anyone can survive for long without expanding the base 64 meg memory. The PlayCenter software that comes with the Mp3 Player is fairly intuitive and makes transfering MP3 or WMA files from your computer to the player pretty easy.

Other reviewers have given the Nomad IIc demerits for a perceived lack of volume. I must admit that at the highest volume level it isn't like sitting in the front row of a rock concert. However, I find it more than loud enough to completely drown out the sound system playing at my local health club which is really all I want it to do. I found the sound quality of the headphones to be pretty decent, with good (but not great) bass response. Normally, for any low end CD/MP3 player, you end up chucking the headphones and upgrading to a better pair. Not necessary in this case unless you're a total audiophile with x-ray ears.

The one thing that kept me from giving the Nomad IIc a perfect score is the kludgy way the smartcard was integrated into the unit. Unless you have fingers of steel, you have to take the battery out of the unit first so that you can get enough of your fingers on the smartcard to get it out. Poor engineering.

Highly suggest using Windows Media Player beta 9. I've been creating WMA files at 96Kbps and you get around four files for the price of three Mp3 files at 128Kbps.... and they sound just as good!

hit and miss product
After further review I would have to give the Nomad II C a low grade. My son and I each purchased one and initially they were very good products. Unfortunately, the software was not reliable, and the product support less than helpful. We upgraded our system using microsoft XP, which is not compatible with the NOMAD II C,,so in order to download new music, we have to rely on another computer system that uses windows 2000 or 98. The size, weight,and sound is good, but it does have its limitations due to the software issues.

Best MP3 Player Ever!!!!!!!!!!
This is the best MP3 player I have ever used. Buy one used though. Buy the one from BryanLane12 for 79.99 (least expensive)

Superb quality
I've had this about 8 months for use during jogging and running in races and it's been superb. Inputting music is easy, the player plays three different types of music files, MP3, WMA, and a third I can't remember. I get a lot of volume out of it, and can get even more with Sony buds, that on the cord has a volume controller. Sound does not degrade after an hour or so of exercise. Now I want a memory card, so I can add more music...Heartily recommend this player. ... Read more