This console headset, announced at CES this year, is finally available for purchase. It offers 3D sound in a pair of high-end headphones along with a wireless dongle that sits behind the console and is nearly invisible. We had a few seconds with the headset today and they looked pretty solid, an important consideration when you’re talking about something that will eventually end up under the couch in a fit of pique.

The headphones are available now for $199.

With the unique integration of Creative’s wireless technology into the headset itself, the Creative Sound Blaster® Tactic3D™ Omega wireless gaming headset does not require any extra attachments to function with gaming consoles wirelessly. The headset has volume, mute and connection controls fully integrated into the headset itself, eliminating the need for any additional connectivity components. Creative’s robust wireless technology is designed to eliminate static interference, which affects other headsets, and delivers game audio with ultra-low latency, a critical feature for competitive game play.
The Creative Sound Blaster Tactic3D Omega wireless gaming headset delivers phenomenal audio quality by teaming Creative’s immersive audio technology and powerful FullSpectrum™ 50mm drivers for a superb audio experience, giving the user a complete 3D experience when playing the new generation of 3D games. This superior headset is engineered to provide crystal-clear voice communications on the PS3, Xbox 360, Mac and PC with its detachable noise-cancelling microphone.

At a fraction of the cost of any similar iPod, these little guys seem to be on the right track for the more frugal among us.

Creative ZEN Style M300 Portable Media Player
• Display: 1.45″ TFT (262K colors)
• Capacity: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.1 wireless technology (supports A2DP & AVRCP)
• FM Radio function with 32 preset stations
• Battery Life: Up to 20 hours (based on128kpbs, 4mins/song, MP3 file)
• Supported Audio Formats: MP3, WMA (DRM9),WAV (IMA-ADPCM),
Audible Format 4, Audible AAX
• Supported Picture Formats: JPEG
• Supported Video Formats: Transcoded SMV (requires respective codec pre-installed on PC)
• Built-in microphone for voice recording
• Additional feature: Clock display

Creative is offering their new PMPs, the ZEN M300. Price at $40 to $90 these tiny MP3/Video players have Bluetooth support and a micro-SD slot and FM radio. They come in 4, 8, and 16GB sizes and they come in black, white, red or yellow. The M100 is exactly the same but without Bluetooth.

Creative has been doing great stuff in the speaker world recently, especially with their unique Bluetooth docks. While not quite as mainstream as they once were, these deserve a second look.

Still, unless it’s priced right, this tablet is going to have a hard time setting itself apart from all the rest. The user manual makes it seem like nothing more than a glorified ebook reader and media device as there’s no talk about Android Marketplace or 3rd party apps. But to each their own I guess. At least it looks good even through the lens of an FCC camera.

I first got the Creative D5 and D200 speakers way back in June and have just gotten around to cracking them open and trying them out. It’s hard to write about a 2.0 speaker set simply because it’s not extremely super-exciting on the surface. However, if you’re looking for a good, wireless speaker system for the bedroom or kitchen, these are two kids that are worth looking into.

The D200 costs $129 while the D5 is a bit more expensive at $300. The primary difference is that the D5 includes a miniature Bluetooth adapter for iPods and iPhones.

Both speaker systems offer approximately the same performance and both can really fill a room if necessary. The D5, the one I used most over the past few weeks, has a nice amount of bass and good clarity even at high volume. The D5 also has a slightly wonky touch-sensitive strip to control the volume which, incidentally, can also be changed from an iPod or iPhone. Both are A2DP compatible which means you can stream audio from your devices via Bluetooth. The D5, obviously, includes the dongle but you don’t necessarily have to use it. The best part is that the iPod itself becomes the remote control when you connect via Bluetooth. You can also charge devices using the D5′s dongle.

Creative has made good audio devices for years and well worth a look if you need a portable, light and simple-to-use speaker set.

D200 Product Page
D5 Product Page

To wit: here we present the Zii Sound D5 and D200 Bluetooth speakers. I also saw the D100, a $69 entry-level set for the younger crowd, but those aren’t shipping for another month.

The D5, at $299.99 is my absolute favorite. Clad in black plastic and chrome accents, this kit has a surprise – a fully portable iPod/iPad dock that turns your device into a remote control.


You can either connect your device via Bluetooth – A2DP is ideal here – and run the audio through that way or you can connect to the included Bluetooth dongle that actually docks into the speakers when not portable. The sound quality is excellent and can really fill a room. We’ll run it for a few days and I’ll report back.

The D200 is a $99 model that is Bluetooth only. It also has an Aux-In and the audio quality is pretty good for a standard dock. It’s great for an office environment, for example, where you don’t want to dock and forget your phone.

The D5 is available now and the D100 and D200 will be available soon.

Creative Ushers in a New Era of Pure Wireless Music Listening with a Full Range of Wireless Speaker Systems
Experience the Future of Pure Music Today with Wireless Speaker Systems That Work with All Compatible Stereo Bluetooth Portable Devices

MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA – 13 April 2010 – Creative Technology Ltd. today announced the release of a full range of wireless high performance speaker systems comprising the award-winning ZiiSoundTM D5 and Creative InspireTM S2 Wireless, as well as the Creative D200 and Creative D100. This new range of speaker systems offers wireless solutions to suit different lifestyles and defines how people will enjoy music from their portable devices from now on.

The state-of-the-art speaker systems work with any compatible stereo Bluetooth device
- from mobile phones, portable media players to the iPhone, the iPod†, the iPad, netbooks, notebooks and just about every Bluetooth A2DP enabled device.

Incorporating award-winning high quality wireless audio technology and speaker architecture tuned by Creative’s world class audio specialists for the best wireless audio performance possible, each speaker system is engineered to deliver the purest wireless audio in its class.

“Say good-bye to docking speakers because they are going to become a thing of the past. With the emergence of so many wireless capable mobile devices in 2010, Creative is now set to usher in a new era in pure music listening where you can enjoy music with your favourite mobile device through our range of wireless speakers,” said Joseph Liow, Vice President for Personal Digital Entertainment Products at Creative.
“This means that users are now free from the limitation of physically connecting or docking their mobile devices to their speakers to enjoy high quality music without wires – a new era in pure music listening has arrived!”

Listening to pure music wirelessly through a speaker system has never been easier, with 3 different ways to pair devices:
1. Connect the iPhone, the iPod† and the iPad with the iPod Transmitter (included with the ZiiSound D5 speaker system)
2. Connect via a USB Bluetooth Transmitter attached to the netboook or notebook (included with the Creative Inspire S2 Wireless speaker system)
3. Connect via the built-in Bluetooth feature on the mobile device

The ZiiSound D5 speaker system comes bundled with relevant accessories to connect to just about any Bluetooth device for the purest wireless music experience:
1. An iPod Transmitter to connect the iPhone, the iPod† and the iPad
2. An additional USB Transmitter for notebooks and netbooks during the initial launch promotion period at www.creative.com/shop

Creative Pure Wireless Speaker Systems

ZiiSound D5 – Flagship One-Piece Wireless Speaker System

At the heart of Creative’s wireless speaker system line-up is the flagship ZiiSound D5 – the personification of pure wireless audio. This elegant speaker system with a contemporary look that complements any modern interior décor, is a recent winner of the prestigious German-based “red dot award: product design 2010” in the Audio Category for its outstanding design quality and product innovation selected by an international panel of top-class experts.

Incorporating award-winning Bluetooth technology*, apt-X audio codec and speaker architecture tuned for the best wireless audio performance possible, this state-of-the-art speaker system works with any compatible stereo Bluetooth device to deliver the most compelling wireless audio experience.
• Seamless wireless music streaming with any compatible stereo Bluetooth mobile phone, portable media player, netbook, notebook and just about every Bluetooth A2DP enabled device
• Works with the iPhone, the iPod† and the iPad when used with the bundled detachable iPod Transmitter
• apt-X — high performance low latency audio codec for superior stereo Bluetooth audio
• Built with premium components
• Full-frame monocoque exoskeleton for maximum rigidity
• In-house acoustics tuning and modelling ensures striking accuracy, detail and atmosphere, setting new benchmarks in one-piece speaker system design
• High performance drivers and digital amplifiers for balanced and dynamic audio clarity
• Integrated AUX-In for connecting to other audio devices
• Charges the iPhone and the iPod† while docked

Creative Inspire S2 Wireless – Award-Winning 2.1 Wireless Speaker System

The Creative Inspire S2 Wireless speaker system, winner of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group Best of CES Award 2010, exemplifies the best in the evolution of Bluetooth technology. Enjoy crystal clear audio from its two compact yet high-performance satellite speakers and the highly efficient Creative DIRECT-THROW subwoofer, which delivers dynamic mid-bass – bringing music to life instantly!
• Plug and play wireless audio with any USB notebook or PC (No software drivers required)
• Seamless wireless streaming from any compatible stereo Bluetooth notebook or mobile device
• apt-X — high performance low latency audio codec for superior stereo Bluetooth audio
• Creative DIRECT-THROW subwoofer delivers dynamic mid-bass users can feel
• Large slot type rear port tube for improved air flow
• Digital volume control with Headphone-Out for private listening and AUX-In for connecting to MP3 players

Creative D200 – One-Piece Best-in-Class Wireless Speaker System
The Creative D200, while sharing the same sonic soul as the flagship ZiiSound D5, offers similar excellent audio performance at a more competitive price. World class standard in audio tuning enables it to deliver exceptional audiophile-like smoothness in audio quality.
•

Simplistic design and efficient amplifiers and precision drivers encased in a highly braced single shell chassis for a distortion-free soothing playback
• Bluetooth interoperability** allows fuss free wireless connection for music enjoyment with stereo Bluetooth compatible devices such as mobile phones, netbooks, and other mobile devices
• apt-X — high performance low latency audio codec for superior stereo Bluetooth audio
• Integrated AUX-In for connecting to other audio devices

Creative D100 – Wireless Boombox

The high-efficiency drivers encased in the rear ported enclosure allow the Creative D100 to deliver desired levels of loudness and impactful bass. This versatile and portable speaker system will be an instant hit and the best choice for an affordable wireless boombox.
• Plays high quality wireless audio and controls** music with the iPhone, netbooks and other compatible Bluetooth mobile devices
• Integrated AUX-In for connecting to other audio devices
• The Creative D100 is powered by mains power supply or 4 widely available AA batteries. It is truly portable, keeping the music going wherever users go
• Choice of vibrant colours to suit different lifestyles
Pricing and Availability
The Creative wireless speaker systems range will be available at the online store at creative.com/shop in US.

• The ZiiSound D5 is currently available at the suggested retail price of US$299.99.
• The USB Transmitter (BT-D1) worth US$39.99 will be bundled free of charge with the ZiiSound D5 speaker system during the initial launch promotion period from 13 April 2010 while stocks last.
• Both the USB Transmitter (BT-D1) and the iPod Transmitter (BT-D5) are also currently available for purchase as individual accessories at the suggested retail price of US$39.99 each.
• The Creative Inspire S2 Wireless is currently available at the suggested retail price of US$129.99.
• The Creative D200 and Creative D100 will be available from end June 2010 onwards at the suggested retail prices of US$99.99 and US$69.99 respectively.

For in-store availability, please refer to local authorised dealers.

Product Page

Creative announced today that you can either order their new World of Warcraft headset from your favorite online retailer, or actually go an pick one up for $159.99. If you don’t want the wireless version, you can pick up the wired version for $119.99. Both include the interchangeable lenses, voice changing presets, and are compatible with both PC and Mac.

Cons
• No way to determine battery power.
• Volume buttons feel a little flimsy.
• Microphone can adjust but not very well.
• In order to download drivers, you must register the product.
• Reasonable but not impressive range.
• Not compatible with consoles (at least the PS3)

The headset packs a serious punch. Immediately, when you first put them on you’ll notice they muffle out sound very well. Despite the size they feel comfortable and even after prolonged periods of play your ears won’t ache. Windows has no trouble finding the skeleton drivers once I plugged in the USB device.

I sought out to download the drivers and was surprised that they required me to register the product in order to install the drivers. Once that way squared away, I played around with the Audio Control Panel. They allow you to customize the Glyph illumination (change color, pulsation, etc). There’s a panel that allows you to customize 5 audio options that massively enhance the audio quality. There are also voice filters that allow you to mask your voice into various characters from WoW including XT-002 Deconstructor. Finally, you can bind your keys to various actions like mute to your keyboard.

There’s no way to tell how much battery life you have on the wireless headset. Eventually they will simply go off. They can be charged by a simple mini-usb cable. They also work while plugged in so you can play while charging – granted – this technically defeats the purpose of a wireless headset.

All the audio options make a huge improvement to the game. The surround sound works surprisingly well. Better than previous simulated surround sound devices I’ve ever used. Quick note: all sounds are based on the character’s perspective (not camera) so be wary if you’re in a PVP zone and you hear fire off in the distance.
I only have 3 significant complaints. They probably placed the microphone far from the mouth to prevent pop but you can only bend it so far. This can also be troublesome if you raid late at night and loved ones are in the room: you can’t mumble effectively. Other than that, the microphone works very well. The volume buttons are flimsy and often don’t feel like they work. They are sensitive but don’t increase the volume more than 2 percent making it quicker to adjust volume via the slider. You may also hit the volume (or even microphone mute) buttons while taking off/putting on the headphones. My last major gripe is the lack of compatibility of with the consoles. The PS3 can recognize some USB headsets and the WoW headphones would have made an excellent headset but alas; the PS3 could not detect the wireless USB key. I haven’t checked for the 360 yet.

You can walk around your room with the headphones on, but they won’t last a bathroom trip. This is mildly disappointing but considering you’re not meant to be roaming your household with them on, it can be forgiven. On that note, I discourage roaming around with the glyphs pulsating. Sure they may look cool to you, but to anyone else, you will be confused with a tool.

Creative’s World of Warcraft wireless headset sells at $159.99. While not completely necessary, the audio improvements they make are incredible and the headset does serve as a status symbol. There’s nothing quite like going to the kitchen with your headset on listening to music of Dalaran.

Gabriel Deleon, Nicholas’ younger brother who has like 10 level 80s, wrote these fine words.

I tried these out at CES for a few minutes, and they have a good feel to them. Sound quality is acceptable for general computer and gaming use, but they definitely aren’t audiophile level. Given the amount of time spent on a raid, I think I’d probably recommend going for the wired version, instead of the wireless. The wireless version does use a rechargeable battery, and according to Creative you can charge it while using the headset. Of course, we don’t have an actual release date yet, but you can pre-order them on Amazon. MSRP on the wireless version is $159.99, and the wired version is $119.99. For the Horde!

From the press release:

Sound Blaster World of Warcraft Wireless Headset Features
• Two sets of interchangeable headset lenses with 16 million color LEDs, featuring Horde and Alliance artwork
• Custom World of Warcraft-themed voice presets that allow you to alter the way you sound to other players
• Interface software designed to look and feel similar to the in-game interface
• Advanced uncompressed wireless technology
• THX TruStudio PC™ audio technology — the result of years of collective experience and research by Creative and THX, which delivers the fullest audio experience for games, movies and music
• Works on PC and Mac
• Cushioned earpads and light, flexible headband reduce listening fatigue during intensive gaming
• Rechargeable battery, recharges even while in use

Except you there, with the freckles. What you’re thinking is wrong. So, so wrong.

Like so many other functiondrogenous tablet-shaped devices, you can expect to watch some media, access some services like Facebook and Twitter, and probably a few other things. Beyond that, it’s pretty much anybody’s guess.

Creative is back with another PMP. The ZEN X-Fi2 is rocking everything we like to see in a player too: 3-inch touchscreen, built-in mic, TV-out, FM radio, RSS reader, and a microSD card slot for further storage above the 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB SSD options. Plus, at $130, $180, and $230, they aren’t priced too bad either. We just wish that Android was loaded onto this player like in the Creative Zii to present a better fight against the iPod touch.

Let’s face it, no manufacturer will ever catch up to the iPod in terms of sales. It’s just not possible, but that doesn’t mean they will stop making profitable players. After all, the runners-up still make money and this player is priced to sell well. Retailers like Best Buy and Walmart shouldn’t have any problem moving these players into the baskets of bargain shopping parents and savvy geeks whenever the player becomes available. Unless, of course, Apple outs innovative and cheaper players next week.Creative Announces the ZEN® X-Fi®2 – Next Generation Player Adds a 3-inch Touch Screen, Higher Quality Sound with the Latest X-Fi Technology and TV-Out Featuring Mult

Creative launches the ZEN X-Fi2 portable media player with a touch screen.

In August of last year, we launched the ZEN X-Fi player, designed to be the best-sounding portable digital music player ever, achieved by implementing our ground-breaking X-Fi audio technology. The response from our users was overwhelmingly positive – they really loved how phenomenal their MP3 and iTunes music sounded with X-Fi
Milpitas, CA (Vocus/PRWEB ) September 2, 2009 — Creative Technology Ltd. today unveiled the Creative ZEN® X-Fi®2, featuring a stunning 3-inch touch screen and award-winning Xtreme Fidelity^TM X-Fi audio technology, continuing Creative’s quest to deliver the best-sounding music, photo and video players on the market at a great value. Making its premiere at the Showstoppers Event at the IFA Consumer Electronics Show on 2 September 2009 in Berlin, Germany, the Creative ZEN X-Fi2 media player can be pre-ordered today at Amazon.com, Creative.com and Frys.com.
ZEN X-Fi2
Sporting an ultra slim exterior with an elegant look in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB models and with exciting price points, the Creative ZEN X-Fi2 media player features a 3-inch TFT LCD touch screen with a beautiful, intuitive interface for easy navigation, plus multi-format support including iTunes Plus and FLAC (lossless) files. It also offers video-out capability for viewing videos and photos on a TV through an optional cable. The player also features a microSD card slot for expanded memory.

“In August of last year, we launched the ZEN X-Fi player, designed to be the best-sounding portable digital music player ever, achieved by implementing our ground-breaking X-Fi audio technology. The response from our users was overwhelmingly positive – they really loved how phenomenal their MP3 and iTunes music sounded with X-Fi,” said Joseph Liow, Vice President, Personal Digital Entertainment Products of Creative Technology Ltd and General Manager of Creative Labs Asia.

“In setting out to design our next generation player, we felt it was essential that we start with the sound quality of the ZEN X-Fi player and make the ZEN X-Fi2 sound even better by implementing the latest X-Fi technology. We wanted to have X-Fi improve the audio playback across all modes of entertainment including music, video and FM music from the radio*. Next, we added features to significantly enhance the user experience for music, photos and videos, all in a player with a sleek design. We wanted to make the ZEN X-Fi2 even more fun to use by implementing a touch screen interface. To upgrade the video watching experience, we increased the size of the display with a stunning 3-inch touch screen. The combination of adding a touch screen and a larger display also substantially enhances photo viewing, as now users can quickly and easily scroll through photos.”

“To further enhance the video and photo playback capability, we’ve added a TV out connector so that users can easily connect the ZEN X-Fi2 to a TV. To achieve a sleeker design, we’ve incorporated a microSD slot compared to the larger SD slot on the ZEN X-Fi. The ZEN X-Fi2 is also substantially slimmer than the ZEN X-Fi, plus the overall feel of the player in your hand is improved by its curved design. With all of these additional features, we’re really pleased that we are able to achieve another design benchmark, bringing the ZEN X-Fi2 to market at exciting price points for our 8GB, 16GB and 32GB players,” added Joseph Liow.

Users can experience music in pristine crystal clear quality and detail through the power of X-Fi audio technology. X-Fi Crystalizer^TM intelligently restores lost detail, enhances the digital audio content to amazing clarity and delivers the most acoustically natural headphone audio available from a media player. With X-Fi Expand, users can enjoy the most natural sound staging available in headphone audio today. The built-in X-Fi technology intelligently moves a conventional left/right earphone stereo source away from the ears, virtually expanding it for an audio experience with a breathtakingly realistic depth of field. With the Creative ZEN X-Fi2 media player, users can enjoy adjustable X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi Expand levels according to their preference.

With expanded multi-format support, the Creative ZEN X-Fi2 enables users to access their music and audio in MP3, WMA, AAC, Audible 4 and FLAC, and video files in WMV9, MPEG4-SP, DivX** 4/5 and XviD formats. Users do not have to worry about file incompatibility or troublesome file conversions just to access favorite music, photos or videos.

TV-out capability enables playback of movies and pictures on a large screen, and users can also sync and download RSS feeds and read them offline on the media player.

Creative ZEN X-Fi2 Features Include:

Capacity: 8GB, 16GB & 32GB (availability may differ in different regions)
Dimensions: 102 x 57 x 11.6mm
Weight : 75g
A vibrant 3-inch TFT Touch Screen LCD with 262,000 colour support for an excellent viewing experience with videos and album art
X-Fi Audio Enhancement:
- Adjustable X-Fi Crystalizer to restore the highs and lows to music during playback that was lost during the ripping process
- Adjustable X-Fi Expand to move and expand the sound forward for a natural listening experience over headphones that simulates the sound from stereo speakers
Audio formats: MP3, WMA(DRM9), Audible4, AAC, FLAC
Video / Audio Out: PAL or NTSC in stereo (via A/V cable sold separately)
RSS: Display RSS content feeds offline (Sync via PC/laptop connected to Internet)
Expansion slot: microSD memory card slot to add more music, video or photos to the media player
Built-in speaker
Flexibility to arrange the main menu icons according to preference
Video format support: WMV9, MPEG4-SP, DivX** 4/5, XviD
Photo formats: JPEG, BMP
Built-in microphone for voice recording
Built-in FM radio with 32 presets
Clock / Alarm / Calendar / Task / Contacts Functions (Sync with Microsoft Outlook via PC/laptop)
Free preloaded music tracks from eMusic, a digital music retailer offering music fans an alternative to mass market retailers, with a corner music store vibe, incisive reviews and great music. Included tracks are by Ani DiFranco, Anuhea and Blessid Union of Souls. These tracks are courtesy of Righteous Babe Records, OneHawaii Music and V2 Records.
Courtesy of Audible.com, the first book in James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series in a full length preloaded audio version valued at US$19.99. Soon to be a major motion picture, Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. Patterson’s thrilling story is narrated by Evan Rachel Wood, star of Across the Universe, The Wrestler, and Whatever Works.

Creative ZEN X-Fi2 Accessories

A slim and stylish black leather case keeps the player in pristine condition at all times, available for US$19.99
A silicon skin protects the player from knocks and bumps, available in clear and pink for US$14.99
A customized screen protector ensures the screen is scratch-free, available for US$9.99
A/V cable brings digital pictures and videos with audio to the television screen with ease, available for US$19.99
ZEN USB power adapter charges the player via USB without the need to plug it into a PC, available for US$29.99

This could be the most important week in the history of Creation. Blizzcon starts on Friday—once again Blizzard reminded me in an e-mail that I can purchase the Web stream or DirecTV pay-per-view for $40—and we’re sure to be hanging on the company’s every word re: World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Today’s hot news is that Creative will release a World of Warcraft-branded headset in November. Look for it around $100-$150.

The headset will come in wired and wireless flavors, and uses Creative’s THX TruStudio PC Surround. As you might expect, that’s there to simulate the sensation of 3D sound. How well it works, I have no idea.

The cups will be decorated with Horde and Alliance glyphs. That way, as you bark command to your idiot tank, you’ll feel even more like a member of your chosen faction. (Alliance, natch.)

Let’s hope the build quality is a little better than other WoW-branded peripherals.

via wow.com

Do you think the versatile Zii will be able to take advantage of any of the cool Opera Unite tools that were revealed a while ago? I’m not a fan of cloud stuff on desktops and other stationary devices, but on a device that is naturally mobile, it’s a good fit.

Creative makes MP3 players. They do a good job. I like Creative. Good people over there. A good company.

But I got this email today describing Creative’s plans with the new Zii handheld and I was immediately struck by a question: What the hell is this Plaszma Zii StemCell garbage?

To recap, the Zii is a new Android handheld. It is basically an iPod Touch running Android. Fair enough. We all like iPod Touches. But Creative is selling this is as a computing platform. They’re calling the actually device the Zii EGG and they’re calling the platform a StemCell Computer.

Now people aren’t comfortable with stem cells in general – most of them are made from bits of humans and animals – and a whole group of people are against stem cells for religious reasons. So there’s Creative’s first problem. Naming your new SDK after something that many believe comes from dead babies is probably a bad thing.

Then you have the Plaszma SDK. Interestingly, in Poland “sz” sounds like “shhh” so this would be the Plashhh-ma SDK over in Warsaw, which is funny enough. But plasma? More blood? Really? And dual consonants? I don’t think Americans like to see S and Z together. It’s seems too socialist.

To be fair, Creative sent this advertisement to developers, asking them to embrace and extend the platform. The EGG is just a low-cost demo unit, in fact, and they want developers to drink their Plaszma Kool-Aid and suck down some StemCells in the quest to produce amazing apps.

Everyone and their dog is trying to make an app store and platform. Most will fail. At least Creative is still good at making MP3 players.

Ah, there we go — a little more info about Creative’s mysterious “Zii” project. It now appears to be an iPod touch-like device, called the Zii EGG, running Android. Interesting… I’m listening.

The platform, called Zii Plaszma (oh, I get it — they stuck an extra Z in there), is capable of displaying HD video both on the unit’s 3.5-inch screen and outputting it to an HDTV as well. The screen just has a 320×480 resolution, though, so HD video will be downscaled. Graphics are handled by an OpenGL chipset that can push 3D buildings and navigation in Google Maps, for example.

Other features include a multitouch screen, 32GB storage space, full-size SD card expansion slot (nice!), front-mounted VGA camera and rear-mounted HD camera, headphone jack, mini-USB port, and dock connector which handles TV connections (composite and HD) and even line in and line out connections.

Connectivity is handled by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and hardware GPS. No cellular connection, although you could guess that, being open source, there will undoubtedly be a myriad of VOIP apps available.

A $399 unit is currently available to Android developers, while bulk purchases of the Zii Egg with no onboard memory start at $199, meaning the price to consumers may start at around $250 or so. That’s just speculation, though, as it’ll be up to resellers and development companies to set the pricing whenever these things are ready to go.

Full press release here.

ZiiLABS [ZiiLABS.com via Gizmodo]

It does have that iPhone-y outline, doesn’t it? But how else are you going to make a widescreen device that fits in the hand? The lozenge is becoming a very familiar shape these days.

[via TechReport]

Creative Japan today announced the ZEN MX [JP], a portable media player that will be available in Nippon starting at the beginning of next month. The company plans to offer an 8GB (ZN-ZMX8G-BK) and 16GB (ZN-ZMX16G-BK) model, both featuring a 2.5-inch LCD screen with 320×240 resolution.

The player supports audio files in MP3 and WMA, video in CMV/WMV/DivX and pictures in JPEG format. Weighing just 66g, it’s sized at 83.2x55x11.9mm and comes with SD/SDHC and USB interfaces.

Creative plans to sell the 8GB version for $100 in Japan, while the 16GB model will cost $140. The player is compatible to Windows XP and Vista only.

The RUNZ CI-7100 is currently available in Singapore for $1,999, roughly US $1,300. No word yet on if it will even appear in the US, but for that price, I’ll decorate my home with X-Fi products first.

At least, that’s the kind of situation I like to imagine when I think of Creative’s less-than-creatively-named-and-logo’d Zii devices, whatever they are. EpiZENter, a Creative devices news site, got these little shots in their inbox, and they share my skepticism. What exactly is it that is different about this interface?

If you’ll allow a bit of speculation on my part, I’d say that this “stemcell computing” thing is a way of saying that their new generation of stuff is going to be flexible and modular. This little interface doesn’t really reflect that, so I’m going to go ahead and give this one a hearty “eh.”