Comments on: Zen Micro (4GB) VS iPod Mini (4GB)

By: hceo

hceo — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:28:13 +0000

By: opyo

opyo — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:33:18 +0000

By: rvkh

rvkh — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 02:21:21 +0000

By: afmn

afmn — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 01:26:01 +0000

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rdpr — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:50:27 +0000

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rxlw — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:49:55 +0000

By: ozwm

ozwm — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 13:31:29 +0000

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geqe — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 13:28:07 +0000

By: ppsb

ppsb — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 06:02:42 +0000

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mqjd — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 05:17:05 +0000

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wgeo — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 22:27:37 +0000

By: kltl

kltl — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 14:26:21 +0000

By: dlaq

dlaq — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 13:53:40 +0000

By: npxw

npxw — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 05:26:24 +0000

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tzno — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 05:05:30 +0000

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zzoa — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 20:48:37 +0000

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ucic — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 20:47:55 +0000

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lyzb — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 13:36:34 +0000

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bhar — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 03:31:07 +0000

By: gawl

gawl — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 17:32:38 +0000

By: Eric

Eric — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 19:12:35 +0000

Im for the zen it ha a harder to get used to but much better interface and it can play WMAs which are half the size of the mp3s at the same quality.

By: Automated Blog Posting

Automated Blog Posting — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:14:27 +0000

This is a great blog!

By: Ash Haque

Ash Haque — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 01:11:06 +0000

Good article, very detailed and everything. I used to have a 2gb ipod nano, but I sold that and got a much cheaper 5gb zen micro. Here’s my 2 cents:

Somethings I didn’t like about the nano:

It scratches easily, but I used a contour case so it’s fine.
More expensive than the Zen

Things I don’t like about the Zen:

Doesn’t work with iTunes. I used to use winamp and drag and drop, and windows media player syncing, but iTunes hands down is a million times better.
No rating system.
The scroll bar is annoying, instead of going around like the nano. Even though I am kind of getting used to it now, the nano wins hands down.
The nano is around 1/3 the size, and 1/2 the weight. Well at least it felt that way, I could be way off.
The headphone jack is friggin retarded on the zen micro, it shouldn’t be at the top right next to your power / hold switch. It just makes everything more difficult to access.
I don’t like the touch activiated media controls (play, stop, ff, menu, and etc). I preferred the nano where only the volume was controlled by the touch sensitive pad, and the rest you had to actually press down. Start up times bug the heck out of me.
No firewire.

So obviously I liked the nano the best. I am prolly going to end up selling my zen micro and buying another nano ;)

By: Nik

Nik — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 06:19:38 +0000

I think this comparision is fantastic, just what I was hunting for. Since me being a true geek, me prefer Creative!

Though would love it if Winamp came out with thier own player….WOW, that’d be something!

By: Josh Wyatt

Josh Wyatt — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 10:37:46 +0000

The Zen micro has a shocking interface. The iPod mini interface is by far the most intuitive and easy to use.
Since the main thing you’ll be doing with your mp3 player is USING it, it’s important to think about how much of a pain in the ass the Zen interface/menu is and how easy and problem-free the iPod mini is to use. Not to mention it’s superior scroll-whell and button integration.

Any problems with dirty scroll wheel or scratched screen? Just get an iPod mini skin. If you’re thinking about paying less for a Zen, you’ll get what you pay for. 18 hours battery life is more than enough. How hard is it to plug it in to a charger at the end of every day? The battery has no memory effect so no worries there.
Also, iTunes is the most fantastic media player ever. It has excellent web support linking with the iTunes store and podcasts and a CD Tagging database that literally has every CD ever produced in it.
People who won’t like iTunes are those who’ve been using Windows software so long that they’re used to doing everything the long way. iTunes is so straightfoward and intuitive to use that these people don’t know what to do with themselves. All the problems mentioned here are not issues with iTunes, just issues with the users.

One thing left to mention. All you people who illegally download mp3’s and have problems tagging them and organising them and various other problems. Flippin serves you right, you should be buying from the itunes store or importing the CD’s you own.
If you are a true music lover you’ll love the iPod hands down. Apple rewards those of us who purchase and own our music.

By: chase

chase — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:00:39 +0000

im trying to decide if i want a ipod nano.. or a zen micro.. the zen should win hands down.. but why am i having such a hard time deciding???? I DONT KNOW!.. nano = pussy 2gb .. zen mircro = LEET 5gb .. i guess its just the cool factor.. but the nano gets scratched fast.. and i skateboard so im afraid of breaking one.. screw it.. im getting a zen micro.. i better not regret it

By: BogGy

BogGy — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 10:46:56 +0000

i want a ZEN 4GB!!! much of the people in our school bought Ipods for the “coolness” factor. BTW, i suggest you don’t buy Ipod Video… my schoolmate just got one last week… and after 6 days, the screen’s already hanging up (take note: she hasn’t even installed videos and much mp3s in there.. T_T)

By: tmon

tmon — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 08:53:46 +0000

Like other here, I was sold on the Zen Micro because of the extra built-in features (FM Radio, mono mic recording and removeable battery).

Plus I can easily “out-cool” iPod drones with my custom-built, personalized Altoid case!

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1203112

IMHO:

iPod = superior marketing for the relatively uninformed (or they got it as a gift) who rely on Steve Jobs’ approval to “feel cool.”

Zen Micro = superior product for people who take the time to do independent research and truly “Think Different.”

BTW, #12 Ryan, for higher end listening on EITHER device, one CAN also playback full resolution CD rips (44.1/16 bit files).

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 31 Dec 2005 17:43:51 +0000

hey i bought a micro 2. Apparantly the jack plug is a problem (it is on mine) so be wary!! #
But it is better than an ipod mini by far!

By: leo

leo — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 03:45:01 +0000

Im totally choosing the zen. mainly because of the replacable batt. I mean honestly. So what if the ipod supposedly looks better? The zen kicks ass! besides, if i wanted to use a ipod, I’d just borrow my friends. Ha. Also, my aunt works in creative and so she cant get me better deal.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 04:29:43 +0000

It took a while for me to make my decision for a good, reliable mp3 player that can get me more bang for my buck. After searching many sites like these that compare these 2 leading mp3 players in the market and sorting through all the IPod/Zen Fanboy comments (trust me, there were A LOT more ipod fans out there) i finally decided to get a Creative Zen Micro.

Why?
Because like I said, it gives you more bang for your buck. It’s a lot cheaper, a lot easier to use if you dont have a apple computer, and has A LOT more and better features.

I have had this mp3 player for about a year now and it is a lot more than I expected. The sound is excellent, FM recorder is very convenient, and the overall feel for it is just simply better than the ipod mini. If it wasnt for the ipod’s “coolness” factor, I believe the zen micro would be running the market.

I’m not commenting on this just to tell everyone to go buy a zen micro, I’m just trying to inform people, like myself a year ago, that there a more (and better) choices than an IPod.

By: kureyt

kureyt — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 21:03:57 +0000

I can’t belive the number 1 thing why people say a iPod is better then a zen is because it looks better.

By: COLOX

COLOX — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 03:01:49 +0000

actually ive received (as a gift) a micro zen
so i cannot compare too much, even though i can say that my zen is excellent (5GB is good enough for me right now), good options, the add i like is the fm radio and the fact that i can record from it , as well as voice, but the microphone is not that good.

what i dislike is the software, id rather not having to use one , but i have, most other mp3 reps i know simply take as an usb mem the mp3 files and reproduce them

the other bad (or just not good) is that as an external HD it can only have 2GB…….

but still i am very happy the use of the soft is not that boring and if i take music from somewhere i can put it on the 2gb space and then move it to the other zone (need a PC)

the BEST BEST of the micro zen 5gb: the price!

By: Muvo2Zen

Muvo2Zen — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 05:45:23 +0000

quote: First of all, I choose the iPod mini, its smaller than the creative player, and avaible in 4GB and 6GB models, the creative player is also aviable in 4GB and 5GB and 6GB models, the ipods colours are more attractive,and the new ipod mini has 18 hours of battery life. the creative player has only 12 hours. The creative 5GB player can fit 2500 songs at 16 kbps..and 1250 at 128 kbps so now you see if you want 2500 songs on it your sound quility would be extremly bad. With the ipod mini 6GB you can fit 1500 songs at 128 kbps and 3000 at 16 kpbs if you realy want to get bad quility sounded music. The ipod may not have Radio or voice recording…but now is equiped with Podcasts, it is radio, so now you do have radio on your ipod mini. end quote
the first part about the capacity was actually supporting the zen micro as it has a wider range of capacity choice and therefore different prices to suit different wallets, and little did shaun realise he compared a 5GB creative model with a 6GB apple model, the creative claim of holding 2500 songs is in 64Kkbps not 16kbps. if u cant find an atractive colour out of the 10 that the zen micro has well then you are either colour blind and just blind. the thing about battery life is rubbish, my friends ipod broke down like 4 times in a year because the battery fails, and had to take it for warranty, even if the zen micro’s battery broke down u can get another one and replace it yourself. the battery life thing, the zen micro gives u an extra battery (in australia) so that 24 hrs compared to ur 18. the podcasts needs to be downloaded and therefore is not ‘live’, like actual radio, and for one i would not bother getting home and plug my mp3 player to my computer just so that i can listen to ‘radio’.
shaun here is trying to over exaggerate stuff and had made pretty bad attempts at dissing the zen micro (lol, comparing a 5gb with a 6gb), and is recommended to go bak to kindergarten and learn math.

By: fnv

fnv — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 14:19:54 +0000

I really like my Creative Zen Micro
i bought mine for $210
oh! F**K! i should have known there are a lot of these zen micros sold at a lower price.

but still i like it.
i know it doesn’t have the popularity power of the ipod but still i like it.

the only things i didn’t like in my Zen Micro is its POWER BUTTON, i think it can be easily damaged.