Digital Home Thoughts: Creative Zen Vision:W and 60 GB Zen Vision:M

"...Creative Technology officially introduced the Creative Zen Vision:W this morning. Of course, last we heard from this little guy was just a week ago, when Popular Mechanics called it the "best screen we've seen on a portable media player." Creative issued a formal press release earlier today, and now we've got some of those magical numbers to throw around: 4.3-inch screen, 16:9 format, can view up to 4.5 hours of video, carry 240 hours of vids, and hold up to 15,000 songs. Also, the Zen Vision:W has a Compact Flash slot (there's an optional adapter for other types of media), for direct transfer from a digital camera -- a feature that we'd love to see on other media players as well. It'll be presented at COMEX 2006 in Singapore starting tomorrow for S$649 ($412 US). Its big brother, the 60GB version, will be priced at S$749 ($475 US), but won't be available until the end of September. Also mentioned was the rumored size-bumped Zen Vision:M (S$599, or $380 US), which is now at 60GB..."

Being the fan of my Zen Vision:M that I am, it's great to see Creative continue to evolve the Zen Vision product line, which seems to be their most successful to date (certainly their best-designed). I've definitely got my eye on the Zen Vision:W: I've long lusted after a portable media player with a CompactFlash slot, and nothing in the Windows Mobile Portable Media Center camp could ever seem to deliver that.