Creative Zii touch-screen player outed by FCC
Meet the backs of the Creative Zii and the developer-edition Zii Egg.
(Credit: FCC)A filing with the FCC offers some evidence that Creative has a new touch-screen portable media player in the works. Named after the system-on-a-chip processor Creative showed off during CES 2009, the Zii (and the developer-only Zii EGG) include music and video playback capabilities, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and an HD camera on the back.
Little else about the player is revealed in the FCC filing, but it's pretty easy to connect the dots and see that Creative is playing catchup with Apple's iPod Touch. Creative is no stranger to playing second fiddle to Apple, but the company has no precedent when it comes to working with developers to create mobile applications (as the developer-edition Zii EGG model suggests).
Some speculate that the Zii will run on Google's Android OS, taking advantage of an established developer community. If so, Android seems to be iPod-killer OS of choice these days, as Sony has also announced plans to use Android in future versions of their Walkman line.
(Via EpiZENter)
Donald Bell is CNET Reviews' senior editor for MP3 players and portable audio, and one half of the MP3 Insider blog and weekly podcast. He also likes getting his hands dirty with digital audio tools for musicians and DJs.
Donald Bell is an electronic musician, a veteran record store employee, and a fearless hardware hacker. He's also CNET's Senior Editor for MP3 and digital audio.
Jasmine France is CNET's resident digital audio doyenne, writing and editing product reviews, crave blogs, and feature stories on all things MP3. And if you need advice on headphones, she's your girl.
that said, this does sound pretty promising, especially if it runs android and they modify it like the htc hero
now what matters, when and how much?
haha, it cracks me up to see all these companies try and copy apple
You're not an ignorant fool either.
Get your facts straight.
So by saying that Apple copied LG, you are saying that Apple fully designed, tested and produced the iPhone in less than 6 months. That, sahilk is impossible. The LG Prada was announce in January 2007 and the iPhone was announced in June 2007. Also, the iPhone had been in the works for 2 years prior to its announcement. So, who's the ignorant one now?
@ Dan7637
My thought exactly.
So yeah a rectangular shape with round corners is also an apple invention.
The only thing i can find is that the LG Prada was first announced in January 2007. If you can give me the link to where you got 2006 then i will be happy to be proven wrong.
@inflammable
No one here said that apple invented any of those things. It's just that the pictures of the zii and zii egg look almost identical to the back of the original iPhone.
The "Zii" name is even a knockoff of the Nintendo Wii name. Not very creative, Creative.
I have a Creative Zen "V" 4GB, so moving on to the "Zii" is a small step. They have good sound and good control software. Creative also have the DRM chips to allow you to get all-you-want mp3s from one of the companies for a monthly fee, if you like that style of getting music, so it has that to be different from the ipod touch.
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by ventrible
July 14, 2009 2:38 AM PDT
- come on ppl, no matter you support an apple that has a bite taken off or a creativity that is not creative enough. it all comes down to your CHOICE.
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(35 Comments)Apple is known for its class design (correct me if i am wrong)
Creative is known for its powerful X-Fi audio standards
u like nice audio standards in your songs then go for CREATIVE.
LIKE CLASSy style, Apple is your choice.
Y always try to argue over such tech when you all know that you can nver get perfect stuff.
Wan perfect stuff? tell Creative and Apple to merge their company!
@justinf79
how can you be so sure is junk? you are jus unlucky to get defective product and you says its JUNK?
no offence but you gt to tink again why it is junk to you.
PS: towards those that sae about the shape designs of both itouch and this Zii,
What can you expect a touch screen device too looked like? Oval in shape? come on ppl even handphones are also this kinda of design~