Creative Zen Nano Plus user reviews (1GB, Dark Blue)

Pros Most memory for the money. Nice colors.

Cons Thin little battery cover broke after a few months. Silicone sleeve is bulky, hard to work thumbwheel with sleeve on.

Summary I was thrilled with it when I bought it. Now that I have to keep in wrapped up in the sleeve so the battery doesn't fall out ... the thrill is gone. Still, I paid less than $70 for a 1GB player/FM tuner.

Pros No propriety software required, ease of use, very small.

Cons No imbedded USB connector

Summary I've been using this neat little player for almost a year now. Before that, I used the iPod Shuffle--and boy, what a difference! First off: you don't need any propriety software. When you connect this player to the computer with the supplied USB cable, it simply shows up as a removable drive and all you need to do is drag and drop your files to this player. It's as simple as that. And, if you're one of those that has numerous types of files, i.e., music, podcasts, Audible books; you can (again!) simply make new folders on the player (while connected to ANY computer) and form new folders and drag and drop your differing files into the appropriate folders. Neato! And you don't need some goofy software like iTunes 7.000000....loaded on the computer--any computer will work.

It uses one AAA battery. That's it. If you're away from home and your battery goes dead--you either install a spare one you carried with you or buy an econo version one at a convenience store or gas station. (No, you don't have to buy some goofy 'add-on' battery module or power adapter at 20 dollars each, as with the iPod Shuffle). I use rechargeable NiMh batteries and they do just fine. It's small. So small, I don't even use the belt clip. I simply place the player in my upper shirt or pants pocket. It has an FM radio and you can record anything the FM radio picks up. When playing Audible books you can scroll through an audio book 'sections'. And did I say you can connect to ANY computer and download mp3 files....or any file and use it as a thumb drive?

The player comes with the necessary accessories, such as ear buds, a protective case (I guess they're called 'skins') with a belt clip so you can either clip it to your belt or to an armband (though an armband is not supplied). With iPod...the protective skins have to be purchased separately. Hey...that's how they make their money!

Some cons: the little tab on the battery door broke on me the first time I tried replacing the battery. I should have taken the player right back to the retailer, but I was having too much quality time with it. (I use a small piece of duct tape to keep it in place). The screen is small. If in a house or darkened area it's hard to read especially those that need reading glasses. (You'll be putting them on). Outside in the sun though, with plenty of light--no problem. (The screen does illuminate whenever any control is activated). The screen is worth it and gives enough information about what you're playing. And though the basic operation of the player is somewhat intuitive--you won't get the full benefits of all the bells and whistles unless you read the instruction manual carefully, or spend a good amount of time playing with the player. For instance: it was months before I discovered that when listening to Audible audio books, that the books are broken up into 'sections' in the scrolling window, which meant I could jump to different areas of my audible books--and not have to endlessly fast forward/reverse to get to a particular section of the book. I wish there was a 2 gigabyte Nano Plus. It would be nice if the player had a USB adapter so you could simply plug the whole device into a computer without having to utilize a USB cable (which is supplied). It's just one additional thing you need to take along when travelling. And like others, I also wish there was a sleep setting. There's many nights I fall asleep listening to this thing. It'd be nice if you could select an auto shutoff after say--60 minutes or so.

Well, I could go on and on and maybe I said a lot without saying anything. I like this player. It's handy. It had cost less than an iPod Shuffle (the first generation), but it seems to do more. A LOT MORE! I would buy another one in a minute if I lost the one I have now.

Pros small, simple to use, uses 1 AAA battery, comes with belt clip and armband, allows drag & drop, remembers where you were when you turn it off in the middle of a podcast

Cons display only shows current file, comes with cheap earbuds

Summary I am very pleased with this one. I got it specifically for podcasts. It's very small and will clip to practically any part of my clothing that I want to clip it to, or I can clip it to the velcro elastic armband that came with it. I can drag files to it like a removable drive, which is my preference. I use the ear buds I already had so I don't know for sure the quality of the ones that came with this one (they're still in the plastic they came in) but they looked like cheap ones. It also came with a medium length USB cable -- shorter than the really long one I got with my digital camera and Palm device, and longer than the nice really short one I got with my Sansa. I guess it depends on your computer setup if this is good or bad. My old desktop computer only has usb ports on the back so you need a longer cord, but the short ones are really convenient when you move them around a lot, esp. if you have a laptop or a computer that has ports on the front.

Pros lightweight,simple to use

Cons I had trouble with online support.

Summary This little gem is loaded with features, as you may have already learned in other reviews. The price is very reasonable compared to other brands with fewer extras. I have owned the 1 GB Dk. blue Zen Nano plus for several months now. This is my VERY FIRST mp3 player, purchased from Circuit City. While I have nothing to compare it to, I am happy with the sound quality. Right off the bat, it is a BREEZE to download and operate. The menus are self explanatory. My model came with earbuds which ARE oversized, a plastic cover that fits on a belt, USB port, and a line-in cord for radio playing/recording. One last thing it came with is a velcro armband. Since I don't work out I can't tell you if it strong enough to hold in place while excersizing. Downloading CD's is as simple as drop clicking from Windows Media. I love this feature. It has a built in microphone for a voice recorder but this feature did not have the best volume. Recording from a stereo/radio is pretty easy as well, I did this a couple of times. I often listen to the FM radio which contains an adequate # of preset stations. Sorry don't remember how many because I only listen to about 4-5 with any regularity. Pause play at any time. To power up or down you need to hold the pause/play button down for a few seconds. The only mildly annnoying feature because I found it necessary to check to make sure that I had turned it OFF when intended. I have no complaints about battery life. They offer a short term online tech support for new Creative owners. The problem getting on it may have been on my end whether it be my computer or its user. All in all, I am VERY pleased with this product and would recommend it to anyone, including children. My 11 y/o son played it a few times. He will soon inherit my Zen when I get my cellphone + mp3player. But I still may borrow it from time to time