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[ha1f]

Sort of bummed that the dev device doesn't ship with Android on it.

Oh well, I can wait.

 

[NomarTyme]

I was ready to pull the trigger on the Ipod Touch, but now with Creative new baby! I'll wait for reviews. Sansa better pickup their game though.

people that live in NYC, where there's still tons of radio to listen to in addition to listening to their own music?

you know, news, talk radio, sports, music...

I would kill for a portable media player that actually have a AM/FM tuner and able to watch digital TV. I'm willing to pay $400.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Hrm, in one of the vids I saw the camera button corresponds to Back (or Home) in Android, which would leave the Egg's own home button to be Home (or Menu). There's still a button missing for this to really work as Android (Menu or Back.)

Other than this issue, it looks... big, but still nice looking. As long as the Android OS is being tweaked to perfection I don't have an issue with waiting for it, and the mid-August date for the Egg/SDK itself is great. Hopefully the Market will be in the final release.

As an aside, the Android firmware in all the promo shots is 1.0 or 1.1, not 1.5, you can tell by the browser icon (which is just a globe in 1.5.)

 

[Mik2121]

Goddamn the Google Android is ugly as hell!.


Anyway, not liking this Zii Egg at all. But then again I had a problem with Creative before... I bought a 8gb create wmp ages ago and it broke after two days of using it, sent it to Creative and they told me they couldn't fix it so I would need to buy another one... so yeah, fuck them. I now have an iPod Touch and it's the finest thing ever :_) Can't wait for the next model hopefully with camera, so I can buy it and give my current iPod to my gf.


Another thing I don't understand.. what's with calling a 1.5megapixel camera "HD"? Can it record HD videos? If so, then I won't say anything, but otherwise 1.5 cameras are old as fuck and trying to sell them as some "HD" feature is quite lame.

 

[Zyzyxxz]

I was ready to pull the trigger on the Ipod Touch, but now with Creative new baby! I'll wait for reviews. Sansa better pickup their game though.


I would kill for a portable media player that actually have a AM/FM tuner and able to watch digital TV. I'm willing to pay $400.

If only the Zune HD could pick up OTA signals then it'd be perfect since it has a HD radio receiver built in.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Goddamn the Google Android is ugly as hell!.

Mmm no.

Dear Livejournal...

k.

Another thing I don't understand.. what's with calling a 1.5megapixel camera "HD"? Can it record HD videos? If so, then I won't say anything, but otherwise 1.5 cameras are old as fuck and trying to sell them as some "HD" feature is quite lame.

Where are you getting 1.5 megapixels from?

The camera on the back records HD video (probably 1280x720, e.g. 720p), the camera on the front above the screen records VGA (so around 800x600).

 

[rex64]

VGA is 640×480

 

[Mik2121]

Mmm no.



k.



Where are you getting 1.5 megapixels from?

The camera on the back records HD video (probably 1280x720, e.g. 720p), the camera on the front above the screen records VGA (so around 800x600).

I don't know much about Android, so I just commented on what I saw on this video:

http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2009/07/30/hands-on-with-the-creative-zii-egg/

And if that doesn't look ugly, then I don't know. I'll guess it can be customized, though?..

And what's with "Dear LiveJournal"? This is a Creative thread and I posted a reason why I don't like Creative products anymore. It's not my problem if you can't stand to read something like that, but stop trying to be smart-ass.

And I heard the 1.5 megapixels comment on the same video I posted. If it's wrong, then I'm sorry, but that's what the guy said. Actually, he said it's 1.3 megapixel. And VGA isn't 800x600...

 

[jonnybryce]

He is a big Android fan and does not take criticism lightly.

But yes, Android is one of the uglier OSes. HTC skinned it pretty nicely, but stock Android isn't sleek or sexy like WebOS or Mobile OSX.

 

[jobber]

you guys do know this is a prototype for developers?


We won't see the real player with the fancy software until CES.

 

[Ephemeris]

And if that doesn't look ugly, then I don't know. I'll guess it can be customized, though?..

This is key. See more http://www.flickr.com/photos/androidandme


Personally I used to love creative :lol The 2nd Gen Touch I got in april is the first ipod I've owned. Despite my not using my Vision M as much any more, I used to rock this baby back in the day:

So sexy. :lol Granted, Creative has fallen off (imo) since the Vision M...

you guys do know this is a prototype for developers?


We won't see the real player with the fancy software until CES.

Came to post this.

 

[Chojin]

As someone who absolutely loves Android, but hates monthly phone fees, I'm seriously considering this... the specs are so much better than the Dev Phone 1, despite being priced the same...

The ambiguous thing is ordering the SDK on the website, it says only after you buy it do you get an installer "upgrade" (which also is yet to be made available, supposedly "coming soon") to Android. Maybe after I contact for clarification tomorrow I'll take the plunge.

Nooooo, come to the dark siiiiide.


Oh if you didn't know yet, Sherpa IS an app, I installed it my Geewon last night.

And yeah its not as orgasmic as we're trying to push, course... now that I mention it. SHERPA IS AWESOME ;P

 

[theBishop]

I just found out my wife ordered the Dev Kit for me as an anniversary present

When it ships, I'll post some pics and maybe some dev info assuming it's not NDA'd.

 

[zoku88]

Goddamn the Google Android is ugly as hell!.


Anyway, not liking this Zii Egg at all. But then again I had a problem with Creative before... I bought a 8gb create wmp ages ago and it broke after two days of using it, sent it to Creative and they told me they couldn't fix it so I would need to buy another one... so yeah, fuck them. I now have an iPod Touch and it's the finest thing ever :_) Can't wait for the next model hopefully with camera, so I can buy it and give my current iPod to my gf.


Another thing I don't understand.. what's with calling a 1.5megapixel camera "HD"? Can it record HD videos? If so, then I won't say anything, but otherwise 1.5 cameras are old as fuck and trying to sell them as some "HD" feature is quite lame.

I'm still wondering why you don't like the Egg at all...

 

[blu]

I just found out my wife ordered the Dev Kit for me as an anniversary present

When it ships, I'll post some pics and maybe some dev info assuming it's not NDA'd.

that's nice. i'm getting one for myself. the device has some unique hw inside - stuff you probably won't see elsewhere within the next couple of years. i'm speaking of their media engine which is a direct descendent of 3d labs' workstation-class tech. having an sdk for that is the major selling point for me.

 

[theBishop]

that's nice. i'm getting one for myself. the device has some unique hw inside - stuff you probably won't see elsewhere within the next couple of years. i'm speaking of their media engine which is a direct descendent of 3d labs' workstation-class tech. having an sdk for that is the major selling point for me.

For sure. Looking at the tech docs available, it seems like they're building on lots of well-established linux tech, so development should go a lot smoother than when iPhone launched. I'm excited.

I'm wondering if consumer devices built around the Zii will also have an SDK, or if they'll be typical Cowan/Zune/iPod style blackboxes. I've been hoping for a "hackable" media device like this for a while.

 

[Maximus.]

im sure the 3g ipod touch is gonna have all the fancy features this has plus more.

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

I don't give a fuck what creative does unless it's a real HDD successor to the Zen Vision M.

WITH REAL BUTTONS! FUCK THIS TOUCHSCREEN SHIT.

 

[neoanarch]

I don't give a fuck what creative does unless it's a real HDD successor to the Zen Vision M.

WITH REAL BUTTONS! FUCK THIS TOUCHSCREEN SHIT.

no on both.






Actually three buttons for on/play/pause/stop/off and fwd and back on top would be nice. But HDDs are dead give it up. Flash is faster and better for battery life.

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

And severely limited in capacity. Fucking 32gb costs the same as 120 gb.

Also since it IS a Creative player that means BROKEN SD expansion.

Needs button. I need the be able to operate blind. I hate touch screen DAPs.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Even if hard drive players had a single advantage over flash players other than size, no one buys them anyway. That's another reason they're being phased out so quickly. Normal people don't have more than 8 GB of music.

 

[The Faceless Master]

Even if hard drive players had a single advantage over flash players other than size, no one buys them anyway. That's another reason they're being phased out so quickly. Normal people don't have more than 8 GB of music.

plus, even with the best of care, HDD based players just ... are prone to dying ... Flash > *

 

[theBishop]

Even if hard drive players had a single advantage over flash players other than size, no one buys them anyway. That's another reason they're being phased out so quickly. Normal people don't have more than 8 GB of music.

Capitalism as a "normalizing" influence... interesting.

 

[neoanarch]

Don't forget that streaming is becoming a viable replacement for collections. Either from a services like last.fm or from a PC.

 

[theBishop]

Don't forget that streaming is becoming a viable replacement for collections. Either from a services like last.fm or from a PC.

I'll build a DLNA Zii app for you asap.

 

[blu]

im sure the 3g ipod touch is gonna have all the fancy features this has plus more.

don't be so sure. the ipod touch 3g will be based off the iphone 3gs. while the hw in the latter is no slouch, what the ziiegg has to offer is way more intriguing from a dev's perspective. after all its 'media engine' was designed by the people responsible for opengl's GLSL. the ziiegg is unique as it offers a singular media accelerator engine which does:

* opengl es
* video decoding (1080p) and video encoding (720p)
* sound synthesis
* accelerated math functions - something that OpenCL is bringing to the GPU scene and which the iphone3gs/ipt 3g will likely not have. unless apple really suprise us there.

 

[neoanarch]

I'll build a DLNA Zii app for you asap.

Ahhhhh....I'll buy it at a high price!

 

[theBishop]

Just a note. These things are in transit. Mine is due to arrive on friday.

Also the devkit is available on their website. It's entirely targeted to Ubuntu

 

[Kilrogg]

Does it come with a Zii Balance Zord?

 

[theBishop]

Does it come with a Zii Balance Zord?

No, it comes with a functional online system.

Did you really need to post this?

 

[Kilrogg]

No, it comes with a functional online system.

Did you really need to post this?

Of course I didn't need to. Don't look too much into it, it was just a joke (and a pretty poor one judging by your post ).

 

[blu]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31602728@N00/3863719720/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31602728@N00/3863721082/in/photostream/

box content (top-to-bottom, left-to-right):
* zii egg unit
* global psu
* ear plugs
* usb A-miniB cord
* NA psu-plug adaptor
* a small black box i'm yet to open

the device feels very well-built, even though it's lighter than either the ipod touch 1G or the 2G. the screen produces superb image, and has a glass front like the ipod touch. the case is made of some industrial plastic, the texture feels something inbetween the DSi and an SLR camera. will give more impressions after the unit passes its first full charge.

now, onto installing the sdk.

 

[AtomskEater]

Oh god I want one. I loved my big clunky Jukebox to pieces and haven't had any kind of mp3 player since it died.

 

[tokkun]

* eartaps

What are eartaps?

 

[theBishop]

Sweet blu. I can't wait to get mine tomorrow

The Creative technical documents present the Zii processor as quite similar to PS3's Cell, substituting PowerPC for low-power ARM cores. Taken along with Intel's Larrabee architecture, Gabe Newell's statement "investing in the Cell gives you no long-term benefits. There's nothing there that you're going to apply to anything else" looks increasingly ridiculous.

 

[blu]

Taken along with Intel's Larrabee architecture, Gabe Newell's statement "investing in the Cell gives you no long-term benefits. There's nothing there that you're going to apply to anything else" looks increasingly ridiculous.

worry not, we can always point to Tim Sweeney's position on the subject ; )

 

[theBishop]

worry not, we can always point to Tim Sweeney's position on the subject ; )

Yeah, he's been saying this for a while and I think he's absolutely right.

However, according to the Zii docs, it looks like Creative is actually providing openGL ES implemented entirely on the CPU. If that's feasible for a low power device, then maybe we will see 3D APIs continue to survive. But running on SIMD units of next-gen CPUs rather than a discreet GPU.

 

[RotBot]

Is the GPS going to be in the cheapest $199 version?

Also, Zii EGG StemCell Computer? Way to name your products, Creative.

Edit: $199 price is the bulk shipment price for developers. Nobody knows what the actual retail price is going to be.

 

[Agent Ghost]

Performance on this device should be exceptional with the Zii processor.

 

[broadwayrock]

Performance on this device should be exceptional with the Zii processor.

Some videos of the interface/performance of the Zii Egg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy9TnVX169A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht0lcf0fMKY

Bear in mind that this device OS is in its early stages and not close for a commercial release/

Reports from Dapreview reveal the the sound quality is very good and the screen is very bright:

http://www.dapreview.net/p/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?5845.last

 

[RotBot]

http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/26/archos-android-based-a5s-and-a5h-internet-tablets-outed-by-fcc/

Archos is also putting out an Android device.

 

[blu]

Yeah, he's been saying this for a while and I think he's absolutely right.

However, according to the Zii docs, it looks like Creative is actually providing openGL ES implemented entirely on the CPU. If that's feasible for a low power device, then maybe we will see 3D APIs continue to survive. But running on SIMD units of next-gen CPUs rather than a discreet GPU.

well, 3d API's give you one thing - portability. not just in the sense of 'porting game A from platform X to Y', but general code libraries portability - all your 3d API code you've accumulated throughout the years is usable, more-or-less, on the new device. and that's not a bad thing : )

 

[tokkun]

That start-up time is really long. Powering on my Zune takes less than a second. Even when the device has to do a full boot (which only happens if you fully discharge the battery) it only takes about 5 seconds.

 

[blu]

That start-up time is really long. Powering on my Zune takes less than a second. Even when the device has to do a full boot (which only happens if you fully discharge the battery) it only takes about 5 seconds.

it's definitely shorter than on an ipod touch.

which is largely irrelevant as those devices are not meant to be powerd on/off regularly.

 

[rex64]

Does it come with a Zii Balance Zord?

YES

 

[zoku88]

it's definitely shorter than on an ipod touch.

which is largely irrelevant as those devices are not meant to be powerd on/off regularly.

?

I think a lot of people do this wiinth mp3 players...

Aka, using them for a walk to class and then turning them off during class (as, you're merely wasting power by leaving it on...)

 

[blu]

?

I think a lot of people do this wiinth mp3 players...

Aka, using them for a walk to class and then turning them off during class (as, you're merely wasting power by leaving it on...)

i'm not sure what mp3 players you're referring to, but the devices we are speaking of are powered off once per month, if that much. normally, when you don't need them you'd suspended them, not power them off. conversely, return from suspend is instantaneous.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

They got Android up in this house yet?

 

[neoanarch]

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/16/zii-egg-android-installer-arrives-next-week-consumer-devices-no/