Creative Zen Vision W Unboxing

After my disappointing experience with the Cowon A2 –and yup, I did return it–but still determined to see if a personal media player (PMP) can be a good thing to have around, I decided to give the Creative Zen Vision W a try (I’m still on the waiting).

Once again, the basic specs of the device are intriguing:

• Creative Zen Vision W (the widescreen version), available at various places for around $300 (30GB) or $375 (60GB)
• 9.7oz/276g (30GB); 10.5oz/297g (60GB)
• 4.3″, 480×272 pixel TFT screen (landscape mode, ‘natch)
• built-in FM radio
• personal info management (PIM) capability–according to the web site, “Store and view all the information that’s important to you – daily tasks, contact lists and even a calendar – that you sync with Microsoft Outlook, or edit with Creative Media Explorer.”

I will get into all the other spec details in my full review in a couple of weeks.

So here’s the original package.

There’s a “slip-on” package over the main package. Here’s the interior package. (Definitely going for that Apple minimalist look; it reminds me of The Beatles’ White Album.)

Opening the package, you see the docs, the software CD, some promotional material, and a soft velveteen pouch for the device (no hard leatherette case, apparently).

Removing that material reveals a flip-up panel.

under which is the Zen Vision W itself, and some additional boxes containing the components.

The narrow box just above the device contains the USB cable and the ear-buds. (Notice that Creative put some semi-circular cutouts into the side of this and the other component boxes to make them easier to remove from the main box. I personally always appreciate this kind of attention to detail.)

Underneath the Vision W and the narrow component box is a larger box that contains the other components.

The white power adapter very much has an “Apple” feel to it (for me, this is a good thing).

And finally, here is the Vision W, by its lonesome, just before I plugged it in to charge.

The Zen Vision W is currently plugged into my Belkin surge protector. Tomorrow I will commence loading my various movies, music, and documents onto it, as well as seeing if I can figure out how to sync it to Outlook.

Look for the full review in a couple of weeks.