warm: Nomad Zen 20gb USB 2.0 Mp3 player at BB $300

dew042

Platinum Member
Nov 2, 2000
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looks like its just b&m. just got stocked yesterday in my BB store.

this is the new version with USB 2.0 - and somehow they claim an extra 2 hours of battery life in comparision to the firewire version which makes me think it has a better hd in it as well....

a nice alternative to the overpriced iPods.

dew.
 

austonia

Senior member
Nov 16, 1999
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there are 2 versions : USB1.1+Firewire (retail $350 w $50 rebate) or USB2.0 (retail $300).

the only reason to buy from best buy would be to get the extended warentee ~($50) so you could echange it once the non-replaceale battery dies.

i have both iPod 10g and Zen 20gb, they are both good in thier own right, but retail price is just not a DEAL. j & r had this for $250 recently. you can get a 10gb iPod from Dell for around $300 if you time it right with coupons & sales
 

DBL

Platinum Member
Mar 23, 2001
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I know it's not too much better but you can get J&R to sell this version to you for $280, I beleive. I'm not sure they have received stock yet, though. No rebate either.
 

AznRyda

Senior member
Jul 8, 2001
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Will best buy really replace your zen once it dies from the batteries? I always thought they were jerks about replacing stuff
 

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
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Originally posted by: AznRyda
Will best buy really replace your zen once it dies from the batteries? I always thought they were jerks about replacing stuff

well, maybe if it dies within a year (warranty period). and if anyone does, it will be Creative.
 

dew042

Platinum Member
Nov 2, 2000
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Originally posted by: iamme
Originally posted by: AznRyda
Will best buy really replace your zen once it dies from the batteries? I always thought they were jerks about replacing stuff

well, maybe if it dies within a year (warranty period). and if anyone does, it will be Creative.

my warrenty from creative was 90 days on their warrenty sheet.

and yes - if you get a PSP on this item, once the battery dies you get a new one. the hard part is proving that the battery dies, but with some work you will get it....
dew.

 

sygyzy

Lifer
Oct 21, 2000
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Why is this an issue? Is the battery known for dying or something? Isn't it rechargeable?
 

novon

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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I just ordered the 2.0 version off ebay for $269 ($299 retail). The only thing is the remote is out of stock everywere and costs $60+ now, it used to cost $40..should have grabbed one. They are going for $90+ on ebay due to short supply.
 

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
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Originally posted by: sygyzy
Why is this an issue? Is the battery known for dying or something? Isn't it rechargeable?

it's rechargeable, but not user replaceable.

i honestly don't think it's a big issue. even after a few years, it will still charge, just not hold 100% of it's capacity. by that time, newer mp3 players will be out and it might be worthwhile to buy a new one.
 

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
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btw, i want to vouch for this MP3 player.

i recently bought the Nomad Zen (firewire...$250 after MIR) and a 20GB iPod to compare. Initially, the size of the iPod wowed me. It's definitely easy to use and it's eye catching. However, the Zen beats it on usability, IMO.

iPod Pros:
-size and weight
-large LCD (but shows less text than Zen)
-charge w/ firewire cable
-"wow" form factor
-very easy to use out of the box

iPod Cons:
-can't make on the fly playlists (need to make them on your computer)
-can't queue up songs (have to wait until the song's over)
-no dedicated volume control
-display is "uneven" (could have been mine)
-earbuds are a little too big for my ears. kind of hurt after a while
-can't view track details (bitrate, genre)
-come with a nice case, but you can't see the display or wheel while it's in it. (although you can use the remote)
-muy, muy expensive

Zen Pros:
-create and edit playlists on your player
-queue up songs while current song is playing
-search artist/genre/track/album by letters
-dedicated volume controls
-headphones aren't that bad (behind the head kind)
-very good signal-to-noise ratio (but i couldn't really tell w/ the iPod)
-great price when compared to the iPod


Zen Cons:
-bigger than the iPod
-LCD is smaller (although it displays more text per line than the iPod)
-scroll wheel isn't as easy to use as the iPod's trackpad/wheel
-to shuffle all songs, you have to make a playlist with all songs on your computer
-buttons are small
-case is nice, but a tight fit

To me, the iPod has awesome form factor, but the Zen's more robust user options won me over. For nearly half the price, it's an awesome deal. It's not as small and slick as the iPod, but I like it better. It take a little getting used to, but the features are worth it. To illustrate the importance of on-the-fly playlists, here's what happened when i first loaded up my iPod: i didn't have any playlists so, basically, i could only load up entire genres, albums, or artists. if i just chose one song, i'd have to wait until it ended before i could play the next. With the Zen, I'd play a song, search for a new one, and queue it up. Minor, but not having it on the iPod really annoyed me. The iPod's smaller size just wasn't worth the $200+.

Just my mini review :)
 

BMW330ci

Senior member
Apr 4, 2001
454
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Can the new Zen resume the song that was previously playing after shutting it off? My Apple 10GB iPOD doesn't resume the same song after shutting it down.
 

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
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Originally posted by: BMW330ci
Can the new Zen resume the song that was previously playing after shutting it off? My Apple 10GB iPOD doesn't resume the same song after shutting it down.

i believe it does....i'll confirm later....