Creative Zen Sleek 20 GB MP3 Player | List Price: $269.99
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Brand: Creative Labs
Binding: Electronics
Warranty: 1 year warranty
Features: - 2 Blue Backlit LCD
- Vertical TouchPad - an intuitive interface that makes it easy to find what you're looking for
- Built-in Voice Recorder
- Built-in FM Radio&Recorder with 32 Station Presets
- Syncs with Microsoft Outlook - transfer your calendar, contacts&task list
DO NOT EVER BUY THIS PRODUCT! [Posted on 2006-11-17]
While Zen may be a trancendental state of mind, this ZEN will put you in a less enlightened frame of mind if you buy it. I did and now have lived to regret it.
The unit frequently freezes and can be reset with a paperclip. Then it for some wonderful reason, it deletes a part or all of a song(s) when you do. The battery life is pitiful, even with the backlight and extras turned off.
Forget about downloading firmware or software and getting it to install correctly. It won't and you have to do the paperclip thing again.
The control buttons are exceptionally sensitive, even when set to low sensitivity, so you can zip right past what you want to do almost by dropping an eyelash on it.
Now, my unit won't power on after being charged. Customer service tells me that after only 5 months of owning it, that the battery needs to be replaced. Of course I have to pay $25.00 for the diagnostic testing and then $122 for the battery AND I get to pay for the shipping both ways.
Customer service questions can be answered by phone after the first 60 days at $12.95 per call and customer service emails will wind up in Singapore or Ireland and will take several days between emails. The Creative Lab site says it is usually only one day to get an answer. I am now on my second email to them and have lost most of a week.
Save your money and do not buy this product. You will probably live to regret it, sooner or later. I am shopping for a new player and hoping I can find one that won't let me down the way this one did.
UPDATE 12/12/06***Original review was written in November 2006.
I sent my defective device into Creative Labs after receiving a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA). After emailing the company with the warranty information, I had to send the device in with a $25.00 check. The check was to cover diagnostic work and return. Creative promised a 10 business day turn around on the device. The battery replacement was covered under warranty.
I did not get my old device back, instead, I received a factory refurbished one. I could tell that it had been used because of the minor scratches on the case.
When I tried to connect the player, I could not get my computer to read it, with Windows Media Player 11 or the Creative Labs software. I uninstalled the Creative Software and reinstalled it and it would not work. I went to the help tutorials and after much searching I discovered the device needed updated drivers and firmware.
Now, this is just my opinion, but it seems logical that a newly refurbished device would have come with updated firmware and a note telling me I needed new drivers. I did get a note saying that with my new to me device that Creative would keep it under warranty for the remaining period on the old device. I think that the new to me device should be given the 1 year warranty effective from when I got it. I see this item is no longer available for sale. Perhaps with good reason. I will never buy another Creative device regardless of what it is, my experience with them has been so poor. Caveat Emptor! Buyer beware!
amazing audio player [Posted on 2006-12-08]
I would advise anybody to buy a creative labs audio player. I've had no problems with my zen sleek and I have about 3,500 songs sync'd to it. You have to remember that it's a harddrive type mp3 player. If you're not tech inclined you probably won't understand how to work and maintain this player. If you drop your personal harddrive computer at home it will not operate anymore, hence, if you drop your harddrive zen sleek it won't work anymore. If you buy this item and take care of it and have the know how's of a computer you will enjoy a great piece of audio work.
Great Sound, Impossibly Sensitive Touch-Pad [Posted on 2007-01-10]
This machine has fantastic sound. However, you navigate w/ a touch-pad that is so sensitive that I found it unusable. I really wanted it to work because the sound quality is remarkable. However, it was nerve-rackingly frustrating to try to navigate with this device. I can not believe that this product actually got tested by technicians and made it out of the research lab. Unless you have the dexterity of the finest surgeon, buyer beware. I sold mine on Ebay, lost alot of money. I now have the Toshiba Gigabeat ME30S 30 GB multimedia player. The sound is nowhere near as good as the Zen Sleek, but it is so user friendly that I am satisfied. At least I can use the darn thing.
Good But Could Be Better [Posted on 2007-01-11]
I bought this after my Zen Micro filled up. I liked it for the most part....Until it froze on me and I didn't have a phillips small enough to get the casing off so I could pull the batteries. My Micro just has a slide panel in back that makes it easy to pull the batteries. I've since misplaced or had the unit stolen so I don't know if it will even be any good if I do find it. In general I like Creative and will stick with that brand the next time around....Only not this design.
creative zen [Posted on 2007-12-12]
bought this for my daughter last year. She has had nothing but trouble with it. It was already sent back and fixed and still does not work right. Now the warranty is not valid so she is stuck with it.
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