Nothing But Creative

ZiiLABS Unveils 100-Core ZMS-40 Processor, forming Chinese Tablet Alliance

2012-01-10T17:53:00.001-08:00

Just in time for CES 2012, ZiiLABS has unveiled its latest 100-core ZMS-40 StemCell Media processor. The ZMS-40 has 96 of ZiiLABS' StemCell media processing cores (twice of the ZMS-20) with four 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A9 CPUs to deliver stunning multi-tasking application and media processing performance. It promises double the performance while reducing the power consumption by half.

ZiiLABS plan to showcase the ZMS-40 capabilities on the Jaguar3 Android tablet platform and is largely targeted at the Chinese market. In its press release, Sim had revealed that the company will be forming a Chinese Tablet Alliance with several "major Chinese partners" which will be unveiled soon.

ZiiLABS Unveils 100-Core ZMS-40 Processor: Double the Performance, Half the Power Consumption

Below is a video demo of Android 4.0 running on the ZMS-20

Will ZiiLABS' Jaguar3 finally save Creative?

2011-11-20T19:05:00.000-08:00

It has been years since Mr. Sim Wong Hoo appeared at any of Creative's press event. But at the recent ZiiLABS' Jaguar3 closed doors press event in Singapore, Sim appeared with a clear message: "I'm here today because I want to tell our shareholders and to lift the morale of our employees that we are leading in the game."

The message couldn't have come at a better time. Creative's stock had fallen to an all time low of $2.4 a few months ago and was recently put on the watch list of the Singapore Exchange for having 3 consecutive years of pre-tax losses. The company has been struggling to stay in the black from quarter to quarter. The demand for Sound Blaster products have been decreasing as people are switching to on-board audio, its portable media players are under intense competition against the Apple's iPod while adoption for the company's wireless speakers are not picking up as fast as one would wish for.

The shining beacon of hope for Creative, is the company's subsidiary ZiiLABS' Android reference tablet codenamed the Jagaur3 . Boasting one of the world's thinnest reference tablet design (that is if your remove all the frills), the Jagaur3 is powered by the ZiiLABS' ZMS-20 stemcell processor and has a 10.1' capacitive touchscreen and Android 3.2. OEM customers can also choose to upgrade the chip to a more powerful ZMS-40 quad-core processor simply by swapping the chip into the "granddaughter board". The most basic tablet could just cost U$100 to make.

Shedding more light on ZiiLABS' strategy, Sim revealed that the company has about 100 patents which was developed with the Jaguar3. Furthermore, Creative is now one of Google's approved vendor and has access to the source code to Android 3.2 OS - something which they did not have when developing the ZiiO. "We know how the technology works, we can build future iterations of Android very quickly now," Sim said.

Sim believes that "The gold mine is coming. We're nearly there," and he does have a valid reason for such optimism. The tablet market is growing at an unprecedented rate and there is certainly a market for low-end, high quality tablets as seen from the recent TouchPad $99 fire sale. If ZiiLABS can produce a worthy Android 3.x tablet at a sub-$200 price point, it certainly has a winner on hand.

Most tablets in the market now are priced ridiculously close to the Apple's iPad and have little differentiating factor. To put it simply, when you place all the Android tablets together, you can hardly tell one from the other. Instead of going head-on with the iPad, ZiiLABS' strategy of empowering companies to produce tablets at at least a third of the price could be its winning formula. Also, Sim's vision of transforming the landscape of education (at least in China) by digitizing textbook into an Android-friendly format onto an affordable tablet (or a highly subsidized one by the government) could give it a foothold in the tablet market. But admittedly, Creative faces a long, uphill battle to say the least.

In a market dominated by major players like Intel, AMD and Nvidia, ZiiLABS is relatively unheard of. Also, with the lack of an actual, successful shipping product, companies are understandably wary of the company's capability. Sim also did specifically mention that the Jaguar3 is "real" and "it's working", probably referring to the company's previous unsuccessful product - the ZiiEGG.

While I feel that it's good that ZiiLABS is focus on the OEM market instead of taking the big boys head-on, Creative as the parent company should lead by example and produce the company's first ZMS-20 powered Android 3.x tablet. To put it in Sim's own words, the "tablet market is pure ruthless in every sense", where even "a fast-track 6-month design cycle can still be lethal". Therefore, it would make sense of the company to produce a worthy and affordable Android tablet while the ZMS-20 is still considered an advanced processor than to wait for companies to adopt the platform.

Below are some of the demo videos of the Jaguar3 platform, honestly it does look promising.

Sim Wong Hoo remembers Steve Jobs with newspaper ad

2011-10-12T07:23:00.001-07:00

In a move that surprised many, Sim Wong Hoo, Chairman and CEO of Creative placed a full page advertisement in Singapore's top selling newspaper as a tribute to Apple's ex-CEO Steve Jobs.

The ad which cost about U$14,000 was described by a Creative spokesman as "simply a tribute to Steve Jobs from Mr Sim personally". The ad reads: 'Thank you for the great lessons. Thank you for the great products. Thank you for bringing a bit of us to the whole world.'

Reactions to the ad were mixed though most were positive. Most felt that it was a "gentlemen" and "classy" move on Sim's part for his personal tribute to Steve, while others question if the line "bringing a bit of us to the world" is a reminder to all of Creative's ZEN Patent victory against Apple. Whichever is the case, Creative seems to be the winner at the end of the day with the intense media converge (there was a half page coverage of the ad in the papers today which you can read about it here) with many others on Twitter and Forums discussing this ad.

Dave Bullard, editor-in-chief of Macworld Australia, believes that Sim’s decision to take out the ad in memory of Jobs was done with honourable intentions. “After the legal action of 2006, Creative took an ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’ attitude and started working with Apple in the Made for iPod program, and has made some excellent peripherals for Macs, iPods, iPhones and iPads over the years,” he was quoted saying in Marketing Magazine Australia interview. Cnet Asia also described the ad as a "creative and tasteful move by Sim".

What are your thoughts on this ad? Do share with us your views in the comments section.

ZiiLABS showcases its JAGUAR Android 3.X Reference Platform for 7" & 10" tablets

2011-05-26T22:47:00.000-07:00

Weeks after announcing its two new chip set - the ZMS-20 and ZMS-40, ZiiLABS isn't showing any signs of slowing down as it showcase its JAGUAR Reference Platform for the 7" and 10" tablets.

To put it simply, ZiiLABS have created a range of 7" and 10" tablets running on the Android 3.1 OS and powered by the ZMS-20 or ZMS-40. OEM companies could modify certain components or design of the tablet and bring them to market quickly. As we all know that ZiiLABS' major customer is Creative, it could mean that we could see the next generation of ZiiO tablets by Christmas.

Below are some of the standard features of the JAGUAR tablets:
* Powered by ZiiLABS ZMS-20 and ZMS-40
* Designed for Android 3.0+ and above
* Capacitive and Resistive LCD touch options
* 5MP rear and HD front facing camera as standard
* Wi-Fi b/g/n, 3G/4G/WiMax and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
* GPS, accelerometer, digital compass and gyroscope
* Stereo speakers and dual Microphone array
* Up to 64GB internal storage
* USB 2.0 port
* SDHC Card sl

Some of the tablet design that ZiiLABS have produced:

JAGUAR reference tablets based on the ZMS-20 will be shown in the ZiiLABS suite (Grand Hyatt Hotel Taipei, Grand Room, #1137) at the Computex 2011 tradeshow in Taipei, Taiwan between 31 May and 4 June.

ZiiLABS Announce JAGUAR Family of Android 3.X Reference Platforms (PR)
JAGUAR Reference Platforms

Hock Leow - President of ZiiLABS talks about the ZMS-08, Zii EGG, Zii Trinity and Zii SiVO

2011-05-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

ZiiLABS updates the Zii family of processors with the ZMS-20 and the ZMS-40

2011-05-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

It has been 2 years since ZiiLABS announced its last media processor - the ZMS-08. The media-rich applications processor is now seen powering the Creative's ZiiO range of tablets. While we have yet to see the 1080p video playback or 720p video conferencing on these devices, we did see the ZiiO rendering decent 3D games and also 720p HDMI output.

Today, ZiiLABS (also known as the chip-making arm of Creative) announces 2 new processors targeting at the rapidly growing tablet market. The ZMS-20 is a dual-core (think 2 brains on a chip) 1.5GHz Cortex A9 processor which the company says is 4 times faster than the ZMS-08. The ZMS-40 on the other hand is a quad-core (now think 4 brains) processor which is able to deliver a clock speed of up to 6GHz. This all sounds amazing to us. What it simply means is that the ZMS-20 and ZMS-40 are micro-size media-powerhouse processors optimized for Android 3.0 high-definition tablets.

Along with the chips, ZiiLABS will provide a comprehensive Android Tablet Platform consisting of the ZMS-20 SDK for Android, customize or white label ID tablet designs and also certification and conformation.

ZiiLABS ZMS-20 & ZMS-40 Press Release
ZiiLABS ZMS-20
ZiiLABS Android Tablet Platform

Round up: Creative's new range of wireless Bluetooth headsets

2011-05-07T01:59:00.000-07:00

To compliment its wireless speakers and MP3 players, Creative released not 1, not 2 but 3 new wireless headsets. These new WP-series headset not only allow you to listen to your music wirelessly via Bluetooth, it also allows you to receive and answer phone calls on your mobile phones and PC.

WP-250

Active Lifestyle High Quality Wireless Music Listening and Voice Communication

Streams high quality music with clear voice calls from all compatible mobile phones and Bluetooth devices
In-Ear and behind-the-neck design for secure fit during active usage
“Invisible microphone” delivers distinct voice calls
Convenient call and playback controls with volume adjustments on earbud

WP-250 Product Page

WP-350

High Quality Wireless Music Listening and Voice Communication

Shares the same sonic acoustic properties as the highly acclaimed Creative WP-300 - now comes with “invisible mic”
Delivers high quality music and crystal clear voice calls from all compatible mobile phones and Bluetooth audio devices
“Invisible microphone” with noise suppression and speech enhancement processing, delivering clear audio calls under noisy environment
Superb audio-video synchronisation with apt-X technology
Easy access call and playback controls with volume level buttons
Lightweight with supra-aural design and soft leatherette ear cushions
Flat-fold design for portable convenience
Extended music playback up to 8 hours and talk time of up to 9 hours
Bundled with soft protective pouch for ease of travel and USB cable for charging

WP-350 Product Page

WP-450

Ergonomic Design Premium Grade Wireless Music Listening and Voice Communication

Delivers high quality music and crystal clear voice calls from all compatible mobile phones and Bluetooth audio devices
“Invisible microphone” with noise suppression and speech enhancement processing, delivering clear audio calls under noisy environment
Superb audio-video synchronisation with apt-X technology
Easy access call and playback controls with volume level buttons
Lightweight with supra-aural design and soft leatherette ear cushions
Headphones fold into a compact bundle for storage and travel
Extended music playback up to 8 hours and talk time of up to 9 hours
Bundled with soft protective pouch for ease of travel and USB cable for charging

WP-450 Product Page

Creative releases ZEN Style M300 - compact Bluetooth MP3 player with microSD slot

2011-05-07T01:42:00.000-07:00

Creative has updated its ZEN line of MP3 player with the low-end ZEN Style M300. The Bluetooth equipped MP3 player comes in 4 different colors (Black, White, Yellow and Red) and 3 capacities (4, 8 and 16GB). In terms of size, this is one of the smallest full feature player from Creative. It packs the usual bell and whistles you would expect from a Creative player: FM Radio, Photos, Videos and microSD expansion slot. The included Bluetooth feature of the player also allow you to wireless stream music to Creative's range of wireless speakers and headphones. In terms of pricing, the Style M300 is also about S$20 cheaper than the ZEN Style series. Also available is the ZEN style M100 (no Bluetooth, FM Radio). Creative says both players will be on sale in the middle of June.

ZEN Style M300 Press Release
ZEN Style M300 Product Page

[Exclusive] Creative to release new D80 wireless speaker

2011-05-02T03:03:00.000-07:00

Creative has introduced a series of wireless speakers last year and a quick check with the FCC shows that the company has no intention of slowing down!

Introducing the Creative D80 wireless Bluetooth speaker. From the name and what we have read from the user manual, the D80 is a cheaper version of the Creative D100 (no battery option this time) and also no apt-x codec. There is an aux-in option at the front of the speaker for non-bluetooth audio devices.

No words on pricing or availability yet (obviously). Hit on the link below for the user manual and testing photos!

Creative D80 User Manual
Creative D80 Testing Photos

Creative Announces Q3 FY11 US$27.4 million Loss

2011-05-02T02:52:00.000-07:00

Creative has released its Q3FY11 Financial Results and things ain't pretty.

Net Sales
- decreased by 10% compared to the same period last year due to the difficult market particularly for the company's personal digital entertainment products

Gross Profit
- stands at 24% which is rather healthy I would say

Net Loss
- US$27.4 million for the past 9 months. R&D increased by 16% as it is critical to the company's business

Prospect
- Creative expects to report another loss for the current quarter
- The company will take steps to reduce expenses and headcount this quarter and to incur US$10 million in this retrenchment exercise
- Creative is targeting to return to profitability this calendar year

For the full release, please visit, download the Earning Release PDF.

Remembering Craig Mchugh

2011-04-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

We are hearing news that Craig Mchugh has stepped down as the president of Creative. Major re-structuring efforts are said to be in the works with an announcement to be made over the next weeks (but don't hold your breath for it). Meanwhile, here is an interview Craig has done with Digital Life way back in 2008. In his many years with Creative, he was best remembered for launching the ZEN V series of players in Singapore (see video) and ... I don't really remember.

SIM Wong Hoo may be synonymous with Creative Technology, Singapore's own multinational company. But in recent years, it has been Craig McHugh, president and chief operating officer of Creative Labs - the US subsidiary of Creative Technology - who has been in the limelight.

Craig has become the front man for Creative, flying into Singapore regularly to present the company's quarterly results to analysts and the media. Sim has declined to speak to the press for the last three years.

Apart from managing the Americas' retail and OEM (original equipment manufacturer) business for Creative, Craig is also the head honcho for Creative's sound cards, speakers and headphones product groups worldwide.

Married with two girls and a boy aged 10 to 15, he said his three children are his harshest critics.

"They often give valuable and honest feedback on what they think about Creative's new products. Like the popular pink - that is my girl's favourite colour too."

He was in town earlier this month to talk about Creative's latest financials and to showcase its latest products, when Digital Life caught up with him.

How often do you come to Singapore?
I counted 21 times last year.

Are you the official successor to Sim?
I would love to be but I don't know if I am. But I hope Sim does not retire because his vision for technology and product development is very important for us.

So how did you get involved with Creative?
I was working at a company called Trace in the late 80s which specialised in high-speed replication of floppy disks. Creative was one of Trace's top customers in Asia for its Sound Blaster driver software (which came on) floppies. After Trace was acquired by Nakamichi, I got an offer from Creative to join the company. And the rest, as they say, is history,

Your recent quarter showed a drop in revenue by about 19 per cent. What happened?

It was mainly because of our shift away from hard disk-based MP3 players to purely selling flash-based players only. Because the average selling price of a flash-based player is lower than the hard disk ones, that impacted our revenue.

So why did Creative decide to go flash only?
Two reasons. The first is because prices of flash memory have fallen to verY-low levels and are expected to come down
even more. The second reason is that. flash is also a better solution because it is more reliable and much lighter.

Our first strategy was to shift away from hard disk to pure flash. Our next strategy for this year is to offer higher capacity flash players and we are looking to hit 32 GB this year. As we increase the capacities, it also means we can sell them for higher prices and therefore boost revenues.

How is the sound cards business coming along?
Actually the sound cards and gaming headsets businesses have been doing well because of the surge in online games on the PC. Our US$300 (S$425) Aurvana gaming headset, which has a built-in X-Fi chip inside, has been getting fantastic reviews. We priced this headset at the same price point against top audio brands like Sennheiser and Bose because we believe we are better.

You started selling direct to your retailers in the US last year. Any updates on this?
Our top 10 retail customers in the U are now all direct. Going direct mean better margins for our retailers and therefore making it more attractive for
them to sell our products.

But wouldn't it mean that you would have to hold more inventory and take greater risks without engaging the distributor?
On the contrary, by shipping direct we actually reduce inventory and improve channel management. That's because we build to order and don't stock up distributors in the direct model.

Which are the most popular Zen MP3 colours?
Lime green and pink in the USA.

Creative launches 3 new HD webcams

2010-11-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

While it has been pretty quiet on the Vado side, Creative is showing that it is very much still in the webcam arena with the release of 3 new HD webcams. Even as the technical specifications of the webcams get better, the price remain rather affordable.

Live! Cam Socialize HD 1080

Sporting a full HD sensor with 1080p resolution, auto focus wide-angle glass lens and built-in dual adaptive array microphones with beam-forming and noise cancellation technologies, the Live! Cam Socialize HD 1080 is a formidable tool for video chatting and more.

The Live! Cam Socialize HD enables 1080p video capture and playback up to 30 frames per second. It also features:

2MP HD sensor
Auto focus, wide-angle glass lens
Built-in dual adaptive array microphones with beam-forming and noise cancellation technologies
Still picture image quality up to 12MP
4x digital zoom
Live! Central 3 software
Live! Scan business card scanning software

[Product Page]

Live! Cam Socialize HD AF

The Live! Cam Socialize HD AF features an auto focus, wide-angle lens that captures and plays back video at 30 frames per second at 720p HD resolution. The Live! Cam Socialize HD AF also features:

2MP HD sensor
Built-in noise-canceling microphone
Still image picture quality up to 10MP
4x digital zoom
Live! Central 3 software

[Product Page]

Live! Cam Chat HD

The Live! Cam Chat HD features 720p video chatting and recording capabilities. Additional features include:

True HD sensor
Still image picture quality up to 5.7MP
Built-in noise-canceling microphone
Live! Central 3 Lite software

[Product Page]

The Live! Cam Socialize HD 1080 is priced at US$89.99/£89.99, the Live! Cam Socialize HD AF is priced at US$69.99/£69.99 and the Live! Cam Chat HD is priced at US$39.99/£24.99. For more information about Creative Live! Cam products visit http://www.creative.com.

Sound Blaster Tactic 3D headsets for true 3D gaming experience

2010-09-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

Creative has introduced 2 new gaming headset - the Tactic 3D Sigma (USB) and Alpha. Both headsets incorporate THX TruStudio Pro technology for true 3D gaming audio, a first for any gaming headset in the world! The headsets also come with a detachable mic which features the THX TruStudio Pro Dialog Plus technology for clear gaming communication. To be launched in September, the Tactic 3D Alpha will cost $59.99, while the Tactic 3D Sigma will ring up for $89.99 (USD)

[Tactic 3D Microsite]

Creative ZiiSound D5 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker Review

2010-08-29T01:31:00.000-07:00

The brand Creative has been synonymous with the PC speakers like the Inspire and GigaWorks series. But as people change the way they use desktop (or not use them anymore), the demand for PC speakers have fallen gradually over the years. To respond to emerging new trends like netbooks, iPads and your various mobile devices, Creative have introduced a whole range of single piece wireless speaker. And leading the pack is the ZiiSound D5.

The ZiiSound D5 despite what its name suggest does not contain a Zii chip for its audio processing. Instead, the ZiiSound brand is simply a brand reserved for Creative's new top-of-the-line speakers and there is a good reason for that. The ZiiSound D5 is in general very un-creative. The look and build of the speaker is a huge departure from your normal desktop speaker (like say the GigaWorks T3). Instead of plastic, the ZiiSound is made up of a single piece of solid wood, encase in cloth like netting. The speaker is slightly elevated at the bottom (for audio projection i presume) and the side of the speaker are cover with mirror like metal. It simply feels solid and look classy.

Now that we know the speaker looks good, how does it sound? Encased in the ZiiSound D5 are 2 high performance driver and at the back of the speaker is a small bass port. Honestly, when I first got my hands on the speaker, I was really surprised at how small the ZiiSound really is. And the surprise continues when I started streaming music onto the ZiiSound. Vocals reproduction are really clear and you can literally feel the bass coming out from the back of the speaker. In terms of loudness, the ZiiSound is a pretty capable speaker of bringing the house down when switched on to the max (which I only had the opportunity to do once for the sake of testing). Usually, there is no need for you to go over 50% of its volume level. That's how loud the ZiiSound is.

Let's not forget the fact that the ZiiSound D5 is a Made for iPod/iPhone product. If you own a iPod or iPhone (yes it fully supports the iPhone 4), you would see how the ZiiSound D5 can really change your life. Simply connect the included BT-D5/bluetooth transmitter to your iPod and you can instantly stream music to the ZiiSound D5! The best part is that there seem to be no lost in audio quality although the music is being streamed wirelessly. That could be due to the apt-X audio codec that Creative chose to use for this product. Docking the iPhone into the ZiiSound D5 will allow you to charge the phone and surprise, surprise, the music continues to be played wirelessly in the background. Yes, that's pretty magical. If a call comes in when the iPhone is docked into the speaker with music playing, the music will be gradually muted and the ringtone will be played both though the phone and speaker. The ZiiSound D5 unfortunately does not have a mic inbuilt to allow you to use it as a speaker phone. One negative point I realized about using the ZiiSound D5 with the iPhone is how cranky the volume control is. One increase on the iPhone will result in a large increase on the ZiiSound D5. And the touch volume control on the ZiiSound though fanciful isn't actually the most responsive and accurate control I have seen.

The very significant difference between the ZiiSound D5 and other iPod docks is that the Creative one is basically a multi device speaker. Besides the Aux-in option at the back (where you can connect any device with a 3.5mm audio jack), it also allows any Bluetooth devices to be connected to the speaker. You could also use the ZiiSound D5 with your laptop or desktop simply by using the on-board Bluetooth or Creative's own BT-D1 bluetooth transmitter (not provided for this review) for easy and convenient audio streaming.

Package content:

One-piece speaker
Bluetooth wireless transmitter (for iPhone/iPod/iPad)
Backrest adapters for iPhone/iPod
Support stand for iPhone/iPod
Universal power adapter
Stereo-to-stereo cable
User Guide
Warranty and Technical Support Leaflet

Conclusion
I have been playing around with the ZiiSound D5 for the past few months and I honestly believe that this is one of the best sounding and looking speaker that Creative has ever manufactured. Like many, I was initially skeptical about the implementation of the wireless Bluetooth feature in the ZiiSound but I have been won over simply by how easy it is to connect to the speaker. If i were really to nitpick, I would have say that the cranky volume control and high price point are the Achilles heel of the ZiiSound D5. It would have been nice if there was also a control for the bass. Nevertheless, if you have the money, the ZiiSound is really a worthwhile investment for your house and you will be pleasantly surprised at how good sounding and easy to use the speaker is.

[ZiiSound D5 Product Page]

Creative D200 Wireless Speakers Review by CNET

2010-07-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

Creative debuts Wireless Rock Speaker

2010-07-19T14:51:00.000-07:00

Sure we have seen the Sound Blaster Wireless Rock - Outdoor Speaker many months back at CES 2010 (how long ago was that!) but now Creative is actually shipping the speaker. For USD$199, you get a weatherproof wireless speaker designed specifically for Sound Blaster Wireless music systems. It is interesting to note that the speaker will only work with the Sound Blaster Wireless ecosystem and runs on a rechargeable battery.

Buy Sound Blaster Wireless Rock online

Creative ZiiSound D5 Wireless Speaker - Pairing with iPhone, iPad, Macbook Pro and mobile devices

2010-05-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

Creative Aurvana Air review

2010-04-29T16:57:00.000-07:00

Nevermind that Creative has never been a serious contender in the audio wear arena. Over the years, the company has painstakingly built up its Aurvana brand series of earphones and headphones, leveraging on its past successes like the EP-630 which is a widely acclaimed and highly popular and affordable set of earphones. Needless to say, the Aurvana brand is only reserved for the best of the best in Creative and the Aurvana Air is a testament to that.

Firstly, let me start of by saying that the Aurvana Air has one of the best packaging I have seen for a pair of earphones. The transparent plastic box allows you to see the Aurvana Air in its full glory, encased proudly in an acrylic case. Opening up the packing reveals its full set of accessories which includes a leather travel pouch with cable management, 2 pairs of foam ear cushion and a quick start guide on how to wear your Aurvana Air and some tips and tricks to using it.

The Air is made of Nickel-Titanium alloy which according to Creative will provide you with a great deal of comfort and flexibility when using the earphones. The inert coating is catered for those who are sensitive to Nickel and is also able to withstand corrosion from perspiration and grime. The champagne-gold finishing & polished metal accent makes the whole look a little more classy. The earhook though flimsy looking is definitely not in real life. We managed to bend it till it is almost horizontal and it merely spring back into its original form.

Weighting a mere 16grams, the Air is extremely light. There are many times I had the Aurvana Air on without even realizing it was there and that's really how a pair of earphones should feel like when wore. One puzzling point to me was why Creative chose to adopt the "ear bud" style concept for the Air instead of the more popular in-ear one. Although extremely comfortable, the noise leak and lack of noise isolation would be something one should consider when buying the Air. But having said that, one of the most obvious advantage of the Air is that it allows you to be semi-conscious of your surroundings and is therefore safer to use while commuting. The hinged arm and the ear hook also made it very easy to put the Air on and keep it there. I have tried jogging with the Air a couple of times and i must say that the grip is pretty secure and you could hardly hear any cable noise.

The audio performance of the Aurvana Air is surprisingly good. You could hear the clarity of the acoustic tracks and it also does a great job for the bass-intensive ones. However, unlike the in-ear buds, you will find yourself turning on the volume of your player subconsciously to drown out the noise isolation.

Conclusion
Creative took a leap of faith with the aesthetic design of the Aurvana Air. Ultimately, the company believed that comfort and style would win over the hearts of casual listeners. While I would have preferred the Air to have been of an in-ear design, the great level of comfort and very decent audio performance has made me a very happy user of the Aurvana Air. There are also the additional frills that Creative has included like the leather travel pouch which helps to sweeten the deal. If comfort and above average audio performance is what you are looking for, the Aurvana Air is definitely worth a look at. For the full range of Aurvana gears, visit the Aurvana site at http://www.creative-aurvana.com

Rating: 8/10

[Creative Aurvana Air Product Page]

Creative launches Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD

2010-04-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

It has been some time since Creative has updated its Sound Blaster line of sound card. And if external sound cards ain't your thing, check out the all new Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD! Touted as the sound card that provides the "highest quality audio playback of any other sound card Creative has ever introduced", the Titanium HD offers you the ultimate Sound Blaster experience! Made with high quality components and featuring an amazing 115dB, 24-bit/96kHz support in HD quality sound for original playback, the Titanium HD also comes equipped with the THX TruStudio PC software. Before you shell your precious moolah for this card, do note that it only supports Windows Vista and 7.

[SOUND BLASTER TITANIUM HD PRODUCT PAGE]

Creative Ushers in a New Era of Pure Wireless Music

2010-04-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

Well, well, what do we have here? Barely a week after unveiling its refreshed range of ZEN Style MP3 players, Creative announced not one, not two but three new wireless speaker system today. Taking the "Pure" branding campaign to a new level, Creative believe that wireless is the way to go when it comes to the speakers that we have grown so familiar with.

ZiiSound D5 – Flagship One-Piece Wireless Speaker System

Seamless wireless music streaming with any compatible stereo Bluetooth mobile phone, portable media player, netbook, notebook and just about every Bluetooth A2DP enabled device
Integrated AUX-In for connecting to other audio devices
Charges the iPhone and the iPod while docked

Creative D200 – One-Piece Best-in-Class Wireless Speaker System

Simplistic design and efficient amplifiers and precision drivers encased in a highly braced single shell chassis for a distortion-free soothing playback
apt-X — high performance low latency audio codec for superior stereo Bluetooth audio
Integrated AUX-In for connecting to other audio devices

Creative D100 – Wireless Boombox

Plays high quality wireless audio and controls** music with the iPhone, netbooks and other compatible Bluetooth mobile devices
Integrated AUX-In for connecting to other audio devices
The Creative D100 is powered by mains power supply or 4 widely available AA batteries
Choice of vibrant colors to suit different lifestyles

With the recent release of new products like the Aurvana In-ear2, HS-930i, ZEN Style, ZEN X-Fi Style and now the new range of wireless speakers, it seems that Creative might have decided to not pin its hope entirely on the Zii. As we all know, the Zii has been nothing but a disappointment for the whole Creative community. Of course we hope that we are proven wrong on this point, but March has came and gone and yet not a single news on any Zii product release. Ok, enough of Zii ranting here, read the entire press release after the jump.

[PRESS RELEASE]

Creative brings Pure Audio everywhere with the new ZEN X-Fi Style and ZEN Style players

2010-04-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

Creative is going back to basic with the release of the new ZEN X-Fi Style and ZEN Style players as part of its upcoming Pure Audio campaign. Instead of competing with the likes of iPod touch and Zune HD, Creative instead chose to focus more on the audio quality and made improvements to its current range of players. With few players left in the PDE arena, this might not be a bad idea afterall.

Features:

8, 16, & 32GB
2.4" TFT, 262K colors screen
Supports FLAC and unprotected AAC
Adjustable X-Fi audio enhancement
Built-in speaker with TV-out
RSS Feeds

The Creative ZEN X-Fi Style is available at the suggested retail prices of S$159.00 (8GB), S$199.00 (16GB) and S$249.00 (32GB)

ZEN X-Fi Style Product Page

Features:

4, 8, & 16GB
1.8 inch TFT display
32 hours audio playback in a single charge
Built-in speaker & FM Radio (for ZEN Style 300 only)
Voice recorder

The Creative ZEN Style series is available at the suggested retail prices of S$109.00 (4GB), S$139.00 (8GB) and S$179.00 (16GB) for the Creative ZEN Style 300 and S$89.00 (4GB), S$119.00 (8GB) and S$159.00 (16GB) for the Creative ZEN Style 100.

ZEN Style 300 Product Page

Creative reveals HS-930i and Aurvana In-Ear2 earbuds

2010-03-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

Aurvana In-Ear2 - Perfect acoustics redefined

After years of waiting, Creative has finally updated the Aurvana In-Ear series with the In-Ear2. The original In-Ear wasn't exactly very well received with its high price point and its lack of bass. Not to mention that it had a relatively dull design. The Aurvana In-Ear2 on the other hand, looks surprisingly bold for a Creative earphones. Performance wise, Creative seems to have addressed the bass issue with a new grille design at the back of both buds. We also like the set of accessories that comes with it. The Aurvana In-Ear2 will retail at SGD$149 (online or at the IT Show) and £89.99 in the UK.
[Aurvana In-Ear2 Product Page]

HS-930i - microsize Pocket Headset
If you are thinking "Hey, where have I seen these buds!", you are probably not alone! Originally known as the Aurvana Ice (or earphones with really small drivers), it is now re-branded as the HS-930i headset. These headsets are designed specially for the iPhone with full music playback controls. But it will most probably work with any phones with the 3.5mm auido jack. With more and more people using their handphones as an MP3 player, it might not be such a bad idea to invest in a good pair of headset for the phone. And with the millions of iPhones Apple is selling, the HS-930i would definitely appeal to some Apple fan boys. The HS-930i retails at SGD$149 (online and at the IT Show) and £89.99 in the UK.
[HS-930i Product Page]

Bluetooth SIG Crowns Creative Inspire S2 Wireless Speakers Winner of 5th Annual Best of CES Awards

2010-01-09T20:10:00.001-08:00

Blutooth SIG - the trade association responsible for promoting the Bluetooth standard - has awarded the Best of CES Award to the Creative Inspire S2 Wireless! Praising the speakers for its functionality, innovative design, and positive user-friendly experience, it said that the Inspire S2 Wireless "exemplifies all these characteristics and more, capturing the best in the evolution of Bluetooth technology." The Inspire S2 Wireless Speakers are a collaboration between Creative and apt-X (who enhance the music quality with its apt-X codec while streaming with bluetooth) and it's also Creative's first wireless speakers for the Inspire series. We hear that the upcoming Zii Sound speaker dock would also use this same technology but more on that later when we have the news!

Key Features

Bluetooth connectivity
Plug & Play USB Bluetooth transmitter included
High performance apt-X audio codec
Palm-sized satellites
Adjustable subwoofer bass control
Convenient Aux-in/earphone jack
Energy Star® certified

Once again, congrats to Creative!

Bluetooth SIG Best of CES

Inspire S2 Wireless nominated for Best of CES 2010

2010-01-02T22:25:00.001-08:00

Great news! Creative latest wireless speakers - the Inspire S2 Wireless has been nominated for the Best of CES 2010! Out of the 10 finalist, it is the only speaker product to be nominated. The main selling point of the Inspire S2 Wireless is the Apt-X audio codec that is used to stream the music (through the dongle) to the speakers. If you would like to win a set of the Inspire S2 Wireless, all you have to do is to VOTE HERE! 3rd Jan 2010 is the LAST day of voting so hurry!

[Inspire S2 Wireless Product Demo]

Zii Summit Videos

2010-01-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

3 ZiiLife invites up for grabs!

2010-01-01T07:46:00.000-08:00

You must have heard of the recently announced ZiiLife by ZiiLabs. ZiiLife consists of mainly the ZiiJournal (interactive photo timeline), ZiiDisk (1GB of online storage) and ZiiMeet (IM client). So far, the thing that shocked me about the ZiiLife is that ... it actually works! Given Creative's track record in software development, it is certainly a breeze using the ZiiMeet and ZiiDisk. I am giving out 3 ZiiLife invites (3 months ZiiLife Beta Plan)! All you have to do is to tell me why you deserve the invite and your username at epiZENter (you should have one) in an email and send it to kingone@gmail.com. Contest ends 10 January 2010 :)

ZEN X-Fi2 Firmware 1.10.04 - now with Colored Icons, Auto photo rotation & Sudoku Game!

2009-11-28T12:09:00.000-08:00

[Download firmware 1.10.04]

Live! Cam Socialize HD

2009-10-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

The webcam business seems to be a slowly declining one for Creative. We thought that they have more than given up on it with the drought of new products. But we were wrong. Released today is the new Live! Cam Socialize HD - Creative's first HD webcam! This is one of the best looking webcam that we have seen from the Live! Cam series and with HD, we are sure you would look good too! The Live! Cam Central has also been upgraded to version 2. Some of the new features included are Voice FX (similar to the Sound Blaster headset ones), Desktop Share (where you can show a portion of your desktop to your friend and Media Slideshow (drag photos into Live! Cam Central 2 and it will appear as a slide show to your friends). The Live! Cam Socialize HD will retail at $69.99.

Live! Cam Socialize HD Product Page
Product Demo

Enjoy Wireless freedom with the Inspire S2 Wireless!

2009-10-18T06:57:00.001-07:00

I must admit that I was pretty excited when I heard that the original Inspire S2 has gone wireless! What I liked about these mid-range speakers are the really small satellite speakers that can fit in the palm of your hands. And it has an audio-out jack and volume control which is really convenient if you know what I mean. With most phone equipped with Bluetooth now, you can simply stream music from your phone to the speakers in a matter of seconds. While Bluetooth isn't the best way to steam music (music are compressed when streamed by Bluetooth), the speakers are powered by apt-X audio codec which provides low latency audio codec for high quality wireless music playback. There's a 10 meters distance limit for these wireless baby. The only thing holding me back? That $219 price point :(

Inspire S2 Wireless Product Page

Sound Blaster Easy Record

2009-10-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

Creative's latest Sound Blaster product is the new Sound Blaster Easy Record. To put things simply, the Easy Record allows you to convert your MiniDisc/cassette tape music into Sound Blaster quality MP3 files. Although I don't personally know of anyone who still uses a MiniDisc player, this product might be targeted at the Japanese market where majority of MiniDisc/Discman were sold. With its cheap price point and bundled software, the Easy Record might not be such a bad idea afterall.

Zii Egg "Clothes Line" Album Art Selection

2009-09-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Since the first Zii EGG was being shipped out to developers, we have seen at least 3 new firmware updates and also a roadmap for the Zii EGG. While the previous 2 firmwares provided minor improvements, the latest 92.02 firmware actually provided new features such as the camera app, SD card support and the - IMO - a pretty creative album art selection. We have seen it (below) in its press images and for the first time, proud Zii EGG owner ramakandra from EpiZENter provided a video of it in action!

It will still be some time before we see the Zii EGG being mass produced for the consumers but it's sure nice to see the Zii team constantly pushing out new features and improvements through the firmware updates.

Creative presents the Inspire S2 - Palm-Sized Satellite Speakers with kick ass subwoofer

2009-08-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

Before you diss the Inspire S2 off as yet another speaker system from Creative's ever growing Inspire family (these speakers are mating even as we speak), can I say that the size of each satellite speaker is just slightly larger than the size of a tennis ball? Although ultimately it still defeats the whole purpose of that by having such a huge subwoofer, I believe we can still live with that as long as its hidden somewhere beneath the table as a leg rest. Besides the small footprint of these speakers, I also like the Aux-In input on the satellite and the adjustable bass control. Speaking in Singapore's monetary terms, these speakers are a good $40 bucks more than the recently release Inspire T3130 (also a 2.1 configuration), which brings us to the question of whether the S2 is too expensive for a 2.1 system. Afterall I could add another $10 for a GigaWorks T20 or purchase the Inspire T6160 (5.1) at the same price.

Technical Specifications of the Inspire S2

Speaker Power:
-6 Watts RMS per channel (2 channels)
-17 Watts RMS Subwoofer
Frequency Response: 40Hz ~ 20kHz
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >75dB
Product Weight: Satellite 0.35 kg, Subwoofer 1.00 kg
Dimensions (D x W x H)
-Satellite 7.4 x 7.3 x 10.3 cm
-Subwoofer 23.2 x 18.0 x 20.0 cm

The Creative Inspire S2 speaker system is currently available at the Creative online stores [Asia & Europe] at the suggested retail price of S$119 or £69.99.

Press Release

Inspire S2 product page

Something's brewing at soundblaster.com

2009-08-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

Soundblaster.com has just launched a new teaser campaign. Although details are scarce, the combination of weird egyptian music and strange logo almost confirm the fact that it has got something to do with gaming. From the looks of it, it seems like a gaming headset, or some sortof Sound Blaster audio controller. Whatever it is, i'm sure we will find out soon! I would also like to apologize for the lack of updates. Have been really busy with Uni orientation (kent ridge hall roxs btw) and some other stuff, but i promise to catch up on the back dated entries really really soon! You can of course always visiting epiZENter.net or follow us on twitter for the latest updates on Creative stuff. Till then, peace out.

Soundblaster.com

Sound Blaster Wireless for iTunes

2009-07-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Sound Blaster Wireless for iTunes is the second external sound card that supports tha Mac platform (the first being the Xmod). This USB thumb-drive device allow you to stream music from your laptop or PC to anyrooms equipped with the Creative Wireless Receiver or the GigaWorks T20W Series II speakers. The bundled software will allow you to to set your rooms into zones and manage your song list effortlessly with the remote control (from the Creative Wireless Receiver). You can buy the Sound Blaster Wireless for iTunes now from Amazon at a price of $99.99.

Product Page
Product Demonstration
Buy at Amazon

Zii outed by FCC

2009-07-07T06:14:00.000-07:00

After months of waiting, what you see here is the glimpse of the first Zii product. There are two versions of this device, the Zii (for consumers) and Zii EGG (for developers).

Features:
-HD Camera
-Wi-Fi
-Bluetooth
-SD Slot
-Touchscreen

We are definitely very excited about the Zii as it would be the first full fledged player from Creative for over two years. And it would be interesting to see how they would intergrate the HD camera with the player. We will have more information as it comes in, if I were you, I would start saving up now!

Creative Zii FCC Filing

Buy the Creative Fatal1ty MK II & get Free 60-Day WoW pre-paid game card & Free Shipping [US]

2009-06-27T23:19:00.001-07:00

Newegg MKII Promo
Fatal1ty MKII Product Page
Fatal1ty MKII Demo

Creative ZEN Mozaic EZ Series Firmware

2009-06-21T01:19:00.000-07:00

This download contains an improved version of the firmware found on your Creative ZEN® Mozaic EZ player. It ensures smooth music playback when your player is locked. For more details, read the rest of this Web release note.

Fixes:
Ensures smooth music playback when your player is locked.
Improves the language support for certain non-English characters.

[DOWNLOAD]

Win $299 Creative Aurvana Air!

2009-06-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't noticed, Creative is giving out 10 sets of the Aurvana Air earphones at its creative-aurvana.com website. All you have to do is to answer 2 simple questions and you could be the lucky one walking away with this $299 earphones! I'm in the mids of writing the Aurvana Air review which I hope to post it up this week! Do look out for it!

[CREATIVE AURVANA AIR CONTEST]

Creative Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset Mk II

2009-06-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

Here's one interesting fact about the new Creative Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset Mk II. Repeat the name twice and you will almost reach the 140 word limit in Twitter. Having said that, damn, this is one fine looking gaming headset! We first saw this during CES where Creative introduced the Silencer Technology to the world. Many months and some minor design improvements later, the headset is re-branded into the Mk II with a price tag of US$99.99. I would see why a gamer would be inclined to buy this however, for the rest of us, the need for a Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium series sound card to utilize the Silencer Technology might just break the deal for us. As we haven't had the chance to test out the headset, we can't comment on how good or comfortable it is. But if you're a fan of Fatal1ty or gaming, i think this is a pretty decent buy at a $99.99 price point. Pre-order it today at us.creative.com.

Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset Mk II

Creative expands the Aurvana Family with the Aurvana Air

2009-05-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

After weeks of teasing, Creative finally made the long over-dued Aurvana Air offical! Not only is this the first ear-hook design earphones from the Aurvana series but also the first to win a Red Dot Design Award. To me, the main selling point of the Air would be its design. I think a lot of effort have been put into the Air to make it very flexible so that is it comfortable enough to wear over a long period of time.

Below are the features of the Aurvana Air:

-Intuitive EaseFit™ ear-hook design is easy to wear and provides the listener with maximum level of comfort even with long hours of extended wear.
-Advanced Flexnium™ ear-hooks with Nickel-Titanium alloy (Shape Memory Metal) retain their shapes when flexed or bent; while an inert coating makes them safe on Nickel-sensitive ears
-Powerful Neodymium magnet drivers with ultra-slim high performance diaphragms which reduce distortion and deliver excellent sonic performance
-Acoustically-tuned Bass-Slots deliver a tight and extended bass
-Clear audio performance from high-purity Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) cable and gold-plated plug
-Superior thermoplastic elastomer-coated cable that is designed to resist tangling and to significantly reduce contact noise.

-A compact leather pouch with cable management holder for easy storage

The Aurvana Air retails at SGD$299.99 in Singapore, USD$199.99 in the US and £169.99 in the UK.

[PRESS RELEASE]

[PRODUCT PAGE]

[AURVANA AIR CONTEST]

Creative Launches New TravelSound for iPod Nano (4th gen) Video

2009-04-21T05:46:00.000-07:00

We covered the TravelSound i85 awhile back when it was exclusive to Argos in UK. Today, Creative officially announce the availability of the new travel speaker for iPod Nano 4th Gen for the rest of the world, below are the key features:

-Ultra-compact, portable docking speaker with integrated FM radio tuner, for iPod nano
-Four microdrivers for spatial and superior audio quality
-Built-in lithium polymer (Li-Po) rechargeable battery delivers up to 15 hours playtime/charge
-USB port recharges both the speaker and iPod. Also supports the transfer of music, photos & videos
-Alarm Clock function (via iPod) lets users wake up to their favourite music
-Stand (included) allows users to view photos and videos in portrait or landscape -System turns off automatically when iPod is powered-down or undocked

The Creative TravelSound for iPod nano (model i85) will be available at The CREATIVE Stores at Marina Square and International Business Park, the online store at sg.store.creative.com and authorised dealers in Singapore from early May 2009 onwards at a suggested retail price of S$149.00.

[PRESS RELEASE]
[TRAVELSOUND i85 PRODUCT PAGE]
[FLASH DEMO]

Creative learns from Vista, releases new Sound Blaster drivers for Windows 7

2009-04-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

When Windows Vista was introduced, Microsoft has decided to remove the Hardware Abstraction Layer for DirectSound and DirectSound3D which rendered most of the functions of Creative's sound cards useless. Many of the sound cards at that time wasn't fully compatible with Vista and Creative was criticised for its slowness in creating a fix for Vista. This time round, Creative seem to have learnt it lesson well. When the beta version of Windows 7 was out, Creative also had its set of beta Sound Blaster drivers (although not immediately). Today, it releases a whole new beta set of drivers for the Creative Sound Blaster®, Audigy® and X-Fi® sound cards. Currently, the Creative ZEN series of MP3 players, Vado Pocket Video Cams and Live! webcams are already supported by Windows 7. Drivers for the older Creative products are expected at a later date. Creative has even created a unique URL for everything Windows 7 (http://support.creative.com/Windows7/). If you are still running on the beta version of Windows 7, do give these drivers a try and share with us your experience.

[PRESS RELEASE]

[WINDOWS 7 SUPPORT]

Creative Vado HD Firmware v1220

2009-04-12T03:43:00.000-07:00

Fixes:

Rectifies jerky video playback for videos recorded while transitioning from totally dark to very bright lighting conditions.
Changes in USB connectivity and battery charging icon indicators.

[DOWNLOAD HERE]

Creative to release the "ZiiCard"? [April Fool's Joke]

2009-04-01T11:12:00.001-07:00

In an exclusive over at epiZENter, ZiiLABS - a subsidary of Creative Technology - will release a brand new range (4GB for now) of SD cards called the ZiiCard. Although it looks like any other SD card, the ZiiCard is said to be 100times faster in the transferring of data. According to the same article, a new player is also slanted to be released in April and it will full "ZiiCard integration" For more news on the ZiiCard, pop over to epiZENter :)

Updated: You should know by now that the ZiiCard is Michael's April Fool's joke! Even I fell for it the first time I saw it but I guess the ZMS-40109 was a dead giveaway!

[Update] Creative Store MS to re-open in April

2009-03-22T00:52:00.000-07:00

This is due to some renovation work which the contractor were not able to complete on time for the March 13 date. The Creative Store Marina Square will re-open on 1st April (no, it's not a joke) with new promotions. Look out for it!

Creative ALchemy 1.25.10

2009-03-22T00:11:00.000-07:00

Creative ALchemy
Creative ALchemy restores 3D audio and EAX® effects for certain DirectSound®3D games in Windows Vista. With Creative ALchemy, you can:
-enable the DirectSound3D game audio to be processed by your Sound Blaster audio device to deliver EAX effects, 3D audio spatialization, sample rate conversion and hardware audio mixing. Without this, most DirectSound3D games will be reduced to stereo output without any EAX effects.
-improve 3D audio processing for host-based Sound Blaster audio devices.

[DOWNLOAD Creative ALchemy 1.25.10]

Creative Console Launcher 2.61.09

2009-03-22T00:06:00.000-07:00

This download supports the following devices only:
Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty® Champion Series
Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Professional Audio
Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium
Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series
Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum Fatal1ty Champion Series
Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic
Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer
Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum
Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty
Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro
Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1
Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Karaoke
Sound Blaster X-Fi

Added Features or Enhancements:
Added Microphone Reverb effect.
Added controls for Silencer settings (for certain audio devices only).
Improved controls for Wireless Music settings (for certain audio devices only).

Fixes:Resolves the following issues:
-Display for X-Fi CMSS-3D settings is not synchronized.
-Display for mixer settings is not synchronized.
-Custom EQ option does not appear when adjusting EQ values.
-Text is truncated in certain menus.
-Error message does not appear when hot-plugging a 'Plug and Play' device.
-Error in VoiceFX presets selection.
-Unable to restore default volume settings.
-Unable to select the external decoder option automatically while Dolby Digital Live or DTS -Connect is enabled in the encoder settings.
-Noise can be heard when enabling 'Use Built-in Decoder' and 'Dolby Digital Live' or 'DTS Connect'.

[DOWNLOAD Creative Console Launcher 2.61.09]

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Driver 2.17.0006

2009-03-22T00:02:00.000-07:00

This download supports the following audio devices only:
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty® Champion Series
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Professional Audio
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium

Added Features or Enhancements:
Enables the 'What U Hear' recording device for Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium in Windows Vista.

Fixes:
Resolves the following issues:
-Unable to launch Audio Control Panel after installing drivers on a system using Windows XP Service Pack 3.
-X-Fi Crystalizer resets to the default value after restarting system.
-X-Fi Crystalizer resets to the default value in all modes instead of the current selected mode only after pressing the default button.
-No sound output occasionally while Dolby® Digital Live is enabled.
-BSOD when disabling audio drivers on certain systems.
-Game Mode LED on X-Fi I/O Drive does not light up when Game Mode was the current selected mode after system has awakened from hibernation.

[DOWNLOAD Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Driver 2.17.0006]

Creative cuts 300 jobs

2009-03-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

Creative has announced on Friday night that it will be laying off 300 more workers mostly from its US and Europe subsidiaries. In the course, the company will incur restructuring charges of about US$10million for its fiscal 3rd quarter, the three months ending 31 March 2009. The $10million will include severance payments to the workers and facilities costs from consolidation of certain international offices. This would most likely means that jobs or services which have been used to be provided by the US and Europe arm will now be transferred to Singapore. Despite this new round of job cuts, Creative says that its Singapore workforce will not see a significant change and that the company is still hiring R&D engineers.

It seems that Creative is drastically cutting its head count and that can be seen as a good thing as it gives the company more freedom financially for this difficult period of time. This is not to say that the Creative Labs in the US and UK has been doing a bad job. Instead I feel that in terms of embracing the social media and reaching out to the customers, they are way better than their Singapore counterparts. However, the fact remains that they are more expensive to employ and being far away from the HQ doesn't help. So regretfully, its yet another tough business decision to make. I do feel that 2009 would be a good year for Creative to turn around as all the cost cutting measures that it have implemented should show significant results. What it needs now is to lower the price of its older products and release its new range of products soon. Honestly, it has been a long time since the ZEN X-Fi and I can really do with some new product excitement. But no, I do not want a VoiceOver ZEN Stone thank you very much.

Creative pulled out of IT Show 2009 [SG]

2009-03-12T07:59:00.001-07:00

As I navigate my way through the crowd the moment the doors of IT Show 2009 open (trust me, early afternoon is the best time for this), I faithfully went in search of the Creative booth. But after almost an hour of futile searching and the lack of any indications of its presence on the floor plan, it suddenly dawn upon me that Creative is not at the show. This has to be the first time Creative has missed a computer exhibition in Singapore (there are 4 in a year) and considering that I have been to every one of them since the ZEN Micro days, that says alot. If you remember my previous post on Creative's booth at COMEX 2008, we knew for a fact that Creative has been cutting its budget for such shows drastically. I hope that they are simply gearing for something big in the coming months and would rather save all the money they can to launch the new product with a bang than to spend it on the computer show which might or might not generate alot of sales. Anyways, if you happen to go to the show tomorrow (it's at suntec city btw), do drop by the Creative Store at Marina Square which is due to re-open tomorrow.

Creative iPod docking stations now available in SG

2009-03-07T03:46:00.000-08:00

Once again, Creative has used its proprietary Silencer technology and lunched the iPod Docking Station D-10 and X-30 silently. Though these ain't any new products, it was only available in the US in the past. iPod owners can get the Docking Station D-10 for $79 which allows you to hook up your iPod to a speaker system or the Docking Station X-30 for $119 which allows you to enhance your songs with X-Fi and hook your iPod up to a TV. The only disappointment here again is the lack of support for the iPhone. Get your docking stations now at the Creative Stores at Plaza Singapura and International Business Park Creative HQ!

Creative Gaming Headset Driver 01.01.0003

2009-03-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

This download supports the following devices only:
Creative Digital Wireless Gaming Headset HS-1200
Creative Fatal1ty® USB Gaming Headset HS-1000
Creative USB Gaming Headset HS-950

Fixes:
Resolves microphone related issues when using the above USB headsets with certain voice communication applications and games under Windows Vista® and Windows® XP. These include:

-Low microphone volume level when used in voice communications applications
-Audio distortion when microphone monitoring and X-Fi™ CMSS®-3D are enabled.
-Restoring microphone default volume level.
-Relative difference in volume level when USB Headset is plugged into different USB ports.
-Installation issues that include Creative drivers not being installed when the USB Headset is plugged into another USB port, other than the port used during installation.

[DOWNLOAD]

Creative Store to re-open in March

2009-03-03T05:05:00.001-08:00

News of the closure of Creative's first lifestyle store in the heart of Singapore's shopping district broke out last week, leading to speculations that Creative might be facing a financial crisis too big for it to handle. When we visited the store two weeks ago, the place was already vacant and Creative confirmed that it has closed down the Marina Square branch. Although Creative did not give an official reason for its closure, people familiar with the case cited rising rent prices as one of the main reason for the closure. "It's simply a business decision. Nobody pays this sort of rent anymore, especially in this kind of climate." Creative's decision to re-open the branch lies mainly with the mall's decision to give in and reduce the rent substantially. The store is expected to re-open in "one or two weeks" time, so in the meantime, you can also give in to temptation and shop at the Creative online store. Promotions going on now include really great refurbish deals (ZEN V Plus 2GB - $39 or ZEN Vision: M 30GB - $169) and new combo deals, check it out here.

Update: Creative store Marina Square will officially re-open on the 13th of March.

Cambridge SoundWorks - MovieWorks HD iPod Dock

2009-02-21T04:57:00.000-08:00

The Cambridge SoundWorks MovieWorks HD isn't actually a new product. We first saw it last year January at the CES 2008 when it was still known as the Creative Xdock HD. It was said to retail for $619 but boy, what a difference a year make! This baby could be yours now for just $249 (yes, still pricey but I was comparing it to the inital price)! Norminated for the Best of CES, the MovieWorks HD allows you to upscale your iPod videos to 1080i and also enhances your music with the X-Fi audio technology.

Why you should buy:

-upscale your iPod videos to HD quality

-enhance your audio with X-Fi

-enjoy your movie in 5.1 surround sound

-enjoy wireless music with the wireless receivers

Why you should not buy:

-expensive ($249)

-does not supports the iPhone

Update: Enjoy $50 off on our NEW MovieWorks HD with ANY Home Theater System Purchase

Coupon Code: MovieWorks50

Expires: 2/28/09

[LINK]

[ORDER YOUR MOVIEWORKS HD TODAY]

TravelSound i85 for iPod Nano 4th Gen

2009-02-17T05:38:00.001-08:00

We have seen glimpses of the latest TravelSound i85 at the recent CES. Now it's officially released for the European region in an exclusive deal with Argos. The i85 will dock the iPod Nano 4th Generation perfectly and will enable the in-built FM Radio function of the iPod Nano. Besides a battery life of 15 hours, it is also able to sync and charge the iPod when connected to the computer. What I like best about this TravelSound is the in-built re-chargeable battery and the lanyard which double up as an antenna for the player.

[LINK]

ZiiLABS Android Demo

2009-02-16T06:29:00.001-08:00

Above is the ZiiLABS video demo of the Android platform running on its ZMS-05 chip. As you can see, compared to the current ZEN, photos load much faster even when magnified on the Android. You can also browse the web and magnify the site to your heart's content and the images will still not be pixielated. Finally, the demo also showcase the HD playback on the handheld device and also HD upscaling to 1280 x 720 resolution. It seemed pretty impressive but I would be more impressived if I had a chance to see it in real life. I applause the effort Creative is taking to promote the ZMS-05 chip at the various convention but nevertheless still feel a tab bit disappointed that they have yet to introduce an actual Creative Zii-based product. I guess this video gives you a hint of what Creative is up to with its next PMP.

ZMS-05 to support the Android Platform

2009-02-15T08:15:00.000-08:00

Creative's name has rarely been associated with open source, looking back at its disastrous X-Fi driver support for Linux and its players' limited success on Rockbox. In short, Creative like writing its own software and we all know where that has taken the company to today. Therefore, I can safely say that many of us were comforted to hear that the ZMS-05 chip from ZiiLabs will support the Android Platform. Although we do not know the full extent of the support (would it be the whole OS or simply part of it), we do know that the ZMS-05 will allow Android based handheld devices to playback 1080i HD videos. One of the biggest complain i heard about the G1 phone was its mediocre battery life. Many said they had to charge the phone daily before it runs out of juice. Therefore, if the ZMS-05 chip can live up to its claim of high energy efficiency, I can forsee HTC replacing the Qualcomm chip in the current G1 phones with the ZMS-05. And with phone companies like Samsung and LG intending to roll out its own Android phone, that can only be good news for ZiiLabs. We will wait till Monday to see the ZiiLabs Android Demo at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Windows 7 Beta driver for Sound Blaster X-Fi

2009-02-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

When Windows 7 beta was first released, many Sound Blaster X-Fi users were frustrated as the X-Fi sound cards were not support and Creative did not have any drivers for them. The only consolation was that under the Windows Update, Audigy drivers are now automatically installed. You no longer have trot through Creative's support site to download it. I think this is a good step that Creative is taking and hopefully in future, we will see the option for X-Fi drivers. Having said that, below are 2 beta X-Fi drivers for Windows 7:

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Series Beta Driver 2.18.0008
This download supports the following audio devices only:

Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic
Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty® Professional Series
Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer
Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum Fatal1ty Champion Series
Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum
Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty
Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro
Sound Blaster X-Fi

[DOWNLOAD]

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Beta Driver 02.17.0006
This download supports the following audio devices only:

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty® Champion Series
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Professional Audio
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium

[DOWNLOAD]

These are BETA DRIVERS and Creative currently offers no technical support for it. Do share with us in the comments section if you encounter any problems with these drivers or what works and what doesn't for it. Also note that the Windows 7 Beta Trial ends on the 12 of Feb 2009.

Creative CNY Promo [SG]

2009-01-24T07:25:00.000-08:00

MP3 Players: Get a free power adapter with every ZEN X-Fi or ZEN Mozaic purchased. You can also get the respective TravelSound for only $49.

Speakers: Get a free HQ-1500 with every GigaWorks or N400 Notebook speakers. Or an EP-210 with any Inspire Speakers purchased.

Sound Blaster: Free EP-210 with every Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! or Surround 5.1.

Cameras: Free audio/video cable with each Vado. Save $50 with the Live! Cam Optia Pro or AF.

Headphones: Save up to $100 on the Aurvana Headphones series.

[LINK]

New Firmwares

2009-01-22T04:42:00.000-08:00

Creative Vado HD Pocket Video Cam Firmware v1180
-Improves user experience when videos from your Vado HD are viewed on your television.
[DOWNLOAD]

Creative ZEN Firmware 1.21.03
-Ensures smooth operation of your player's FM Radio.
[DOWNLOAD]

Creative ZEN Mozaic Firmware 1.06.01
-Improves the battery charging process.
-Enhances the playback pattern for the shuffle playmode.
[DOWNLOAD]

Coming soon: Aurvana Ice & Air

2009-01-20T14:29:00.000-08:00

Over at epizenter, one observant member saw this pic of the yet-to-be released Creative in-ear earphones. Apparently the earphones will be called Aurvana Ice and Aurvana Air. Little is known about these two earphones besides the fact that it should be pretty expensive (since its under the premium brand of Aurvana) and that the Ice will contain the world's smallest driver of 6mm. We still do not have pic of the Aurvana Air but from its name, I would expect it to be something really light? It has been a long time since Creative updated the Aurvana earphones series and I think the Air and Ice are the right direction to go in terms of specs and looks. According to the site, the Ice will retail at 150 Euros which is around gulps!, SG$300?

Thanks basskaryaar!

[LINK]

Update: We now have pictures of the Aurvana Air which looks really light to me ;)

Exclusive: Creative @ CES 2009

2009-01-10T17:24:00.000-08:00

[SG] Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Notebook + Wireless Receiver Now Available

2009-01-09T23:12:00.000-08:00

The Sound Blaster X-Fi Notebook + Wireless Receiver bundle is now going for SG$269 at the Creative Store at International Business Park. Strangely, the online price for both products is the same as the bundle price (SG$149 + SG$120 = $269). Shouldn't bundle deals be cheaper? Watch this video to know more about this product.

Creative introduce Sound Blaster for iTunes with wireless T20W

2009-01-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

As the dust over the Zii settles, Creative went on to release its latest Sound Blaster product, the Sound Blaster for iTunes. The Sound Blaster for iTunes looks identical to the X-Fi Go!, allows you to wirelessly connect your PC or Mac to speakers when you listen to your iTunes or MP3 music. To receive the music, you have to purchase a Creative Wireless Receiver to connect it to your speakers or purchase the new GigaWorks T20W (W stands for Wireless). I have always thought that Speakers that are in-built with wireless receiver are a good idea and the T20W is Creative's first such speakers and i'm sure it will not be the last.

The Sound Blaster for iTunes will retail at US$99.99 while the GigaWorks T20W Series II speaker system is priced at US$129.99. Both will be available at the end of this month.

[PRESS RELEASE]

Creative Launches the Zii Platform and Ushers in the Era of StemCell Computing

2009-01-08T04:35:00.000-08:00

CES, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. - Jan. 8, 2009 — Creative Technology Ltd. today announced the formation of ZiiLABS™ (a wholly owned subsidiary of Creative), with the combination of 3DLABS — which has a 25-year history as a leading innovator in programmable graphics, media and applications processing — and resources drawn from the largest product group in Creative, the Personal Digital Entertainment group.

The formation of ZiiLABS, the launch of the new ZiiLABS ZMS-05 SoC (System-On-Chip) and the new Zii™ Platform today usher in the new era of StemCell Computing™. The new ZiiLABS ZMS-05 SoC (System-On-Chip) will be unveiled and demonstrated from January 8-11 at the Consumer Electronics Show, South Hall booth #30651.

“We have invested a billion dollars and 10,000 man years of R&D effort over the last 25 years in platform solutions,” said Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and CEO of Creative Technology Ltd. “The combination of the technology from 3DLABS and the product development prowess of our Personal Digital Entertainment group delivers a complete, powerful and energy efficient platform with a very rapid time-to-market for our partners - the Zii Platform.”

“We now look to shaping the future of computing with the introduction of the integrated ZMS-05 media-rich processor, and ushering in the new era of StemCell Computing where we will bring the incredible benefits of nano-sized super computing right into our daily lives,” said Hock Leow, president of ZiiLABS.”

This StemCell approach has benefits in terms of:

Flexibility — Utilizing a breakthrough technology comprising of programmable Processing Elements (PEs) which are basically Software Defined Silicon
Scalability — 10Gigaflops to Petaflops (1015 floating point operation per second)
Energy Efficiency — Huge processing power of the ZMS-05 SoC enables it to perform more in less time, equating to low power consumption
Complete Solution — Ready-for-Market Zii Platform Solutions

Unlimited Flexibility
Stem cells are the basic building blocks of life, possessing the unique ability to develop into the specialized cells and tissues required by organisms to function effectively. Inspired by this concept, the ZMS architecture uses an array of media-optimized Processing Elements (PE) as its stem cells that can instantly develop into any of the specialized acceleration functions required of today's media rich devices and offering advantages in terms of flexibility, performance and features when compared to the fixed function silicon blocks traditionally used in SoC designs.

Incredible Scalability
The scalability of the ZMS architecture is highlighted in the first Teraflop Accelerator with the footprint of an A4-sized sheet of paper, consuming less power than a desktop PC. By utilizing the virtually unlimited chaining capability of the ZMS chips, a state-of-the- art ‘hypercomputer' with many Petaflops of processing power can be realized, which can be 100 times smaller, 100 times greener and 100 times lower cost than conventional super computers.

High Energy Efficiency
Due to the compute density of each Processing Element, the ZMS-05 SoC is able to do an immense amount of media processing in far less time — and with far less energy — than taken by standard processors; which translates into longer battery life. Intelligent power control means the speed and power consumption of the processor can be matched to the task in hand and unused features can be turned off completely, put in deep stand-by and reactivated instantly after weeks of shut down, helping to lengthen battery life even further.

Complete Zii Platform Solutions
The ZMS-05 processor combines the media processing array, dual ARM cores and a rich set of integrated peripheral controllers with hardware platforms and advanced SDK and middleware. This will enable Software Developers, OEMs, ODMs and System Integrators to create unlimited possibilities and develop a broad range of highly innovative products.

ZiiLABS Launch Partners
With the excitement about the ZiiLABS platform now public and the ZMS-05 in production, the Company is pleased to be working with many OEM partners worldwide announcing products based on ZMS including: MicroStar International, Perception digital, F&S Electronic, MediaNet, ASTAK, PowerLinux and Grandeye.

[ZII PRESS RELEASE]
[ZII LABS PRESS RELEASE]
[ZII.COM]
[ZIILABS.COM]

Creative's first CES offering is the Tournament Gaming Headset

2009-01-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

As CES inches towards us, Creative has quietly released its latest gaming headset, the HS-1100 Tournament Gaming Headset. This X-Fi enhanced headset features a new silencer techonology ("...Silencer intelligently eliminates ambient background noise to provide improved voice fidelity"), voice FX software (so you can continue to prey the web with a fake voice) which uses the USB interface. We like the looks of the HS-1100 especially the detachable mic but you know, we are just looking forward to the Zii.

[LINK]

[PRESS RELEASE]

Mum a fighter till the end

2009-01-05T04:15:00.000-08:00

Sim Wong Hoo's sister has written a book about their mother who brought up her 12 children alone

She reared pigs and grew fruit in order to provide for her 12 children, one of whom is technology multi-millionaire Sim Wong Hoo, 53, founder of Creative Technology, the renowned Singaporean multimedia company.

Now one of Mrs Sim-Tan Siok Kee's daughters, Madam Sim Siu Yok, 64, has written a book about her, a widow who worked hard to raise her children single-handedly after her husband died at the age of 63 in 1969.

Now aged between 50 and 66, the children work in administration, engineering and business.

The Chinese-language memoir, titled My Mother, is published using funds from the Sim-Tan Siok Kee Foundation, set up in 2007 by Creative's Mr Sim in memory of his mother, who died in 2006 at the age of 94.

He attended the launch of the book yesterday morning at the National Library Building, where he spoke briefly about the hardship his mother faced when he was growing up.

Madam Sim was inspired to write her mother's story to teach youths about the sacrifices of their elders, even though she did not complete her primary school education. The fourth of seven daughters, she is a mother of two and a retired doctor's assistant. She wrote the book over two years.

Life was hard for the family, who lived in a kampung in Bukit Panjang. An elder brother died of fever when he was only one year old after he and his mother were caught in a downpour.

'At the time, there was nowhere to seek shelter, nowhere to find a doctor. The neighbours tried to give him home remedies, but he died,' says Madam Sim in Mandarin. The family was so poor that three of her sisters were given up for adoption. Happily, her mother was able to reunite with her long-lost daughters over the years.

Her father was a labourer before he helped run her uncle's provision shop, so the family could get essentials such as rice and oil. But they still needed money for books, clothes, shoes and other household items. As their father earned less than $200 a month, their mother helped contribute to the household income by rearing animals and growing vegetables and fruit.

'These we could not eat. They were sold for money,' recalls Madam Sim.

When her father died, her mother had to do even more: She went from door to door to sell eggs.

More than steely resolve, her mother had compassion, too. Madam Sim recalls that when she was 10, her parents did not give her pocket money to buy food at school.

'When you go to school and see people eat, you want to eat, too,' she says.

Driven to desperation, she started stealing the money she discovered her father had hidden under the bed.

'When he found out what I had been doing, he wanted to beat me but my mother understood that kids need money. My father listened to my mother, so he didn't beat me and started giving me some pocket money,' she says.

Though life became better when her children started working, her mother was a fighter until the end.

She suffered a stroke in 1998 yet went on to live until 2006, despite doctors' pessimism about her condition.

The proceeds from the book will benefit the Young People's Performing Arts Ensemble, a non-profit theatre arts company that promotes Chinese culture to the young. The initial print-run is 3,000.

Says the ensemble's artistic director, Ms Ma Gyap Sen, 50: 'Siu Yok had the desire to write about her mother and it is great that it relates to our theme this year. We hope the book will teach young people not to take everything for granted and help them forge a connection with their elders.'

The ensemble launched the book yesterday to kick off their year-long series on filial piety, which also includes a health talk next month, a play in March and a holiday camp in June.

Says Madam Sim, who will promote the book in secondary schools: 'My mother was special and she lived in a time when Singapore was very poor. I wanted to write her story so that young people can learn from her story and about what life was like then.'

ysteph@sph.com.sg

Wo De Ma Ma (My Mother) costs $10 and is available at selected Chinese-language bookstores. Call the Young People's Performing Arts Ensemble on 6336-6776 for details.

[LINK]

Creative Cuts 2,700 jobs

2009-01-03T08:13:00.000-08:00

CREATIVE Technology, the home-grown tech firm, has slashed 2,700 jobs, or almost half its total workforce, in the last fiscal year as falling demand for its products continue to hit its bottom line.

Jobs cuts were made across the board, but the bulk was in manufacturing, due to the sale of its Malaysian plant in July 2007.

The Straits Times estimates that up to 2200 jobs have been eliminated as a result of that closure.

This came to light in the company's annual report filed with the Singapore's Exchange on Wednesday.

In the report, Creative said that it had about 3,100 full-time workers as at June 30 last year, or 47 per cent fewer than the 5,800 employed a year earlier.

In the previous year, Creative had cut headcount by about 800 from 6,600.

A Creative spokesman said: "The bulk of the reduction in the worldwide workforce was due to the sale of Cubic Electronics, the manufacturing subsidiary of Creative in Malaysia, in July 2007."

Creative sold an 80.1 per cent stake in the Malaysian facility for US$6.9 million (S$10.1 million) to a group of third-party investors as part of a move to streamline and improve its operational efficiency.

Other staff cuts were made, with about 250 coming from sales, marketing and customer support, about 180 from administrative and other areas and fewer than 50 from research and development (R&D).

Besides Asia, headcount was also significantly reduced in the Americas region, from about 640 to 280.

The spokesman said there had been no "significant change" in headcount in Singapore, where Creative has its corporate headquarters and a large part of its R&D operations.

"We are still looking to hire more R&D engineers," the spokesman said.

The company employs about 1,100 staff in R&D across the US, Britain and China, in addition to Singapore.

Creative had net losses of US$19.7 million for the year ended June 30, 2008.

The company, which makes MP3 players and speakers, has been hit by slowing sales of its products due to the worsening economic situation and tough competition.

Sales for the three months ended Sept 90 were US$141.2 million, down from US$184.6 million for the same period a year before. Half of Creative's sales came from Europe, while the Americas and Asia made up the rest almost evenly.

In the report, Creative said it faces "intense competition from a large number of established companies and emerging companies".

Sales of electronic products have slumped as the economic slowdown forces consumers to cut back on spending, leading companies like Chartered Semiconductor and Philips Electronics to announce job cuts in the recent months.

Creative suffered a net loss of US$32.2 million in the first quarter ended Sept 30 to follow a net loss of US$31.7 million in the three months before that.

"We will continue to reduce operating expenses as we target to reduce our losses in the uncertain market environment ahead," president and chief operating officer of Creative Labs Craig McHugh said in October.

Thanks to Musik (of epizenter) for the article. Article courtesy of The Straits Times, Singapore and is written by Robin Chan.

Zii is ... Stemcell Computing

2009-01-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

Everything you know is about to change.

Drawing our inspiration from the intelligence of Mother Nature – who through over a billion years of evolution has designed the basic building block of life: the stem cell – we have created a stem cell-like silicon that is able to grow and multiply into different solutions and ecosystems.

With an investment that spans over 10 years, over a billion dollars and over 10,000 man-years, the world is poised to experience a breakthrough that will better lives beyond our imagination.

Even in the midst of these turbulent times, you will discover incredible recession-friendly business opportunities that enable you to thrive and prosper.

To find out more about Zii and how it can change your life, visit our booth (booth #30651) at CES 2009, or go to Zii.com from 8 January 2009 for updates.

Happy 2009!

2009-01-01T06:44:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your support in this past year and may 2009 be a better year for all of us and of course, Creative. Peace to the world and may god bless you!

New 'Fatal1ty' headphones for CES?

2008-12-30T14:46:00.000-08:00

"The high point for me was getting my new line of headphones. I've been working really hard to develop them with Creative and we saw our sales increase by 50% since 2007."

Johnathan 'Fatal1ty' Wendel said during an interview with the BBC online on a look back on 2008. I have read good reviews for the Fatal1ty range of headsets (extremely comfortable even after long usage & audio clarity) but hasn't got around getting one due to the high price point. I guess in a way, it does makes sense to bundle its high-end Sound Blaster with the Fatal1ty headsets as this would further enhance the "gaming experience". We think we might see one or two new Faltal1ty accessories, but zii-riously, everyone's looking for the thing that is about to change everything we know. 9 more days people, hang in there!

Thanks supermonkey!

[LINK]

Zii: Everything you know is about to change

2008-12-26T04:57:00.001-08:00

Just 2 weeks before CES 2009, Creative has finally unveiled its own teaser campaign for the event. So far, we have already seen companies like Palm, Dell and Sony pulling a similar act. Creative, on the other hand is introducing "Zii", a name it gave to the term "Steamcell Computing" (which it also holds the trademark for). Like the Sony Vaio, Creative's Zii also promises to change everything that we already know. In the 2008 Annual Report, Creative's chairman and CEO, Mr Sim Wong Hoo talked about a whole new Creative, a whole new product line and a whole new business model and Zii is exactly what Sim has been talking about. As reported on epiZENter.net, Zii is actually a new processing chip that Creative will be unveiling at CES. We highly doubt it has anything to do with a gaming console (like Wii) or gardening or stell cell research but we are definitely very curious to know more about it. Like ssjmichael said, we have known this piece of news for quite some time and were waiting for an appropriate moment to break this news to you guys so that we do not spoil things for Creative as Zii is afterall a closely guarded secret at the company. What do you think Zii is and what do you expect Creative to unveil at CES 2009, tell us in the comments section!

------------------------------------

For the latest news and updates on the Zii, be sure to check out epiZENter.net or bookmark this page!

ZEN Moo is officially world's cutest cow

2008-12-19T07:51:00.000-08:00

ZEN Moo is like the ordinary-looking girl, who sat beside you in class but you have never noticed her in all your high school life and then comes prom night, she magically turns into a beautiful swan. I must admit that it wasn't love at first sight for me when it comes to the ZEN Moo, but after seeing the pictures below, I might just very well have to eat up my words.

The ZEN Moo speakers, codename UM-100:

[LINK]

Creative UK goes crazy with xmas offers

2008-12-18T07:50:00.000-08:00

As i browse through Creative's UK site, I spot no lesser than 5 on-going Xmas promotions! As cliche as it sounds, I guess this time, there's really something for everyone.

Creative Xmas special offers: Save up to 60% on Creative's range of MP3 players, Xmod, webcams and radios!

Ultimate gaming bundle: Enjoy gaming bundles at a special price! Play with your loved ones during the holidays.

Made of iPod: iPhone headsets, TravelSound for iPod Nano and Shuffle at attractive prices!

Capture life at a new low price: Up to 15% off Creative Vado accessories!

Power up your laptop: With X-Fi laptop solutions, enjoy high quality music on the move!

And if you have yet to shop till you drop, check back to the Creative UK website on the 23rd of December for even lower prices!

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi series Driver 2.18.0008

2008-12-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

This download supports the following audio devices only:
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty® Professional Series
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum Fatal1ty Champion Series
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi

Added Features:
For systems using Windows Vista
-Dolby® Digital and DTS® decode re-established for sound cards that included decoding in their Windows XP drivers (Not applicable for products that included a 3rd party software DVD player license in the package).
-DVD-Audio playback re-established for sound cards that included the application in their Windows XP software suite (For Windows Vista 32-bit only).Requires the latest Creative MediaSource DVD-Audio Player software. Click here to download.

Fixes:
-Resolves issue of audio popping when playing AC-3 Wave files or using Dolby Digital Live via the digital output on Windows Vista.
-Resolves Audio Control Panel issue of incorrect X-Fi CMSS®-3D behavior while using Audio Creation Mode.

[DOWNLOAD]

Creative to pull out of Macworld 2009

2008-12-16T05:19:00.000-08:00

It is about a month shy away from the Macworld 2009 (& CES) and this time round, the rumor mill seems to be unusually quiet. Except for an unconfirmed rumor of an iPhone Nano, there isn't much going on at the Apple camp. And according to a report by Yahoo! Tech, industry big names like Adobe, Belkin, and Creative Labs have pulled out of the upcoming Macworld. Although we do not rule out the possibility of Creative releasing one or two Made-for-iPod products for Apple, we are glad that Creative's focus is no longer on making accessories for iPod. And by pulling out of Macworld, Creative can finally concentrate its resources on CES 2009, which will be held in Vegas on the 9th of January.

Creative goes the distance

2008-12-11T07:03:00.001-08:00

When it comes to going the distance, no one does it better than Creative. 8 years after the first Nomad Jukebox, Creative is still going strong in this highly competitive PDE market. And in the recent Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, Creative came up as the company with the 2nd highest mileage in the Corporate Distance Challenge with 11, 528 KM, just behind Standard Chartered's 19,236KM and way ahead of companies like Pricewaterhousecoopers (3,835KM), SingTel (2,935KM) and Credit Suisse (2,289KM). As you might have already know, Creative CEO, MR Sim Wong Hoo himself is quite a runner, and it's comforting to see the company united in such trying times. With CES 2009 just round the corner, we're eagerly awiting to see what the company will bring for us this time round ;)

CNET reviews the Vado HD

2008-12-10T06:26:00.000-08:00

The good:
Solid 720p video; ultraslim design; removable, rechargeable battery; easy to use; one-touch video uploading to YouTube and Photobucket; includes mini HDMI connector and bundled cable for outputting 1080i video to an HDTV.

The bad:
No flash-memory slot; Mac users have to manually copy video files to their computers; white balance is slightly off and colors are a little amped.

The bottom line:
The Creative Vado HD may fall slightly short of the Flip Video Mino HD in terms of video quality, but it's stronger feature set may tempt you.

[LINK]

Gearlog Vado HD Hands-on

2008-12-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

Gearlog has just received a unit of the new Creative Vado HD and while a detailed write-up is up-coming, they did have some pics and thoughts to share on the new Vado.

Improvements:

-Power button raised for easy pressing

-Battery can be more easily removed

-Rear speaker looks larger (more holes)

-Silicone skin, HDMI, USB cables provided

The Vado HD is now shipping in the US for USD$199.99, a special price for a limited time. For this price, it is practically the most value for money pocket video camera in the market! Order yours today!

[GEARLOG HANDS-ON]

[ORDER VADO HD IN THE US]

Creative introduces the Vado HD, officially [EXCLUSIVE]

2008-12-01T02:54:00.000-08:00

After weeks of speculations, Creative officially reveals its crown jewel for this holiday, the Creative Vado HD. The new Vado HD is the same size as the old Vado (except for the protuding lens part) though it weights 16grams more.

However, the Vado HD packs more punch with it's high definition function and its pre-included HDMI cable and silicone skin. In the accessories department, we have a new waterproof pouch and a yet-to-be announced flexible tripod stand.

Although the Vado HD is still unable to take still pictures, you can use the pre-loaded software to select 1 of the 30 frames (Vado Hd records at 30 frames per second) and capture an image.

We will be getting a review set of the Vado HD, so do check back on us for a detailed review of the new pocket video cam from Creative! The Vado HD will retail at SGD$349 in Singapore and USD$199.99 in the US. Its Europe pricing is expected to be about 149EUR.

[OFFICIAL PRODUCT PAGE]
[PRE-ORDER IN US]

[PRESS RELEASE]

[MYVADO.COM]

Vado HD @ Amazon.com for only US$199

2008-11-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

Amazon.com has put up its official Vado HD product page! As predicted, the Vado HD will retail at US$199 which is cheaper than the Flip Mino HD ($239). There's not many new surprises here, with all the features as per what we have predicted in our previous post. What's new now is that there's an option for you to choose if you would like to record in HD (2hours) or VGA quality (4hours). However, you might not get a set in time for christmas as the product will only arrive after December 24th. The Vado HD package now comes with HDMI cable, silicone skin and a USB extension cable. If you're living in the US, order your set online today!

[LINK]

The End of Creative Club [SG]

2008-11-25T11:05:00.000-08:00

One of the benefits of purchasing at the Creative Store is the 5% cash rebate members will get on all products (among many others). However this is set to change as Creative announced today that with effect from 5 December 2008, Creative Club will cease to exist. Although one user Natalie did sent us an email 2 weeks ago telling us about this, Creative Customer Support played it down with us saying that the "Creative Club membership card is still active for our loyal customers." Existing Creative Dollar$ will still be valid for redemption at the Creative Stores by 31 December 2008. If you have any questions about your Creative Membership, feel free to contact Creative here.

[LINK]

GigaWorks T20 & T40 Series II

2008-11-25T08:25:00.000-08:00

Vado HD in real life

2008-11-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

EXCLUSIVE: Creative introduces the ZEN Moo, does not contain melamine

2008-11-20T06:02:00.000-08:00

Creative latest MP3 player is called the ZEN Moo. Yes, ZEN-freaking-cow-moo. This China-only (i'm praying it is) MP3 player comes in 2 versions, the ZEN Moo and the, you guess it, ZEN Moo Plus. The ZEN Moo is basically your ZEN Stone with built in speaker now in the form of a cow. The ZEN MOO Plus comes with an OLED screen, in-built speaker, FM radio, decent 20 hours play time, microphone and also comes with games (where you can feed and train your cow). For the ZEN Moo Plus, you are to navigate the player using the cow's horns and nose. Both players only come in 2GB capacity. I hear there is also a pair of "Moo speakers" which I think will also look like two cows. If you ask me what I think of the ZEN Moo, I can only say that Creative is really starting to get real creative.

Exclusive: Why Vado HD trashes Mino HD

2008-11-18T00:23:00.000-08:00

As we get more information on the Vado HD, it seems clearer to us that the new pocket video cam from Creative is a winner (at least against its long time archrival, the Flip Mino HD). Remember the protuding lens that we mentioned in our last post? That appears to be Wide Angle Lens! This means that we now have a wider field of view, which allow us to capture more on our videos. Although the Mino HD captures videos in HD, it can't output HD to TV as it uses the low-res NTSC cable for TV-OUT. The Vado HD on the other hand has HDMI output to HDTV 1080i! If you are not yet convinced to buy the Vado HD, how about this: although the Vado HD cost cheaper than the Mino HD (this is base on the conversion of it's Singapore selling price to US dollars), it has DOUBLE (8GB) the capacity. At 8GB, you can easily record up to 2 hours of HD recordings. While the Mino HD removed its previously popular Movie Mix in-built software (to allow you to make professional-looking home videos), Creative decided to throw in its own built-in movie making software with the Vado HD. We're inching towards the official release of the Vado HD, which would be a perfect gift for your loved ones this christmas. We will have more exclusives for you, do check back on us!

First Look @ Vado HD

2008-11-15T07:20:00.000-08:00

The new Vado HD looks alot like the Vado, which is a good thing as many people liked the sleek look of it. What we see above is of the black model (we hear there are 2 other colors), everything else looks the same besides the fact that the lens is now protruding out of the body (focus function perhaps?). The Vado HD will retail at SGD$299 which if we convert directly to US dollar would be $196. That is considerably cheaper than the Flip Mino HD which retails at USD$230. We have seen video footages of the Vado HD, and now we know the price and all I can say is so far so good! We will have more of the Vado HD for you in the days to come ;)

[LINK]

A Splendid X'mas With Creative [SG]

2008-11-14T23:03:00.000-08:00

MP3 offers
ZEN X-Fi 8GB ($229) 16GB ($329) - FREE USB Charger
ZEN X-Fi 32GB ($399) - FREE 4GB SD Card
Get the TravelSound ZEN X-Fi at only $49 with any ZEN X-Fi purchased!

Speakers offers
GigaWorks T20 ($129) & GigaWorks T40 ($199)
Get the EP-630 @ ($29), EP-830 @ ($49) and Aurvana in-ear @ ($79)

Sound Blaster offers
Free Hs-390 Headphones with the X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion Series ($299) or X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro Series ($229). FREE EP-430 with the Sound Blaster X-Fi Go!

Cameras offers
Get the Vado at $149 with FREE video cables.

Headphones offers
Save $50 off the Aurvana Live! (now $199) and DJ (now $149)! Save $100 on the Aurvana X-Fi (now $399).

[LINK]

High Definition Vado says "Flip who?" [EXCLUSIVE]

2008-11-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

The pocket video camera race just got hotter. Just after a day the Flip Mino goes HD, are we seeing a high definition Vado?

According to a user named "vado" (yes, no space for imagination there) on Vimeo, all his videos were recorded on "a very lightweight camera capable of taking HD quality footages". Compared to the videos released by the Flip Mino HD, these vado videos are way more spectacular with better audio recordings! If you need more convincing, just look at the video above of the first F1 night race in Singapore.

We're sure we will be seeing more of this up-coming product from Creative. Keep coming back for the latest on everything Creative!

[MORE VADO HD VIDEO]

Redeem Creative products at Kbox! [SG]

2008-11-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

If karaoke is your thing, you would know that Creative has always been working closely with Kbox (Singapore largest karaoke chain) in promoting its products in terms of advertising at its outlets. Now, each time you sing at Kbox, you can accumilate K points (1 point for each dollar spent) to redeem Creative Products!

EP 220 - 100 K Points

EP 550 - 100 K Points

SBS Vivid 70 - 100 K Points

EP 830 - 150 K Points

TravelSound 400 - 150 K Points

I-Trigue 200 - 150 K Points

Find your ZEN this Xmas [US]

2008-11-06T23:54:00.000-08:00

Creative US is now offering Free shipping with guaranteed holiday delivery plus 3 month free music sunscription with Napster with every purchase of the ZEN X-Fi, ZEN Mozaic or ZEN. It seems Christmas came early for some of us :)

[LINK]

inPerson Premium Packages [SG]

2008-11-03T03:36:00.001-08:00

Package A ($1200):

1 x inPerson Basic pack (if talking to yourself is your thing)
FREE 24 months Basic service subscription (unlimited Video call)
FREE 100mins local and/or overseas voice calls call-out

Package B ($2400):
2 x inPerson Basic pack
FREE 2 x Accessory pack
FREE 24 months Basic service subscription (unlimited Video call)
FREE 2 x 100mins local and/or overseas voice calls call-out

This offer is valid from 3 Nov to 31st Dec 2008 and is now officially the most expensive item in the Creative online store! Get your set now at the Creative Online Store and the Creative Headquarters.

[LINK]

EXCLUSIVE: Creative picks Apt-X Audio Codec

2008-10-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

APT (Audio Processing Technology Ltd) today announces a technology agreement with Creative, which facilitates the deployment of APT’s high-performance apt-X® audio codec technology in new products for global consumer electronics markets.

This technology will provide Creative with outstanding audio quality, ultra low latency (unnoticeable delays between an input being processed and the corresponding output), strong error resilience (ability to detect errors and continue to decode despite errors and finally correct the errors) that enhance the user experience and versatility of digital audio delivered over short-range wireless connectivity.

Potential applications of apt-X in Creative products include stereo headsets, wireless speaker products and home entertainment systems.

This is pretty much in line with the direction that Creative is heading. It recently released it's first wireless Sound Blaster X-Fi Notebook ExpressCard and X-Fi receiver and the HS-1200 wireless gaming headset. Kent Lew, Creative Regional Marketing for Asia also let slip of the company's next strategy, which is to create a "wireless audio ecosystem".

"While desktop computers will still be our core business, we're foreseeing a growth in the gaming and mobile business, that's why we're launching products that cater to these segments," Lew said.

While the idea of wireless is good, those of you who actually own wireless products would know that it could sometime be a very tedious affair to get the wireless products to communicate with each other and even if you did, the quality is sometimes laggy and mediocre. And Creative's wants to solve this problem by partnering with APT to implement Apt-X Audio Codec into its product. What does this partnership means to regular consumers like us?

The Apt-X works with Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile, VHF FM, 2.4GHz ISM, or other proprietary wireless standards. The next generation of ZEN can have built-in bluetooth (or the more stable 2.4GHz) which will then allow you to wireless-ly stream audio across the room to a pair of wireless GigaWorks, with no lag or distortion or whatsoever. Currently, there are no existing Creative products that is using Apt-X but one other pro-audio brand that have licensed Apt-X is Shure.

Before we go, I'm sure some of you still doesn't have the faintest idea of what Apt-X Audio is. Simply put, Apt-X is a near-lossless form of digital audio "predictive" compression that works in actual real-time and delivers superior audio quality. Apt-X is great for live transmission, that's why it's been widely adopted by radio & TV broadcasters, and movie post production recording studios (like George Lucas's Skywalker Sound). DTS has used apt-X in its surround sound systems for movie theaters.

We will keep you updated on the development of the Creative-Apt-x partnership, which most likely will be during January's CES 2009 ;) We will also have the link for you when the press release is up.

[APT WEBSITE]

[PRESS RELEASE]

Creative ZEN Stone (with built-in Speaker) Firmware 1.04.02

2008-10-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

Enhancement:

It further improves the speed of fast forwarding long duration tracks.

[DOWNLOAD]

So cheap, it's scary

2008-10-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

One thing we asians will never get is Halloween. What exactly are we celebrating? Why do we have to knock on doors screaming "TRICK OR TREATS!!" only to recieve a handful of candies? Unless someone gives me a Sound Blaster X-Fi Notebook when he chooses treats or this would be a festival I won't even attempt to understand. Haha. Fortunately, with every holiday comes great savings with Creative. Both Creative UK and US are having Halloween Specials this week!

Creative UK - FREE shipping on 22 October only!
ZEN Mozaic +Inspire T10 for only £70.01
[LINK]

Creative US - FREE Shipping for orders above U$99.99
Free 3 months of Napster-to-go with every ZEN X-Fi and Mozaic purchased.
[LINK]

GigaWorks T3 reviewed, gets 9/10

2008-10-20T02:13:00.000-07:00

"... the Creative GigaWork T3 speakers will blow you away - literally. The sound is, for want of a better word, amazing."

[LINK]

Creative sees the light, thank you for your patience and wants to do an Adidas

2008-10-18T11:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Shareholders,

Creative is a company that is known to thrive in adversity. The adversities we are now facing, both internally and externally, will serve to propel us forward, albeit more carefully.

We have a very clear vision of what we want to achieve. We just have to be a lot more focused. We are finally seeing the light ahead of us. The path ahead could undoubtedly still be thorny and challenging, but we have the technology and financial resources to clear the way.

The vision I am talking about is to create a totally new Creative, with a new product line and a new business model, whilst leveraging on the technologies we have mustered over the years, which will again see Creative set a new trend in the industry and open up new opportunities for all.

I am very excited about this new vision, which we will unveil in the next quarter, and anxiously awaits to tell you about it.

Let me now give you a recap of the financial performance for the past fiscal year.

Fiscal 2008 continued to be another extremely difficult and challenging year for Creative.

We had planned to focus on returning to profitability by focusing on several key areas on both the product and operations fronts.

While we started the fiscal year making significant progress in such areas of focus, our plans were shortly thereafter affected by the adverse and uncertain macroeconomic conditions, starting with the sub-prime and housing problems in the US. The ensuing turmoil has during the fiscal year extended to cover other markets, and developed into the current crisis in the global financial markets. These uncertainties have also exacerbated problems facing our products in the weakening US consumer market.

These negative market developments have caused a reduction in revenues and adversely affected planned improvements in margins. In response to these developments, in the second half of the fiscal year, we have taken action to restructure the company with a series of cost-cutting measures to streamline the business operations of the company and reduce operating expenses, the result of which is reflected in the financial results for the year.

Sales for fiscal year 2008 were $737 million, a reduction of 19% compared to $915 million for the fiscal year 2007. Gross profit as a percentage of sales was 22% in fiscal 2008, compared to 19% in fiscal 2007. Net loss for fiscal 2008 was $20 million, compared to a net income of $28 million in fiscal 2007. Net loss for fiscal 2008 included $12 million of restructuring charges, while net income for fiscal 2007 included a $100 million paid-up license from Apple for its use of the ZEN Patent in its products. Creative sold its headquarters building in Singapore, Creative Resource, in June 2008 at a sale price of $181 million, with a leaseback of the whole building for a period of five years with an option for additional periods of three years and two years. Creative made a gain on the sale of the building of $148 million. Although the sale was completed in June 2008, and legal title has been transferred to the buyer, and sale proceeds have been received, for US GAAP accounting purposes, this sale has not been recognized in the accounts for fiscal year 2008. In accordance with US GAAP, the gain on sale of building will be recognized in the accounts only at the end of the initial five year lease term.

In July 2008, Creative repaid the entire $100 million outstanding balance of its syndicated term loan. With this repayment, Creative is now practically debt-free, with no outstanding bank borrowing. This has positioned us well to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the new product line and business model that I mentioned earlier.

Finally, I would like to thank all of you for your patience with Creative. We need this wide breathing space to prepare the company for the exciting opportunities ahead. I believe it will be something you will be very proud of.
To Believe in the Impossible.

Thank you.

Sim Wong Hoo
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

----------------------------------

Creative's 2008 Annual Report is indeed a breath of fresh air. Not only does it spot an au natural cover of a rain forest, even Sim is going all ZEN on us. Despite measures to streamline its operation and return to profitability, unfavourable macroeconomic conditions and adverse market development has caused Creative to suffer a net loss of USD$20 million. Admitting that Creative has been facing adversities both internally and externally and that "2008 continued to be another extremely difficult and challenging year for Creative.", Sim remain confident that Creative has the financial resources and technology to make it throuh the rain. Sim is also going to create "a totally new Creative, with a new product line and a new business model". "We are finally seeing the light ahead of us.", Sim prophesied "I believe it will be something you will be very proud of. To Believe in the Impossible." As long as it's not moving towards the light Sim, I'm all for it.

Reading between the lines:

"Creative is a company that is known to thrive in adversity. The adversities we are now facing, both internally and externally, will serve to propel us forward, albeit more carefully."

Creative created a fantastic PC that had sound, graphics and a Chinese Operating System called the CUBIC CT in 1986 which failed badly because it was simply a product "5 years ahead of its time". In 1996, Creative lost some USD$56million when the CD-ROM market crashed. Apple robbed Creative off it's number 1 position in the MP3 market although Creative has a head start with the NOMAD. As I have said previously, "At the end of the day, the fact that we have the courage to still be standing is reason enough to celebrate." I'm very proud that Creative has never given up and look where it is today.

"a totally new Creative, with a new product line and a new business model,"

To recreate a totally new Creative, obviously you have to start from the bottom of the company hierarchy. I'm of course referring to the Sales and support staff. I have heard countless complains about rude sales staff at the Creative HQ in Singapore and mediocre after sales/ RMA service overseas. This point has been raised from time to time and it seems that nothing much is being done. Hopefully someone from up above (where the light comes from) sees this and do something to improve the situation. We have seen Creative moving away from the low-margin, throat cutting MP3 market into other areas like video capturing/conferencing. inPerson and Vado marks Creative's re-entry into the imaging capturing market. I see the Vado as another potential flagship product for Creative as it's highly affordable and there's an actual demand for it in the market. While with inPerson, it has already created a new business model by charging a monthly subscription fee. This seems to be a more lucrative and sustainable business model compared to one where a customer purchase a product, and no revenue is generated further. I see Creative heading towards this direction. Could a new product line be gaming consoles with subscription (like Xbox Live?) or maybe a ZEN Market place?

"Finally, I would like to thank all of you for your patience with Creative."

It's very comforting to hear something like this coming from a CEO. It's like saying: "I know we haven't been performing up to expectations but thanks for sticking with us. Rest assured things are changing for the better!"

"I believe it will be something you will be very proud of. To Believe in the Impossible."

"We are so going to kick Steve Jobs's ass and dethrone iPod! "

What do you think of Sim's message in the Annual Report? Tell us in the Comments Section below!

Sound Blaster X-Fi Notebook

2008-10-15T23:30:00.000-07:00

Ryan (no, not Brian's brother) talks about the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Notebook, an external wireless X-Fi soloution for laptops. I personally find the X-Fi Notebook a rather interesting product although I have yet to see it inPerson (pun totally intended). At around 1:32 of the video, you get to see how small the Creative Wireless Receiver really is. However, at the end of the video, I think Ryan missed out the "earphones with integrated microphone" when asked what comes with the package.

[buy.com via mycreativefansite]
[SOUND BLASTER X-FI NOTEBOOK PRODUCT PAGE]
[SOUND BLASTER X-FI NOTEBOOK DEMO]

Creative HS-1200 Wireless Gaming Headset

2008-10-15T23:22:00.000-07:00

Ryan from Creative talks about Creative latest wireless gaming headset, the HS-1200. Apparently, alot of thoughts have gone into the making of the HS-1200. Besides incorporating the Xtreme Fidelity techonology, 2.4GHz technology for undistruted transmission, you can even use it when it runs out of juice simply by plugging in its charger. I tried on the HS-1200 and found it to be really light and comfortable. It is definitely one of Creative's best headset in terms of performance and comfort (with the Aurvana Live! closely behind). So there you have it, the convenience of wireless with the quality of a wired headset.

[buy.com via mycreativefansite]
[CREATIVE HS-1200 PRODUCT PAGE]

Now customize your Flip Mino for Free. Yay!

2008-10-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

As the story goes, the Flip Mino is Creative Vado's closest competitor in the Pocket Cam Corder market. However close it was, the Vado is still lighter, smaller, cheaper and better looking than the Flip (read article here). Now, the Flip is teaming up with CafePress to offer its customer "Next-Generation Personalization For Consumer Electronics" absolutely free. I don't know why the term "Next-Generation" is used here because pasting stickers on a gadget is very much a This-Generation technology to me. And yes, who's willing to buy your secondhand Flip when you decide to sell it on eBay? Having said that, I might be forced to eat up my words if Creative eventually decide to follow suit and offer its own customization (Creative, please don't) but I have faith it won't. The Creative Vado is now $20 cheaper in Singapore ($149), so if you haven't get yours, now is the best time to!

[theFlip.com Via Engadget]

Update: The GigaWorks T20 and T40 series II is now available at Creative's Singapore online store @ the price of $179 and $269 respectively. Buy now and receive a FREE 1GB ZEN Stone (refurbished).

[LINK]