The Nomad Jukebox Zen NX is a smaller and lighter version of Creative's Jukebox Zen MP3 player. Is it finally a competitor for the
iPod? Find out in our Australian review.The new Nomad Jukebox Zen NX is the latest version of Creative's personal jukebox music player. The Zen NX is smaller, cheaper and generally more attractive than previous models, although it still falls short of the pedestal that Apple's iPod sits on.
While it's visually similar to the previous generation of Zen players, the NX, with dimensions of 76 x 113 x 22 mm is thinner, and weighing in at 226 grams is lighter than previous models. Although not as stylish looking, nor as small as the iPod it is a definite improvement from previous Nomad Jukebox bricks. The unit will be bulky in standard pockets.
The NX comes 20GB and 30GB models. We tested the 20GB model and found it difficult to find enough music to fill even half of that capacity. There is always the possibility of using the drive as portable storage, as it'll happily carry around files of other types as well.
The Zen NX is powered by a lithium-ion battery that is now removable. Creative claims that it's capable of similar battery life to itís older models. We found the NOMAD lasted approximately 10 hours with 2,000 songs loaded onto the unit.
Loading music onto the player was a bit of a challenge on our test system at first. Unlike many similar players, the Zen NX lacks an integrated drag and drop facility within Windows Explorer, and the supplied software for doing so was clunky to use and very slow to install.
In use the Zen NX is refreshingly simple; we were able to get up and playin without perusing the instructions in the first instance. The buttons are clearly labeled and are positioned so that they can be used intuitively as you hold the player in the palm of your hand. The simple design means users can control playback, menu selections, track selections and volume control easily. Given Creative's track record in audio equipment it's no suprise to see a variety of well designed equaliser presets suited to a large number of different musical styles and tastes.
We're not fond of bud style headphones at ZDNet Australia, and it's particularly annoying that the Zen NX ships with a pair, as previous models have been bundled with much more comfortable wrap-around style headphones. The supplied headphones have no track LCD, although users can easily access the Zen's main controls while it's inside its carrying case.
The Nomad jukebox Zen NX works with both MP3 and WMA files. WMA support does extend its range beyond the iPod which lacks this particular codec support. The 20GB Zen NX we tested should be able to hold between 4000 and 4500 songs depending on bit rate and length of songs recorded, which roughly works out to be around 250 hours of music.
The Zen NX can transfer files via either USB 1.0 or 2.0, depending on the connection type. That should encompass most PC units on the market, although here again the reliance on Creative's transfer software means it's not as easy to transfer files as it should be.
The Zen NX has few other functions that are groundbreaking or do not already feature on other MP3 players on the market. Doubling up as a storage device is its main other function other than music playback. What we really would have liked to see are voice recording capabilities or possibly FM radio playback and recording in a similar fashion to the Acer MagicDrive.
While the Zen NX isn't as sleek looking at the iPOD, the gap certainly seems to be closing fast in terms of usability, storage and size. Where the NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX does trump the iPod is in the price arena. Currently at AU$489 for the 20GB and AU$589 for the 30GB version the Zen NX competes well against the iPod, even with Apple's recent announcement of larger capacity units.
Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen NX
Company: Creative
Price: AU$489 (20GB version)
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: (02) 9666 6500
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This looks great for us who use WMA for is size and sound. Stick your entire cd collection on there and jive away!! I'm going to get one!! Who cares about looks anyway!!!