The Creative Zen V - Compatibility/ Usage

Compatibility

With the RIAA cracking down on people that are illegally sharing music, it is important to have some sort of compatibility with an online music store. The Zen V shines in this spotlight. It seems like you are stuck to a certain store with a certain MP3 player. If your family has different players, you could end up buying the same song a few times just for everyone to be able to listen to it. The Zen V works with multiple stores, which shocked me. You can choose from the likings of Play For Sure, both download and subscription, AudibleReady, and Yahoo's Music Unlimited To Go.

Getting music to the Zen V isn't hard at all. You can load it up using many different means. I first tried through Windows Explorer; it was very simple and worked the same way any Windows Explorer interface does. Next I tried the Zen V Media Explorer. This is pretty much the same thing as Windows Explorer. Finally I tried Windows Media Player. Being able to use Window Media Player's features made this the easiest way to put songs on the Zen V. I actually have grown attached using Windows Media Player. iTunes has some major hiccups, and Windows Media Player works, and works efficiently.

Usage

Using the Zen V is fairly easy. Everything is organized based on the tags on every song, such as album or artist. If you have ever used an MP3 player before, then you will have no problem finding your songs.

After a period of continuous use, my thumb got sore from the navigator joystick. I also found it annoying that the screen would shut off to save battery when not being used. I would rather concede the battery life to keep the screen on. 

The volume buttons were very easy to use. Skipping to the next song, however, was slightly harder than I expected. By moving the joystick right one could skip to the next song. I found it a slight problem sometimes to move the joystick right.

One part I was quite pleased about was that the device didn't get any scratches. I'm sure over time it will eventually, but normal everyday use didn't leave any scratches on the device. The protective coating on this device is very strong and is definitely an added bonus. It's a cheap and tiny device that will probably be used in work outs and other activities that will cause this player to take a beating.

Next: Battery/ Conclusion >>
 

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