According to leaked specs, the nine-point pad will offer users the option of instant messaging on Windows Live or Yahoo Messenger in a phone-style typing schema. The device will also use wireless to share media between home networked computers and access an internet-based media pool, called a Public Home Server.

The player is named after Creative's X-Fi audio technology, which restores lost data in compressed music files to create concert-like audio effects. Users can turn to two X-Fi options—Crystalizer makes audio richer and clearer, and Expand repositions the music to sound like it's coming from in front of you, simulating listening to a live performance on stage. Check out the manual:

[epiZENter]

Ever since the world caught wind of the Pure Digital Flip cam's success, super-cheap digital pocket camcorders have sprouted up everywhere. With everyone and their mother trying to become the next Lil Show Stoppa or Soulja Girl, people need a cheap and easy way to capture those magic moments. I tested six of these cams—from Creative, RCA/Audiovox, DXG and Pure Digital—all $180 or less. Here are samples of all of their videos in various conditions, and an overall look at how they stack up:

Video samples: I tested the camcorders in the three most common situations you'll use them for: indoors with full light, indoors with low light, and outdoors. In the videos, I stood in the same place with each camera. As you can see, different cameras capture different areas. Watch as these two goofballs get their line dance on and destroy the Great American Songbook, and you will easily spot the difference in quality between the recordings.

Indoor, full light:

Indoor, low light:

Outdoors:

The Runners-Up (in no particular order):

DXG 569-V HD: The best thing about this cam is that it looks very fancy. The worst thing is that it isn't. The DXG took the worst overall video of the bunch even though it claims to record in HD. Also, the 3 AAAs ran out after about 25 minutes of recording—I should've realized this would be a problem when I saw the unit came bundled with rechargeable batteries and a charger. Still, it's nice that it has a still camera option, and you could probably trick your friends into thinking you have a pricier Xacti for a minute.

Creative Vado: The Vado is the most non-descript camera of the bunch. Boring UI, crappy video quality and a plain outer shell make it a snoozer. However, it's about as thin as the Mino, very cheap and has no frills at all, making it a decent option for total luddites or technophobes.

RCA Small Wonder EZ210: I naturally gravitated to the EZ210 because of it's giant screen, big buttons, and retro look. Seriously, for all the tech inside, the camcorder looks like it was made in 1982. Even though the EZ210 is the most welcoming cam of the bunch, in the end it's about video quality and this one wasn't cutting it. It's a fair price, and I love the expandable memory, so it's a close 2nd place option.

RCA Small Wonder EZ200: The EZ200 is all over the map. After seeing the nice quality of the EZ210's daylight video, I was shocked to see how grainy and slow the EZ200's daylight footage was—it looked like an old-fashioned home film camera. Also, the flip out screen is hokey to me, but it's great for people who like to look at themselves while lipsynching to Mr. Roboto. Complaints aside, I was pleasantly surprised that the EZ200 took halfway decent low-light video. That plus the cheap price and expandable memory make this one a reasonable bet for a starter cam.

Flip Mino: The Mino is thin, has a great look and feel, and captures excellent video, but it's not the winner for a few reasons. Most importantly, it has a narrower-angled lens than just about every other camera in the test—I couldn't get my whole couch into the shot no matter how I tried. Also, the sound wasn't very good. Finally, this week I'm on the other side of the neverending rechargeable vs. AA debate, and between the Li-ion battery and non-upgradeable memory, the Mino is a little too closed for my tastes. However, if you're looking purely for video quality, Mino is a no brainer.

And the winner is...

Flip Ultra: Yes, the first is still the best, and there are good reasons why so many companies want to capture its success: The Ultra works, and it works well. Low light video is great, the camera feels good in your hand, and it's so simple that you could probably train your cat to record their own cute videos with it. The small screen is a drawback, but it captures a good chunk of space. The Ultra is the best value of the bunch when you consider the criteria, remaining the Cadillac of cheap pocket camcorders.

[Special thanks to the singers and dancers, who asked to be known as Rocko Money and Inter Minetti!!]

The Flip Ultra's clips were "clearer and more detailed across the board," while the Vado tended to overexpose and had problems capturing details. Overall winner: Flip, despite costing about $30 more. If the size issue is still pushing you toward the Vado, wait a couple weeks, since it looks like the Flip smaller and tartier pretty soon. [Laptop Mag]

We had a chance to shoot off an email to the site's creator, Jon Schwab, and ask him some questions about the site. Here's what he had to say:

Why are you starting the site? (Other than making money, of course)
I play guitar, and when I come up with a song idea, I'm terrified of forgetting it, so I immediately head to the computer to save it for posterity. As a result, I have hours and hours of 45-second songs sitting on my hard drive. I'm sure other people are the same way, and I thought it would be great to make a place where song ideas can be shared and combined into new ones. It's kind of like we're making a giant virtual band together.

How do you hope to see the music community respond to the site?
It's scary to take ownership of an unfinished idea (which is one reason we allow anonymous uploads) but it would be great if the music community embraced Rifflet as a means of online collaboration. There's lots of sites that allow you to upload music for promotional reasons, but we wanted to make a site focused on the creative process, rather than the marketing one. I also hope that DJs would use Rifflet as an untapped source for re-mixing material. I love hip-hop, and I would crap my pants to hear someone rapping over a guitar riff I recorded.

By uploading music, are you consenting to allow anyone to use it for commercial purposes?
When you upload a song, you have the option of applying one of several flavors of the Creative Commons license to your work. I personally use the 'public domain' version, which allows unlimited commercial use with no need for attribution. There are other options that allow re-mixing only for non-commercial uses, for instance. Hopefully, we've made it clear on the site that anything that gets uploaded will be reworked and combined into something else.

What formats can you upload?
Rifflet will accept .MP3, .WAV and .OGG formats. Unfortunately, due to software restrictions, the inline player won't work unless the file is recorded at 44.1 khz. We hope to overcome this in the near future. But, if you want to upload a higher-quality file, the system will still accept it, and users will see a text download link in place of the flash player.

Why the 1 minute limit?
Originally I envisioned this site as sort of a "Twitter for rock and roll," although we've since decided that's not such a great description. [Ed note: oops on the headline!] The thing I love about Twitter is the amount of conciseness it requires. If you're writing a traditional pop song, for instance, there's time for an intro, a verse and a chorus in 60 seconds and not much else. Unless you're NOFX (and trust me, you're not) you can't really pack a full song with a ton of ideas into less than a minute.

What's next for the site?
In the near future we plan extending the Rifflet's social component. Right now if you register for an account, you can take credit for you material and e-mail someone who has uploaded a song, but we like to extend that to help create more online or offline collaboration. [rifflet]

Creative Introduces the Vado Pocket Video Cam - Capture Life - See it, Shoot it, Share it - All in an Instant Amazingly Small and Weighing Less Than 3 oz. the Vado Allows You to Shoot Videos and to Easily Post them to YouTube or Photobucket and Share them with Friends and Family at Box.net

MILPITAS, Calif., May 13, 2008 - Creative, a worldwide leader in video innovation, today announced the Vado Pocket Video Cam. Small enough to fit easily in your pocket, purse or the palm of your hand, the Vado Pocket Video Cam changes the way video is captured, shared and stored by making it fast, easy and fun. Priced at only US$99.99, the Creative Vado Pocket Video Cam is available today at Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Buy.com, Creative.com, Fry's Electronics, J&R, and Newegg.com.

A breakthrough in video camera design, the Vado Pocket Video Cam is dramatically thinner and lighter than competing video cameras. Available in silver or hot pink, the Vado Pocket Video Cam is so small and lightweight that it's hard to believe it can capture such high-quality video. With the press of a button you can record life's spontaneous moments, whether it's baby's first steps, awesome sports stunts or hilarious adventures with friends.

Creative's President and COO Craig McHugh describes how the Vado Pocket Video Cam completely changes the experience of shooting and sharing video:

"The Creative Vado makes shooting and sharing video as easy as taking pictures with a point-and-shoot portable digital camera. It's so small and lightweight that you can have it in your pocket so it's always there, or you can just set it on your coffee table so everyone in the family can use it. It's so inexpensive and easy to use that you don't have to worry. It's always ready to capture spontaneous moments that are once in a lifetime, the type you can't plan for in advance. The Vado doesn't need tapes or discs; it can record up to two hours of high-quality video on its built-in 2GB of memory and it has a removable rechargeable battery, so you can shoot two hours of video on a single charge and you don't have to hassle with disposable batteries.

Just as the Vado makes it super easy and quick to shoot video, it makes it incredibly easy and fast to get the videos off the camera. It has a built-in USB connector so you can just plug it into your PC, just like you would with a thumb drive. The Vado has a software program built right into it that will prompt you to copy the video, or you can just drag the videos directly to your PC. With one easy step, the software can take you to YouTube or Photobucket so you can easily post your videos. When you want to share your videos with only friends and family, you can use Box.net, where they can either view or download a copy of the video. Box.net provides online storage and creates a web link to videos you've uploaded, so you can share them with anyone."

Vado Features
• Slim, lightweight, pocket-sized design
• Built-in two-inch color LCD screen
• Removable rechargeable battery
• 640 x 480 VGA video resolution
• Built-in USB connector for PC
• Built-in software program for posting videos to YouTube or Photobucket
• Enable friends and family to download your videos from Box.net
• Available in silver or hot pink
• Priced at only US$99.99

Vado Accessories
To customize your Vado experience, equip your Pocket Video Cam with the following accessories, available at www.creative.com:
• A pouch to stow your Vado Pocket Video Cam, priced at US$14.99
• Spare batteries providing up to two hours of recording or playback, priced at US$14.99
• A power adapter with charging station so your Vado is ready to go when you are, priced at US$29.99
• An A/V cable for sharing your Vado video on your TV screen, priced at US$9.99

For more information about the Creative Vado Pocket Video Cam visit www.creative.com.

According to J&R's spec sheet, it's got VGA res, 2GB storage, solid low-light performance, direct YouTube/Photobuck upload, 2x digital zoom and a USB dongle connector, etc. Its only points of difference are a slightly larger 2-inch screen, more compression (two hours of vid will fit on its 2GB, the Flip only promises an hour) and a smaller palette of colors, just silver and pink. No pictures of this thing yet (it probably won't look like this horrible Photoshop), but it might do well, if only thanks to the power of confusion—the people purportedly picking up the Flip aren't the most discerning crowd, and the weird, dark and vaguely sci-fiish name would be a turnoff for soccer moms. Flip sounds more fun. [JR via Gadget Lab]

[LimeWire Music Blog]

On the one hand, Daniel says "They publicly threatened me, just to show their arrogance. They were sarcastic, ironic and asked me if I wanted something from them, as if I were expecting something. It was my protest against them and would like to see how far it would go."

On the other hand, Creative does have a legal right to protect their software, and if they want to force users to upgrade in order to get proper functionality, it's their right to do so (even if it is somewhat of a dick move). Daniel himself admits that he crossed the line, both with asking for donations and this:

Reversing ALchemy was also wrong, I know. But I reiterate, what is the point of improving ALchemy and changing for it, when it requires an improved driver? It was my protest against Creative.

To Creative's credit, they do realize the error of their ways and are being more acceptive to new forms of development. But Daniel's not without his faults here, which seems to be something glossed over on recent accounts of the situation. In the end, the posts are back up and people can go ahead and get their cards working on Vista, which is probably the most important thing any of us will take away from this mess. That, and the fact that John Stamos has aged quite well. [The Register]

Creative's statement:

We have read the strong feedback about Creative's forum post regarding driver development by Daniel_k and other outside parties. Creative's message posted on our behalf by our Company spokesperson tried to address our concern about the improper distribution of certain software which is the property of other companies. However, we did not make it as clear as we would have liked that we do support driver development by independent third parties. The huge task of developing driver updates to accommodate the many changes in the Vista operating system and the extensive testing required, including the lengthy Vista certification requirements for audio, makes it very difficult for Creative to develop updates for all past products. Outside developers have been very helpful to Creative and our customers by developing updates for many of our Sound Blaster products, and we do support and appreciate these efforts. This however does not extend to the unauthorized distribution of other companies' property. We hope to work out a mutually agreeable method for working with Daniel_k in supporting his efforts in driver development. Going forward, we are committed to doing a better job of working more closely with third parties to support their development for our products and our customers.

Daniel justifies the fact that he asked for donations by saying that in Brazil, where he's from, Creative's hardware is expensive. He wanted to buy more of it so he could make more patches, but needed the money to do so and didn't feel like spending his own coin on hardware he'd never use. Makes sense to me.

Here's the entirety of his letter:

ALchemy

It all started when Creative released the first beta of ALchemy for X-Fi cards, saying it used X-Fi's advanced capabilities (EAX5).

After some investigation, I've found an EAX5.0 check and patched it... and it worked!

Sometime later, they released the final version of ALchemy X-Fi and the paid version of ALchemy Audigy.

I was realy mad at them, they didn't release a new Audigy driver and were charging Audigy owners for a software that runs on top of bugged drivers? What is the point of that?

Then I modified the X-Fi "free" version of ALchemy, not the paid version.

I did the same with the later versions, but when they released the 1.00.11, I couldn't patch it anymore.

So I bought it, just for the sake of it.

Well, I did manage to patch the latest version of ALchemy X-Fi to run on any card, without even removing Safecast, but I'm done with that.

The Audigy drivers

They took several days, countless Vista reinstalls.

Creative purposedly modified the Audigy drivers to disable some features when Vista is detected and also purposedly introduced some bugs to prevent some XP utilities from running.

I did a complete analysis of the driver to determine where all the checks and bugs were introduced and started modding.
Features that I've successfully enabled:

- Dolby/DTS decoding (originally discovered by another Creative forum member, but I've explained how to use it)
- CMSS, CMSS2 and Stereo Surround (originally only "CMSS" was available, this setting also affects ALchemy/OpenAL, so it is really useful)
- Advanced EQ and Special FX presets
- DVD Audio
- Hardware MIDI synthetizer (I wrote a small utility that automatically detects and changes the default Vista MIDI Synth during driver install or can change it later using its GUI. Some media players lets you choose the MIDI synthesizer)
- Equalizer (with preset saving, very hard to accomplish, had to deal with bugs in Creative software and use my creativity to find a workaround).
- WaveRT (a Microsoft replacement for ASIO, however I don't know if it really works or not)

The Live!/Live! 5.1 drivers

Creative have always released UDA (Unified Driver Architeture) drivers.

They purposedly ruined the Live! support in Vista: 2.1 speakers setting resulted in distorted sound.

After some investigation, I discovered the culprit module and replaced it with one from the last XP version and the problem was fixed.

In the later releases, Bass Management, Equalizer and EAX effects using software processing and Hardware MIDI support were added.

There was also an ALchemy for Live! cards.

The X-Fi drivers

I've added the following improvements: Hardware MIDI and WaveRT.

I didn't have a X-Fi to test, so modding was then limited to these features.

The Audigy LS/SE/Value/Live! 24-bit drivers

Officially, they lack Bass Management, Equalizer and EAx effects, once available in XP drivers.

I've found that the Audio Center utility (originally from the Vista Audigy Advanced MB drivers) worked just fine with these cards, so I made it available.

Also fixed an annoying bug present in the official drivers that cause the speaker type changing to Full Range speakers on reboot (disabling Bass Management).

The X-Fi Xtreme Audio drivers
Have the same speaker type bug. I fixed it.

Gameport support pack for Vista
Allows a limited number of gameport controllers to work on the x86 version of Windows Vista.

What Creative didn't like

I've learned how Creative enables or disables a feature for a specific model.

Alchemy:
My last ALchemy release (1.00.08) was complately unlocked and could be used with any sound device from any vendor.

Audigy cards:
Successfully enabled the software-based X-Fi Crystalizer for use with Audigy cards.

X-Fi:
Got Dolby Digital Live enabled on any X-Fi card. To clarify, I still didn't manage to enable DDL on Audigy cards.
A friend of mine bought a X-Fi, so I could test it, it really works.
The only current X-Fi based card that supports DDL is the Auzentech Prelude.

The P17 to Xtreme Audio mod
P17 is the codiname for a simple PCI audio controller that powers the Audigy LS/SE/Value, Live! 24-bit and X-Fi Xtreme Audio host-based soundcards.

Completely modded the P17 drivers to transform any Audigy LS/SE/Value and Live! 24-bit into a X-Fi Xtreme Audio (enabling Crystalizer).

Modding is OK

I don't think there was something wrong with mods themselves.

Modding is a common practice among enthusiasts and I don't recall some company threatning a modder, unless you allow an exclusive feature to be used with competitor products (ie: SLI on non-NVIDIA chipsers or ALchemy on competitor products, as I've said before).

Remember the Promise Ultra to Fasttrak mod? It was even published on a well known review site.
There was also the GeForce to Quadro mod, the NVIDIA nForce 4 to SLI mod, also published on review sites.

What I did wrong

I've asked for donations.

Do I really need the money? No, thank God I don't.

I thought it would be ok to ask for donations so I could buy new hardware to support.

I did buy some hardware: an used Live! 5.1 for ~$15 and a new Audigy SE for $60.

Computer hardware is really expensive here in Brazil.

An X-Fi Xtreme Gamer costs about $240 here, with taxes and shipping, The same card can be bought for ~$80 in the US.

I just can't spend my money buying new hardware that I won't even use.

Even the features I've enabled, I don't use.

Later I tried to encourage donations to release the DDL feature for X-Fi and Crystalizer for Audigy.

I said something like "the more people donate, the faster I'll release".

This was even worse, but I was so eager to modding that I didn't think straight. I was hoping to get a X-Fi asap.

While I did ask for donations, once released, the downloads would be public.

I do recognize that I deserve some criticism for that.

To date, I've got $146, with amounts ranging from $1 to $50 (this value is still uncleared).

Reversing ALchemy was also wrong, I know. But I reiterate, what is the point of improving ALchemy and changing for it, when it requires an improved driver? It was my protest against Creative.

What Creative did wrong

- They publicly threatened me, just to show their arrogance.
If they had contacted me by e-mail or private message I would do the same thing (remove everything) and no one would know about their insatisfaction.

- Removed everything I posted in the forums, even if unrelated to the "forbidden" stuff.
If they can't provide better drivers, let people make their own choice.

- They did not recognize my hard work.
I've been supporting about every Creative PCI soundcard, would even support USB devices if I had one of them.

To date, the Audigy Vista Support Pack was downloaded about 20,000 times.

The current situation

DDL encoder and Crystalizer were not publicly released.

I've deleted the P17 to Xtreme Audio mod and ALchemy from FileFront (where I store the files).

I've been told they will allow me to continue with my mods, except the "forbidden" ones.
I'm also allowed to receive donations.

Download of my mods
http://hosted.filefront.com/braziliantech/

We're not too sure why Creative wouldn't want their old products having proper cross OS support implemented. Sure, they do provide beta drivers, but word is they aren't to stable, plus we're guessing their newer, shinier and more expensive replacement devices have something to do with it. Frankly, those won't sell if some asshole is putting down his own, backward compatible drivers to bring old hardware up to speed. Checkout what Creative had to say below:

Daniel_K:

We are aware that you have been assisting owners of our Creative sound cards for some time now, by providing unofficial driver packages for Vista that deliver more of the original functionality that was found in the equivalent XP packages for those sound cards. In principle we don't have a problem with you helping users in this way, so long as they understand that any driver packages you supply are not supported by Creative. Where we do have a problem is when technology and IP owned by Creative or other companies that Creative has licensed from, are made to run on other products for which they are not intended. We took action to remove your thread because, like you, Creative and its technology partners think it is only fair to be compensated for goods and services. The difference in this case is that we own the rights to the materials that you are distributing. By enabling our technology and IP to run on sound cards for which it was not originally offered or intended, you are in effect, stealing our goods. When you solicit donations for providing packages like this, you are profiting from something that you do not own. If we choose to develop and provide host-based processing features with certain sound cards and not others, that is a business decision that only we have the right to make.

Although you say you have discontinued your practice of distributing unauthorized software packages for Creative sound cards we have seen evidence of them elsewhere along with donation requests from you. We also note in a recent post of yours on these forums, that you appear to be contemplating the release of further packages. To be clear, we are asking you to respect our legal rights in this matter and cease all further unauthorized distribution of our technology and IP. In addition we request that you observe our forum rules and respect our right to enforce those rules. If you are in any doubt as to what we would consider unacceptable then please request clarification through one of our forum moderators before posting.

Phil O'Shaughnessy
VP Corporate Communications
Creative Labs Inc.

Due out in next month's Journal of Consumer Research, the study looks at how people react when exposed to overt or subliminal IBM and Apple logos. Once they'd been shown the image, test subjects (students!) then underwent an "unusual use test", which asked them to come up with some creative uses for a brick. The number of suggestions and a rating of the "creativity" of their responses were tallied up. The results: both measures indicated that exposure to that little bitten apple shape improved people's creative thinking the most.

The authors suggest it's partly a motivational thing: people who felt motivated to think creatively showed the strongest response, versus non-creatively motivated types.

Psychology eh? It's amazing to me how our minds manage to associate such different-seeming stuff together. It also seems that brand identity worms its way deeper into our psyches than we may have thought, doesn't it? Wonder what kind of emotional response the Microsoft logo would garner? Let us know your ideas in the comments... [Ars Technica]

The Zen Stone of old will now be available in blue, pink, champagne and black colors, as well as in 1GB or 2GB flavors, and besides the novelty speaker, not much has changed. The Zen Stone Plus will also get the mono speaker treatment. The higher end models will be available, as before, with an integrated FM radio, voice recording capability, OLED screen and in either 2GB or 4GB varieties.

The new players will ship with a silicon skin; a sports armband and carry case keychain will be available separately. According to the CEO of Creative "It's hard to believe that such incredibly small players can have a speaker that sounds so good..." Beyond possible, we would have to say. The 1GB model will ship this February in Japan, retailing at 4,980 yen ($48.) Further pricing and shipping dates are not available at present. [Creative]

Well, its sound has a rather hot high end, but what do you expect from such a puny thing? It built-in rechargeable battery replenishes your iPod's power, and you can plug it in to charge them both. This bauble isn't even announced yet, so you heard it here first, but you'll have to hold your $80 until March or April before you can introduce it to your little nano. Sounds a lot like that JLab MiniBlaster for nano we tested a while ago, which was a whole lot cheaper but sounded pretty good, too.

Unfortunately, the $699 price tag combined with a $10-$15 monthly fee (depending on the number of years usage purchased up front) may still be a little too pricey for some smaller businesses.

Creative Announces a Breakthrough in Video Conferencing with inPerson
Public Unveiling of inPerson Conferencing at Consumer Electronics Show

MILPITAS, Calif. - Jan. 7, 2008 - Creative, a worldwide leader in audio and video innovation, today announced inPerson, a breakthrough in technology, design, price and ease-of-use that introduces the entirely new category of inPerson Conferencing. Creative will demonstrate inPerson from January 7-10 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV at the Creative exhibit, South Hall #30642 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Resellers of networking and video communications systems will have the chance to learn more about inPerson at the Creative booth.

"Imagine having seven meetings on seven continents in seven hours, and everyone wants you to be there. With Creative inPerson, you can join a board meeting in Geneva, a one-on-one in Africa, and your child's birthday party in California while you're stuck in the airport in Australia," said Jeff Stoen, PhD, general manager of video and imaging for Creative Labs, Inc. "inPerson is a breakthrough for small group meetings and multi-party, multi-location meetings, and it's great for one-on-one meetings. It enables high-quality inPerson Conferencing with video and audio with the impact of actually being there, from the road, a hotel, coffee shop or meeting room where you have open web access or can enter a security key for access."

"Creative inPerson will revolutionize the way people can communicate. You can be there inPerson without having to travel. As soon as you try it for business, you'll want to have it in your home for inPerson calling with friends and relatives," continued Stoen. "inPerson is lightweight and wireless, and has a high-quality seven-inch screen for high-resolution video, and it can connect to a large flat panel screen, TV or projector for life-size high-resolution video presence. We designed inPerson to increase companies' productivity and reduce the need for costly and burdensome travel while enabling more employees and customers than ever before to meet inPerson. At only $699.99, companies can now equip all of their meeting rooms and even people's desks with inPerson. Now all employees in a company can have the advantage of inPerson Conferencing. Past-generation video conferencing systems have been far too expensive and complicated to provide video communications throughout an organization, and have typically been relegated to just the board room. inPerson changes all of that."

You Can Be There inPerson

• Reduce your carbon footprint - With inPerson you can have your most fuel-efficient meetings ever. Improve your productivity by spending your time closing the deal instead of logging hours and miles just to get to a meeting.
• A fraction of the cost of past-generation video conferencing systems - Priced at only $699.99 with a low-cost monthly service fee, inPerson provides a breakthrough in cost so companies can now equip all of their meeting rooms and communicate with customers and vendors at a dramatically lower cost than with past-generation video conferencing systems.
• Inexpensive inPerson Conferencing - With the monthly service plan you get free inPerson Conferencing with any other inPerson or with anyone with a PC with a web camera and Creative inPerson for PC software.
• Sets up in seconds - and boots up quickly.
• Wi-Fi or LAN connection - For inPerson Conferencing from the board room, coffee shop, hotel, airport or anyplace you can connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot or Ethernet that has open web access or where you only need to enter a security key for access.
• Sure Connect Technology - Designed as part of the monthly service plan to help ensure that you can get a fast and easy connection to inPerson Conferencing.
• Multi-party capability - For an optional monthly service charge, multi-party inPerson Conferencing capability can be added, supporting up to four inPerson locations all on the screen at the same time.
• Stunning seven-inch LCD screen - Supports up to 16 million colors so you can see multiple meeting participants and their facial expressions and body language clearly.
• Video output - You can inPerson Conference in high resolution on the built-in screen or output your video to a flat panel screen, TV or projector for a life-size presence in any important meeting.
• inPerson Audio Technology - inPerson is equipped with dual microphones and Integrated Acoustic Echo Cancellation technology for crystal clear voice, with equal sound quality for one-on-one or group meetings even if you're several feet away. For a more private conversation, you can even connect a headset with microphone.
• High-quality audio output - inPerson features a built-in speaker, or connects to a speaker system for large group presentations. Ultra quiet design with passive cooling eliminates the need for a fan and prevents unwanted background noise.
• Intuitive inPerson interface - A very simple keypad with color-coded control buttons enables quick and easy access to contacts and menu choices.
• Compact and lightweight - inPerson measures only 7.5" x 6" x 1" and weighs only 1.6 ounces, so it's easy to move around the office or fit into a bag or briefcase.
• Wide-angle lens - Built into a rotating bezel so you can easily see more than just one person.
• Excellent low-light performance - If you're joining the meeting from a place with less than ideal lighting conditions, the high-grade sensor delivers superb low-light performance without compromising image quality.
• Battery or AC power - With the optional rechargeable Li-ion battery pack, inPerson goes wherever you go.
• Wireless remote - Designed for ease of use, including all the same buttons that are on inPerson.
More information about inPerson will be posted in coming weeks on www.creative.com.

A quick hands on playing some Unreal Tournament revealed a decent sound with none of the latency issues that are commonly found in Bluetooth devices—although the environment is not ideal for a thorough test. Expect the HS-1200 to hit store shelves this March for $150.

The problem is that the device we viewed was a prototype. At this point, the Xdock HD can only upconvert to 720p and it is not currently compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch. However, they are fairly confident that all of this will be remedied in time to meet the Spring 08 launch. So the pressure is on. Plus, $399 is a fairly steep price to pay given the fact that there are cheaper alternatives out there.

The specs are basically the same from the original article, and more info can be gleaned from the original FCC leak listed after the break. No pricing or release dates have been revealed.
The Catch: Does the inPerson really provide a significant value over more expensive systems? A hands-on is coming so we should know more soon. [FCC Leak and Creative]

The Catch:Everything sounds great, the only question is how well does it actually work? From the press release:

The Creative Xdock HD is the only iPod dock that upconverts your video to 720p or 1080i resolution and your music to X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity®. The Xdock HD plays video on an HDTV in full DTS surround sound and it can also wirelessly play music through X-Fi Wireless Receivers connected to speakers throughout the home. The Xdock HD is designed for use with the iPod® Touch, new iPod Nano and previous-generation iPods.

The Xdock HD connects to a home theater system via HDMI, or it can be connected with component or composite for video and analog line-out or optical line-out for audio. While it docks and charges an iPod, the Xdock HD outputs a menu to an HDTV screen which users can navigate with the included wireless remote to select videos, music, photos and podcasts stored on select iPod models. Users can also adjust video settings including skin tone correction, luminescence sharpening and color saturation. The remote also controls audio functions including volume and the X-Fi Crystalizer® and X-Fi CMSS®-3D.

In addition to connecting directly to your home theater system, the Xdock HD can wirelessly distribute music throughout your home to X-Fi Wireless Receivers up to 100 feet away without requiring a wireless network. There are two different modes you can select for wireless distribution of music in your home: broadcast to all receivers simultaneously or select individual zones. The Xdock HD and each X-Fi Wireless Receiver can be controlled with its own remote to activate X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D, adjust volume, and control video and music playback.

The Creative Xdock HD includes one X-Fi Wireless Receiver to wirelessly connect to a pair of remote speakers, and will be available in Spring 2008 for US$399.99. Additional X-Fi Wireless Receivers will be available for US$99.99.

It's also got a 7-inch LCD, but from what we can gather it only works with inPerson or other SIP devices. Not a whole lot of people are on either one (most use Skype or AIM/MSN video), so it's not like this has a huge userbase to boost off of. Nevertheless, it does seem like a pretty interesting choice for Creative to take, and your parents should have less trouble with this than trying to get a laptop to work.

Don't expect it anytime before the second quarter of 2008. There's also a 2GB version of the media player, now available for $142 on their UK website, but that's not so interesting, is it? [Crave at CNET.co.uk]

On the mobile front, it now supports the Archos 405 and 605WiFi, as well as Creative's Zen, Zen Vision:M and Zen Vision W.

The software will also make streaming video to Media Center Extenders possible: it is compatible with the new lineup from Linksys, D-Link and Niveus that are soon to hit the market. (We'll add Vongo to our list of tests for those products.)

Vongo has also added new picture-in-picture resizing options for the desktop, and an updated user interface with improved personalized recommendations and better device management. [Vongo]

New Vongo 2.0 Application Makes it Easier to Take Your Movies with You, Enjoy on Your PC, and Watch on TV

Newly Certified Portable Devices Announced, Vongo Service Enhancements Implemented, More Support of Extenders for Windows Media Center

Ushers in Next Generation for Movie Download Service

Englewood, Colo. - October 25, 2007 - Starz Entertainment announced today that the company has launched Vongo 2.0 with enhanced functionality and performance to create a more robust, smoother overall user experience for the broadband subscription movie and video download service. As part of Vongo 2.0, Vongo has expanded the number of certified portable media devices it supports by five to now include a total of seven different models from ARCHOS, Creative, and Toshiba. Movies downloaded are now also watched more easily on the TV with the announcement of new Vongo compatibility for several recently announced Extenders for Windows Media Center.

Starz Puts More "GO" in Vongo

Vongo has certified five new portable media devices as officially compatible with the Vongo service and which it will offer customer support. These include the ARCHOS 405 and 605WiFi and the Creative ZEN, ZEN Vision: M, and ZEN Vision W. Adding these five devices to the previously certified Toshiba gigabeat S and V series family of devices - which Vongo continues to support - brings the number of Vongo compatible portable devices to seven, with multiple models and versions of each.

"Since Vongo's inception, our goal has been consistently to provide an entertainment service and ecosystem that allows movie lovers to enjoy content on their terms," said Bob Greene, executive vice president, advanced services, Starz Entertainment. "We are listening continually to our passionate customer base. The top request voiced is the ability to watch our movies on the TV (see more below) and the next request was more choices for portable devices. Vongo 2.0 and the associated support for all of these new devices addresses many of these needs."

The certification of new portable media devices with the Vongo Internet movie and video download service expands the way consumers can enjoy the more than 2,500 movie and video titles available on Vongo, including first-run Hollywood blockbusters, anime, concert and extreme sports videos. Taking Vongo's robust subscription movie and video library beyond the PC through portable media devices allows Vongo users to become immersed in entertainment content anywhere from the comfort of their home to the hustle and bustle of a city subway. Vongo subscribers may register up to three devices, including PCs and the aforementioned portable media players, per account as part their $9.99 monthly subscriptions.

Multitask with Work and Entertainment on your PC
Starz is providing Vongo consumers with a thoroughly more convenient way to access and watch movie and video content. The new, enhanced Vongo application allows the user to resize and pin the Vongo video player in order to watch a movie or concert while doing other tasks on the PC. Vongo now also runs faster through better PC resource utilization and offers an updated recommendation engine to further personalize the service.

Updated Personalized Recommendation Engine - Enhancements to the Vongo personal recommendation engine have made it easier for users to find a movie they will enjoy by the genre with more recommendations listed. Particularly appealing with Vongo's unlimited subscription model - encourages sampling and experimentation.

Better Device Management Screen - The updated Vongo device management screen allows users to more easily swap out old registered devices with new ones.

PC Speed and Efficiency - Vongo now uses less memory, runs more quickly, and taps less of the PC's memory and core operating resources.

New Extenders for Windows Media Center Offer More Ways To Bring Vongo To the TV
Further enhancing how Vongo can be used by customers in the near future, the availability of new Extenders for Windows Media Center platform will allow individuals to play Vongo movies and videos on their TVs. Vongo content watched in one room from a Windows Vista or Windows XP-based PC can be streamed to any room in the house utilizing Extenders for Windows Media Center, as well as the Xbox 360.

New products featuring the Extender for Windows Media Center technology will be available shortly from companies such as D-Link Corporation, Linksys, a division of Cisco Systems Inc.; D-Link Corporation, and Niveus Media Inc.

Greene continued, "Wireless connectivity is a recipe for success in bridging the gap from the PC to the TV. Since January, the Xbox 360 has ably provided a successful solution to get Vongo movies and videos to the TV. These recently announced devices illustrate new ways Extenders for Windows Media Center can wirelessly bring Vongo to the TV. With Vongo and Extenders for Windows Media Center, our subscribers are empowered with the ability to enjoy movies from their comfort of their sofas, while the movies are downloaded to the PC."

Unlike other Bose competitors such as Sony, Panasonic and JVC, who have gone with discounted pricing, Creative decided to attack Bose at the QuietComfort 2 pricepoint of $299. It's apt, since they are about the same size (yes, bulky), and run on AAA batteries (two as opposed to the Bose's one). They are as comfortable, with large cushioned earcups, and when they ship, they will come with a connector that works with iPhone, no adapter required. (I do not know yet if these will officially be designated "Works with iPhone" but they will "work with iPhone."

Though I haven't done a side-by-side comparison with Bose, or tested Creative solo in the requisite airplane environment, Creative's noise-cancelation technology sounds like it will do the trick. Overall, the sound quality is terrific, with rich, clear bass and if anything a too-bright high end. Clarity is not a problem here.

When I asked Creative reps how they could compete without lowering the price, they mentioned X-Fi, the company's proprietary audio DSP technology. One component is the Crystalizer, intended specifically to flesh out overly compressed MP3 files. The Crystalizer makes extra sense in the intimacy of headphones, and I could definitely hear an improvement when I toggled the feature on.

The final X-Fi feature is the CMSS (Creative Multi-Speaker Surround) processor, intended to spread out the audio and create a virtual surround environment. This is one of those things that depends on the taste of the listener. It changes the mix of the music significantly, but some would argue that by simulating a natural listening environment it is actually doing the track justice. If you can't tell, I am still on the fence about CMSS.

All in all, it's a great product. I still think Creative should have priced it at $250, if only to send a message to Bose that high quality doesn't have to mean exorbitant profit margins. Then again, it's fascinating to watch Creative fighting hard to maintain a premium brand in the ultra-discounted world of knock-offs.

Charge the lithium polymer battery up via USB and it'll give you 15 hours of playback. An LED display shows you how much juice you've got left, and there's 700mWx2ch output with signal-to-noise ratio of 80dB. Weighing 85 grams and with a carabiner clip to attach it to wherever you want, the $69 Travelsound i50 is currently only available in Japan. [New Launches]

It's internal components aren't actually from a Creative because they're too expensive in the Captain's home country of Norway, but it does provide 4GB of SD card storage space. The wooden Zen also has a rechargeable battery, but I wouldn't want to attempt carrying this thing around. [Captain Ødegård]