So, I took my new MP3 player on the road. The Creative Zen Vision (not the M version), accompanied me across the pass into eastern Washington. I loaded it with two of my favorite albums: XTC’s English Settlement and Elvis Costello’s Spike.

I also loaded it with several of my films and a couple of podcasts and it has behaved impecably. However, the loading, or rather, the uploading process was not without it’s difficulties. If I try to grab and upload a whole album, one song or perhaps two, would freeze up the Zen Vision. Those songs would simply not transfer, and consequently the dialog box that was attempting to do the upload would hang. NOT GOOD. PROGRAMER WAS UNDERPAID. In fact, I would say that Creative, a Japanese company, put a great deal of energy into making the Vision a sleek and sexy little machine, without giving it a bank account for a decent night out and a satisfying romp in the hay at the end of the night (sorry for that metaphor, but I miss my girlfriend and I’m horny).

In conclusion: I have to say that it is sleek. The screen is huge and easy to navigate. And, I was able to transfer files, errors or not. The battery is still 3/4 full. And it sounds as good or better than any device I have put through my car stereo. Why? Not sure.

I’m still intrigued with the Zen Vision, and will put it through it’s paces with some extensive music uploading.
So, stay tuned for more…and support Net Neutrality.