Plus Size Leather Coats

The Best Advice For Puttiing Life In Your Old Furniture

The best thing about old furniture is the new life you can give it. It doesn’t take much talent – just a little creativity and patience if you’ve never taken on a furniture project before.

Accept this challenge: instead of throwing out that old chest of drawers from your child’s room, think of a new use for it. Recycling furniture can be a lot of fun, plus it’s a  good way to get a new look at a fraction of the cost. If you are not happy with the finished product, start over or then give in to purchase a new furniture piece.

Think about that old chest of drawers. Is there a drawer that’s broken? Maybe you can take out that drawer and create a shelf from the opening. Would it make a nice TV stand if it was just a little taller? Consider screwing finials that you can find in your local discount store onto the bottom to create “legs” or “feet.”

And never underestimate the power of a coat of paint! Old furniture gets a quick update when painted. If you like the shabby chic look, tatter the fresh paint job a bit by sanding around corners and other heavy use areas to create a worn look. If it’s your first time to try this furniture painting technique, invest in an inexpensive kit that can be found at any retail discount store.

If you are really creative and not afraid to try new things with your old furniture, you can create some funky new accessories for your home. Use an old dresser as a sink basin for your bathroom. Use the headboard or footboard from a twin size bed as the back of a bench.

Giving your old furniture a new look does not always include creating a new function for it. For instance, drape and tuck fabric over an old sofa or love seat to give it a “slipcovered” look. Or, hot glue some fabric on top of the old rattan panels on the coffee table you’ve had for years. Trim it out by hot gluing some braided trim around the edges and you’ve created a new look for the table.

If your piece of furniture was painted but you’d like to give it a stained look, give it a try. Most woods are easily stripped of paint and stain can be applied in the color and intensity of your choice. Just follow the directions supplied by the stain manufacturer.

Give the lacquer-look furniture popular in past years an up to date look by using a combination of painting and staining. To get a brown leather look, brush your lacquer furniture lightly first with sand paper just enough to rough up the surface so the paint will adhere better. Then, use a red primer color spray paint on the furniture. Once the primer dries, use an oil-based brown stain and a plastic bag to create the leathery look. Working with a small area at a time, use a sponge “brush” to paint on the stain. Crinkle a plastic bag and open it up. Press the crinkled bag on top of the stain and sweep the bag quickly off the furniture. The motion will pull the stain around, creating the lines associated with leather. Kits are also available for this technique.

How women?s wallet is different from men?s wallet?

Today, wallet is something without which we can’t imagine going out, no matter it is to office, business tour, or leisure trip. In fact, a wallet is used by all irrespective of their sex, age, and race. Both men and women use wallets to store their cash as well as valuable information such as credit cards, debit cards, social security card, and driver’s license. However, just as a man and woman differ in their appearance, attitudes, and needs, men’s wallets and women’s wallets also differ in terms of their style and appearance.

For instance, women’s wallets are relatively big when compared to men’s wallets. When a woman holds her wallet either in her hands or places it within her hand bag, a man usually carries his wallet in his front, breast, or back pockets. A woman mostly uses wallets or purses to add to her elegance or to enhance her overall style and appearance. On the other hand, for a man, a wallet is not only a necessity but it also serves as a mirror of his personality. Likewise, in contrast to women who use wallet to solely keep their money or important bills, a man mostly uses wallet to store everything from cash and bills to credit cards, business cards, and official notes. But let it be men’s wallet or women’s wallet, a wallet definitely reflects your personality. In deed, a variety of wallets are available to choose from for both men and women, according to their style, preference, and budget.

Among the most popular varieties of wallets designed for women are standard wallets, agenda wallets, checkbook wallet, mini card wallets, and wallet on string. For professional or working ladies who want to stay organized via keeping their items such as diaries, notebooks, calculator, calendars, address books, and pens plus cash in an organized way, agenda wallets are the best options. Checkbook wallets that come in the size of a checkbook are also a great alternative for those who want to keep their personal information and cash in an organized way. If you are a credit card or debit card user and you need to carry more than two cards at a time, then card holders with about the size of a debit or credit card serves as an excellent choice. For those looking for something different, try wallets with straps that allow you to carry your wallet across your chest or on the shoulders.

When comes to men’s wallets, options are limitless, and they usually differ from women’s wallet in terms of its features, appearance, and usages. Some of the most popular forms of men’s wallets now available in the market are bifold and trifold wallets, coat wallet, credit card wallet, checkbook wallet, and money clips.

Materials such as leather, canvas, cotton, nylon, and suede are used to design men’s and women’s wallets. Leather wallets are a much sought after among both men and women. But tastes differ when comes to color. Men mostly prefer to have brown or black wallet. But a woman usually goes for wallets that come in vibrant colors such as bright pink or blue colors.

The Spotted Saddle Horse – The Gaited Horse Of Many Colors

The Spotted Saddle Horse is a relatively new breed of naturally gaited horse that is known for having spotted coats of many colors. They are versatile, good natured with strength and stamina. The disposition is typically a gentle one, and they are easy to handle and train.

The Spotted Saddle horse was developed in the United States by crossing Spanish/American-type spotted ponies, such as Mustangs, with other established gaited breeds such as the Tennessee Walking Horse, Standardbred, Missouri Fox Trotter, Peruvian Paso, Paso Fino and the Racking Horse to produced a naturally smooth gaited, colorful horse. However, since the Tennessee Walking Horse was used extensively and has a predominant influence in the breed, the Spotted Saddle Horse more closely resembles a heavier Tennessee Walker than any of the other breeds in its pedigree.

At this time, any horse, regardless of background, may be registered as a Spotted Saddle Horse, provided that the horse is spotted and exhibits a saddle gait, which may be a flat walk, running walk, pace, rack, or a combination of all gaits. As an interesting side note is that the horse cannot trot.

Although many breeds have been used in the Spotted Saddle Horse’s development, it closely resembles a smaller, slightly stockier Tennessee Walking Horse. The horse is well muscled and smooth, not bulgy or knotty; not as developed as a Quarter Horse, but more of a heavier build than the Tennessee Walking Horse. The horse is physically balanced, with muscle development of forehand and hindquarter being equal. This is true with most breeds that perform the smooth or easy gaits since they push off with the rear and pull with the front.

The head is of moderate length, refined, with a soft, gentle expression with a profile that is straight to slightly convex. The Spotted Saddle Horse ranges from 13.3 to 15.2 hands with the average horse being 15 hands. While the NSSHA is working towards the larger individual as the breed’s ideal, it does not discriminate against any of them simply on the basis of size.

The Spotted Saddle Horse has been gaining in demand and popularity as both a pleasure horse and a show horse. They are currently being trained in the areas of Show, Trail, Field Trial, and purely backyard pleasure. It is shown in a number of different disciplines such as pleasure, in hand, under harness, adult riders & youth riders. Show classes are also divided by gender and/or age of either horse or rider and even further divided by the height of the horses.

The National Spotted Saddle Horse (which is a horse registered with NSSHA) is shown with a bridle of leather featuring either buckstitching, silver, or plain. It is similar to the type used by the Tennessee Walking Horse, but the rhinestones and colored browbands are prohibited. He is shown under a western saddle and the rider’s show attire is also western, complete with long-sleeved western shirt, western slacks, western boots, a cowboy hat, bolo tie and optional chaps.

All of the recognized colors of the equine world are accepted as long as they also include white in a spotted pattern with color above the hock, but not counting any facial markings. The horse must possess at least one spot midway between the center of the knee and the floor of the chest and midway between the point of the hock and the center point of the stifle. And a horse must exhibit a spot TWO INCHES OR MORE in diameter with underlying contrast skin in the area described above or in the tail. Facial markings, mixed tails, and/or high stockings alone do not qualify as the required spot.

The Spotted Saddle Horse markings are the same as the standard Pinto and Paint type patterns. The horse can be Tobiano, Sabino, Overo, or Tovero. Many Spotted Saddle Horses have the Tobiano pattern, yet with bald or bonnet faces as found on Overo or Sabino. Some also show ragged edges and isolated “other type” spots on basically Tobiano type patterns. NSSHA insists that all horses show spotted coloration.

But the best part of all is that the Spotted Saddle Horse has an extremely comfortable gait. The required “saddle gait” of the Spotted Saddle Horse includes the stepping pace, fox-trot, single-foot, flat walk, running walk, pace, rack or a combination of all gaits. The Spotted Saddle Horse can also perform a canter, but cannot trot.

Of the 7-plus possible gaits found within the breed, the Spotted Saddle Horse is only shown in three gaits: the Flat Walk, the Show Pleasure, and the Canter. All three gaits must be able to be performed as a four year old. Before the age of 4, the horse must be able to perform at least 2 gaits.

In the Flat Walk, the horse should be striding behind and breaking in front while picking up his feet smartly. The Show Pleasure gait is simply the Flat Walk with a noticeable increase in speed and added “flashiness.” When the horse is performing the Canter, he should be under control at all times and should always be on the correct lead.

Additionally, he should be able to do a “Back In Line-Up”. This requires that the horse backs up straight at all times and should not throw his head or even open his mouth. However, only keg shod horses can back. A keg shoe is a machine-made horseshoe that is available in various sizes. Most horses wear this type of shoe.

There are several breed registries and with only minor exception, these registries all still allow animals to be registered that exhibit the spotted coat pattern and the smooth intermediate gait.

The National Spotted Saddle Horse Association (NSSHA) that was formed in 1979 serves as the official breed registry for spotted, gaited horses and it keeps accurate records of all spotted saddle horses that have ever been registered with NSSHA. The NSSHA is dedicated to establishing a uniform breed of saddle horse that is naturally gaited and that can perform without the use of punishing training aids or substances.

The Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association (SSHBEA) was established in 1985 to promote the Spotted Saddle Horse and has established official rules for registering and showing of the breed. The SSHBEA closed half of the studbooks in 1999, so it is now a requirement that at least one parent must be registered with SSHBEA in order to register the offspring.

The American Spotted Horse Association (ASHA) was established in 1999 and its registry is based on promoting the sound, gaited western style Spotted Horse.

If you are looking for a colorful, versatile, gentle, flashy gaited horse, you may have just found it in the new Spotted Saddle Horse.

Fall in love with Timberland boots in autumn achieve warm feeling whole family

The coming autumn is like a child who often changing faces. Rainy and sunny is often happened one day. Lower the temperature is not amaze in autumn, taking a coat is general happened by those who working outside. However, shoes for autumn is really important for human life. A shoe that can protect your foot from water and keep warm all day round is difficult to find, general shoes can not satisfied people’s demand. In that way, people change their ideas to boots.

Now, fall boots collection is the perfect choice for the fall season. The boot is the powerful footwear which provides the full safeguards and protection to the feet and toes. This shoe will escort the heels and the foot from the roughness of the weather and dust particles. Therefore the popular of Timberland boots for autumn is normal.

To be frank, the Timberland fall boots has been manufactured with the high graded technology and equipment. The shoe makers have strained their every nerve to bring the elegance to the sneakers. When a person slips his feet into the boot, he will feel comfy because of the soft leather and rubber which have been properly used in making the footwear items. The insole and out sole are much decorated. The ankles are well covered with the competent upper leather. The tongue of the boots is very qualitative and proper size-able. The sneakers are also highly decorated with the cross eyelets and the laces for fastening boots. The sock liners are very good in quality with the deep cushion which will provide the comfort and coziness. There are different sizes and shapes of the Timberland boots at the various price ranges.

The best option to get Timberland boots of this Timberland brand is to search the internet based shopping centers. There are many sites which are fully loaded with the updated information and current data which are really effective to upgrade the knowledge. Online reviews and product details will certainly explain about the salient features of the boots plus the price rates. The reconditioned boots will be another point of attraction for the economical persons who like to make cost effective deal. However, a guy must not feel bored to go to the local market for collecting the price rates of the products.

For some guys buyying Timberland boots every year for family is regular. With so many stylish Timberland boots for men, women and kids. They try to seek a way to find some Timberland boots sale online website that can save their money. Of course, discount Timberland boots can not only save money, but also keep your body high temperature whole day long.

No.6 Burberry Small Check and Chains Sling Bag

If you would like to purchase the designer handbag with casual luxury look, Burberry handbag would be a good choice. This Small Check and Chains Sling Bag is obviously suitable for your requirement. Besides, its classical appearance would be never out of fashion stage no matter how long you keep in your cabinet. Now follow me to have a detailed understanding of this Burberry bag.

This small coated canvas sling bag features in the black, white and red pattern, known as haymarket check or the Burberry classic check. It was first used as a lining for the Burberry trenchcoat in 1924. It was not until 1967 that the Burberry Check, now a registered trademark, was widely used on its own for items including umbrellas, scarves, and luggage. The front and back part is ornamented with shiny metallic leather woven chains. The Burberry Equestrian Knight Logo in the front is telling us this classical handbag is from top fashion brand, Burberry. This logo contains the Latin word “Prorsum”, meaning forwards and shied with a letter “B”, held in the hand of the knight.

Moreover, this bag is characterized by leather trims and piping on seams, leather woven chain strap with branded parrot clasp attachment at one end. The strap can be detached at one end and wrapped around the wrist to wear the bag as a wristlet. Open with the top zip closure, you can see the cotton canvas lining and one interior patch pocket. It is sized at 23cm x 12cm x 4cm.Pricing comes affordable at £395.00, given that it is timeless plus the fact that this is a designer handbag. Maybe it is not the most stylish handbag in this season, but you know this Burberry Check and Chains Sling Bag would keep you sophisticated and classy for years to come.  

Getting Started in Heat-applied Graphics

What makes the opportunity for heat applied graphics such a winner? Consider the importance of branding in our society. Everyone from burger vendors to corporate players wears clothing with a company logo – and they probably also need items ranging from mouse mats and coffee mugs to caps, and awards plaques – all with the company logo!

Of course, these opportunities are multiplied if you are already in business as an embroiderer, screen printer, sign writer or other type of embellisher. You already have the customers: adding heat-applied graphics means that you can sell them even more products – everything from coasters to caps. If it fits on a platen, you can heat apply an image to it.

Additions or alternatives

It is known in marketing that it’s easier to sell more to one person than it is to sell goods to more people, so why not sell your existing customers more? It also means you can offer multi-media graphics with a high perceived value. Combine embroidery with a heat applied digital transfer image, for example. Another plus: you can easily offer just one or two items which can be cost prohibitive with other decoration processes. With screen printing it doesn’t make financial sense to do jobs of less than say 40 pieces or so, but it makes perfect sense to do them using a heat press. Add to that the service advantage of being able to complete the transaction “right now” – to be able to take the order and almost immediately deliver the goods, without the time and labour intensity of either printing or embroidery.

And if you don’t offer screen printing in-house, a heat press gives you an affordable option to add to that service. You can order screen printed stock or custom transfers and heat apply them on an as-needed basis. Screen printed transfers can be applied to cotton, polyester and even nylon substrates.

Numerous other options

Here’s a rundown of some of the many other embellishment options available to you with heat applied graphics.

Die-cut numbers and letters: By ordering stock numbers and letters from suppliers, or using a cutter to make up your own, you can tap into the sports market by doing team shirts and similar items. Material options are extensive and include adhesive vinyl and film, allowing you to affix the material to a variety of substrates.

Digital transfers: Using an inkjet, laser or thermal-output device, you can output digital transfers and heat apply them to an enormous number of substrates. This option provides terrific flexibility and lets you quickly and easily apply photo-realistic images onto apparel, metal, wood, leather, ceramics and coated materials.

Inkjet printers that use water-based inks are a less expensive option to get started with this arena. Dye sublimation, on the other hand, is renowned for its colour accuracy and vibrancy. However, it does require that the substrate have a polyester content or coating, and it works best on white garments. Sublimation transfers are produced on two types of printers – sublimation laser or inkjet.

CAD-Cutting: There is a wide range of materials for use with digital cutters, which makes them a very versatile option. Choose from vinyls and films in solid colours, glitters, metallic, holographic, reflective and even glow-in-the-dark!  You can cut out anything, from letters and numbers to any logo or other shape. Furthermore, you can even do signs with CAD cutting, using self adhesive vinyls.

One limitation here is colour. A CAD cutter can only cut one colour at a time; generally, stacking two layers adds weight to the wearable making it heavier and affecting comfort. Another option would be to cut each colour area separately and piece the design together (by butt-registering). This will keep the handle lighter, but it is considerably more work. Still, this option is a great one for medium-volume markets that demand quick turnaround such as sports teams and restaurants.

Essentially, there are two types of cutter for this process: a traditional cutter and a printer/cutter, the latter combining printing and cutting into a single unit. Either way, you should look for a unit that’s at least 60cms wide so that you can tackle a wider array of jobs. Some relatively newer units come equipped with an optical “eye” that lets you contour cut around an image’s registration marks – very useful.

Embossing: This process – which involves putting a die under a garment and imprinting a design into the fabric using extreme pressure – actually requires a special type of heat press. It can be somewhat expensive, as the dies can cost several hundred pounds to produce: however for high-volume orders, it can be profitable and offers a unique option.

Heat Presses

Heat presses generally start at about £500 for a reputable light-weight, small sized model, and can go up to £2500 for a pneumatic-powered high production machine. Mid range presses are generally in the £600-1000 range, which is what a typical heat applied graphics business would need. Inevitably, you do get what you pay for. The better machines, though marginally more expensive, usually last longer and are manufactured to much higher standards to provide years of trouble free use.

While presses are available with a range of features including digital versus analogue controls, auto pop-up, presets and removable power cords, there are really three key heat press functions to keep in mind: it must accurately provide time, temperature and pressure.

Accurate temperature is an absolute must. If you machine is out by only 10 degrees plus or minus, it can ruin an application. As you might guess, lower end units have less accurate, less reliable temperature mechanisms, while higher end machines have correspondingly better control. Smooth, even pressure is also critical. If pressure isn’t applied evenly, the design isn’t applied evenly, resulting in less than optimal results.

Some substrates offer built-in obstacles to even pressure: the zipper on a hoodie sweatshirt for example. Thankfully, suppliers offer tools to deal with such challenges. For instance, you can put a Teflon® covered pillow on top of an item, in-between the layers, to help even things out, while print pads may be used to help build up low-lying areas. Other considerations while shopping for a heat press include the following:

Configuration: A swing away press gives you free range of movement, when loading and unloading the substrate, and keeps the heated platen away from fingers making it safer to use; whereas a clamshell unit takes up far less space. Swingaways also tend to be heavy making them less portable.

Speciality presses: Suppliers offer heat presses made specifically for unusual shape items – such as coffee mugs or caps – as well as multi-purpose presses. Suppliers also make custom platens for unusual substrates such as umbrellas and shoes.

Manual and semi-automatic: Semi-automatic presses pop up automatically following the application, thanks to either magnetic/electronic technology or an air compressor, while manual presses have to be physically opened when a timer signals complete application. For higher production, it pays to consider a semi-automatic press from the stand point of sheer physical exhaustion.

Dual-platen presses: If you want to crank out as many units as possible in the least time, you may want to consider a dual-platen press which lets you work on two items simultaneously, setting up the next item on one platen, while the item on the other platen is being pressed.

Prices: Cap presses start at or around £500, while heat presses for shirts and other flat items start at about £600. These prices obviously depend upon the size and facilities of the press. The most popular press size is either 40 x 40cms or 40 x 50cms and typically sells for about £800-1000 and upwards.

A model like no other

What makes heat applied graphics so attractive is that you can get into business with nothing but a heat press, a computer and Internet access (in order to order and download designs and substrates). Few business models are so affordable, exciting, creative, easy………….. and profitable!

Creative Zen

Upcoming Players

The Creative Zii is an upcoming touchscreen player to be released in 2010. It was revealed in an FCC filing in July 2009 and has not been officially announced by the company.

Current players

ZEN X-Fi2

The ZEN X-Fi2, announced September 2, 2009 is a feature update to the X-Fi. It includes many features of the X-Fi, including flash memory, X-Fi audio enhancements, and expandable memory. However, there are several notable differences between the two. The X-Fi2 features a full touchscreen user input mode, unlike the original’s keypad-esque input method. Also, the X-Fi2 no longer has wireless networking features, and trades the SD input for a microSD card slot. Added to the player is support for the lossless, open-source FLAC codec, A/V output to a TV, and offline RSS reader support. Compared to similarly featured models from competitors, it is lower priced as well. It comes in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB variations.

ZEN MX

Main article: ZEN MX

The ZEN MX is a derivative of the ZEN, released in 2009. It shares the same form factor as the ZEN, but a few cosmetic changes in addition to a few changes in firmware resulted in a fairly stripped down, and thus cheaper retailing version of the player.

ZEN Mozaic

The ZEN Mozaic is a flash player that was released on August 3, 2008, in capacities of 2, 4, 8 , and 16 GB. The Mozaic features a 1.8-inch video screen, a keypad that resembles a mosaic pattern, and a built-in speaker (also in a mosaic pattern). It also includes features such as a built-in FM radio, voice recorder, and picture viewer. The ZEN Mozaic has two derivatives, the ZEN Mozaic LX and the ZEN Mozaic EZ300. The ZEN Mozaic LX is a more affordable model which lacks an FM Radio and built-in speakers. The ZEN Mozaic EZ300 is nearly identical in terms of function to the original Mozaic, but supports plug and play and only comes in solid colors(black or pink).

ZEN X-Fi

The ZEN X-Fi was officially confirmed on July 10, 2008. The player’s design is based on the ZEN and includes new features such as X-Fi technology, Wi-Fi, and online chat. The package includes a set of EP-830 headphones, and a built in speaker. It also supports wireless media streaming from a home network, similar to a Windows Media Center Extender. The player is now available at online stores, selling in capacities of 8GB (without Wi-Fi), 16GB, and 32GB.

On September 2, 2009, Creative has announced the development of the Zen X-Fi2, which is a touchscreen MP3 player with similar capabilities to the X-Fi. The Creative website states that in Europe the X-Fi2 is set to be released in September.

ZEN

ZEN

Main article: ZEN (portable media player)

The flash-based player was released on September 14, 2007, in capacities of 2, 4, 8, and 16GB. A 32 GB model was announced on December 4, 2007, setting a record for storage capacity among flash-based players. The 32GB model is now available for purchase. The player is 0.44-inch thick, making it the slimmest ZEN player so far. It is the first ZEN to have an SD card slot, support for unprotected iTunes-encoded AAC, and a 24-bit screen. The ZEN is not to be confused with the ZEN Micro-based player of the same name.

ZEN V/ZEN V Plus

Main article: ZEN V

ZEN V (Green/Black, 2 GB)

Creative’s first flash-based portable media player was released on June 20, 2006. The scratch-resistant models have a Template:Convert/LoffAoffDbSyes OLED display with a resolution of 128128. They come in white and black with orange trim for the 1 GB version, green trim for 2 GB, and black with blue trim for the 4 GB version and later an 8 GB version. The ZEN V Plus plays video and has an FM tuner, while the ZEN V does not. The players support the same formats as the Vision:M, while the videos will be transcoded upon transfer. There are also built-in microphones for voice recording, as well as wires for line-in recording. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery has a life span of up to 15 hours of continuous audio playback.

The ZEN V Plus won the CNET Editor’s Choice award during that month.

On September 29, 2006, Creative announced that the blue-and-black ZEN V Plus had been upgraded to 8 GB. Four days later, the company joined forces with the National Breast Cancer Foundation to release a pink version of the 2 GB model, now available in most areas. In Europe and Japan, the 8 GB version is now available in a red-and-black color.

On August 8, 2007, Creative released a 16 GB model of the ZEN V Plus, making it the highest capacity flash-based player until the ZEN beat its own record with the release of its 32 GB model.

Discontinued players

NOMAD Jukebox Zen series

NOMAD Jukebox Zen players feature easily replaceable batteries

Main article: Creative NOMAD

The first models branded as a “Zen” were then released under the now-defunct NOMAD line, and have an anodized aluminium case. The 2.5-inch Fujitsu hard drives range from a 20 (NOMAD Jukebox Zen), 30 (Zen NX, Zen Xtra), 40 and 60 GB (Xtra). Unlike the earlier NOMAD Jukebox players, which looked like CD players, these have the appearance of a cassette player.

NOMAD Jukebox Zen

Announced on October 14, 2002, the NOMAD Jukebox Zen was the first player to include the “Zen” branding. It had the distinct ability to connect via USB 1.1 or FireWire, while subsequent releases had connectivity to USB 2.0. Up to 14 hours of continuous audio playback is achieved by the rechargeable battery, and an optional wired remote gives the player an FM tuner and microphone.

NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX

The Zen NX, as it was later called, was released on August 20, 2003, is an upgrade to the old NOMAD Jukebox Zen, with a removable battery and a slightly smaller size. Included with the player was MediaSource, the music management software that would be used with subsequent Zen players.

NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra

NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra

The NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra, or the Zen Xtra (renamed by Creative for commercial reasons) was released simultaneously with the Zen NX. The player was presumably named Xtra, thanks to the larger screen. The package includes the player, a leather case with belt-clip, a lithium ion battery, a USB cable, and a pair of standard earbuds. The Zen Xtra does not support the FM tuner from the original Zen and does not have recording functionality.

The Xtra is notable for being the first DAP to support Real Networks’s Helix DRM, but through a tailored firmware. The SanDisk Sansa e200R would later be the only other player to have this feature.

Zen Touch

Creative ZEN Touch

The redesigned 40GB Zen Touch was released on June 7, 2004. The model incorporated major changes in design, functionality and technology.

The Zen Touch has a smaller form factor and larger backlit blue display in a curved industrial design. In addition, the device uses a touch-sensitive vertical strip on the front of the unit for easier file navigation. These changes were enabled by the use of Hitachi’s smaller 1.8-inch hard drives. The Touch is available in capacities of 20 and 40 GB. Unlike the previous two generations, the Zen Touch does not have a removable battery, and plays audio for approximately 24 hours.

The Zen Touch has a brief uncredited appearance in Pepsi’s new commercial which aired during Super Bowl XL .

Zen Portable Media Center

Zen Portable Media Center

The Zen Portable Media Center, announced on January 8, 2004 and released eight months later, is based on Microsoft’s Portable Media Center interface, runs Windows Mobile and supports WMV, WMA, and MP3, and can display JPEG images; other video formats are supported through transcoding. This device was the first to exclusively support Microsoft’s Media Transfer Protocol, and was presented at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2004, winning the TechTV Best of CES Award in the Portable Audio and Video category. The player uses a 1.8-inch 20 or 40 GB hard drive from Hitachi. The Zen Portable Media Center has been replaced by the ZEN Vision and the ZEN Vision W.

ZEN Micro

ZEN Micro glowing in the dark

The ZEN Micro was released on November 12, 2004, and is a microdrive player available in 10 colors. It is also the first ZEN release that sports the new branding, including capitals for all letters in Zen.

ZEN Micro with the included earphones

The ZEN Micro is much smaller than the Touch and shares a similar interface and controls (including the touchpad, without the ‘OK’ button. Making a selection would be done by tapping the touchpad). The Micro has a removable battery rated to last for up to 12 hours of continuous playback. In addition, the player has an LED-backlit LCD, a glowing case, and offers hard disk capacities of 4, 5 and 6 GB.

The Micro also features a built-in FM tuner/recorder, voice recorder and microphone, partitioning for data storage (i.e. acting as a removable hard drive for PCs), and the ability to synchronize contacts, tasks and calendars with Microsoft Outlook. Accessories for the ZEN Micro include matching color speakers, wireless headsets and a wired remote control.

The first 35,000 units shipped worldwide were packaged as a “Limited Edition” package that came with an additional rechargeable battery. Asian models of the Limited Edition included the extra battery and a wired remote control.

At CES 2005, it was announced that the ZEN Micro line would be expanded to include 4 and 6 GB models.

The ZEN Micro optionally supports the Microsoft Media Transfer Protocol and the PlaysForSure certification with updated firmware.

ZEN (micro-based hard drive player)

The ZEN was released on April 6, 2005, and is slightly larger than the ZEN Micro with a 20 GB hard drive capacity. The ZEN, however, has a magnesium back-casing and the battery is unremovable. This model was initially available in the Asia-Pacific region, but soon became available in the US through Cambridge SoundWorks, a subsidiary of Creative.

ZEN Neeon

ZEN Neeon

The ZEN Neeon was released on May 17, 2005. It is a throwback to the old Zen Xtra, but in a much smaller size. The 5 GB model has an SNR of 98 dB and a battery life of 16 hours (19 hours with new firmware version). The front has a piano black finish, and the back is anodized aluminium that comes in ten colors. and the LCD screen has a 7 color backlight.

The Creative ZEN Neeon was criticized highly at the time of release for having a slow interface, more specifically slow start-up, menus and song switch. As well, the first released models came with a Windows virus. A later firmware update provided a much quicker start-up time and interface.

Like the Zen Micro, this unit has an FM tuner and a microphone, but also has a line in record function. This model does not use proprietary USB drivers; it is a standard USB mass storage device.

On November 17, 2005, the microdrive player was updated to 6 GB and a new flash range was launched in capacities of 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB. The revised device is equipped with a dual-tone OLED screen. The device is also accompanied by a new marketing campaign, Put a Face to Your Music, with emphasis on a whole new range of customizable “Stik-Ons”, which are decal stickers that can be placed and removed from the face of the unit.

ZEN MicroPhoto

ZEN MicroPhoto with a custom wallpaper

The ZEN MicroPhoto, released on July 28, 2005, shares the same features of the ZEN Micro except Audible.com support (reinstated in firmware versions 1.31.01 and above), and adds an upgraded 262,144-color (18 bpp) OLED screen for displaying photos. To fix the lack of bass with the ZEN Micro, Creative also implemented a Bass Boost feature, now available in most subsequent players. The 8 GB player is available in the same colors of the Micro and is advertised to store “thousands of JPEGs” or “4,000 songs”. Due to its larger battery, the player can play up to 15 hours of continuous playback, 3 hours longer than its predecessor. The MicroPhoto is the first of many subsequent players with expanded customization, with the ability to use a picture as a custom wallpaper, with color themes to change the tones of it, and six color schemes.

The player was first announced at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show, where it won the G4TV Best of CES award in the Audio To Go category. On November 2005, the player was the CNET Editor’s Choice award on CNET.com.

ZEN Sleek

ZEN Sleek

The ZEN Sleek was first available on August 30, 2005, and is an upgrade of the ZEN with a 20 GB hard drive, FM radio, built-in microphone, and sports an aluminium casing. Like its predecessors, it can synchronize with Microsoft Outlook’s calendar, address book, and memo functions. The player has a battery life of up to 20 hours.

ZEN Vision

ZEN Vision (Black)

The ZEN Vision was released on October 1, 2005. Since its launch, it is the winner of several awards, including Best of Digital Life 2005 and the Red dot design award. Unlike its predecessor, the ZEN Vision does not have Microsoft’s Portable Media Center interface. It supports audio (WMA-DRM, WMA, MP3, WAV), video (WMV, Motion JPEG, MPEG 1/2/4, DivX 4/5, xvid) and picture (JPEG) playback. The ZEN Vision utilizes a 30 GB 1.8-inch Toshiba hard drive and can partition a part of its hard drive to work as a removable disk (up to 16 GB) for any operating system. There are some features of the ZEN Vision which require compatibility with certain operating systems, e.g. require users to have access to Microsoft Windows XP (SP1 or higher).

Like past models, the ZEN Vision comes with an FM tuner, a voice and FM recorder, and a calendar and organizer that can be synchronized with Microsoft Outlook.

The ZEN Vision has a 3.7-inch, trans-reflective VGA TFT-LCD screen. It has a video output (PAL or NTSC) port and a CompactFlash slot which can be used to transfer the contents to the player. An adapter for other memory card types is also available as an accessory. The ZEN Vision also supports an optional infrared remote.

ZEN Sleek Photo

The ZEN Sleek Photo was released on October 6, 2005. It is the color-screen equivalent of the Sleek, with the extra ability to view JPEG photos on an OLED screen.

ZEN Vision:M

Main article: ZEN Vision:M

ZEN Vision:M (Black)

The ZEN Vision:M, launched on December 8, 2005, is adapted from the earlier released ZEN Vision. The 2.5-inch, TFT LCD display has a resolution of 320 by 240 pixels (QVGA), and is capable of outputting 640 x 480 using a composite video cable. The player has an estimated battery life of 16 hours for audio, and five hours for videos (tested under continuous playback). Album art is shown during playback, and image-viewing is enhanced with pan, zoom and rotation abilities. The 30 GB model is available in white, black, green, blue and pink. Like the other players in the Vision and Micro lines, this model is known for its glowing button symbols.

The ZEN Vision:M has won a number of accolades, including the “Best of Show” and “Best Portable Audio & Video Device” awards at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show, as well as the Red Dot Design Award.

On August 31, 2006, Creative announced the availability of an upgraded player with 60 GB capacity. This version has a USB host adapter cable, which enables users to transfer photos from a digital camera directly to the player. It is only available in black and white, and was initially slightly thicker than the 30 GB model. On March 11, 2007, the 60 GB model was upgraded with a new slimmer profile – the same thickness as the 30 GB version.

Appearances in media

The ZEN Vision:M has made an appearance in an Orville Redenbacher’s commercial, first broadcast during the 2007 Golden Globe Awards. The familiar blue interface and black color of the model are indicators.

ZEN Nano/Nano Plus

ZEN Nano Plus (1GB Blue)

The ZEN Nano and the ZEN Nano Plus were released internationally on June 1, 2006. The player is a rebranded MuVo N200. The ZEN Nano Plus is a USB mass storage device, and does not require proprietary drivers. It has a battery-life of up to 18 hours using an AAA battery. Like the Micro and the MicroPhoto, the Nano is available in ten colors: black, pink, red, orange, green, light blue, blue, purple, gray, and white.

The ZEN Nano Plus is a Nano with an FM tuner with 30 custom presets, plus voice, radio, and line-in recording. Recorded audio is encoded in WAV (ADPCM), except for line-in, which encodes to MP3.

ZEN Neeon 2

The ZEN Neeon 2, a successor to the Neeon, was announced on August 2, 2006. The player has a 1.5-inch CSTN-LCD display in a resolution of 128×128. The 1 and 2 GB models are available in a black, silver, blue, pink or orange backplate, accompanied with a piano black front, while the 4 GB model comes only in black and silver. The Neeon 2 supports MP3, WMA, and WAV, display JPEG images and plays AVI videos which are transcoded upon transfer. Also, the player has an FM tuner, built-in microphone, and line-in recording in WMA. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery plays up to 20 hours of continuous audio playback and up to 8 hours of video playback, the highest for any Creative digital audio player.

Like its predecessor, decal stickers called “Stik-Ons” are sold separately to customize the look of the Neeon 2′s frontplate, though they cannot be interchanged. The players and their “Stik-Ons” are only available in Australia, Singapore and several other Asian countries.

ZEN Vision W

Main article: ZEN Vision W

The ZEN Vision W was released on September 17, 2006. A variant of the ZEN Vision, the portable media player has a 4.3-inch, widescreen (16:9) TFT-LCD display. The player comes in black and is available with 30 or 60 GB capacity. Like the ZEN Vision:M, a built-in microphone and an FM tuner are included, as well as support for the same media formats, a similar graphical interface and the ability to sync organizer data from Microsoft Outlook. It also includes a CompactFlash reader for extra capacity and the direct upload of images.

ZEN Stone

The ZEN Stone, released on May 3, 2007, is a small and screenless 1 or 2 GB player (similar to the second-generation iPod shuffle). Coated in glossy plastic, the player is available in black, white, blue, pink, green, and red. The ZEN Stone is compatible with the MP3, WMA, and Audible formats, is UMS compliant, and the battery lasts up to 11 hours.

ZEN Stone Plus

ZEN Stone (White)

Although it is slightly larger than the ZEN Stone, the ZEN Stone Plus is identical in design. However, the ZEN Stone Plus has a monochromic OLED screen, a built-in FM tuner, a stopwatch (the first ZEN player to have this ability) and a built-in microphone. The ZEN Stone Plus plays approximately 9.5 hours of continuous audio playback, and comes with the same colors as the ZEN Stone in a 2 GB capacity. A 4 GB model was subsequently released on June 29, 2007. A built-in speaker version was also released. Both versions support MP3 and WMA, with the built-in speaker version also supporting iTunes-encoded AAC and Audible formats.

ZEN Wav

The ZEN Wav was released on May 25, 2007. The flash-based player has built-in stereo speakers and supports the MP3, WMA, and WAV formats. It is the first player in the ZEN line to have the following features: a 16-bit color screen, unlike other ZEN players, which are 18-bit; a battery life of 30 hours (20 with the speakers), which was the longest than any previous ZEN player; the ability to read e-books; and the ability to show 3 different time zones “at a glance”. The ZEN Wav comes in capacities of 2 and 4 GB.

Hardware

Most models are built with Texas Instruments’s TMS320DA25x ARM architecture and digital signal processor that makes up the CPU, while the operating system used is Texas Instruments DSP/BIOS. The peripheral circuits take care of all media decoding without any accelerator chips. The touchpads are managed by Synaptics controllers.

The newer ZEN players uses SigmaTel’s STMP3700 ARM, described to be “designed specifically for portable devices”. Nucleus RTOS makes up the base of their OSes.

Marketing campaign

In November 2004, Creative Labs announced a $100 million marketing campaign to promote their digital audio products, including the ZEN range of MP3 players. In particular, the company was heavily publicizing the Zen Touch and ZEN Micro. These two products had been featured in an increasing number of television commercials, print ads, and urban billboards.

Many celebrities were seen with the ZEN Micro, including Paris Hilton, pop group Maroon 5 and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.

Legal issues

Creative Labs, the American subsidiary of Creative Technology, was awarded a patent on a music management interface (now commonly seen on audio players, including the Apple iPod) by the US Patent and Trademark Office on August 25, 2005, after applying for it on January 5, 2001. Apple filed for a similar patent on October 22, 2002 but was rejected. Along with the launch of the Vision:M, Creative announced that it will “aggressively pursue” respect of its patents, addressing “all manufacturers that use the same navigation system.” So far, Creative has only addressed Apple’s infringement of its patent. Creative announced on May 15, 2006, that it has launched a lawsuit against Apple for the infringement of the ZEN patent (Creative also asked the US Trade Commission to investigate whether Apple was breaching trade laws by importing iPods into the US), which was then counter-sued by Apple on the same day, filing two lawsuits for infringing their patents. Since then, Apple and Creative have reached a settlement, with Apple paying $100 million, and Creative joining the “Made for iPod” accessory program.

Software

Official software

Creative distributes official software with many of their players to help users manage their player.

Creative MediaSource

Creative Media Explorer – Each player has their own version of Media Explorer to comply with format compatibility.

ZENcast Organizer – A Podcast organizer

Creative Video Converter

Alternative software

Third-party alternatives have been developed to enable legacy OS compatibility as well as compatibility with other operating systems.

Free software:

Amarok, a Linux media player

Banshee, another media player for Linux

Gnomad2, which can transfer files to ZEN players with an FTP-like interface

KZenExplorer, a synchronization tool for KDE

XNJB, a synchronization tool for Mac OS X

A generic USB mass storage device driver allows hassle-free transfer of music on older OSes

ZenRecover, a file recovery tool built for the Creative Zen proprietary filesystem, complete with a technical analysis of the filesystem itself

Aneesoft Free Zen Video Converter, a video format converter for zen, converts to zen avi, mp4 and wmv formats from almost any format. For Windows OS

Proprietary software:

Legacy OS Driver, a Creative driver that gives compatibility to PlaysForSure-certified ZENs for Windows 98 SE, Me, and 2000.

MediaMonkey, a media player that syncs with ZEN players. While the basic edition is freeware, the commercial Gold version has the ability to automatically convert media formats.

Notmad Explorer, a software suite from Red Chair Software that allows for file and playlist management for ZEN players.

See also

Comparison of portable media players

External links

Creative ZEN product line (Singapore)

Creative ZEN product line (US)

“Find Your ZEN” advertising campaign (US)

Notes and references

^ a b Creative Technology (2004-01-12). “Creative Wins Second Consecutive “Best Of CES” Award At Consumer Electronics Show”. Press release. http://creative.com/corporate/pressroom/releases/welcome.asp?pid=12013. Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

^ a b Creative Technology (2005-01-10). “Creative ZEN Micro Photo Wins “Best of CES” Award”. Press release. http://creative.com/corporate/pressroom/releases/welcome.asp?pid=11929. Retrieved 2007-12-03. 

^ a b c “Creative ZEN Vision:M Wins est of CES Award in MP3 and Portable Video Category and also Wins overall est in Show Award”. Creative Technology. http://creative.com/press/releases/welcome.asp?pid=12297. 

^ “Creative touches the sound of perfection with the ZEN X-Fi2″. epiZENter.net. 2009-09-02. http://www.epizenter.net/comment.php?comment.news.495. Retrieved 2009-09-06. 

^ “CREATIVE INTRODUCES THE ZEN X-FI AND THE ZEN X-FI WITH WIRELESS LAN – THE ONLY PLAYERS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF MP3 MUSIC PLAYBACK WITH X-FI AUDIO TECHNOLOGY”. Creative. 2008-07-10. http://www.creative.com/corporate/pressroom/releases/welcome.asp?pid=12963. Retrieved 2008-07-12. 

^ “Creative Announces the ZEN X-Fi2 Next Generation Player Adds a 3-inch Touch Screen, Higher Quality Sound with the Latest X-Fi Technology and TV-Out Featuring Mult”. Creative. 2009-09-02. http://www.prweb.com/releases/ZEN/X-Fi2/prweb2825234.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-02. 

^ “Creative ZEN Reviews and Specs”. MP3.com. http://www.mp3.com/creative-zen/hardware/262/summary.html. Retrieved 2007-10-07. 

^ a b Creative (2007-12-03). “Creative introduces the world’s first 32GB flash memory-based portable media player with the latest credit-card sized ZEN”. Press release. http://asia.creative.com/corporate/pressroom/releases/welcome.asp?pid=12867. Retrieved 2007-12-04. 

^ ZEN ZEN4GBBK – MP3 Players – Credit card-sized media player

^ Creative Zen V Plus reviews and specs

^ , Creative supports the National Breast Cancer Foundation in conjunction with launch of pink ZEN V Plus 2 GB, accessed January 28, 2007.

^ , jp. Creative.com – ZEN V Plus, accessed March 12, 2007.

^ Creative (2007-08-08). ” CREATIVE ZEN V PLUS 16GB” (in Japanese). Press release. http://jp.creative.com/corporate/pressroom/releases/welcome.asp?pid=12781. Retrieved 2007-12-05. 

^ Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen NX (30GB) MP3 player reviews – CNET Reviews

^ Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra (30GB) MP3 player reviews – CNET Reviews

^ Creative ZEN Touch (40GB) MP3 player reviews – CNET Reviews

^ Pepsi: Hip Hop Can

^ Creative Zen Portable Media Center Portable Video Player (PVP) reviews – CNET Reviews

^ Creative Zen Micro (5GB) reviews and specs

^ Lazar. “Creative Zen 20gb (zen micro look) really available??? Price (with shipping): 369$”. Creative. http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=dap&message;.id=45734. 

^ Creative Technology Zen NEEON (5 GB, 1200 Songs) MP3 Player Specs – DealTime.co.uk

^ Virus-infected Creative ZEN MP3 Players foundCNet News.com – September 1, 2005

^

^ “Creative ZEN MicroPhoto 1.0.0.0 software download”. VersionTracker. http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/win/60992. 

^ Schweitzer, Jason. “Reviews”. APH Networks. http://aphnetworks.com/reviews/creative_zen_microphoto. 

^ Amazon.com: Creative Zen Sleek 20 GBMP3 Player: Electronics

^ “Creative ZEN Vision (30 GB) Reviews and Specs”. MP3.com. http://www.mp3.com/creative-zen-vision-30gb/hardware/4/summary.html. Retrieved 2007-08-31. 

^ Creative Zen VISION: M series – MP3 players – CNET Reviews

^ red dot award: product design 2006 – ZEN Vision:M Portable Media Player

^ , Orville Redenbacher’s About Us, accessed January 28, 2007.

^

^ Kim, James. “Creative ZEN Vision W Series Reviews”. CNet. http://reviews.cnet.com/portable-video-players-pvps/creative-zen-vision-w/4652-6499_7-32058083.html. Retrieved 2007-08-31. 

^ Creative Zen Stone series – MP3 players – CNET Reviews

^ YesAsia.com: Electronics: Creative ZEN Stone Plus White) MP3 Player 2 GB

^ http://uk.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=17437&nav=0&listby;=

^ “ZEN Wav – Free Your Ears”. Gadgetell. http://www.gadgetell.com/2007/05/zen-wav-free-your-ears/. Retrieved 2007-08-29. 

^ “Creative Zen Vision:M”. Rockbox forums. http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?PHPSESSID=22bf5c31bc007a980037872ac2a29638&topic=3320.375. Retrieved 2008-01-11. 

^ Raby, Mark. “Creative launches Zen player based on new media processor”. tgdaily. http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/33837/97/. Retrieved 2007-11-09. 

^ “Creative Zen Vision:M”. Rockbox forums. http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=3320.360. Retrieved 2007-11-24. 

^ Goodman, Ron. “Automatic hierarchical categorization of music by metadata – United States Patent Application”. http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-adv.html&r=15&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&p=1&S1;=(creative.AS.+AND+player.CLM.). 

^ McHugh, Craig. “ZEN Patent Press Conference Speech Transcript”. Creative Labs. http://www.creative.com/zenpatent/. 

^ “Creative wins MP3 player patent”. BBC News. August 30, 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4198360.stm. Retrieved January 2, 2010. 

^ Hermida, Alfred (December 8, 2005). “Apple faces iPod patent dispute”. BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4510044.stm. Retrieved January 2, 2010. 

^ Dalrymple, Jim. “Creative sues Apple for patent infringement”. Playlist Magazine. http://playlistmag.com/news/2006/05/15/creative/index.php. 

^ McMillan, Robert. “Creative sues Apple over patent”. Macworld. http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=14646. 

^ Dalrymple, Jim. “Apple sues Creative over iPod patents”. Playlist Magazine. http://playlistmag.com/news/2006/05/19/lawsuit/index.php. 

^ Marsal, Katie. “Apple’s settlement seen as the right move”. AppleInsider. http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1988. 

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