iPod killer - Zii Egg

[ToTTenTranz]

I like the dual camera feature, but I think they have it backwards. HD camera should be on the back so you can take pictures rather than the VGA one, no-one needs HD quality while talking with me over Skype (the only way I can see using it).

The HD camera is on the back, of course. "Forward facing" means the camera is pointed forward when you're looking at the screen:


The dual camera obviously means the ZMS-05 is supposed to be in 3G cellphones and not only MIDs and PMPs. But you don't need GSM/UMTS funcionality to write Android and Plaszma software for the Egg. And the Egg is just that, a software development kit.

If the Egg had unlocked GSM/UMTS functionality, I'd have ordered one for sure.


Could a moderator please merge this thread with the other one?


Here is a short video of a game playing in the Zii Egg:
http://www.zii.com/Developer/SDKVideo.aspx (press "3D OpenGL ES with Zii Egg")

It's not much, but it looks damn good.

[grasskicker509]

looks promising...i agree that it would be really kick @ss as a phone

[AndrewZorn]

i hate when they call something the ipod/____ killer and then make it look exactly like the ipod but add features, completely independent of whether or not it's better than the ipod/_____ that it basically praises by calling itself the killer of it

also, why is everything still 480x320
640x480 on my tiny touch pro screen looks soooooo nice the difference is amazing, it's great when you basically need no more resolution, curves look smooth unless you get your eye very close and/or are being picky.

also also, unsupported music formats (software) is a great way to ruin good hardware (unless easily modified)

[msull]

I would like to see GPS implemented.

[MirageSys]

An Ipod killer has been out for quite a while. It is called the Cowon S9. Read some reviews on it.

200 bucks for 16 gb version here

Its the audiophiles / modders PMP. Not many useless features, unbreakable/scratchable and simple to use

[STEvil]

External drives are supported over the mini USB port, and with the new 1TB 2.5" drives... Seems like I'll be in possession of a 1TB PMP soon.

Wonder if you could hack it to also support external KB and Mouse.

Would be fun to try and get quake 3 running on it rofl

[dieqast]

not sure we need screens with that much dpi, i cant even read street signs on my palm centro. as nice as that may be, i dont think people would even notice it.

and i like the sig, i thought i recognized the quote, then i saw it was from me, lol

Might be going to far with the 800x640, but I really enjoy the screen of my Touch Pro (much like Andrew). Not keen on downgrading with my future devices!

Ever since I have my iPod Classic 120GB, I feel sorry for Touch owners, I mean seriously just my music collection more than fills up the baddest Touch..And I'd really like some shows and movies of a decent quality on there too. Wouldn't mind if a developer would stick a 240/250GB 1.8" in there, even though it would get fatter. Either way, 32GB internal + 32GB SDHC sounds darn sweet too.

3G or 4G could get its spot in a seperate version, but not on this one.

Haha yeah that was one nice quote, I giggled the rest of the day and no-one understood exactly why..

[ToTTenTranz]

i hate when they call something the ipod/____ killer and then make it look exactly like the ipod but add features, completely independent of whether or not it's better than the ipod/_____ that it basically praises by calling itself the killer of it

also, why is everything still 480x320
640x480 on my tiny touch pro screen looks soooooo nice the difference is amazing, it's great when you basically need no more resolution, curves look smooth unless you get your eye very close and/or are being picky.

also also, unsupported music formats (software) is a great way to ruin good hardware (unless easily modified)

I guess that by "they" you mean Nedjo, the thread starter.

Creative never mentioned the iPod or iPhone in their marketing for the Zii Egg.

The Zii Egg isn't even a consumer device. It's part of a SDK for developers to write software for future Zii products.
That's why they didn't pay attention to the design and why it looks like everything else (a black candy bar with a touchscreen).
As for the screen, 480*320 is nice for a 3,5" screen.. but higher resolutions in consumer oriented devices is up to OEMs, as well as adding an AMOLED screen, for example.

[dieqast]

Wonder if you could hack it to also support external KB and Mouse.

Would be fun to try and get quake 3 running on it rofl

Bluetooth 2.1 - check.

[Firestrider]

I wonder if the audio hardware is better than other PMPs (with lossless music and high quality headphones) considering its Creative...

[trans am]

stereo line in? so far the best mp3 player as far as size/ features ive ever seen is the creative zen plus. I can hook up a powered condenser mic and bootleg live shows with it and its so small its fits in your penny pocket on your jeans.

[Confused_User]

Sorry, but what makes the iphone/ipod touch so great is the app store. If this "ipod killer" doesn't have something comparable, I doubt it will gain any popularity with the masses.

[Manicdan]

open source apps are a must, thousands of free things is what makes the greatest network

[ToTTenTranz]

Sorry, but what makes the iphone/ipod touch so great is the app store. If this "ipod killer" doesn't have something comparable, I doubt it will gain any popularity with the masses.

Sigh.. again with the "iPod killer" talk..


THIS IS A SDK, NOT A CONSUMER PRODUCT! It's not meant to be an "iPod killer", period.




Anyways, that app store doesn't depend on Creative. Since the platform uses Android, we already know there's an app store for it.

[labs23]

So, another "ipod-killer huh"? No need to kill the iPod, just something new that will smoke the iPod. The gadget is good specs-wise, and looks good too, but I pray thee not be a vaporware.

[D749]

If it's lossless, can't you covert it to FLAC, APE, TTA or any other free lossless codec?
Just decompress it back to a WAV and then choose your preferred format.
For this kind of device FLAC would be the best choice i think.

Can I? Yes. However, ripping to WMA lossless via WMP, which does suck I admit, takes less time and effort than typing this reply. Don't get me wrong... I used to rip and encode to Monkey so I'm not anti FLAC, etc. I just don't see a problem with WMA lossless just because it is a MS format. It's simple and works.

[junkun13]

can we use this as a phone? i mean you can call or text?

[saaya]

price? storage size? expandability? network access? game support?

half the important infos are missing... :/

[randomizer]

If they sell it in Australia their only competition is the iPod. No Zune to contend with.

[Gator!]

Make it a phone. Then I can get rid of my 3g for hopefully something faster and doesn't freeze as much.

3Gs

[ToTTenTranz]

price? storage size? expandability? network access? game support?

half the important infos are missing... :/

That's because you didn't see the first post?


Price: the SDK costs $399 and bundles a 32GB Zii Egg.
Storage Size & Expandability: up to 32GB internal + Full size SDHC (up to another 32GB).
Network access: Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi G, GPS.
Game support: Every Android game and emulator

[XSAlliN]

"iPod killer" - funny one... iPod was killed long ago, when Cowon D2 was released back in February 2007. That player was so good (and still is) that even audiophiles acknowledged his potential. iPod is considered junk by people with some knowledge, regarding audio portable devices - only an average Joe would appreciate an iPod - Just cause it's made by apple and it's quite expensive. People that appreciate a product based on his price with theories like "if it's that expensive and labeled by "x brand (well marketed brand)" then it must be good.

As for Zii Egg:

http://www.epizenter.net/news.php?extend.482

Capacitive 10-point multi-gesture touch display
• 3.5” 320x480 true-color display
• Up to 32GB internal plus SDHC slot (supports up to 32GB of external SDHC Card)
• Supports: MP3, WMA, AAC, WMV, H.264, MPEG-4, AVI, and MOV (These are unconfirmed codecs for now)
• X-Fi audio processing
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• 3-axis Accelerometer
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Hardware GPS receiver
• 32MB NOR (Linux Kernel Boot ROM)
• 256MB Mobile DDR RAM
• Supports 720p and 1080p HDTVs via HD cable
•Headphone socket, built-in speaker and microphone
• Dual cameras
- Forward facing HD camera
- Rear facing VGA camera
• 1200mAH rechargeable lithium-ion
• 115 x 62 x 12 mm (108grams)

Nice device, can't compete with Cowon D2 at audio quality but then again, his strong points seems to be the video potential and other portable options. Come to think off it, for this device the audio part is just a bonus. With his GPS and other functions it might be the next best thing second to high - end smart phones. It shares some characteristics, even the design with Samsung Omnia or iPhone (not iPod).

[munim]

You see, the problem with this device is that it's not an iPod.

But seriously, do companies still think that technical superiority/more features will make their product an iPod killer? Idiots.

[ToTTenTranz]

Nice device, can't compete with Cowon D2 at audio quality but then again, his strong points seems to be the video potential and other portable options. Come to think off it, for this device the audio part is just a bonus. With his GPS and other functions it might be the next best thing second to high - end smart phones. It shares some characteristics, even the design with Samsung Omnia or iPhone (not iPod).

Since it uses an open source OS, writing an audio player with FLAC, APE and other lossless formats should be relatively easy.
We don't know the quality of the audio codec and DACs inside the device, of course, but it does have SPDIF so it's good enough for high-quality stereo devices.

[lookmomnobrains]

wasn’t this thing running a custom android build?