Creative ZENs to use Internet music storage?
updated 11:00 am EDT, Tue April 22, 2008
ZEN X-Fi Internet Music
Creative's upcoming ZEN X-Fi media player may hinge on Internet-based storage as a selling point, says a new tip sent to epiZENter. While the player is already anticipated to offer local sharing between users, a "reliable" source indicates that Creative wants to use the device's Wi-Fi for accessing a remote collection; users would subscribe to a service that offers a multi-gigabyte Internet storage space for holding music; users could then access songs they can't fit on the player simply by streaming them wirelessly.
The information doesn't include any specific price plans or whether there would be any limitations in the format or content. Details are more likely to appear on the ZEN's official release later in spring, which is expected to include a US version of the as yet unconfirmed device and capacities up to at least 32GB of flash memory.
Other companies have tried related if different strategies in the past, such as the SanDisk Sansa Connect's access to Yahoo music and the current Slacker Player's ability to download a simulated Internet radio station that can then be listened to offline.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2007
This will be big
I have thought that with Apple's server systems and huge catalogue that this would be the way it could hold off any surge in the need for subscription services (not that any surge really has happened yet). This to me would be like "smart radio" where playlists and iMixes could be held on the iPod/iPhone and music downloaded for temporary storage and delivery as needed. No need for 80 gigs on an iPhone. Just stay in wifi land.
Thus Apple could keep its buy and keep model, but also allow folks to try new stuff out in a hybrid service that isn't really a subscription.