I bought my first one used from Amazon back in July and within 2 weeks, the screen died. I ordered another one, only to have the firmware corrupt and whenever I tried to reload the firmware, the player would disconnect from my PC. At first it seemed nice. It had decent sound and a good size of screen, but for all the trouble, it's not worth the money. Creative doesn't give a long enough warranty. I have a Creative sound card and sound system for my PC which have been wonderful, and my brothers each have a Vision M which has no problems, so I'm disappointed in the quality. And why is it $300 now? It was only $80 when I bought the first two this past summer. There's no way it's worth $300, let alone, $80.

This has been one of the most frustrating electronic devices I've used in a looong time, and that's saying a lot being I have a significant disability and depend on more high tech gadgets than the average bear. Also, I'm a gadget geek who is pretty competent with stuff.

From day one the player has frozen up whenever I put it in fast forward for more than 5 seconds, and periodically freezes up in reverse. This requires using a paper clip to reboot it (don't leave home without one) and a nervous wait while it hopefully rebuilds the library without losing something. I have reinstalled the software 3x and ran the diagnostic at the unintelligible Creative web site to no avail. The interface is lousy...not intuitive and didn't come with directions beyond saying what the buttons and menus are; not what they do. The only good thing going for this device is it memory and battery life. I'm now shopping for an iPod or ScanDisk.

Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player (Black/Blue)I will tell you that if you say this product is 3,4,or 5*,Then you are evidently looking at the wrong product. This is the most awful product I have ever bought from amazon and I have bought a bunch. It is now sitting on my floor hooked up to the wall outlet and just flickering almost as if it was in its final death throes.. Its been hooked up to the outlet for several hours and it still is in red. I think its just about on its way to creative heaven. Unless you have plenty of dough and can easily purchase another stay away, it is poisonous

THINK TWICE BEFORE BUYING THIS MP3. I purchased in it april from amazon, it seemed to work fine, then 3 months into I tried to turn the volume up (which is something I don't regularly use) and nothing happen. Now I can't hear it at all. Contacted creative they recommed troubleshooting, which I did still nothing. I then asked them for a rma, they sent the form along with a charge for 25.00 to get it fixed. Was told anything over 3 months old gets this charge. I don't think I should be charged for a poor workmanship. So I will be looking for a new mp3 and it will not be creative.

I have had my Zen V plus for about a year, and I use primarily for audio books. My public library is associated with NetLibrary and Overdrive, so I can download books for free. My Zen is my companion for housework, the gym, car rides, shopping, etc. I use it on average two to three hours a day.

The Zune and Ipods cannot play audio books from these sources because they cannot manage the DRM licenses. The Zen V Plus can play these files, and even allows the user to set up to 10 bookmarks. Another nice feature is that if you shut off the machine, it holds your place in the book. I have used several other players, and the only other system that worked as well for audio books was my Rio Audio Carbon (how I mourned the death of that machine. Two years later and it can still bring a tear to my eye...)

I have had the zen freeze up on me a few times, usually when I am doing a lot of fast forwarding. Luckily, being female, I usually have an earring on hand, and that works perfect for the reset button hole. My machine takes only a few seconds to rebuild the library - which seem like less time than others are claiming. This is perhaps because I have less files - audio books as opposed to lots of mp3 files. For me, this has never been an issue.

I love the zen even more now that I bought the creative audio charger. I really hated charging with the USB port - the only method available when you purchase the Zen V plus. It takes too long and it is inconvenient. I tried other usb chargers, and the only one that works is the one from Creative - it has some type of proprietary technology. But with this charger, my zen charges in just over an hour. The battery life is variable, depending on how much time the little video screen it lit up. The more you hit the buttons, advance songs, play with the menus, every time you light that screen for 10 seconds, you cut about 15 minutes of pure audio battery time. I have read review that the battery life is over 20 hours - but these reviews must have just turned it on and left it, never using the video screen. In real life I get about seven hours - I recharge every couple of days.

I am very happy with the Creative Zen V plus. I bought it primarily to play mp3 files, and am also pleasantly pleased with its ability to play video files and display pictures. I tried once to play a video file, and had to wait for the Creative software to encode it. The video played fine once or twice, then I was trying to play it again and it hung-up the system. I might have been asking it to do too much, and not waiting for it to process. I loaded one picture to it, and it resized it and displays it very nicely. The software to browse music and upload and delete is like a normal Windows' file system view. Very simple, yet exactly what you need to add/delete quickly. The software also allows you to make playlists for the zen v plus quickly, by browsing folders and clicking on the music you want to add. I'd have given it a 5 star rating if I did not have the little glitch with the video file (since it is designed to play them), but on the positive side, it has worked perfectly for my mp3 files. Battery life is very good as well. I charged it overnight, and have played it all day at work, about 8-9 hours, and the battery is only down to 1/2 left. Navigation with the 3 buttons also is easy and fast.

I was disappointed that people found this handy machine unreliable and ineffective in meeting their requirements.

I have had the machine for at least a year, and its been nothing but a pleasure to use. It stores all my songs, and lectures, Records with an above average quality, an the battery-life is excellent.

I have only two complaints - it the earphones supplied don't work any more - the wire became unusable from use. It is now out of date. I bought the 4 GB model. Its time for an upgrade, to a model that supports a few more features - I want to read pdfs on my device.

However, these are the only problems I had with it. Overall, its great and would recommend it for someone who is interested in recording lectures and listening to songs at a reasonably good quality.

This Zen V was the first Mp3 I have owned. I found the software not intuitive at all, and had to reset the device frequently, and it was nearly impossible to delete content after it was placed on the device. This is bothersome when you listen to audiobooks. I could live with those faults. The sound quality is decent and my money was already spent, so I was not unhappy. However, when the device died at about month 9, due to a known "red screen" manufacturing fault, I was done with Creative.
I found out about the known defect but unless you have the original receipt, the company will not replace the defective device. The product was registered with the company at the time of purchase but they still will not replace it. With this lack of customer service, I'll spend my money elsewhere and will recommend that other do as well.

Great sounding and easy to use flash player. Easy to manage music files and to access the tunes you want in various ways. Battery life could use some improvement but is not bad. Charged quickly from computer and even faster with optional ac charger. Handy controls...like it much better than the Sansa E250 I had before it. I would buy another.

I wasted good money on two of these devices. One for me and one for my wife. Within two months both have died. I'll save you the long story other than to say I am fairly technically competent and have tried all the usual time consuming diagnostics to no avail.
As previous reviews note, the Creative Customer Service is non existent. I have owned Creative products for years and support them because they do not force me into a closed convention like Apple or Microsoft but I cannot ignore such fundamental product quality flaws and deplorable service levels so buyer beware.
I will no longer buy a Creative product.
By the way Amazon - why cant we give zero stars? That's what this product really deserves

I bought this for my husband for father's day and he is not very tech-savvy and he LOVES it. He mostly downloads podcasts and audiobooks, some music. He wears it constantly. We've had it for 2 months so far no problems. He doesn't find it difficult to navigate and that is saying something.

This unit looked good, had great looking and easy to use software, but there is one biggggg problem:

The device continously wanted to "re-build" the library structure and regularly locked up on me. The reset hole is so small, a regular paper clip would not fit in. I had to use a straight pin, but I think that after a few resets, the pin did sme damage to the button.

I returned it to Amazon and am awaiting a credit on my account.

I have had this mp3 player for almost 1 year and it has been nothing but trouble. If you buy the Creative Zen V plus make sure you carry a paperclip with you at all times. It is unreliable and locks-up constantly. The only way to regain control is to use the paperclip to "re-set" the player. If you are lucky, the player will respond by re-building its library. This will take some time depending on how many songs you have on the device. If you are unlucky, you will constantly have to re-format the player which erases everything you loaded onto the player. Creative realizes that their MP3 player is unreliable because they offer a downloadable recovery tool to put on your computer to help you fix the Zen. It is helpful, but only if you can gain control of the device after it has locked up. Emails to Creative have resulted in automated form letters telling me how to re-set or re-format the device. These are pretty useless when the player is frozen and doesn't respond.
In short, the Creative ZEN V plus looks cool but based on its unreliable performance I recommend that you avoid it and my some other MP3 player. It just isn't worth the greif and hassle.

Creative Zen V Plus 4 GB Portable Media Player (Black/Blue)
I bought one of these, watched it die, bought another, watched it die and found that they're customer service department is really about making people go away. They're a nice little player when they work. When they don't it's a nightmare.
This is a company that should go out of business. Any company that has this poor customer help isn't providing a service. I sent documentation by email. They never got it. They sent me information a month ago that I never got. Then I got a drop dead action letter on a Saturday demanding money from me or they would return things unfixed, by the Monday. With no way to contact them and no link to pay them.
That's " Go away!" in any language. I did find a number and spent 2 hours on the phone trying to straighten it out. I never did get to talk to the supervisor. And their fax machine never worked. There is ( amazing to tell) no phone line for the repair lab.
They've told me I'll have my players back and working. But anytime I have to jump through this number of hoops, I figure there's a fair amount of planning on their part, to deflect customers, rather than to help them. I would never willingly purchase a tooth pick from these people again, never mind electronics. No ethics at all.
First thing to realize:
Just because you emailed something to them, don't believe they got it.
Second thing to realize;
Perhaps they prefer it that way.
The sandisk clip I bought to replace these is a love. No problems a month after purchase. Of course at this point, I'm holding my breath.

I've been searching and searching for an MP3 player that will work well with NetLibrary audio books (from my library). This one is perfect because
1. It doesn't lose it's place! When I shut it down, it always comes back to where I left off. This is even when I charge the battery, or when I sync new files to the player!
2. It has bookmarks! If I decide I want to listen to a different book, or to some music, or whatever, I can set a bookmark and come back to it easily.
3. It is simple to fast forward or reverse. (reverse is really nice, if I miss something in an audio book). Other players I've tried will just go back to the beginning of the file, which is a huge pain!

I don't do much else with the player. (No video or pictures, and I don't keep my entire music library on it either) I don't use the software that came with it, and I haven't had any problems.
I'm really pleased with it, and the price was very reasonable!
I also purchased the Creative Zen Power Adaptor, which works really well.

I use my Zen mostly for books. It has 9 books on it today as well as about 100 songs. It has 10 bookmarks (both Zen and Zen plus). I am suprised this is not listed as a feature. My 80 year old mother loves hers.

I have always used Sony mini Disk recorders as a backup sound track for recording at weddings that I videotape. But the download was all real time so I found the Zen V plus 4 gig which is so perfect. It was one of the few that have the line in jack and the wires to go with it.I can record on auto and it will record only when their is a signal coming in, saves power.the quality is good and now I can drag and drop the track in seconds.4 gig is a lot of space. I have downloaded music in it and listen to it during my daily walks. really good sound quality. Battery life is really good too.
Very happy with it.
Anoop

Despite an enticing price and feature set, the ZEN V Plus falls far short of competitors such as the iPod. Both me and my brother received a ZEN for Christmas about 2 years ago, and it wasn't long before the screen on mine died, and I had to send it in for warranty repair ($25+, even though the device was in warranty!!). After some ridiculously awful dealings with tech support, I got my player back, with a new screen. Shortly afterwards, right after the warranty expired, my brother's ZEN's screen died.

I ended up getting an iPod the next august (as part of a special promo deal with my Macbook) and it really was worth the slight extra cost. I've had no problems with it (other than the shoddy included headphones) and it is really a much better product over all.

Although there are some very nice features on this player, I'd have to say that due to the experiences I have had with it, and my brother's player, I will not be purchasing any Creative mp3 players in the future.

the sound quality is very good, i like being able to just drag & drop files into the player have not found any problems with it so far

I love this player for several reasons. It has radio without having to purchase anything extra. It's small. In syncs with Windows Media Player 11. I haven't tried out the software because the player works so well with WMP. It's small and easy to use. Pictures look surprisingly great on such a small screen. I've seen some people complain about it freezing, but I haven't had any such problems. In the year that I've had it has shut off randomely and I've had to reset it with a paper clip. That is my only complaint. Worth it for all the other great qualities. The sound is great, too!

I purchased my Zen plus 4 weeks ago. I had considered sending it back due to the reviews about it freezing. But I took a chance and it has worked well for me so far. It did freeze (1 time) the second time I tried to download some music, but I was quickly able to unfreeze it by the great instructions provided by other Zen Plus owners here on Amazon Zen reviews. Instead of using a pin to insert in the Zen, I used the end of a pierced earring, by using something that had a dull end, it lessen the chance of punching a hole in something inside the Zen.
I am new to this mp3 player stuff, but the Zen made it easy to jump in with not much hassle. I carry this thing around everywhere! The Zen plus screen is easy to use as well as the Zen software. I just wish now I had ordered it in the 8 gb, I ordered the 4gb. The earbuds that came with the unit are TOO large for my ears, so now I am searching for some buds that will do the Zen justice.

Pros: small, easy to use, sounds great
Cons: earbuds too large for me, not enough accessories available

This product from Creative is very easy to use. I downloaded 795 songs in a short afternoon from my PC which I needed to do for my trip. Needed to download the newer version. Listened to many of my songs on the plane, sounds just great. The real test will begin shortly as I am going to the Arctic Circle. Loaded with many features and I like that it fits into my coin pocket on my jeans. So far so good. I can give a much better review in about a month. The price is definitely right. MG

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IBNXX2/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title

If your looking for something that has an incredibly long battery life then this is it, but there is a reason why ipods are still the number one best selling mp3 player. i bought the zen after my failed ipod mini (first generation) hoping for something to substitute it but i was wrong. The controls are hard to use and i was warned this when i read the reviews before this but i didn't think it was a big deal, it gets annoying. The screen has a horrible glare, the volume doesn't go that loud, and it is VERY hard to use. navigating through takes forever! i dont have that many artists but it would take forever to reach the lower level alphabet letters, it doesn't increase in speed, the back button would constantly get stuck. the thing i hate the most is how it isn't easy to sync with the computer. It has its own program that won't sync with itunes and to add everything you must add each song individually and find each song on your computer. To make a playlist is the worst, you can't make it automatically from the zen itself you have to go on the program and add each song individually not from its origin file. its a pain! the thing itself is like a cheap toy, it has treated me well and will last a long time but i honestly don't enjoy using it and i am going to return it and get an ipod.

iPods aren't the top dog because they are great but because products like the ZEN V Plus make iPods look great. It worked for a day then just stopped. 1st it wouldn't charge. Then wouldn't even come on. Then came on but was frozen. Tried changing usb ports, then another computer, then a wall charger. Nope. my iRiver Clix, niece's Nano and my MotoQ still work using those but not the ZEN. Tried Creative's "customer support". Filled out the email form only to get a message that my message couldn't be sent. Short story long I'll never buy another product from Creative again and this whole experience has really turned me off on the idea of buying from Amazon again.

I love my Zen 4GB. I enjoy listening to music as I do mundane tasks and this player holds all of my favorites w/room for more. The neck lanyard is so much nicer to use than the older strap-it-to-your-arm or clip-it-on-your-pants methods of carrying your player. My husband basically confiscated my player. I need to buy a second one.

I found this mp3 fits my hand perfectly; controls are a bit touchy and it is easy to skip around if you flick the control lever rather than hold it for a couple seconds (depending on whether you want to move to the next unit/song) or just move ahead a bit into the present selection. Overall, I can run and hold the unit in my hand without difficulty.

If you plan to listen to Audio-books from Netlibrary, this is the player for you.

There is a bit of a learning curve since the provided instructions are not very helpful but once you figure out this player it works beautifully.

I have had the player for about 1/2 year and have been very happy with it.

This little player has many good things going for it. I like the controls better than Ipod, and the radio function is excellent. The problem is that it freezes at seemingly random times. It is easily reset, but there seems to be a limit to the number of times this can be done. My unit froze permanently after four months of use. I would not buy another of these.

Screen disappeared in the first 3 months...sent it in for repair after numerous support calls. Got it back with no further warranty, within the 9 months it failed again. Support would not honor the repair. Not a good product, not a good company.

I did read the reviews on Creative and this player, and thought I was getting a good deal when I bought it. The player was less than 3 month old when it started to freeze up and all the resets and software downloads Creative directed me to, did not fix the problem. I want to send it back to them as it is still under warranty but I cannot read the serial number on the product so they will not accept it. I am going to buy an Apple iPod - should have done that in the first place.

I like the zen v plus because it has the features I'm looking for including radio and recorder. I like the way it looks and it is small and light and fits easily in my palm and the sounds not bad. The screen is difficult to see in direct sunlight but otherwise is bright and colorful. I don't have a problem with the toggle switch and I find the battery life more than adequate. I don't use it very often (about 1-2 times a month). My biggest problem is that it just stops working. My first one just froze and even after resetting it/replugging it into the outlet/resetting the programs, it wouldn't turn on. I was still within my warranty (60 days) so I returned it and they sent me a new one with no problem. The second one, the screen just died about 9 months later. I could hear music but couldn't see anything on the screen. I got this one because I needed one quick and I already had the programs downloaded on my computer and while so far so good it's only been 3 months. Also, the recharge time using the usb port it comes with takes all night, which is fine unless your computer goes into hibernation and then it stops charging. Purchasing the wall outlet charger may be worth it if you can't spend 6 hours charging it each time.

When I got the ZEN, it was great but some times it would freeze.
then after about a year, the screen turned orange! And now I can see anything on the screen!....When downloaded some music and then listend to it THE SONG WEREN'T ON THERE, AND OTHER SONGS OF MINE WEREN'T ON IT EITHER!!!!
I don't no if it was just mine or everyone's but if it I know not to buy this product anymore!:(

I got this mp3 a couple years back now and it has been a simple and reliable device in all that time. The interface is easy, though the scrolling could be a bit faster. The screen is bright but forget about seeing it in sunshine. It's light for its size and has a lovely finish. I'm quite fond of the microphone as well. There was some worry a couple months back when my Zen would not boot up all the way, I feared something nasty had happened to it, then found out later that the player has a recovery mode (hold play while turning on) that was able to fix the problem and it's as good as new now. The thing I love most about it is how it fits in the hand, almost like a perfectly substantial hotel soap. Very nice player.

This is my fourth media player purchase in the past year. The Zen V Plus like most other media players is fickled and not very durable. This one failed to power up after only six weeks of nominal use with proper handling and no droppage. Never load the company software that comes with the product, they are normally poor and the product should run off the media program in the computer (i.e. Windows Media Player)anyway. These products are designed for younger teens who will continue to purchase these items regardless of their performance. With the advancement of cell phones these type products are destined for extinction soon. And not too soon for me.

where to start? the player is very 'user-unfriendly' for a person with normal sized fingers, and it spends a fair amount of time being 'frozen'. when i first loaded it with approx. 1100 tracks from my cd collection, it promptly locked up and would not function AT ALL, so i couldn't even get my music backed up to my computer!
after e-mailing for customer support (!) i had to reformat, thus LOSING all my music...and don't get me started about the customer support! e-mail? really? AT LEAST a 24 hour wait for help? when at last i finally got all the bugs worked out (a period of weeks, alas, i have a real job and cannot spend hours daily dealing with electronic quirks) i listened to the player for about 3 days before it again froze up. cannot get it to work AT ALL despite a multitude of e-mails to C.S. and i have decided that i'm OVER IT and since the return for a full refund time has expired, i plan to take it out in the desert and use it for target practice.
in short BUYER BEWARE!!!