Zen music player is a worthy rival to Apple iPod

Creative Technologies, the longtime standard-setter in PC-based music, has finally produced a portable digital player that rivals Apple's elegant iPod - for less money.

The Nomad Jukebox Zen ($300 after a $50 rebate) packs a 20-gigabyte hard disk into a 9.5-ounce, 3-by-4.4-by-1-inch package. It's slightly larger and heavier than the 20-gigabyte iPod, and a bit large for a shirt pocket. But it's still a small package, considering that it stores 400 albums' worth of music in MP3 format.

Like the iPod, the Zen Jukebox has a FireWire (IEEE 1394) connector for high-speed transfer of music from your computer. But it also has a standard USB port, so unlike the iPod, it works with the vast majority of PCs.

The Zen's control panel is based on a small, blue LCD screen, several buttons and a side-mounted wheel that scrolls through menus and playlists. It's not as slick as the iPod's jog dial system, but it does enable users to build playlists on the fly, a major advantage over the iPod.

Creative's Windows-based Play Center software manages file transfers to and from the computer (you can also use the device as a portable hard drive). Play Center is not as fast at cataloguing tracks as the version of Music Match Jukebox that Apple ships with its player. But Creative's EAX technology is unsurpassed in adjusting tone and environmental effects (such as switching the acoustic "venue" of a song from a concert hall to, say, a bathroom).

If you value size, weight and style, the iPod might still be your pick. But for features, price and playback quality, the Nomad Jukebox Zen is a winner.

Information: www.nomad world.com or 800-998-5227 .