The "dongle"
Written: Dec 21 '06 (Updated Dec 25 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: ..none, really.
Cons: It's a pointless and easy-to-lose piece that you just have to carry around.
The Bottom Line: It's a stupid move on Creative's part forcing people to keep track of this little annoying plastic piece if they're to go on charging and syncing their player.
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| audio_freak's Full Review: Creative Technology (70PF169400000) Charger, Sync ... |
There's nothing that I dislike more.
Creative's Zen Vision:M is a good mp3 player with a few major flaws - most of them forgivable. However, the "dongle" isn't one of them.
Unlike Apple's iPod, Creative doesn't make a cable that runs directly from the bottom of the Vision M to your PC's USB port. There's no cord that goes straight to a power outlet, either. And if you want to plug your Vision M right into the TV, well, yeah. You're kinda screwed on that one, too.
Everything goes through the "dongle" first.
Honestly, I don't get this thing. Plain and simple. It's a small, white, chunky plastic piece that's easy to lose and devastatingly important.
To recap, this little guy is officially called the Creative Technology 70PF169400000 Sync Adapter. It's got a little piece on top with which to plug into the dock connector on the bottom of your very own Creative Zen Vision:M mp3 player, iTrip-style. Once it's in, it still has a bit of, well, wiggling room. It almost feels like it doesn't fit right. Ugh.
And what exactly does it do? I don't know. The dongle is a ridiculous device that splits the dock connector into three jacks. A rectangular one for USB, a round one for AC, and another round one for audio/video out.
You'd wonder why they didn't just make three cables that come straight out from the dock connector. It mystifies me.
The fatal flaw is that if you lose it, you're toast. Your USB cable won't plug straight into the device, and neither will the power cable or the audio/video cable. They all have to go through the dongle first. This little plastic rectangle becomes a crucial bridge that makes everything work.
Worst of all, it costs $15 to replace. If you were to lose it by a freak accident (tornado, earthquake, cat ate it, etc), you'd either have to pony up the cash or have to watch helplessly as your Creative Zen Vision:M slowly and sadly drained to zero battery life.
I'm haunted by the thought of the Zen's dying screams.
Zen Vision:M: Owner! Owner! I'm running out of battery! Quick! Charge me up with the AC cable in your hand! There's an outlet two feet away!
You: Sorry, little guy. I lost the dongle. The AC cable doesn't connect to your, uh, dock connector thing.
Zen Vision:M: Then buy a new one off of Creative's site for $15.99, you cheap donkey!
You: Oh.. right. I used that all on beer last night.
Zen Vision:M: NOOOOOOO!!!
So sadly, you're stuck with it. The dongle comes with every Vision:M and is the only option for charging, syncing, and connecting your player. It's stupid, and despite my gripes I still have to use it.
But that doesn't mean I can't give it a one star rating on Epinions, and watch as Creative's profits slowly trickle down the drain as more and more people realize the truth about the 70PF169400000 Sync Adapter. Soon, everyone will be up in arms outside the Zen Vision:M office, signs blazing with furious slogans demanding the eradication of the dongle. I will be victorious!
Ha! What now, Creative?
Yeah..
Sniff.
by audio_freak for Epinions. Read my review on the Zen Vision:M here!
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
audio_freak
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Member: Willy C
Location: Seattle, USA
Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
I'm young, single, and I love music!
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