Dixons muppets (MP3 players)

netman

Just had to share this with you... I still can't believe it.

Went looking for an MP3 player this weekend, got some vouchers from my employer for Dixons/Currys/PC World and thought I'd get myself a Creative Labs Zen NX. I checked with them just around Christmas and they said they'll have the Zen NX in a week or two.

Well, PC World in Blanchardstown didn't have the Zen NX but they knew what I was talking about, and told me to check with Currys or Dixons, as they might have them in the store. So I figured it's just a stroll down, went to Currys, they didn't have them there either, but knew of the model etc.

Finally went to Dixons, saw a much bigger selection of MP3 players and my hopes went up. Asked the guy at that section if they had the Zen NX, and off he goes to check. Comes back and says no, that they don't have them but he can check "upstairs" when they're getting the next shipment. Off he goes to talk to his manager (I suppose) and comes back saying that it's an old product, they won't be getting it in stock anymore, and would I like to see a similar product?

At first I was dumbfounded, this is only out for about a month or two, I know Ireland is always behind the world in getting these, but I didn't know we were so quick in phasing out products!

The thing that followed was what I found the most amazing out of the whole experience. The guy asks me what was the capacity of the player I was looking for, and I say 30 gigabytes. He says oh, ok, well, the biggest one we have here is 15 megahertz!! And he's showing me a 256 meg model ?!?

I just didn't know what to tell him. He doesn't have a clue about the products he's trying to sell, and his manager apparently knows even less.

I continued my search today and rang Dixons in Jervis, got through to someone in sales who checked for me if they have Zen NX in stock. Got back with the same answer, it's an old product, we won't be getting it anymore, and we only have one last item in stock which is the display one! My god, I'm starting to think that Creative really are phasing it out! Then I asked the guy if they'd sell me the display model, since they're getting rid of them, off he goes to check with someone, and comes back to say that it's actually faulty and they'll have to send it back to the manufacturer, and that it will probably get replaced with the new model. (What new model?! There is no newer model!)

Checked with Creative just now, and of course Zen NX and Zen NX Xtra are the latest models, and no word of phasing them out.

I just can't believe Dixons are so bad. I know you can hit an odd guy who just got there and knows nothing, but not that everyone you talk to is clueless, and that the people they check with are also clueless.

And before someone else says "I got friends working in Dixons and they're great", this is my personal opinion, based on my personal experience with Dixons, and I can tell you up to now it's been everything but great! :mad:

Drazhar

if i were you i wouldnt bother with the Creative (Zen) or Mac (Ipods) MP3 players. They are all way too overpriced. Especially in this country. I was looking at a great one on Amazon, but its out of stock, its called a Xyclef. Cant find it anywhere else. Made in Korea

If your getting one, get it from england. Hell it would probably be cheaper to get a Ryanair to London, buy the thing there and fly back

Xithus

I think the NX is being replaced by the XTRA model altogether, the xtra is not much more expensive, 10gigs more and looks a bit better.

If your getting a zen get the xtra model, its worth the the few xtra bucks.

netman

The Zen is getting replaced with Zen NX, that's the one I was looking for (10 gigs more and looks better). Zen NX Xtra is 60 gig, thus 40 gigs more, and quite a bit more expensive.

I would have gotten mine from amazon or computeruniverse, except I got the vouchers from work, so it's only gonna cost me about 80 euro. (as opposed to 300 if I order it from amazon). That's the only reason why I wanna get it in Dixons/Currys/PC World. Otherwise I wouldn't go near that place.

Xithus

The Zen was replaced by the nx ages ago, theres a 40gb & a 60gb XTRA model.

http://www.peats.ie/cgi-bin/shop/db.cgi?view=1&id=7456&type=6&path=xx

sceptre

Damn 15 megahertz empeethree players... I wouldn't accept anything with less than, er, quality and capacity of at least 25 megahertz.

Damn you and your bytes and nibbles.

netman

There's something fishy about Peats...

Here's the manufacturer's website: http://ie.europe.creative.com/estore/category.asp?cate=10

NX is 30GB
Xtra is 60GB

Or a link directly into the Xtra description: http://ie.europe.creative.com/estore/product.asp?prod=541

Erm..

The price is all wrong, I mean Peats is like 30% more expensive than anywhere else, and here they have the Zen Xtra listed for less than the manufacturer's website.

I know there's different models in the states, with a different capacity.
Maybe they're selling the cheaper, smaller US models (20/40 gig) instead of the european models (30/60 gig).. Really don't know. The picture looks the same though.

netman

Just checked the US website, and sure enough, they have the Zen Xtra in 30 40 and 60 gigs capacity. Guess that's what Peats are selling.

unkel

Originally posted by netman
The guy asks me what was the capacity of the player I was looking for, and I say 30 gigabytes. He says oh, ok, well, the biggest one we have here is 15 megahertz!! And he's showing me a 256 meg model ?!?

LOL

If I were you I'd go for a player with a speed of at least 12V and a storage capacity of no more than 30Ghz. Also check that the internal clock speed of the processor is at least 1MB

Oh, and don't pay more than about 100 kilograms

Peanut

I got the 30gig NX a while ago there for 350, one big problem is the front battery
cover case is really badly designed and comes off way too easily, at least on the one I got. You have to superglue it on or something.

Checked on the web and this is a common problem, so perhaps it affects all the NXs hence the retailers not stocking them.

Apart from that it's a nice player, one of the best things is the 'play any track' option, just plays a random track from all the songs you have on it without having to make playlists etc.

Stephen

netman

Wow! Peanut, I didn't know that.

A guy in work has one and he always keeps it in the leather case. Maybe that's cause it's always falling apart

Doh. I'd really hate shelling out another 120 euro for a smaller capacity iPod.

netman

Oh yeah, forgot to ask, where did you buy yours Peanut?

I've tried city centre and Blanchardstown.

Mailman

Zen NX has been replaced by Zen Xtra in 30, 40 and 60GB variants.
Zen Xtra has larger screen, otherwise practically identical. Front plate design on Zen Xtra is identical to Zen NX just a larger hole for the LCD to poke through.
Simple as that - nothing sinister.

Peanut

Got it in Beyond 2000 at the time, dunno if they still have them... I'm sure you should be able to get the Xtra version easily though.