Review: ZVM docking station
The Creative docking station is one of my favorite ZVM accessories.
Even though it duplicates the functions of the subpack/sync adapter supplied with the ZVM, the docking station enhances the enjoyment of using the player. It’s not as travel-friendly as the sync adapter, but it’s much less cumbersome to use and much harder to misplace!
The ZVM fits easily and absolutely perfectly into the dock. Unlike, say, the dock that came with my Palm Tungsten C, I never feel like I’m going to break this dock’s connector when removing the player from it. The fit is very secure (one of the complaints about the sync adapter is that its connection is quite loose, allowing it to wiggle around a bit and sometimes even becoming disconnected if not handled carefully – not good if you’re in the middle of transferring a large file).
The dock is made of shiny white plastic, with two rubber strips at the bottom to prevent it from sliding around on a flat surface. When docked, the ZVM can charge, sync with a computer, and connect to a TV or stereo system. All these functions can of course be performed using the sync adapter, but the dock has the advantage of setting the ZVM at a perfect angle for viewing its 2.5-inch screen.
Like the sync adapter, however, the dock’s connector will only fit into a ZVM without a leather case or silicone skin. A solution to this annoying problem is to remove the white faceplate. The dock becomes rather unattractive as a result, but it does allow a silicone-encased ZVM to fit into it. (I still haven’t found a leather case that fits.)
The package contents are listed as including just the docking station and Quick Start Guide, but mine also came with the USB 2.0 cable that comes with the ZVM.
The only explanations I can come up with for this "bonus" accessory are that other owners inadvertently threw away their cables (since it’s "hiding" in what could conceivably be mistaken as part of the packaging) and that my dock is an international version (I got it from someone in Singapore, which is where Creative’s headquarters are located, and half of the package’s back is printed in Japanese).
The docking station comes in white only and retails for about $40.
