Creative's Zen Media Center plays music, movies, and more on the go.

LAS VEGAS -- If toting your entire music collection around on a hard-drive player such as the iPod turns you on, why stop there? Companies such as Samsung, ViewSonic, and Creative are pushing pictures, with all three aiming to release new portable audio/video players later this year.

Portable players such as the Archos Video AV140 paved the way for portable audio and video at last year's CES. At this year's show, Creative flaunted its upcoming Zen Portable Media Center. Introduced by Bill Gates at his CES keynote last Wednesday, the player, about the size of a small candy box, runs Microsoft's Windows Mobile Software for Portable Media Centers.

With a possible 20GB, 30GB, or 40GB of storage, the Zen Portable Media Center will synch with your PC's Windows Media Player content and plays hours upon hours of video, music, and digital pictures on an eye-pleasing color display.

From what TechTV judges gathered on the show floor, video looked crisp and the Portable Media Center interface pleased with its simplicity. Look for a full review from TechTV soon. The Zen Portable Media Center will sell for between roughly $500 and $600.

Product: Zen Media Center
Company: Creative
Price: $500 to $600
Available: Second half of 2004