Creative has just introduced the Zen Touch, a 20 GB 1.8-inch hard drive-based portable audio player with an astonishing 24-hour battery life. Apple is getting a run for their money this time, Creative has managed to triple the iPod battery life and add a motion Touch Pad interface to the Zen Touch player. With a slight touch on the pad with your thumb, you can access your music selection and select a track by pressing the comfortably located “OK” button.

If anything bothers me about the current hard drive mp3 devices, it’s their battery life. Not even half way into a long road trip I find my current players dieing on me.

“The Zen Touch is so simple and fun to use because the Touch Pad makes it easy to find your favorite songs, or you can just hit the random button for a mix of music to match any mood,” said Lisa O’Malley, senior brand manager for portable audio at Creative. “Plus you can take the Zen Touch on long trips and leave the power cable at home without worrying about the rechargeable battery running out.”

The Zen Touch comes in a metallic graphite body with a white gloss finish. The blue display is surprisingly large and bright for the 24-hour battery life.

The new Creative Zen Touch 20GB, available today for preorder online at Amazon.com and http://www.creative.com for $269.99, is set to ship this month.

Features

Touch Sensitive pad for fast scrolling
Up to 24 hours continuous playback
Up to 97dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio – as good as expensive hi-fi systems
Create and customize playlists on-the-go
Unique Search Function locates any song, album or artist
USB 2.0 — transfer music at blazing fast speed
4-band custom equalizer and advanced EQ presets
AudioSync lets you seamlessly update your Creative Zen Touch with your latest music on your PC at the touch of a button.
3D Headphone Spatialization Effects expands your soundstage for a richer listening experience
20 GB — 10,000 WMA / 5,000 MP3 Songs