Zune Vs. iPod - Which player is right for you?
Microsoft and Apple are finally going to be going head to head in the MP3 player market this holiday season. The price wars have already begun with Apple throwing the first punch by dropping the price of the newly upgraded 30 Gig iPod to $249.00. Microsoft returned fire by shaving the final price of the Zune to $229.00 $249.00 (down from a previously reported $284).
Microsoft appears to be bringing out the big guns with this player, adding features like WiFi sharing that the iPod doesn’t have, pricing themselves below Apple’s dominant Mp3 player, and backing the Zune with a major media push that, so far, has included giveaways on The Ellen DeGeneres show, tech sites like Engadget and more. Plus they’re setting birds ON FIRE, so you KNOW they’re serious.
But the real question is…which device is right for YOU? Putting all hype aside for a minute, let’s look at the specs of the system, the features and services we know about, and the prices involved with each device. By comparing what we know now, you can get one of these bad boys on your wish lists early…and hope they don’t sell out.We’re going to be comparing the 30 Gig iPod to the 30 Gig Zune, since they are closest in price, storage, and battery life.
Storage - This is one category where the two players are even. Both are capable of storing 30 Gigs worth of date
Winner: n/a
Battery Life - The iPod sports a 14/4 hour battery life, while Microsoft’s Zune comes in just slightly under with 12 hours of power.
Winner: iPod
Screen - the iPod features a 2.5 inch diagonal screen, while the Zune has a slightly larger 3.0 inch diagonal screen.
Winner: Zune
OS Support - Zune only supports Windows. iPod, on the other hand, supports both Windows and Macs.
Winner: iPod
WiFi Connectivity - The current iPod features no Wifi connectivity whatsoever, Zune, however, is 802.11g Wifi enabled, and features a slew of sharing and broadcasting features…update: although they are limited through DRM and a shocking lack of WiFi to PC connectability
Winner: Zune
Brand Stability - This may not seem important at first, but the iPod is THE standard in MP3 players. It is an established brand that has little to no chance of going anywhere anytime soon, no matter how the “war” with Microsoft goes. Zune, however, is a new brand, and a new way of doing business for Microsoft. If it fails, this time next year you might not have a place to buy Zune content.
Winner: iPod
Content - This category is the one that has the opportunity to change the most. Right now the iPod, through iTunes, has thousands of songs, hundreds of TV shows, dozens of movies, and a handful of games to download for the device. As of this writing we still don’t know what all the Zune Marketplace will hold for Zune owners. It is safe to assume that the Zune Marketplace will feature TV and MOVIE content, but right now we don’t have any idea how that will go. So, for now at least, this one goes to Apple.
Winner: iPod
Navigation - The iPod clickwheel is simple to use, and an intuitive interface. The Zune circular buttons, are merely a directional pad. While video of the Zune UI looks stylish and eye catching, without a “clickwheel” styled nav control, it won’t be as smooth as the iPod.
Winner: iPod
FM Radio Capability - Zune comes with a built-in FM tuner. If you want to listen to radio on your iPod, you have to buy an accessory.
Winner: Zune
Download Choice - With iTunes, if you want to buy music, it will cost you .99 cents per song, or you can purchase by the album. With Zune, you’ll be able to choose from buying songs individually, or purchasing an “all-you-can-eat” subscription, allowing you to listen to as much music as you want. Microsoft’s decision to give users a choice, gives Zune the edge.
Winner: Zune
Size - The iPod is slimmer, mainly due to the lack of Wifi and FM Tuner built into the design.
Winner: iPod
Price - Apple just dropped the price of the 30 Gig iPod to $249. Microsoft has responded by, reportedly, marking down the Zune price from $284 to $229 $249. Twenty bucks isn’t a HUGE amount of money…but it is enough to give Zune the edge in this category.
Winner: Zune Winner: n/a
UPDATE 11/14/2006
There has been a lot of search engine traffic to this article in the last 24 hours, and I assume that it’s because the Zune has launched and users are trying to decide which system is right for them. With that in mind, I think there is one more category that we need to include when looking at the Zune Vs. iPod situation.
Payment Options - With the iTunes Music store it’s pretty simple. You have a credit card, you give them that information once, and then paying for your music is a click away. They charge you for your credit card when you buy an item and that is it. With the Zune Marketplace, however, you have to give them at least $5 dollars to buy “Microsoft Points” to pay for your music. Music is only 79 points - but that comes out to $.99 cents a song. What happens here, though, is that you end up having money left over almost constantly, that Microsoft is just keeping, while you wait to buy more content in the future. That’s like giving them an interest free loan. It’s unnecessarily complicated, and a real hassle - in my opinion.
Winner: iPod
Final totals:
iPod - 7
Zune - 5 4
Does that mean the iPod is your best buy this holiday season?
That depends. If the social aspects of Zune are appealing to you, and you’re a Windows user and you’re already using the Xbox 360 Marketplace, then Zune is probably your best choice worth looking at. If you’re not interested in the Wifi features, you will definetly want to look at the iPod, but in several important areas (screen size, download choice, price…) Zune is a clear winner. At least, that’s how it looked until the Zune actually came out, and just about everyone that’s reviewed it said it can’t hold a candle to the iPod. You can find links to CNNs review of the Zune, and others here.
Believe me when I tell you, I’m not a big Microsoft fan. I’m typing this on a Mac right now. I WANT the iPod to be better than Zune…and if the mythical “True Video iPod” ever shows up, it might blow Zune out of the water…but right now, it’s a close race - which can only be good for all of us.
Due to the completely unacceptable nature of a vast majority of the comments in about this post (most of which were directed at others commenting about the devices) I have turned off comments.
1. Since when was 12hrs battery life better than 14?
Winner: iPod
iPod - 6
Zune- 5
2. The Zune supports WMA, which the iPod doesn’t… . the Zune doesn’t support AAC, OR Podcasting… - the iPod does.
Winner - iPod 7-5
3. Games on a Zune? nope
iPod! Wins 8-5
Even if you don’t agree with 2 & 3 being worthwhile ,you can’t argue that two hours less battery life is better… so the winner is…
iPod!
(i’d argue that a larger screen with no added detail (but added darkness!) is pointless, thats just me)
oh, and can you point me to the source of this $229 Zune?
Hey Paul, thanks for pointing out my mistake on the battery life. I have corrected the article.
You can read about the final price for Zune right here:
http://www.mytechlists.com/?p=130
Now, how about a reliable source for the reduced Zune price?
What a *silly* way of rating the pros/cons.
12hrs vs 14hrs should be 1 to iPod and 0.85 to the Zune.
Rating everything equally allows the authors favorite to win…
…Available in Brown - Winner: Zune
If I need a FM radio the iPod is of no use unless I buy an add-on.
I’m not saying the Zune is better than the iPod, but comparing the Zune with the iPod without having used the Zune is worthless.
My 2c
It should actually be: iPod - 6, Zune - 5, you messed up on the battery.
12 is not greater than 14/4 hour battery.
Paul, what the hell are you smoking???
“2. …. the Zune doesn’t support AAC, OR Podcasting… - the iPod does.
Winner - iPod 7-5
3. Games on a Zune? nope
iPod! Wins 8-5″
The Zune doesn’t support Podcasting?? WTF?? You’re brain is totally screwed up if you think that! No doubt you think that podcasting is only somehting you can have if you use iTunes right?
And the Zune doesn’t have games?
Sheesh. Stop drinking the apple koolaid and open your fucking apple-crusted eyes and take a look at the real world! I know its big and scary outside your shiny white apple box, but give it a shot, who knows, you might even like it!
What about HOW you get your music and video to these devices? Hmm. iTunes vs. ???. People seem to forget about the seemless integration between the iPod and iTunes and how important it is to the portable music device experience.
“WiFi Connectivity - The current iPod features no Wifi connectivity whatsoever, Zune, however, is 802.11 ghz Wifi”
802.11g isn’t the GHz, it’s the name of the technology, as 802.11a and b also exist…
Your evaluation of the “download choice” category seems wholly wrong. While both players support unrestricted mp3 (ripped from CD, or purchased from folks eMusic), only the iPod supports tracks purchased from the iTunes Music Store, which is the 5th biggest music retailer in the world right now — and the biggest online store by an enormous margin (to say nothing of film and TV content).
Additionally, tracks purchased at the iTMS can be easily played on a home stereo, and CD burning is essentially unrestricted. Zune’s DRM is already the stuff of nightmares, on the other hand, and Zune tracks’ compatibility and portability is by no means assured. I’d say the edge there goes to Apple as well.
As long as we’re evaluating what to buy *now*, it’d be absurd not to mention the accessory market. Many, many cars now ship with iPod-compatible stereos, and aftermarket heads with iPod controls are legion. Outside of the automotive market, too, there are iPod accessories to do just about anything you want with it; there are FM tuners, DJ kits, voice recorder add-ons, and God knows what else. Zune will probably launch with some kit, but it won’t be nearly as extensive as the iPods. Edge: Apple, by a country mile.
Of course, you seem a bit confused about lots of things here. Insisting the Zune won’t support Podcasts — which are typically plain MP3 files — is another example.
Simply put, there’s no real reason to buy anything but an iPod right now in the “dozens of gigs, bigger than a deck of cards” category, assuming you don’t care about Ogg. The Zune will get better (though its DRM issues probably won’t), and more accessories will no doubt be introduced if it turns out to be a success, but right now and for at least the next 6 months the Zune is a serious underdog with a lot to prove.
Zybch
Subscriptions are a minus as far as I’m concerned. Sure you can play and play but if you forget to pay all those tunes you liked are silenced.
Just FYI, both screens are 320 x 240. iPod simply has a higher dot pitch. Seems like a tossup IMHO.
I’d just wish Microsoft would quit trying to copy apple. That’s all Microsoft does is copy other companies. However… They never do a good job of it! Heck, they even tried to copy the look of the ipod.
If the Zune compaired to the ipod works as well as MS Windows compaired to Apple OSX, I don’t think Apple has much to worry about. Users will be re-booting the Zune more then listening to it!
“Battery Life - The iPod sports a 14/4 hour battery life, while Microsoft’s Zune comes in just slightly under with 12 hours of power.
Winner: Zune”
Am I missing something here? The iPod should win for the longer battery life, and thus win with 6-5
does the zune player have a mic coz you could use the wireless to make voip calls which would shit on the ipod from my point of veiw
[…] Show Notes: AMD chief says Apple will eventually use AMD chips Zune Vs. iPod - Which player is right for you? Wii Calculator Nintendo Wii News | Take-Two (GTA) Currently “In Talks” Space Shuttle Atlantis lands safely Listen Now: […]
Some of these points are silly. For example:
Brand Stability? Come on. This is Microsoft, who took a loss on every Xbox produced for at least the first two years, simply to get itself into the gaming arena. Whatever they make, if it competes in a large enough market, they’ll float it with massive fundage until the device (whatever it is) actually starts to make a difference. A win by the iPod here looks a lot like favoritism to me.
Content? This is simply an unknown. As there is insufficient data, a win shouldn’t be able to be declared either way.
Some other things I take smaller beef with.
Like giving iPod the win because of the click-wheel interface (which is the only thing I absoluely DETEST about my nano. Try to increase the volume when running on a track in the pre-daylight hours, for example. My old RCA lyra was way better in this respect - buttons for vol up/down, I don’t have to drag my finger in an arc-like motion across a circle I can’t even feel - I have to look at the damn thing. Truthfully, it only slows me down.)
Also, OS support is questionable. With WiFi, there’s a good chance that one can transport files to the device over standard TCP/IP, pretty much negating the need for a specialized program . With iPod, you either use iTunes (a bloaty piece of junk, IMO), or you risk it with other things (I use GTKPod on Linux - works very well, and saves me the trouble of using Win or Mac and bloaty iTunes).
(Note: I don’t intend to buy a Zune, as I’m reasonably happy with the Nano I got for Christmas.)
I’m not sure why some people are seeing the Battery life as Zune winning.
When I first posted the article, I had mislabeled that by accident, but I corrected it early this morning.
What about DRM?
iPod doesn’t wrap your music in a crappy DRM layer when you copy it to the player.
Zune does.
Winner: iPod
What about Speed?
Because iPod doesn’t spend time wrapping all your content in DRM, transfers to the player MUST be much faster than to the Zune.
Winner: iPod
Could you correct the following statement as well:
Screen - the iPod features a 2.5 inch diagonal screen, while the Zune has a substantially larger 3.75 inch diagonal screen.
Winner: Zune
To:
Screen - the iPod features a 2.5 inch diagonal screen, while the Zune has a larger 3.0 inch diagonal screen. Both screens are 320 x 240 resolution.
Winner: ???
The iPod is available now, the Zune isn’t… Wich one is right for you? Right now, the iPod, when the Zune come out, we’ll see if it has the features that it has announced. One should never compare an unannounced product with one that is available.
Availability: iPod yes, Zune no.
Final Score: iPod 1, Zune 0
If I could use iTunes to sync with the Zune (and sync my Photos from iPhoto) I’d buy a Zune in a heartbeat. I buy all my music from eMusic (iTunes is a rip-off, and hello, DRM!) and use iTunes as a Libary Management and Syncing tool (it does both very well). If I’m gonna upgrade to one of these pretty color thingys, you better believe I want to carry my favorite photos with me, and you damn sure better believe I want a widescreen form-factor (cough, Apple).
So, how about it Microsoft? Hire some hacker to fool iTunes into thinking it’s an iPod. The XBox made me almost like you, let’s make the Zune the thing that gets you on my Christmas Card list.
Looks fine for me!
“Battery Life - The iPod sports a 14/4 hour battery life, while Microsoft’s Zune comes in just slightly under with 12 hours of power.
Winner: iPod”
Here is my source for the Zune specs:
http://www.zunemax.com/forum/index.php?topic=37.msg247;topicseen
Can someone show me a source for the screen res and size that’s different than this?
Hi Michael, check the source your source quotes, they also list it as 3.0 inches.
“LCD high resolution screen, the screen is 3.75 inches diagonal”
This is what I see when I check this source…am I the only one seeing this?
size winner ipod?! hello zune has atleast 3 inch wide screen lcd!!! this is BS!!
I have changed the article, regardless.
enric - Zune “won” the screen category with a slightly wider screen.
Size refers to the size, or bulk, of the device. The iPod is slimmer, thus, it wins.
[…] Zune vs iPod: Which player is right for you? [My Tech Lists] […]
[…] Zune vs iPod: Which player is right for you? [My Tech Lists] […]
Zune allows customized backgrounds.
Personally, a nice chunk of my Christmas bonus is going to go to an 80 gug ipod.
I don’t think the FM radio transmitter is a feature I care about, why listen to a radio with commercials and the same songs repeated over and over again when I can literally create a playlist on the go out of 1000’s of songs. Will the Zune allow me to make a playlist on the go? I have not seen any information on that.
The wireless seems kind of pointless now. From what I understand, it only allows you to share music to another Zune user and then only for 3 days or plays. This limitation is placed on a song regardless of the origins of the material, so my friend that is in a band can not even use this feature to give his music away.Plus, until the Zune takes off and you have a large base, there are not going to be many people to share music with. It just seems like a drain on the battery.
iTunes is also a big selling point for me. I do not even know what exactly Microsoft is going to offer. I have no desire to watch movies on either device, but I will enjoy watching some of my favorite TV shows on the bus on my way in to work. Wil Microsoft offer anywhere close to the content that iTunes does?
Probably the biggest factor in this decision is that I am getting ready to purchase a MacBook and Microsoft will not support the Mac. I am not going to buy Windows just to use Boot Camp to use my MP3 player.
The Ipod’s points for games, and compatiblity seem unfair at the moment since the zune is a new music player. I believe at some point in the future they might dvelop games and 3rd party sotftware developers are going the write transfer software for other OSes. Ipod right now is the winner because it has already taken the market and has a cult following. If you ask a person off the street what an ipod is, chances are that they would know what it is. The Ipod is a cultural icon. Zune has somethings better than an ipod, but so did many other mp3 players. Zune doesn’t have the coolness factor of an ipod. Unless microsoft do major advertising, give zunes to celebs or add some sort of killer apps using wifi. Of course you have to also consider a plan to beat of apple iphone.
Zune is a product from Microsoft, iPod is from Apple.
winner: iPod
[…] Zune vs iPod: Which player is right for you? [My Tech Lists] […]
“Like giving iPod the win because of the click-wheel interface (which is the only thing I absoluely DETEST about my nano. Try to increase the volume when running on a track in the pre-daylight hours, for example. My old RCA lyra was way better in this respect - buttons for vol up/down, I don’t have to drag my finger in an arc-like motion across a circle I can’t even feel - I have to look at the damn thing. Truthfully, it only slows me down.)”
Just curious…. do your ears stop working when you adjust your iPod volume? I usually determine the volume I want by listening, not looking at the pretty blue bar. Oh and you must have accidentally disabled your backlighting if you are having trouble seeing in the “pre-daylight” hours.
Word of advice, don’t add chewing gum to this mix. It could be dangerous!
[…] UPDATE: If you would like to see a “proof of concept” in regards to this article, last night I wrote an article entitled Zune vs. iPod Which player is right for you? . In spite of the fact that the article praises BOTH devices, and suggest reasons why you would buy BOTH of them…the article made it’s way to the front page of Digg, and the fans on both sides started slinging mud on Digg and in the comments section of the article itself. So far, I have recieved roughly 9,500 unique visitors and 10,800 page views because of this article in the last few hours…plus I’ve gotten a ping back from a few other blogs including CrunchGear. The article has been dugg 594 times and has 158 comments attached to it.
[…]
[…] Microsoft Zune is headed for stores, now people planning to buy a music player will be finding it difficult to decide between Microsoft Zune and enhanced Apple iPod. To clear these confusions MyTechlist has written an article which compares Microsoft Zune and Apple iPod on the parameters mentioned below: […]
[…] Read more.. […]
I can’t believe you gave a point to iPod because it’s old and the Zune is new.
B.S.
James -
I gave a point to iPod because it’s a well establish and successful brand. Zune is a new brand, yes it’s from Microsoft but that doesn’t make it a success…yet.
I’ve gotta agree that without actually testing a Zune this article is biased and worthless. Microsoft did a heck of a job jumping into the console gaming industry… and most of my friends iPods are dead within two years… I wouldn’t count Microsoft out just yet.
What the hell!! Nobody needs to compare any mp3 players with iPod. Whatever u folks say, iPod will be iPod. And Zune will be just another mp3 player..
Consise. Did a more detailed, 7-page comparison here.
the thinner due to lack of fm and wifi is just bs, come on, you just compared the two for the feature, so it is just an equalizer, basically the two comparisons net to zero for both, either way for either one.
And as far as giving points for being “the standard” that is a bs point too, you are comparing a new product with an existing one. Would you say ms office is better than openoffice just because it is “the standard” and the other is not?
Michael, may I ask whether any information is known on the user interface of Zune?
iPod is good at the user interface (I refer to smart playlist), which allow you to wheel quickly and play the song you want to listen easily (ignore the new search feature of iPod 5.5G for the moment.). This is why it beats a lot of MP3 players which you can only skip songs manually (pressing backward or forward until you find the song that you want to play.
Does Zune offer the same UI?
Kind regards
esiu88
“2. The Zune supports WMA, which the iPod doesn’t… . the Zune doesn’t support AAC, OR Podcasting… - the iPod does.
Winner - iPod 7-5″
The Zune will support WMA, MP3 and AAC.
Briman4031
Can you tell me how this article could possibly be biased AGAINST Zune? I recommended buying the Zune at the end of the article, I even mentioned how I felt it won in several important areas…
No one is counting Microsoft out yet.
This one has quite a few details
http://www.zunescene.com/comparison/
“OS Support - Zune only supports Windows. iPod, on the other hand, supports both Windows and Macs.
Winner: iPod”
If Macs own ~3% of the entire desktop market vs Windows ~90+%, I don’t see how the Zune loses because it only supports Windows. Like with anything else all Microsoft has to do is win the Windows market. The Apple cult members are members for life. Microsoft is not out to win them over. The majority of iPod owners are not Mac owners, as Apple would want us to believe.
“Screen - the iPod features a 2.5 inch diagonal screen, while the Zune has a slightly larger 3.0 inch diagonal screen. Winner: Zune”
But both have the same 320×240 resolution, it’s a tough call.
Tawky Tawny -
I have to agree. It is a tough call. That’s actually the point of the whole article…the whole thing is a tough call. Based on what we know now, Microsoft has a device that could be serious competition for the iPod, and that’s really good news for consumers.
Also, Captain Marvel rules.
That is all.
[…] read more | digg story […]
[…] My TECH Lists » Zune Vs. iPod – Which player is right for you? A nice comparison of the iPod vs the Zune. Good read for anyone contemplating which one to get. (tags: microsoft mac iPod) […]
that poster #1 is a total fanboy.
[…] Zune Vs. iPod - Which player is right for you? […]
[…] Putting all hype aside for a minute, lets look at the specs of the system, the features and services we know about, and the prices involved with each device. By comparing what we know now.read more | digg story […]
I agree that it is silly to do a comparison now and that some of the Zune features will be of little use to many just like some of the features of the ipod are of little use to many (contacts for example). The speculation that Ipod wins because of the integration to Itunes is equally silly, MS knows the integration is big and in my opinion (along with many others media player is better and the integration will be solid. (I use itunes to sync with my ipod, and media player for the rest)
However what I really want to say is that right now this is not just MS against Apple, it is MS, the music industry, and electronics retailers against apple. I spoke with a friend at best buy, an executive level insider. Best Buy makes very little margin on the ipod and many of it’s accessories, MS on the other hand is expected to give them better margins. OK, I am sure apple will match that. So how about the music industry, they are handcuffed in online music sales due to Itunes dominance; they are a welcoming and solid partner to MS (think about who is behind the rumors about MS buying out your itunes library).
The real winner here is likely to be the consumer. MS will do a fine job, if not with rev 1, then with rev2 etc. (they have proven this with XBOX, they were in second not too long ago… a distant second). The music industry want MS to be successful, retailers do, and trust me even apple fans do because it will force more innovation into a market where a new sexy ipod is simply a thinner version of the previous one in a different color.
[…] My TECH Lists » Zune Vs. iPod - Which player is right for you? (tags: iPod Zune) ???? — realhon5 @ 8:18 pm […]
[…] - Zunescene - Zunerama - Zunegroove - Zuneinfo - My Tech Lists - Tech2 ??: 2006?9?26? 22:28 ??: MeiQ ???:???? […]
I own neither an iPod nor a Zune (and don’t plan on it), but to state that the reason the Zune is so much bigger is because of the built in Wi-Fi is a joke. I have a Palm TX which also has built in Wi-Fi and the damn thing is thinner than both the Zune AND the iPod. And forget about the FM Tuner argument, there are mp3 players with fm tuners that are tiny in comparison to both the iPod and the Zune. When it comes to size not only does iPod win, but it wins by a HUGE margin. And it’s not because of the screen either, my Palm’s screen is 320×480 and 3.5 inches.
The Zune will only add the 3 day DRM on music that already has DRM. It will check if it has DRM and if it does it will add the 3 day DRM to the transferred files. If the file is DRM free and transfered it will not add the 3 day DRM. In other words it will not add the 3 day DRM onto all your bootleg music you might want to share with others.
Hello,
I’m hoping someone might be able to answer a question about the new Zune.
Many popular DAP’s (e.g. creative, cowan, iriver) have the ability to record from an external audio output device (e.g. CD or cassette players, DVD, LP turntable or VCR) using a “line-in” connection that records to a digital audio file.
Does anyone know if the Zune have this capability?
My pre-order purchase decision hinges on the answer.
I would very much appreciate your thoughts on this!
Thank you!
[…] A few folks put together Zune-iPod comparisons and I wanted to link to them. Check em out: ZunesceneZuneramaZunegrooveZuneinfoClicZuneIZuneZuneluv: The 7 iPod vs. Zune Comparisons You Won’t Read Anywhere ElseMy Tech Lists (note: not a Cool Zune Kid, but compares nonetheless, concluding by saying: "Right now, it’s a close race - which can only be good for all of us.)Tech2 (again, not a Cool Zune Kid, but good) […]
I think that Zune maybe better for a couple of months until Apple release a new Ipod(say good bye to Zune).Apple is always better than Microsoft.
[…] Si estáis interesados en la comparación entre iPod y Zune, en el blog Zune Insider hay una lista de sitios en los cuales se han hecho esta comparativa, lógicamente con buenos resultados para Zune (salvo en la comparativa de MyTECHlist). […]
I want to say:
- The ipod has more than 4000 accessories (cars, on the go, home, bed, toilet, you name it lol.. the Zune has none. And you cannot use the ‘made for ipod’ accessories on the zune.
- iPods CAN play wmv’s.. that’s a fact.. but why would you? aac is superior.
- Apple has h264 mpg4 and therefore has the future of the video.
- The ipod is an entire product line (video,nano,shuffle)..zune is just 1 product that isn’t even on the market yet
- The ipod line is 5 years old, the experience/patents apple has is superior to the 1month experience that MS has..
- Apple will prevail whatsoever. Ms and Zune are history cause apple holds almost ALL patents for touchscreen devices and interfaces..it will be the future and thus Zune will be toast…now or soon.
Last comment:
LL Apple!!
LL Steve Jobs!!
[…] Microsoft Zune is headed for stores, now people planning to buy a music player will be finding it difficult to decide between Microsoft Zune and enhanced Apple iPod. To clear these confusions MyTechlist has written an article which compares Microsoft Zune and Apple iPod on the parameters mentioned below: […]
Ipod 6th Generation Rumours?
Read here http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/10/so-this-is-the-video-ipod-eh/
ok zune got really good thing ipod too but your forgeting something (unless some one post it and i didnt read it) motorola, many motorolas use the iTunes interface and also the psp can handle iTunes (dont ask me how) so it inst a point for ipod but for iTunes
if zune gets this holidays apple is going to need a new 6 generation ipod with all the zune things and better if zune doesnt get it wii and ps3 will do and microsoft music journey will end
also itunes need to become a buffet like program like napster or the zune thing even the program doesnt matter you con download anything for warez or limewire
” Apple will prevail whatsoever. Ms and Zune are history cause apple holds almost ALL patents for touchscreen devices and interfaces..it will be the future and thus Zune will be toast…now or soon.”
Have you seen Tablet PCs or Nintendo DSs? I believe they have touch screens w/ interfaces, … I know, because I play plenty of “interfaces” on my DS.
Apple faithful just to be Apple Faithful… I was going to buy an apple but they don’t allow the customizing I want in a computer. If I want this power, I gotta have their monitor (iMac) but it doesn’t have video inputs. If I want something cheaper and my own monitor, I don’t get the graphics card or power…
… so yeah. I settled on a $600~ PC that runs Half Life 2 just fine on my 21″ Widescreen HD monitor (which rocks the face off an apple display) while being able to switch over to my Xbox 360 and play that in 720p or 1080i. So you better bet that I will have an MP3//Digital media device that can stream content on either one.
I can’t say Apple isn’t nice stuff, but they don’t let you do crap with it outside of their little apple world.
WOW EVERYONE IS SCARD to try somthing new!!!!!!!!!! THE ZUNE How could u judge the zune before it ever even comes out. My opinion is the zune because it will have the world goin nuts because of the WI-FI!!!!! SHAREING MUSIc so u dont have to go to dumb itunes and buy single songs. OR U COULD just buy that “all you can eat”. so what if the Zune doesnt have a built in mic. mics are so cheap. ZUNE IS THE WAY TO GO IF EVERYONE Learns to love it and buy it Hehe. im 15 im buying a zune as soon as it comes out on nov.14! ipod vs. zune It WILL BE ZUNE WHo is thee winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is the Zune really about? GotZuned.com
This has to be the dummest article ever, who would want anything by microsoft?
[…] Back in September I took a look at the Zune Vs. iPod issue with what we knew at that time on another blog. At the time, based on that (admittedly limited) information, it looked like the Zune had a shot at being a contender this holiday season… […]
You could also count the feel of the player… iPod collects fingerprints and scratches and everything else, and looks like shit if you don’t protect it every second and continue wiping it off…. the Zune is soft and fingerprint resistant and has the cool doubleshot feature which makes it way more appealing then the monotonous iPods
[…] Reposting something like this verbatim from another web site without even attributing your source is not cool. My TECH Lists ? Zune Vs. iPod - Which player is right for you? And please direct all discussion about the Zune to this thread. __________________ Visit Denki News — Macintosh and Video Game News and Commentary […]
Hi everyone.
What's a good alternative to the IPOD?
I'm wondering if any of you can recommend a good MP3 player that is comparable to the IPod but WITHOUT they hype and price tabe to go with it.
I was at the apple store a few days ago, and really liked the new 40GB or 80GB IPods that also show video, but was wondering if I could get the same kind of funcationality without that heftly price tag.
I bought an iPod last year and wish to get a zune this Christmas.
http://www.soft29.com/zune
The Zune has 13 hrs of playback with the WiFi enabled, and upto 14 hrs with it disabled.
Winner: a decent Flash MP3 player! Try one from Samsung, SanDisk, or Sony (like 40+ hrs, upto 8 GB or so I’ve seen).
Screen size, Zune clearly wins, standard resolution is 72 pixels/inch, so a 4.4″x3.3″ screen would be ‘perfect’. But unless you like watching videos on tiny screens… stick with a REAL TV.
OS Support: No one cares that you use a Mac, get over it.
Brand stability? Apple will rot some day. =)
Content depends 100% on you!
In the mean time they both win. They will coexist… til iTunes is dead… then iPods will die… and Mac users will cry.
Just view Zune features on http://www.zunevideoconverter.com , I think Zune will be better than iPod at Wi-Fi, FM radio, and preloaded content. Maybe the downloading service is better than iTunes.
WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT?????!!!!!????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE ZUNE IS MUCH BETTER THAN AN IPOD!!!!!! have you noticed that none of you are stating the fact that the 30 gb video ipod screens break after 5 months just cause they are in a backpack. even with a case they break………………. The zune is stronger and holds 100 hours of video while the ipod is only holding about 40 hours of video…………..hah
the games on an ipod suck anyways and the ipod is only better cas it has a click wheel
but thats hard to use when ur driving
plus……..WHO DA FUCK WOULD USE ITUNES IN THEIR RIGHT MIND
i use mp3 extreme for one time payment of 30 bucks and i get 2 years of unlimited music downloads and its fast
SO………..THE ZUNE IS DEFINATELY MUCH BETTER
MORE DURABLE, AND MORE VIDEO(which you can get off limewire not ITUNES) and you can rip dvds using dvd decrypter for free
one more thing, the ipod overheats and really goes crazy if you sit there and watch video for more than 6-7 hours while the Zune is much stronger and doesn;t even heat up
I bought my zune a week ago and I cannot tell you anymore than the fact that it is a better buy
oh yeah
and i got it for 239.99 so it was 10 bucks cheaper
ITS AMAZING I LOVE
something else……………if you dont like getting music from one time payment places and you like things like subscription the zune offer 14.95 per month for unlimited downloads BUT they exclude some songs as i noticed yesterday i wanted push it by rick ross but it was excluded with the zune pass………
WITH THE PURCHASE OF A ZUNE THEY GIVE YOU A FREE 14 DAY TRIAL OF ZUNEPASS NO CREDIT CARD INFO REQUIRED
if you are a goody goddy and buy from itunes then stick with ipod cas of the bigger selection
i bought some video from itunes and it is protected so i cant put it on my zune but my music is from mp3 extreme so i didnt have to start over i still had all my music
A REALLY GOOD THING IS IF YOU HAVE SEASONS OF SAY SIMPSONS OR SOUTH PARK, THEN USE DVD DECRYPTER AND PUT IT ON UR ZUNE IT WILL SHRINK AND IT ONLY TAKES UP BOUT 200MB PER EPISODE ON THE IPOD ITS LIKE 700MB PER EPISODE FOR ME
THE ZUNE IS SWEET TRY IT OUT PERIOD
Hey People! believe me apple ipod 30gb Black roxxxxxxxx.zune sucks.Plzzzzzz donn insult Apple i-Pod by comparing it with with worthless Zune.U will Surely be knowing tht apple is the most branded and best company for electronics(i mean laptop and i-Pod’s and etc)so i am sure u will thank me for tht decision
stop dis nonsense is there a reason to discuss dis?????wadever microsoft comes up wid itz not gonna b better than apple so y not jst fr8 it!!!!!!!!
hahahahaha youa ll make me laugh. so biased. ‘OH THE IPOD IS BETTER, CAUSE I SAID SO” Try owning one and having the little piece freezing all the damn time. I GAVE my ipod away to buy a Zune and it is 100000 times better. The quality in it self, battery life? come on shush over 2 hours. The Zune Marketplace is AMAZING compared to itunes.
zune:
14hrs of audio
13hrs with WiFi enabled [keep in mind iPod doesn`t have wifi]
7500 songs
25000 pictures
fm radio
podcast playback [i noticed that some of you mentioned something about podcast]
portrait and landscape video orientation
3 inch display
4.4 x 2.4 x 0.58 inches size & 5.6 ounces in weight [considering it has wifi]
iPod:
14hrs of audio
7500 songs
25000 pictures
2.5 inch display
4.4 x 2.4 x 0.55 inches size & 4.8 ounces
i`d be perfectly happy with either, but i am tired of everyone on the planet owning an ipod so the zune is quite refreshing. i also like how the display may be portrait OR landscape and how the background image may be customized to whatever image you desire. it truly personalizes your mp3 player and thats always a plus to me. and giving the “win” to the ipod based on size isn`t quite fair. if the ipod was wifi enabled and had a 3 inch display screen than i am sure that it would be bigger in size as well.
I’ll tell you this, I love my ipod 60gb, but… those things are a pain to backup, if Zune wants any extra points..BONUS even, they should have something setup to where that would be much easier.
——————-BUT!!!!……..
With the option to use BOTH a Macintosh AND a Windows PC…. you have a much wider spectrum of available software for use with your iPods. And being that the iPod is the market winner, Zune will fail, miserably, due to popularity. How many software developers will make programs that work with the Zune that aren’t heaviliy copyright infringing.. or just plain weak. The best thing Zune will get is a virus.
And, there are many other players out on the market that are better, in a lot of different areas….but, I rather purchase something cool that works with my MP3 player, than have to make it myself, or wait on a prayer.
~To the victor go the spoils, happy shopping!
My TECH Lists » Zune Vs. iPod - Which player is right for you?
Update 11/16/06: This article was written in September…well before the Zune was released. It was a look at what Microsoft …
Ok you all just need to calm down…Its just an mp3 player…nothing more…I have a zune, and had an iPod. Personally my ipod was not reliable, froze up, and the click wheel was way too sensitive. My zune is perfect. You all just need to grow up and argue about things that are important. OH NO, THERE’S AN MP3 PLAYER THAT MIGHT JUST BE BETTER THAN MINE!!!!!!!!! WHO FREAKING CARES!!!!!! IT PLAYS MUSIC AND ONE DOES IT BETTER. GET OVER IT!!!!!!
Well i waited for atleast 3 years now just thinking that there would be a player to compete with Apple Ipod. I thought the wait was over when Zune came in. But the specs really didnt gimme a good feel. Dont mistake me as i am not a fan of both apple and microsoft.
But zune somehow put me off
1) Especially with the looks.
2) Personally(pls dont blame me for that) right now i dont need a Wifi that goes bad with songs after 3 days even if original.
3) The size matters! but now everyone looks out for sleek factor which i feel zune doesnt have
4) No heavy storage for users like me..(I was expecting 60GB+ which we get in Ipod Video 80GB)
5) I was really thinking twice about viruses (I am not a techie so pls correct me)…I am frightened by the thought of a virus attack and deletion of the entire stuff on Zune with the zune going dead…
Where Zune really turned me on
1) Bigger appearance of the screen.
2) The toggling orientation ability for screen from landscape to portrait.
3) The rubberized wheel with no fingerprints to linger around…
4) The integration with Media Player…
Now after all this and being a user who just plays and hears music for the soul anything is good. Thinking this i went to the store. Had a good look at Ipod and Zune. couldnt decide what to buy. Came home. Again went to a different store and again the same story.
Finally after a 10 day effort and a 3 years wait had to settle down with the IPod.
Why?
1) Big Memory
2) Suddenly i realized that the looks also did matter (Personally i feel Ipod looks a cute sexy kid infront of the zune)
3) I really didnt want to worry about the future as i wanted it now (after this long a wait!!)..
4) Accessories are everywhere…
5) No virus attacks itself is a relief…(I dont mean to hurt any loyalists but i have suffered a lot with the PC and really dont want the ripple affect to be felt to something which is close to my heart and soul i.e Music)
So friends i just want to wish both MS and Apple a good luck for the future and again i might be writing into this blog again after a 3 years wait in future to know what is the best at that time…
The winner will always be consumers like me and all of you if these guys compete to the max..
Enjoy Music as Henry David Thoreau puts it “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”
Never know if we take the IPod or the Zune to the Grave so that we can hear our favourites in the afterworld……
I don’t know if you guys have noticed but the Zune’s battery life is 14 hours not 12. And with WiFi on it drops to 13 hours.
Can you use music not from the Zune Store and put it on the Zune?
Now I have debated with myself
Ipod or The New Zune wich i am interested in. The one thing i favor the most about the Zune is the WiFi connection. The Ipod is the idol MP3 player right now and is very reliable in some cases but there are things it does not offer. The Zune does just for a size or two bigger. I like how they dropped the 30gb ipod price. If the Zune would have been a reasonably fifty dollars cheaper it would be my choice i still can’t decide though
[…] Original post by the iPod killer - Google Results and software by Elliott Back […]
[…] MyTechLists - Microsoft and Apple are finally going to be going head to head in the MP3 player market this holiday season. The price wars have already begun with Apple throwing the first punch by dropping the price of the newly upgraded 30 Gig iPod to $249.00. Microsoft returned fire by shaving the final price of the Zune to $249.00 (down from a previously reported $284). […]
ya you are comparing 30 gig to 30 gig when zune has an 80 gig
right now i am holding a 30 gig zune in my hand and yes it does have games and the battery life (no matter what the manufacturer says) lasts way longer than 12 hours.
also, the “barely diff.” 3in. screen has twice as compact pixels and the refresh rate is higher than almost any t.v.
as for zunes only being capable for windows here is a site with a zune hooked up to a mac http://www.zunescene.com/
another mistake is in your content section where you say the zune is less capable to change when online, you can download updates for your zune.
dont forget that zune has the wireless shared files system too
as for navigation, that website also has an article about an experiment where most people who picked up a zune on display could instantly navigate through the folders with no confusing
your size article is almost a joke to me with a Zune weighing in as 111.8 x 61 x 14.7mm
and the ipod 104 x 61 x 10.9mm (also remember the bigger screen in the zune)
the only truth is the the ipod wins in payment options but lets be honest the difference isnt extreme and i found it no problem paying for my zune
please dont post downsides to a product unknown to you.
o yeah, and for zunes, you can have av jacks to hook it up to pc monitors and tvs and use a remote to navigate
not to mention that you can plug your zune into your xbox and upload files to your xbox or vice versa while using the xbox controller
this makes your xbox work as a i home center for ipods only on steroids
can a zune play movies ??????
u guys have a lot of free time
[…] Der Wettkampf um die Gunst des Kunden ist zwischen Microsoft und Apple ganz besonders spannend. Allj?hrlich kommen aus beiden Unternehmen neue Produkte auf den Markt, die zwar revolution?r angek?ndigt werden, jedoch eigentlich nur die Antwort auf die Konkurrenz sind. Zuletzt gesehen beim Zune und iPod. […]
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