Zune or iPod – A Comparison

Subscribe in a Reader

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

by Robert Mecenas

If you were to buy a portable music player, what would you look up? iPod or Zune? Chances are you would automatically think of the iPod. There's a reason for that – iPods have been getting unbelievable marketing over the last few years and Apple has done a good job of getting people to think iPods are the only portable music player out there. This is not the case. Microsoft's Zune is a recent addition to the portable player market and is worth taking a look. So, let's compare:

Navigation – iPod's click-wheel is a "love it or hate it" sort of thing. Some love it, some hate it. The newer models feature a split-screen interface, which is nice. Zune offers a touch sensitive pad, making it feel like a laptop pad, to some degree. iPod's click-wheel navigation isn't as intuitive as the Zune's touch pad.

Visual Appeal – Apple knows visual design. Their line of computers and computer accessories is real eye-candy. It's no exception when it comes to the iPod – its sleek, smooth and modern looking player. Microsoft Zune team needs to work on their visual design.

Compatibility – Microsoft is known for having 'issues'. The Zune is no exception. No Mac support and incompatibility with Microsoft's own protected WMA format. The iPod is cross-platform and iTunes score big for the Apple team.

Quality – The Zune offers great sound quality, an FM tuner, Wi-Fi and wireless synchronization. The iPod also has great sound quality and a solid battery.

Price – Apple is known for its pricey products. Compare any laptop to a similar Apple laptop and you'll see Apple simply charges more. It's no exception when it comes to the iPod. For what you get with the Zune, the price of the iPod is too much. If the iPod offered FM and Wi-Fi support, it'd be a different call.

It's great to see the Zune on the market. Competition is good for consumers, so we can expect to see more from both design teams and it should be fun to watch what they dream up.

Robert's Zune Music Download blog offers advice on some of the best sites to use when you need to download music for a Zune player.

Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html.