iPod or Zune

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Which player is better?

apple or microsoft...i've never played with a zune so i don't know. they're both portable light weight mp3 players. i go for both.

The ipod will work on any computer. Zune only works in windows.

Zune, but only if you use a Windows machine (like the majority of us). It is possible to use a Zune with a Mac, but admittedly, you might as well just go with an iPod if you're on a Mac. I've had one iPod, and two Zunes (an 80gb and now an 8gb).

Things I prefer:

The layout of the menus and navigation system (the squircle touch pad works quite nicely).
The monthly service and software. Unlimited downloads, get to keep 10 songs a month for $15.99/month. With the digital FM tuner, I can tag songs I like, and it'll automatically download them the next time I sync with my computer, or I can do this on any open wireless network without syncing. They've also recently updated the software with a feature similar to Pandora. While your music is playing, there's a montage of images of the band in the background, and in the foreground they give you suggestions for similar artists (though this fails miserably with soundtracks), and links you to the profiles of the bands' top listeners and their playlists.
Tempered glass screen. When my 80gb Zune died (an isolated incident), I actually tried to break the glass. Slamming it against the corner of my desk didn't so much a scratch it. Let's see an iPod screen survive that (those things get scratched to all hell just with general usage, even with a case).

The only thing that the new Nano has on the Zune is a poorly placed camera that can only take videos. Seriously, what the hell were they thinking when they put the lens under where your hand naturally goes? Besides, how likely is it a person that owns a portable mp3 player doesn't also have a camera phone that can take better quality pictures and videos?

Obviously it is unfair to compare the Zune to the Nano as it directly competes with the Apple iPod Touch. The iPod Touch, as far as I'm concerned is superior to the Zune because
i) it comes in 64gb varieties. I could not fit all my music on the Zune because it only has up to 32gb
ii) it features the App Store, which has a number of useful applications, two of which I regularly use at work
iii) more features, including the best organiser I've seen on a portable device, including dedicated organisers
iv) superior internet browsing

Oh good god, definitely the iPod! As always, MS has a cheap/crappy rip-off of whatever Apple did 10 years ago.

ipod!! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !!

You forgot an option for Neither.

I prefer a standard MP3 player because it doesn't have all that anti-piracy rubbish on it.

I can play my MP3 files anywhere.


Sure, the Zune is a Windows device... but the iPod doesn't work on linux does it?

MP3 works on everything.

I chose iPod, because it looks like a better choice.

Sure it does. My sister has no trouble at all with hers.

You just need to use songbird instead of the apple app.

WHA'?!?!?! you have a sis???? why was I never told???!?!?!

If you have to ask, there is no pointing telling you why!

I would go with iPod simply because I have both an iPod Touch and an iPhone 3G
that sync through my netbook running iTunes under XP.

Some asked about iPod running under Linux, no it is not the iPod or iPhone that run under
XP, Mac OS, or Linux but iTunes or its equivalents.

I have a list of iTunes equivalents for Linux:

Banshee ( http://banshee-project.org/Main_Page )
aTunes ( http://www.atunes.org/ )
Quod Libet ( http://www.sacredchao.net/quodlibet )
SongBird ( http://www.songbirdnest.com )
Exaile ( http://www.exaile.org/ )
Amarok ( http://amarok.kde.org/ )
Listen ( http://listengnome.free.fr/ )
Rhythmbox ( http://www.gnome.org/projects/rhythmbox/ )
gtkpod ( http://www.gtkpod.org/ )

Wow, I'm impressed. (by The number of things in linux which can handle itunes).

Do people have problems with digital rights and iTunes?

I bought some songs in WMA format and they they didn't survive the Windows Media Player 10 - 11 upgrade.

Since all my MP3s survived, I ditched WMA as a format.

Yup. Its actually Zune that is unsupported.

Imagine a car that only ran on one specific brand of gasoline.

Would you buy a car like that?

Things like the ipod and Zune are ambassadors for the operating systems. If they are friendly to everyone, then everyone will be friendly to your operating system. And more likely to buy.

Before I get attacked, realize that I consider the iPod and Zune to be equal, and inferior to some other mp3 players. Hell, if I could afford it, I'd own an iPhone right now (maybe if they do get released to other carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon). The main reason I bought a Zune instead of an iPod was because I liked the software better for the reasons I mentioned before and the social aspects. The ability to send songs between the Zunes and connect with people with similar tastes through the software is great, especially since you can both see their playlists and send/recieve the playlists between friends, then automatically download all of the songs you like for a set monthly fee (yes, I actually do have friends with whom I do this). I really just want people to actually look at what features are in each and deciding from that rather than going off of what are, honestly, baseless attacks spawned from personal preferences and the assumption that Microsoft can only possibly make crap.

I was comparing the iPod Nano to it's direct Zune competitor, the 4/8/16 Zune series. How is that unfair? And the new Zune HD does have an Apps store. It doesn't have much now considering it was only just released. So yes, I'd say if you're going for a touch-screen basis, go with an iPod Touch, but give the Zune HD a year and it'll have an ample supply of programs (especially since they've released an open software designing program for users to make their own games and apps to share for free). I can't really comment on the web browsing, because I've only used the one on the iPod Touch and iPhone, but I have a feeling almost no one here has used the HD's web browser, either.



Really now? You do realize that less expensive doesn't equate to cheap/crappy? The Zunes sure as hell aren't made from cheap materials. The cases on an iPod get scratched to all hell just from a few days of general usage, and, as my sister can attest, the screens are relatively easy to break. On the other hand, the only marks my Zunes have after years of use were a couple of small scratches obtained by me accidently dropping them about 5 feet directly onto concrete multiple times (probably what killed my 80gb). And if it's a rip off, why is it the iPod Nano only just now gained features that the Zunes and other mp3 players have had for years (FM Tuner, voice recorder, etc.)? To call the Zune a ripoff of it is to pretty much call every mp3 player a ripoff, even though the iPod isn't even the first mp3 player. The only things that the iPod Classic and Nano really have on the Zunes are compatibility with Linux and popularity. Also:

iPod Nano, September 5th, 2007


Zune 4/8/16 October 2nd, 2007


iPod Nano, September 9th, 2008.


Who's copying whom?