Zune vs. iPod This debate will be comparing the differences between the 4gb Zune and the 4gb iPod nano. Each sell for about the same price, but have a variety of different feautures. Remember, this thread does not cover the "big Zunes" or iTouches/ iPhones. I have a 4 gigabyte Zune. I got it because of its ability to listen to the radio. The "Zune Pad" was also a factor. I stand by my decision, mostly because of the recent software update (Zune 3.0), which includes features such as new games, market place connectivity, time display (finally), and a screenlock. It also gives you the ability to "add to song cart", which is basically taging songs that you here on the radio, and adding them to a list which you can access from your computer. Apart from all that, is the social feature. This feature allows you to send songs, videos, and podcasts to a nearby Zune. The downside to this is that the content that you send can only be played a maximum of 3 times, before deleting itself. Also, One thing that I cannot stand about the Zune is the computer program. I have an eMachine, so naturally, it runs quite slow. This may not be the case for everyone, but it runs very, very slow. It can take 5-10 minutes to start up, and stays slow the entire time that I have it open. Another is the fact that there are almost no good accessories for the 4 gigabyte Zune. ___________________________________ iPods, on the other hand, are a much different story. The software that they run is relatively light compared to Zune. I don't like the layout as much, but at least it runs faster. The 4 gb iPod nano, the model I will comparing to my Zune, is slightly thinner and wider than the Zune. Its screen is a tad bit bigger, and it is .04 oz heavier. Zunes have the capability to wirelessly connect to a computer and sync data, a feature that iPods lack. Songs sold on the Zune are 20 cents cheaper than those sold on iTunes. ____________________________________ So what do you think about this? Which device do you prefer? Please stay on topic. Only Zune's and iPod nano's. Don't forget to vote in the poll.
The 4gb Zune has a bigger screen than the 4gb Ipod i'm pretty sure. Also, you turn it on it's side for wide screen. The software for ipod is terrible compared to zune because it doesn't categorize my music in the way I want it to, won't play certain music I download, and never updates what I want it to update. I don't know what your talking about Zune being slow. It must just be your computer. I have a 8gb Zune (looks the same as 4gb) and an Ipod touch. The ipod touch itself is the best you can buy, but only because Zune hasn't come out with it's touch version. When it does, oh boy apple's gonna be in for a hurting. Also, there are free programs you can download to keep the music people send you. That's what everyone I know (including me) uses. Zune has a lot of things going for it, but it's kind of like the xbox. It starts out against a company that has been making this kind of stuff for years (like sony's ps2). Eventually it's going to soar. Microsoft points are awesome too because I can use it for other stuff than my Zune. The radio is nice when I'm looking for new music. Ipod has all the accessories right now, but I think that will change. Can't find a zune case anywhere popular really.
Well, i have owned a ipod, and now own a zune, and i would definatly keep the zune. The zune has more features, like custom background, which i like. It has the social feature, i havn't used because cough-coughzunes are unpopularcough-cough i mean zunes are fairly new. The software plays on my xbox somehow which is great, but you can do that without a zune. And the zune software has a feature called motitoring files, it basicly adds files to your collection whenever you add stuff to a file, automaticly, this includes music pictures, video ect. Btw, my zune sofware is normal speed, i don't know about you. The one thing that i am worried about is the new 4 generation nano which you can shake and stuff, it has some wierd playlist technology, does someone know more on that? Basicly, zune has more features for the same price.
Okay so its not just me, wait it is? Shoot. Can you give me a link to that. That could be really useful. Oh, that reminds me, I should add that to the first post. It really does annoy me. I have a HMDX Speaker-On-The-Go speaker, which is a handy little carrying case that plugs into the microphone jack and then the sounds go to the speakers. It's the only accesory I could find for the 4 gig Zune.
Well I'm currently looking into getting an Archos. It looks pretty nice and appears to be better than the iPod touch, however the reason I'm most interested is because it can be used as a Capture Card too. So it's a full media player with internet capabilities and such but also it can be used as a capture card. All in all i think its better than iPod and Zune. If anyone has information to prove otherwise, I'd like to know that before I spend $200 so please tell me. Here's the home page for Archos
This has been a bit of an issue for me in the past. There are so many pros and cons to each of them. Zunes, first off, are far cheaper. An iPod nano that plays video is about $250 while an 8 gig Zune is only about $170. The 80 gig Zunes and iPods do cost the exact same amount, but along with a Zune you get the $40 headphones. A friend of mine also calculated that the songs off of the Zune marketplace are about .005 cents cheaper, which is not a huge difference, but a difference nonetheless. An Ipod, however, is of better quality. I used to own an 8 gig Zune. I went through three different ones before the warranty even expired. I accidentally shocked one, which killed the software, I dropped another and the screen cracked, and the third I recieved just quit working right away. I have both shocked and dropped Ipods several times and they still work fine. Ipods have also been on the market for far longer than Zunes and therefore are more user friendly. Overall, these differences kind of ballance out to me. I ended up with an Ipod simply because I already have songs bought from Itunes, which saves money. If I were just now getting an MP3 player though, I would have to rely on a coin toss.
So basically, the Zune's only flaw is that it hasn't been on the market long enough to develop. I don't know if they are easier to break but if they are that's probably why. I have dropped mine several times, and so far it only has a nick out of the corner the size of a freckle. Even then, if you take care of your stuff, you don't even have to take that into consideration. I totally agree that Ipods are more user friendly but the only thing that they've got right now is accessories, which is going to change quickly. Zune has Microsoft points which I can transfer to a lot of other Microsoft products. Also, they don't put restrictions on the music I use, unlike ipods that sometimes will not accept certain formats. I also kind of just like the look of the Zune, and the fact that basically everything in my house that i LIKE is Microsoft, it seemed like the obvious choice. Not only that, but Microsoft is going to start kicking apple's ass here in the future. I remember when xbox came out and i thought "oh, i bet this whole online playing thing is gonna suck and never take off, so i'll get a ps2. Sony's been making games for years". Boy was I wrong.
my biggest problem with ipods other then that they are made by apple is that songs from the istore or whatever it is called can only be copied 3 times while zune plays all formats it song are cheaper and unlimited copies.