Microsoft Zune 30gb
Apple's almighty iPod has yet another competitor - Microsoft's Zune Media Player. As a direct competitor to the 30GB iPod video, it plays music, videos and shows photos. A important issue to note is that the Zune's software needs Windows XP- excluding those of you with MAC OS, Win98 or Linux.
Syncing CD burnt tracks, unprotected files and even iTunes playlists worked fine - just not those from Apple direct.
The video and sound quality is expectably good, certainly comparable to that of the iPod and it glided through my 15GB of songs smoothly - there weren't any of the annoying little pauses the iPod suffers.
Its most distinguishing feature is certainly WiFi, so users can share media with other Zune users nearby, and shared tracks are conveniently stored in a separate folder so you don't mix up. On the plus side, though, shared pictures never expire and the Zune can link with the Xbox 360 for your own tunes replacing game tracks, which seem to be repetitive and boring at times.
So should you buy the Zune? It's quite a bit bulkier, and the Marketplace is lacking in that it has no videos for that big Zune screen about 2mil tracks compared to Apple's 3.5 mil. But on the plus side, it's hardier and fits nicely in the hand, it has great sound and video quality, its media up or download and Marketplace software is user-friendly, and that larger screen is just beautiful.
Zune vs iPod - Which Media Player Will You Buy
Excecutive Sumarry about Zune vs iPod - Which Media Player Will You Buy by Shirley Schweizer
OS Support - Winner: iPod
Zune only supports Windows. iPod, on the other hand, supports both Windows and Mac.
WiFi Connectivity - Winner: Zune
The current iPod features no Wi-fi connectivity whatsoever, Zune, however, is 802.11g Wifi enabled, and features a slew of sharing and broadcasting features.
Content - Winner: N/A
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. But as we know, iPod has some preloaded music and videos.
Storage - Winner: iPod
iPod has 30GB, 60GB, 80GB, while at present Zune has only 30GB product.
Screen - Winner: Zune
iPod features a 2.5 inch diagonal screen, while the Zune has a slightly larger 3.0 inch diagonal screen.
FM Radio Capability - Winner: Zune
Zune comes with a built-in FM tuner. If you want to listen to radio on your iPod, you have to buy an accessory.
Music purchasing - Winner: Zune
With iTunes, if you want to buy music, it will cost you .99 cents per song, or you can purchase by the album. But with Zune Marketplace, You could subscribe to the marketplace for $14.99 a month with unlimited downloads for that month. You can also go for individual downloads. Purchase up to 50 songs (4000 Microsoft Points) with $50. Once you purchase Points, you can browse and purchase songs or albums through the Zune Marketplace for 79 Microsoft Points per track (roughly 99 cents). Microsoft Points, the coin for the Zune Marketplace realm, is a universal system that works across borders, including Xbox Live Marketplace and other Microsoft properties.
Check out our other review on cd player portable and shop mp3 players
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