IPod, Creative Zen or Zune?

Question

I'm looking for an mp3 player, and am hoping for opinions on the brand to get. I mostly want it for music, and am wondering on: accessories, price, docking, and just general horror stories that might persuade me not to be buy one or the other.
Plus, I think I'm leaning on Microsoft Zune.

Answer 1

Creative Zen gets my pick. It's cheap and it holds a lot of memory. You can get a 30-60gb Creative Zen Vision for $150-300. Easy to add songs with the drag-and-drop instead of Apple's Itunes. I can't give you much information than what's on the web about the Zune, but the Zen gets my vote for the best bang for your buck.

Answer 2

They are all good machines.

I own the Zune and I love it. I would note that the Zune Marketplace (online store) lacks compared to itunes, but I typically buy the CD and download it to my machine. Some people love the unlimited downloads plan you can get from Zune. I love the FM radio feature. I wanted to be able to listed to ESPN radio while I worked out or while I was at work.

The Zune is actually a little less expensive than a 30G ipod right now, but I expect it to go back up to normal price. Accessories are kind of expensive for the Zune because they are still licensing companies. You can get some reasonably priced knockoffs on ebay.

The only problem I have with my zune is it sometimes shuts off due to a problem with static electricity, but it's not really a big deal.

Overall I am pleased with the Zune. It's a rough choice. ipod and creative zen are both great machines as well.

Answer 3

I have never used a Zune before but I have had a Zen and now own an iPod. My Zen worked for about the first 2 1/2 months but then went to crap. I would suggest purchasing the iPod Video for the extra memory, even if you don't put any vidoes on it. The Zen only cost about $170 compared to the iPod at $250 but the iPod had more memory and people that I talked to never had problems with their iPods.

Answer 4

I have had a Creative Zen Vision:M. Now I have a Zune. I've never owned an iPod, but I know plenty of people that do (Don't we all?). SO, in my opinion...

Creative Pros:
1. fancy features
2. easy to manage songs on the player itself
3. you can use Napster

Creative Cons:
1. The stupid (VERY sensitive) scroll pad
2. Mine wigged out a lot. (Froze for no reason.)
3. Bulky
4. pretty much NO accessories
5. Fingerprint magnet

Zune Pros:
1. The big beautiful screen
2. The software is nice.
3. Zune to Zune sharing
4. No touch scrolling! (simply click)
5. Market place has unlimited downloads for $15/month.
6. Scratch and fingerprint resistant

Zune Cons:
1. can't use Napster
2. have to manage all songs from software
3. no bells and whistles (VERY simple)
4. bulky

iPod Pros: (what I know)
1. compact
2. fancy features
3. LOTS of accessories

iPod Cons: (why I didn't get one)
1. You have to pay $0.99/ per track from iTunes
2. Touch sensitive wheel used to scroll (too many problems w/ Creative)
3. fingerprint magnet

All the 30GBs cost the same! (about $250)

I hope this helps!

Answer 5

I'd get an ipod. You can store movies, photos, audiobooks, and music on it. Its thin and lightweight and has a nice screen. It has the same batterylife as a zune. The zune may sound like it has more features but the whole "sharing"thing is usless b/c you can only swap with other people who have zunes and you can only use the song for 3 days or for 3 plays whichever comes first. Also the screen on the zune may be slightly larger but it has the same resolution as the ipod display. If you take the same resolution and stretch it out an extra half inch things get fuzzier. Also the zune marketplace is not as easy to use as itunes and does not have as much stuff on it. NOt as nearly as much music and no movies or tv shows. I'd go with the ipod.

Answer 6

iPods Can't Do Crap. They can't hold "millions" of songs and they are still having a hard time running windows vista. The Microsoft Zune is the best choice. It works for windows computers and works for just about anything. With The Zune Market Place you can buy and download Millions Of Songs. That is just like the iTunes Music Store... Just Better. The Zen Isn't Bad. I have one. And I also have a zune. The Zen's are getting out dated. They keep bringing the same thing over and over again back. I recomend The Zune. And If You Choose The Zune.... " Welcome To The Social "

Answer 7

Get a zune it has mre features than an ipod and zen.

Answer 8

I certainly have the Zen imaginative and prescient W 60GB, and could in no way % yet another transportable, multimedia gadget. I certainly have 14 movies/movies/finished concert activities, 1800 songs, 289 pictures, and have not hit the 0.5 way mark yet for memory. No regulations on music downloads like Ipod. It has a outfitted in mic to record memos to your self, it has a calendar, you may sync up on your computing gadget, has an FM radio outfitted in..... i will flow on. i like it.

Answer 9

i love both ipod and creative zen, and i've owned both. creatives software is pretty bad, but definitely usable. creative makes it much easier to just drag and drop your media, but you can use it and charge it on any computer. it also plays just about any video file you can throw at it, has a better screen, and has a built in radio. also, will let you easily use any photo as a desktop background.

ipod is thinner, more easy to use and beautifully designed, and probably has better tech support because of the number of people out there who have one, but itunes will get a vice grip on your media, and won't let go. you will only be able to use your ipod on one computer, and a computer will only support one ipod. also, officially, your video files have to come from itunes. if you create your own, or backup your own dvds, its unsupported and you have to hack your system a bit. ipod has no voice recording and no radio.

both have built in equalizers and contact info and calendar and so forth.

Answer 10

go for the creative zen. their way better than ipods and more reliable then zunes.