Zune VS iPod

The Zune(brown) and iPod (black)

The digital music entertainment revolution is just beginning.Microsoft announced at last year launch of the Zune music player,but does Microsoft new device live up to its hype as the "king" music player,iPod? I try to compare both of it

The zune is only available with a 30GB hard disk and at USD 250,it cost the sma as a comparably specified iPod.The size of the device reminds me of the first generation iPod but unlike the Apple player's glossy surface, the Zune makes do with a matte plastic material.That make surface more resistant to scratches but it does look a bit dull.The Zune is also chunkier and weight 30 grams more than its competitor.The plus points are it comes with a five way switch and 2 buttons for easy handling.

It takes a good three seconds to power up and for the simple,yet pretty menu to be displayed.Sub menus blend smoothly while changing and you can choose a background image.even those new to MP3 players will appreciate the intuitive navigation and it quickly becomes second nature to use.It also sorts songs faster than the iPod.

Although the Microsoft players could really pump up the volume,it loses out to the iPod when it comes to sound quality.However,concerning the different types of media supported,the two devices tied,apart from music,the Zune also handles photos and videos.It also does up over the iPod by having a screen that's 1 cm larger for better viewing.

Even the list of features is longer in the case of the new comer.The Zune offers an integrated FM radio as well allowing songs to be transferred over WiFi.Unfortunate that the received music files could only be played three times or kept for three days,they're automatically deleted - even if it's music that you recorded yourself.

Battery life didn't macth up to that of the iPod.After a good 13 hours of play( without WiFi) the battery was drained whereas the iPod continued playing another two albums.With the include USB 2.0 cable,the Zune can be connected to any PC but Zune software needs to be installed to add new songs.That doesn't make much more sense as it stops the player from being used as a mobile data storage device for exchanging files.

The Zune software reminded me a lot of Apples's iTunes.The user can buy songs from the Zune Markerplace and manage existing songs but you cannot listen to DRM protected files from another online stores,if you have existing library of DRM encorded songs from Napster,Rhapsody or iTunes,you are simply out of luck.At least the software is intuitive and easy to use.

When it comes to music,Microsoft's player cannot trump the entrenched iPod and its online iTunes Store.The Zune Marketplace offers 2 million songs compared to the 3.5 million available on iTunes and there are also no videos or podcasts currently available for the Zune.But the most irritating thing is strange payment system; you pay for songs in the online store using Microsoft points which are linked to the latest exchange rates.For example a song costing 79 points actually costs US 99 cents,so ti is hard to figure out how much you are actually paying.The points account can only be created after a minimum payment of US 5.00

Ok guys,Microsoft's iPod challenger reminds us of tape cassettes from the past,copies are never as good as the original.Nevertheless,Apple cannot underestimate the Zune as Microsoft has kicked off many products as mere copies before turning them into market leaders with its huge budget.The zune could well follow suit.Hopefully it will help my fellow readers to buy the bestMP3 players.