October 1, 2009 11:29 AM PDT
Prizefight: iPod Touch vs. Zune HD
The CNET Prizefight you've been waiting for is here: Zune HD vs. iPod Touch. Just like the Thunderdome (minus Tina Turner and the post-apocalyptic wasteland), two portable media players will enter the ring, but only one may leave.
And for the first time, dear CNET readers, our Prizefight page has been redesigned to allow comments. That's right, now all your catty flames, insightful objections, or outright whining can be preserved forever, right on the Prizefight page. Another upshot of the page redesign: it looks soooo much better than the old version.
So head on over to the iPod Touch vs. Zune HD Prizefight and dump all your disappointment/elation into that newfangled comments box. You'll feel better, really.
Donald Bell is CNET Reviews' senior editor for MP3 players and portable audio, and one half of the MP3 Insider blog and weekly podcast. He also likes getting his hands dirty with digital audio tools for musicians and DJs. 
The only deal breaker for me is that lack of a 64 or 80 GB!
1.) if you get "confused" by windows media player..im sorry you are a *******.
2.) zune isnt the same as windows media player
3.) ipod touch=cheap? *******
2) Windows Media Player 12 In Windows 7 is pretty great, fast, light, easy to use, full usability
3)ITunes software is terrible, and the newest relase doesn't fix that. It is incredibly slow, and depending on what it's trying to do completely lock you out from using it. The design is sickening and uneven, and for a company the promotes beauty the thing is more like using an excel spreadsheet then anything else. I hate having to use it, and the only reason I even bothered to install in was to add a song to a my iPod which I hope to replace with a Zune HD, and never look at the iPod again. I've had a 3rd, 4th, 5th gen iPod, a 1st gen nano, and I've used an iPod touch entensively, everytime I had to use these devices I really just disliked the experience, and I wished for something else. The click wheel alone annoys me to the point that I've begun to hate even having to change songs on an iPod. It's not that I just hate Apple, it's that after using their products for years, i'm just sick of it, and I don't know why I put up with it for so long.
I own the Zune HD 16GB and this thing will blow you away. TRY IT!!!
And don't let the fools at Best Buy push you into buying a ipod unless you truly want that over the HD.
I will say the in the Zune Hd's current form that the iPod would probably get a higher score on the simple lack of Apps with the Zune HD, but I would feel that, it doesn't truly reflect what the Zune HD is meant to be, and puts unfair weight on items that are beyond the core use of a media player.
Also, when additions come to the Zune HD, like more apps, and the integration of the Xbox video Marketplace, then I hope to see a rematch, with a Zune HD that has it's full functionality, not just what it has on release day.
On Amazon despite the Zune HD's now much lower rank of units being sold, it has been consistently rated 4.5+ stars, and the amount of reviewers just keeps growing and growing and is at 163 as of now.
Whereas, the iPod touch, which has been seeling in the top spots lately, has been rated 3-4 stars and teetering back and forth as reviewers put up there review, which is only at 45 reviewers now.
It seems that people buying the Zune HD and reviewing it find it much more to their liking then the iPod touch, and they are all pretty darn consistent about it. It's also interesting to note that the Zune HD was in the number 1 spot shooting up from 7th before Apple announced it's new iPod line up, and it wasn't until the Apple products were lowered by $20 bucks that that the Zune HD was knocked down from #1. Even after that the Zune HD stay directly under the discounted iPod touch, until the Zune HD ran out of stock, and dropped in number sold, simply because they couldn't be sold. Now that stock has been returned, the Zune HD been jumping around, but still staying under the discounted iPod Touches which remain at the top, yet their customers are unhappy about their purchases.
Who knows what the statics really mean, but it seems no matter what, that Zune HD owners are happier with their purchases then iPod touch owners. I can't wonder if negative reviews on the Zune HD has hurt it's sales at all, and helped iPod Touch sales, but when the consumer actually gets the product they are happier with the Zune HD.
I think it's unfortunate that reviewers do have the influence they have, and I hope and wish more people will actually go out and try and a product before you buy it.
For these two devices currently, I still feel it's about what matters to you the most. If you want the better media player, get the Zune HD, but if you really just want Apps then get the iPod Touch.
The Zune HD will have to get over some of the bad press it earned from the first model coming out at the same time as the Touch.
The Zune is nothing like the past Zunes or Touches. it is a incredible player and interface. the flexibility in creating playlists, quickplays lists, and use make it a dream to use.
It is also paired with a great software package on the computer that was to be used to see how nice it is.
The zune may not have the huge library of apps (mostly "CRapps") like the touch, but it does everything else well. It is easily the best media play out there.
I also know it will never overtake the ipod line. The ipod is just too big and has too many people that associate an Mp3 player is an IPOD to change that.
it is great to have an option for people to choose from, and a great player as well.
Microsoft did a great job and beat apple on both software and hardware.
1.Read my emails from my work and business. I can read attachments in full view. 2. I surf the web using the fast Safari Browser.
3.In morning I click on the USA Today and NY Times and read my daily paper.
4.I check my calendar for all of my appointments and check my todo lists.
5.On the way to work I plug my I-tunes into my car Stereo and listen to my favorite bands.
6. While at work I can sms my wife.
and check the weather really quickly.
7.I can also play the latest games like Call of Duty and Assassin .
Shall I continue????
If you want a pocket PC then go with an IPod touch but make sure you get the 32 GB or above . The new I-pod touch processor is much faster than the 8GB.
If you want just an MP3 Player get the Zune.
Does anyone care to debate Mac Vs Windows?? ? again its not comparing Apples to Apples?pun intended.
- by DanWorther November 5, 2009 5:30 PM PST
- I'm not a big fan of Microsoft; but everything I have ever touched by Mac was garbage! I am on my third and last Ipod and the things last a year and a day. If the battery doesn't die the software inside screws up beyond recovery. The one I have now resets endlessly so you can?t do a thing with it. For the last 3 months it hasn?t been able to sort songs by title properly, how did they screw that up! I got the Ipod because it was loud. But they are only loud when they work, which is rare. I hate ITunes with a passion, it?s slow and hard to use. It?s hard to imagine that a company that built itself on the ease of use premise made it. If Mac spent 10% of the money on engineering as they do on packaging, design and marketing they would have a great product. The best thing about an Ipod is it comes in a really nice box!
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