iPod Gigabeat vs. Nano 4GB and Nano 8GB vs. Creative Zen (new flash based model).

I was just checking out CNET and saw their review of the Gigabeat and then saw the link at the bottom for their review of the new Creative Zen.

Now barring the obvious lack of integration with a program as good as iTunes for both, the lack of AAC support on the Gigabeat and the lack of Mac compatibility from Creative, what do you all think (as objectively as possible) about these other units.

I think they both seem like nice units that were I more Windows-based I'd seriously consider. I especially like the 16 GB capacity in the Zen and that it has a SD card expansion slot (for only $50 more). But compatibility issues still leave me into the Nano RED 8GB.

Anyway, I thikn the competition is definitely improving and hopefully that only pushes Apple to keep upping the ante...we shall see.

gloss said:

The Zen looks like a fantastic player, frankly.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I really wanted to get it based on its features, but the glaring problem is complete lack of compatibility with Macs. I realize that I mentioned this above, but it's just a huge error on their part (to me anyway). It's a peripheral that requires me/limits me to owning/buying Wintel machines to use it. I realize that it's not a make a break thing for them (or they'd obviously make it work with Macs) or other manufacturers, but Mac users have proven to big HUGE on digital entertainment content. From being the first mass audience to go for high-end music players to making iTunes so successful with both its music and video content. So they're keeping a rather dedicated (but not necessarily blindly so) and, on the average, affluent demographoc out of the party.

I got a RED nano last night...