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iPod Zune rave reviews - Now 'Best mp3 player'

The second-generation, 80GB Zune from Microsoft offers tremendous value for the money, as well as innovative features such as wireless sync, RBDS FM radio information, Wi-Fi music sharing, and subscription music support (Zune Pass).

Price: $249.00 - $1,113.07 (check prices)
Filed in: Best 5 MP3 players
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It doesn't actually say it's the best MP3 player though. Oh the other link says 8.3 as opposed to the Classic's 8.0

Here's their review of the Nano:
Apple iPod Nano (third generation, 8GB, red)
The latest version of the Nano is no longer the feature-crippled cousin to the iPod. Now in its third generation, the iPod Nano delivers every feature found on the iPod Classic, only in an exceptionally smaller and thinner format. The Nano's best assets are its crisp screen, attractive interface, sturdy and lightweight design, as well as a rechargeable battery that can play music continuously for as many as 24 hours.

Price: $199.00 - $199.00 (check prices)
Filed in: Best 5 MP3 players
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i just saw the new zunes yesterday, they really don't look all that bad. iPod will always be the best however but the zune is probably second.:cool::rolleyes:
 
iTeen said:
i just saw the new zunes yesterday, they really don't look all that bad. iPod will always be the best however but the zune is probably second.:cool::rolleyes:
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There's just something about watching videos on something in which the controls will be awkwardly placed on the right side of the device that turns me off as well as the fake touchpad that is actually a physical interface. I can deal with the iPhone and the iPod touch as they look great when you turn them sideways...the Zunes don't.
 
Warbrain said:
There's just something about watching videos on something in which the controls will be awkwardly placed on the right side of the device that turns me off as well as the fake touchpad that is actually a physical interface. I can deal with the iPhone and the iPod touch as they look great when you turn them sideways...the Zunes don't.
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You're not being fair here. There is a bunch of players out there that use right-side controls. Just because you're used to the way iPod behaves doesn't mean it's the only correct way to do it and everything else is awkward. If it's just your opinion, I can't argue with it, but I wouldn't say it's an objective downside.

And just what is fake about the touchpad? Perhaps you have been misinformed, but it's not just a big multi-button. It has normal touch abilities, you can just slide on it and do stuff like you would with a regular laptop touchpad and you can use certain points (up, down, left and right) as buttons. I know another interface that's actually quite similar - the click wheel.

I think Zune 80 is a very decent product, a real iPod competitor that falls short in some categories and beats it in others. Unlike the first, bulky Zune, this thing can compare with the Apple products nicely and I'm sure it will be more succesful than the first model. The only missing feature I'd like to see is mac support or atleast the ability to work as a Massive storage device.
 
PCMag and PCWorld have both declared the new 80gb Zune superior to the iPod Classic, inferior to the iPod touch. Not a bad place to be, all in all.
 
callmejayson said:
dumbest review ever...have these folks not heard of an ipod touch?
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OP said it was the top 'hard drive' based player. It's natural to compare the new Zune to the Classic, since they both are HD-based and have similar form factors.

The new Zune seems like a good improvement to me, not sure why people would consider it so inferior to the Classic. Both have their pro's and cons.

If the Zune was hypothetically compatible with iTunes, I would need to take a long hard look at both players if I wanted a large storage player. (Of course, I prefer my iPod Touch to either.)
 
Think of those poor kids who will wake up on Christmas to be given a Zune...

Think of the children...
 
There are some interesting points in the article.

I like the Wi-Fi syncing, as I normally charge my iPod in my bedroom and in the car - not at the computer. Being able to sync right before I walk out the door (if sync time is comparable to wired syncing) would be nice. I applaud that. Ripping out the EQ seems silly, especially if the reason was to compensate for battery life loss from the Wi-Fi.

Matek, you seem knowledgeable about the Zune. Can the device be flipped to either side, or do you have to rotate counter-clockwise to view videos? If the rotation is fixed, the layout is absurd and enough to call it an objective downside. The iPod allows UI usage without interfering with video. Having to use my right hand to work the controls or futz around with the machine to use the UI just doesn't work for this left-hander.
 
stevehp said:
meh.

We all know what's best.
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Yup.

And unfortunately, it's not available in this country yet. I would pick one up in the US but I'm not sure if the subscription works overseas.

Touch for ad hoc listening and Zune for checking out new stuff sounds like the ideal mix to me. The Zune appears to offer a more solid feature set, combined with decent syncing now - I'd like to check it out for sure.
 
"The bad: The Zune is a PC-only device that requires its own software and still does not support older WMA-DRM9 music files."



Wait a min here. Did I read this right? The Zune can't even support all of Microsoft's audio formats?? And PC-only???? I'm becoming more and more astounded at how people still think that Apple products are very incompatible with the rest of the world, but every day i see more and more proof that not only is this not true, but since iTunes for windows, boot camp and parallels, and Pages being able to open .docx formats while Office 2004 for Mac can't etc., it can be legitimately said that Macs and other Apple products are the MOST universal products out there. (minus the small fact that ipods won't support Windows Media Formats, but who uses those anyways ;))
 
Sesshi said:
Yup.

And unfortunately, it's not available in this country yet. I would pick one up in the US but I'm not sure if the subscription works overseas.

Touch for ad hoc listening and Zune for checking out new stuff sounds like the ideal mix to me. The Zune appears to offer a more solid feature set, combined with decent syncing now - I'd like to check it out for sure.
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I think that poster was referring to the iPod as being the best. ;)
 
illicium said:
"The bad: The Zune is a PC-only device that requires its own software and still does not support older WMA-DRM9 music files."



Wait a min here. Did I read this right? The Zune can't even support all of Microsoft's audio formats?? And PC-only???? I'm becoming more and more astounded at how people still think that Apple products are very incompatible with the rest of the world, but every day i see more and more proof that not only is this not true, but it can be legitimately said that Macs and other Apple products are the MOST universal products out there. (minus the small fact that ipods won't support Windows Media Formats, but who uses those anyways ;))
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It's swings and roundabouts. MS took a leaf from Apple's book and enclosed the ecosystem to make a more reliable solution. It's worked, I know that much - Lord knows how many times I've come across sync errors and related irritations on WM-DRM9 devices. I read that was the direct reason for their Apple-like approach (inadequate testing and implementation of their solution by their partners, leading to their core platform being laughed at - sound familiar?).

davidjearly said:
I think that poster was referring to the iPod as being the best. ;)
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Yes, and I always like to jam a spoke into the wheel of brain-dead Apple worship. I like the iPod as much as anyone else - heck, it was a game-changing device for me coming from Minidisc - but the clear functional superiority it had is over as a music platform. It's taken way too long, but a few other players are beginning to get their heads around this business, finally.
 
coming from someone who is posting this from an iPod touch, I a would unequivocally say that this is the best mp3 player ever created. I'm listening listening to the pixies and switching between surfing macrumors and watching stupid youtube videos all from a device that fits in my pocket. What could be better?
 
DarthTreydor said:
coming from someone who is posting this from an iPod touch, I a would unequivocally say that this is the best mp3 player ever created.
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That's a rather diffuse statement. By the same token, someone with an N95, similar phones or UMPC's could make the same claim based on different parameters. If you're calling something the best MP3 player, then it should be the best MP3 player - not the best half-assed PDA with an innovative interface.

Sony has an actual claim in the best MP3 player stakes for example. Sound quality of their new flagship is good, the ability to tailor the sound is excellent, usability is decent and it feels - and is - better put together than anything that Apple has put out in the MP3 arena, ever.
 
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