i'm a machead, so i guess i'm biased. i considered the zen (old 20 gb model) before purchasing a new 30gb ipod last week. why?
1. size. it does matter, even when the ladies tell you it doesn't. one of my friends has a zen and it isn't that big. the ipod is just smaller, that's all.
2. storage capacity. yes, the zen wins on this one, no contest. i commend them for making twice the space available for 100$ less. this gives other companies something to strive for. for me, i wouldn't use 60 gigs. i have less than 20 gigs of music, and i don't see myself adding another 10 gigs before i buy a new mp3 player in a few years. more than 20 gigs was important to have available, which is why i went with the new 30 gb ipod. i can also boot from it as well. i don't know if the zen is cabable of this.
3. compatibility. itunes integration on a mac is better than any pc solution currently available. if you have a mac, the ipod is an easier choice. if you have a pc, i think it can go either way. apple will be releasing the pc version of itunes this summer. main point: i want to spend my time listening to the music, not fighting with software.
4. speed. firewire is fast. usb2 is fast. i can't say they are really all that different in terms of speed. in theory usb2 is faster. do i care? no.
5. ease of use. i've played around on both, the ipod feels much more intuitive.
6. aesthetic appeal. while looks are only skin deep, i do appreciate a sleek-looking device. it's not a big selling point, but is a factor nonetheless. the zen doesn't look bad at all. it reminds me a slightly elongated minidisc player.
the different formats supported was never a factor for me. as long as the device plays mp3s, i'm happy. the idea of non-standard formats doesn't appeal to me, and i have yet to make up my mind about AAC. i'm not about to re-rip over 300 cds worth of music. DRM doesn't matter, i own all the cds my mp3s were ripped from.
battery life is better on the zen. a 6 hours difference between the new ipod and the new zen is pretty hefty. 8 hours is enough for me though, i am never too far from a car, computer, or outlet. it also won't be very often that i'll listen to music for 8 hours straight, either.
song management isn't that big of a deal to me. as long as the songs can be played, i have nothing to complain about. custom playlists on the go is a nice feature, but i see myself using the random/shuffle more often.
price. ok, i paid a small fortune for my ipod. i think it's worth every penny. yes, the money is mine, and i work for it. i don't think a higher price means better, it just happens that the ipod is more expensive.
which device is better? it's too subjective an argument to say one is undeniably better than the other. they both have their strengths and weaknesses. it's up the the consumer to decide what differences are more important, and get the the device that is best for them.
i don't think the zen is a bad product, new or old. the introduction of the new zen will in the end benefit the consumer. with all the competition between the zen and ipod, the result can only be better devices.
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i'm a machead, so i guess i'm biased. i considered the zen (old 20 gb model) before purchasing a new 30gb ipod last week. why? 1. size. it does matter, even when the ladies tell you it doesn't. one of my friends has a zen and it isn't that big. the ipod is just smaller, that's all. 2. storage capacity. yes, the zen wins on this one, no contest. i commend them for making twice the space available for 100$ less. this gives other companies something to strive for. for me, i wouldn't use 60 gigs. i have less than 20 gigs of music, and i don't see myself adding another 10 gigs before i buy a new mp3 player in a few years. more than 20 gigs was important to have available, which is why i went with the new 30 gb ipod. i can also boot from it as well. i don't know if the zen is cabable of this. 3. compatibility. itunes integration on a mac is better than any pc solution currently available. if you have a mac, the ipod is an easier choice. if you have a pc, i think it can go either way. apple will be releasing the pc version of itunes this summer. main point: i want to spend my time listening to the music, not fighting with software. 4. speed. firewire is fast. usb2 is fast. i can't say they are really all that different in terms of speed. in theory usb2 is faster. do i care? no. 5. ease of use. i've played around on both, the ipod feels much more intuitive. 6. aesthetic appeal. while looks are only skin deep, i do appreciate a sleek-looking device. it's not a big selling point, but is a factor nonetheless. the zen doesn't look bad at all. it reminds me a slightly elongated minidisc player. the different formats supported was never a factor for me. as long as the device plays mp3s, i'm happy. the idea of non-standard formats doesn't appeal to me, and i have yet to make up my mind about AAC. i'm not about to re-rip over 300 cds worth of music. DRM doesn't matter, i own all the cds my mp3s were ripped from. battery life is better on the zen. a 6 hours difference between the new ipod and the new zen is pretty hefty. 8 hours is enough for me though, i am never too far from a car, computer, or outlet. it also won't be very often that i'll listen to music for 8 hours straight, either. song management isn't that big of a deal to me. as long as the songs can be played, i have nothing to complain about. custom playlists on the go is a nice feature, but i see myself using the random/shuffle more often. price. ok, i paid a small fortune for my ipod. i think it's worth every penny. yes, the money is mine, and i work for it. i don't think a higher price means better, it just happens that the ipod is more expensive. which device is better? it's too subjective an argument to say one is undeniably better than the other. they both have their strengths and weaknesses. it's up the the consumer to decide what differences are more important, and get the the device that is best for them. i don't think the zen is a bad product, new or old. the introduction of the new zen will in the end benefit the consumer. with all the competition between the zen and ipod, the result can only be better devices.