Why should I continue to buy Zune hardware?

[robotempire]

I want WiFi accessibility on my portable device(s).

I want to browse the web, IM my friends list, and access all Google apps through my portable device(s).

I'm a Zune early adopter, had one since Nov. 2006. I bought my wife a red Zune 4 last Christmas. I really, really like the Zune as an MP3 player. But I'm at a point where I want a mobile computing device. I don't want to carry multiple devices around, etc., etc.

This is definitely not an MS versus Apple flamebait thread. Like I say, I've been a Zune fan since, basically, they hit the market. I'm just feeling a little melancholy about the prospects of a Zune platform device hitting the market any time soon. In the meantime, I work 12 hours a day and want something I can hold in my hand on which I can read RSS feeds (including the Zune Thoughts feed :D ) and IM people while I work. Yes, I have ADD.

Anyone feel like this? I'm not particularly encouraged to invest any more money in my Zune collection, including peripherals, watching what Apple is doing with the Touch and iPhone. Am I alone?

[Jason Dunn]

(post moved to Zune Talk, because it's definitely on-topic for a Zune site!)

I can certainly see where you're coming from, and based on your needs, it seems like the current Zune hardware isn't a good fit for what you want. You want a connected PDA/media player, and that's not the Zune. The iPod Touch represents the best blend of those features at this point I think.

Myself, I don't mind being a "two device guy" because I have my Windows Mobile smartphone for phone/email/text/web/other things, and my Zune is purely for entertainment (movies, music, etc.).

[onlydarksets]

Currently, there is no way not to be a two-device guy if you want to bring your entire music collection with you and have wifi/pda/bigscreen. If you go the Apple route, you could get an iTouch/iPhone and an iPod Classic (80gb/160gb). If you go the Zune route, you could get a WM Classic/Professional with a large capacity SD card and a Zune 80gb.

Apple certainly has a more cohesive brand than MS - everything runs basically the same and uses iTunes to sync. MS has two different mobile media players (Zune software and WMP10 for WM), and uses 2-3 different apps to sync (WMP11, Zune Media Player, ActiveSync).