The Tech Report Compares Zune and iPod

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q2/zune-vs-ipod/index.x?pg=5' target='_blank'>http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q2/zune-vs-ipod/index.x?pg=5</a><br /><br /></div><em>&quot;Launched back in 2001, Apple's iPod has arguably become the most iconic electronic device of the 21st century. With sales of over 100 million units, the iPod has dominated the market for portable audio&mdash;and now video&mdash;players...during the iPod's ascension, Microsoft worked with various hardware partners on all sorts of would be iPod killers, with little success. Then Redmond took matters into its own hands, creating the Zune media player to directly challenge Apple's iMonopoly. On paper, the Zune looks like a competent challenger, too; it has a much larger screen than the iPod, integrated wireless capabilities, and support for subscription-based music services. But is it any better than Apple's status quo? I've spent three months with an iPod and a Zune to find out, and the answer might surprise you.&quot;<br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2007/ipod-vs-zune-comparison-jasondunn-may7.jpg" /><br /></em><br /><a href="http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q2/zune-vs-ipod/index.x?pg=5" target="_blank">This is</a> one of the best, most fair-minded reviews of the Zune that I've seen in a long time. It pulls no punches, but also isn't as iPod-biased as nearly everything else I've seen out there. In fact, he's one of the few people that has the guts to actually criticize the iPod's much-vaunted scroll-wheel that, in truth, is much harder to use and control than the Zune's much-criticized control pad. If you're looking for a comparison between the iPod and the Zune, this is a great resource. One thing made me chuckle though: I'm constantly amazed at how completely polarizing the brown Zune is!. In this article, the author spends several paragraphs trashing the brown, but one of the few Zune owners I know bought the brown and quite likes it. Brown is a very popular colour nowadays, especially among young urbanites, and those cool indy-music-hipsters that Microsoft wanted to appeal to. I wouldn't buy a brown Zune myself, but I can completely understand why Microsoft released one.

[David Tucker]

I think that may actually be one of the best and most fair comparisons I've ever seen. :) Zune 2.0 is a long way off, though. I'm more interest in what the first real Zune upgrade (whenever it finally arrives) brings us.

[Macguy59]

I think that may actually be one of the best and most fair comparisons I've ever seen. :) Zune 2.0 is a long way off, though. I'm more interest in what the first real Zune upgrade (whenever it finally arrives) brings us.

Translation: The reviewer said things I wanted to hear :p

[David Tucker]

Translation: The reviewer said things I wanted to hear :p


Which clearly makes them right! ;)

[tbird]

I also agree, it was a good read.
And IMO about time, cause I really get tired of reading reviews where the Zune is just dismissed right off the top.

[Sage]

I like the brown too! :)

I agree with what he said though. Personally, I'd love to see a Zune with a 80GB+ HDD, H.264 support and longer battery life. That would be my ideal mp3 player.

[mrozema]

The earthy Brown Zune just goes to show that Microsoft is indy-hip-cool! :D

[David Tucker]

I love my brown Zune. Two other guys in my office have black ones though. (Yes, there are THREE of us within 20 feet of each other with a Zune.)

[mrozema]

I love my brown Zune. Two other guys in my office have black ones though. (Yes, there are THREE of us within 20 feet of each other with a Zune.)

Lucky! I'm surrounded by iPods.

[Ricardo Dawkins]

I'm a TR regular by the same name. Geof conclussions are fine, but if you read the previous pages he is comparing the 350+ dollars 80GB iPod against the 249 dollars Zune.

He was comparing two price points and two capacities.

this review wasn't up to Tech Report standards.

you should link to the first page, like this
http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q2/zune-vs-ipod/index.x?pg=1

this is what I wrote on the comments section of this review:
http://techreport.com/ja.zz?comments=12323&page=2
don't understand this review. When TR review CPU, graphics cards and mobo they always choose a price range to compare the different choices. So you almost always get in GPU: mid vs. mid. (same price range), low vs low (same price range)

I got my Zune for 220 USD total price. A 80GB iPod should cost 100 USD or so more than the Zune. Add the required (for me) FM tuner and case (LOL) the iPod goes more than 400 USD. Out of my price range and out of the price range of many ppl, too.

You should have reviewed the Zune against the 30GB iPod since:
(or at least included its performance)
1. they have the same hard drive capacity 30GB
2. both are in the same price range

Why you changed you standard reviews here ?

Or will you review the 30GB iPod against the next generation flash Zune, since the nano and the screen-less shuffle cant' do video ? ummm

This review is done a bit wrong and biased a bit towards the iPod

[Enygma]

It's funny how every I-pod owner I know just loves my zune, the first thing they compliment is the background, they hate the fact they cant choose their own. My friend bought his zune yesterday (took us a while because Radioshack tried to rip him) and now all of his family members want one. He has the brown one which I love, but I have my black one thats just as sweet.

I love it when people compare my zune to their I-pod, and take turns trying to work the control pad, lol. They say its easier that way than having to use the wheel.:D