I'm looking at getting either an Ipod or a Zune (30gb). They pretty much do the same thing except the zune doesnt attract finger prints and such like the ipod. Does anyone know of any short-comings or advantages one has over the other?

I have a zune and cant get it to work with my computer! Windows XP isnt new enough and it wont work with Vista

Windows XP isn't new enough doesn't sound like the explaination to your problem, haha.


The Zune hasn't been out long enough to find out what kind of issues its going to have. Ipods on the other hand have plenty of issues (bad hard drives, freezing software, dying batteries).

if you have a xbox 360 i think you have to download zune to put music on your xbox... i have an ipod but i kinda wish i would have gotten a zune ... but the only downfall is they dont make all of the need accesories for zune like an adaptor to run your mp3 to work with your headunit

i have a 30 GB video ipod. besides the fingerprints i found the screen itself is very easily scratched. i rubbed it with my finger (not nail) and it scratched it.

and i run windows 98 so i had to DL a compatible software which as it turns out is WAY easier to navigate than itunes.

but besides that, the battery life is still good and i havent had any problems. its great for airplanes

I haven't tried a zune.

I had a 30 Gb Creative Zen before. I bought it for a cross country flight and it died on me 30 minutes into the flight. I was pissed off. Luckily Best Buy returned it since I bought it only 3 days before.

So I got an iPod from work (I got a discount) and it's been awesome ever since. I hate the fans who love apple products and gush over them all the time, but the iPod and iTunes does work a lot better then the Zen did.

I am guessing the Zune might be the same way. I don't trust anything Microsoft makes.

From everything I've read the Ipod is only slightly better than the zune, mainly because of Itunes. The zune is supposed to have a better interface on the unit itself. I hate the whole "apple is better than Microsoft" smug ads they run. Apple is too much of a fashion statement, elitest object. I just want a cool mp3 player that does a crap load of stuff for a decent price and wont break easily.

I know many people at school with Ipods...they all like them. They're pretty durable too what I've seen. Friend of mine has thrown it at the wall several times and it still works great. I've just settled for a CD player lol.

iPod's are great. I bought my 60 gig video shortly after they came out and have had absolutley no problems with it. Just make sure you buy a case for it that covers the screen, and don't take it in/out alot. I've had mine 1+ yr and no scratches. Plus iTunes music store kicks microsoft in the face!!!

The zune just came out, so I dont know why people are bashing it because there isnt enough online music content available. For a first gen MP3 player its a very good unit, not better than the Ipod but the 2nd and 3rd gens could very well over take apple. Many people are buying Zunes just because they hate apple. I'm nearly one of those people but I cant seem to make myself purchase one, or anything right now. I really hate spending money.

i was debating over an ipod as well... i bought a cingular phone with an mp3 player on it, and so i figured i wouldnt need an ipod... the only problem was, it doesnt have everything that the ipod has... ipod has so much stuff you can get for it its insane... i just got a cd deck in my car which i can plug my ipod in and control it using the cd deck, i got an ihome stereo, and just all the neat things you can get for your ipod is what in turn convinced me to purchase an ipod instead of using my phone or buying a different mp3 player...

Eh, go with the iPod, Microsoft never comes up with their own ideas, they always just copy Apple. Take for instance, Apple had GUI's (graphical user interface) when Microsoft was still based on DOS and typed out commands, and where do you think they got the idea to make a Windows 3.1 a GUI?

Same with the Zune... Microsoft says "wow, Apple sure had a good idea. Let's make something just like it and try to capitalize off of their idea again!"

I have a Windows PC and an Apple laptop, both are just over a year old, and hands down the Apple kills. It's faster, more reliable, and more functional. I think Apple has amazing quality products and yeah, they carry a pretty high price tag but they're worth it. Do yourself a favor and just get the iPod.

You sound kind of bitter drummer, you friends or family with Steve Job?

My brother has an apple laptop and for the price, I'm not impressed. To say that Microsoft never comes up with their own ideas is a pretty bold statement. Microsoft does produce many tools and programs, but they arent as flashy as a ipod. Plus, they arent stealing the idea of an MP3 player from Apple. Apple didnt make the first one and this is just Microsoft's crack at a new market, plus they're innovating the MP3 player too. I dont recall a ipod with wifi or portrait and landscape screen functionality, those seem to be new to the MP3 player world.

As for apples being more reliable. One of the main reasons is because fewer people use Macs. Since there are fewer users, there are fewer viruses made to attack and shut down apple systems. You could argue that linux is more reliable than apple because how often does it crash?

Just FYI Compaq came up with the first mp3 player and sold many of those ideas/patents to Apple years ago.

Apple put the ideas into a good product, but they just copied Compaq's idea.

However, your point abot Microsoft's stuff is partially true. I like the iPod software. It's been easy to use and works great. And this is coming from a guy who hates apple products, in fact I work for their competitor. But the stuff works.

I have an iPod Shuffle that my wife gave me for Xmas and its the first mp3 player I have messed with. However it didnt take me long to get nuts with downloading music from iTunes. My stepdaughter has an iPod 60G and I have to admit I was pretty impressed with it. I could put my entire music library on that thing with room to spare. I can see how having the mp3 plug-in for your car would be awesome for music selection. I guess 8 tracks wont be making a comeback anytime soon

My brother has a 4G and my dad has and 80G. My dads is full. He has about 90 gigs of music on his computer all downloaded form cd's. They both love it. And have never had anyproblems with it. I just got myself an 80G. It's so new I haven't even take the plastic off of it. I'm about to get crazy wit it!

I just personally have had much better success with Apple products in general, over Microsoft. I'm not bitter... just very preferential!