Most fans of portable media players will be flocking to Apple’s 32GB and 64GB iPod Touch this year to upgrade their secondary 8GB iPod Touch models. Before you join them, though, you might want to consider the 32GB Microsoft Zune HD, which for the first time since its inception is now a close rival to the Apple iTouch. The Zune has gone from being the size of a brick to literally the same size as the iPod Touch. Honestly, the Zune’s looks are even sleeker than the iPod Touch, but that’s not its only brilliant quality. From easier navigation to better graphics, you might want to buy a Zune this time instead of the iTouch.
1. The touch screen: “Sleek” is the name of the game when it comes to the Zune HD’s touch screen. While you might not think that a Zune has better screen technology than Apple’s iPod Touch, it certainly seems to be easier to use and sharper on the screen.
2. Software differences: The Zune HD (Zune 4.0) software is much more compatible with Windows PCs than the iTunes software. Not surprising, as Apple doesn’t usually play nice with others.
If you’ve ever owned (or currently own) an iPod of any kind, and you use a PC instead of a Mac, then you know what a nightmare working with iTunes can be. If this is something you don’t like about your media player, switch to the Zune HD and you’ll be much happier.
3. Zune Navigation with Quickplay: About time someone figured out how to create shortcuts in a media player. With Quickplay, you can do just that with your recent media, favorites, playlists, and more.
This beats iTouch in a way, because with iPod software, you’re limited by the number of icons available. But you might want to buy a Zune if you’d rather have this kind of control over your media.