Hi, I want to get a MP3 player but whcih is the better one. Creative or the Apple iPod? Actually I would like to get the iPod but Creative gives a good bargain. Really need some help.

i don't think you can compare an ipod with a zen micro. now, an ipod mini with a zen micro would be a better comparison.

1 thing first.. ur comparsion is ALL wrong.. u dont even compare the zen micro to a 20g above ipod.. u compare it to the ipod mini... both are micro drivers..


Should be.. Ipod mini Vs. Zen Micro and just leave out ipod.

Creative is the best in sound quality, and has the typical menu system that is easy to use and has no learning curve.
iPod is not good if you like heavy and loud rock music (it starts sounding like static after the halfway volume point)

Creative is cheaper, ipod is more expensive cuz they know it will sell.

im becoming such a zen micro fanboy.. darn.. i just want one so bad.. purchasing one soon! I recommend it after all the testing i did with it!

seems to me that the only reason the interface is so easy to use is because creative pretty much copied the ipod. just my opinion, not trying to start a flame war or anything.

well i got a zen xtra and all the people in my class's have ipods and they luv the sound quality on my zen xtra.. they dont like the size of my player.. but they did say they liked the zen micro alot more than the ipod mini...

THATS total bs dude.. sit down and look at the ipod interface and the zen xtra.. its majorly different.. there not even the same.. on my player i use tabbed because i liked the tab instead of list...


hmm the picture sure looks the same.. i mean totaly they copied it...

And I assume that youre using the stock ipod buds?

what i heard about both

The creative zen micro is an interesting alternative to the ipod. It has better sound and bigger battery life (double) and is cheaper than the ipod. But i heard that the control could be better as the interface. However they are plague with some wierd restriction imposed by the use of wma10 like restrictive disk space when in usb drive mode and really tight DRM.

The ipod is the market leader. it's got a really god and easy interface, it'S software (itune) is really intuitive and work flawlessly, it's also a bit smaller than the zen. But it's battery life is a bit on the short side ( if you have to call 12 hours short) and as sound that seem to lack bass(fixed by a good pair of earphones). It's also more expensive but not by much.

Humm myself would go for the ipod. The longer battery life is not really an issue since most likely i will plug it in every day to sync my calandar or something, the sound i can live with i have an aging minidisk player after all and i can buy good earphones. But i like the wheel thing and the possibility to install linux on it (it's the geek thing ). The price is not a factor as paying 30 $ more on a 300 dollar something player is well not really distressing.

My advice is check you need. If your thight on cash or if soud quality is something you need or you'll die then get the creative otherwise well the best would be to try them and see. I saw and tried an ipod and i liked what i saw ^_^

The Creative Zen Micro is superior to the Apple Ipod Mini in nearly all aspects, highly recommended. I actually just purchased a Creative Nomad MuVo², but only because it was $115 after a MIR and store discount.

okay, i suppose it is bs. i haven't used too many creatives, but what i have seen is slightly reminiscent of the ipod interface, i guess it's just the "now playing" screen. i didn't even know there was a tabbed interface, thanks for pointing out my error.

Just a tad.

If the battery can't be replaced by me, I don't buy it.
Zen

i have the zen micro, my bro has a 4th gen ipod, and mine may sound a tiny bit better.

i wanted a small player that i can bring to the gym, and 5gb is much better than the low capacity tiny flash mp3 players they have out.

heres a size comparison:

left to right
business card, zen micro, samsung a-670

Just letting you guys know that Creative was in the mp3 player game way before ipod was even considered. I have a Creative Nomad Jukebox 3 (the first one had the SAME menu system) and if anything iPod was the one to copy the menu system.

I love the ignorance in the crowd here. Do you ever stop to think that maybe the product you dont own actually was the one that invented something that was copied, instead of vice versa? I'm not being any sort of fanboy here, do your research. Creative's menu system was made by them, and them only. Apple did not make that style, the only thing they did was make it woosh to the left when you select it.

well you can replace the battery on an ipod it's not that hard. In fact there is a kit (or several) available on the net including the battery and the tool you need.

does anyone else see a bar of soap in nwmma's picture? lol sorry

Not at all. Sony earphones, not sure on which model, but I have the same pair and they sound awsome on my Creative player.

i edited the pic just for you

If only the led is white instead of blue. The blue led seems funny on a white zen micro.

i have the silver one and the blue looks sweet. At first i wasnt realy into the blue led but it is sweet! when the device is syncn' or charging it pulsates.

Thanks, very helpful, lol

I have been looking into getting an mp3 player for quite some time, and am going to get an Ipod-Mini mainly because I didn't have a zen micro to compare it to. I went to Best Buy and looked at their Ipod-Mini on display and liked it alot, so I decided to go with it. I thought about the Zen Micro, but like I said I didn't have one to physically look at.

About friggen time, some one said it straight.. Been tryin to say that to all the dam ipod people because they think ipod was the first thing (not sayin the ipod is bad) ....

Lets hope someone have cheaper access to the Zen Micro and offer us a chance to get it like the 40GB iPod in NeoBay.

haha, okay. i guess i'm too young to know.

lmao nah its just that most people didnt know about mp3 players before ipod, so they think ipod started it all. Especially the fact that all reviewers say "ipod killer this" or "ipod competition" that.. its retarded.

i was making the same decision but now my main decision is between the zen micro and the zen touch. i will probably go with the black zen micro.

i didnt get the zen micro-black because the black is prone for dirt and fingerprints to show much easier than silver.

i was gonna get the silver zen micro if i was to get one...instead i am getting the silver ipod mini....

Am i the only one that doesnt see the point in getting these micro drive mp3 players?

Pay 30-50 bucks more and get 15 more gigs of space for storage, and more features.... I dont know I just dont see it, other than the slight size factor.

I plan to get Zen Micro. Despite small 5gb capacity but it certainly enough for me...since I only got 11 gig worth of songs in computer right now. Maybe next month or two when budget permits

i perfer the small size no matter if its a rio carbon, ipod mini or the zen micro. but i dont like the wheel that the ipod has. just my personal preference. maybe its because i have only used the ipod a few times; i just dont like it.


5gb is a lot of music.... think about it.... how much music do you have ripped onto your computer or personal audio player that is auctually your property and not downloaded. 5gb(~1500 songs) is $1500 from itunes store. (or like $50 from allofmp3.com hehehe)

i agree...i will definately fill up my ipod mini, i know that for sure, i'll fill it up so that i will have a nice variety of songs....but i don't think i will ever listen to all of them....i would rather that for the smaller size, even if it isn't alot. plus everybody else already has an ipod...not as many people have ipod mini's....

Most of the smaller models look cooler than its older brothers. Being smaller and more stylish is everything really for these players. There a market for these guys whether you think they are good value or not.

i have about 45 gig of music on my pc. and the hundreds of cd's i have purchased are ripped onto it. i never use cd's anymore at all, even if purchased i will rip them and burn mixed cd's for my car or something. but now i barely even do that because i have a 20gig 4g iPod and an iTrip.

not everyone downloads music illegally, but many people have more than 5 gig of music.

I agree.

I love the feeling when I buy CD and look through the covers and its contents, it just feels more 'human'.

I will never download music from iTunes or even P2P.

Hrm. First we start with lies and ignorant bs, which leads me too...

...The fact you call people ignorant when you made the most ignorant stupid statement in your post before, and continue to show this by...

Not see'ing the point past your own opinion, which was already made invalid by the inteligence of your posts beforehand.

And now back to the point. I personally chose an iPod Mini over all of these, because of superior player support (Winamp/iTunes), OTG (Multiple) playlists (not sure if you can do this on the creatives's) th fact that imo it looked much better, and the navigation control is better.

Explain how my comment was ignorant? Creative is, by fact, better by sound quality, and the menu system is easy to use. By personal experience I said that the iPod is not good for loud heavy rock music.

So care to explain to me how I'm being ignorant again?

Is that enough for you?

What. Thats based on personal experience. I'm not saying that just cuz I feel like it. I've tried the ipod and thats what came out of it. Is that my fault?

ipod owners get so defensive when anyone criticizes it. I agree with snipers statements, as have many actual audio-quality testing machines (whatever they use, i dont know). The ipod has always seemed like this object of perfection in my mind, until i actually listened to a couple. At first I thought I was just hearing wrong or the stock earbuds suck (which they do, but that's not the problem). The sound is just thin, lacking full bass, and you get static at very low volumes (comparatively). I wanted to disprove my ears and have the ipod return to its godlike stature, so I listened to my iriver 256mb mp3 player and then the ipod using my sony ex71sl earbuds, and the difference in sound quality was both obvious and striking. I was very disappointed. So from that day on, I've been searching for something as small and as cool, but that actually sounds good. After a lot of research it's come down to the zen micro, although i really like iriver and if they came out with one comparable to the zen micro i would get it.
So, in the end: ipod mini: cool factor, small and light, decent interface, good software,
zen micro: bettery sound quality, longer battery life (and it's replaceable! having a spare battery on hand is a huge deal), also pretty small

battery life and sound quality are the most important things for me...

Thank you. At least someone isnt blind. (or deaf)

Personaly I like the Zen I have heard good things about them and have one on the way right now

I got a Muvo2 4G for $135 after a 50 dollar rebate (brand new). IMO thats the best deal you can possibly get for an mp3 player.

With the Muvo, its like having an external HD, all i do is plug it in, and drag my MY MUSIC folder in there. done.
its pretty good as long as you dont mind making playlists on your computer, cos navigating is pretty ****ty without them

Hmm...mind telling me or pming me where to find this 50$ rebate?

I would say ipod mini is vs zen micro

anyway zen micro is def. better than the ipod mini. So many more features go for it

sorry i didnt save the link, all i can remember that i found it on http://shopping.yahoo.com and the rebate expired on DEC 21st

but look under the 170-190 price range, since it doesnt list the rebate as a discount there

I took advantage of the same MIR, can look past the rather small display and lack of a remote for that price.