Zune Loses to iPod by 1 Point

[Slimy]

Cnet hosts a show called Prizefight in which two gadgets duke it out head to head for bragging rights of the Universe. It's like our Frankenfights with less sources and our new techno goddess crush friendlier personalities.

They break the battle down point by point as the Zune almost goes the distance.

Scores:

Design: Zune 4 - Ipod 4

Interface Zune 5 - Ipod 4

Compatibility: Zune 2 - Ipod 3

Features: Zune 4 - Ipod 5

Performance: Zune 4 - 4

The wise people at Cnet agreed with the Frankenfight's interface and compatibility scoring, though our 10-legged monster gave the design round to the iPod. To me, who would still choose an iPod over the Zune, it's refreshing to watch Apple called out as a fallible manufacturing company instead of an immortal design studio, blessing us with MP3 mana from the heavens.

Gizmodo

[.KICK]

How did it score less for features as it features more and FM Radio!!!

[L3thal Veteran]

I have no clue how the iPod beats the Zune in terms of features, similarly, I have no idea how their design is equal. iPod clearly has a better design but their features are not in any way, better than the Zune's.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

I wonder if it has to do with itunes?

[Shane Pitman]

My daughter is getting a Zune for Christmas. I've been playing with it for a month or so now, and as soon as I have to hand it over to her I'll be picking one up for myself. I run a rather extensive SageTV server/client system that controls all of the TVs in the house and records & strips commercials from everything that we watch, and I've found it remarkably easy to pull that video straight over to the Zune. Taking my recorded shows with me to watch whenever wherever is awesome.

[Shadrack]

I wonder who would have won if price was also a "round."

[Toology]

Nowhere in the Prize Fight was the Zune's significantly bigger screen mentioned. That's a sizable oversight considering it was going up against the 5G iPod (aka: iPod Video) whose major update since the last generation was a bigger screen and video capabilities. I don't see how being able to store contacts and play Solitaire is a 1-UP on the Zune, but whatever. I wouldn't by either player.

[crimsonhead]

They tie in design and ipod wins in features... right...

[jackwanders]

Significantly bigger screen?

iPod: 2.5" 320x240 resolution

Zune: 3" 320x240 resolution

You get the same image with slightly larger pixels. Also, with a handheld device, I believe the 1/2" difference amounts to holding the device an extra 1" away from your face.

[Alan Zeino]

My daughter is getting a Zune for Christmas. I've been playing with it for a month or so now, and as soon as I have to hand it over to her I'll be picking one up for myself. I run a rather extensive SageTV server/client system that controls all of the TVs in the house and records & strips commercials from everything that we watch, and I've found it remarkably easy to pull that video straight over to the Zune. Taking my recorded shows with me to watch whenever wherever is awesome.

Have fun getting past the installation wizard! In fact, have fun using the whole Zune frontend itself!

[redfish]

the zune design is better than people are saying. the ipod design is better in some ways, but the zune is better in some ways. you'll especially see this when you have one in your hands and play around with it, i wonder how many people here have actually done that

[r3volution]

They tie in design and ipod wins in features... right...

I bit odd yes. :D

[Simon Veteran]

I don't think this is anywhere near a fair judgment of either. iPod clearly has better software and the iTunes Music Store, and Zune has a bigger screen and... I dunno, but I haven't seen or used one. I'd consider one if it worked with iTunes, but obviously it doesn't. It's not that I'm totally against it (despite my first opinions, I actually think it looks like a nice player), but I have about 40% iTunes music. And iPod definitely wins in design, since the first gen Zune is HUGE from what I've heard, and in my opinion, the iPod looks nicer. And once again, in my opinion, the click wheel deserves something.

[htwho]

I would have bought the Zune but the thing that turned me off is how you cannot use the mp3 player as a usb hard drive. I liked every other aspect of Zune. I used to be a former owner of an iPod but I did not like it since the interface was bland (graphically bland) but due to the rise of open source software (iPod Linux and ability to change the graphics) it made me become more attached to my iPod. The reason I did not like my iPod was because of the mp4 files which drove me up the wall since it took hours to convert movies to mp4 files to put on my iPod. (Yes, they were MY DVD's I PAID for) I'm waiting for the next version of Zune (which should have won the iPod vs. Zune contest) and hopefully it will sport the ability to be used as a hard drive.

[Denis W. Veteran]

Why are they using prize-fight metaphors anyway? They were a terrible eyesore the last time they used them.

[JK1150]

The Zune feature by feature could technically win. However, the sharing feature I don't think most people will use simply because of it's restrictions. The only thing I like about the Zune is that is has a very nice user interface, may not be easier to use than the iPod, but looks better. However, with all the things coming with iPod adapters (like cars), I wouldn't get a Zune over an iPod. Apple was certainly smart in putting iPod receivers/rechargers that are incompatible with competitors in cars and now supposedly planes.

[sundayx Veteran]

i never liked how cnet reviews products... very unreliable, the points brought forward are not sophisticated, and the overall satisfactory of overall reviews is inadequate. nevermind the poor video reviews that are so vague (in comparison to those found on gamespot, from the same company)

[Smigit]

if only they had accepted the play for sure wma files other stores use. Compatability would be right up there. It'd just need ogg and flac then to be perfect but surely it working with 90% of stores would have given it 4/5 instead of 2/5. Features seems unfair....I'd have gone the Zune since iPod needs 3rd party addons to get you the advanced stuff. If they wanted to include addons in the ratings they might have been best to add a "support (1st and 3rd party) category of which the ipod would not have been beatable.

[ShaneSparky_YYZ]

Where's the battery usage round? I'm not sure which one is better for batt usage, I could careless tho since I drive and have mp3 support there, plus I've always hated iPod's and the Zune is made by Toshiba and I hated the Gigabeat by them, and it looks similar kinda.

[Rodrigo]

That comparision is a joke.

Have fun getting past the installation wizard! In fact, have fun using the whole Zune frontend itself!

You really don't know how to read. :rolleyes: Damn troll.

[NienorGT]

That comparision is a joke.

QFT, anyone here that tell iPod as more features than a Zune (WITHOUT any other devices) is making a biased review.

[Techno_Funky]

Features: Zune 4 - Ipod 5

i own no mp3 players but wtf !!! this is rigged.

[Alan Zeino]

That comparision is a joke.

You really don't know how to read. :rolleyes: Damn troll.

Hai thar, i'm the internet. Please, **** off. Thanking you; the Internet.

[Agnes Leroy]

Good to see ipod having a [good] competition

[Des429]

Scores:

Design: Zune 4 - Ipod 5

Interface Zune 5 - Ipod 5

Compatibility: Zune 2 - Ipod 3

Features: Zune 4 - Ipod 3

Performance: Zune 4 - 4

THAT is the way it should be.