Comments on: CG Comment of the Day http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/04/cg-comment-of-the-day/ Gadgets, gear and computer hardware. Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:07:13 -0500 hourly 1 By: Realist http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/04/cg-comment-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-793793 Realist Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:53:57 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=32554#comment-793793 Which is better? I recently bought an 80gb player, and narrowed down to the iPod and Zune. The following were my criteria, and the winners: Audio quality: Zune (as EVERY comparison review indicates). Audio codecs: Zune - supports the same codecs as iPod plus more. Video quality: Zune - nice big and very clear screen. Video codecs: Zune - supports the same codecs as iPod plus more. Appearance: Zune (unless you like the tacky white default iPod?). Battery: Rated the same 30 hours, but reviews indicate iPod last longer. I know my Zune is lucky to get 20 hours. GUI: Zune has a better looking GUI, but iPods do have "Search", which Zunes don't. Probably iPod because of this. Although the Zune does have better support for photos, games, and extra apps. Pod-casting: Unknown. Not something I care to use, and therefore cannot rate. Software: Personally, I hate iTunes - such a bloated and slow piece of software. I've found the Zune software simple, fast, and clean. Just a shame about the lack of automatic video conversion of non-WMV video codecs. Hardware: iPods are notorious for breaking down. Zune have got excellent reputation regarding reliability. Marketing: Apple hands-down. As for comments about NEEDING the software to use the Zune - not true. There is small free app for Windows that enables the Zune to be accessed through the basic Windows Shell (ie Explorer etc). For me, it was a pretty easy choice to go for the Zune, and I've been very happy with it. The only real differences between the makers - MS and Apple - are that overall, MS are a lot more successful (and therefore more hated by everyone), and that Apple have a much better marketing group (and therefore liked by people that fall for marketing). At the end of the day, they're both just big soulless evil corporations out there to make money. ;-) Oh yeah, and iPods are dumber. ;-) Which is better? I recently bought an 80gb player, and narrowed down to the iPod and Zune. The following were my criteria, and the winners:

Audio quality: Zune (as EVERY comparison review indicates).

Audio codecs: Zune – supports the same codecs as iPod plus more.

Video quality: Zune – nice big and very clear screen.

Video codecs: Zune – supports the same codecs as iPod plus more.

Appearance: Zune (unless you like the tacky white default iPod?).

Battery: Rated the same 30 hours, but reviews indicate iPod last longer. I know my Zune is lucky to get 20 hours.

GUI: Zune has a better looking GUI, but iPods do have “Search”, which Zunes don’t. Probably iPod because of this. Although the Zune does have better support for photos, games, and extra apps.

Pod-casting: Unknown. Not something I care to use, and therefore cannot rate.

Software: Personally, I hate iTunes – such a bloated and slow piece of software. I’ve found the Zune software simple, fast, and clean. Just a shame about the lack of automatic video conversion of non-WMV video codecs.

Hardware: iPods are notorious for breaking down. Zune have got excellent reputation regarding reliability.

Marketing: Apple hands-down.

As for comments about NEEDING the software to use the Zune – not true. There is small free app for Windows that enables the Zune to be accessed through the basic Windows Shell (ie Explorer etc).

For me, it was a pretty easy choice to go for the Zune, and I’ve been very happy with it.

The only real differences between the makers – MS and Apple – are that overall, MS are a lot more successful (and therefore more hated by everyone), and that Apple have a much better marketing group (and therefore liked by people that fall for marketing). At the end of the day, they’re both just big soulless evil corporations out there to make money. ;-)

Oh yeah, and iPods are dumber. ;-)

]]> By: Paul G http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/04/cg-comment-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-793689 Paul G Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:06:09 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=32554#comment-793689 The zune guy is replacing his tattoo with a banana. The zune guy is replacing his tattoo with a banana.

]]> By: LG http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/04/cg-comment-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-793591 LG Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:06:26 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=32554#comment-793591 ...or the Quaker of oatmeal …or the Quaker of oatmeal

]]> By: Nate http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/04/cg-comment-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-793574 Nate Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:50:25 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=32554#comment-793574 You, apparently, don't do much with podcast management. You, apparently, don’t do much with podcast management.

]]> By: TheRedMonkey http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/04/cg-comment-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-793543 TheRedMonkey Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:09:49 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=32554#comment-793543 The Zune software works fine for me. Even bananas go extinct. The banana that we eat today is a different breed than what our parents ate when they were children. The iPod is a fashion statement. They fail annually and my Zune has never given me a problem like when I owned an iPod. The Zune software works fine for me. Even bananas go extinct. The banana that we eat today is a different breed than what our parents ate when they were children.

The iPod is a fashion statement. They fail annually and my Zune has never given me a problem like when I owned an iPod.

]]> By: Nate http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/04/cg-comment-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-793533 Nate Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:51:03 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=32554#comment-793533 Agreed. When it comes to hardware and UI, Zune has the iPod beat, hands down. However, the Zune software is soooo bad. Because of this, I no longer have a Zune (I don't have an iPod anymore either, but that's a different story). Agreed. When it comes to hardware and UI, Zune has the iPod beat, hands down.

However, the Zune software is soooo bad. Because of this, I no longer have a Zune (I don’t have an iPod anymore either, but that’s a different story).

]]> By: Chris Taylor Jr http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/04/cg-comment-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-793510 Chris Taylor Jr Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:36:58 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=32554#comment-793510 Actually for me at least from a Hardware/GUI perspective the Zune makes the ipod look downright antiquated. There is one aspect of the zune that is horrid though worse than the ipod and worse than anything else. The damned software we are FORCED to use to use the damned things. My Dream is simple mass storage access to the zune with NO SOFTWARE AT ALL needing to be installed. Just a drive letter and I put my music on the device. Actually for me at least from a Hardware/GUI perspective the Zune makes the ipod look downright antiquated.

There is one aspect of the zune that is horrid though worse than the ipod and worse than anything else.

The damned software we are FORCED to use to use the damned things.

My Dream is simple mass storage access to the zune with NO SOFTWARE AT ALL needing to be installed.

Just a drive letter and I put my music on the device.

]]> By: Juice http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/04/cg-comment-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-793501 Juice Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:32:00 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=32554#comment-793501 This just made me LOL like hell. This just made me LOL like hell.

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