Microsoft Zune

Price: 189.99 - 199.99

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A real iPod competitor!1209408760

Pros:

Good battery life, crisp, clear sound, high quality materials, excellent screen

Cons:

Avrage service, some Vista issues

I got this for my birthday and have had it for almost 5 months and I love it!!

Lets start with the bad, this player does not have an equalizer(e.q.),so you can't turn up the bass on songs. There were also some USB issues with my dad's Vista computer when I first got it,but a revised version of the software is available,so you should be fine. The software is kind of slow and a lot of people say the old version was better, but it should take care of all your needs. Warning: if you have ripped all of your cds in lossless codec in Windows Media Player you have to re-rip them for your Zune. Also,if you don't already own some, you will need to buy DVD ripping software to watch movies on your Zune.

Now for the good. This player sounds amazing! The sound is the best of any portable device. This is partially due to the amazing ear buds included. These are light-years ahead of the iPod's in terms of comfort, quality, and sound.

The build quality is way ahead of the iPod's in terms of materials and feel. The back is aluminum that has been laser engraved with the Zune logo and capacity. You can buy backplates with laser artwork on them from their website. The screen is glass, which means that it is way shinier and more scratch resistant than polycarbonate. The surface area around the faceplate is made of smooth, high quality plastic that has a matte finish. The touch pad is textured plastic with a band of aluminum around it.

All of these parts make the Zune a bit towards the heavy side, but it is no burden. It is a little thicker than an iPod, but just thick enough. I recommend getting one of the excellent Microsoft cases to protect your screen. These cases have suede insides and are leather wrapped with a magnetic clasp to keep the cover shut.

The Zune comes with a FM radio tuner that is pretty good for listening to your favorite stations. The screen is beautiful for viewing your pictures and movies. You will need to clean the screen often, because it likes to pick up dust. Also, because it's made of glass, it doesn't scratch easily.

Overall, this is an amazing product that I would highly recommend above any other mp3 player. Aside from the issues mentioned above, this is a real iPod competitor that is well worth your money.