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Zune vs iPod = Microsoft vs Apple ?
Detail about Zune
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Detail
about iPod
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Zune vs iPod: Side-by-Side Comparison
How does Microsoft's Zune player stack up against
Apple's latest video iPods? Microsoft Corp. is putting the social into digital music, video, starting this holiday. Today the company announced that the Zune digital media player and online service will be available to consumers in the U.S. on Nov. 14, 2006, Zune will create new ways for entertainment fans to connect and share media experiences device-to-device through the use of wireless technology and new software scenarios. We've assembled
the side-by-side iPod vs Zune table below based on several sources, including
Zunerama's interview
with Microsoft's Zune project leadership on September 14th, and
technical information gleaned from Toshiba's FCC filing for Zune.
The iPod specifications are from Apple's iPod technical specifications
sheet.
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Need
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Zune vs iPod (80GB) photo comparison:
(Screen Size: iPod vs Zune) Screen
size on the Zune is a slightly larger 3-inches, but you don't
get a real sense for how much difference that makes till you
see it next to the iPod screen. |
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(Thickness: Zune vs iPod) iPod
is slightly thinner than Zune, which makes the weight difference
even more surprising. |
(Longness: iPod vs Zune) Zune
comes in just barely longer than the iPod. |
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Here's another variation on pairing the iPod and Zune. |
Zune vs iPod specifications comparison:
| Features/Specifications |
Zune |
iPod |
More details |
| Vendor |
Microsoft |
Apple |
|
| Manufacturer |
Japanese - Toshiba |
Chinese - Inventec |
|
| Price |
$249.99 (30GB) |
$249 (30GB)
$349 (80GB) |
|
| Colors |
White, black, brown |
white, black |
|
| Display |
3" LCD, 320x240 |
2.5" LCD, 320x240 |
iPod features a 2.5 inch diagonal screen, while the Zune has a
slightly larger 3.0 inch diagonal screen. |
| Height/Width |
4.4 x 2.4 inches |
4.1 x 2.4 inches |
|
| Weight |
5.6 ounces |
4.8 ounces (30GB)
5.5 ounces (80GB) |
|
| Depth |
0.58 inches |
0.43 inch (30GB)
0.55 inch (80GB) |
|
| PC / Mac |
PC only |
Mac and PC |
Zune only supports Windows. iPod, on the other hand, supports
both Windows and Macs. |
| FM raido tuner |
Yes |
No |
FM Radio Capability - Zune comes with a built-in FM tuner. If
you want to listen to radio on your iPod, you have to buy an
accessory. |
| Audio and Video playback |
Yes |
Yes |
|
| Audio formats |
WMA, MP3, AAC |
AAC, MP3, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, WAV |
|
| Video formats |
H.264, MPEG-4, WMV |
H.264, M4V, MP4, MOV, MPEG-4 |
|
| Image formats |
JPEG |
JPEG, BMP |
|
| Podcast Playback |
YES |
YES |
|
| Tactile Control |
YES |
No |
|
| Scroll Wheel |
No |
YES |
The iPod clickwheel is simple to use, and an intuitive
interface. The Zune circular buttons, are merely a directional pad.
While video of the Zune UI looks stylish and eye catching, without a
“clickwheel” styled nav control, it won’t be as smooth as the
iPod. |
| Battery life |
Unknown |
14 hours (3-1/2 for video) (30GB)
20 hours (5-1/2 for video)
(80GB) |
|
| Battery |
Li-Ion rechargeable
built-in |
Li-Ion rechargeable,
built-in |
The iPod sports a 14/4 hour battery life, while Microsoft’s Zune
comes in just slightly under with 12 hours of power. |
| Connectivity |
USB 2.0, Wireless |
USB 2.0 |
|
| Wireless community features |
"DJ" - streaming audio to up to 4 other nearby players. Sharing
of promotional copies of songs to other nearby players |
No |
WiFi Connectivity - The current iPod features no Wifi
connectivity whatsoever, Zune, however, is 802.11g Wifi
enabled. |
| Wireless |
802.11b/g |
No |
|
| File Sharing |
YES |
No |
|
| Landscape Video |
YES |
No |
|
| Portrait Video |
YES |
YES |
|
| Preloaded Audio |
YES |
No |
|
| Preloaded Video |
YES |
No |
|
| Custom Background |
YES |
No |
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| Online Service |
Zune Marketplace |
iTunes |
With iTunes, if you want to buy music, it will cost you .99
cents per song, or you can purchase by the album. With Zune, you’ll
be able to choose from buying songs individually, or purchasing an
“all-you-can-eat” subscription, allowing you to listen to as much
music as you want. |
| XBOX Marketplace Integration |
YES |
No |
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| 3rd Party Accessories |
YES |
YES |
|
| Special Edition |
No |
U2 |
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iPod vs Zone Result: If the social aspects of Zune
are appealing to you, and you're a Windows user, then Zune
is probably your best choice. If you're not interested in the
Wifi features, you will definetly want to look at the iPod, but
in several important areas (screen size, download choice, priceˇ)
Zune is a clear winner.
Zune and iPod Related DVD iPod Software:
To know more info about what
is DVD, DVD-9, DVD-5 and other DVD software ? |
|
Imtoo DVD Creator
3GP Video Converter
DVD iPod Video Converter
PSP Video Converter
Transfer Hi8 8mm to DVD
All Video to DVD ConvertXtoDVD