I’ve tooled with an iPod for a couple minutes, I liked it. I also played with the last generation of Creative’s Nomad player. I liked that. Both are $300.
Also, I’ve heard snippets about the the software on on the iPod that prevents you from loading some songs (not sure about this … something about downloaded MP3s and copyright protection), can someone explain? I’ve heard the Zen does not have that.
Opinions/thoughts?
the zen can be found for just above 215.
Personally i’d get the ipod if you can afford it. size matters.
I beleive that the iPod restrictions you mentioned only affect files you download through Apple’s iTunes Music Store (which just may have been discussed here). I could be wrong, but I think I’d have heard about any other restrictions.
Go with the Zen. It is only slightly larger than the iPod, is cheaper, and has more storage space. (I assume the iPod that is $300 is the 15GB model, while the Zen you showed has a 20GB harddrive.)
Go with the Zen, unless you’re the kind of person that wears really, really tight pants and need the extra tenth of a cubic millimeter of space in your pockets.
iPod, definitely, if you can afford the extra bucks. I messed around with a friend’s Zen, and I truly prefer the iPod; I found the controls and interface on the Zen to be a bit clunky. The iPod is also sleeker, which may or may not make a difference to you (and although you might not think so, it just may once you start carrying it around a lot). I’ve had my iPod for about a year now, and I practically don’t leave home without it.
I’m not sure what copying restrictions you’re talking about. Troy McClure SF may be right; you might be thinking about iTunes store restrictions, but that’s only to prevent you from copying to multiple iPods. To yours is no problem. No other restrictions that I’ve come across.
I’ve been facing the exact same choice. I think I’m going to get the Zen. One reason is that it’s much more flexible as a portable hard drive – you can just connect it up to any computer and transfer files back and forth. I don’t think you can do that with the iPod. Also, I want at least a 20 gig hard drive, which is a lot more expensive with the iPod. I don’t plan to carry it around much, so the difference in weight and size isn’t a factor for me.
Not so fast! Yes, you can absolutely use the iPod as a portable hard drive. I do it all the time, transferring documents and files to my friend’s computer, and it works great.
Ok, can someone fill me in on MP3s? I have been thinking of getting one too but I want to know more about it first.
This is basically a Mega CDless walkman/discman, right? Giraffe said he/she doesn’t plan to carry it around much so the size is not a big deal. Why have it if you don’t need a portable player? What are its other uses? If they vary between IPod and Nomad between please explain.
No radio, right?
If I already have CD’s downloaded onto my Realplayer can they then just be tranferred to the MP3? Please no gripping about Realplayer unless it is related to this question.
I don’t have to go to a webstie to get music if I own the CD, right?
The Nomad mentions different storage capabilities based on 80kbps or 128kbps. How is this determined? By the CD? By the PC? Can you choose the kbps?
Approx. how long does it take to download a CD? Say, 60 mins long.
I seem to be edging towarrds the Nomad but I first need to see if this is something I really want.
Thanks and sorry for the hijack mouthbreather but I thought this could help in comparing them as well.
I see – I thought for the some reason the iPod was less flexible as a portable hard drive.
Do you have to install any drivers or software on the computer you want to transfer files to, or does it automatically recognize the device as an external hard drive? Also, can you download your MP3s to other computers, or only files earmarked as “data files”? (This last bit, if true, might be what I was thinking of.)
No drivers necessary to mount the hard drive (at least not on Macs. I’m not 100% certain that holds true on Windows machines as well, but I don’t think you do).
That last part may very well be what you’re thinking of, indeed. It’s true, out of the box, you can’t copy mp3s from the pod’s playlist to another computer (You can still, of course, copy them to the iPod as data and move them that way). However, there are many shareware and freeware programs that get around this limitation. So yeah, if one plans on moving lots of mp3s between many computers often, the iPod may not be your best choice. However, if you’re sticking to one or two computers, it’s really no problem.
Giraffe.
Unless they’ve changed it theres a major problem with the zen.
Although the unit is perfectly capabale of showing up as a drive letter without drivers… it doesn’t. You need to install Creative’s software first onto the machine. They might have changed it by now.
Oh yea, take into account that the IPOD only has firewire whereas the Zen uses usb 2.0(new version). Every machine under the sun has USB, not so true with the Ipod.
Thanks for the info. (Although, since you’ve thrown me back into indecision again, I’m not exactly sure what I’m thanking you for…) 
In the link Harmonix posted, it mentioned that you could modify playlists on the Zen while a song is playing. I think I’ve heard that you can’t modify playlists on the iPod at all without being connected to a computer – is this true?
While that was true with the older iPod models, it is not true for the current “docking” iPods.
From Apple’s ipod page: “On-The-Go playlists: Have a particular set of songs you want to hear? Queue up as many songs as you like in a playlist while away from your computer.”
I see – I’ve only ever talked to people who have the older iPods. Thanks, Mojo.
Cripes, now I don’t know what to get…
Actually, I was checking out iPod’s on Apple’s webstore the other day, and all of the new ones come with firewire, and a PC firewire adapter.
Sorta. The new iPods come with a Firewire cable. You can get a Firewire PCI card for about $30 and use that to connect your iPod.
If you don’t want to use Firewire for some unglodly reason, you could buy a special combo Firewire/USB2 cable for about $20 and use that to connect it to your pc. Although the software for that cable isn’t shipping yet- Apple promises it in June.
If you have a Mac, however, you don’t need to worry about the connection. Macs have been shipping with firewire built in for at least 4 years now.