Side-by-Side: new iPod vs Zune

[Zunerama Ed.]

From the Zunerama front page:

Today Apple announced its new iPod, featuring an 80 GB video model for $349. How does the new iPod stack up against

Microsoft's soon-to-debut Zune player?

The table below compares features and technical specs for iPod with the rumored features of Microsoft's first Zune

player, scheduled for release in Fall 2006.

Please see our Zune-iPod: Side-by-Side page for a cleaner, up-to-date version of the table.

Side-by-Side: Zune vs. the new iPod

Feature	Zune	iPod Video
Storage	30 GB	30 GB or 80 GB
Display	3" LCD Resolution: unknown	2.5" LCD 320x240
Audio and Video playback	Yes	Yes
Audio formats	WMA; otherwise unknown	AAC, MP3, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, WAV
Video formats	Unknown	H.264, m4v, mp4, mov, MPEG-4
FM receiver	Yes	No
Height/Width	Unknown	4.1 x 2.4 inches
Depth	Unknown	.43 inch (30GB) .55 inch (80GB)
Weight	Unknown	4.8 ounces (30GB) 5.5 ounces (80GB)
Connectivity	USB 2.0 Wireless (limited features)	USB 2.0
Wireless	802.11b/g ("Wi-Fi")	No
Wireless functions	"DJ" - streaming audio to up to   4 other nearby players Sharing of promotional copies   of songs to other nearby players	No
Battery	Unknown   (Li-Ion specified in Toshiba FCC docs)	Li-Ion rechargeable, built-in
Battery life	Unknown	14 hours (3-1/2 for video)   (30GB) 20 hours (5-1/2 for video)   (80GB)
Colors	White, black, brown	white, black
PC and Mac?	PC only	Mac and PC
Price	$299	$249 (30GB) $349 (80GB)

[lpxxfaintxx]

Nice, this can be really useful for people who just discovered what a Zune is... Gj!

[andre]

to me it seems like the two are a wash (for the features i need) price will be the determining factor for me.

[Balboa]

Nice work, Z'ma. Be a good resource to refer back to as those Zune rumors and facts get sorted out...

[xxxoom]

microsoft REALLY needs to release some new info on the zune--some specs, a clear pic, something!!!

[friedtomato]

Can someone explain something to me.

Adding "FM" seems easy. I mean, isn't it like 75-year-old technology?

So why didn't Apple integrate FM into its latest iPod?

[xxxoom]

Adding "FM" seems easy. I mean, isn't it like 75-year-old technology?

So why didn't Apple integrate FM into its latest iPod?

that's what A LOT of people are wondering.

perhaps it was just because there was no real competition.

i mean, it's been about a year since their latest upgrades and... they've really offered very little new--just a bigger hard drive... and a smaller nano. 

it seems they've dropped the ball a little and are trying to play catch-up.

[Dr.zune]

by not upgrading like apple should have, in my mind theyve already lost because unless they upgrade again within the next couple monthes then zune is going to take the lead becuase it ahs so many more features. and with advertising..then zune has it

[Zunerama Ed.]

I suspect Apple is shifting its strategy. The iTunes, iTV approach bypasses the iPod - it's the first use of iTunes that doesn't involve iPod.

They're deciding to focus on the family room as a growth area, now that they already own the everywhere-outside-of-the-home entertainment market...
 

[xxxoom]

by not upgrading like apple should have, in my mind theyve already lost because unless they upgrade again within the next couple monthes then zune is going to take the lead becuase it ahs so many more features. and with advertising..then zune has it

it does appear that apple has dropped the ball (at least, temporarily).  still, most people haven't even heard of zune yet.

also, if apple decides to add wi-fi and widescreen in their next gen ipod, it will look like they're following everyone else.

[andre]

still no word on the dimension of the zune. one thing that concerns me is that someone who actually held described it as

...The largest drawback related to look and feel is the shear size of the Zune. It's fairly big and "clunky".

http://myoldkyhome.blogspot.com/2006/09/microsoft-zune-product-demo-review.html#comments

[Zunerama Ed.]

The Zune dimensions are available on our Zune blog - a Zunerama exclusive.

[tippit]

Your comparison table is out of date. All of the 5th gen and later iPods now support 640 x 480  (VGA) video resolution. That is 4X the QVGA supported by Zune. An iPod can play video on a big screen and it looks OK. Put 320 x 240 on a bg screen and it looks like crap.

Another issue I'm seeing are people who assume the shape of the Zune display fascia means it supports widescreen. That isn't true either. Like the scroll wheel that isn't, the Zune "widescreen" display is a fake too. It's really just a standard 4:3 aspect ratio.

[daveg]

Your comparison table is out of date. All of the 5th gen and later iPods now support 640 x 480  (VGA) video resolution. That is 4X the QVGA supported by Zune. An iPod can play video on a big screen and it looks OK. Put 320 x 240 on a bg screen and it looks like crap.

I think the Side-by-Side 's referring to the screen display. Screen display of the new iPod video 80GB is 320x240, just like the Zune. The iPod screen is 2.5", Zune is 3".

Please explain though if we're missing something here - thanks.

[xxxoom]

supposedly, the zune screen area is 50% bigger, even though it's only 0.5" wider.  the "50%" thing sounds more impressive, so they should probably use that stat.

is the zune widescreen?  if not, it shold've been.  it just would've been an extra selling point.