In case you are planning to buy either of the two most prominent portable media players on the planet, here’s a last minute summary round-up. Considering just the hardware technology, Zune HD does seem to be superior than the iPod Touch 3rd gen. But then again Apple already has a significantly strong app store with thousands to choose from. Of course that does not end there, considering Microsoft having a tremendous presence in development tools/market, it may be just a matter of time for it to catch up. Here’s a quick look at the comparison table.
|
Microsoft Zune HD
|
Apple iPod Touch
|
| Availability |
Now |
Now |
| Price |
$219 (16GB); $289 (32GB) |
$199 (8GB); $299 (32GB); $399 (64GB) |
| Colors available |
Black, platinum, green, blue, red |
One–black/silver |
| Dimensions and weight |
4″ by 2.7″ by .35″; 2.6 ounces |
4.3″ by 2.4″ by .33″; 4.05 ounces |
| CPU |
|
Samsung ARM |
| Screen size and technology |
3.3″, OLED |
3.5″, LCD |
| Screen resolution |
480 by 272 |
480 by 320 |
| Video output |
720p with optional dock |
480p and 576p with optional cable |
| Multi-touch |
Yes |
Yes |
| Battery life |
Microsoft says up to 33 hours for music, up to 8.5 hours for video. |
Apple says up to 30 hours for music, up to 6 hours for video. |
| Accelerometer |
Yes |
Yes |
| Radio |
Yes, HD |
No |
| Camera |
No |
No |
| GPS |
No |
No |
| Wi-Fi |
802.11 b/g |
802.11 b/g |
| Per-track music downloads |
Yes |
Yes |
| Subscription music |
Yes (Zune Pass) |
|
| Movie purchases and rentals |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| TV show purchases |
Yes |
Yes |
| Audio formats |
Windows Media, WMA Lossless, AAC (no FairPlay), MP3 |
AAC (including FairPlay), MP3, Apple Lossless, WAV |
| Video formats |
WMV, H.264, MPEG4 |
H.264, MPEG4 |
| Audible audiobooks |
Other Zunes support them, but I’m not finding evidence that the Zune HD does |
Yes |
| Photos |
Yes |
Yes |
| Web browser |
Yes |
Yes |
| E-mail |
No |
Yes |
| Instant Messaging |
Not yet |
Via numerous third-party clients |
| Calendar |
No |
Yes |
| Maps |
No
|
Yes |
| Facebook and Twitter |
No, but due in November |
Yes |
| Apps available |
9 |
75,000 |
| Games available |
7 |
21,000 |
|
