iPod vs. MP3 Players

Which one is best... an iPod or MP3?

Apple's iPod portable A/V system has become so ubiquitous that MP3's players in general are often referred to by the brand name. The devices are equipped with far more features than they were when they first debuted and took the world by storm. There are still features that are lacking, however, which are offered by market rivals.

The current top of the line is the Apple iPod nano 16GB. This device, like previous iPods, is designed to work seamlessly with Apple's iTunes service. It offers sophisticated options such as "shake to shuffle", a feature that allows the user to physically shake the machine to shuffle their playlist, the ability to organize playlists in myriad ways and to create playlists based on different criteria. The device is also video enabled and able to play the highly-compressed video formats designed for use in portable A/V players. Storage space is between 2GB and 32GB, depending on how much the user wishes to spend.

Though the iPod Nano is impressive, there are other portable MP3 players that offer features that may be more desirable for some users. iPod products have long lacked the ability to tune into regular radio broadcasts. SanDisk makes models (as example, the SanDisk Fuze 8GB) which have most of the iPods features and the ability to tune into FM radio. These other MP3 players aren't as heavily-connected to iTunes, as well, which makes them possibly better choices for consumers who aren't users of that service.

Microsoft's Zune MP3 player (as example, the Microsoft Zune 120GB) is a constant source of competition for the iPod. The Zune interfaces easily with any PC and allows users to download their music connections with little difficulty. Rather than iTunes, music purchases are made using the Zune service. In this regard, the player is much like the iPod in that it is designed to promote a specific music service. The Zune has a screen larger than the iPod Nano as well as features that incorporate wireless technology for synching one's files. Don't forget that Sony is also a big player in MP3 products (see the Sony NWZS736FB)


Portable MP3 players vary in sound quality but the principal limitation is presented by the format itself. MP3's are compressed, meaning that it is inevitable that some sound quality is lost when the file is converted to the MP3 format. This usually isn't an issue for users who tend to value the portability and large storage capacity.

The user's PC should also factor into their decision to buy. The iPod, being an Apple product, works best with Macintosh computers. The Zune, likewise, works best with PC's running Windows, though either device is capable of interfacing with any computer. Third party brands, such as SanDisk and Creative Zen are designed to be as flexible as possible. Other features to consider include removable media and battery life.

Other notables...

Apple iPod classic :
120GB hard drive portable with 2.5-inch (diagonal) color LCD

Apple iPod touch 8GB:
Walkman MP3 Player with Direct USB Connectivity

Sony NWZB135FB:
Walkman MP3 Player with Direct USB Connectivity

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