The Ipod 1Gb Nano Versus the 1Gb Creative Zen Nano
Don't Judge a Media Player by Its Marketing
IPOD. The name strikes fear into the hearts of the mass marketed media player industry. Through extensive and brilliant advertising strategies by the one time underdogs of the computer world, Apple's IPOD has become a 21st century household name. Apple's grip on portable media does tend to beg one question however: Aside from its enormous fan base and familiarity with the common man, its "sleek" and "stylish" design and well chosen celebrity endorsement, does the Ipod deserve to be the front man in portable entertainment?
In this showdown I pit two formidable players cord to cord and weigh their technological prowess, overall file compatibility, functionality and economical sensibility in a match to the death. The Apple gb IPOD Nano versus Creative Zen Nano Plus 1 GB MP3 Player. Each player victorious in the respective category gets one point.
The Size and Mass:
Apple's Nano: 5.4 x 1.0 x 5.4 inches
Zen Nano: 1.32 x 2.58 x 0.51 inches
Looks like the Apple Nano is the tall lanky fellow and Zen Nano is more the short portly type. Does size matter? Some say it does.
1 point goes to Apple.
Supported Audio Files:
Apple's Nano: MP3, WAV, I tunes AAC, AIFF, Audible and Apple Lossless. The last four file types are Apples own sound files. No WMA here!
Zen Nano: MP3, WMA, WMA DRM.
Mp3, WAV and WMA are the most common on a PC. I am giving Apple the benefit of the doubt and believe that the AIFF files take up less space as they claim.
So 1 point goes to Apple.
Supported Picture Files:
Apple's Nano: Jpeg file type only.
Zen Nano: NONE!?
1 point for Apple.
Software Type:
Apple's Nano: I tunes for Mac and I tunes for Windows.
Zen Nano: Windows made from 98 to current edition XP.
The Zen Nano is basically plug and play which means no software and it will work on almost any desktop/laptop computer. No configuring, no mess, no fuss. Apple figures you buy the player, you should be using our software. Keep it in the family!?
This is easy…. 1 point for Zen.
Batteries and Play Time:
Apple's Nano: Integrated Lithium ion battery (included).
Estimated play time on one charge: 15 hours.
Zen Nano: One AAA battery (included).
Estimated play time on one charge: 18 hours
Swing and a miss for Apple. Their player comes with a charger which uses your computers power. Also, I know their batteries are not only expensive; they die after a year or two. Who stocks the replacement batteries? Apple of course! The Zen uses one AAA battery. You can buy these batteries anywhere! What were they thinking!
1 point awarded to the Zen.
Connections:
Apple's Nano: Ipod style USB. 1/8' headphone jack
Zen Nano: USB. 1/8 headphone jack.
The Zen nano has the same usb connection as many digital cameras and other mp3 players so if you lose the cord, use another one you have lying around. Lose the Ipod cord and expect to shell out more money for a replacement.
1 point for Zen.
The Display:
Apple Nano: The popular and "intuitive" back light I tunes interface uses the touch pad to navigate through your songs and pictures. Artists, songs, play lists, genres and equalization features. Also viewable are files you have stored to the hard drive
Zen Nano: The blue led backlight screen with black font. Artists, songs, playlists, genres and equalization features. Also viewable are files you have stored to the hard drive.
The Apple Nano and the Zen interfaces allow ease of use almost anyone can use. However Apple's Nano is easier to see and use.
This is a close call but the judge gives 1 point to Apple strictly for visual reasons.
Other Additional Features:
Apple's Nano: Date display, Upgradeable firmware, USB 2.0 compatibility
Zen's Nano: Date display, FM radio recording capability, USB 2.0 compatibility, External Recording, built in microphone.
Apple's Nano updates itself through iTunes regularly; beyond the features I already evaluated the train stops there. The Zen Nano has an fm tuner with 35 presets and the capability to record any fm station it receives with the touch of a button. It also has a built in microphone, handy for those lecture or meeting recordings and can record from any external sources with a 1/8' in aux jack.
This is the easiest call so far, 1 point for Zen's Nano.
The Average Retail Price:
Apple's Nano: $120 - $150
Zen Nano: $60 - $70
Recently Apple was forced by its competitors to lower their price a notch and one can see they only went so far. Zen stays at its market introduction price with a range of about $10.
This one goes to The Zen Nano.
So here we have it folks, the judges add up their scores. Let's see what they have….
Apple's 1 gigabyte Nano: 4 points
Creative Zen 1 gigabyte Nano: 5 points
Please keep in mind I choose to leave out the categories "level of trendiness", "likelihood your neighbor has one" and "amount of recognizable silhouettes rockin out in a commercial" categories in this review. It seems Apple's 1 gb Nano, the littlest giant in her Ipod line is defeated by the resourceful, sensible and mighty Creative Zen Nano.
Published by Dr. Phil
My work speaks for itself. View profile
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32 Comments
Post a Commentwhat about the sound quality? I thought they are primarily music players, aren't they. Creative is much better in this respect!
what about the sound quality? I thought they are primarily music players, aren't they. Creative is much better is this respect!
THERE ARE MANY THINGS I DIDNT LIKE ABOUT MY IPOD--
1)PROPRIETORY SOFTWARE-YOU HAVE TO USE APPLE ITUNES IN ORDER TO TRANSFER FILES.IF THEY (apple) DIDNT WANT TO INCLUDE A SMALL INSTALLATION CD IN THE IPOD PACKAGE,THEY COULD HAVE AT LEAST WRITTEN ON THE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS LIST THAT 'ITUNES IS REQUIRED FOR MUSIC TRANSFER'.A PERSON WITH NO 'ITUNES' SOFTWARE IN HIS PC, WITH NO INTERNET CONNECTION AND NO INTERNET CAFE WITHIN REACH WILL BE STUCK AFTER BUYING A 120$ IPOD.
2)BATTERY-THE IPOD USES A 'PROPRIETORY' LI-ION RECHARGEABLE BATTERY, WHICH MEANS IF YOUR IPOD BATTERY BECOMES COMPLETELY DEAD AT ANY MOMENT,YOU WOULD HAVE TO SEND YOUR IPOD TO APPLE'S SERVICE CENTRE TO GET A NEW 40$ (apple-made) BATTERY INSTALLED.YOU CANNOT EVEN CHANGE THE BATTERY YOURSELF & YOU WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR DAYS WITHOUT MUSIC BEFORE YOUR IPOD RETURNED.MAYBE APPLE PURPOSELY MADE A 'NON-USER REPLACEABLE BATTERY' SO THAT IT WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE OTHER COMPANIES A CHANCE TO MAKE & SELL SOME DARN 'ACCESSORY' THAT WO
MR.PHILIP WEISS HAS WRITTEN A VERY GOOD AND USEFUL ARTICLE.
BECAUSE OF THE MANY IPOD 'FANS' AROUND,I PURCHASED AN IPOD NANO 2 GB (FOR ABOUT 130 $) 1
WEEK AGO.WHEN I CONNECTED IT TO MY PC
I TRIED FOR HOURS TO TRANSFER MP3 SONGS TO THE IPOD BUT I COULDNT. HOURS LATER I FOUND OUT
ON THE TINY MANUAL THAT TO TRANSFER FILES,ITUNES SOFTWARE HAS TO BE PRESENT IN MY PC.SO I
HAD TO SPEND NEARLY 2 HOURS IN AN INTERNET CAFE JUST TO DOWNLOAD A 50 MB ITUNES PROGRAM.
AFTER INSTALLING ITUNES IN MY PC I TRANSFERRED ABOUT 100 SONGS INTO THE IPOD.I WAS HAPPY
LISTENING TO THE GOOD QUALITY MUSIC FROM THE INCLUDED EARPHONES,BUT AS SOON AS I
DISCONNECTED THE IPOD FROM THE PC, MY IPOD FROZE.THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES.IT JUST DID
NOT TURN ON INSPITE OF RESETTING IT, CHARGING IT FULLY, & FOLLOWING CORRECT PROCEDURES TO
DISCONNECT IT FROM MY PC.I HAD TO FINALLY RETURN THE IPOD.I PERSONALLY DONT LIKE IPODS IN THE FIRST PLACE NOT BECAUSE MINE WAS DEFECTIVE,BUT
B'COZ OF ITS FE
Couldn't get to posts after 8/22/2006 for some reason, but...
Mr. Weiss, players that read the same types of files will not automatically have the same sound quality. There are issues of D/A conversion, amplification, and equalization (or lack thereof.) Comparing audio quality may be somewhat subjective, but certainly not "moronic."
Rule one of a product review is to get the name of the product spelled correctly! It's iPod, not Ipod, IPOD, or ipod.
You also forgot about accessories that you can buy for the Apple nano, like the Nike companion - there is nothing else like it and you would have to pay $200-300 for a watch with similar abilities!!! I think that should CRUSH the competition - lets see you do that with your imitator!
the zen would have been better compared to the shuffle... not only that but if you are going to use a rechargeable AAA it might as well be built in its also important to remember that rechargeable nimh's tend to last half as long or less than their disposable equivalents. as far as software itunes is definitely preferable to mounting it as a disk and dragging files over manually... These players are not even in the same league...
The point I was really trying to make here is that Apple has its own specified products that can only be used FOR their products. There are plenty of other non apple products for non apple players. FM transmitters are plentiful and cost less if made for non ipod's. Just because very little if any products say MADE FOR THE ZEN! Doesnt mean it cant be used for the zen.
The zen nano organizes files in the same exact way an Ipod does.
Also I didnt think sound quality to be an issue here. Both players read sound files the same way. Both files read the most dense (highest audio quality)sound files (WAV) and play them back. Comparing audio quality in media players that read the same types of files is moronic.
Also I was not comparing quality of compatible files just the shere number of files. People need to think and read articles more carefully.
how about a point to apple for having a plethora of third party add on products, while hardly anything exists for the zen?