ipod vs. others (Creative Zen) and compatibility issues

I know this thread is out of place, and i was thinking of posting it somewhere else, but my question actually relates to the macbook (well, OS X).

So my ipod nano's screen (1st gen) cracked one day without me even touching it. Now I'm in search for a replacement. I don't need more than 4gb, I don't carry videos, i care about size (smaller = better), i care about battery life, and I'm so-so on user-friendliness. Nanos seem ok, but everyone has them and well, my previous nano quit randomly. I'm looking at Creative Zen now, which is even cheaper than the Nano and looks slicker.

But my main concern and question is this: for mac users who use itunes, is the ipod really the only logical thing to go with? Or can i still consider the Zen as a viable alternative?

 

Unless I'm mistaken, Creative doesn't make software that supports OSX. I'd say go with the iPod Nano; the new ones are pretty slick. I don't even think flash-based Creative players with drag-and-drop transfer will integrate well with your MacBook. Creative doesn't exactly cater to the Mac market. Besides, you've got a Mac, the iPod will integrate perfectly.

 

No, the iPod isn't your only choice. You shouldn't subject yourself to such bad quality(sound wise) as the ipod. I just got myself a cowon D2 8GB with an 8GB sdhc card for less $270usd total.

I highly recommend anything by cowon. The iAudio 7 is amazing, not to mention very sleek. I've gotten non-stop comments on my D2. Everybody loves how it's not an iPod, and then they get blown away when they hear the sound quality(requires nicer headphones, though).

When you plug a Cowon device into an OS X machine, it just shows up like a usb flash drive. Drag your files on or off and you're set.

 

I now, the ipod is the ultimate in integration with my mac, but it's just a crappier piece of hardware. A crappier battery, crappier lifespan, crappier support for media files, crappier design (no, it's not as slick as the zen), and the list goes on... (oh, and a bit more expensive than the rest... bcz it's apple).

 

Oh, also check out anythingbutipod where they review all the really great stuff that gets pushed to the background by the iPods hipster status.(Though I am jealous of the iCal on the touch and iPhone).

 

Affirmative. Just denouncing Creative with Macs. This is coming from a Creative Zen M user. And yes, anything from Cowon is HIGHLY recommended for sound quality.

 

meh, i'm no audiophile. ipod sound quality seemed decent enough.

 

I have a sandisk sansa e250 and it s perfect http://regmedia.co.uk/2006/07/12/sandisk_sansa_e250_headphones.jpg

 

but you don't have a mac!

 

I've always loved iRiver, I used to have one before getting an iPod. You should definitely look into the Clix, it's great. But I'm no audiophile, and the iPod I guess is good enough for me, ultimately for the integration with OSX.