just to add a voice to the negatives on iTunes.. I personally dont like any software to manage music in that form... well, not entirely true. I don't mind the one I wrote specifically tailored to my purposes
most of my management is just done in a File manager. However, ipod doesn't have a negative against it for using iTunes either, since I can just use it as a mass storage device and put files onto it that way... i guess i like this mainly because it gives me a choice.. not the, you must use X software for Y player..
the playlist bit I kind of expected.. I figured you could make a playlist per genre, and then another one per musician, and yet another per album.. then it wouldnt be too bad. although 4 hours does kind of blow, but for the types of things I would be using it for that is plenty. i would just need to lug the charger around on trips and the such.
out of curiousity, what is the typical battery life when you just choose a single playlist and leave it at that?