Daniel_

In my household we have a few different sorts of iPod, having previously had several different DAPs (from Creative and various other companies).

The iPod is the first player that hasn't required lots of fiddling about to use the interface, and has had a simple software interface that synchronises easily.

I have no direct Zune experience, as they have not been available in the UK until vry recently, and I don't think I've EVER seen one in real life, however, the general feeling I get from reviews and the one person I know who bought one in the States is that it is a good device, but a couple of generations behind the iPod (i.e. the Gen 2 Zune is as good as a Gen 3/4 iPod). YMMV.

There are several alternatives, mostly free, and all pretty effective - some require you to do uber geeky things like rewrite the OS on your pod with Linux, but most just let you not use iTunes whilst keeping the iPod normal.

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Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air,
And deep beneath the rolling waves,
In labyrinths of Coral Caves,
The Echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand;
And everthing is Green and Submarine
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