iPod vs Zune

Never used either one. I have an 80 gig Ipod, but it definitely doesn't have a touch screen and I have not the slightest clue about the precise stats and figures.

As for video quality, I guess you could ask yourself just how much power you need. Then again, I also gather that the Zune's format would be more convenient than the Ipod's.

Something to keep in mind - you're deciding between, essentially, the same products. They have some slight differences, but their role in your lifestyle will be identical. Come to think of it, my slightly older Ipod will have the same role in my lifestyle as your upcoming purchase will have in your own lifestyle. Maybe save some cash and buy used?

The way I see it, is which of the two has less features likely to break? Usually I prefer products that are less likely to fail.

I don't have an iPod or a Zune. I have had a Rio for about 3 years. It has a small capacity (2.5 gigs), but it has been very reliable, although the hard drive is showing signs of failure. Knowing me, when I replace it, I will choose a product not produce by Apple or Microsoft that tries to get me to adopt inferior entertainment programs--iTunes and Windows Media Player respectively.

On such a small screen any losses in video quality will be negligible.
I have an 80 gig iPod Classic that I bought a year or so ago and I love it. I have a few movies on it, but since I don't travel a lot, I rarely use that feature any more. It was a cool at first, but once the novelty wore off . . .

Some movies work better than others on the tiny screen. 300, for example, doesn't really cut it on the iPod screen.

I use my iPod almost constantly for music at work, so I'm more concerned about sound quality, which I feel is excellent in the iPod. The iPod earbuds, however, in my opinion, are weak. A guy I work with has a Zune. Not sure what series, but I didn't care for its sound signature. Then again, he didn't like the iPod sound, so there you have it.

I also use it now and then to transport large (3 or 4 gig) Photoshop and 3D rendering files between work and home, which is nice.

As far as the iPod Touch, I've only played around with it a little bit. It's a cool little gizmo, but I don't need or want most of the features, so until they drop the price and seriously up the amount of storage, I'm sticking with my Classic. Seems like you can get the 160 gig version of the Classic now for about $249.00 (USD). I rip all my music at 320 kbps, so if I had even the 32 gig Touch, I'd already be out of space by about 10 gigs.

If you want to check out some folks who are seriously into portable sound and have much to say about iPod vs. Zune and etc., check out headfi.org. I used to post there once in awhile, but stopped (only after geeking out and buying a set of $150 Etymotic earbuds and a portable amp) when I realized that there's only so much you can really say about portable audio and headphones before descending into absurdity.