Jasmine's back, and she and Donald tackle the Android-based Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet that just landed in the office--with plenty of unboxing goodness. Also, a new Cowon player is teased in Asia, and Jasmine rants uncontrollably about the sweet new Japan-only Walkmans that she's dying to get her hands on. Finally, no MP3 Insider would be complete without a sojourn into iPod Touch/Zune HD territory, which is exactly where the updated CNET Prizefight comes into play.
Listen now:
Download today's podcast
Subscribe in iTunes audio | Subscribe in iTunes video | Subscribe in RSS audio | Subscribe in RSS video
... Read more
The CNET Prizefight you've been waiting for is here: Zune HD vs. iPod Touch. Just like the Thunderdome (minus Tina Turner and the post-apocalyptic wasteland), two portable media players will enter the ring, but only one may leave.
And for the first time, dear CNET readers, our Prizefight page has been redesigned to allow comments. That's right, now all your catty flames, insightful objections, or outright whining can be preserved forever, right on the Prizefight page. Another upshot of the page redesign: it looks soooo much better than the old version.
So head on over to the iPod Touch vs. Zune HD Prizefight and dump all your disappointment/elation into that newfangled comments box. You'll feel better, really.
If you're shopping for a high-end portable media player, but the iPod just isn't your cup of tea, the Sony X-Series Walkman and the Cowon S9 are two of the best options around.
But aside from the fact that both players include beautiful OLED touch screens, they couldn't be more different. The X-Series comes with a Web browser, noise-canceling headphones, and lacks Bluetooth, while the S9 includes Bluetooth, standard earbuds, and wants nothing to do with the Internet.
To see which iPod Touch alternative offers the most bang for your buck, we've handed the S9 and the Walkman over to our Prizefight team, who put each player through five rounds of scrutiny. To see which player came out on top, check out the full CNET Prizefight.
Apple's iPod Touch is one of highest-rated MP3 players on CNET, but it's also one of the most expensive, starting at $230. That's a lot of money to drop on an MP3 player, especially when a touch-screen competitor like the Samsung P3 delivers many of the same features as the Touch for about $80 less. The price difference is dramatic, but it's unclear whether the Touch is suffering from an inflated ego, or if the P3's price is too good to be true.
To determine which of these touch-screen, music- and video-playing portable beauties is really worth your time and money, we've subjected each device to five rounds of criticism from three of our toughest judges. So let's stretch those fingers, and break out the good headphones, because the battle of CNET's top touch-screen media players is about to begin.
Napster has come a long way since its inception as a file-sharing service 10 years ago, and there is little doubt that without it, Rhapsody wouldn't exist--at least not in the form we enjoy today. Now, thanks largely to the fact that most competing services gave up on the game and passed their subscribers over to the two remaining companies, these music subscription companies are rulers of the roost when it comes to paid streaming. But who will come out on top when we pit Napster and Rhapsody against each other in five bone-shaking rounds? Read on for the answer.
The third-gen Apple iPod Shuffle and the SanDisk Sansa Clip are two of the smallest, least expensive, and most-talked-about MP3 players on CNET. Both devices share a clip-on design, but otherwise, Apple and SanDisk take very different approaches to their MP3 players, demonstrating a tug of war between form and function.
You may already know which MP3 player you'd choose, but when push comes to shove, which of these minuscule MP3 players is preferred by our CNET editors? Find out in our iPod Shuffle vs. Sansa Clip CNET Prizefight.
When Amazon launched the beta version of its DRM-free MP3 store back in 2007, many predictions were made regarding whether the online retail giant would have what it takes to take on its counterpart in the digital music space, Apple iTunes. Although Amazon MP3 has yet to reach iTunes status in terms of catalog size and overall digital media sales, the lure of the ever-compatible MP3--which shows no signs of popping up in Apple's domain--combined with the pricing deals offered on the site and consistent growth in terms of selection is set to gain Amazon some serious headway in the coming months.
All the postulating and sales numbers are all well and good, but what happens when some music tech editors (and Brian Tong) pit Apple iTunes and Amazon MP3 head-to-head in the battle of the online media stores? This Prizefight, that's what. We took a bit of a different tack this time around, comparing interface, library selection, compatibility, sound quality, and value in five rounds of bone-crushing battle. As you can imagine, some differences were more apparent than others. However, who will be the ultimate champion in what is to become the leading market for music sales? Read on to find out which service gets to leave head held high and which will be forced to gimp away in shame.
When two MP3 titans go head-to-head, only artsy black and white photos can do the moment justice.
(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET Networks)This year, as we pit the second-generation iPod Classic against the Zune 120, I can assure you of another thing...in this prizefight, only one MP3 player comes out alive.
Will the iPod repeat the domination we witnessed in Nano vs. Zune 16, or will the Zune catch a break?
To find out, read CNET's five-round, no-holds, no-mercy, iPod Classic vs. Zune 120 Prizefight.
Ding! Ding!
Earbuds are subject to personal taste perhaps more than any other gadget, making them ideal candidates for a head-to-head battle. This first-ever earbud Prizefight pits two sound-isolating sets against one another: the Shure SE310 Sound Isolating Earphones and the Klipsch Image X5 Earphones.
Both pairs are of the canalbud variety, meaning they must be inserted into the ear canal for optimal sound and fit. By nature, these earphones are ultraportable and durability can be an issue because of their small size. Earbuds, in particular, are subject to the whims of the wearer (dependent on personal ear size and shape) when it comes to comfort. Also, they vary greatly when it comes to sound quality, though any set in this price range should be plenty impressive. So who will reign supreme in this bout between the tiniest of music maestros? The Shure SE310s with their stellar warranty and modular cable? Or the Klipsch Image X5s with their supersleek, ultralight design? Let the battle of the 'buds begin!
Who can resist a good Zune vs. iPod prizefight? In fact, these days it's downright necessary, considering that the iPod Nano and the flash Zune look like they've been separated at birth. The truth is that most of the similarities between these two MP3 players are only skin-deep. The Zune's Wi-Fi downloads, FM radio, and Zune Pass subscription support are very different from the Nano's Genius playlists, iTunes movie rentals, and shake-to-shuffle novelty. But when it comes right down to it, which one is better? Which pocket-sized MP3 player is worth your hard-earned cash?
View the results of the CNET Prizefight: Zune vs. Nano
Donald Bell is an electronic musician, a veteran record store employee, and a fearless hardware hacker. He's also CNET's Senior Editor for MP3 and digital audio.
Jasmine France is CNET's resident digital audio doyenne, writing and editing product reviews, crave blogs, and feature stories on all things MP3. And if you need advice on headphones, she's your girl.
