Best MP3 players for podcasts

Obviously, an MP3 player's foremost purpose is music playback, but these days people are using their devices for much more than just that. You can view photos, watch videos, even play games in some cases. But perhaps one of the most popular side dishes people like to enjoy is podcasts--heck, it's the main dish for some. Podcasts are great for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that they're free. Plus, you can count on finding someone talking about just about any topic known to man, so there's something for everyone. Of course, not every MP3 player handles podcasts equally, which is why I've rounded up some of the best options for you here. The criteria? At the very least have a separate menu sort dedicated to podcasts and some decent software available for managing them. Advanced features include bookmarking capability (whether active or passive), accelerated fast forwarding, and the ability to delete podcasts on the fly once you're done listening.

(Credit: CNET Networks)
1. Microsoft Zune: A fantastic podcast option, the Zune even ekes past the iPod for the top spot. The software is excellent for podcasts: You can manage how many episodes you want to sync to your device on a subscription-by-subscription level, meaning you can update three episodes of Buzz Out Loud, but only one of MP3 Insider and so on. You can also unsubscribe from podcasts directly from the player, and there's an option to wirelessly sync new podcasts when you charge your player at night. The Zune also offers accelerated fast forwarding and passive bookmarking to automatically remember your spot in each podcast.
(Credit: CNET Networks)
2. Apple iPod Touch: Ah, the forerunner. iTunes gets a lot of credit here: It's a great program for managing podcasts, aside from some minor quibbles (automatically unsubscribing you after several missed downloads, for example). The iPod also offers passive bookmarking, and the Touch is great for video podcasts, which you can delete immediately after watching.
(Credit: CNET Networks)
3. Creative Zen: Creative has gotten better with podcast support over the years. The ZenCast software is solid for podcast management, and the Zen has a separate podcast sort in the menus, though you must drill down into genre to find it. The player features active bookmarking, which you can place in various spots in the same podcast (if desired)--it remembers these spots even after syncing. You can also delete tracks on the fly and fast forward and rewind with acceleration.
(Credit: CNET Networks)
4. Cowon D2: This player is pretty unique in the way it manages podcasts. The D2 comes loaded with PodcastReady's MyPodder software, which runs directly from the device itself. Every time you plug the player into your computer, podcasts are updated based on your specified settings, of which there are many. I think that's pretty neat: lots of customization and no app cluttering up your hard drive. The D2 also offers variable playback speeds, so you can listen to podcasts faster or slower than normal.
(Credit: CNET Networks)
5. SanDisk Sansa Fuze: The Fuze doesn't come with its own podcast software, but it, too, will work with MyPodder. There's a dedicated podcast section in the music menu, accelerated fast forwarding, and passive bookmarking. Like the D2, the Fuze offers a variety of playback speeds: slow, normal, or fast. You can also delete files on the fly.
(Credit: CNET Networks)
6. Ibiza Rhapsody: The Ibiza Rhapsody might be the coolest of the bunch for some users. You don't even need a computer to update your podcasts: You can do it directly on the player anywhere you have an available Wi-Fi connection.

For a side-by-side comparison of the products, please click here.