Is The Microsoft Zune The Best MP3 Player For Podcasts?
Jun 27th, 2008 | By James Lewin | Category: iPod Accessories, iPods & Portable Media Players, Podcasting Hardware 
Is the Microsoft Zune the best portable media player for podcasts?
That’s the conclusion of CNet’s Jasmine France, who puts the Zune at the top of her list of the best MP3 players for podcasts:
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.
The Zune beat five other players to the top position, in CNet’s ranking.
Their top players:
- Microsoft Zune
- Apple iPod Touch
- Creative Zen
- Cowon D2
- SanDisk Sansa Fuze
- Ibiza Rhapsody
My vote for the best podcast player would probably be the Apple iPhone, but the ranking demonstrates that the portable player market is maturing and there are many good options beyond the iPod.
Does the Zune beat the iPod and other portable media players for podcasts? Let me know what you think in the comments!
You have to be kidding, the Zune the best for podcasting!
As a podcaster all I can do is laugh, there is nothing at present that tops the iPod and thats not because of some attachment I have to the iPod or Apple but down to hard facts.
I was one of the first out there to support the Zune and I welcome Zune users, don’t get me wrong. But how long is it now since they launched their new marketplace with podcasting built in? And my podcast is still not listed, in fact I have given up thinking it ever will be. Where is the “interest” from Microsoft? Apple jumped at the chance to get podcasters on iTunes. Promises but no delivery, is that Microsofts new slogan these days?
The iPod is global, the Zune is limited, as far as I am aware, to North America, when does that change?
No, sorry the Zune at present is not the King of Podcasting…….Yet…..It could be.
A little clever marketing to both listeners and casters alike could seal the deal, so how’s about it Mircrosoft, Zune Worldwide and fast access to your marketplace? I’d love a way to get my shownotes in HTML(even a cut down version) onto the Zune’s screen. The iPod shows different things on different versions and sometimes no shownotes/lyrics at all. There are lots of other opportunities out there, grab them!!!!!!!!!
With Office Microsoft was never perfect, it was always just a touch better than the rest and they ruled the world. So do that again. Take what is out there, make it one step better, keep a step in reserve for when Apple try and trumph you and you’ll win.
Also, the Zune software does not allow for password protected RSS feeds unlike the iTunes software. I offer a subscription service for additional content and Zune users have to go through a bunch of extra steps to get the content.
I am listening to a podcast right now on my Apple iPod Touch. It SUCKS. I caught this site by querying ask.com to find something better. A normal podcast for me runs about an hour. The goofy “touch interface” has a time bar scaled for a 5 minute song. Going back just 30 seconds on a 1 hour podcast takes a VERY delicate touch and is nearly impossible.
Also .. where is the info on the podcast? All I see on my iPod is the title … NONE of the descriptive info is displayed and I’d think that would be a basic requirement!
I wish ZUNE and iTouch weren’t the recommended 1st and 2nd place holders. I want to listen to what I want to listen to without BigBrother watching me.
-Dan
After I lost my iPod Nano 3G (some call it the fatboy) I tried replacing it with an iPod touch. It was a disaster for podcasts! As Dan says, you can’t see the info and worse yet, long titles don’t get scrolled! And despite the name, you have to look at the Touch to control playback while on the Nano you can operate the touch wheel without looking. I use that feature all the time while driving. After a few days of misery, I took back the Touch and bought myself a second hand Nano 3G, which really is the best thing I have found for podcasts. The newer Nanos have screens that I find much harder to read than the 3G.