SEATTLE — Apple, you've made us addicts.
You've spoiled us for all others.
So don't worry about Zune crashing the party and stealing us away from you. It's not going to happen. Believe us.
Sure, the Zune has some head-turning temptations. It has a bigger screen, a mostly fingerprint-proof surface, a built-in FM radio tuner and a wireless file-sharing system.
We've shared a lot, Apple, and since we can't take a lot of that history into a new relationship with the Zune, you have our fidelity — for now.
For most, the advantages of dumping the iPod and taking up with the Zune aren't enough to offset the potential cost of such a dramatic change of heart. We're not celebrities.
You can't transfer anything you bought from iTunes, including the ever-growing selection of TV shows and movies available at that site. But the Zune has its own twisted code of honor. It won't even play songs bought through Microsoft's own partners, such as Napster or MTV's Urge. However, it will import MP3s and unprotected files.
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The differences start with the scroll wheel. Apple's patented design makes everything else seem cumbersome. All the commands are built into it.
In addition to a back button and a play/pause button, Zune has a navigational tool that at first looks like a scroll wheel, but it's a four-directional clicker that seems to plod along when you're trying to find something fast, even though holding it down makes things zoom by efficiently enough.
The Zune is surprisingly more intuitive than it seems.
In the horizontal position, where you'll mostly keep it if you're watching a lot of videos or pictures, the wheel at the right controls volume (up and down arrows) and fast forward/rewind (left and right arrows). Déjà vu ripples through the subconscious as it feels like working on a game console or a digital camera.
The iPod really swept us off our feet with its design. It's sleek, simple and stylish. Those accustomed to the slimmer iPod may balk at the heft of the Zune, which is comparable to the second- or third-generation iPods. Once you've passed that stage, it's hard to go back.
The Zune is chunkier than the video iPod and, while the size of the screen is impressive at first, it's when they go head to head that you see the flaws of the would-be suitor.
Videos — like the ones included on our review device — come out looking decent, until you put it next to a video iPod. Then, bigger doesn't equal better, not when the picture on the iPod is so much sharper, the details jumping out in their crispness, the colors infusing the action with life. Animation fares better on the Zune and photos look as good as anything out there.
The wireless file-sharing feature of Zune works well, and it works fast — as long as you click "yes" in a timely manner — and makes swapping songs and photos nearly effortless. But don't jump for joy yet. It's got a built-in safety: You can't play a song more than three times or for more than three days, whichever comes first. And don't pause it or stop it, whatever you do. That counts as a play. Trying to play it a fourth time prompts an announcement of the expiration of the song — a death that may or may not compel you to shell out the money to buy it.
But it only works if the Zune sells well. After all, three out of every four people who own MP3 players own iPods. So if you're eager to find a kindred spirit to share music or photos with, you might be disappointed. In fact, you probably will be disappointed.
And, really, would you be the one out there pointing this thing around, looking for a like-minded soul, like some kind of metal-detector-wielding treasure hunter searching in vain for gems in the sand?
Still, it's not all bad. Except for the screen, it seems to be smudge-proof — a problem that has long plagued the iPod.
Anyway, we hate to send a "Dear Zune" letter after such a brief courtship, but at the end of the night there is no doubt who we're going to go home with.
Good luck finding that special someone.
Price: $249.99
Colors: White, brown, black
Capacity: 30GB
Features: Plays video, able to view in both a horizontal and vertical position. Able to transmit songs to other Zunes via a wireless connection. Also has the ability to store photos. Bigger screen, mostly finger-proof surface and has a built-in FM tuner. Can only play music from ripped CDs and Microsoft's music store.