The world's first company to announce a portable MP3 player and the attendant system for uploading MP3 audio content to a personal computer and then downloading it onto a personal MP3 player was Audio Highway. Under the direction of founder and CEO, Nathan Schulhof, Audio Highway announced its Listen Up player on September 23, 1996,[3] won an Innovations Award for its Listen Up player and its Listen Up Personal Audio System at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 1997,[4] and began shipping the Listen Up player in the United States in September 1997.[5] The Listen Up player also won a People's Choice Award[6] at the 2nd annual Internet Showcase conference, held Jan. 30, 1998.

As the lead inventor on three U.S. patents (5,557,541; 5,572,442 and 5,841,979),[7][8][9] as well as co-inventor on another U.S. patent (6,549,942), Schulhof is sometimes referred to as "the father of the MP3 player industry."

So HA HA Apple fans!!!!!

CAN'T YOU STOP BEING A ZOMBIE LIKE OTHER LAME APPLE USERS! Everyone walking around with white ears phones, pretty lame – I don't care how great your apple product is or if it came out with the first mp3 player or how popular. At least I can think for myself and I don't give in so easy to the propaganda garbage from Apple, oh look if you buy this you'll be cool like every other apple zombie on the face of the planet! Get a life – I'm glad there are a variety of mp3 players and not have to jump on the band wagon like so many people. Oh look at that apple product, oh let me go throw up on your apple stuff cause it makes me sick! It's not the product that bothers me its all you fanatics or mac heads who are so closed minded!

You call the Zune HD – crap, well have you ever even tried it? If not, then how can you even call it crappy!!! Did you even read the article – for those who don't care about apps, Zune HD is better and I agree – it's easy to use, so what if it's a touch screen, the interface is different, so is the body, the screen is OLED which is WAYYYYYYYYYYY better than your crappy itouch will every be! The sound is amazing and so what about apps, if you love your apps – then stick to your crappy apple products and waste your money on that!

So why consider a Zune, cause I don't want to be like you or the rest of the crowd who can't think for themselves, affected by the media and advertising. Also it's more rich in media…. sound and visual but then again you probably would NEVER know that because you haven't even tried one or willing to because you're so obsessed with your dumb apple and apps! Half of your list is dumb as you can do some of the those on the Zune! Some of the ones that can't be done on the Zune sound not very practical so try another one!!!

People who use iPods use them because they're AWESOME and THE BEST.

By the way, get with the program, MICROSOFT ALREADY ANNOUNCED THEY WEREN'T PLANNING ON MAKING A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER PROGRAM FOR ZUNE, SO NO USER BASED APPS!

Obviously, you have too much faith in Microsoft to fix all the faults in their crappy excuse for an MP3 player.

"All Microsoft has to do is advertise". Yeah, that would be nice, wouldn't it, if they were actually a SMART company? Truth is, they won't advertise.

There's no hope.

The argument that some people don't want all those fancy apps and things is no longer excusable.
BECAUSE APPS ARE NO LONGER JUST ABOUT GAMING.
Find your iPod from your computer.
Bump your iPod against someone elses and be able to share music.
Use your iPod as a remote.
Go on the internet…and print things from your iPod.
Get the weather–and even predictions on snow days.
Bake a virtual cake.
Own a virtual pet.
Take a video and edit it right then and there.
Then share it with anyone via email, SMS text, facebook, or twitter.
Read a book.
Play a game, whether it be a puzzle, a coloring book, a board game, a video game with amazing graphics, or an old fashioned arcade game.
Watch your favorite TV shows and movies–own them or rent them.
Chat with your friend with facetime–so you can see them, right there on your iPod screen.
Doodle a quick drawing.
Bring up a keynote presentation, even if you forgot your real copy at home.
Then control that presentation with your iPod.
Record yourself singing a Christmas carol, then fix up your voice so you sound like a star, and send it to your friends.
Have your credit cards, gift cards, and reward cards right there, at your fingertips, with cardbank.
Listen to an audio book.
Enjoy the crystal clear sound of one of iTunes' millions of songs.
Take photos with character with Hipstamtic–and enter online photo contests.
Email.
Make a quick note.
Update your social network account.
Watch youtube videos.
And so, so much more! Even people who don't like games love apps, after they get to use them! Reason being, apps are USEFUL. They do so much, and for only a few extra dollars, you can have all of these amazing features at your disposal.

So why even consider a zune?