I've been an avid gym rat since college. I have to have music when I work out. My first purchase was a refurbished 1st Gen 2 Gig iPod nano. I bought this based on the Nike + feature, and it did wonders for my running game. In case you don't know what Nike + is, you GOTTA check it out. Lance Armstrong congratulating you on your best run would too!
I soon ran out of space and upgraded to a refurbed 2nd Gen 8 Gig iPod nano. This guy had a better battery life, held more music and that's about it. Did everything I wanted: played music and tracked my runs. At this point I didn't think I needed anything else from my iPod, then my running partner got an iPod touch, and woooahhhhhh! I was amazed at how cool it was. Had to have one.
I got my 2nd Gen iPod Touch brand new and engraved for X-mas. I played on it for days, it was the coolest thing ever. I downloaded tons of apps, tons of music, ran the battery flat about 8 times in the first couple of days I had it. I'd google things on it instead of my laptop sitting next to it. I'd play games on it with the TV on. Fieldrunners mostly, best $5 I've ever spent. I had a trip to England a couple months later, and thought how great it was I'd be able to take my new iTouch. I lost it within the first week of my 3 week trip. Great, now what.
I reverted to an my former iPod nano in the gym, and am still waiting on insurance money for my iTouch. Then one day, I guess about 2 months ago, a refurbed 80Gig Zune was featured on the deal a day site woot.com. I got it cheap, and it came with the home a/v pack. It isn't exactly an iPod touch, but has cool features of it's own and can hold a ton of stuff. I've used it in the gym since and am satisfied, at best. It can't track my runs, which I personally don't use much anymore anyway. The wireless sync is really cool. I don't much use it's social services, but they could be cool. I'll go into more below:
iPod Touch
Pros:
- Apps
- Touchscreen
- Web browser
- Flash Drive
- Nike +
Cons:
Zune
Pros:
- Radio
- Wireless Sync
- 80GB
- Low Price
- Social Services
Cons:
In the end the winner would have to be the iPod. Yes, I said it. Me. The web designer who's job depends on Microsoft's survival, who owes what he has to Microsoft. Don't get me wrong, the Zune is awesome. The iPod Touch is just.... AWESOMER. I do miss my iPod...