My daughter did some research and just got a Zen unit from Creative Labs. She really likes it and it holds an incredible amount of stuff, like 2000 songs plus videos. Hers is one of the video models and has 30 or 60 Gigs of memory, I think. It's a little larger that the iPods, but it has a video screen. DD says hers has incredible sound. Creative Labs has many models in different price ranges. So you need to figure out how much storage (memory) you want, and whether you want a tiny unit, or not. There are considerations of formats, too. Perhaps others can comment.

Thanks Steve for the information.......I will look that one up.

The iPod is the most popular of all the players. The Nano with a 2GB drive is the smallest of the iPod series, costs $149.00 (cheaper in some places), and holds hundreds of songs. All iPods come with iTunes installed, and you can set it to automatically transfer songs from your computer into the iPod, or you can do that manually. You can also upload songs from your CD's into the computer, and download them to the iPod. Or you can set iTunes in your computer to automatically connect to the Apple Store, when you can buy and automatically download/install songs into the iPod.

iTunes works with both PC and Macintosh computers. When you connect the iPod to your computer for the first time, iTunes automatically launches and makes some changes to match itself to your computer (PC version, or Mac version).

There are smaller units that cost under $100.00. For example the iPod Shuffle. However, the you can do a lot more with an iPod Nano, either in 2GB or 4GB.

You can also have photos to look at in your iPod, and even movies in the larger iPod's. (Movies are sold at the Apple Store), but you can download a movie from your computer into your iPod. Also, if you are into radio transmissions, you can have a session of songs and voice, and the little iPod can take care of the rest (play the songs from your playlist on the air.--------

Something else about the iPod: Most receiver, radio, etc. manufacturers are incorporating iPod docking stations. Even car audio units are being produced to be fully compatible with the iPod. So if you connect your iPod to your car's stereo, you can control the iPod with your radio's controls, and the songs names (or bands, etc.) are displayed on the radio's screen. If you don't have an iPod compatible radio, you still can listen to whatever songs you have in your iPod via one of the numerous low-cost FM transmitters sold at Wall-Mart and electronic stores. You can do the same at home on your stereo system, or on a radio.

Finally, no other MP3 player on the market has as numerous after-market items available to the public than the iPod.

I've almost decided that the Ipod Nano is the one I want. One question - do you charge the battery by plugging into a computer? Or a standard electrical adapter?

I want to take it to Europe with me next month and am wondering how I will charge it...

One question - do you charge the battery by plugging into a computer? Or a standard electrical adapter?

Yes. :-)

Seriously, when the iPod is connected to the computer, it will charge. However, it can take a long time depending on whether you're using the FireWire port or the USB port and whether the iPod is on or off.

The same cable will plug into an adapter the size of a bar of soap, which, in turn, plugs into a regular wall outlet (which means you probably will need an adapter kit (though you'd need one for a computer if were charging it that way).

My suggestion is to verify what comes with the iPod from Apple. There are lots of after-market accessories, including power cabling from Apple and from third parties; you just want to make sure you have the right items and an idea of how long a recharge will take, without spending money on cabling that doesn't meet your needs anyway.

The iPod automatically charges the battery when connected to the computer, or when you place it in any docking stations on one of the third party AC-powered speakers or boom boxes.

If you buy the correct FM transmitter to listen to the iPod through your car audio receiver/CD player, the transmitter also charges the iPod's battery. This FM transmitter must have a cigarette liter plug, however. They cost a little more than a plain FM transmitter, because they use the car's power to run instead of the iPod's battery.

They are all sorts of third party boom boxes, receivers, etc. specifically designed so one can listen to the iPod. These have docking stations, and even remote controls you can use to control the iPod. Some don't cost very much, while others can cost a couple of thousands. You can look at some at the B&H Photo And Video web page. You will have to search for the iPod.

Finally, there are iPod AC chargers you can use to charge the iPod from the electircal outlet. These cost around $25.00.

My D's Zen works the same way, regarding charging. If you want to charge it without a computer, you have to buy a separate charger, about $30. The charger that Zen sells works in Europe, but you also need to buy the European plug adaptors (third party). D took hers to Europe.

The Creative Labs Vision M wins hands down. It plays a huge variety of different types of files where the others choke and need conversion. Creative is known for their soundcard hardware and this unit shows it. It has a variety of pre-established sounds and a fantastic graphic equalizer for your own custome sound. The video is crisp and I don't even put the display higher than 50% brightness!

Go to your local bestbuy or circuit city and have the demo both all the available types of portable audio/video players and you will see for yourself.

I'm sure this thing would play a piece of toast if I could cram it in there.

By the way, I've had mine since November and it has never even hiccuped. The battery is long lasting - I've watched two movies back to back and listened to an hour of music and the battery did not go below half.

The Creative Labs Zen wins hands down specifically for this reason.

It supports AVI, DivXÂ 4 & 5, XviD3, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG4-SP, WMV9 while the Apple Ipod just plays H.264 which is a form of divx (different codec).

Note: You can use software given by both manfacturers that converts different formats to the ones needed for that player. As it is, most formats that are floating around on the Internet can be played directly by the Zen without conversion. The Zens software quickly converts H.264 to wmv for playback with the zen.

Creative Labs is best know for their dedication to Audio peripherals for computers. This equates to awesome sound on the zen. I've compared them and in my opinion, they are both good but I felt the Zen was a bit better. Try this out for yourself.

Gadgeteer, I've had my Zen Vision M since Christmas and use it for an hour and a half on a train to work, an hour and a half on the train home and many nights I watch full movies after my wife has fallen asleep. I'm contantly lifting the leather cover over the earphone connector and it is as solid today as it was on the first day. Maybe you got a bad Ipod?