Zune has iPod video beat....

For a techie, this might be a rough holiday season on the wallet.

There's the Playstation 3 coming out, not to mention the Nintendo Wii as well. In addition to all the stuff that's already out there like shiny new LCDs, Xbox 360s, MP3 players and so on.

But there's one thing I think that people are overlooking. It's the Microsoft Zune. Well, people aren't really overlooking it, especially since everywhere I go, it's sold out, whether it's Target, Walmart, Circuit City, or Office Depot. However, I've played with the display models at almost all those retailers and I want one more than ever now.

I really didn't think anyone would take notice when this thing was released on November 14, 2006, but apparently they have. This thing is sweet. Who knows, it might overtake Apple in sales this holiday season. I'm still shocked to see how many iPods are in stock everywhere while the Zune's are flying off the shelves. Maybe the hype will go away and iPod will continue it's dominance, but if the past 2 days are any indication, things aren't looking good for the iPod Video.

For the same price as a 30 gig Apple iPod Video, the 30 gig Microsoft Zune gives you a bigger screen, FM radio, and the ability to share music, videos, and other files wirelessly with other Zune users.

But to be honest, those aren't the reasons why I want one. There are 2 main reasons I would prefer a Zune over an iPod Video.

1. iTunes sucks. It seems like at least once a week, I'm asked to update, or upgrade, my version of iTunes. And the software is buggy. It slows down my computer, it won't burn my songs (says my burner is incompatible), it won't play some of my songs because it says I don't own them (even though I bought them fair and square). And I seem to have similar problems on multiple computers, so I don't think it's a hardware issue. I think it's an issue with iTunes. If you don't believe me, Google "iTunes sucks" and you'll find I'm not alone.

However, with all that said, who knows if Zune Marketplace is any better.

2. The great thing about the Zune however, is that it plays WMV video files. Which means all those DVR-MS files that I have (when Windows Media Center records TV shows, they record in DVR-MS file format) can be converted / shrunken to WMV (the free program that does this is "DVR 2 WMV") and then loaded on to the Zune, for free portable video and hours of entertainment while I'm bored or working. No more paying for iTunes shows that fail to play after a few months.

Now if I could just locate one.

By the way, Target has the best deal on Zune's, offering a $25 gift card when you purchase a Zune. At first that's why I thought the Zune had sold out, but then realized it was sold out at places that didn't offer any incentive. If you have any hands-on feedback, please let me know!