The iPod is the #1 MP3 player on the market. It is very well liked by many reviewers compared to many other players. II would buy an iPod over the other choices. See reviews below and make your own decision.
"Insignia Sport MP3 Player 2GB, $99
Average
5.7
out of 10
The good: The Insignia Sport is very easy to use and provides good overall sound quality for the price. The rechargeable battery is easy to remove.
The bad: The buttons on the front of the Insignia Sport are too close to each other. The player lacks features like voice/FM recording and on-the-fly playlists, and photos look pretty bad.
The bottom line: The Insignia Sport is an inexpensive MP3 player that's suitable for casual listening, but fitness buffs looking for a gym companion should be aware that the buttons can be a bit annoying to use while exercising."
Toshiba Gigabeat:
"8.3
out of 10
The good: The Toshiba Gigabeat S makes its mark as a supercompact 30GB or 60GB portable video player. It supports many music, video, and photo file types, including subscription services, and it has a bevy of features, such as an FM tuner and support for digital camera transfers. Best of all, the device is completely intuitive, thanks in part to an improved Portable Media Center operating system, and it boasts excellent sound performance.
The bad: Unlike many portable video players, the Toshiba Gigabeat S does not record audio or video. There is no voice or FM recording, and the two-cable AC adapter is cumbersome. Also, the Gigabeat S is an MTP device and requires Windows XP. Finally, rated battery life for video is weaker than Toshiba had originally suggested.
The bottom line: Many prospective MP3/PVP buyers have been waiting patiently for this compact, easy-to-use, one-stop shop for media files--looks like the Toshiba Gigabeat S was worth the wait. "
Apple's 80GB iPod:
"
Excellent
8.3
out of 10
The good: The enhanced iPod has the same sleek design with improved video battery life and brighter screen; it brings gapless playback to the masses; up to 80GB; new features such as instant search and enhanced games; movies now available in iTunes 7; excellent overall value.
The bad: The Apple iPod has added no major functions such as FM radio, wireless, recording; small screen not conducive to movie viewing; proprietary USB cable; narrow native video-format compatibility; body is still scratch prone.
The bottom line: The amazingly low priced updated Apple iPod gets many under-the-hood improvements, but it's still not a true video player. "
Creative Zen Vision:
"8.0
out of 10
The good: Available in five colors, the Creative Zen Vision:M has an incredible screen, a simple interface, excellent video battery life, an FM tuner and recorder, and a voice recorder. It features a customizable Shortcut button, and it supports a wide range of online music stores and subscription services, as well as video formats. It has excellent audio and video quality.
The bad: The Creative Zen Vision:M has no iTunes-like video content--yet. Some will find the touch-pad controller frustrating. The black model scratches easily. The documentation is skimpy. You must use an adapter for transfers and power, meaning that occasionally you need two cables and the adapter. A dock and an A/V-out cable are not included. Finally, the Zen Vision:M isn't as elegant as an iPod.
The bottom line: The dazzling, DRM-friendly Creative Zen Vision:M gives the iPod a run for the money as the current high-capacity WMA champ. "
Cowon iAudio X5L:
"7.7
out of 10
The good: Small size; video player with 260,000-color LCD; customizable wallpaper; FM radio; line-in and voice recording; photo viewer; text-file reader; excellent sound quality; reads photos directly from digital cameras; compatible with OGG and FLAC formats, as well as subscription WMA tracks.
The bad: Must plug in an adapter to attach AC, line-in, and USB cables (however, the built-in side USB port handles camer transfers and MTP subscription downloads); so-so control layout; can't autosync music with a PC; can't browse by artist, album, or genre; many video files need to be converted to play on X5; no slide-show mode or music while viewing photos; no autoscanning presets for FM radio.
The bottom line: The great-sounding Cowon iAudio X5 looks like an iPod killer on paper, but this palm-size music and video player suffers from mediocre music browsing and some key design missteps. "
Philips GoGear HDD63:
7.3
out of 10
The good: Philips's nice-sounding 30GB GoGear HDD6330 Jukebox has a stylish design with an intuitive touch-sensitive interface and is packed with features such as a photo-friendly color screen, support for WMA DRM 10 subscription content, an FM radio tuner, and a voice recorder.
The bad: Some users will not warm up to the Philips GoGear HDD6330 Jukebox's lack of tactile controllers. Plus, its case shows fingerprints and smudges, the unit's battery is not user-replaceable, and some users have experienced processor-performance issues.
The bottom line: The stylish and feature-packed Philips GoGear HDD6330 Jukebox is the closest that a WMA-compatible model has come to capturing the iPod's design appeal, but try the touch-sensitive interface before you buy. "