Apple iPod Classic vs. Microsoft Zune 80

• The Contenders
• Navigation
• Sexiness
• Compatibility
• Sound and science
• Wallet factor
• The winner is...

Round 1: Navigation

Circle vs. Squircle

Microsoft Zune 80

Which navigation system works better? Our individual judge's ratings are based on a 0-to-5-point scale, which results in a final score of 0 to 15 per round. Is the iPod's scroll-wheel navigation simply unbeatable?

Player	Jasmine	Donald	Josh	Total
Microsoft Zune 80	5 Twist interface, multifunctional touch-and-tactile control pad, separate podcast menu, album art thumbnail browsing--what's not to love? Big fan of this interface.	4 The Zune's new touch-sensitive pad is one of the best improvements Microsoft made from the first-gen series. It may seem silly, but I think the oversize text on the main menu is brilliant. It just feels so easy on the eyes.	4 The lack of a scroll wheel is noticeable when navigating long lists. As storage increases, Microsoft is going to have to address this with something faster, or a built-in search tool. I really enjoy the twist interface, though. For browsing through albums, it kicks Coverflow's ass.	13
Apple iPod Classic	4 Totally digging the new split-screen interface thing Apple's got going on--the visual experience is great. The Clickwheel has never been my favorite, though.	4 It's hard to know whether I'm giving the iPod's navigation high marks because I'm so used to it, or because it really is a snappy interface. Either way, the patented wheel interface is like second nature to me. The split-screen view offers a great visual cue to folder contents.	4 Coverflow is a gimmick, and hardly useful on a day-to-day basis, but it looks pretty. The new side-by-side navigation is neat looking, but I can't help but think it's slowing things down just a tad. I'm giving Apple a bonus point for the integrated search feature, which makes the 160GB flavor a little easier to dig through.	12

Winner: Microsoft Zune 80