Staying competitive in an iPod-ruled marketplace is a challenge, and not just because of the player’s built-in virtues (or Apple’s massive marketing budget). The reigning king of the MP3 players has an advantage simply because it resides at the top of the heap, and that advantage comes in the form of feature-adding third-party accessories. Case in point: the Gigaware In-Line Remote with HD Radio, an $80 add-on for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
That’s right, kids…that would be the iPod addressing a major selling point and advantage of the Zune HD. Please don’t act surprised. You knew this day was coming. And yes, the Gigaware remote does allow display of track information on the iPod screen as well as song tagging, which let’s you find songs easily for later purchase.
So let’s recap: 32GB Zune HD costs $289; 32GB iPod Touch with HD radio addition costs $379. Not exactly apples to apples, but which one do you find more attractive? Does HD radio even matter? Discuss.