Alternatives to the iPod Nano

Sure, the Apple iPod Nano is ultraslim, easy to use, and nice to look at, but it lacks desirable extras such an FM radio and a user-definable EQ, and the sound quality isn't spectacular. Luckily, if you're not convinced you want to hop on the Nano bandwagon, there's a handful of worthy alternatives, and most of those listed below beat out the Nano in audio fidelity. Of course, the important thing is selecting the best MP3 player for your needs, and one of these should certainly do the trick.

Now, you can't have a list of iPod alternatives without mentioning the Microsoft Zune. This worthy contender serves up excellent sound quality, great podcast support, and an innovative user interface. The Creative Zen offers a brilliant 2.5-inch color screen design, a slim design, up to 32GB of internal flash memory, and useful features such as an FM tuner an SD card expansion slot--all at a price that matches that of the Nano on a gigabyte to gigabyte comparison. In the premium flash MP3 player category, you have the Cowon D2, which offers an ample touchscreen, stellar audio quality, and plenty of useful features. And make sure you don't gloss over the Sony NWZ-A810, possibly the most stellar player we've ever laid ears on. Now that Walkmans work with Windows Media Player rather than the horrible SonicStage software, they're definitely worthy of consideration--especially this one with its amazing 35-hour battery life. If you must have the sleekest-looking device on the block, consider the Samsung T10 with its funky animated interface, glossy paint job, and glowing touch-sensitive controls. The SanDisk Sansa Fuze also deserves a look, thanks to it's simple operation, compact design, and plentiful features, including the excellent Rhapsody Channels integration, which allows for effortless new music discovery. Plus, you can get the 8GB--with a microSD card slot capable of accepting high capacity cards--for just $130.