A generic-looking MP3 player.
Digital music players have enjoyed quite the popularity surge in the past decade. These devices catapulted from near obscurity at the turn of the century to become devices ubiquitous with modern music and media. However, though there is plenty of variety in the digital music player market, there are several brands that have emerged as clear industry leaders. These devices combine hardware features, intelligent design, and affordability and have become the best-selling MP3 players.
Apple iPod
The iPod personal media player is hands down the most popular and best-selling device currently available. With its plethora of models, and wide-ranging pricing structure, the Apple brand of iPhones strives to create a device for every need and budget. From the screen-less shuffle model to the Web-browsing touch model, the iPod has achieved almost total market dominance. And with new model specs released on an annual basis, the iPod is never out of date. The iPod is also a very fashionable device, and the white earbuds associated with the device have become quite trendy.
Microsoft Zune
For all the iPod's dominance, there has been a growing "anti-iPod" movement. The flagship device for this movement is, naturally, the Microsoft Zune. The Zune device boasts an aesthetic similar to the iPod, and also sports a comparable features set. However, instead of offering many different models with varying prices and features, the Zune brand only has a single current model, and there are several years between new models. The most recent iteration of the Zune, the Zune HD, boasts a touchscreen interface, video playback, and a fully functional Internet browser.
Sony Walkman
The Sony Walkman is perhaps the biggest underdog in the digital music player marketplace. The "Walkman" brand (which evolved into the Discman brand during the reign of the compact disc as the dominant media form) has been re-used to launch a line of personal media players. The Walkman brand has more individual devices under its umbrella than competing brands, and includes everything from no-nonsense screen-less MP3 players to complex HD-capable players. However, the main drawback for Sony Walkman MP3 players is they do not have strong software support. While the Zune and the iPod have their own comprehensive media management software (Zune and iTunes), the Sony software leaves much to be desired.
Tags: Sony Walkman, digital music, digital music player, have become, iPod also