ckranger11

I just bit on a 30gb version at Frys.com for $170 after a $50 rebate just last week. In general, you can find an iPod that does most of what the Zen can do, but you usually pay a higher premium because of the trendy name. I actually started typing out a list of pros/cons for each, but there are literally hundreds (thousands?) of articles and opinions on the web comparing the Zen Vision: M to a video iPod. Just Google "Zen Vision M vs. iPod" and you'll see a lot of opinions. In my OPINION, the Zen Vision: M technically blows the Video iPod out of the water. The only possible reason I would have considered going with anything else would be if I wanted a flash-based player for cardio workouts (in which case I would have gotten a Zen: V) or if I wanted one of the 1000s of accessories that companies make only for the iPod (because they have a large installed user-base). CK

Proper grammar, even. Don't mind me, I'm just being a jerk, but I really just wanted a spot to jump in the crowd that says there is no way a 9 year-old wrote that review. It was probably just a parent that observed a child's reaction and wrote it for them. It's an odd way to go about leaving a negative review, though. When I first began reading it and saw the 9 year-old author claim, I expected it to praise the system to the heavens and then I could disregard it as fake viral marketing from the company. Now my world has been turned upside down. Thanks a lot, Matthew Anders!

I've never done a feature-by-feature comparison, but I'm sure they are quite similar. Many of Dell's laptops share the same customization options. It just pays to know the exact specifications you want and be able to configure each model number to see which is cheapest (as assigned by what I swear must be Dell's random number/free upgrade generator). For a fictional but possible example, an Inspiron 1501 upgraded on Dell's site might be cheaper than a downgraded 1505 when they perform identically. This makes answering questions that reference only the model number difficult. Not all 1505 or 6400 models are created equal. CK

I agree, my above answer assumes that she just went to the Dell.com site and saw the default models at those prices. I'm sure it's possible that there are plenty of times during the year that the 1505 may be a better deal using coupons/other modifiers, but right now does not seem like one of them if my above assumption is correct. -CK

Forgive me if my answer is overly simplistic and lacking a few details, but of the 15.4" screen models you listed (the 1501, 1505, & 6400), the 6400 that is shown in this thread will beat any of the others at the current $699 price point. I would consider the 640m a different beast altogether. It has a smaller 14.1" screen and claims to be "sleek & stylish". For the style points, you do lose some power & features compared to the 6400 (the DVD burner, a better video card, 40GB of hard drive space, & 512MB of RAM immediately jump out at me). However, unless you plan to use these features they wouldn't be important to you, anyway. If I were you, I'd decide between the 6400 and 640m. Or you could wait for the always inevitable better deal to come along. Good luck, CK

I'd love to help, but what exactly is your question?

I hope I'm not thread hijacking too badly, but since you seem to have a good amount of knowledge on the subject: Currently, at what price level do the Car GPSes become worthwhile and not cheap junk? I'm sure it depends a lot on the specific user, but what is your personal opinion? Thanks a lot for the information and the great site, CK

I would also be interested in how easy it would be to replace the guts with a pc that could run your own games. Any personal experiences are very welcome. Thanks! oliviasgrace - I'm very sorry to hear about your loss and I hope you can find something to help lift your family's spirits.

Going purely on brand names, Pioneer would be my choice. That said, I'd never go for an all-in-one home theater in a box because you're destined to get subpar components. You'll be able to get much higher quality (and more upgradeable) equipment by piecing it together. It depends on how picky your 17-year-old is. When I was that age, as a tech junkie, I would have much preferred my parents to buy me a decent receiver and simply stereo speakers and let me upgrade it from there rather than getting a whole HTIB which I didn't like. If he's not picky he'll probably like anything, anyway. CK