'Tis the season when video hardware is finally small enough to go everywhere with you. This year has brought truly portable players with screens in a variety of sizes, battery life long enough to finish playing what they start, and accessories to make connecting to video sources and displays not just possible, but easy.
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Apple iPod
There are several intriguing media players on the market. But chances are nobody has asked you for an intriguing tiny media player this holiday season. They've probably asked for an iPod.
There is still nothing that competes with the iPod's sleekness of design and ease of use.
This year Apple has reworked the iPod product line; there are two iPods with hard disks, both video-capable: the 30-Gbyte ($249), and an 80-Gbyte ($349) model. If you really love that special someone, you'll give them the 80-Gbyte version -- after all, what can beat watching your favorite space opera on a 2.5-inch display?
Creative Zen Vision:M
The only thing wrong with the Zen Vision:M is that it's not an iPod, so it won't fit all those nifty iPod accessories. But considered on its own, the Zen Vision:M has got features that out-iPod the iPod.
Like what? Well, like an FM tuner, USB host mode, built-in voice recorder, and personal organizer that syncs with Microsoft Outlook -- to go along with its iPod-like 2.5-inch 32-x240-pixel screen. And because it's not an iPod, street prices are about $50 less -- $250 for the 20-Gbyte model, $300 for the 60-Gbyte player. Perfect for friends who prefer products that aren't quite in the mainstream.