Here is a well done review by a Canadian of three iPod alternatives available to their market. he chose three devices with wireless fucntionality and some form of online stores. He was not impressed with the fact Microsoft released zune in Canada but the Zune MarketPlace is still not available. It does seem odd that they hav enot had time to prepare the online store for release at the same time.

Another misstep on their part because the MarketPlace seems to be one of the strong features with the Zune and there are a number of us happy with the subscription music model. I still believe its the best choice for me and my desire to search out new music. The Zune stacks up best against the models he’s selected but I think Zune is better than all of them don’t I?

globeandmail.com: Three iPod alternatives

Apple’s iPod so dominates the MP3 field that it has become a kind of black hole into which competitors fall. Manufacturers could make a better MP3 player and it wouldn’t really matter — the iPod is so iconic that to want another brand demands an excuse at best, or expresses a betrayal at worst.

The three players under review here — Microsoft’s Zune, the Sony Wireless Video Walkman and Sandisk’s Sansa Fuze — are worthy iPod competitors in technical terms. They each have minor differences, with some features — such as the inclusion of an FM radio receiver, Bluetooth wireless headphones or larger storage capacity — that vary the overall cost.

Popularity: unranked [?]