As you all know, the main competitor for Apple in smartphones, tablets, and now in media players, is Android, or rather, Android-powered devices. Being the new kid on the block, Android has lots of ground to cover, but since its debut, it has proved to be a very good OS and a really stable platform for developers to work on. Apple’s iPod Touch had lots of weapons at its disposal, apart from the prestige Apple had, from its predecessors, the iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano and iPod Classic, the Touch had 256 RAM, 1 GHz processor under-clocked at 800 MHz, a 3.5 inch 960-640 resolution screen and back to front cameras. All of these had a crucial part to play in order to take the iPod Touch at its current position.
Top 5 Android Media Players to Battle iPod Touch
Now, moving on to the competition, Android has strength in numbers. As opposed to the Apple player, Android players are manufactured by many others. And there are lots of examples of media players that could challenge iPod Touch’s dominance. The engineers and brilliant minds at Google realized that if they can create a versatile enough mobile operating system, then manufacturers and big names in the tech industry will adopt it, since they won’t have the trouble with the software part. All they need to do is to come with ground-breaking products that will be wrapped in Android’s system. This will result in a win-win-win situation:
for Google, because they make money from Android activations and advertising; for manufacturers, because they gain more time to focus on the hardware aspect; for consumers who get a mobile OS that they can easily recognize and migrate to; for developers who get a wide market for their applications
Since this is an ongoing battle, there aren’t too many Android media players to challenge the mighty iPod Touch but I am sure that will change in the future. At the moment, in my opinion,
5. Creative Zen Touch 2
Creative is a heavy name in the sound industries. Their premium products have amazed us over the years with top of the line sound quality. And so, the Creative Zen Touch 2 has the Creative Pedigree we would have expected. It also has lots of features, like GPS, wireless, camera and the possibility to stream audio over other bluetooth devices, such as speakers and headphones.
4. Ice Smart
Ever feel smartphones have too small screens and tablets are just to big? Well, the combination of these 2 devices is the best solution. And that combination is called Ice Smart. Its 5” screen is the perfect size to fit in your palm and Android 2.3 OS lets you install games and apps to make it more fun. It can be used as an media player, it plays HD video, e-Books and many more! A real competitor for Apple’s iPod Touch.
3. Samsung Galaxy Player WiFi 5.0
Samsung Galaxy has become a fierce opponent for Apple. With the Galaxy SII and the soon to come Galaxy SIII, Apple has a good reason to worry. And because smartphones aren’t enough, Samsung unleashed the Galaxy Player to go for the iPod’s title as the best music player. A great opponent and with its features and notoriety, the future looks good for the Galaxy Player.
2. Sony Walkman Z
Another in a long line of media players, Sony, steps up a notch and decides to enter the battle between Android and iOS. Their main weapon is Walkman Z. A great player with lots of cool features and, as its previous “colleague”, a reputation to uphold. The Walkman Z is a great player and, by the looks of it, only the first in a long line of great media players to come. The design is rocking, I’ll give them that!
1. HTC Sensation XL Beats
The top dog of Android media players, the HTC Beats is the most powerful weapon in Android’s camp. It can punch quite a punch with its 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 4.3 inch LCD screen, 1 GB of RAM and the 8 MP camera. The big gun of Android powered players is the main competitor for the iPod Touch. The tech is better, the design is cooler and the stakes are higher! I know, Sensation is a phone, but here, we’re talking about the music player side. The technology is Beats and it’s Apple’s worst nightmare. The battle is, as of now, unclear. There is no winner or loser, because of the speed technology is moving forward. Today’s top ranked media player, smartphone or laptop will be tomorrow’s junk, lying under the bed. What chance does Android has in front of such a mighty opponent? In my opinion, a pretty good one. I love Android, but I also love the iPod Classic (yes, not the Touch, I am a more nostalgic person). It seems it’s not that easy to pick a winner when each of the players have so many advantages and such a big potential. If you ask me, the future of this battle will end in a draw, or, more likely in a “peace” between Google and Apple. The tech is moving forward and all of these devices are getting more powerful by the day, the only thing that will make a difference between them in the future is each one’s preferences.
