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Scott's Column
Toshiba Z835, iPod Touch vs. Zune HD
December 1, 2011
By Scott Lewis
This month I continue my pursuit of an UltraBook style laptop with the Toshiba Z835. I also take a closer look at my Zune HD and a 16 GB iPod Touch. Which is better? Can I live with just one? What about when I get a new phone? Can an iPhone or an Android phone replace both the iPod and the Zune?
Current Topics:
To continue our search for an Ultra Book that is worthy of comparison
to the MacBook Air... this month we take a look at the Toshiba Z835.
CNet Review of Z835
LAPTOPMAG Review of Z835
I must say, I am a little disappointed with the Toshiba for its plastic
construction. Acer did the same thing with their Aspire S3. And I assume
this had a lot to do with Acer getting the price down to $899. But if
you watch the video on CNet's review of the Z835... they flex the
lid/screen pretty far. It leaves me wondering if this will feel like a
premium product, or just cheap.
Granted... the Toshiba is the lowest priced of the
currently available UltraBooks at $799. That's $100
lower than the Acer Aspire S3. Yet the Toshiba still provides a 128GB
Solid State Drive (SSD), whereas Acer cut corners here as well by only
using a 20GB SSD in conjunction with a standard hard disc drive (HDD).
On the plus side the Z835 is just 2.4 lbs. making it
the lightest laptop I would consider. And its battery also lasts the
longest of all the Windows base Ultrabooks CNet has tested.
Toshiba was kind enough to include backlighting for its keyboard, but
CNet's reservations about the typing experience on the keyboard will
have me waiting until I can experience one first hand before making a
decision. Laptopmag must have reviewed a different unit, because they
praised its sturdy construction with this, "The lightweight lid also
feels really sturdy."
The Toshiba includes an Ethernet jack... built in... not using a USB
adapter, like the Asus UX31. This is a plus for me. Since I will be
using this laptop for travelling... I will be copying large amounts of
data to it before a trip, and again when I arrive. I love being able to
plug a laptop into my Gigabit router and getting blazing fast transfer
speeds to my server and desktop computer.
Like the Acer, Toshiba cut corners to get the price under $1,000.
Probably the biggest cut was the use of a Core i3 processor... while all
the other Ultrabooks use a Core i5 or i7. So performance from the Z835
with a 1.4-GHz Core i3 CPU could be an issue.
The Protégé includes 4 GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD at the $799 price.
Remember, the Acer used a 20GB SSD to in conjunction with a standard
hard drive to get to its $899 price point.
I have used Toshiba products in the past. I had one laptop that had a
mild overheating problem, but others that were very reliable. I will
have to get down to Best Buy to handle one of these in person. It does
have possibilities.
Next month... I saw the Samsung Series 9 at Best Buy
for $1,199... and then it was on sale for $999. At $999
this is definitely a laptop to consider. I will be taking another look
at the Series 9 to see how it stacks up against the Current UltraBooks.
Plus, HP is getting an UltraBook ready as well.
Stay tuned.
My youngest son got an iPhone 4 on Sprint. Not a 4S, just a 4. He
saved the money up himself. I was very proud that he saved enough money
to buy a phone and not blow it on some Transformer or Halo toy.
A couple of years ago we went half and half on a used iPod Touch. When
he got his iPhone I got the old iPod Touch since it was supposed to be
half mine anyway.
Now I have a 16 GB iPod Touch and a 32 GB Zune HD.
I recently wrote about my Zune becoming obsolete. Let's take a look at
that. What does the Zune do for me that the iPod touch does not:
1) Play HD video. It can play 720p videos on its 16:9 screen, and play
them through an HDMI cable on a HDTV.
2) Play music.
3) Play Podcasts.
That is about it. That is all I use it for. I have a bunch of movies
that I converted to a format the Zune works with. I used the MP4 format
because iPods could also use it, in case my sons wanted the videos on
their iPods.
My used iPod Touch can play all the videos that I have been formatting
for my Zune, except the HD videos. And it can't play them on a HDTV
either. Even though my HD MP4 files play in iTunes... iTunes won't sync
them to the iPod claiming they are not in a format the iPod supports. So
HD video is exclusive to the Zune.
Podcasts. This is the number one thing that the Zune got right... way
above the iPod. I currently have 6 audio podcasts I listen to. I would
like to find more, but it seems difficult. Regardless, the Zune handles
these absolutely beautifully. It downloads and syncs new podcasts when I
plug the Zune into my desktop for charging. It also removed any podcasts
I have listened to. All of this is done automatically. In fact, if a
podcast does not have any episodes available... it will remove the
entire podcast from my Zune. This is wonderful. When I touch the Podcast
menu item I only see what I have to listen to... not stuff I have
already listened to.
So far... my experience with the iPod Touch and Podcasts is that it is a
completely manual affair. I tried three podcasts, and I had to manually
drag them onto the iPod, then it did nothing to mark them as read when I
got back to my computer. Since I have my iPod set for manual syncing
this may be part of it.
However, the iPod Touch can run a significant number of iPhone apps. The
Zune can't do that. I have been playing WSOP Hold'em on the iPod Touch
to feed my poker addiction. Over the next couple of months I will
probably be migrating some of my video and music to the iPod Touch.
Memory is going to be a big problem. Video takes up quite a bit of
space. And I have about 15-16 GB of music on my Zune... all at the same
time. I know, I can't listen to that much music all once, but I don't
have to think about it... I just play whatever playlist I am in the mood
for.
With the limited memory of the iPod I will have to micro manage my music
and videos. I am using the Zune to re-watch Smallville episodes while I
work out on the treadmill, and at my desk at lunch. I normally load an
entire season at a time on my Zune. The iPod won't hold that, plus
music, podcasts and apps.
Over the next couple of months I hope to learn how well iOS can work as
my only device. Ultimately I will get a new phone. Should I get an
iPhone or an Android phone? And do I still use the Zune for podcasts and
video... because it is the best device for that?
I think it is time to look into third party Podcast software... for iOS
and Android.
I'll keep you posted.
Conclusion
That's it for this month. I have a new project underway... but I am going to have to keep it a secret for a while. I am going to be partnering with a friend, and we will have to create a company. So it will have to be hush-hush until we are far enough along that I know someone won't read about it hear and steal our idea.
I may drop a couple of hints in the coming months... and I will certainly write about it when it is up and running.
For now...
