Whenever you’re browsing the online electronics retailers and marketplaces you will come across reviews of the Microsoft Zune whenever you view the product. There are certain trends emerging in the reviews that are becoming fairly obvious.

Nearly every review begins by saying, I don’t want to compare this to the iPod but… the fact of the matter is that comparisons are inevitable, and instead of trying to make the two devices duke it out or ignore each other, our attention would be better served on focusing on the differences between the two and deciding which one is best for a users particular situation based on its differences.  One is not necessarily better, they’re just different.

Zune reviews are consistently getting better and better as time goes on. This is happening for two reasons. The first is that with any newish product there is a learning curve and Microsoft has been consistently improving the product with new releases and software updates to improve the functionality of the device.

The other reason the reviews are getting better is sort of a reason I will call technological culture shock. The fact is that the terms iPod and MP3 player have been synonymous for a long time. When other companies like creative and Sony came out with MP3 players the clash wasn’t as obvious because these are sound based companies and it made sense that they would want a piece in this new niche.

Microsoft however is the giant. Goliath without a doubt. And as Apple’s chief rival there was a backlash against why they were releasing the device. Now that the initial burst in that direction has gone away, the Zune is able to stand on its own merits and is emerging as a mighty contender in the MP3 player market.  The reviews on these websites get more and more favorable, and less time is wasted saying its not an iPod, and more time is spent saying what it is. That is a review that is much more useful to a prospective buyer. So if you buy a Zune, go out and review and say what you like or don’t like, and forget about the other guys.