if he is an all-weather runner - sony make a sport mp3 (older, now - but still available) that is water resistant.

I have a sony nw series, and I love it - can operatie it with one hand through the fabirc while it is in my pocket.

Why not an iPod? I've had 2 of them and it's never been difficult at all to get MP3s on them, and they work with both Mac and PC. The iTunes interface pretty much does all the work for you. Simple drag-and-drop. My wife has an iPod shuffle that's cheap, about the size a quarter, and holds all the music she needs for a long run (she runs marathons). They also make the Nano that's super tiny, plays video, has 4 or 8GB capacity, and uses flash memory so there's no hard drive to jostle. The newer ones are a lot more scratch-resistant than in prior generations, too, because they're in sleek aluminum cases. The interface works great even through fabric. They're really worth another look, I think.

The 8GB Zune 2 is the newer, sort of "nano" version of the original 30GB. I've held them and they seem fairly bulky, though not as bulky as the original 30GB, which is like carrying around a bar of soap. The 8GB plays a larger variety of file types and has an improved touch pad, too. If he's definitely leaning toward a zune, then I'd think about the newer model.

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quote:<HR>Originally posted by LewJ:
kestrou -- Putting MP3 files on an ipod is as as easy as falling off a log. IMHO the majority of the success of Apple's iPod is the ease with which non-geeks can use it. It works and is far more intuitive to John and Jane Q Public. [/B]<HR>

Thanks LJ - I am a geek, and have MANY thousands of MP3s (don't ask where they came from ) and, once upon a time, I-Pods only played songs from I-Tunes. Glad to hear that's no longer the case and I'll consider one in the future!

kestrou