Zune... I think I'm going to do it...

I bought my iPod for my trek to Alaska-- a 45-hour drive. The little music player and I enjoyed a tepid relationship until I left it on a plane after returning to SLC from New York.

Leaving $250 on a plane sucks.

So why am I setting myself up for a repeat performance? This time it's with an HD Zune. I don't WANT to spend that much money on music, but I'm kind of sick of being held hostage to whatever the radio station feels like playing. Songs I used to find brainless and insulting, I now bob my head to just because I've heard them so many times that I think I like them, when really I've just grown used to them.

That's what brings me to the Zune. With an mp3 player, I would once again control the music that plays in my car. I can also have my name and number engraved into it before it ships to me, which is a SWEET selling point. Plus the Zune owners I know LOVE it unanimously. I've asked everyone I've seen walking around with one. One great feature is that for $15/mo you can have access to their entire music library with unlimited downloads--of course you lose the songs when you stop your subscription, but I still think that's a decent deal--especially if you're one of those people with a music budget.

So, Zune... I'm thinking about it. There was nothing so special about an iPod so as to make me a loyalist, plus, whenever it did one of their updates, it would charge me twice on my next purchase and they only refunded me once out of three times.

Any Zune owners out there who want to help inform me on my decision?