Karla Escolas (from Chitika, the mini mall company) nails the digital music player scene in this article. In my own words, she is asking if you would rather buy an iPod at Designer prices or a Zune at normal prices. The Zune 80 and the iPod Classic 80 cost exactly the same, But the question still rings true.

Do you know what the price difference is when purchasing a designer bag vs. a replica? It can range anywhere from $20.00-$2,000. The difference between the bags is usually just the brand name, or is it better quality? To me it's all the same material.

Which is why I personally prefer the look over the label, and I guess that would make me a "deal" buyer, not a "designer." But there are people, I know because I do know many, that would purchase a designer handbag simply because it's made by Coach.

Does the same hold true for gadgets? Let's take for instance the the famous debate over the Zune 80 and the Apple iPod. Function-wise, the Zune 80 (80GB) has a screen that's almost double the size of the iPod 80 LCD, it is highly scratch resistant, has brighter image settings, is commonly said to have a very sleek design and is priced at $249.

Now how can I place the Zune 80 into the "deals" category even though the iPod also costs $249?

Read the rest of her article at The Chitika Blog