Doc Searls notes in his recent post, "Why we need an iPod competitor":

Hell, Microsoft's [Music Platform] looks open next to Apple's iTunes/iPod system. And remember too that Apple designed, and will continue to redesign, the iPod as a hardware extension of the iTunes software/retail system. If Apple were Amazon, they'd make that sucker wide open to user participation; but they're not, so they don't. It's a closed system.

Doc goes on to point out the lack of support for podcasting. Doc might want to check out the latest generation of the Creative Zen Micro  with the new MTP firmware released this December- it's a top contender and the next-generation is the winner of Best of CES 2005. Until recently, the Rio Carbon was my favorite device, and it still just feels good in my hand, but this week, I took the plunge with a new Creative Zen Micro.  Here's why I think it's a good podcasting device and a worthy competitor long-term in the end-to-end experience:

Packaging
No more beige cardboard inserts serrated for folding and rapid delivery of a nasty paper cut. No 18 gauge plastic security packaging that requires high-end german cutlery to remove from it's "Polycoffin" (Did I just coin the phrase?). Just as the device was well thought-out, so was the packaging.  When I first bought my Powerbook and iPod, the packaging spoke to quality while being eco-friendly. But here I'm speaking to the Zen Micro. Open the box and you'll see what I'm talking about. This was a pleasant surprise- they're well on their way to understanding how to connect with the consumer, embrace cognitive dissonance and reinforce to the consumer, "You made the right choice, you're getting quality".

Industrial Design
The Zen is white as it's base color but with a wide assortment of color too, making it a more personal experience for me. I'm still gazing at the "puddle ripple" design on the back that looks near-holographic but integrated into the smooth casing. It has a removable 12-hour battery, and 5GB of storage so I can take my my podcasts and my music and my files with me. It uses a touchpad with basically the same technology as another portable music player, only a vertical scrollbar which does take some getting used to. The display is easy to read and with the new OLED-based Zen Micro Photo coming later this year, it will get even cooler. I had an opportunity to play with a prototype at CES and I was really impressed by the design, even if I don't necessarily need to take my photos with me on my music player (they're on my Phone already). Album art on the other hand...

Podcasting and Music Playback
This is where the Zen Micro shines. It has an intelligent bookmarking feature which makes it easy to jump to where you left off in your podcast.  In fact, you can even customize the main menu to add bookmarks to the top level- a big plus.  It also includes smart volume management (normalization).  One of the big problems I have with podcasts is that I'm constantly adjusting volume between podcasts - many are still much too quiet (eg. Dawn and Drew just dealt after complaints). There are hot mics in the broadcasts as well where people raise their voice or get closer to the mic - not good if you're driving a napping 18-month old... Then you switch to music and blammo- your ears are ringing.  Adam Curry - please take note but I'll keep listening. The Zen Micro does a pretty good job of adjusting for this in the product itself.  It also syncs your Playlists down to the device so if you're like me and you use Doppler, WM Player 10 will sync your music, podcasts, and playlists.  (Yes, I'd still like to see sync of bookmarks back to the computer but it's not a deal-breaker when I can easily see the seek time on the device).

Extras
The Zen also does FM Radio (good for the Gym to tune into TV) and FM Radio Recording. For personal productivity, it has a built-in calendar and task feature (which I don't use since I have an Audiovox SMT-5600 Smartphone that syncs with Outlook over-the-air). I do wish it had scheduled FM Radio recording so I could catch my favorite FM radio program from the beginning. About all it's missing is the classic video game "Defender".

That brings me to accessories. The Zen includes the most common ones like a sport case, a protective pouch (call it a sock if you want), a Neck strap, a USB power adapter, and belt clip. That's all for ~$227.00 USD and I get 5GB of storage to boot.

I'm still waiting for the mainstream press to add up the cost of some of these new music players devices that include little/no accessories and comparing them to those that do. Word has it a certain chewing gum-sized device costs about $200 when you add in just the basic accessories.  I don't understand spending $29.00 USD for an arm band. The margins on some of these accessories are astronomical, yet no one seems to be called to task for it.

Software & Drivers
This experience can still be improved all-around. On both my Mac and my Windows PC, I had to download updated drivers and software to work with my iPod. The Zen - with the MTP firmware works right out of the box with Windows- no drivers required.  I've much lamented the software many players put in their boxes but in this case, it just works with WM Player 10 - no additional software needed. Okay, no Mac support as far as I can tell right now.

Music and Music Services
Among those that lament the PlaysforSure Music services for its Digital Rights Management (DRM), I wonder just how many have tried them to any length.  In order to compete, the PfS services strive to offer consumers the most flexibility in how you enjoy your music and it's not just one corporation (or corporation's figurehead) deciding which exclusive deals and back-catalogs to bring to you. You can burn audio CDs- just like ITMS, you can transfer to more devices, you can find the one that's easiest to use or has the exclusives you want. As an example of this choice, services like MSN Music were among the first to let you authorize up to 5 computers to share the music, which perhaps not so concidentally ITMS now offers as well.

Summary
In summary, today my favorite device for Podcasting and general music playback is the Creative Zen Micro for the reasons outlined above.  This is by no means an endorsement, rather a personal opinion. Creative may not have Steve Jobs' affable charm, but after winning Best of CES the last 3-years running, people are finally starting to take notice that this is more than a one-horse race.

Disclaimer for Mac fans: Choice is not binary in my home either. The first computer I ever used was an Apple II series. I first learned to program in LOGO on an Apple. I spent person-months playing Broderbund games on Apple's & Macs before I ever touched a PC.  I wrote English papers in college on Macs. I have a Powerbook G4 and a 2nd generation iPod with music loaded from ITMS. I run Mac OS X Panther as well as Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and until recently, was a subscriber to .Mac.