First question would be what Ipod are you looking at to compare to the new Creative Zen?  I bought an 8 gig Ipod Nano 3rd Generation for my daughter.  It cost me $200.  Just recently I bought myself the new Creative Zen.  I got 16 gig's for $195 and I can add memory to it via the SD card slot.  The Zen does everything that the Ipod 3rd Gen does plus the Zen has a 1/2 inch larger screen.  Only thing the Ipod does that the Zen doesn't is play games.  The Zen is slightly thicker than the Ipod, but so freakin' what!!

 

My opinion, Ipod is over-priced, but they can afford to be since everyone seems to be suckered in by Apple.  OMG, Mac computers are more expensive than Dell computers and that's BAD.