By Nisheth Joshi (Contributed)

Zune HD or iPod Touch? iPod Touch or Zune HD? Confused? Don’t worry, help is on the way!

When it comes to high end digital media players, your options are pretty much limited to these two titans. They are both great options and similar in many respects. But this doesn’t mean you can flip a coin and pick one at random. At $200+ and many optional accessories, consider this a significant investment that deserves some careful research.

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First lets talk about some of the similarities. You can use either the Zune HD or iPod Touch to listen to your favorite music, watch movies, browse the internet and play games — on the go. Both players come in a sleek package that you’ll be excited to show your friends. So when it comes to knowing which player to pick, we need to look a little deeper at some of the differences and what is most important to you.

The major point of differentiation is not actually with the players but with the services that their manufacturers provide. This is a key point. You’ll have to look beyond the hardware and look at how you plan on using your newly acquired gadget.

Is music more important to you? If so, the Zune HD is the best choice for you.

The Zune pass music subscription service from Microsoft is unmatched by Apple. For $14.99 a month, you have access to unlimited music downloads that you can listen to either on your PC or on the go using your Zune HD. There is no competitive music subscription service for either the Zune HD or iPod Touch. For example, neither Napster to go nor Rhapsody to go are compatible with these devices.

This Zune is designed to be a music discovery machine. If you’re a true music fan, and you’ll know if you are by your reaction to this statement, you’ll be opening your browser as soon as you read this to order a Zune HD!

And if applications and games are the most important to you, then you’re much better off with an iPod Touch.

The selection of applications and games in the Zune Marketplace don’t even come close to the breath of selection you’ll find in the iTunes App Store. With over 10,000 applications and games, and more being added each day, the iTunes App Store is just incredible. You’ll find an application for almost anything you can think of!

There are some other minor differences in hardware between these two players. For example, the HD Zune has an HD radio tuner which the iPod Touch doesn’t have any radio at all. The Zune HD can output HD video to an HDTV while the iPod Touch can’t even process HD video. But for most people, these differences won’t amount to much and shouldn’t be considered as a buying criteria.

In summary, the choice is not that difficult. So Zune HD or iPod Touch? Only you can make that decision. And with the tips in this article you can make that decision with confidence knowing that you made the right choice for you!

Nisheth Joshi is editor of World of Zune. Visit World of Zune for more Zune HD information including detailed comparisons with the iPod Touch.