By the time you read next Friday’s paper you may have already braved the mall parking lot demolition derby on the first official day of the holiday shopping season, so I figured I better get my iPod holiday gift guide out there this week. Let’s get right to it.

iPod or Zune? If you’re a Mac user, it’s an easy decision. If you’re a Windows user and have been using iPod/iTunes but are considering a switch to the Zune ecosystem, here’s some considerations. If you purchased music or video through the iTunes Store, none of that content will play on the Zune. Although the Zune does support music encoded in the iTunes Store’s AAC format, it doesn’t support iTune’s Digital Rights Management (DRM) scheme. It’s a double-whammy for video, as neither the DRM nor the format (h.264) of iTunes-purchased video is supported on Zune.

Again, Microsoft smartly included support for non-DRM AAC format in Zune, so you won’t have to re-rip songs from your personal CD collection. If initial reports of Zune software problems are any indication, however, getting the songs from iTunes to the Zune may be a hassle.

Now, if you previously completely eschewed the iPod for any of the “Plays For Sure” players from Creative, SanDisk, Rio, etc., and purchased music from Napster, Rhapsody, MSN Music, or any other WMA-format online store, guess what? That music, even though it has “Microsoft DNA” (and DRM) won’t play on the Zune either (until an enterprising teenager cracks the code).

There is one tried-and-true work-around for stripping DRM coding from any purchased music. Simply use iTunes or Windows Media Player to burn the songs onto a CD as if you were making a CD to play in your car stereo. Then, rip the music from that CD back into your computer’s jukebox, and, voila, the DRM is gone.

For the athletic music lover on your gift list, Apple’s new ultra-small, matchbook-sized, half-an-ounce iPod shuffle ($79) is an excellent choice. There’s no need for arm bands with the shuffle – any scrap of clothing will transport the tiny 240-song wonder with its integrated clip. And, you could run six world-record-pace marathons on one battery charge.

For serious geeks who are also serious runners, there’s the Nike+Apple Sport Kit. A wireless sensor goes in/on the running shoe, and records run information through a receiver attached to an iPod nano attached to the runner. When the run is done, the runner can upload his/her run information into iTunes and track his/her progress. $29 for the Sport Kit, iPod nanos from $149. Some runners spend more money than that on their shoes alone.

For the more sedentary iPod listener, there are many varied speaker systems that you can plug an iPod into. They range in price from $50 portable models to $300 high-end offerings from Apple, Bose, JBL, etc. Some double as clock radios, like the iHome iH5 system for $99.

If you want portable viewing of your iPod videos (similar to a portable DVD player), check out the Sonic Impact VIDEO-55. It features a three-hour rechargeable battery (also an AC or car power adapter), a 7-inch screen, external speakers, and a $299 price tag. Your video iPod reclines comfortably and protected inside the hard plastic case, which closes like a book when not in use.

Finally, there’s one iPod accessory that should really “clean up” this holiday season. I mean, really get “on a roll”. Of course, I’m talking about Atech Flash Technology’s iCarta Stereo iPod Dock and Toilet Paper Dispenser. It has four high-performance moisture-free speakers. Kinda gives “downloading music” a whole new meaning, doesn’t it?

© 2006 Peter F. Zimowski