Till a while ago, there were no alternatives for the iPod Touch, or for that matter, there weren’t any alternatives for most of the Apple products. But things have changed since then. Several new smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy SIII have been launched as competitors for the Apple iPhone 4. Similarly, the iPod Touch also has some strong competitors in the market today. So, if you walk into a store tomorrow to buy a multi-purpose portable media player, you will have quite a number of options to choose from.

It goes without saying that iPod Touch is an amazing device which offers complete value for money. It comes with a 3.5 inches wide screen and weighs just about 3.56 ounces. Powered by the iOS, the Apple iPod Touch is an unbelievable blend of a portable media player, a personal digital assistant and a gaming console. One can’t deny that it does sound like an unbeatable combination. Having said that, people can have different expectations from their gadgets. If you are looking for something with a bigger screen or more features or a different operating system, here are a few alternatives to the iPod Touch:

1. Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0- The most visible advantage that the Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0 has is the bigger screen. The Android operated media player has a 5 inch screen, which is almost 1.5 inches bigger than the iPod Touch. It lies somewhere in the middle of a smartphone and a full blown tablet. But the question we need to ask is- what sets it apart from the iPod Touch? For starters, it comes with additional features like GPS, Bluetooth, Micro SD memory expansion and the camera is equipped with flash. Finally, the operating system makes all the difference. If you are accustomed to Android, then you might want to try this Samsung player, as it supports all Android apps.

2. Sony Walkman Z- The Sony Walkman Z doesn’t impress on the first go, but it is an absolute treat for anyone looking for quality music enhancements. Again, the screen is bigger than the iPod Touch, but, that is the lesser of the advantages. The killer punch that this gadget delivers is in term of excellent audio enhancement software and high quality headphones. After all, Sony has always been known for its high quality devices and the Walkman Z is a perfect example of that. On the flip side, it lacks most of the additional features provided by an Android operated player. For example, it doesn’t come with expandable memory or a camera. Quite honestly, it’s almost like you win some, you lose some. But, if you are an avid listener of music and you need the audio quality to be to notch, this is the media player for you.

3. Philips GoGear Connect 3- One look at the Philips GoGear Connect 3 will tell you that the design isn’t the strongest of its features. The screen is 3.2 inches wide and the resolution is just about average. However, it scores in the price department as it is relatively cheaper than the iPod Touch. Additionally, the sound and video quality are great and it supports a variety of video formats. To sum it up, the Philips GoGear is great value for money.

Besides the products mentioned above, there are others like the Samsung Galaxy Player 4.0, the Cowon D3 and the Creative Zen Touch 2. All of these offer some unique features which set these apart from the Apple iPod Touch.