...to the iPod holiday season phenomenon. That's the advice of one analyst:

"If I were a parent, I don't think I'd even mount a charge—I'd give in and get the Mini," she said. "If you have a teenager who's really technically inclined and a little ahead of the curve when it comes to peers, you could maybe venture out and go for the Creative Zen Micro. There aren't going to be any snickers—it really is a cool player. But if you have the kind of teen who likes to go with the flow, the Mini is the best bet."

Truth is, the iPod is far behind the curve, and it'll be interesting to see if its dominance will have held up by Holidays 2005. This Chicago Tribune article (use BugMeNot sign-ins here), to its credit, points out the ridiculous battery situation that Apple offers, and provides a jpartial rundown of alternatives to the iPod. But you have to agree with the sentiment ejxpressed above. If your kid wants an iPod, that doesn't mean s/he wants an MP3 player, or even the best MP3 player. It means s/he WANTS AN IPOD, DAMMIT! This is not the year for parents to get smart.