I like the cube for it is $10 cheaper and has a OLED display which I dont think the apple even has anything at all. Can use your own MP3's (250 songs) or WMA's (500 songs, beat that apple

) and not just Itunes or have to wait for a hack to use your own, and unlike apple it can be used as a flash storage device to transfer not only music but files too.
Sure its not flat but it does alot more, has more features, cheaper, OLED readout, FM Tuner, and is more versitile (sp) then the apple could be.
I think the apple has it on 12 hours play time where the cube is 10 but honestly who in the hell listens to it that long straight.
And IMO that new Apple looks like the 99 cent fm tuner jobs you get at walmart on clearance that sound like crap and will break the first time you forget its attached to your pocket and sit down. The cube looks to have a neck strap hole so you can just wear it around your neck or pop it into a pocket and forget about it.
But it ultamtly boils down to is the consumer and what works best for thier application and consider to be the smalles to fit that situation. For me its is getting the most for the buck and if I had the choice the cube offers more. Thatks OP I may ask the wife for that for my birthday coming up since I have a small flat one and it doesnt like to stay in my pocket and Im afraid I may lose it. Kinda gojing to be hard to mess the cube up when it straped around my neck.