Microsoft's media player dubbed Zune
By Ryan Block 
posted July 11th 2006 4:21PM
posted July 11th 2006 4:21PM
posted July 11th 2006 4:21PM
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A "fullscreen touchscreen-click-wheel" video device would be an absolute disastor unless they are expecting users to constantly be wiping down the display to remove their finger prints. Needless to say it will also be exceedingly prone to scratching given Apples' pathetic track record in that regard.
Then again... the iPod has never really been about functionality or practicality has it.
Apparently it's all about consumers being locked into Apples DRM like that is a 'good thing'.
I'm still not understanding how any of you really have time to comment on this when no one knows anything yet. I still wouldn't know what to choose between bluray and HD DVD and they're well publicised and begginign to appear. Basing your feelings on a name and a company history is just plain dumb. Lets see the GUI, the features and the pricing before each of you starts stating why you want to make love to either Bill or Steve shall we?
Zune? Really? I guess some team of marketing interns had some sort of late-night came up with that one, like someone else said, as a catch word for the fickle 18-24 bracket. If they plan on connecting it to the XBox brand, then I propose calling it XBeat. Sure, some would say that it copies Apple's "i___" naming of everything, but you can't argue that that builds a brand awfully well. Zune makes no sense. You tell your friend, "Hey dude, I just picked up a new Zune and it rocks!", and he won't have any idea what you're talking about. It sounds like some sort of exotic bath soap. But if you tell your friend, "Hey dude, I just picked up a new XBeat and it rocks!", then the connection might be a bit easier. Plus, it just rolls off the tongue better. Furthermore, Microsoft already loves consistency in its naming within the Windows (Windows Mail, Live Messenger) groups, so it would be very easy to build a product line of X____ products. Don't get me wrong, here; I think this "Argo" (Or, just keep the name Argo. That's pretty cool) device will be awesome, but I can't shake the sinking feeling that it will be made available over Amazon.com with a subscription discount and called the "Microsoft Zune Personal Entertainment Utopia Device with Windows Mobile Live Media System Premium". Just call the thing XBeat and be done with it. Finally, I don't want anyone saying anything about XTunes to go along with it; that would be just horrible.
I don't see why the MS-haters are complaining, beyond wanting to see their own words online.
The iPod and "Zune" (god I hope they change that and the logo - yuck) are not competitors.
Zune = portable game player / big portable media device
iPod = small, sleek media player
Zune = extra $ for the game features
iPod = extra $ for phone features (hopefully)
These two products are not true competitors, unless you consider the iPod Nano and the Creative Zen Vision (PMP) or the Sony PSP competitors.
I would bet many households that own a Zune will also have an iPod nano.
Are there no other reasonable people here?
I welcome competition; and I only judge devices and services when buying something like this, not the comapnies that are all corporate assholes anyways.
I buy whatever has the features that suite me best.
You all are WAY too concerned over who sells the most, who doesn't, crappy brand imaging, etc.
Am I missing something here? Didn't Microsoft release the Portable Media Center over two years ago. So isn't the Zune, this 'simple' iPod basher a step backwards - and whatever happened to the PMC devices?
XP? Blue screen? I havent seen that once in all these years. You must be using really poorly written 3rd party drivers to see that or else you are just plain stupid and bullshitting for the hec of it(my guess is its the latter).
This will be interesting... Zune.. or thats just a project code name .. like longhorn was for Vista?
Why focus on the name of the player?
Also, i've done something that many people haven't heard of which is take a Palm T|X and put a 2gb card in it and i have a video screen that is much larger than iPods and Wifi, Bluetooth; not to mention thousands of applications! I'm not saying this is the answer, but it's much closer than many of the other inferior products still being released today. Touch Screen, a couple of buttons on the front, and also i should mention the battery life is much better than the video iPod (i can watch at least 2 full length movies on it before the battery dies).
Just another angle.
"So isn't the Zune, this 'simple' iPod basher a step backwards - and whatever happened to the PMC devices?"
Oh, they're still out there, it's just that nobody cares. Which will be the same fate awaiting the "Zune". MS will keep plugging away, just as they have with the tablet PC, with PMC, with Origami, with whatever else, and I expect in 5 years they'll still have a player on the market, but nobody's gonna care. I mean let's be realistic here.
Or maybe not; maybe they'll do the early exit thing like they did with their home networking equipment. Anybody remember that? No? Didn't think so. I do, though; I bought an MS router and returned it because it plain and simple didn't work. It wasn't that I had a defective unit, either; it was bad firmware, which MS admitted, took their time fixing, and then finally realized they had no idea what they were doing and just quit the business altogether.
Either way, I don't expect this player is going to do much of anything in the marketplace. The only difference between the Zune and every other WMP-based player on the market is that it's got an MS logo on it. Which I'm not sure is even a positive from a marketing standpoint.
The only people this will be scaring are Creative et al. This thing has the potential to hoover up their market share by offering more features etc and a more established brand.
Not too sure about the name though. If I was Microsoft I would have definately capatilised on the Xbox brand. Maybe called it the Xbox:Zune. That might have associated it too closely with video games but it's time they used the 'x' in xbox to expand out of computer games and into things like portable music.
Doesn't stand a hope in hell; of taking a significant proportion of the ipod's market share though. It's just not cool enough. Plus it's probably not mac compatible so that counts me out even if I was interested in switching.
i think "not unlike the you-know-what" is something we all know to assume for any software MS puts out...
it's kind of a "gimme."
Posted at 7:11PM on Jul 11th 2006 by Jeffrey M Foster
dude you need to learn to read before posting, they were totally refering to the iPod "Oh, and apparently the Zune will have a !!!brushed metal back with an engraved logo!!!, not unlike the you-know-what"...hmmm thats what the iPod has...idnt weird when you actually read the articel and not just skim it...
"Oh, and apparently the Zune will have a brushed metal back with an engraved logo, not unlike the you-know-what."
Last I checked, the you-know-what had a polished metal back, not a brushed metal one.
this whole things is ridiculous. they are so copying apple. apple's iPod is going to continue to be the choice of america and no matter what microsoft comes out with, they will never surpass the iPod. I love my iPod and would never change to anything else. plus apple is easy to work with company wise if you have a problem. microsoft...different story.
Really a Zune? Is that the best you could do? Way to not capitalize on Xbox and just place name youself the Zune yet another faceless MP3 player from somebody other than Apple. Wow! Even Argo is a better final product name than Zune. I hope this is all a sick joke. Or that Engadgets MS source is feeding them the wrong information so that the real name will just sound amazingly cool in comparison.
argo sounds alot better than zune, i dont know it just doesnt sound that good.
What company is manufacturing the hardware for the Zune? or what parnters, if any, are they working with on the project?
I want Zume to have VGA screen, removable battery, WiFi for sure, bluetooth and has a software to convert video to the device. But most important thing is to have long battery life in between charging, 20hrs or longer compared to ipod that they have right now. Size and weight of the zune unit must fit conveniently inside the pocket. Songs and music video available for purchase must be affortable/cheaper to all. With all these features maybe I will not have the second thought of buying one for me and sure downfall of ipod industry.
It's amazing how many MS-Lovers there are. From the point of view of elegance no one in their right mind can compare an Apple product to any other manufacturer and say that Apple isn't superior. It's not a question it's a fact. Look at a Mac Mini. It's an engineering marvel. Or a G5. No PC can match the looks of a G5, custom or not. You can put all the lights you want and water coolers and tie up your wires but it doesn't come close to a G5. Apple designers are the best. Maybe they are not human--maybe these are those aliens in the flying saucers that drop by once in a while...
No company has been able to compete with the iPod. The iPod has over 80% of the market. It's a fashion statement. MS is a crappy company. All their software is plain CRAPPY. No body who understands operating systems would say that Windows is anything more than a patchwork of an obsolete system that wants to be modern. It's a pile of junk. Tech support people like me actually can make nice money supporting people who use Windows. If everybody was using Macs there would be very little tech support involved.
In fact Windows XP should be called Windows 54 because when you fresh-boot it, you can only open 54 IE or Explorer windows at once before you are out of "resources" or something. (This doesn't depend on RAM or HD space or anything else--it's a limit in the OS). On OSX you can open hundreds or thousands of windows all at once with no problem. In fact in Windows if you highlight on say 100 pictures and press enter, windows will warn you that it will take too long or cause your computer to lock up. OSX will just open them all no problem.
You might say, oh, I don't need to open 54 windows anyway. Yeah, but if you open say, Photoshop and Indesign which take up a lot of resources, you can then open only a few more Explorer windows, IE windows, and maybe Word. And then say you wanna open up something else like pcAnywhere or your email program or another some little program. No go. It won't respond and you will have to exit one of the larger programs. Also if you use all the stuff for a couple days and don't reboot, you slowly lose these "resources" and then you can open LESS and LESS till it really becomes ridiculous--like you can only have 1 major program open and a few other windows, and nothing else will run.
So in summary, Windows XP has SERIOUS MULTITASKING LIMITS and makes life very difficult for professional users. (BTW: Windows XP "professional" is about as professional as a tricycle.)
Why do NO GRAPHIC PROFESSIONALS use Windows XP, but all use Mac? Because when it comes to serious multitasking, Windows XP JUST DOESN'T WORK TOO WELL WHEN YOU REALLY WANT TO DO SOME REAL WORK!
Everyone happy using Windows is basically not a "Power User". They just browse the web a little, play some games, use IM, etc. They don't run any serious productivity programs.
To those who say they haven't seen a BSOD. Yeah, BSODs are pretty rare on Windows XP, but they do happen and it's pretty un-elegant, no matter what you want to say about it.
Windows Vista is even more bloated and isn't even close to OSX which has been around for a while. MS always plays catch-up to Apple but never quite gets close.
What I just can't get over is how MS can sell a product like Windows XP with this serious multitasking limitation, pretend there is no limitation, and how no one seems to know this limitation exists. Very wierd...
Tek.
BTW: I don't currently use a Mac but I hope to so that I can have some time to live instead of battle with Windows limitations...
C'mon guys we need a new gadget which will be more better than ipod that we have right now. Instead, suggest all your interest features that ipod neglect to put in there device. In the end we will be the one to enjoy their great inventions and for them in return a profit for the job well done.
Hello... it appears to be 16 x 9 when turned 90 degrees either way. The article is wrong saying it is a 4:3 formatted screen and also the dumb dumb who commented one[16x9 screen] should be added to make it useful.
they would make a PXB portable X-box type thing playstation is just going to kill them. the xbox 360 was a huge disappointment, if this zune thing is just a sad attempt to slow down the new ipod video commin out in december it will proably be like the xbox 360, and windows xp, and be a half assed product that they release when they know it has prblems ill be pissed. thats why i like sony.
Hey all.
I'm usually pro-Apple, but just the same I'm not out to offend the MS crowd. Just a comment though, regarding BSODs. As an IT tech, I agree that the frequency of BSODs has decreased significantly from 2K to XP, but they still exist. I see them quite often. Likewise, I've seen many an iPod hang up. Regardless, MS is capable of releasing a nifty product, just like Apple can, but they're behind in this market and it will take their oversized pocketbook to get a marketed product that can compete with the iPod.
From the few occasions I set up an iPod for people (maybe 3 times), it didn't quite go as smoothly as I would have thought. In one instance the iPod prevented the computer from booting, being connected to the USB port. I didn't find the iTunes software particularly user-friendly. I seems you can't even "drag & drop" songs onto it. My experience with Quicktime has been pretty dissapointing as well. No drag & drop either, and very few options. Even worse, I installed it and it took over my IE browser media player and it wouldn't play my SunRocket messages properly--they would skip and mumble and I couldn't hear messages. I would work sometimes only after a reboot and then messed up again till the next reboot. I found how to go to "Add-remove programs" and re-selected the MS Media player.
So I can't say I've had any joy from Apple software on a PC. I never really used a Mac so I don't know how software behaves on it. I know I like the right mouse button which the Mac doesn't have but I understand there are other ways of doing the same stuff.
Only from my limited, very short "meetings" with Macs here and there, I was pretty impressed by the external design, and the "clean-elegance" of the OS. I also love the idea that it's like the Amiga and there is no "registry" and "program installation" and thousands of stupid DLL files and conflicts, etc.
I have suffered a lot with Windows limitations so I hope the Mac is better. From everything I've heard it's a lot better. But until I use it for a while I won't know the advantages and shorcomings as compared to Windows...
Tek.
Zune, will be a direct competition to PSP and music player IPod as it will have the best of both worlds, gaming,wireless and music in one. There are a lot of underground work on gaming conversions and they will be ready for the sune launch soon.
Ipod has its days numbered.
hi! i´m from portugal
well... the name will not work in portugal for sure!
and the photos i saw about zune... there´s no other like ipod!
Some of the rumors have said that Microsoft will swap zune versions of iTunes purchased music for free. If they do announce this, my son's band, "Self-Titled" will demand full royalties for each swap of music they have sold through iTunes. I expect that thousands of other indy and signed label bands will do the same thing.
Yet, I believe that Microsoft is psychologically capable of putting out up to a billion dollars or more to that end. They've already lost about five billion on the X-Box project.
Also, does this mean my podcast will become a "zunecast"?
For those with scratched or otherwise smashed iPods, let me ask you this, how do you treat your digital camera, or laptop? Do you throw it in a bag or case? Do you carry them in your back pocket? Do you carry your digital camera around your neck while you work out? I've seen people with iPods at the bottom of bags full of books, no wonder they're crushed and broken, and then they complain when a genius at an Apple store says they've voided their warranty.
Speaking of which, when your Zune fails for whatever reason, or it's missing a pixel or whatever else can (and will) go wrong with them, do you think Microsoft, the juggernaut corporation, will give you free service? Do you think Microsoft will open stores in malls just to satisfy all the Zune owners who want another one because there's a scratch on it? A colleague of mine bought a Sony PSP that had a single dead pixel, Sony told him "too bad, live with it." Thanks.
There are MP3 players that come with a seven day warranty. Some six months. Some, like the iPod, a year. Find another company that will sell you an extended service plan, like Apple, that will happily replace your MP3 player if something goes wrong with it. Will Best Buy do that? Will Microsoft?
Bash Apple all you want - they are doing things that no other company has, or ha been able to catch up to. Microsoft is entering too late with some vaporware, and everyone else is trying to sue to get what they think is their fair share, or suing because the product they bought they damaged. A very small number of people put up a website saying their product is yellow, or that their iPod is scratched, and all of a sudden it becomes a product-wide pandemic of epic proportions. How is it possible that I have, and still use, the original 5Gb iPod with only minor signs of use? I use it in my car every day! How is it my iPod mini still gets about thirteen hours of battery life? I read the manual and know how to charge the battery! Why does it seem like I am the only one who understands that MacBook Pros will, and do, get very hot, like every other Core Dual machine on the market, from every manufacturer? There's two frigging processors in the machine! Of course it will get hot!
The people who demand indestructible, super-fast, super cooled, super cheap machines are living in a fantasy world. The Zune is right up their alley.
Guys, what is your problem... i came on here to see what zune is all about and you are all having a massive debate on how to pronounce it and apple this and ipod that. clearly, you guys have an exciting life... stop debating, nothing you say is going to change what microsoft have decided they are going to do. grow up.
Zune!!! As in... Tune... but with a Z... :)
i think this will be pretty cool... as long as it dont BSOD on us. plus MS are makeing a portable XBOX... Xboy i belive its called.. which also is SAID to have all these wow features... :) my money will be on the Xboy.. not the Zune... :) but look 4ward to seeing it realeased... :) i wander if it will run on that portable windows, maybe if it did you could install winamp.. ;)
plapak -
Or, they could bundle it with either a Dell laptop OR iBook, and call it "xPLODE".
Bear with me on this one, there is a point in it somewhere....
I currently have an iPod Nano, but 99.9% of my music is DRM-free. I bought the nano because it is tiny -- it fits in my pocket with the minimum of disruption. Yes it scratched after about a minute, but it spends almost all of its life in my pocket. I don't care what it looks like. All I care about is that it is small, sounds good, and can sync with my music library (on my Mac).
Provided that Microsoft's Zune player is similar in these respects, then I will have no problems considering it as a future buy.
I think this is likely to be the case with almost everyone in a similar position to me. As with mobile phones, the market moves too quickly for people to remain loyal to one company or device.
I think a list of names should be thought up, much like the annual hurricanes naming list, for all the new virises that are about to be unleashed on the Zune using the letter Z. I would like to start with Zanadune. Inspired by the movie Xanadu. Yes, the movie starts with an X but what the h--- the movie is as cool as this new mp3 player. Oh, I'm sorry mp3 player, portable gaming device, Wi-Fi networking yada yada yada...
VO: PC Nerdy voice really excited. I can't wait for this product. It will solve problems I didn't konw I had. Because my iPod has crashed on me 7 time. That's seven times, exactly. Can you belive that? Apple thinks they are soooo superior.
I like my 2 iPods BUT I hate iTunes. I am a 10/15 +- year PC user, not a novice that has difficulty figuring out iTunes.
I go to the Apple store considering buying a computer, however it seems the Apple stores are designed to not appreciate the adult users or perhaps it is just adult PC users.
Nonetheless, taking into consideration the somewhat confusing layout of iTunes, the iPod's non compatibility with literally no other equipment (could this be an intention monopoly) and the Apple stores youth only attitude, I surely welcome BGs-MicroSofts entry into the digital portable audio/video player market n wish them well.
Ps I just remembered, in the late 1970s I was technical enough to have created portable audio player to down hill ski with, so realizing iTunes frustrates me, frustrates me more.
That logo looks eerily similar to the final magic seal from Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow on the DS.
http://www.laptopbatteryclub.com/
Zune? That's because someone whispered to them that Xpod would be to obvious. Zune schmoone, same tune to me.
i dont know how to scrool 1000 of songs (30 GB)without a scroll wheel like in apple ipods??????
I dont know how to scroll 1000's(30 GB) of songs without a scroll wheel like in apple ipods????
People are naturally dubious about the whole Zune thing but once its been launched and heavily marketed people will begin to settle down.
Gareth
---------------------------
http;//ZuneMarketplace.com
Zune mp3 player forum
I think there is a lot of people frustrated with
Zune the whole package. Take a look at http://www.zunehumor.com this is a site dedicated to simply make fun of Zune. Good going folks...
Why is everyone putting down the zune, i mean sure the ipods great, but everyone has one now, its about time some major company brought out a new mp3/mp4 player, to be honest im getting a little bored of my ipod video, sure it does the job, and its scratched up a bit but its about time i bought a new system to play music and watch videos, this doesnt mean i wont EVER use itunes again, but give the zune a chance, if microsoft brought it out before apple with the ipod, they would sell well, its just like the xbox and playstation scenario...think about it
The ZUNE does not work with itunes, so you have do download all your music all over again!
That SUCKS!
Do you know I see zune video converter software is released in http://www.dvd-to-zune.com ?
Ok, every one, ipod is much better than the ZUNE?. Why? Because:
-The Zune does not work with Macs
-The Zune does not have movies
-The Zune does not work with itunes, so you have to build you song library all over again
-Nor does The Zune work with napster, lime wire, or any other site, only Microsoft's
-The Zune does not have as may accessories as the ipod (related to the kind used in garbage cans)
-The Zune is made out of cheap plastic
-Coming this christmas season Apple is coming out with touch screen ipod (3.5 inch wide screen may have a camera)
-The Zune does not have TVshows
-The Zune only comes in boring colors (brown black silver-like)
-The Zune can not plug into cars.
-The Zune can't have you name in graved on it
I could go on all day long but no one wants to hear that crap
Microsoft is a big copy cat.
P.S. Apple invented Fire wire and the computer mouse.
P.S.S. Microsoft did not invent DOS
When the Ipod first came out it was available only in white. And as far as videos and tv shows go, that was much later as well. The zune is brand new, of course the accessories for the zune are not out yet. It does playback mp3 files, so not sure what you mean by not compatible with limewire etc...
I own a 20gb Ipod myself, I like it alot. There is always room for competition though, the more competition the better it is for the consumer. The prices will be more competive, better features. Only problem I see with the Zune is the Itunes DRM scheme, some people will not want to change because of that. I haven't had the chance to play with a zune yet but will want to try out when I decide to replace my Ipod.
Oh and BTW, Apple did invent firewire, but they did not invent the mouse. The GUI interface was not an apple invention either, it was created by xerox and copied to the macintosh.
stop using itunes and use a program that is more compatible with everything. Windows media player. DUH!!
If you want to convert dvd movies and video files to your zune player
to see this site
http://www.dvd-ipod.biz/
I found a really powerful Zune converter software from here http://www.dvdtozuneconverter.net/
It's very cool!
Why is everyone hating on zune!!! Do all of you guys have one! So i were you buy one and tell me if it is really as bad as you guys think it is!!! Because i have had several ipods! 30 gig mini and 60 gb they all broke because i dropped it... and that was it... harddrive broke.. so if anything just try out the zune then judge!
if you're interested in a funny Zune vs. iPod video check out this one that is spreading around the internet, http://www.rockinducedlabor.com/movement_ip.html
yeah I dont know what yall all are talking about, I think it is about time Microsoft came out with competitor to the stupid apple procuct. For heaven sake they are even pricing at the same price expecially with all the extra featers to itcompared to the trashy ipod. Microsoft is the greatest software developer in the world. They run the worlds leading systems. and the name "ZUNE" is just another word that the company just spat up, and that is cool, I know every one makes up words all the time.