Zune interface details revealed
By Paul Miller 
posted August 17th 2006 3:40PM
posted August 17th 2006 3:40PM
Somebody or other has been spending some time with Microsoft's Zune, and have spilled the deets to iLounge. It sounds like the general target in most aspects was iPod design and functionality, but there are plenty of departures, some hotter than others. The basic menu navigation is the standard heirarchal method popularized by the iPod, but with white text on black and fewer design elements. There are a few flashy elements, however, like a gradient highlight bar that fades in and out, and the option for user-customizable wallpaper. Scrolling is enhanced by a WM5-style overlay (pictured) that lets you know what letter you're at on the list, but that wheel is only for looks: it's a mere four-way button which allows you to push up and down to scroll. With that notable blow to any hopes of ripping off the iPod wholesale, the Zune goes on to outsize the 30GB iPod, and its all plastic casing doesn't sound as glam either. Some plusses are a snazzy FM interface and sizable album art, but of course the Zune's killer app is WiFi. iLounge says that you'll be allowed to "loan" songs to other users for a day, which they can proceed to buy from the Zune music store, and you'll also be able to stream music to a WiFi-enabled Xbox 360, but we're not sure if a hard drive will be required to pull it off. At a purported $300 pricetag, we can't tell if the Zune will have what it takes to challenge the iPod -- iLounge, naturally, has their doubts -- but from the writeup it does seem like the Zune will have at least one heavily bandied feature: video.
"While DRM is sucky, it's beenthe best option so far."
I love comments like this. It's kinda like saying:
"While prison is sucky, it's been the best option so far."
I mean seriously, "best option" as opposed to what? And out of how many choices? One?
The alternative to DRM is no DRM. And I know what I'd pick. (And what I have picked.)
Oh yeah. Zune is DOA. It gets worse every new article I read. A wheel that's not a wheel, bigger than an iPod, all plastic. Quality, baby!
C Kizer,
Since Apple controls over 90% of harddisk players and over 75% of all players, it could very well be illegal for them to have *exclusive* contracts with those providers, as it's barrier to entry by competitors, and therefore an abuse of monopoly power. If necessary, MS could get the DOJ to file antitrust suit (or the EU), or they could even file a private antitrust suit themselves, and get the courts to terminate the *exclusive* nature of those contracts.
All interesting stuff and im saving judgement until i've actually played with one. But I have a few queries:
1) 'Zune'- is that the name of the player or the brand like 'Apple' and there 'iPOD' 'Nano'? Think about it: everyone seems to think that Zune is the name of the player, the way MS seems to be lining products up (this is the first Zune 'player' and a Nano competitor is coming so what will that be called: Zune [insert a word for small here that hasnt been used by other mp3 player companies]). The Nano is the 'Apple(=brand name)' 'iPOD(=Product line)' 'Nano(= Model).' Why wouldn't M$ take the same approach? Zune [insert Product line] [insert model]. This leads onto number 2...
2) Then we have the possibility for M$ to expand into other hardware! MacBook=ZunePad / MacBook Pro=ZunePad Elite / Mac Pro = Zune Elite. If Vista (when it arrives) is as good (stop laughing) as M$ says its going to be, fully integrated into 'live' and Zune's 'music store' and everything MSN then u have a direct competitor to apples business model a-la xbox where one company controls everything (software and hardware). I think we'd be stupid to think this wont happen in the next 3 - 5 years. This leads onto number 3...
3) Yes this would make MS a direct competitor to its vendors but would lead to more innovation and price reductions through improved manufacturing efficiency to literally price Apple out of the market! Think I read M$ has bank reserves of $50 billion... who's betting they dont follow the same approach as with the xbox brand and take a huge hit in the short term (1 - 3 years) to make a killing in the long term? At the end of the original xbox's life it started to work but then they went next gen to start it all over again. The name of the game is market share and public perception! If they keep the M$ branding away from everything Zune, target it at the youth audience which they seem to be doing, build brand recognition/ affection/ and desire (viral marketing seems to have done the trick to raise its profile), undercut apple consistantly by £100 - £150 for the next 1 - 5 years (year 3 introducing hardware i.e. ZunePad) in all possible products while offering improved more advanced hardware with the asthetics of Apple products then Apple is going to take a serious kicking! I don't think any 'fanboy' can read this and deny M$ doesn't have a long term plan for the Zune brand and I say good luck (and I'm an Apple fanboy).
4)I think M$ trying to distance themselves from the brand 'Zune' (in the eyes of the general public like xbox, even though we techies all know its M$) to make its products more unique/ youth focused??? This will work M$ if you don't put your branding everywhere!! Keep it simple and keep it Zune focused (hmmm.. could that be a future zune tag line "keep it simple. Keep it Zune"??). This leads on to the more detailed number 5...
5) 'M$ branding' - I think this Zune Product will fall on its arse if the word 'Microsoft' appears on the player (front or back) or is significantly placed on the packaging/ manual etc. If they use 'zune' as the brand name (look at the logo = seriously cool! ok the apple is timeless but when have you seen a logo like Zune's for a while? It makes me want to look at it for longer and look at the patterns/ shapes i.e. Z's and X'x etc - sad i know but its another way of focusing interest on the brand/ product!) then they will have a chance! Leading onto number 6....
6) The overall packaging will make or break this thing on the shop shelf! If M$ is really 'on the ball' they will make it simple and elegant a-la Apple packaging! The iPOD packaging looks so classy and 'expensive' that it makes you want to pick it up even though nothing about the product is really detailed on the external packaging! M$ pleeaassse dont make the mistake of putting logos all over the place! Just have a nice 'crystal white' sleeve to slip over the main contents box (a-la ipod) with the Zune logo (just the Z thing, not the word) in the middle on the front and back with maybe a small tag line down the other 2 slim sides of the box in the same grey colour used for the word zune i.e. "zune. entertainment re-defined". Then make the contents box the same colour as the grey lettering (again a-la ipod) with no wording or branding on!! keep it simple and clean!
Anyway thats it from me. I'll see you in three years time when we are discussing the ZunePad which will be more advanced, more asthetically pleasing, and £150 cheaper than the same spec'd MacBook!
the ui may be pmc colored as the pictures taken of the zune hardware and the ui may have both been taken in b/w
nothing really stands out for me on this music player. Wake me up when they reveal the games one
From the sounds of it, I WANT ONE! :-D I've always hated iPods just because everyone gets one because it is the "kool" thing. Does anyone know any really good message boards for ZUNE?
Zune vs iPod
check this link out of how similiar zune to ipod
http://www.irintech.com/x1/blogarchive.php?id=294