Well it's official; we've definitely gone
Zune-crazy 'round these parts. Not content with presenting you with a
super-blurry photo of the upcoming device's supposed interface, we're now reporting on an artist's rendition of the GUI from someone claiming to be in the know -- so keep in mind that you're looking at mockups here and not actual screenshots. Anywho, the pictures jibe pretty closely with all the info that's streamed in so far: although they depict a rather no-frills white-on-black menu screen, when you slap some skins onto the background (like Bill Gates' old mugshot, for instance), it seems like a pretty aesthetically-pleasing experience. We're not gonna repeat ourselves and regurgitate all the
functionality and specs that you've heard so many times before; instead, we're sending you directly over to iLounge to peep the full set of meticulously-rendered drawings. Hey, even if these shots end up looking nothing like what appears on the final device, whoever whipped them up has a promising career as a fake product designer and Internet rumor-starter of the highest caliber.
posted Aug 24th 2006 4:23AM
Looks similar to the Toshiba Gigabeat S, which is of a similar form factor to the 'Zune'. It's also based off Microsoft's Portable Media Centre firmware.
Wow, that's ugly... And hard to read. Although, I'm sure it'll be better than this (considering these are just artist's renditions).
Aesthetically-pleasing? That's a bloody mess if you can add your own wallpapers like that. It completely destroys readability. Notice the tuner dissappearing on the Mac Mini, or how the one with the asian dude completely lacks a proper point of focus. It makes my eyes hurt.
But I guess it's what 13 year old girls want.
I'd say these are totally fake. It doesn't bother anyone that the battery meter isn't lined up in any of the pictures? Even if they are supposed to only be an artist's rendition -- they would have make sure to align the battery meters!
that's hideously ugly. this isn't even news anyway.
The iPod interface is good - once Apple adds the facility to skip ahead (or back) by first letter in a list by using the left and right click wheel buttons, it will be even better.
This looks even worse than I thought it would. The beleagured software giant is going to have a hard time convincing users to drop the elegant iPod interface in lieu of this mess.
This is just a mock up of Windows Portable Media Center that has been around for years and the same unterface the Gigabeat S series previously mentioned.
Check it out this google video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3428996358728158914&q=gigabeat+s&hl=en
Are you people retarded?
"Artist's rendition of Zune interface surfaces"
"-- so keep in mind that you're looking at mockups here and not actual screenshots"
You really think microsoft would put Bill's mugshot on their device?
Sometimes I wonder if the internet doesn't connect to mirror-earth where people can't read but somehow write.
yeah this is a stupid story and people saying its ugly and thinking its real are even more stupid. Its just the toshiba gigabeats menus which is they actually used it would be good because it has the best interface ever. Since when do people say "artists rendition" when they just copied another device.
asian guy is pretty cute.
not that good looking
I for one like being able to change the wallpaper.
For all your haters if you stopped being a critical moron for about two seconds you would realize that you can change the background to a solid color...to correct the illegible mess...(if there were custom wallpapers)
Its always good to have options regardless if you elect to use them or not.
Highlighting?! Text?!! A SLIDING NUMBER SCALE?!
OMGWTFBBQ DESIGN GENIUS!
Thanks for giving Microsoft the Inspiration guys. I think though it may be hard to see the text son some wallpaper, it does bring some excitment to the UI, an option I wish I had on my iPod.
Apparently has theme support. GJ MS!
I don't want to use iPW anymore :(.
I am done with the Zune. Why don't they just rename it Zen and let Creative sell it? We don't need another PMP.
why would someone want a picture of Steve Jobbs as the wallpaper of a Microsoft mp3 player?
@Dolomite: I'm sure you mean the elegant Zen/Creative interface?