Zune, the odds and ends wrapup
By Ryan Block 
posted September 15th 2006 4:48PM
posted September 15th 2006 4:48PM
At this point you're probably one of two parties: those sick of hearing about the Zune (may we suggest the following reading material?), and those who still want more information on what's going down with Microsoft's big launch. Now that the dust has settled a little, here's what we got.Further specs on the device [Much via Zune Thoughts' interview with Chris Stephensen]:
- 4.4 x 2.4 x 0.58-inch footprint (vs 30GB iPod's 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.43-inches, and 80GB iPod's 0.55-inch thickness -- trust us, on a device like this a tenth of an inch is a huge difference)
- 5.6 ounces (vs iPod's 4.8 and 5.5 ounces for the 30 and 80GB models)
- WiFi is 802.11b/g, photo is JPEG only (right now)
- Zunes and their users will have names -- Zunetags -- building off the phenomenal success of Xbox Live model.
- Faster charge time than an iPod, but still no quoted battery life. It will not be user replaceable.
- Nope, no price or release on the device or anything Marketplace related -- which they told us yesterday they wouldn't be releasing (yet).
- CNET thinks that bit about Zune buying you out of iTunes is false, according to a statement issued by Microsoft. Could well be so, but it's not like they've announced everything Zune-related, so we'll have more to discuss in the coming weeks, assuredly.
- Zune supposedly won't be taking advantage of the device's video capabiilties by selling TV shows this year, nor will it play Media Center video files (DVR-MS files, we take that to mean).
- Microsoft went with brown on one of the three Zunes because "artists would and musicians would." We're not going to lie, some of us around here like it (key word: some).
- Zune will be backing concerts and shows, and is really working the music influencer angle (ya think?).
- The 3x3 DRM layer (share a song for three plays over three days) will supposedly wrap files of any supported type (MP3, AAC, etc.) in DRM during the transfer. Medialoper poses a very interesting question: what happens to Creative Commons licensed media when shared? Because adding DRM to CC media violates the license, you know. [Via Slashdot]
Zune interface demo - QVGA [H.264, 3.7MB], VGA [H.264, 15.1MB]
Zune sharing demo - QVGA [H.264, 2.5MB], VGA [H.264, 8.7MB]
So, are we missing anything? Oh, there's more after the jump.
meh.
this thing will come and go.
Ballmer probably broke a couple more chairs when he heard Steve reduced the prices on iPods.
You guys are not seeing the hypocrisy in this company. Both Gates and Ballmer in a few articles months ago were saying they were not to satisfy with their partners products, they are not doing a good enough job whatever. Now enter this Zune player that can't even compete with many of their 'partners' DAPs. They said Apple's closed system will lose-out to choice. Now enter their own closed system.
To those that wants something different from the iPod, support Creative, Archos, Samsung and the many others that will be affected first before v.3 really comes after Apple. You know before they get enough suckers to buy this first version which will get them enough feedback and most importantly MONEY for R&D to create the real ZuneV.3. The one feature they've been promoting (wifi) turnes out to be a lackluster effort that will drain the already rumored low battery.
And how do you Zen users feel now that Microsoft is leaving you in the dust and locking you out of the Zune universe. I would develop distaste for this company.
is there DRM for ogg vorbis files?
It won't play MediaCenter recorded video files (dvr-ms)? Seriously? That would make absolutely ZERO sense.
If that's true, I'm goint to boycott this thing for just being stupid as hell. It's bad enough they won't support PlaysForSure (really stupid of them) but if they won't even let you play back files you recorded on a MediaCenter PC that would simply be too much.
Actually, I can't believe that is accurate. Hey, Engadget, are you guys sure about that one? Makes absolutely no sense.
Rodman
Did you know that the video really was made by MS. They have much more of a sense of humor about themselves than some other companies.
I just wonder where their support for podcasts is - There was nothing in their videos or on the Zune Market screen shots about podcasting or podcast support.
Or even BlogCasting as it is sometimes called in Redmond. Without podcasting support it is a show stopper for me.
No mention also about recording capabilities.
Well it looks to me to be a niche player at best - but not an iPod killer or even denter.
Rob @ podCast411
"Apple is about less not more... "
Thats why they sell you a basic player and u have to folk out more money on accesories which others come with standard. makes me laff.
No DVR-MS???? Are they insane???
in a msnbc report on the launch of the zune yesterday they said the price was $299... i dunno if that was reported elsewhere.
zune in FRENCH Canadian = Genitalias ...
So who would want to have a "micro soft zune" ????
Not me !
I dont get it. I mean the true video IPod is around the corner and MS ANNOUNCES that they WILL BE releasing THIS? It has a 4 directional pad?!?
The only way they could have blown out everything was if they'd come out with a wide-screen touch-screen UI device. Cmon... touch screen isn't like alien technology, its 2000 freaking 7.
And wifi... I sure hope I can cruise around in Zune marketplace with its wifi. Whats the point if I can't.
And the wide screen is for movies, right? RIGHT??
WTF.
1. The wifi sharing aspect is an attempt at generating a network effect... but where's the tipping point? Early adopters gain no benefit when there aren't other peeps to share with. It'll take RAVE reviews from the early adopters to generate the sales needed to make this "feature" useful.
2. Further, when's the last time you and 4 buddies sat around with your ipods and "shared" music? What Microsoft is proposing would require a paradigm shift in the way people interact with their music. Most people I know plug in and tune out when they're alone (walking the streets, riding the subway, zoning out on an airplane, etc) Guess that would be a cool scenario though... stuck on an intercontinental flight and having access to all the music on the place... of course the TSA would confiscate the player before you boarded and the FAA would ban the Wifi... but a cool thought nonetheless.
3. Non-DRM sharing (ie. ogg or flac support) is NEVER GONNA HAPPEN. If you rip a CD to ogg, should you be able to share it without DRM? Not according to the RIAA...
4. Tbe screen is neither widescreen nor larger. It's the same res as the 5G iPod. Knock yourself out and surf the web at 240x320... those are good times ahead for ya. Fer shure.
5. Microsoft is not spending a Billion dollars on paying to convert your iTMS tracks to Zune (or $500M for that matter). Put the glue down and step AWAY from yer keyboard. It's called vendor lock-in and Apple's got it.
6. Not supporting the Plays4Sure content is a critical mistake that essentially guarantees this thing arrives DOA. Talk about pissing people off... Well the 2% of the music market that buys that garbage any way. Know why they're doing this? Microsoft wants to be the portal... not just license the scheme to Napster, Yahoo, and whoever else plys that P4S junk... yup, their very own MMS (Microsoft Media Store). Why? Cause they're haters and imitators... not lovers and innovators ;-)
YA HEARD
I agree with a previous post. I'm an artist (if I may), I'm a musician and well, this doesn't make me like brown DAPs. MS must have choosen a tribe of brown-liking-artist-musicians, must be.
Great to have the dimensions, makes for an interesting comparison with the iPod, take a look at this http://www.sizeasy.com/page/featured
Everyone one of you putting the boot in on MS were the same Apple gayboys who laughed at MS entering the video game market...... and look what happened there.. right? Xbox is great and as far as this new generation goes they have managed to strike a great balance with xBox regards power HD etc etc, and this was a whole year ago. Whether you like it or not Apple gayboys, MS always comes through in the end. It may take a few pathetic long drawn out attempts, but they're like a rabid dog with a bone; trust me, MS won't rest until Zune is the number one player. IT IS WRITTEN, and inevitable. iPods are not cool anymore and you know it, besides - despite using a mac, there's one thing I think should be eradicated next to world poverty; and that is apple fanboys.. anything to shut them up. Remember we belong to a 3% elite of this global computer use market and when you consider 2.9% are fanboys who devote their silly little warped minds to a computer brand.. it's a sorry state of affairs.
Any device that brings real competition is GOOD, ipod lovers inlcuded...
The choco-brown model is to attract the greedy ones ;)
how can you rip them on this with that screen, wifi and the great launch you ipod fanboys will be soon suprised. Plus if a smaller one comes out that has video playback then bye bye nano.
I see alot of Microsoft spys posting pro-zune messages here, cut it out you piece of sh!t, leave us consumer alone!
Is the UI a lot like Creatives ? And will Creative sue for patent infringment ? ( I guess that´s why Apple paid up - cuz they knew Creative then would go after MS / Zune)...
Other than that ; Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
And by the way ; what ever happened to MSN music or URGE ? Does anyone buy anything from them ?
Guess all the Plays for sure partners are happy with MS now...
"Well I like it.lol I am getting the brown the first day it is released. I know it is thick but I am sick of everyone having an ipod. I like the fact that in the future it could download podcasts by its self."
- Well I guess that means your a Linux or Mac-user ? Cuz you like to stand out from the masses ?
= )
All this knocking of Microsoft reminds me of the comments from auto-analysts in the early 1980s -- the Japanese will never be able to make a luxury car to be able to compete against the Germans.
I think we should have a relief station for the panicked applets out there who can't think beyond their white-bread box. Zune's coming in. For those of you who "don't get it," connectivity is part of the 14-34 crowd. Always on phones, instant messaging, etc. WiFi is like an extension of the lan parties gamers have. Applets- ever hear of a LAN party? Think about it.
As far as the UI goes- superior. Flat out superior with eye candy to burn. The click pad? Accelerates as you hold it down, my fearful and clueless applets. You can cover major ground far more clickly than with the wheel.
Oh yeah. Subscription music. Sorry to bring it up. Sorry to leave you in the dust. Oh. You say you want to own your own music? Then buy it for .99 cents. You can do BOTH in the brave new world-no one's telling you can't have it all.
Change. Choice. iPodians just don't seem to like the concepts, unless it's all wrapped up in ... white and tethered to iTunes with it's absolute lack of subscription, to go music.
people are sayin the sharing thing is stupid and useless lmao i am in highschool and 1 thing we do alot is share ringtones with each other i think the zune is pretty cool i may buy it too and by the way i own an ipod video and this seem to blow it away i am not about oh its apple oh its microsoft its about what works better and the zunes from what i see is better.
Shmoe, the lack of support for DVR-MS (which is normal MPEG2) is likely because Zune use a dedicated chip to decode video. To decode video (especially H.264) using a general-purpose CPU would require quite a lot of battery power.
Instead expect a feature where the computer automagically compress DVR-MS to WMV.
"@Mr G: Oh, come on. If you're reading Engadget, you've got a pretty good idea when Apple products are coming out."
So does Microsoft. Vague feature lists with references to future products and no pricing info lets MS have the opportunity to 2.0 the Zune before it hits the street but after Apple has shown their hand. Personally, I'm waiting for ZfW (Zune for Workgroups) 3.11.
Microsoft is a copy cat.
The Zune logo is so similar to Sony's XYZ 3D GPS device.
Check out here:
http://www.sony.jp/products/me/ssMap/img/com_xyz_logo.gif
http://www.sony.jp/products/me/ssMap/index.html
"zune in FRENCH Canadian = Genitalias ..."
@ David: it is "Zoune" (pronounce: zoon) witch is the contraction of "Bizoune" for Genitalias in Québécois.
Not "Zune".
Moreover, Zune is not the synonym of "kick ass" either (but that is a personal opinion of course).
I haven't seen anything about how you get MP3s off your PC and onto the Zune. Will it be via MTP/Plays4Sure? You can kind of bet that WMP 11 will be involved somewhere. You can also bet that it probably won't involve USB Mass Storage. There's at least some suggestion that MTP/PFS is dead in the water. So where does that leave us Creative Labs player owners, and the people writing extensions for things like Winamp and Linux that support MTP/PFS.
Sigh. There's an iPod killer out there somewhere but it seems the only people who might build it are Cowon. Everyone else has a hidden agenda. Me, I want a Zen Xtra with a 100Gb disk, USB Mass Storage, no support for DRM and RockBox firmware. Now there's an idea. Can interest any hardware manufacturers in building something specifically for RockBox?
I'm getting one zune.
I hope the DVR-MS support is added. It seems silly that a MS device wouldn't interface smoothly with MCE 2005. I don't want to transcode videos. It is why I don't bother to watch videos on my PSP.
Jayhawk
I had a chance to play with the actual ZUNE last week. I own a Gigabeat, because I felt like it was a much better product than the IPOD. It is! The Zune is the COOLEST gadget in a long time. People are going to try to return their IPODS to get a ZUNE! It is the best. Speculate all you want, but until you actually hold a ZUNE in your hand-you're just dreaming!!!!