It's only fair and wise for Microsoft wait until the dust settles before coming to some hard and fast decisions on the release and pricing of a device being posed to take out the iPod. Now that everyone's reacted to the many posts on
prospective and
vaugely officious prices and theories, it would appear they've settled on $249.99 (not to be undercut by Apple after all), and will be launching the device in the US market on November 14th. Other pricing includes individual tracks for 79 Microsoft points apiece, and your standard $14.99 monthly fee for the Zune Pass service; Microsoft's also released some details on the Zune accessory line, which will run between $19.99 and a hundred bucks for:
- Zune Home A/V Pack ($100 - dock, remote, AV cables, extra battery, sync cable, adapter)
- Zune Travel Pack ($100 - Dual Connect remote, premium headphones, bag, cable, and adapter)
- Zune Car Pack ($80 - FM tuner, car charger)
- AV cable ($20)
- AC adapter ($30)
- sync cable ($20)
- car charger ($24)
- dock (with AV output, but no AV cable for $40)
- wireless remote (for control of zune dock, $30)
- Dual Connect remote (for inline control and splitting the audio out for two people, $30)
- Zune FM Transmitter (with autoseek, which finds the optimal station and, at $70, the optimal way to sap your cash),
- gear bag (which, um, contains all these friggin' expensive accessories, itself $30)
- ... and premium earphones (sound isolating canalphones for $40)
It'll also, as you may have heard, come with a ton of preloaded content from such bands as CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy, not cascading style sheets), Band of Horses, The Rakes, The Thermals, etc., and videos from Serena-Maneesh, The Fruit Bats, and even some film shorts and images of classic rock posters (huh?). We'd kind of hoped the whole pandering to the disenfranchised iPod user might have resulted in more included (or at very least cheaper) accessories, but $20 for a USB cable is indeed low hanging fruit that apparently not even the artful Zuners could pass up.
posted Sep 28th 2006 9:01AM
wowie, been waiting for this, cant wait ot gert my hands on one
Can you drag and drop your MP3's or AVI's into the Zune and play them? If not then no thanks.
I don't see what the excitement is. There are TONs of iPod competitors (or so called ipod killers) that destroy this piece of shit from Microsoft and yet they have barely sold anything. People are giving this zune more credit than it's worth. It's no iPod, will never be an iPod, and will always be a cheap, defective, piece of crap synonymous to Microsoft's reputed level of quality.
and apple is the one that has all the hardware problems not microsoft. microsoft hardware is the best and never has problems
With an opportunity to make a technically interesting player it's disappointing to see something so "yawn" from Microsoft. The wireless feature might morph into something more useful but "limited time sharing" music with friends. What are they thinking.
I feel sorry for whom ever buys one of these. Maybe microsoft could make it a little more difficult to understand how much money your actually spending.
You get 10 microsoft points for every $100. These zune players are cheap, only 25 microsoft points to get one. Then you need headphones, charger, car adapter because no cars already have one built in and no after market radios support the zune. All in all... the end = 750 microsoft point which equals out to about $7500.
Not bad?
what are you smoking? 10 microsoft points for $100? that would mean that each song is $790? i dont think so. check your facts.
10 microsoft points for $100? Your retarded, just flat out. You throw random numbers together and say the Zune costs 7000$. It's $100 for TEN THOUSAND points.
that is not the convertion 79 points=$1 you were way off
Wait... FM tuner for $70? I thought that was built in...
On second thought, when it says "to find the optimal station" it sounds more like an FM TRANSMITTER, not a tuner.
For those interested in the math, the current exchange rate is 80 Microsoft points to $1 USD. That makes the tracks 98.75 cents! Take that ITMS! (that's a joke)
Of course, you currently can't just buy 80 points - maybe that'll change for Zune, but right now you have to buy points in at least 500 point increments.
Whats with all the hate? Ok, you guys own an iPod, no need to go all tribal about it.
$14.99 for all you can eat subscription! bargin. Though being in the UK I wonder how long we're going to have to wait, I hope it isn't too long, Maybe they'll do a UK launch soon since we're so cool when it comes to music.
What Jarod said. Microsoft is sooo out of touch. When it comes to style, key for a product in this category, they have zero.
With as long as they took for Vista I don't understand why they didn't start over with a brand new OS. Or pile on to Unix like Apple does. Obviously what they have now is a nightmare for every user. Why continue down that road?
Microsoft is releasing a device that plays music and video! I am so mad and angry!!
bye bye Apple!
its been swell while it lasted...
NOT!
Everyone one of us has a consumer vote. I happen to want one. Haters need not buy one. Btw, what's the point in hating? These silly comments does nothing to persuade me otherwise.
$20 for a sync cable?!
You've got to be joking. Do you not get one in the box?
Apple charges $40 for theirs... http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6243905&st=apple+usb&type=product&id=1069301596363
*yawn*
Well, it was a valiant effort. Maybe the Zune 2 will be more tempting.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/sep06/09-28ZunePricingAvailabilityPR.mspx
Press release for all those confused about what you actually get for your money. FM tuner is just the itrip-esque modulator, and radio comes built in as expected :).
It'll be successful on some level because it's the "anti-iPod." And the brown will probably be successful for that same reason.
What I tire of hearing is how innovative this is. Adding features to an already successful model (iPod+iTunes) isn't innovation. It's adding features. If they were innovative, they would have come up with a device and distribution system that was unlike the current offerings, or so different that it made everyone in the space take a step back.
You know, kind of like a certain little device did 5 years ago.
I don't think I have heard ever how innovative this is because it isn't in no way. The Wii is innovative this on the other hand is not. But that won't stop me from buying one I think I lost my Podular device and this looks sweet. Plus everyone has iPods. I'll be the first to walk into the dark.
To the five people that will have actually bought a Zune: What were you thinking?
What are you talking about.....im so sick of hearing about ipods...I personally will check this out as i like the look and features...i had an ipod and sold it to get rid of it...the ipod is like pink polos....whenever you see a 60 year old man wearing one its time to get rid of it....
The very last thing the world needs is yet another market for Microsoft to try to take over. Especially like this, at the cost of d***ing over their old FairPlay partners. No way, MS.
When you send a music file to the Zune, it gets infected with DRM ---- does it also infect the original file on your computer?
Also, any guesses as to when someone gets Linux to install on the machine? :)
"When you send a music file to the Zune, it gets infected with DRM ---- does it also infect the original file on your computer?"
It actually does not "infect" anything with a DRM. The guy who actually made that comment, apologized and admitted he made a mistake with his wording. The Zune to Zune wireless sharing is built into the hardware, so any song sent will be subject to the 3 play/3 day rules. It does not actually add any form of DRM to the song.
I also don't get why so many people hate on this thing, just to hate on it. It has a nice feature set as well as a nice screen. The biggest question I have is how does it sound. I have heard fairly regularly that iPod does not rule the market in sound quality, but can not verify this. My point is why not give something a chance, if it is in fact a quality piece of equipment then what's the harm in buying one?
"but 11 ($20) for a USB cable is indeed low hanging fruit that apparently not even the artful Zuners could pass up"
Hey, it worked for Apple!
Wheres the Rap and preloaded country music, im telling you this thing is going to tank if they dont put any ludacris or shania twain up on that mug.
Oh... Sorry should have said I was exaggerating a little. You couldn't tell?
all you iPod freaks need to shut the hell up! somebody needs to put Apple in its place and the only company who can and will is Microsoft with Zune! iPods are low-quality pieces of crap! this is what i mean: crappy impossible-to-replace batteries that conk out on you real fast...crappy headphones with horrible audio quality and build...i could go on but you get the idea...Apple will learn a lesson, which is not to treat your customers like sheep.
Man, people love to hate MS. It looks like a pretty good setup to me. It basically does what an ipod can do and added extra functionality on top of it. The accessories are friggen ridiculously priced but there's always 3rd party ones. I'll see how they pan out over a couple months but I can see myself buying one.
Strangely, Engadget didn't mention Reuters' report that "Microsoft said it will initially sell only music -- and no video -- at the Zune Marketplace." So the only real point of the Zune will be the crippled wireless "loaning" of songs with other Zunes, of which there will be none.
Yeah, I get that this is a Microsoft 1.0 product, a sacrificial lamb intended more for Microsoft to get their foot in the door than anything else. But until and unless a 2.0 or 3.0 product comes out that's actually competitive, it seems like a non-event.
Hey GOODMAN........
Yeah reuters is known for its reliable news.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3286966,00.html
Oh, please, be honest, does anybody here had bought a video to put on his iPod to try the thing out!? I don't think so. The first scenario would be loading it with already owned videos and music, and personal files, rather than start using the freaking store right away.
I personally loathe the iTunes Store... always stuffed my MP3 player with already owned music. Having the CD/DVD-Case is not comparable to downloading the artwork from the net, pal. SO STOP COMPARING irrelevant points!
The thing is stylish, has a knack for good taste, costs the same and does the same with bigger screen, more formats support, and includes Wi-Fi: expect these things to be able to hook up to your router with a Firmware revision soon enough. I don't even care it's from Microsoft!! ZUNE is intended as a new brand/branch, just as iPod and Apple look like two companies more and more each day no matter what they do.
Haha.. I have to laugh at all the people slamming the so-called "haters". Most of whom, if you've read the comments haven't even said the magic "iPod" word.
Look, it's great that MS is making their foray into this market, albeit, about 2-3 years late and it's not a bad looking device, decent screen anyway. But as people have mentioned over and over and over, it's not about killing the iPod, it's about competing with iPod+iTunes+iTunesMusicStore.
If the "Zune Marketplace" works for people, then it'll do fine. If not, it'll die, but slowly due to the MS life-support capabilities.
But in the end, with all the iPod haters here at the Engadget comment farm, you guys don't have any reason to bitch when the MS haters show up.
For the record, I mentioned "haters" but did not make any refence the the "i" brand.
Im so sick of people dissing microsoft and apple and linux. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. MS must be doing something right to make as much money and to be as popular as they are.....if apple was them then people would be talking $hit about them.....if you dont like MS then ok....but to continually trash them over and over is stupid...especially when you are using their software. If you dont like them so much then use the alternatives which suck in comparison.
I am getting one of these any day. Dont like iPod at all. Gigabeat was way superior to iPod. And cool factor does not work for me. Way to go Zune!!! Finally come competition in market.
Nothing to make want my Creative Zen M any less.
Now Playing:
root/Cansei_de_Ser_Sexy_-_Lets_Make_Lov.wma
The issue is if the 6g ipod looked exactly the same and added drm based wifi sharing and community services... and a slightly bigger screen...b asically matching the ipod rather than cussing about it the ipod lovers would be going insane praising apple... and at the same time the device would probably be 299.99 rather than 249...
Its simple feature for feature they win... bigger screen for less money = zune END OF STORY
Dont even get me started on the fact that their is a subscription service rather than only a per song like itunes.
"'but 11 ($20) for a USB cable is indeed low hanging fruit that apparently not even the artful Zuners could pass up'
Hey, it worked for Apple!"
Hah! No kidding. Every accessory cost that much and more for the iPod. Apple fanboys, please shut up. For once. No one cares.
P.S. I own an iPod, but I may check out the Zune, too.
OK. Lets not be haters or lovers for that matter. First the iPod is not a piece of junk and their customers are not sheep any less than Xbox fans are. If you are a consumer, you CHOOSE what device you want. Your opinion is simply your opinion. With that said, The iPod has the style, the marketing, the content that we all love (and some hate). MS is years late on its device and they have a tree full of money. MS admitted that they are selling the Zune to be competitive and they will LOSE money while selling it. I don't think that its a wise idea specially if it tanks. Personally, the screenshots look beautiful (because of the screen). But so did the PSP widescreen, and I have to say, the PSP ended up being a piece of crap. Lovely screen, bad battery, not so exciting games, hard to put movies, music, pics. So, that in itself its not a "plus" for MS. I see the device a bit cluncky, and unattractive. However, I wouldn't call it a piece of crap. I would just say that the consumer has to be bought by "eye candy". And whether we love to admit it... the iPod is eye candy to the millions of consumers who have one. And it just works flawlessly. I hope MS challenges the iPod, because I know that Apple would redesign and bring out a really amazing device. As you heard it before. Competition is great for us, the consumer.
Zune is way too fat
http://www.appledefects.com/wiki/index.php?title=IPod_Nano
the above link is a small but important example of what happens when there is a bad monopoly such as the one Apple is enjoying right now...mind you, this is just one tiny example i dug up; quality control issues in the other 'Pods exist as well, not to mention iTunes sotware glitches...its better for consumers if the mp3 player market is more evenly balanced...
what isnt better for consumers is iPod and Apple obsession because some of you freaks are bashing the Zune without accurate knowledge of the product, or first-hand experience using it.
Not really fair to compare the Zune to the PSP. With the PSP games drive the system and if there aren't good games the system will fail. With the Zune it is a music player. It plays the same exact music that you would listen to on any other music device. So it just comes down to which music device has features that suit your needs.
For me, when it comes time to upgrade my ipod I'll buy whichever device has the features I need. Whether that is a device from Microsoft, Apple, Creative or whoever else. I'm not going to marry myself to one brand. That is asinine. As is hating a device just because of the name that appears on the front of it.
"Not really fair to compare the Zune to the PSP. With the PSP games drive the system and if there aren't good games the system will fail."
Yep, that's pretty much what happened.
I'm waiting to see how easy it is to use. With iTunes I can add songs to my iPod in whatever format I want pretty quickly. If I have to get a program to convert the files and then add them through WMP then I'll stick with my iPod. Heck, unless they release a larger model then 30GB soon I'll probably just stick with the iPod anyways.
I want a Zune. It just has a great name, ZUUUUUNNNNNEEEE ^_^ so.. who's really gonna buy a Zune? I am.
Ya'll got an obsession with this ZUNE thing-a-ma-jig.
I would love to get a Zune at launch, but I'll have to stick with my Zen Touch until I can get a little more money... People are getting tired of the iPod and want something different, and this will fill that gap (and it doesn't matter if it's better or not, people just want something new)...
And did you guys see the release date, do you realize how ridiculous those six days are going to be to gadget freaks...
November 14th - Zune releases
November 17th - PS3 releases
November 19th - Wii releases
Doesn't anybody remember the "Malibu Stacy vs. Lisa Lionheart" Simpson Episode? Malibu Stacy is iPod, which had to add games to say: "hey, we made some changes", that's its Stacy "NEW HAT" edition. As in that episode, the Apple product may win, but only "because".
Stay open for choices, 'cause that's what made all you're seeing right now possible.
$249 for a cheap knockoff that really only brings something to the table (wifi sharing) if a significant number of people buy it? Does Microsoft really think this thing will sell?
technically the zune should easily outsell the ipod as it has every feature that the ipod has PLUS wifi, custom background, landscape mode, fm tuner, larger screen, higher quality video out, and wireless file sharing (which can be hacked so that there are no limitations). Also a small number of video ipods "left contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus" if this isn't enough then why don't you check out the comparison table yourself at http://www.zunescene.com/comparison/
The one thing I find interesting is this bundle:
Zune Home A/V Pack ($100 - dock, remote, AV cables, extra battery, sync cable, adapter)
extra battery?? Yay! that means that people will be able to replace the battery when it gets warn out instead of either spending half of what a new iPod would cost or just buying a new iPod... not to mention if you are going on an extended trip without being able to charge your player, being able to switch out batteries is huge....
The Home A/V Pack has no extra battery (It doesn't sound right for home use to me anyway), and I understand the battery is internal.
From Microsoft Fact Sheet: "When you buy the Zune Home AV Pack, youll get the AC Adapter, AV Output Cable, Dock, Sync Cable and Wireless Remote. "
Bigger than an iPod with less battery time? Why would they compete with the iPod when the best-selling iPod is the nano? Don't get it...
Extra battery or external battery? I thought Engadget had previously said that the battery wasn't user replaceable.
What is it that separates this from ALL the other players out there. The screen is bigger than normanl, but the battery life is nothing special. You've got Wi-Fi which was the talk of Engadget back when we knew nothing about the player and that feature itself seems to have faded.
Someone please point out what the 'killer' feature is, it looks like all this is gonna do is piss of some PFS partners. It's not a technically minded player which means that those looking for a ZVM sort of thing might give it a miss, and there's no realy reason for your average consumer to go for this other than it's 'antipodness'.
Ce n'est pas?
The big difference is that Microsoft will actually bother to advertise their product rather than leaving the entire advertising space to Apple. Apple's had a free run so far. I've seen plenty of iPod TV ads, but have never seen an ad for a competitor. That's all about to change, and you iPod fanatics are going to have to deal with it. You should be glad since it'll give Apple some motivation to actually innovate their own stagnant product, but instead you're scared, like you've invested your personal ego into the iPod's fortunes. Fanboy, the iPod is just a consumer electronics device, and does not deserve the emotional backing that one might put into a sports team. People celebrate when their favorite football team wins, and drown their sorrows when they lose; the sad thing is that you guys are treating consumer electronic devices in the same manner. GET SOME PERSPECTIVE, FANBOY!
Microsoft are obviously playing it very safe with their first Zune release. This thing is a BLATANT clone of the iPod - from it's disk size to it's stylings to it's price. Everything about it shouts "me too!". The one interesting feature it has over the iPod is the ability to share songs over WiFi, but that's only of any interest once the device reaches the kind of market penetrationt that the iPod enjoys.
Hopefully the second generation will mark Microsoft's first REAL attempt to get the better of Apple.
Wow, I don't know what's worse, the fact that i read all of these rediculous posts for IPOD vs. ZUNE or that there were 3 total posts saying why the apple ifanboys should be happy with Zune. Competition = Lower Prices, better functionality, better support and customer service, and a new well to draw ideas from (that well being MS customers wants). So unless you hate ZUNE so much you need to buy one and burn it in efigy (send video if so), lay off and enjoy the ride.
Just reading the comments here you can tell already this thing is going to be the dork badge of 2007 (much like the PocketPC was in its day.) Packed with limited value features, under designed, bulky, and only purchased by people too wrapped up in feature lists to discern the ultimate actual practical utility of a device. It's the updated version of the calculator watch (and I mean the calculator watch when it first came out 20 years ago, not when it became "retro cool" last year.)
so the only thing the wifi does is let you pass songs back and forth with other zune owners?
*sigh*
are we going to have zune meet ups where you can share music with other zune owners in a park or someone's basement? or are you really going to share with just people you know and have the zune in which case why the hell wouldn't you just email or pass the song in a more permanent fashion?
and the screen is same res as the ipod only physically larger? great. and how doesn't this work with my xbox360? can i stream music from it? at least that would be a neat feature. that would be something worth looking into. as it stands now...i just don't see it. :(
Hello McFly!? It does _wireless_ file transfer. You don't need a USB cable. Helllooo...
I don't like the Microsoft design, its looks clumsy, clunky and ugly. Its looks like another iPod imitation.
Microsoft just don't get how to make something that is cool and sexy...
WHY DOES IT NOT COME WITH A SYNC CABLE IN THE BOX!!!!!!! I was really into getting a zune ,but it seems to be turning out a bit more expensive than the ipod.
It might have had a chance at US$224 or less, but at price parity with the iPod, this thing is DOA. Who's going to choose this over the de facto market leader for the exact same price? The only answers I can think of include:
- People with significant libraries of WMV and WMA who are either unable or unwilling to transcode their media.
- People who hate Apple and/or the iPod for whatever reason.
- People who find Microsoft's file-sharing capabilities to be intriguing.
- People who like the color brown.
This list does not inspire confidence.
Any parent whose child asks for "an MP3 player" for Christmas/Hanukkah/Quanzaa/The Festival of Lights/etc. and comes home with a Zune should get their head examined. Every kid wants what every other kid has, and the other kids are listening to iPods.
Moreover, the Zune doesn't seem to address any of the iPod's major deficiencies that might have given consumers pause to date. It doesn't offer longer battery life, nor is its battery removable. It doesn't support Ogg, FLAC or any of the other libertarian codecs that have niche but dedicated followings. It's made of easily-scratched plastic. There's no mention of gapless playback, something that has haunted Apple for years but which they are finally (if belatedly) addressing.
Throw in a limited assortment of accessories (as opposed to Apple's vast and ever-expanding ecosystem of Apple-branded and third-party products) and you've got a nice box collecting dust on store shelves this November.
Again, price can compensate for many failings. If the Zune has been $100, or $200, or even the much-rumored $224, it might have gained some traction. But not at $250.
My $0.02,
Fruity
You said it! It's not great and either is the ipod. The Zune is a copy of a average mp3 player with an extra feature that the average customer will never use. There are much better, but if i had to choose i would go for the ipod, because it is supported everywhere and it IS (if you like it or not) the in thing.
Sorry but most M$ products are actually of a real high build quality, apple products on the other hand...
Lets hope, it being M$ that its easily hacked so we can start making use of that wifi!
Wow, those are some expensive prices for accessories. Haven't we established that the subscription formula doesn't work?
Wow, that is so close to the iPod in feature set and accessory cost it will be hard for Apple to compete.
What I think MS is planning to do is slowly take over the market by providing the Zune and then cutting exclusive deals with content providers. You'll see more and more content that won't be available at the iTunes Store, but only from the Zune store (can't remember the name). At that time, much like Internet Explorer, MS will push the competition out of the way. This is a very mature category. MS is entering it late and their only recourse is to muscle out the competition by using their extraordinary economic resources to monopolize the market for content.
The death knell for the iPod will be when MS persuades content providers to append DRM to CDs and DVDs that prevents copying to anything other than a MS-approved platform.
Mark my words, Apple is doomed.
BTW, has anybody else noticed how underwhelming the Movie store is on iTunes. Especially egregious after Amazon launched their store a week earlier with a much more compelling content mix. I mean I like Disney movies but still...
BTW, I'm both a Mac and iPod user.
Cheers
props to u, u nailed the outcome right on the spot.
as for the iPod worshipping-MS hating freaks, read the following and accept it:
Lets face it, Apple doesnt have what it takes to be a true market leader, unlike Microsoft. Apple got lucky with the iPod thing, but we all know Zune is eventually going to dethrone the iPod. MS is the leader of OS software and recently they've become the leader of the video games industry, and Apple doesnt have a chance against them in the long run.
This thing looks cool, I'm glad theres another player on the block - I've yet to own an iPod, just never got round to getting myself one. However I will probably pick one of these up on release, It's a very sexy piece of kit, wonder if it will link into Media Centre/Vista in any way.
>> Its simple feature for feature they win...
>> bigger screen for less money = zune END OF STORY
Feature for feature they win eh? Tell that to Sega and ask them how well their feature superior GameGear did against the Gameboy. Oh the GameGear had ita ll with its color screen (which was also bigger) look at the poor GameBoy all pathetic with its smaller black and white screen!
Only Sega missed something that is THE key to portable electronics and Nintendo nailed it. Battery life and size. The game gear was big and its battery life sucked. The GameBoy was smaller (i.e. portable) and had great battery life.
Oh sure the zune has a slightly bigger screen (same resolution btw, and honestly, how big does your screen need to be on something that is primarily an AUDIO player), but its battery life is worse (much worse if you leave the WiFi on btw) and its got a larger form factor.
I don't understand all this irrational hatred of Apple. They iPod is succesful because its easy to use and good at what it does. If you don't like it, last time i looked no one is putting a gun up to your head and forcing you to buy one, yet we keep hearing about how "Apple must be put in its place". Sounds like some disgruntled PC fans who are bitter that their computers keep getting spy ware and viruses to me...
Gonzalo - It comes with a sync cable in the box. The one listed above is the price for a replacement cable.
I think the Snuze will be a failure in terms of sales, but a success in allowing Microsoft to enter the market.
No doubt Microsoft will market it like hell, but the artificial buzz will die as soon as it's released.
Remember Origami?
Snuze has no compelling features that differentiate it from an ipod. Wireless with auto-DRM is garbage.
At $249 the Snuze is competing with the ipod nano AND the 30 gig. ipod.
The nano has demonstrated that people will buy a device based on size...a bulky brown Snuze will only sell so much.
By February it'll be hawked on QVC for $99.99
I'm really enjoying how people who hate this, REALLY hate this.
It's an affront to their idol, and yet this all this blacklash and hate will add to the Zune's intrique. Why are these people so fired up? Haven't they seen someone rip off an Ipod before? And why does it bother them so?
MS obviously thinks there is a market for it, and I who wasn't impressed by the Ipod, plan on getting one. If MS is succesful at creating a niche in the portable audio market that can be clearly seen as Zune users (instead of the current pie chart of Ipod and misc devices) hopefully this will result in further improvements to both the Zune and Ipod lines (It'd be funny if Apple released an Ipod in brown). Competition is always good for the consumer.
I know the majority if not the entirety of this has been said before. As someone who dislikes the Ipod (Would I buy one? No. Would I accept one as a gift? Yes, might resell though.), this is a very acceptable device to me. 90% of people may want that shiny new Ipod. But some of us, well we want something else, and for whatever reasons the Zune may just be it.
This is going to be so awesome, finally something to compete with the Ipod, plays AAC (Ipod files) and MP3's. Wondering though, is it 14.99 and you get unlimited downloads like Napster or is 14.99 for the service and you still have to pay per song?
Call me crazy.. but I'm going to try the thing out and hear reviews before I pass judgment. Also see if Apple/Creative/etc. have something else to show or announce come November.
I owned a 60gb 5g iPod but it was recently stolen out of my car. Bastards!!
I'll probably buy an iPod Nano now for a solid state/more portable/workout solution and wait out the HD based player investment until the dust settles on the early Zune reviews and possible "real" 6g iPod announcments.
I'm still not sure that either video support or "music stores" even matter to me yet.. I buy and rip my CD's and never played a single video outside of just messing around with my 5g iPod.
crash: that was a windows PC turning blue
crash: that was zune in the market place
lol
let's face it, beside weird geeks, who else will REALLY want this?
crash. . . .
And don't get so angry peeps: these things are only portable music players.
waddo
http://www.waddo.net/
Quit smirking about screen size, yes, it's marginally larger than the ipod video, no it's *NOT* widescreen, it's still a 4:3. Also, Zune is 320x240, all video ipods are now 640x480 playback with a simple software update.
So please, quit with the "ZUNE IZ WIDESCREENJKFLBH" BS, it isnt.
If MS can make their device easier to use than an iPod, and with a store that offers more than iTS, then they have a shot at sharing the market. But I'd prepare for the wave of lawsuits from the PFS partners.
actually, if you are smart enough to turn the thing on then you are probably able to turn it on its side and watch your content in LANDSCAPE format
I can change the background... i get an fm tuner... a larger screen.. and i dont have the same dang player on the train that the old lady and the teeny bopper both have?
hell to the yeah im buying one the first day.
no doubt.
there is no reason apple couldnt have given me an fm tuner built in... thats unaceptable for me.
70$ for a dock and remote? Are you freaking kidding..
LOUD NOISES!!!!
//Anchorman
"$249 for a cheap knockoff that really only brings something to the table (wifi sharing) if a significant number of people buy it? Does Microsoft really think this thing will sell?"
LOL, no. They don't think its going to sell. This is all a big practical joke. $249, for one thing isn't cheap. And for all intents and purposes, it's basically a better mousetrap, although a tiny bit bigger. iPod sound quality is crap... M$ can't possibly do worse. The screen is bigger and better. I bet the battery life is better. You have your choise of an "all you can eat" subscription, or the crappy iTunes 99 cents/song model... and to top it off, its not ugly, and its not an ipod. I don't really understand how someone can own an iPod and say THIS thing is ugly. If nothing but the pictures were leaked months ago, I guarantee people would have assumed this was the next gen iPod. lol
I have an iPod, and to be honest, I really like it. But its a little old (no color screen, straight up music player)... I wanted to upgrade but I just got sick of seeing iPods... I will be buying a Zune. Overall, I think that Apple has taken advantage of the consumer for too long... pathetic upgrades... basically forcing the consumer to buy a new iPod every year if they want the new features. I kinda like the possibility of my Zune upgrading by itself wirelessly... maybe like windows...
Either way, I think its just time for a change. I think a lot of people are getting their panties in a bunch because they are worried this might be the new "cool" player and they are stuck with their iPods... I wouldn't worry about that... iPods will still be cool... everyone still knows you paid a lot of money for it and blah blah blah... lol
I'll be picking up one of these. Nothing too suprising except the good news that they aren't pandering to the lowest common denominator by filling it full of Top 40/TRL music.
I'll be buying one because...
a) Wireless. Even if I won't be "beaming" music to other Zune users just the ability to connect wirelessly as well as all the future wireless features they'll be adding is worth it.
b) The Zune bloggers. Seriously, I tire of Apple's "We are the mysterious overlords, you will feed when we design to show our Shiny Bits!" I dig the open communication between the Zune team guys.
c) Some of the little bits that edge over an iPod: 3" vs. 2.5" screen, landscape viewing of movies, color choices, etc.
Any clue if the Zune will have a built-in digital voice recorder?
If so, I'm 100% sold!
Thank you MS/Toshiba for the built-in FM receiver.
Also the Homedock by DLO for ipod is $99.99.. where as the Zune's is $70??
http://www.dlo.com/Products/homedoc_Prod.tpl?command=showpage&cart=1159465538217952
Points?
This points system is sooo Microsoft. Let's see, $1.00 = 80 points with each song being 99 or 79 points. So if I want to buy 12 songs I need to have how many points? um, carry the one, hmm...
What the hell is wrong with $1.00 = 1 credit = 1 song ? Or what about having a system that has a money balance (i.e. $3.21 left in your account) a la iTunes?
Where did they come up with 99 = 79 points? Are the big numbers supposed to make us feel rich?
Why does MS seem to go out of it's way to avoid intuitive systems?
Geeks might be getting tired of the ipod but the rest of the western world is not. The Zune's killer feature is wifi sharing, something that will fail instantly because the benefit of using the complicated geeky sounding techi method of letting your mate listen to a song doesn't have any benefits over the non-techy one ie lending them your earbud. They're still going to have to buy the song eventually anyway and on top of that wifi drains the battery, is fiddly to use and the chances of actually wondering into someone using a zune with wifi turned on are lower than finding a virgin in Amsterdam
I don't understand why so many people bash the Zune. If anything should be bashed it should be the iPod. We're in the 6th Generation and there has been little improvement on the existing platform. The screen has not changed size, it still has limited file support,and sound quality is average at best. Even iTunes 7 looks very dated. Point blank the iPod has not done anything to increase it's feature set aside from Gapless Playback, and the ability to search starting with the first letter of the Song/Album/Artist etc. All of the features that should have come on the iPOD you have to buy as an accesory i.e FM radio, Wi-Fi, etc. With the new iPods you are paying for the same device just repackaged in a new shell(this generation it's aluminum). If you're a smart buyer who does the research and you don't look into H-Y-P-E when buying things you'll give the Zune or other MP3 players a serious consideration.
And the argument that this will only appeal to nerds will not hold water. Most people would love to have a built in radio or a way to share music with there friends. All you have to do is ask around. The Ellen DeGeneres show displayed the Zune as an equal or better competitor to iPod. Everyone in her audience recieved one. If you don't believe me head to Zunescape.com and check the video out. The audience went crazy and it was mostly composed of middle aged women whom will end up telling there friend...who will tell a friend and so on.
All Microsoft needs to pull this off is successful marketing. They have to ignite the minds of america. They have to create the same mindset as the Ipod did, and make it seem as if it isn't just an MP3 player but a Zune. If they pull this off Apple will be forced to create something better, and then the consumers will benefit from their competition. And believe me it will be fierce. This is only the beginning.
Pfft. Zune barely beats out the iPod and that's an insult considering how crap the iPod is. If you're looking for pretty much just music, go with the Creative Zen Vision:M. If you're looking for equally good video and audio capabilities, go with the Cowon A2 (best PMP out there).
On a topic of Ipod quality, I'd like to make a comment about my observations over the last three or four years. Of all the people I've known that have owned an Ipod (I'd say roughly 15 20), perhaps only one of them hasn't had their Ipod break (and by break, I mean that exclamation point screen with the sad Ipod cartoon on it rendering the Ipod from that point on, totally useless; that is, unless you pay apple whatever ridiculous fee they want you to pay to have it fixed). While I think Ipods are good music players when they work, they don't last long at all and aren't what I'd call quality-built products. I know this is off-topic as this really isn't a comment on the zune, of which I have no idea how well built it will be (which, if I had to guess, would say probably won't be much better)However, when people on these boards start clamoring about on how well-built and sturdy Ipods are , it just seems very asinine. If you've owned an Ipod for more than a year, or have known at least a few people who have owned an Ipod, you will undoubtedly encountered some problem along the way because they're not built to last...rather, they're built to last a year, which in my opinion is because Apple wants you to buy a new one every year, via programmed obsolescence ala many of todays cell phones (when cell phone companies purposefully build phones so theyll only last a year or two). These are just my personal observations...and while they're not entirely scientific, they do have some hold some truth to them... Ipods are great when they work, but I certaintly wouldn't call them durable.
Ok, just have to check is... is it true that the ZUNE will play ITUNES files?
Zune will play _non-DRM_ AAC files, which is what iTunes rips CDs in to by default. It will NOT play DRM-protected files, which are what people get when they buy from the iTunes Store. So it doesn't really solve the lock-in problem any more than an MP3-only player, since if you own the CDs you could always re-rip. It's the millions of purchased iTunes Music Store files that will make changing over to a Zune more painful.
Having more features is not usually the path to widespread consumer product success. The Toyota Camry isn't the most popular car in the U.S. because it has more buttons on the dash -- only a small subset of the population make their buying decision based on how many bullet points there are in the spec list. For a lot of "regular" buyers, more features are a negative if they're not central to usage - they just make the product more complex, and less friendly, than it could be. That's one of the big reason why iPods continue to fly out of stores even as techheads bemoan the lack of new features.
I'm getting a ZUNE! I'm sick of ipods
Yeah, anyone who doubts Microsoft's ability to develop consumer electronics products must be a fanboy... they've had such a great track record. PocketPC, Smartphones, PlayforSure, MSNTV Tablets, Microsoft WiFI gear, Tablet PCs, Portable Media Centers, UMPC, Media Center... and I'm sure a half dozen that I've missed because they didn't even last long enough to make an impression (Microsoft Bob anyone?) You don't have to love Apple to notice that MSFT gets thumped by them, RIM, Palm, Nokia, Motorola, Sony, Tivo and just about every other consumer electronics player essentially every time, despite nearly limitless advertising budgets. Even the Xbox was essentially a negative value result financially. Is there really a compelling reason why Zune is different? Microsoft is great at selling to businesses, and terrible at developing consumer products.
I wonder why so many comments suddenly appear for this Toshiba Zune when there are better choice to the iPod than this MS marketing rush? Moreover if you check the Zune fanboys' texts, it always goes with the same vocabulary. So we could speculate:
- zune fanboys are from the same company (please engadget add the first nums of the comments' ip addresses ;-) ), maybe an army of mutant clones
- zune fanboys speak the same language and don't have so many choices than to say "I'm getting one of these"
- I'm just going for one more of these conspiration theories and viral marketing is just in my imagination
This Zune reminds me of a walkman mutant of the WIFIed Palm Tungsten C.. No? The day my pod gets WIFI but not that lame 3times limitation, this will be the killer machine, nobody will care if it's an iPod, Zune, Walkman, ...