Zune unboxed on camera

We kind of wish Microsoft would stop putting their best foot forward with the marketing peeps on Zune, and instead let the product stand on its own. Having Chris Stephenson get on camera for CBS and say stuff like "brown is the new black is the new white," and "welcome to the social -- that's one of our key lines" smacks a mite bit disingenuous and wanton, but at very least they learned their lesson about package design from that internal video of theirs -- we're going to miss the "excessively human" marketing materials with "shelf presence" that "communicates the richness of the product." Ah well, one less surprise to look forward to when we finally get our hands on a unit.

[Thanks, lt.milo]

[Lou @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:36PM]

I guess I'll be the first to say it. Look at the iPod box rip off. I mean seriously from the round control wheel look to the minimalist box, is there really no other way to design a music player? I hate Sony music players, but they have at least had some really different looking players.

These players are like CD players, they don't have to be built around a uniform standard.

Also, the box, if you have ever had an iPod, look at the Zune logo on the side, that is exactly where the Apple logo is on every box.

Copycat, down to the white interior box.

[Jake @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:45PM]

Seconded, though I don't think I'm quite as pissed off about it.

[Beau Giles @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:55PM]

Nate wins the prize for the blandest fanboy comment ever!

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:06PM]

I disagree, I think he sounds like a Microsoft employee!

[kcpaul @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:30PM]

Hmm. Smells like astroturf in here.

[Lou @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:38PM]

I meant not like CD players.

[S.A. @ Oct 3rd 2006 4:27PM]

How many ways are there to make a relatively compact player with a large screen and some sort of control mechanism?

[mooooo @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:42PM]

my opinions:

1. i'm tired of seeing people running around town with a stupid music player. it makes people more unaware of their surroundings (=thieves,rapists,etc.) and makes it much harder to approach people for normal conversation. why the heck can't people let go of portable music and listen and take in something new from around them?

2. apple just sucks. for capitalizing the 2nd letter like biologists. for making their stores look like hospitals. for making their products white (how computers looked in the 70's). for making it difficult to transfer between ipod and PC. for making their interfaces too simple - the public needs to work their minds a bit and learn a little about what they are using, or else the public will just get stupid; if average joe isn't willing to learn how to use a computer, well, he sucks for not trying. for making it too difficult to do anything if you're an advanced user. for using proprietary connectors. for making it too difficult to expand and customize their products.

3. zune sucks. for copying the ipod.

a lot of other mp3 players on the market just rule. especially the usb stick varieties and those willing to conform to existing standards that serve the purpose well enough to not warrant creating a new standard.

[MEAT! @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:58PM]

"[apple just sucks] for making their interfaces too simple - the public needs to work their minds a bit..."

Yes, we've obviously reached the perfect balance between ease-of-use and mental-effort-required-for-use. Anything easier and we would be HARMING people.

Aka: Ug! The wheel is bad because people need to get exercise carrying the meat back to the cave!

[JayMcDaniel @ Oct 3rd 2006 10:39PM]

You sound like my grandmother. Go home and watch The Weather Channel, noob.

[Talon @ Jan 16th 2007 4:43PM]

Sure, every time I have to reformat Windows, I learn something new and fascinating! Get real...

Apple makes their software easy to use so people can spend time doing OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS, instead of trying to fix it.

[John @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:43PM]

The reason MS is promoting the brown color so much is so people will notice: "Is there a brown iPod out? No? Oh its Microsoft's Zune."

Just wait for Apple to release a killer iPod right before Christmas.

[Jason @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:46PM]

I agree whole heartedly. I just hope Apple doesn't let you down by not releasing a new IPod.

[jollyllama @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:45PM]

They're trying so hard, it's kinda cute.

[Lou @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:45PM]

My negative comments aside, I actually like the look of the Zune and it seems to do some things well. I can't imagine not have a scroll wheel, but the larger screen and integrated radio are nice. It doesn't have that shiny newness of an iPod, but the interface seems crisp with a bit of animation between screens, and that radio interface looks awesome.

[cbradleyrun @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:46PM]

All and all a good looking Mp3 player. I think it's funny when everyone says the Zune, its box, logo placement on the box..etc is a knock-off. Honestly, who cares? To write the Zune off just because there are a few similarities is ignorant. Then again, everyone is entitled to thier own opinion. I say, Zune looks cool... and until ipod comes out with a screen that lets you watch video without a microscope... Zune has something that iPod doesn't... lets see if Apple copies Microsoft...

[blackout @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:46PM]

i see it comes so easily out of the box.



good packaging design there.


and also.. brown and green



wow.. why?

[narco @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:54PM]

I'm assuming they picked brown because the entire internet is questioning why they picked brown. I'm assuming that's what Microsoft wanted since it's spreading the word out.

[o rly @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:49PM]

Yes, because no one else ever used a similar BOX design before Apple did with the iPod...

[Nate K @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:49PM]

Wow - nice box. Where have I seen that before? Oh yeah - thats right, EVERY other apple product on the market. Cmon Microsoft, at least ATTEMPT to be innovative - not only does the device try to directly mimic the ipod - but the box too?? Thats pathetic.

RE: mooooo
You have some serious issues. Might want to get that checked out.

[narco @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:51PM]

Is the Zune really an iPod ripoff? I mean, I'm Mr. "Apple fanboy" here and I can't spot shit. It's an mp3 player, it plays video and displays images -- there's really not much to it.

I will say though, Microsoft has an endless stream of money and the Zune is a weak attempt at trying to steal the iPod's thunder. It sounded awesome at first, but then the details came out and it just became lame.

Fishes,
narco.

[pedropablo @ Oct 3rd 2006 5:04PM]

They used Brown because: they want to appeal to Louis-ish Vouiton-ness in what they thought was the fashion aware consumer, that's Microsoft's version of a fashion statement.

[Javaflash @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:55PM]

I keep rewinding the video because I can't get over how big & thick Zune is. It's similar to 1G iPod, the one with Firewire. Disclaimer, I'm always partial toward Apple, but still... Zune doesn't look very comfortable bulking in anyone's pocket.

P.S. "Brown is new black, is new white" indeed sounds cliche. =)

[thomas @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:58PM]

I think the Zune is a normal Microsoft PocketPC with a new interface and HD slapped on. When I first heard about it I though finally someone's giving Apple a run for its money, but this device (despite its potential) looks more rotten every day! The controls look like a huge p.i.t.a. and the delay of the menu annoyed me already.

[TexRob @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:02PM]

"Beau Giles @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:54PM

Nate wins the prize for the blandest fanboy comment ever!"

Nate is one of the fake MS blog hounds on the payroll. Go look at any other Zune article on Engadget, search for Nate, he's there.

It really makes me hate Microsoft more to know they have paid blog comment posters. You thought meta-commenting was bad, this is way more annoying.

On topic, look at how unbelievably washed out and dark that screen looks.

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:09PM]

I was thinking I saw his name before!!

[teodoro @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:12PM]

Yea that's smart. Comment on the screen quality when it's a video of a video player. Gosh, some people can be so dense.

[Scott @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:02PM]

So what if the Zune starts out mediocre ...

Everyone laughed when Internet Explorer was released.

There was much skepticism about that X-Box thing.

I wouldn't count it out just yet.

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:13PM]

"Everyone laughed when Internet Explorer was released"

Huh? And they're still laughing!

[dtrenz @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:03PM]

I agree that commercial radio sucks, but I listen to NPR religiously, so the tuner is a very welcome addition.

the interface looks slick and fluid. i'd still have to get a hands-on demo before i'd commit, who knows how that big round button responds.

but i like the wifi, the radio, the wide/larger screen, the personalization, and the multi-format support.

all in all, kudos to Microsoft. looks like they're finally getting the hang of doing hardware. I can only imagine the possibilities of having a Zune and a 360.

how about wirelessly streaming music from a recharge dock through your 360 while playing halo 3? or transferring photos from your wifi-enabled digital camera to your zune? or beaming mobile versions of xbox live arcade games to your zune?

[mushu @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:03PM]

People keep talking about how the Zune screen is larger than the iPod. Yes, it's physically larger, but the resolution is the same. Both are 320x240 pixels. All it means is that the Zune has a fuzzier image due to larger pixels. Why would anyone want worse image quality at already small sizes?

[Dave95 @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:04PM]

Nate Said:
"Zune is a very exiting product. There's already a buzz going on about this MP3 player on campus"

Which Campus, the one in Redmond? Seems like that�s the only place wifi will be useful for now!

Speaking of wifi, noticed he did not mentioned it? Is because it's useless without a second Zune player on hand? Instead he chose to mention radio? Background Pics? Like that's some new innovative feature.

Please support Creative, Iriver and the others that MS will kill before ever competing against the iPod.

[Grandmasterdibbler @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:52PM]

That is the thing people seem to be missing right now, the Wi-Fi is useless if you have no other Zunes around and no-one apart from you and me seems to have picked up on it, or they're just ignoring it!

[zer06ame @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:05PM]

Wow, why does everyone believe that Microsoft is copying Apple just because it has an easy to open box. O noes! It's shaped like every other HDD based mp3 player! It has to be a ripoff of the iPod! Get off Apple's dick, their products are poorly built. I highly doubt I'll go through 11 (yeah, I did mean 11) 1g Zune's in 1 year like I did with the 5g iPod. I would've went through more but went I got to the 12th, I threw my iPod against the wall at the Apple store and it broke into 3 pieces to prove the piece of shit was broken.

[mcloki @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:09PM]

I so want what Methuselah is selling. Microsoft even takes the fun out of an unboxing and turns it into a poor marketing op. Way to suck the cool out of a product. So much for their understanding of social anything. And brown is the not the new black it's the old crap.

[Hal @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:09PM]

Brown is the new color of my chair. The thing is so ugly, every time I see it my body convulses and poop flys everywhere.

[mcloki @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:10PM]

PS love the new layout and love the mod feature.

[Mrfreezie @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:10PM]

I feel as if we are being manipulated by microsoft. They know we like unboxing pictures, so they supply us those to relate... But instead of regular unboxing photos, these are photo's constantly telling you to buy the Zune. Instead of "here's the box", it's "here's the nicely designed, simple, yet gets the point across that this is a powerful machine...box*" *example only

[Dave95 @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:10PM]

Has anyone really notice the thickness on this player (30 Gig Player)? How much more thicker will it be for a 60/80 Gig Zune?

[TexRob @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:22PM]

"teodoro @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:12PM

Yea that's smart. Comment on the screen quality when it's a video of a video player. Gosh, some people can be so dense."

We have seen pics, watch a video of the new iPods and it's WAY brighter than this. If you can't tell that the screen on the Zune is not as bright as the iPod then you're just living in a dream world.

[Brian @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:13PM]

He sure made a big deal about changing the background... something "everybody wants" according to his research. To me it seems like a rather minor feature to focus on as compared to some of the other tauted features.

[AT39 @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:17PM]

I think this is looking to be avery interesting product. It looks undeniably boxy though, but it seems very "retroish". It looks like something I would have while wearing my beat up jeans and retro styled shirts. I really think that the social feature will take off, especially in school. Think lunch hour with about 5 or more people with Zunes sharing music back and forth. Great fun, plus I can flag songs I like so I can download them from Limewire or Morpheus, or if I decide to spend money on a subscription, I can do that too.

It will be a lot easier than someon telling me the name nad artist of a song and either i forget it or I butcher the spelling while searching for a download.

[Chris @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:18PM]

"Brown is the new color of my chair. The thing is so ugly, every time I see it my body convulses and poop flys everywhere."

Maybe you should paint your toilet brown.

About this Nate character. This really looks like a poor attempt at astroturfing. I am sure there is more astroturfing going on that's much more subtle.

[AT39 @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:18PM]

I can believe that it will be popular in college libraries and other places where people commune. It is an opportunity to get some of the more indie music artists discovered also.

[JR @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:20PM]

M'soft is trying so damn hard. You gotta love 'em. They're like your dad trying hard to be cool in front of your friends.

I always look forward to Zune posts because of commenters like "Nate", who like to mention the "hip, cool buzz" the Zune has going on.

[AeonZero @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:22PM]

Wooow the level of hate is amazing and the product isn't even out yet. Seriously fanboys calm down. I know how much we all loathe microsoft but at least give it chance its not even on the market yet and most of you claim it will fail. Seriously has microsof really failed at anything recently in anything. I see it more like a xbox of sorts started out slow and look at where it is now. But seriously calm the haterade down and stop acting childish.

[Arno @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:22PM]

Brown is hot and I love the radio. Hope it does AM too.

[telepheedian @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:27PM]

^fanboy

[jwdav @ Oct 3rd 2006 6:27PM]

Because you can't find a battery operated AM radio under $10.00 anywhere these days?

[Joe Alien @ Oct 3rd 2006 3:26PM]

apple innovates :: microsoft copies - this is the universe we live in