Microsoft takes a swipe at Apple's "I'm a Mac" ads

Like you, we've seen a number of spoofs of the "I'm a Mac, and I'm a PC" ads. But most of them just make fun of the whole concept, rather than take on Apple, or a particular Apple product, directly. Well, Microsoft's just produced yet another rather clever parody pitting a Zune-toting PC with an iPod-carrying Mac, and apparently screened the ad at a recent company meeting. The sticking point is how "difficult" it is to get music onto the iPod versus how "simple" it is on the Zune. Not that we think the iPod is a paragon of usability, but we can't not bring up the fact that we'd love to see Microsoft live up to its claim and really make getting music as easy as pushing a single button. Anyway, you can catch the video on the next page.

[DRabbit @ Dec 14th 2006 12:40AM]

That parody was AWFUL. For the record I use and own both PCs and Macs, and we are a 3-iPod family.

Regardless, you want proof that iPod is better? Just look at projected sales. "Microsoft has predicted it will sell 1 million Zune devices in its first six months. By contrast, Apple will likely sell about 25 million iPods over the same period, according to financial analysts."

With the market saturation Apple has with the iPod, nothing else stands a chance in the short-term. And for all you iPod haters who are determined to buy a Zune or some other player, just remember how much it will suck when that company goes under or stops supporting it because they just can't compete with the millions and millions of iPods and accessories already out there.

Oh yeah, and I don't want my music player to suffer from blue screen of death thank-you-very-much ;)

[Jeff Foster @ Dec 14th 2006 12:57AM]

what makes anyone believe this was made by MS?

As much as i believe MS to have their collective heads up their collective asses, this is just WAAY too low quality to be MS. ...i mean the MS iPod packaging thing didn't look like some 13 year-old YouTuber made it...

really, just the timing and delivery are insultingly bad... this must be totally amateur. (like all the other horrible parodies of Apple's current ads... come on folks, this one seems to easy! why can't anyone do a parody worth half a shit?)

[Rex @ Dec 14th 2006 12:58AM]

UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ!

[Tom @ Dec 14th 2006 1:49AM]

eine zwei drei!

[applesucksLeo @ Dec 14th 2006 1:01AM]

There is much more they could poke fun at like the tiny screen. MSFT needs to put some of these on National TV.itunes gives you 128 kbps...Zune Marketplace 192 kbps in a format that has been proven to sound better(WMA). Isn`t it all about the music ? Apple pumps out their low
bitrate tunes to save money of course.

[010111 @ Dec 14th 2006 3:25AM]

though i wouldn't doubt a 192k WMA may sound better than a 128k AAC... you specifically say that at the same bitrate WMA is better. have a link? everything i have read places same-bitrate WMA behind AAC in actual blind listening tests.

i saw a lot of *opinion* pieces on the matter making WMA "better". all including the same tired talking points ... but in the actual listening tests i saw no such result.

[matty @ Dec 14th 2006 1:16AM]

wowo lame-city.

[kuchingclaw @ Dec 14th 2006 1:17AM]

isn't it false advertising since we know that you can only beam zune songs to zune? Furthermore it's based on weedshare model. The songs last for what was it - three plays ?

[Brian @ Dec 14th 2006 1:29AM]

now where did I put my Easy button, hmmm...

[kezeka @ Dec 14th 2006 1:44AM]

This portrays the iPod as being a) scratch prone b) complicated and c) just weird

a) is true for the most part, iPods love to get little scratches but on the other hand i had one fall off of my car going 50 (new version of leaving your cup of coffee on top of the car and forgetting to get it...) and proceeded to get run over with only one deep scratch and numerous minor ones the iPod (3G) is still very capable of working and the lists can still be seen easily.

B) complicated? who has every thought of iTunes as complicated, you upload a CD - and plug your iPod in, i suppose you can eliminate the button you press to upload... oh wait, nevermind, you can... and last time i checked zune's are having some major issues running .

c) i dont know about this one... m$...


overall im just sick of hearing people moan and complain about iPods being total pieces of junk, but rather, if they were crap, people wouldnt buy them, and using simple deductive reasoning we see that iPods are actually relatively good portable music plays ... "but but but but they dont have wifi, and WAN, and and and and bluetooth" - cry me a river, nothing is perfect.

I love seeing how apple is gaining more respect and getting peoples heads to turn away from windows and start bringing more people into a world without windows, just showing someone that windows isnt the only OS will help broaden the industry.

[HG @ Dec 14th 2006 1:52AM]

Dumb logic. Doesn't the Zune guy have to give a credit card number to buy songs as well? Or is Microsoft giving away their songs in order to get the business? Pretty hard up, if you ask me.

[HG @ Dec 14th 2006 1:59AM]

Oh, I forgot. You use your credit card to buy MS points. And then buy your 99 cent song using these Zune points. The Zune guy didn't counter the iPod guy with this improvement over direct dollar payment. He also didn't show off the MS points to U.S. dollar converter that's built-in to his Zune. What could be easier.

[quiksilver @ Dec 14th 2006 2:12AM]

Man this is bad. Especially that the PC guy wanted to "squirt" the Mac guy. And Microsoft does not equal easy.

[Barry @ Dec 14th 2006 2:43AM]

They don't mention the part where iPod users can just plug into their friends iTunes and share music wholesale, DRM-free. That, and it's not impossible to find a friend with iTunes.

Also, the lack of anything bigger than 30 Gs makes the Zune a non-starter. I didn't even look at the iPod until they came out with 80 Gs, and that's still almost too small.

[Jake @ Dec 14th 2006 2:55AM]

hey just to let all of you know how it is, i have this awesome thing called a cd mp3 player, so anytime i don't like what is playing, i can just put in a new cd, AND it didn't cost me $250+ so I can spend that money on something that matters, like a life, and do you know the best part about my cd's? I can use them anywhere I want, because I don't have to bring my iHome or Zune whatever dock, ALL of my friends can easily share music with me, regardless of what platform they use, MS or Mac, and it is easier than an iPod or Zune will ever be, Everyone needs to operate on the K.I.S.S. principle- KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID!

[darryl365 @ Dec 14th 2006 11:45AM]

yea, dude. you can also carry that suitcase full of
cd's everywhere. or you can just keep listening to the same thing over and over.

[PreGHz @ Dec 14th 2006 1:30PM]

Intrepid:

How many of those Longhorn features made it into the production version of Vista?

And if you'll remember, OSX (first gen, not Tiger) had been introduced before Longhorn, showing UI effects that Vista now touts.

And it came out sooner, and done well.

If the budget path wrought with bloatware and rushed products is right, I don't think Apple minded being wrong.

[Sane Insanity @ Dec 14th 2006 3:09AM]

Usually I would be annoyed, but all i have to say is, easy as D R M! Duche bags. Even if there was a hack for the DRM, the avergae consumer wouldnt use it. DRM broke the zune.

[darryl365 @ Dec 14th 2006 10:44AM]

Everyone thinks that DRM's are the problem with digital music, but they only matter to people that the web and comment on reports about DRM's. Geeks like you and me and everyone else on this string.
The average consumer could care less, as long as they can listen to thier music when the want to. They don't care.
That is why Apple has 70 million iPods and 1.5 billion song in iTunes.
All you folks talking about how Apple sucks. Well they are sucking thier way to they bank and every other Consumer Electronics manufaturer wants to go with them.
In the mean time, people with alot of time on tier hands, are discussion forums with all the certainty of how billion dollar corporations have no clue how to do what it is that makes them billion dollar corporations.

[Tech^Cellfish @ Dec 14th 2006 3:21AM]

*ehm* You don't always have to give up credit card information on iTunes. If you are a Mac user, it's already registered to you Apple ID account.

[Raj @ Dec 14th 2006 3:26AM]

Wont the RIAA be all over Micro$ofts for this "one touch sharing"? yea im pretty sure they will be!!!

[Chris @ Dec 14th 2006 3:29AM]

It's not even funny. I mean, really, it's not even a GOOD spoof. I expect better, Microsoft.

[Julian Bond @ Dec 14th 2006 3:41AM]

How ironic to compare ease of music transfer. iTunes vs Windows Media Player. And note that neither of them have USB Mass Storage. And the hassles with both of them with moving music too and from the device are directly due to their dependence on DRM.

Just Say No To DRM, m'kay

[Sparky @ Dec 14th 2006 3:57AM]

Bill,
Contact Edward de Bono ... Stat.

[USAOwnz @ Dec 14th 2006 4:51AM]

3 plays or 3 days which ever come first. Haha, yeah, that's just grand!

[Alex @ Dec 14th 2006 4:55AM]

Yeah, the Mac guy is cute.

[JSForbes @ Dec 14th 2006 5:35AM]

"Woah, watch where you're squirting with that Zune thingy!"

[JohnnyRocket @ Dec 14th 2006 5:45AM]

I can't wait until some clever hacker out there writes a wifi virus that hops from Zune to Zune and bricks them all.

[John Gegier @ Dec 14th 2006 7:45AM]

@JohnnyRocket, Well that just makes you an asshole. no one worth a shit intentionally wishes pain of misfortune on other humans.

[ablufia @ Dec 14th 2006 7:48AM]

If people started using more software like Anapod Explorer they'd find it a doddle to get music on/off an iPod - and also handily avoid that pesky DRM that iTunes loves so much. The existence of the software which meant I didn't have to use iTunes was the reason I finally purchased an iPod...

[chenry @ Dec 14th 2006 8:04AM]

Yeah, easy as pushing a button. Provided there's another zune around. And they have the song. And they want to share it with you. Otherwise, it's the exact same thing as the iPod.

[Nate @ Dec 14th 2006 8:06AM]

Curious how many people are actually going to by this Zune.

http://www.pollburner.com/takePoll.php?id=e2f4756bb5d0

Me... I'll stick with the ipod.

[Pedro @ Dec 14th 2006 8:41AM]

zune boards? OMG... there are microsoft fanboys out there?!? How do you sleep at night?

[Jesse Almanrode @ Dec 14th 2006 9:08AM]

This is just dumb. First off, sharing music over the Zune may be that easy but the person you give it to can only play the song three times before they have to go buy the song off of Urge... no, that's not right, the Zune Music Store or what ever it is called. Oh, and let's not forget that the Zune encrypts songs which, by law, are not meant to be encrypted (yes, Podcasts included!). Come on Microsoft, give me something here that makes me actually want to buy it!

[Jason @ Dec 14th 2006 9:13AM]

I made 5 iPod vs. Zune ads...

check them out, http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=GurwinProductions

[icruise @ Dec 14th 2006 9:21AM]

This video is just bizarre. They have confused the issue of sharing files with the simple act of getting music onto your player. The only problem is that when it comes to putting music on your player, the Zune works in exactly the same way as the iPod (or worse, actually, since the Zune software is apparently not the most reliable).

By the way, what's with the Mac guy saying that he has to download the song and THEN pay for it after giving them his credit card info. It sounds like the people who made this don't even have a grasp of how iTunes works.

[HamiltonGuy @ Dec 14th 2006 9:31AM]

Microsoft's TRY at levity must be a way to try and counter the embarrassment and angst caused by Jim Allchin's 2004 email where he tells Gates and Ballmer he would would buy a Mac if he didn't work at Microsoft (despite all the spin and damage control going on to "clarify" the email).

MS... still pitiful and pathetic.

[Othello @ Dec 14th 2006 10:31AM]

I really like the ending: "And they make it in brown. Look at that, it matches. Yeah."

[Liquidmark @ Dec 14th 2006 6:18PM]

Dude, your boss isn't moronic. He is looking at getting in on the ground-floor of a re-opening re-growing market.

Look, Let me explain:

1) In Windows: You are facing STIFF competition in the software market. There are THOUSANDS of competitors in all categories, MANY of which almost have to give their software away to get any play in today's market.

2) In Linux: Linux shares LESS than 1% of the total OS market with Solaris, Irix, etc...Plus, a great deal of Linux software is FREE. How are you going to make a profit competing against free software?

3) OSX is growing in popularity. Apple's COMPUTER market-share jumped from around 3.x% to 6.1% in ONE quarter and it's not going to stop there. Think of the Mac as the 'New World' in a matter of speaking. There is PLENTY of unclaimed real estate to claim. There's plenty of gold in them hills, just waiting to be mined.

Your boss isn't the moron for wanting to stake a claim. YOU are for not grabbing a shovel.

From where I stand, you lack vision. Your boss has seen an opportunity to establish himself in a market with little challenge. Mac users are extremely reliable customers. That's why Adobe and other companies stuck around after Apple hit rock bottom in the mid-90's. I guess that's why he's the boss and you are not.

You sound like some fools that I told to buy Apple stock when Apple announced they were switching to Intel. Not one of them listened. Apple's stock jumped from $15 a share to over $85 a share in a matter of days. It wasn't a gamble, it's just simple ECONOMICS.

When a company makes a move that big, it means big money can be made.

Now, You wanna tell ME that I'm uninformed?

[Mrfreezie @ Dec 14th 2006 10:42AM]

Is it me, or when "mac" described how he got music on to his ipod, it wasn't that hard. Even after they added all the lies like "entering credit card info"(that only happens once). And even after they added the useless "if my buddy's not uploading to his blog."

[wizkid @ Dec 14th 2006 10:48AM]

that has to be one of the lamest commercials i have ever seen.

"it's just as easy as *boop*" except for getting it on the zune in the first place...

both of the characters look and act and sound like douchebags.

[Alan Strangis @ Dec 14th 2006 10:58AM]

I get a real kick out of the Zune vs iPod debates. It's like the popular kid in high school vs. the new kid. Classic stuff.

Archos gives them both a swift kick in nether region. Too bad THEY don't have the marketing clout of either MS or Apple.

[Fei @ Dec 14th 2006 11:12AM]

This is retarded.

What is sooo much easier about downloading songs onto a Zune? Last time I checked they hadn't reinvented that.

Let's see-

So first you just "hit a button" and your friend now has your song!
....to listen to 3 times before they have to then go home, go to the Zune market place, search for the song, enter all their credit card information then download the song to there special little Zune version of iTunes and then sync it to their Zune!

Oh yeah that's so innovative, way to go Microsoft. It's way easier doing it that way then opposed to doing it the way iPods do..which is exactly the same.

[JBlanch @ Dec 14th 2006 3:54PM]

so dumb! honestly buddy, you proved Microsoft's point in your own god damn comment. The point IS so that you can share the song, sample it, and then go download it if you enjoy it. You can't share music on the iPod, so those 3 plays is still 3 more than the 0 you get from sharing on an iPod.

[Kiteless @ Dec 14th 2006 11:16AM]

Ugh.. It is like a train wreck, you just can't take your eyes off it.

I really would like to see the Zune take off. I think Apple could use some serious competition.

This "commercial" is terrable. I think odds are very good that it is fake. If it is not fake, and Microsoft airs it, they will be shooting themselves in the foot.

- K

[Court Kizer @ Dec 14th 2006 11:27AM]

I bought a Zune, and own several iPods. How is MS going to say copying music to the Zune is easier? It's much harder, anyone who actually bought a Zune knows that. Not only that the software craps out all the time, can only be played in the huge Zune window, and copying the tracks down is a pain in the ass, no smart lists, no podcasts or "netcasts", no good video content. Sorry I thought the Zune might just be cool, but right now it's sitting on my desk un-used, it's too complicated, my iPod just plugs into my dell and works without any effort. The zune on the other hand is chore, and requires more pushes of buttons, lots of popup dialogs, and annoying warnings and messages that constantly make the zune "experience" aweful.

[Chuck @ Dec 14th 2006 12:06PM]

Smart Lists exist: Right click on playlists -> Create Auto Playlist.

[Pete @ Dec 14th 2006 11:54AM]

Well, I actually have a Zune and for all of you that read it was bad, sorry but it's not. Menu's are 50 times better the Zune software was setup with ease and is great. Easy to sync up your stuff, and you CAN buy songs or also do a monthly thing, the size of it isn't a problem at all either. The feel and look of it is nice. Did I mention the menus are amazingly better? Or that viewing video files is nice with the size and ratio of the screen? The only real complaint I have with the Zune are the headphones that I can think of. Also, yes, I've previously owned an ipod and the only thing I see going for it over the Zune is the size, but then again the Zune easily fits into your pocket so no big deal.

[simon @ Dec 14th 2006 12:02PM]

sorry...
touch of a button

they seem to have left out the fact that you CANT actually download music onto the zune wirelessly: yea, you can share your music wirelessly and listen to it THREE TIMES!

And really... we've all seen the screenshots of setting up the zune software. different kind of easy, erm would that word be tedious, or maybe touch of a [thousand] buttons

at least apple has a better product to stand up to claims made in the i'm a mac ads. Zune's just another wanabe "ipod killer" - notice how it's ipod killer, and not zune killer that new dap's are refered to as... maybe cos the zune aint worth killing as it's bleeding Micro$oft dry, so eventually, after vista flops spectactularly, we can all live in a mac + ipod utopia, free from viruses and jelous M$ execs

[Razor @ Dec 14th 2006 12:10PM]

The sticking point is how "difficult" it is to get music onto the iPod versus how "simple" it is on the Zune.

Wow, does that mean Zune now works with Vista?