Zune 2.0 and flash Zune details leaked?
By Ryan Block 
posted April 10th 2007 10:31PM
posted April 10th 2007 10:31PM
The fine folks over at Zune Scene are claiming an unwitting Microsoft employee bared it all to them, not even realizing who, in fact they were. What was supposedly learned from this fortuitous encounter? Well, the second full-sized Zune and its flash counterpart will both be out this year. The full-size Zune will look aesthetically similar and have the doubleshot plastics, but will be a bit thinner. The flash device will be video capable and have a large display that "covers about 75% of the [face]", while staying about 3 x 1.25 x 0.25-inches in size. Even though the flash-based device will have the same (lame) WiFi, Microsoft's expecting to pump out 2.4 million next-gen Zune devices before holidays 2007. Believe it? Sure, we'd like to think some design-envelope-pushing devices are en route, but the Zune's faults aren't about to be resolved by a thin n' sexy flash version, we can tell you that much.[Image from our Design-a-Zune contest]
Thanks.
I saw some graph data using line out...Somewhere. I honestly don't remember.
Maybe on anythingbuipod.com or iaudiophile.net (yeah, a little bit of bias on those sites). It MIGHT have been on Hydrogenaudio or head-fi, I honestly don't remember.
I did indicate my sources were the result of a quick google search. At least I tried to find some supporting data. You offered no data in return so you are officially the pot calling the kettle black. Even weak sources are better evidence than no sources.
And both my sources were still better than random comments that claim superiority without even a shred of evidence.
Also, the PC mag review does (indirectly) state that they used Etymotic ER4 to measure subjective sound quality and found the Cowon to sound similar to the iPod (granted, this was not an objective test).
Finally, the PC mag review was against the 4th gen iPod. The 5th gen is generally regarded as having superior sound to the 4th gen. making it even less likely that the Cowon sounds superior (unless it too has been updated to sound better: I don't know).
Why don't you pay attention before you make a jackass out of yourself?
To be fair and a bit technical, I don't think Apple ever claims it's products "just work" when it comes to interacting with Windows. They've made the "just works" claims when it comes to interacting with OS X, but never Windows (AFAIK).
All you people out there saying that the Zune sucks are pretty stupid. The Zune does all the things the iPod does and more, doing them all at the same quality or better.
The real kicker is, this is MicroSoft's FIRST attempt in this market, releasing a device that is very competitive, includes more features, and at a lower price. Now, you guys will probably go, "But the iPod Video is 249; the same as the Zune," well, that is not the case. Zune was release at 249 and Apple soon followed suit in order to keep a major grasp in the market.
I'm also getting sick and tired of all the comments in these Zune posts with iPod fan boys ripping on the WiFi capabilities of the Zune. Heres the deal... The iPod doesn't even HAVE WiFi, so really, crippled or not, the Zune literally pwns the iPod in that situation. The Zune also includes a radio, easier-on-the-eyes menus (the black and white iPod menus really burns after a while), the option to set your own back ground, and the amazing software that is included. The Zune Marketplace may be a copy of iTunes Store, but that doesn't matter. This software has been more thought out and is much less extraneous on your CPU (iTunes is a laggy POS).
Now, onto the size issue... It really isn't all that big, especially when you hold it side by side by an iPod Video. The iPod Video is about 3/4 the thickness of the Zune, and about 1/3 of a centimeter shorter, and a bit wider. The dimensions are not all that different.
Back onto the WiFi, and about it being crippled. Do you know what MicroSoft intended for the WiFi capabilities in the Zune? To share music wirelessly, and it does just that; as a matter of fact, it does a fantastic job of that. Transferring songs at about 10-15 seconds each once connected is really pretty fast. The whole 3 plays or 3 days thing isn't that big of a deal if you think about it. I mean, you don't think MicroSoft really isn't going to sit there and allow a device of theirs to openly steal music, do you? Thought not. Again, iPod doesn't have this.
To a comment made earlier pertaining to the new Zune and how all the "fanbois" are going to act when they find out a brand new Zune is coming out: You don't realize do you? Do you know how many different iPods there are? I'll list them. iPod 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G. iPod Mini, Shuffle 1G, 2G, Nano 1G, 2G. HP iPod. U2 iPod 3G, 4G, 5G.
I mean, every other month there is a new iPod coming out, and you make a half-assed, dumb-shit statement like that.
Guys, don't dis the Zune. It's already beaten your iPods in features, software, and durability (you can't scratch the thing with a flippin' feather). Go cry.
P.S. I might be a fan boy, but I'm a fan boy because of the great product they make.
Actually, the Zune was supposed to come out at $299 (same price as iPod) and then Apple lowered the price to $249 *before the Zune was released*, which caused the Zune's price to be changed to $249. Apple led on price: Microsoft followed.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/20/zune-to-be-priced-at-249-or-less/
I'm also getting sick and tired of all the comments in these Zune posts with iPod fan boys ripping on the WiFi capabilities of the Zune. Heres the deal... The iPod doesn't even HAVE WiFi, so really, crippled or not, the Zune literally pwns the iPod in that situation. The Zune also includes a radio, easier-on-the-eyes menus (the black and white iPod menus really burns after a while), the option to set your own back ground, and the amazing software that is included. The Zune Marketplace may be a copy of iTunes Store, but that doesn't matter. This software has been more thought out and is much less extraneous on your CPU (iTunes is a laggy POS).
First off, wheter or not a feature is included, it's how it's applied that acutually makes it worth it. I'm sorry but when people talk about sharing music they don't mean keep it in there for 3 days then it goes away. If MS wants to TRUELY "share music" they would have a way where if you charge your Zune, the music goes away forcing people to know that they can't have the music but as long as it's charged properly you can listen to it as many times as you want. The hardware is there, the application though was poorely executed.
Second, yes iTunes may be "slow" but at least it installs into computers (sans Vista due to bugs) properly unlike with the Zune store which has not installed properly for many people, including for the people at Engadget and even my friend who got a Zune only to return it back and get an iPod in less than 24 hours due to the software not working correctly on his computer.
Third there are way better MP3 players that have raido that is better executed, plus I thought the whole point of taking your music was to avoid the radio but besides the point, once again there are better MP3 players that can do radio.
Now as for the black and white iPod menu, you must be color blind because the last time I checked, the menu includes colors such as green and red for battery life and a blue curser for select. But that's just nitpicking. The only good thing about your arugment there was the fact that you can put your own background to it...which is an aweseome feature that really doesn't display the facts about the Zune.
Now as for the Wi-Fi...it needs to be uncrippled. Case closed. People need to know that they can play a song for a longer time than 3 times because I know that a lot of people would like to listen to the same song more than 3 times. I can understand a 10 times rule...or a 8 times rule...I'll even settle with 6 but 3 is not only too short but can easily be expired.
Now let's compare some features of the Zune that actually do matter:
Movies:
Better screen: Zune
Better Resolution of video: iPod
Force converitng: Both
Audio:
Podcast enabling: iPod
Music codecs: Both
Audio: Both (until a reasearch can acutally prove that one is better than the other.
Converting music: Both (but could lean either way due to the fact that I haven't seen the Zune side of converting music)
I think the iPod just did a good job compared tot the Zune.
Do I think the Zune can be great, YES IT CAN. Has MS made it great, no. Will MS make it great, only time will tell.
Now once again let me repost this except doing a new edit.
Maybe it's just me, but the Zune would be more attractive if MS:
A) Uncrippled the Wi-Fi
B) Made it Unix and/or Mac compatible
C)Didn't pay Universal a dollar for every Zune.
D) Made a stable music player/uploader
Now if they only completed A, D, and B I'd be happy. C is just a plus.
AKBlade13
0.25 inches? That means it's thinner than the iPod nano? ... No way!
I am a member of Zunescene.com and after making posts on the forums and reading deeper into this "encounter", it appears to be purely propaganda and an attempt to bring more traffic and attention to ZuneScene.com This is far from official information, and the "leak" itself happened under very questionable circumstances if it happened at all. Not to mention that the people who administer and moderate the site are young kids who would gaze at the back of their computer for hours with drool coming from their mouths trying to figure out where to plug in a legacy AT-Style keyboard.
@AKBlade13
Maybe iTunes is laggy on your computer. Time to upgrade maybe? I don't think that iTunes runs well on Windows 3.1
I actually wish that my Zune ran on iTunes.
And what are your parameters for saying that the Zune software is so "well thought out"? It's Windows Media Player 11 without skins. And the marketplace is URGE with a different font. There's not only nothing original about it, but it is completely and utterly horrible! It's based off of WMP11 which is made for n00bs who don't know how to figure out where their music is on their hard drive or how to rename a folder.
Get a clue
My favorite part of this post is the people that are thinking my Zune design contest pic is the actual mockup.
As far as all the bickering goes, I'm willing to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt on their first attempt at a DAP, it's certainly better than most first attempts. But the next-gen version had better pick up the slack.
Umm, the microsoft Zune 1.0 might be the biggest failure OF ALL TIME in the consumer electronics marketplace. They have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in development and marketing and failed to sell any!! If you were selling flaming bags of shit with that much marketing and retail shelf space (they reportedly paid Best Buy $25M alone!) you would sell more units. They have already fired a bunch of execs over there over this catastrophe.
That organization is not going to get version 2.0 right. How long will they keep making them? Until their shareholders tire of them pissing money away.
If you want to see Wifi working on a device buy a Sansa Connect. If you want a reliable mp3 player buy an iPod.