How would you change the Microsoft Zune?

"Tack on a scroll wheel and call it an iPod." Alright, now that we've gotten that obvious little gem out of the way, it's time to get down to business and start our unpaid weekly focus group for major consumer electronics manufacturers, with today's victim subject being none other than Microsoft's controversial Zune. Far from the complete failure some had predicted, the Zune has actually managed to hold its own in the marketplace and even develop a small but dedicated following; however, we're not gathered here to give Redmond props on the social, so let's see what kind of suggestions we can come up with for its troubled-but-promising DAP. Bigger storage capacity? Check. Non-crippled wireless functionality? Check. Makes phone calls and plays YouTube videos and gives one a heightened sense of self-worth? Checkmate. Yup, looks like we're off to a good start here, so keep 'em comin' folks: how would you change the Zune?

[Bobo @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:50PM]

Discontinue it.

[Erick @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:59PM]

EXACTLY discontinue it....period.

[madcrabs @ Aug 3rd 2007 5:41PM]

That's what I was going to say.

[Matthew Harnack @ Aug 3rd 2007 6:58PM]

just get rid of it the only use for it is a paper weight!

[Nate @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:00PM]

exactly what I was going to say. Discontinue the thing. Bow to iPod...

[halfeatenfish @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:14PM]

Discontinue it, and give the money back to the shareholders.

Oh, wait... that one's been used before. shoot.

[Drew @ Aug 3rd 2007 9:39PM]

Free.

[Inter @ Aug 3rd 2007 10:29PM]

I think there is no *real* difference with MP3 (or music/video) players. I like my music, and I can perfectly listen it in a Zune, a Sony device or an IPod.

I think, it is just a matter of taste, a kind of loyalty and personal style. I personally like Zune's simple sober (mate / non nickel or brillant) design, but I also like IPod's design.

I have used IPods and Zune, I can perfectly find my desired song easily and fast on both of them.
As I use Zune more frequently, I find having to "circle" the finger around a little cumbersome; but it is just because of the frequency of use.

It is like Gmail and Hotmail. I personally find Gmail a lot better, but that doesn't mean that every other mail is bad.

Thanks.

[Daniel @ Aug 4th 2007 1:26PM]

I disagree... http://hideapod.com/ ;-)

[Zachary Williamson @ Aug 4th 2007 6:28PM]

run it over with a truck and then set it on fire and watch it melt...

[Jeremy @ Aug 6th 2007 3:27AM]

strap an anti-apple rocket launcher to it and laugh as steve jobs weeps

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:50PM]

Agreed.
Recycle 'em into water bottles.

[Sam Zebian @ Aug 3rd 2007 6:28PM]

I would like there to be a second lineup of zune, the flash based model, to be announced soon, and the next version of zune to optionally be able to get an ssd instead of an hdd to save battery and make it less fragile. I also wish it had better xbox 360 support. Slimmer would make it better too.

[pryam44 @ Aug 3rd 2007 10:04PM]

how bout they add a vibrator, no ipod can offer that much pleasure

[Ashish @ Aug 4th 2007 9:36AM]

It's been done....

www.ohmibod.com

[Glazun @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:50PM]

Touch screen.. make wifi easier to use. It's not out in Europe though so I haven't ever gotten a chance to use it. Which brings me to the question, why isn't it here? I'm used to Japan having stuff we dont but now america..

[Michael Geary @ Aug 5th 2007 8:56PM]

I got my Zune on day 1 and have been very pleased with it, but I would like to see:

better use of wi-fi (wireless sync/streaming???)
larger harddrive
Retooling the software (Very hard to use and slow)
More Codec supported
better accessories
and a bigger screen

[Dragod @ Aug 4th 2007 1:53AM]

I don't know if you've ever used a Touchscreen, but they're crap. It kills the battery and skyrockets the Price.

The Zune doesn't need to be changed. It just need some things added.
A small clock in the lower left corner, podcasting, and easy metadata is all I ask. I love my Zune all the same without it.

[Johan S @ Aug 4th 2007 11:14PM]

Frankly I think phones is where things is at bu anyway. How i would improve the Zune.

First and foremost it should cost at least half the price of an iPod of similar capacity/specs, if not less.

Failing to acheive a massive price difference versus iPod, I would add touchscreen for sure. One or two OLED buttons? Maybe. One think though it should have a sort of tactile feedback and be able to recognize an unintended light touch froma intentional hard push.

Oh, and bump up the resolution to at least 800 pixels wide.

Make the wifi and RF open so that it can act as a remote that brings up on screen (on HDTV screen that is)for other stuff including HDTV's that are operating from Xbox360.

Include a decent web browser and helper apps such as GPS.


None of the above are as important as reducing the cost to half that of the current iPod price - ideally to sub $100.

Oh yeah, and
GET RID OF DRM OR SUPPORT PLAYSFORSURE!!

[Glazun @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:51PM]

Touch screen.. make wifi easier to use. It's not out in Europe though so I haven't ever gotten a chance to use it. Which brings me to the question, why isn't it here? I'm used to Japan having stuff we dont but now america..

[Rusty Shackleford @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:51PM]

n64 emulator

[Trace The Hedgehog @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:52PM]

hmm, no 3 days or 3 plays. ACTUALLY UPDATE THE F*CKING FIRMWARE, wireless syncing, ADD A DAMN CLOCK, make the BLACK one actually look black not navy, uhh..marketplace via Zune device. I think that's it.

[DAZA @ Aug 4th 2007 10:22AM]

Wireless syncing would rock. Sometimes I'm just that lazy to sync my iPod because I have to get up and find it.

I'd drop my iPod for a Zune any day (not literally drop) but I'm waiting for the second gen Zune which is sure to improve on the first one.

[Killian @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:53PM]

more jiggabytes

[Hayes @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:55PM]

how about a post "how would you change Engadget?"

first off, id take away all these pointless posts that aren't news. As well on working on getting facts straight, and making timely corrections. thats a start.

[Tim @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:57PM]

M-E-O-W!

[arthur barnhouse @ Aug 3rd 2007 5:00PM]

Why isn't engadget exactly the way I like it?! I mean everyone has my taste and personal preference so I know best!

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 3rd 2007 5:02PM]

Get rid of the whiners?

[William Gu @ Aug 4th 2007 2:15AM]

then go to gizmodo. at least there you have to be approved for commenting...

[Dave @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:55PM]

Make it browner.

[arthur barnhouse @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:55PM]

Thinner!

[Telegraph @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:55PM]

Carefully take the Zune and carefully return it to the store and carefully buy an ipod.

[fonz @ Aug 3rd 2007 6:22PM]

agree

[Le Master @ Aug 3rd 2007 8:36PM]

Zeus, your post had me lawling for about a minute.

[xj @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:56PM]

touchscreen, open wifi, access to the web, GSM phone built in...and for pete's sakes can they figure out how to make it look less like a brick?

[Mark @ Aug 4th 2007 1:02AM]

Or rebrand Apple's iPhone into Microsoft's zPhone

[Jay @ Aug 6th 2007 1:17AM]

Poor pete

[Devin @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:57PM]

For one, its design needs to be more visually appealing. In order for it to ever fully compete with the iconic iPod, it needs to have the style to match or even surpass Apple's offering.

Better marketing, although some of the more recent commercials have been better

The Zune software needs to be more refined and made a little more user friendly.

other than that, I'm very pleased with mine, more pleased that I was with my two iPods (which are both broken)

[arthur barnhouse @ Aug 3rd 2007 5:13PM]

Honestly, I think it DOES look nice. They need to stop taking pictures of it at angles, start doing photos to show off it's double color look. The Brown Zune is actually nice looking, but in all the adverts it looks at best like a chocolate bar and at worst a brick of shit. The Brown Zune with the Green Rim Shot howover is very nice looking, reminds me of foliage.

Of course that comes back to your better advertising.

[Evan @ Aug 3rd 2007 6:21PM]

I don't think it looks all that bad, the problem is that the install base of the iPod will call anything that tries to compete with it crap. Honestly, how many of the people who rated the Zune the worst gadget of the year over here actually use(d) it?

With a few nice changes it could really be something special, and I really think that it could all be done with firmware updates.
1. Change the way the wireless is used. Allow wireless streaming to the 360 and possibly to the computer. Make sharing music easier, maybe no play limit just a week limit on plays.
2. (Without having to hack my registry) Have the Zune appear as a external hard drive and allow it to be used as one.
3. Improve the Zune software so it is less of a memory and CPU hog. I think they could make it much more simple and attempt to be a little less pretty and it would go a long way with functionality.
4. Improve video file support. I wish that I didn't have to convert half of my videos if I want the on the Zune. They have done a good job with the music by supporting .wma,.mp3, and .mp4 but only allowing .wmv is a limitation.

That is really it. The Zune itself functions very well and it is easy to find music quickly on the device. It is reliable as far as I can tell. I have had it since December with no freezing, which is MUCH more than I can say with my old iPod. I am very happy with it, the price was right (got it for 50 bucks off at Meijer) and it does more than the iPod.

Until there is a Zune phone I think it is quite ridiculous to compare it to the iPhone. That is like comparing a walkman to a cordless telephone, it just doesn't make sense.

[Eric @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:57PM]

Its funny that people say discontinue it just because its made by Microsoft. IMO it is better than the Ipod but it needs more storage and be Mac compatible. If it came in at least 80GB and mac compatible I would get rid of my iPod for it.

[getz76 @ Aug 3rd 2007 5:12PM]

Why bother making it Mac compatible? The Apple Fanboys will never buy a non-Apple media player and they only have a limited user-base.

I'm on my third iPod. Nice concept and design, but they all break. I use my Sony w810 more frequently nowadays.

[hobbes @ Aug 3rd 2007 5:16PM]

Shockingly, not all Mac uses are Apple fanboys. In fact, I'd say a majority of Apple users don't do the whole "worship-Steve-Jobs" thing.

They're just more noticable, because they're louder and a lot easier to hate.

[arthur barnhouse @ Aug 3rd 2007 5:48PM]

"I'm on my third iPod. Nice concept and design, but they all break."

It is true that the iPod, like everything ever produced by man, breaks. Interestingly enough I'm on my second iPod, and the only reason I stopped using my old one is I bought a new one. The old one (a 3Gen) still works. Of course neither your anecdote nor mine actually matters because their not statistically large enough.

[Kevin @ Sep 15th 2007 3:45AM]

I completely agree when I first saw the Zune I wanted it.....This is considering the fact that I currently own a 4th gen Ipod and 2 5th gen I pods...a 12" Powerbook, and a G5 Power Mac....I love my ipods but mac support for the zune would be nice and a better user interface, would be nice.....The problem I have with the zune marketplace is that I store all my cd rips on a central server in my home. The zune marketplace makes it exceptionally difficult for me to move music from my server to my zune....(not very drag and drop friendly)....One other thing...an 80 gig zune would be nice...maybe a 100 gig too..

[Evan @ Aug 3rd 2007 10:24PM]

@Kevin

I haven't had too much trouble with the server situation. I just added the files on my server to the watched folder list with the zune software and it worked fine for me.

[Raffi @ Aug 4th 2007 1:12AM]

@getz76: Actually I have a Macbook and I refuse to buy an iPod. I think it's overpriced and it has a lack of quality features that I want. I personally liked the iRiver H120 better, and use my SE w810i more often now anyways.

[Minimum @ Aug 4th 2007 2:45AM]

I want to buy one. P.S. I'm a drop dead Apple Fan but I LOVE Zune.

[Bobo @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:58PM]

Make the brown one appear to have last nights dinner embedded in it.

[Michael Menard @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:59PM]

Send them in to make Hide-a-Pods and actually get some use out of the but-ugly things.