These kind of comments are getting old, don't you people get tired? I mean, seriously, enough already.
It's happening, whether you people like it or not. It was the only PMP who gained market share (now 4%). So bash all you can, you'll buy one eventually.
Biff would be all over it if it was a 120GB iPod Touch or iPhone. Since he's an Apple fanboy though, he doesn't care. It would be "revolutionary" in Biff's opinion if Apple released an MP3 player that was 120GB, but since it's Microsoft, nobody cares.
The obviously irony now, is that Apple computers have the same market share than Zune has in the pmp market. So I guess is just a matter of choice. I, for one, had the chance to buy an iPhone (the only Apple product that matters IMO) and got a Diamond instead. I've never been happier. Whaddahell the thing IS a REAL smartphone. It even CAN beam files via bluetooth!! Incredible!!!
Just saying...Apple already has a 160GB MP3 player. Yes, its more expensive, but it's there. I'm not agreeing with the original poster btw. Bringing out a 120GB Zune is not bad at all, infact if any companies' actual MP3 marketshare was able to still pursue the iPod in the massive wake its left behind, its probably the Zune, so kudos for that. If Apple all of a sudden releases a 120 GB iPod classic for the same price, then this Zune would be in trouble, not because the iPod is necessarily better, but simply because most people know of the iPod, not the Zune.
@ Boolean22
Bluetooth is like one of those technologies that's going nowhere (slow speeds, constraining distance). Once wifi starts becoming more and more the norm globally, this will be the FIRST technology on cell phones that's going to go down. This is a personal statement, but pretty much everyone I know who uses a cell phone, from Razrs, to Shines, to Blackberries all say that Bluetooth is probably the least used feature on their cell phones. Heck I know one guy who even uses the calender feature on his Razr on a daily basis...more than he's ever used the Bluetooth feature. As an iPhone user, I know the iPhone does have it's downsides (and serious ones sometimes), and that the Bluetooth on the iPhone is admittedly primitive, but It's easily not one of those deal breaker things IMO. The deal breaker would be if it had no Wifi, or downloadable apps, etc. I'm a Mac user, but that did not brainwash me to just go get an iPhone...infact I researched the Touch Diamond (tested it out too), Instinct, and a few Blackberries, and overall the iPhone came out way ahead for my level of use(except in the bluetooth arena, but I explained that above).
As I said before: It's a matter of choice. My point wasn't against iPhone's capabilities per se. I was stating that you just can't bash Zune because it's the competition (on topic of the originally replied comment). I think they used «some» innovation on it (the touchpad, the squirtle, or whatever is called, the Wifi sharing, tho crippled somehow... you can see there is a future on tethering devices). Of course you can choose to NOT buy it, but then again, IT'S a matter of choice. They could just insert Zumobi inside and have a decent web-apps framework.
I personally don't use any mp3 player anymore, since I bought a ROKR E2 long time ago, cell phones have been my pmp of choice. I hate carrying around more than one device of such category. My last standalone player was a Creative Zen (1st Gen), so go figure.
I think convergence devices ARE the future. Devices that can provide entertainment, communication, interaction with other devices of similar classes and compatible interconnection. For that, companies should work in standarizing stuff, to avoid monopoly. I think NONE has approached as it should. Not even Linux, right, I said that.
@PM. I disagree about Bluetooth. For many things, Bluetooth is a far better solution than WiFi. I don't need my earpiece to talk to my phone from 100 meters, nor do I want the battery hanging from my ear to support that capability. Ditto keyboard and mouse. For many things a low power solution is far preferable. I'm not sold on A2DP however. I have yet to hear a pair of A2DP headphones that sound as good as a decent pair of wired ear buds.
What we don't need is a plethora of additional protocols like 802.15, etc.
I care because you get 120GB for 250 bucks instead of 80GB for the iPod classic. Then again, I don't own a Zune so i wouldn't know quality but I would go for a nice aluminum quality iPod. 80GB is hard to fill up anyway. (for me).
While it is a good point to use bluetooth for low level tasks, such as basic connectivity/pairing of cell phone accessories, what I really meant was it's level of importance (or lack thereof) for heavy data transfer tasks, and seeing how the current shift in cell phone features focuses a lot on music, videos, pictures, chatting, internet, etc, a phone would likely need a very fast network technology in order to be able to accommodate all that. Granted, the bluetooth, when first introduced in phones as a high end feature, was infact used for transferring of pictures, ringtones, etc from phone to phone, but I feel its use has somewhat been sidetracked automatically to something it was probably not intended to be used for (pairing for earphones, etc).
As for the keyboard and mouse which use bluetooth, I don't think it will be able to get that far. One reason is that it has to heavily compete with already the different types of optical technology currently employed in this generation of mouses. The only advantage to using a bluetooth keyboard/mouse is to avoid the small receiver being stuck in a USB slot. It's negatives far outweigh its positives I believe, because not only does the current laptop it's being paired with have to have bluetooth capability (admittedly not an issue these days), but it's almost fully incompatible with older laptops that don't have built in bluetooth, in which they have to use a USB bluetooth adapter, which beats the whole purpose of using a bluetooth device. A regular wireless device will serve that purpose just fine, not to mention the cheaper costs associated with it.
For low level tasks, I agree that bluetooth currently serves the purpose well, but as more and more features start to get added on to phones (as if that race hasn't already started), then I think the sole usage of bluetooth will be channeled down to just being paired with earphones. I highly doubt bluetooth keyboard/mouse will takeoff, simply because of the already heavy competition and proven technology in that sector. Judging by how fast current trends become obsolete, I wouldn't be surprised if a light footprint wifi earphone solution was developed in which it puts bluetooth to rest altogether. I wouldn't say it's days are numbered though.
re: jhoeforth: >These kind of comments are getting old, don't you people get tired? I mean, seriously, enough already. > >It's happening, whether you people like it or not. It was the only PMP who gained market share (now 4%). So >bash all you can, you'll buy one eventually.
Wow. Talk about reality distortion field. Sandisk also gained marketshare in the PMP market, at 11% as of Q1 2008, up from 10% from Q1 2007.
Wait until the 9th. (Or whenever the Apple event is.) MS always screws themselves by announcing this stuff right before the iPod (and now iPhone) refresh.
My bet is you'll be able to get a 160GB iPod for $249 or less.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
nobody cares
Well I care. So I guess i'm nobody. But then again nobody's perfect.
Nice one! =)
These kind of comments are getting old, don't you people get tired? I mean, seriously, enough already.
It's happening, whether you people like it or not. It was the only PMP who gained market share (now 4%). So bash all you can, you'll buy one eventually.
well, for a Superman, you are not being caring and compassionate...
Biff would be all over it if it was a 120GB iPod Touch or iPhone. Since he's an Apple fanboy though, he doesn't care. It would be "revolutionary" in Biff's opinion if Apple released an MP3 player that was 120GB, but since it's Microsoft, nobody cares.
The obviously irony now, is that Apple computers have the same market share than Zune has in the pmp market. So I guess is just a matter of choice. I, for one, had the chance to buy an iPhone (the only Apple product that matters IMO) and got a Diamond instead. I've never been happier. Whaddahell the thing IS a REAL smartphone. It even CAN beam files via bluetooth!! Incredible!!!
*I meant obvious... sorry early in the morning. xD
I've noticed that not many new features are made into PMPs, even my old Nomad Jukebox 3 could do more out of the box than iPod...
@ Bob
Just saying...Apple already has a 160GB MP3 player. Yes, its more expensive, but it's there. I'm not agreeing with the original poster btw. Bringing out a 120GB Zune is not bad at all, infact if any companies' actual MP3 marketshare was able to still pursue the iPod in the massive wake its left behind, its probably the Zune, so kudos for that. If Apple all of a sudden releases a 120 GB iPod classic for the same price, then this Zune would be in trouble, not because the iPod is necessarily better, but simply because most people know of the iPod, not the Zune.
@ Boolean22
Bluetooth is like one of those technologies that's going nowhere (slow speeds, constraining distance). Once wifi starts becoming more and more the norm globally, this will be the FIRST technology on cell phones that's going to go down. This is a personal statement, but pretty much everyone I know who uses a cell phone, from Razrs, to Shines, to Blackberries all say that Bluetooth is probably the least used feature on their cell phones. Heck I know one guy who even uses the calender feature on his Razr on a daily basis...more than he's ever used the Bluetooth feature. As an iPhone user, I know the iPhone does have it's downsides (and serious ones sometimes), and that the Bluetooth on the iPhone is admittedly primitive, but It's easily not one of those deal breaker things IMO. The deal breaker would be if it had no Wifi, or downloadable apps, etc. I'm a Mac user, but that did not brainwash me to just go get an iPhone...infact I researched the Touch Diamond (tested it out too), Instinct, and a few Blackberries, and overall the iPhone came out way ahead for my level of use(except in the bluetooth arena, but I explained that above).
@PM replied for truth
As I said before: It's a matter of choice. My point wasn't against iPhone's capabilities per se. I was stating that you just can't bash Zune because it's the competition (on topic of the originally replied comment). I think they used «some» innovation on it (the touchpad, the squirtle, or whatever is called, the Wifi sharing, tho crippled somehow... you can see there is a future on tethering devices). Of course you can choose to NOT buy it, but then again, IT'S a matter of choice. They could just insert Zumobi inside and have a decent web-apps framework.
I personally don't use any mp3 player anymore, since I bought a ROKR E2 long time ago, cell phones have been my pmp of choice. I hate carrying around more than one device of such category. My last standalone player was a Creative Zen (1st Gen), so go figure.
I think convergence devices ARE the future. Devices that can provide entertainment, communication, interaction with other devices of similar classes and compatible interconnection. For that, companies should work in standarizing stuff, to avoid monopoly. I think NONE has approached as it should. Not even Linux, right, I said that.
Well to be correct, the apple can do no wrong fanboy cult group does not care.
@PM. I disagree about Bluetooth. For many things, Bluetooth is a far better solution than WiFi. I don't need my earpiece to talk to my phone from 100 meters, nor do I want the battery hanging from my ear to support that capability. Ditto keyboard and mouse. For many things a low power solution is far preferable. I'm not sold on A2DP however. I have yet to hear a pair of A2DP headphones that sound as good as a decent pair of wired ear buds.
What we don't need is a plethora of additional protocols like 802.15, etc.
@Trent, yeah, just like the Microsoft fanboys think MS can do no wrong, the Sony fanboys think SOny can do no wrong, etc.
Fanboys suck. Objectivity FTW.
I care because you get 120GB for 250 bucks instead of 80GB for the iPod classic.
Then again, I don't own a Zune so i wouldn't know quality but I would go for a nice aluminum quality iPod.
80GB is hard to fill up anyway. (for me).
@ CraigJ
While it is a good point to use bluetooth for low level tasks, such as basic connectivity/pairing of cell phone accessories, what I really meant was it's level of importance (or lack thereof) for heavy data transfer tasks, and seeing how the current shift in cell phone features focuses a lot on music, videos, pictures, chatting, internet, etc, a phone would likely need a very fast network technology in order to be able to accommodate all that. Granted, the bluetooth, when first introduced in phones as a high end feature, was infact used for transferring of pictures, ringtones, etc from phone to phone, but I feel its use has somewhat been sidetracked automatically to something it was probably not intended to be used for (pairing for earphones, etc).
As for the keyboard and mouse which use bluetooth, I don't think it will be able to get that far. One reason is that it has to heavily compete with already the different types of optical technology currently employed in this generation of mouses. The only advantage to using a bluetooth keyboard/mouse is to avoid the small receiver being stuck in a USB slot. It's negatives far outweigh its positives I believe, because not only does the current laptop it's being paired with have to have bluetooth capability (admittedly not an issue these days), but it's almost fully incompatible with older laptops that don't have built in bluetooth, in which they have to use a USB bluetooth adapter, which beats the whole purpose of using a bluetooth device. A regular wireless device will serve that purpose just fine, not to mention the cheaper costs associated with it.
For low level tasks, I agree that bluetooth currently serves the purpose well, but as more and more features start to get added on to phones (as if that race hasn't already started), then I think the sole usage of bluetooth will be channeled down to just being paired with earphones. I highly doubt bluetooth keyboard/mouse will takeoff, simply because of the already heavy competition and proven technology in that sector. Judging by how fast current trends become obsolete, I wouldn't be surprised if a light footprint wifi earphone solution was developed in which it puts bluetooth to rest altogether. I wouldn't say it's days are numbered though.
I care, and I am a Mac User.
Ill even go through the hassle of rebooting every time I want to sync it into windows.
Should I want to replace my iPod, Ill get the Zune.
re: jhoeforth:
>These kind of comments are getting old, don't you people get tired? I mean, seriously, enough already.
>
>It's happening, whether you people like it or not. It was the only PMP who gained market share (now 4%). So >bash all you can, you'll buy one eventually.
Wow. Talk about reality distortion field. Sandisk also gained marketshare in the PMP market, at 11% as of Q1 2008, up from 10% from Q1 2007.
GiF:
Wait until the 9th. (Or whenever the Apple event is.) MS always screws themselves by announcing this stuff right before the iPod (and now iPhone) refresh.
My bet is you'll be able to get a 160GB iPod for $249 or less.
hm, this is actually kinda the player i've been waiting for, and i think i'm going to go buy it. go figure!