Microsoft reveals 46 new Zune Originals designs -- how will you ever choose?

First it was just new colors; now, it's just more Zune Originals designs to choose from. A half year after Microsoft tapped a gaggle of Canadian artists for a few more Originals designs, the suits up in Redmond have evidently deemed it suitable to give prospective Zune buyers another handful of choices. Or, you know, forty-six new choices. The new options include "exclusive artwork of Eastern and Western astrology from Catalina Estrada and Iosefatu Sua," all of which can be selected now from the online design studio. Unfortunately, you'll probably have to burn a vacation day just to sift through 'em all, but at least you'll be having fun. Maybe.

[Via Zunerama]

[Suprizechainsaw @ Nov 9th 2008 1:25PM]

NO way?!
i'm first ?
:)
Just another reason why zune is better then ipod :)

[Tony @ Nov 9th 2008 1:45PM]

sure wish they'd do this for the ipod.

[nizzy1115 @ Nov 9th 2008 12:43PM]

Why dont you just buy a zune then?

[dandaman @ Nov 9th 2008 12:54PM]

1. It isn't mac compatible.
2. There are *far* less accessories for Zune, and Incase, who has made all of my favorite cases that I've had, doesn't make there "slider" for Zune.
3. My iPhone and iPod touch have a full app store - even if not out of the box, the iPT has much more functionality than the Zune.
4. It's all image. I mean, who has a Zune? All the cool kids are rocking out to iPod classics and touches.

Happy now?

[poematik14 @ Nov 9th 2008 12:58PM]

Usually the "cool" kids opt for brands that are unknown or in the shadows of a bigger competitor. So, Zune would be the "cool" choice.
You wouldn't know obviously, because you post comments on gadget blogs all day.

[KRIS_C_123 @ Nov 9th 2008 1:12PM]

@poematik14

the zune is not the cool choice, the cool choice is either a samsung p2 or a sony walkman tape player, yeah tape is in ;)

[deyanimay @ Nov 9th 2008 1:38PM]

What is wrong with everyone? Lets get one thing straight, the zune is not competing with the "ipod touch".

[nohone @ Nov 9th 2008 1:41PM]

@dandaman

1) Don't need it.Also I don't like the spreadsheet that is iTunes.
2) Yes there are more accessories for iPods. Because we need 40,000 different types of cases.
3) What kind of on-device store does the iPod Classic, Nano, or Shuffle have? What kind of publically available and free development tools does the iPod Classic, Nano, or Shuffle have so I can write my own software?
4) All the cool kids are driving Scions, early 90s cars that are rusted out, or mommy's station wagon or mini-van. I drive BMWs. Silly me, I should have bought a used 95 Ford Taurus, xD, or borrowed my parents Ford Freestar so I could have been just like the cool kids. After all, that Taurus is the shit when it comes to style.

[Tony @ Nov 9th 2008 1:50PM]

i tried replying to this but it didnt work. Although its not competing with the ipod touch, that is the specific reason that i didnt "just buy a zune" I love the ipod's touch screen. I just dont like that theres not as much customizability to the ipod as there is for the Zune. "free laser engraving" isnt all that great in comparison.

[KillaChaos @ Nov 9th 2008 2:32PM]

Cool kids? Please you are posting on a gadget blog. I for one am still in high school and every student and teacher has an iPod. Someone in my school gets a designed Zune, and everyone drools all over it.

Not everyone is desperate about fitting in. Enjoy jumping off bridges.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 3:48PM]

Here's my reasons for wanting an iPod Touch over a Zune.

1) Zunes don't have those headphones with the buttons that allow you to skip back and forth between songs and adjust the volume without looking at the player itself. This is the most important feature for me hands down.

2) The Zune marketplace has less music and less movies.

3) The Zune doesn't have an accelerometer, web browser or app store.

4) Microsoft pays Universal a dollar for every Zune sold.

5) I could give ten more reasons, but yoou know what, lists bore me so let me just say this. The Zune is what the iPod was three years ago. And I dispute anyone who says the Zune is not competing with the iPod. What does that even mean? If someone is buying an iPod Touch because they like it better than the Zune, then they are competing. Stop with the unnecessary spin. It's really embarassing.


Why don't you guys let Microsoft spin their failures. It's not like you're going to get paid by Microsoft or something. And you guys have to nerve to call Apple people fanboys.

[WixosTrix @ Nov 9th 2008 4:25PM]

@ Paul Chapel

Zune doesn't even have movies genius

and

I still don't get what MS paying Universal has anything to do with me, you or anybody else. How is the affecting you? For me, if true, its kind of like a security that universal content will stay in the marketplace =D. If $1 of my initial price is going to that, then i'm all for it.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 4:37PM]

@WixosTrix

Uh, dude, they DON'T have movies, doesn't that prove my point?

My point about Microsoft paying Universal for hardware sales is that Microsoft supports the RIAA. Yeah, Apple supports them to a certain extent, but at least they let you play DRM-free music and have lobbied the music companies to sell DRM-free music on iTunes. Apple has also resisted their efforts to raise the price of music above $1. And remember, Microsoft only used to support subscription based music with PlaysForSure. The only reason they let people buy their music outright now is because PlaysForSure failed so spectacularly.

Of course, I haven't trusted Microsoft on DRM issues since WGA. That's one of the reasons I hate Vista so much.

[Ruben @ Nov 9th 2008 4:46PM]

@Paul Chapel:

Here are my reasons for picking the Zune over the iPod Touch

1) 399 for 32GB vs 249 for 120GB.
2) Sound quality that rivals the Cowon (if you think the Touch sounds good, first clear your ear wax before testing. My UE EB's tell me the Touch sounds like shit).
3) I can change songs with it in my pocket.
4) I can synchronize it with my PC wirelessly before leaving the house while im waiting for my car to warm up.
5) A much better way of navigating my music and videos, along with awesome tagging support for all my TV DVD - Video file converts.
6) Shows that i record on media center automatically show up on my Zune, without me doing a thing, except specifying i want that show on my Zune.
7) The Zune software sits there and watches folders for me, instead of having to manually add tracks whenever i get new ones (for downloaded stuff of course). Videos get populated automatically as i convert them from DVD to WMV/M4V.
....

To be honest, i could have stopped at 1.

[Brian @ Nov 9th 2008 4:52PM]

@dandaman

Yes, because we all know that the classic has THE BEST audio quality out there, don't we?

The only thing that matters to me for a player is it's price. I only bought a classic because some idiot was selling it for $50 on ebay, when all he had to do was format it. If there was a zune on ebay for that little, I'd totally buy it.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 4:59PM]

@Ruben

Well, Dude, that's great and all and I'm glad you like the Zune, but the iPod works better for what I want to do.

As a PC user I've always liked PCs better because I could get more apps, games and hardware than I could for a Mac. Well, I like the iPod for the exact same reason. If you don't want headphones with volume/play buttons (and a mic) that's fine. If you don't want movies on your MP3 player, that's fine. If you don't want a web browser, that's fine. I like having all those things though.

To each his own.

[danny @ Nov 9th 2008 5:32PM]

@ Paul Chapel:

>have lobbied the music companies to sell DRM-free music on iTunes.

This is nonsense. Apple released their anti DRM statement after multiple record execs had already said that they would be going in that direction. The "supports the RIAA to some extent" is ludicrous. The totally support them. They have proffered more DRM infected music than any source on the planet and they continue to do so. Several online services are now all DRM free. Apple is not. If they told record companies that they would be off itunes without doing so they would get their way. They have far more power in the marketplace than MS ever will. The Zune arrangement sucks but pretending apple is that much better is being laughably brain dead apologist.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 5:43PM]

@danny.

Dude, that's crap and you know it. Apple wanted all the music companies to go to DRM-free music, but the only company willing to do it was EMI. Doug Morris and other CEOs even came out and said that they wouldn't support DRM-free music on iTunes. And the only reason they gave Amazon DRM-free music is so that they can try to kill iTunes.

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/

And I don't know where you got the idea that Apple only went DRM-free because the industry was already going in that direction. I remember Steve Jobs making his "Thoughts on Music" in February of 2007. The music companies didn't start selling MP3s without DRM until January of 2008.

http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-amazon-confirms-sony-bmg-going-drm-free/

So, you're wrong on all counts.

[John P @ Nov 9th 2008 12:43PM]

Who needs a vacation day when you can just peruse through them at work?

[Samboini @ Nov 9th 2008 1:18PM]

Not I, said the walrus. That aside, it won't be long before we can submit our own design for these things.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 2:15PM]

I actually bought the first Zune and then like five days later, Apple came out with the iPhone and I was completely floored and a little upset that Microsoft didn't get there first. I played around with it for a couple more weeks, but ended up selling it to my brother, who got mad at me when he didn't like it. I tried to return to Best Buy, but it was too late. I finally sold it on Ebay for one-third what I paid.

I want an iPod Touch now, but I blasted my friend's iPhone so bad that I would just look like a big hypocrite.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 2:39PM]

Does anyone actually think these designs are cool? It looks like something an emo kid would buy. Just saying.


Sometimes Microsoft reminds me of a seventy year old guy who tries to be cool by dressing up like Emineim. It just doesn't work.

[The Dude @ Nov 9th 2008 2:53PM]

@Paul Chapel:

Yeah, the Zodiac series screams TOTAL EMO. For someone who claims Microsoft is out of touch, you sure as hell don't know what typifies emo culture (and therefore what an emo kid would have affinity for.)

[MioTheGreat @ Nov 9th 2008 2:56PM]

"I want an iPod Touch now"

You may think that. But between the constant lockups and device crashes, the fact that every day the UI seems to get slower and slower, and the fact that I have to let iTunes anywhere near my computer make it a pretty lousy device. I hate mine.

[John P @ Nov 9th 2008 2:58PM]

Emo kid or not, its all dollars for Microsoft in the end. So your criticism of their artist choices probably won't phase them much.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 3:14PM]

@MioTheGreat, who said: "But between the constant lockups and device crashes, the fact that every day the UI seems to get slower and slower..."

Sounds to me like every small device which tries to be a personal computer. That's no doubt why Apple was so resistant against allowing third party apps in the first place, but I really don't need a bazillion apps. I just want music good music playback and maybe watch a couple of movies from time to time.

To tell you the truth, the thing that really attracted me to the iPhone and now the iPod Touch, are those headphones with the buttons that let you to skip back and forth through songs and adjust the volume. I hate the click wheel or whatever you call it on the iPod Classic and the imitation one on the Zune. I just want to start a playlist and put the player in my pocket and not have to look at it again. Because of those headphones, I can do that.


But to each his own.

[Sam @ Nov 9th 2008 3:51PM]

@Samboini

THAT would be a great feature. I wonder how hard that would be to implement at the current cost....

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 4:28PM]

Wow, I guess when I said that I liked Apple's new headphones I crossed some imaginary fanboy line. Shame on me!

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 5:31PM]

For anyone interested in what I was talking about.

http://www.apple.com/ipod/inearheadphones/

Basically, if you don't like reaching in your pocket to hit the click wheel or the click thing on the Zune (what's it called again?) or if you even don't like a Touch Screen for whatever reason, Apple provides these headphones with the iPhone and the new iPod Touch.

My best friend let me play around with his iPhone and being the PC lover I am, of course I lied and said that it sucked, but I really wanted it after playing around with those headphones. They solved my biggest gripe about MP3 players. And don't let the fanboys ruin making an informed decision. They're stuck on the PC versus Mac drama. I'm not. I buy what works better and at the present time, Apple makes better MP3 players.

[kidcanuck @ Nov 9th 2008 5:55PM]

I thought headphones with buttons on the were really common. Almost every cellphone my brother has came with a pair of headphones with some sort of button on the cord, as did my psp (albeit in a separate piece of hardware, but only minimally). The iPhone was the last adopter or the tech in his cell phone family tree. At least that's what I thought, it could be that these new buttons that apple released are revolutionary buttons, on course to change the world of pushing buttons forever?

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 6:03PM]

@kidcanuck

I've been talking about the iPod Touch, which is not a phone, but an MP3 player. I don't know of any MP3 players with this technology, but if there are, then my mistake. And while I understand that most phones have headphones with mics on them, I haven't personally seen any that will work with your music. But I'm not an expert on cell phones by any means.

I'm starting to get the feeling that if you say anything on Engadget even slightly positive about Apple, even if you're a PC user, then there will be a line of people to either Low Rank you or say, hey, so and so company has had this feature first or something to that effect. People are really paranoid about praise for Apple.

I just like some of their stuff, folks. I'm not trying to imply anything about your manhood or anything. Relax.

[Ian @ Nov 9th 2008 6:28PM]

I'm a Mac user as well, but you just sound like a pathetic fanboy.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 6:40PM]

Liking a company's headphones makes me a fanboy? Huh?

[kidcanuck @ Nov 9th 2008 6:41PM]

@paul chapel: I am an apple user, I am just raising a point by saying that headphones with controls on them aren't exactly revolutionary.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 6:52PM]

@kidcanuck

I never said that Apple's headphones were revolutionary. I said that I preferred the iPod Touch over the Zune because the iPod had headphones with buttons (and a microphone) and the Zune didn't. But now that you bring it up, if this feature isn't revolutionary, why doesn't all MP3 players have it?

[kidcanuck @ Nov 9th 2008 7:04PM]

@paul chapel: because most companies don't necessarily intend their earbuds to be an overly remarkable feature. I think they halfway expect people (at least those wanting reasonable sound quality) to upgrade to a third-party earbud, and most third party earbuds have clickers on them.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 7:14PM]

@kidcanuck, who said: "most third party earbuds have clickers on them."


Well, that's great. Link me to some of those and maybe I'll buy one.

[kidcanuck @ Nov 9th 2008 7:41PM]

@paul chapel:

v-moda vibe duo, Skullcandy INK'D Earbuds, Griffin Tunebuds, Shure I2c-m Stereo Mobile Headset, Ultimate Ears super.fi 4vi, all off a google search for "earbuds clicker"

[kidcanuck @ Nov 9th 2008 7:55PM]

I couldn't post links for them, engadget wouldn't let me or something, sorry.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 8:11PM]

@kidcanuck

Let's see.

The V-moda Vibe duo are just heaphones, no button functionality. The Skullcandy INK'D Earbuds are in-ear headphones, but no button functionality. The Griffin Tunebuds are just in-ear headphones, no button functionality. Shure I2c-m Stereo Mobile Headset are for PHONES, but is compatible with the iPhone, but I see nothing for the Zune. I also don't see any button functionality again.

Dude, you DO understand that Apple's headphones allow you to click through your music without touching the player, right? They're not just headphones.

From Apple's web site: "The control capsule located on the cable of the right earpiece includes a microphone and three buttons. With this convenient remote, you can adjust the volume, control music or video playback — including play/pause and next/previous — and record voice memos."

I think you've been arguing about cake, when you should have been talking about pie.

[kidcanuck @ Nov 9th 2008 8:24PM]

@paul chapel:

-From the v-moda website: Microphone’s call control button quickly answers phone calls and operates music playback/fast forward features
-I suppose I should have specified when I said Griffin Tunebuds, I mean Griffin Tunebuds Mobile.
-I was wrong about the skullcandy ink'd, although they offer different models with the same functionality.
-You sort of proved my point about the shures.

All I am trying to say is that it is not new technology, or a new idea.

[Reece @ Nov 9th 2008 8:26PM]

You're talking about an inline remote?

You mean like the ones they had on minidisc players, way back when?

[kidcanuck @ Nov 9th 2008 8:29PM]

@Reece- Yeah, exactly! I couldn't think of the word, but that's what I've been trying to say this whole time. Thank you.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 8:57PM]

@kidcanuck

Well, I still don't see how these cell phone headphones make the Zune in the same league as the iPod Touch. The iPod Touch is not a phone. None of the headphones you mention work with the Zune (that I can see) and I've already conceded that cell phones have had similar features, that is, built in microphones as the headphones for the Touch. However, the functionality that I like the most on the iPod Touch, cycles your music. Until the Zune gets that functionality on their headphones, it won't be attractive to ME.

Got that? There are plenty other things I don't like about the Zune, no movies being one, but the headphone thing is the one that matters the most to me.

But this is Microsoft's pattern. They keep copying other people, thinking they can do the "good enough" scenario that they used when they designed Windows from the Mac GUI. But Apple is too smart for that now. They keep moving the target. Every once and while, Microsoft will throw on a feature like Wi-Fi, but their implementation sucks.

I would for once like to see them just knock something out the park, but the Zune is not it.

[KAIKAI @ Nov 9th 2008 9:18PM]

@paul

"There are plenty other things I don't like about the Zune, no movies being one."
WTF are you talking about all the zunes support video !!!

Every once and while, Microsoft will throw on a feature like Wi-Fi, but their implementation sucks.
and explain to me how the implementation sucks ??
it does what they intended to do with it and there you go


"I would for once like to see them just knock something out the park, but the Zune is not it"
and thats why it was the second best selling mp3 a week after it came out ???

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 9:36PM]

@KaiKai

Dude, if I was talking about video, I would have used the word "video." M-O-V-I-E-S. Like the kind you can buy in the Zune marketplace. Like you get on iTunes.

And the reason for Wi-Fi is to get ON THE INTERNET. If Microsoft wants me to care about Wi-Fi, they better put on an Internet browser.

And I thought the Zune was in fourth place, behind Apple, SanDisk and Creative?

[kidcanuck @ Nov 9th 2008 9:40PM]

@paul chapel:

Never once did I mention the zune. Not even close to once. I was arguing that the iPod headphones were a shallow reason to buy an iPod touch. I am an iPod guy, I have 6, I'm just saying there are better reasons. That's all.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 9th 2008 10:03PM]

@kidcanuck

So wait a second. You don't have a problem with the people who want Zunes because it has some ENGRAVINGS that only the back of your hand can see. You have a problem with the one guy who wants more functionality for his headphones?

[eggothewaffle @ Nov 10th 2008 1:57AM]

Hey Paul, you know what's really cool? My headphones let me skip back and forward through songs, pause them, control the volume, and the best part? There's no wires to worry about!

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/tips/Samsung-SBH500.htm

They only cost $50! And to these ears which get pampered by an EMU 1616M and MOTU 2408 every day, they sound great for daily portable music use! You should check them ou...Oh wait, there's still no A2DP on the iPhone, right?

Wow, I thought every phone in 2008 would have such a basic feature.

[Paul Chapel @ Nov 10th 2008 6:57AM]

@eggothewaffle

Uh, thanks for joining the discussion but we've been comparing the Zune and the iPod Touch, not the iPhone. But now that you bring it up, does the Zune have A2DP? Because that would be really something. And for those just tuning in, this is what makes the iPod Touch better in my opinion. Check it out.

http://www.apple.com/ipod/inearheadphones/

I hope Microsoft gets something like this for the Zune in the future.