Microsoft takes aim at the iPod

The paint wasn't even dry on the Laptop Hunter ads and Microsoft is after Apple again, this time with a 30 second TV spot [YouTube link] complaining about the costs of filling an iPod, and what an absolute bargain the Zune Pass is.

Claiming that it would cost $30,000US to fill a 120 gigabyte iPod with music, and only 15 dollars a month for a Zune pass, Microsoft wants to make a point that in these trying economic times, Microsoft products make the most sense.

Of course, a lot of the math here is fuzzy, and if you stop buying the Zune pass you lose all your music, except for the ten tracks you get to keep a month. It also doesn't address how many people, like myself, use their iPod. I have a large collection of music on CD going back to the 1980's. I want it to be portable, and to have in the car, so I rip the music in iTunes, and it costs me nothing additional to have about 500 CDs at my beck and call.

For a company as dominant as Microsoft is, they seem plenty worried about Apple. Of course, the Zune hasn't exactly been a world beating product, and who can forget the little New Year's Day present when a lot of Zunes simply expired?

I give Microsoft props for trying. It keeps the Apple fans riled up and on their toes, and certainly choice is a wonderful thing in consumer electronics.

Thanks to Maggy for tipping us to the new ad.

[H/T to Ars Technica]