Will it or Won't it: Kill the iPod?
Techtree News Staff, Nov 27, 2006 1214 hrs IST
It's been but a fortnight since the launch of Microsoft's Zune, but the verdict already seems far from being an "iPod killer"...
It's been but a fortnight since the launch of Microsoft's Zune, but the verdict already seems far from being an "iPod killer"...
While consumers have responded positively to the choice of colors, the Zune's bigger screen, and its scratch-resistant case, there are bits and parts that don't seem to be going down very well with a majority of the users.
For starters, in order to download the Zune software, a user's system has to meet certain requirements; namely, Win XP SP2, processor running at minimum 1.5GHz, and so on. By comparison, Apple Computer's iTunes 7 software does not have any such hardware requirements.
Also, to download the Zune software, users' need to use only Internet Explorer 7 (IE 7). The software cannot be downloaded by using Mozilla's Firefox for instance.
And, there are complaints already that the Zune software takes a good 30 minutes to download, unlike iTunes 7 that reportedly takes 5 minutes flat to download.
Further, the result of the download is a media player interface that looks a lot like a less suave version of Microsoft's Windows Media Player. What's more, its not even compatible with Windows Media Player.
Going to the Zune Marketplace, it offers around 2 million music tracks (no videos/podcasts). But in order to buy songs, consumers have to use the store currency of points, plus there's something called a minimum purchase.
In effect, a customer needs to spend at least $5 to purchase blocks of 400 points (99 cents = 79 points). And, only upon spending $80, customers stand to get one extra song free-of-charge.
There are other minor things as well about the Zune; for example, its inability to wirelessly connect to the user's PC even though its Wi-Fi capable.
Although users feel Microsoft will eventually take care of the minor things, the general feeling is that Microsoft has emulated the one bad thing about Apple's iPod and iTunes, which is the DRM restricted closed system, while ignoring the many good things in making its Zune.
USER COMMENTS
My XBOX 360 is giving me the death ring of 3 flashing lights. I am sending it back to Microsoft to get it fixed.
by Manish Jadhav, Mumbai, on Mar 11, 2008 10:42 PM, Report abuse Reply
how much price ,download games in this or not
by Aamir, Varanasi, on Dec 12, 2006 12:39 PM, Report abuse Reply
I own neither a zune or an ipod. It is my understanding that the zune will play standard mp3 files, which I have many of. It is also my understanding that the ipod will only play songs purchased from itunes. If this is correct, the zune would be the better choice for anyone who already has a library of mp3 files, or for anyone who does not want to be solely dependent on itunes for their music selection.
by Kim, Tampa, on Nov 27, 2006 11:00 PM, Report abuse Reply
I bought an ipod nano and find the whole thing a farce. There is no question that it looks good. The itune software is retarded and does not let you do much with it. I used to have a Zen Rio, and loved the versatility of the software that came with it, as well as the quality of sound. Ipod is junk that looks good, and through advertising they have convinced the gullible consumers that the ipod is a cool mp3 player to have. So now the thing has become a fashion item for existentially challenged tech retards bent on being in "the in". The earphones that come with it are junk, but here in New York they are perceived as fashion. The hell with the fact that the sound quality is garbage, and getting better earphones does not improve the quality of sound significantly as I found out after buying a pair of etymotic earphones at nearly 160 dollars.
by Shin hung, New york City, on Nov 27, 2006 11:23 PM, Report abuse
ipod can use mp3 files. The only incompatability is the two online stores. If you buy from the itunes store you need the ipo; the Zune online store can only be played by Zune. The 79 points= 99 cents is to fool you into thinking you are paying 79 cents per song. I have purchased only 3 songs at 99 cents each. All the rest are from cd s which I buy used or new. They import very easily.
by Kelly Walker, Fort Worth, on Nov 27, 2006 11:32 PM, Report abuse
Hi, You can import many types of audio files(mp3, aac, wma, from audio CD etc.) into Itunes.
by Selvs, San Jose, on Nov 27, 2006 11:55 PM, Report abuse
this is incorrect... ipod plays AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store) MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), Apple Lossless AIFF WAV will convert wma to aac or mp3
by Angel Serrano, Atlanta, on Nov 28, 2006 01:15 AM, Report abuse
Good discussion point, but let me clarify. The iPod will play songs that are in your iTunes library (for instance CDs you have imported) and import your existing mp3 files. iTunes does make it difficult (though not impossible) to buy a song from the iTunes store and then "break" the copyright protections.
by Mike Beck, Colorado Springs, on Nov 28, 2006 02:08 AM, Report abuse
The reason ipod is so successful is because of itunes. it's simply the easiest way to manage music files, and put music into your device. no other s/w comes close to it's ease of use. and ipods/itunes can play all of your mp3's. bought, owned, stolen, or otherwise. you just can't copy songs that WERE bought through itunes.
by adam, sf, on Nov 28, 2006 02:25 AM, Report abuse
by mikol, Provo, on Nov 28, 2006 02:36 AM, Report abuse
You are misinformed. Both the iPod and the Zune will play existing .mp3 formatted music files. This is not a new feature of the Zune player. Furthermore, iTunes can be configured to add new, ripped-from-CD music as .mp3 files if that is the format you prefer. The limitations on music with iPod/iTunes apply only to music downloaded from the iTunes store.
by John Bailey, Tucson, AZ, on Nov 28, 2006 02:53 AM, Report abuse
you do NOT need to purchase from itunes to use ipod
by mspacman1, minneapolis, on Nov 28, 2006 03:16 AM, Report abuse
The ipod also plays MP3's as well as songs encoded AAC and Apple lossless
by Mike Grant, Haverhill, on Nov 28, 2006 03:17 AM, Report abuse
iPod plays mp3's just fine. In fact it plays many music formats
by Ben, Portland, on Nov 28, 2006 03:25 AM, Report abuse
Kim: You've been misinformed. The iPod will play quite a few formats. From the Apple Website: Audio formats supported: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV
by Dennis, Los Alamos, on Nov 28, 2006 04:27 AM, Report abuse
you can copy songs you purchase from iTunes by burning it on a CD and importing it back to iTunes
by Todd, Reno, on Nov 28, 2006 04:39 AM, Report abuse
No Kim, you're misinformed. iPod plays mp3s just fine. But don't feel lonesome, lotsa people think the same way because they don't understand that Apple does, in fact make sound decisions about its products.
by Anonymous, lincoln, on Nov 28, 2006 09:19 AM, Report abuse
Don't be stupid. Everyone should know by now that iPods work fine with plain old MP3 files. In fact, iTunes will even rip songs from your CDs into MP3 format, with user selectable bitrates. How about doing some homework before making such asinine comments.
by freediverx, miami, on Nov 28, 2006 09:57 AM, Report abuse
C'mon Kim don't speak like an insane....I too have an iPod and have 1600 songs downloaded into it all from different free mp3 sites suchas cooltoad and didn't even spend a pie to buy even one song from itunes...so remove your notion that iPod can have songs only from itunes...
by Prashantha, Chennai, on Nov 28, 2006 10:09 AM, Report abuse
I play mp3s all the time on my iPod, no big deal!
by Scott Lanphere, London, on Nov 28, 2006 11:14 AM, Report abuse
since you own neither a ipod or zune u should'nt be posting your review here ,no amount of online research can provide you a better picture then a person who has actually used it .kindly refrain from doing timepass on forums
by rahul, mumbai, on Nov 28, 2006 03:58 PM, Report abuse
I have an iPod and listen to thousands of songs. I have never purchased anything from the iTunes Store. The iTunes software finds all the mp3 I have on my system, whether I have them from ripped CD's from self produced music or from trades.
by realNot madeUp, chicago, on Dec 05, 2006 01:25 AM, Report abuse
The math with buying the points and 79 points=99 cents, then having $80.00 net one free song in incorrect. You're getting exactly what you pay for. Except the 81st song you get for 80 cents instead of 99.
by Josh Fields, Japan, on Nov 27, 2006 12:52 PM, Report abuse Reply
wht ever its a big flop in usa
by xsjxb, HJVBK, on Dec 03, 2006 07:04 AM, Report abuse
Does the author of this article work for Mr. Jobs? This is probably the most biased report I have ever read. Problem is people see right through it and only the author is discredited, not the subject matter. Combined with XBox, this is a very sane choice of mobile music players. As far as Apple's own heavily DRM restricted iPod store, they best take care to find factual data on sales and downloads at XBL. Does the author care to find and publish this? Or are they guessing? BTW, 1.5Ghz machines came out almost a decade ago. Nothing new runs well on these. Be honest in your reporting.
by Anonymous, Exeter, NH, on Nov 27, 2006 05:28 PM, Report abuse Reply
Why are you defending Microsoft when they produce such ugly broken frankenstein software. The iPod is dominent because the ethics of Apple are to produce the software and the hardware with stability, ease of use and stunningly good design. Microsoft's ethics are greed over anything else. People with taste will see right through the Zune. It's Microsoft producing a product because it doesn't want to loose out. Which is the opposite of why Apple produced the iPod. They made the iPod so that people could have the best possible experience of browsing, listening, buying and then listening to their music. Apple create the best music players, computers, software in the world. You only have to talk to people open minded enough to use Apple products to understand that.
by Joe, UK, on Nov 27, 2006 06:42 PM, Report abuse
I agree with MG on the comment. Why do people like to bash Microsoft every opportunity they get? Microsoft has done a great job with asp.net on the web technology, and similar with XBox 360 on the gaming side. Manish Jadhav
by Manish Jadhav, Pittsburgh, on Nov 27, 2006 09:08 PM, Report abuse
Just because a company produces some quality products, it does not mean that ALL of that company's products are of high quality. To think so is pure ignorance and falls into the category of being a blind fanboy (either Mac of MS). The Zune is being reviewed based on its merits and that alone. Had the Zune been a high quality music player, the reviews would have reflected that. But the truth is the Zune is a total flop. And the reviews are reflecting that fact. Perhaps in the future things will change. But for now, the so-called "iPod Killer" Zune came out of the starting gates DOA.
by Vicki, Sugar Land, on Nov 27, 2006 10:12 PM, Report abuse
I don't understand why people have to wrap themselves in the Microsoft flag or the Apple flag. I personally work with Apple, Linux, Sun and Windows products and use the applications that we find work best. I certainly don't buy a Microsoft product just because it carries the Microsoft brand. I went to Best Buy and personally looked at the Zune, held it in my hand and played with it. I like the screen, but I would not buy this product, it simply is inferior to the iPod in quality and selection, not to mention that iTunes is far superior. The only reason for buying a Zune is to show dissatisfaction towards the iPod or Apple, not because it is a better product. It certainly isn't.
by Alex Show, Boulder, on Nov 27, 2006 10:22 PM, Report abuse
Most likely. The article has the ring of indirect advertisement.
by Shin hung, New york City, on Nov 27, 2006 11:13 PM, Report abuse
"BTW, 1.5Ghz machines came out almost a decade ago. Nothing new runs well on these. Be honest in your reporting." Three words. What. The. F**k?! Buddy, 10 years ago, the P3 was still a long way off. And by P3 I mean the 800 mhz model. 1.5 ghz is relatively new, it hasn't even been a proper half decade since it came out. Plenty of new software runs on such machines; I should know, I have one. "Be honest in your reporting"? Be educated in yours.
by Akhil, Mysore, on Nov 30, 2006 01:19 AM, Report abuse
The one thing that Apple has going for it is a marketing department that has its finger directly on the pulse of pop culture. This is what gives the ipod its power. It's cool. The zune was not given enough fanfare before its release to even have a chance at competing. Saying that Apple produces the ipod for the sole purpose of enriching peoples lives is ignorant. They are in it for the money just like everyone else. Myself included.
by Eric, Ft Collins, on Nov 27, 2006 10:33 PM, Report abuse Reply
Eric's comment is the truest of all comments here. Steve Jobs has only one job at Apple, and it is to increase the value of Apple stock. The *LAW* dictates that that is his responsibility. To claim that Apple has better "ethics" than MS or that Apple's "mission" is to help consumers is so ridiculous it's pathetic. Apple's motive is to make money, it just happens to do so in a way that taps cleverness and creativity in a different way than MS. -- My additional comment is that even if MS eventually takes only 20% of the market from iPod, it would be a huge chunk of money and a great victory for MS.
by Scott, Los Angeles, on Nov 28, 2006 03:27 AM, Report abuse
it is the "LAW?" <--- hahahahahahahahahahaha. Which "LAW" is it, pray tell?
by Dan, Phoenix, on Nov 29, 2006 12:34 AM, Report abuse
"Apple Computer's iTunes 7 software does not have any such hardware requirements." 5 seconds of research disproves this statement (500Mhz, 256MB, OSX...). Most of the articles quibbles have to do with initial setup issues, with no comparison of interfaces, access times, sound quality and other day to day issues. Clearly a fluff piece, by fan boys, for fan boys. All companies are capable of making both good and bad products. Funny that MP3 players are relatively simple devices, yet the trite differences between brands generate an disproportionate amount of bickering and rooting for one's "home team." Remember, people (including myself) support the products they buy because otherwise they would have to admit they made a bad choice. BTW, was it Microsoft who labeled this the "ipod killer," or was it the ipod fans? Seriously, I'd like to know...
by davel, Indy, on Nov 28, 2006 03:45 AM, Report abuse Reply
iTunes does not require OSX...it also runs on Windows...hence Apples massive share in digital music (some folk even run it on Linux using WINE) I personally have always used Creative's players as they have the feature I want...buy the player with the features you want people...stop being fanboys.
by Tes, London, on Nov 28, 2006 03:33 PM, Report abuse
Why buy Bloated Overpriced Junk like IPOD or ZUNE ? Its better to buy a Creative, Transcend, iRiver or Sandisk player. Cheaper in price & Richer in features.
by Mark, Thrishur, on Nov 28, 2006 11:57 AM, Report abuse Reply
its very hard to rewrite cultural phenomena. the ipod is the de facto standard digital music player. this is courtesy of steve jobs reality distortion ray. if only microsoft had one... I like the ipod and have already owned three. i gave the first one away to my best friend who did not have the money to buy one. then i broke two shuffles in fits of rage. (i ran the second one over with my car). I can't wait to buy another one, but I want to see the next line of models. the iPod represents technology that people desire to have. it is fair with purchasing music (it uses the best drm i have seen thus far, not to say there hasn't been better). it is also pretty. I have been anxious to see the zune, but it failed to please me. It was just what I expected from microsoft. a crazy-cat-lady version of the ipod. this is because microsoft is a crazy-cat-lady. crazy-cat-ladies are mean and uncompromising . they will just keep getting more cats until there are too many to take care of. then a lot of the cats will die. like the zune. i would also like to mention that i am an apple jonestowner...
by Kurt, Indianapolis, on Nov 28, 2006 09:53 AM, Report abuse Reply
It's big and brown and comes from Microsoft. What else needs to be said really? OOH It has superfast DX10 enabled toothbrush cleaner!? Awesome, that will come in handy when I'm squirting my stuff to the ladies at the coffee shop!
by Anonymous, lincoln, on Nov 28, 2006 09:30 AM, Report abuse Reply
the only portable music player i would ever use is a Sony's MiniDisc player...inspite of the fact that it is bigger in size and u need to carry some minidisc's with you...but those who 'really' care about sound quality wudnt mind doing that..the sound quality of Ipod SUX..and has no comparison to my sony md player...nor hv i found any other flash memory players whose quaility is better... Ipod otherwise is the last portable music player i wud buy LAST and i wudnt buy the Zune either... Sony rules :D
by emptiness, delhi, on Nov 28, 2006 09:27 AM, Report abuse Reply
Zune an iPod killer?!? Whoever wrote this story's headline has a seriously surrealistic sense of humor!
by John Daishin Bu, Los Angeles, CA, on Nov 28, 2006 09:16 AM, Report abuse Reply
smurf is right. Come up with your own ideas.
by etown, paradise city, on Nov 28, 2006 07:13 AM, Report abuse Reply
The worst thing about this article besides it being biased is that it's a summarized version of an article by Stan Beer from ITWire. There is no original thought whatsoever in this article, just plagiarism...and biased plagiarism at that.
by Smurf, Milwaukee, on Nov 28, 2006 05:48 AM, Report abuse Reply
I'm not a fan of the Ipod, apple is evil for letting the Ipod's battery die shortly before the warranty period (1 year). The Zune is even worse. It's like crap plus crap -- Microsoft is hopeless.
by Jack, Boston, on Nov 28, 2006 05:37 AM, Report abuse Reply
Zune doesn't run on a Mac. It can't even dream of "killing" the iPod until they release a Mac version. How can you compare features? it only runs on one platform. That was the genius of Apple. No other "Apple" applications run on Windows... iMovie... iDVD... Appleworks... Safari... But when iTunes came out for Windows I knew right then they were going to lock up that market. I don't have an iPod. I may purchase that... tiny one ($79?) at some point. I do however use iTunes as a PRODUCTION tool. I use it a lot to convert sound files from one format to another. I use it create CDs from play lists. I used iTunes to create a CD from 50 year old tapes of my family singing. Zune can't really compete fairly until they offer that product to BOTH platforms (sorry linux people.. I don't include you in this yet).
by Vern, Wilmington, on Nov 28, 2006 04:36 AM, Report abuse Reply
The Mac market isn't big enough to make much of a difference. I'm not saying the Zune is gonna beat the iPod, I'm just saying that's not really a reason why it will fail, if it does.
by Smurf, Milwaukee, on Nov 28, 2006 05:29 AM, Report abuse
who really cares buy what ever you want by relying on yourself to do the research.
by BoratMolitav, Newton, on Nov 28, 2006 04:30 AM, Report abuse Reply
Surely, requiring Zune users to use IE is bound to drive la creme of the crop away, but the honest truth is that ipods are nothing to brag home about. In fact the whole Apple phenomenum is synonimous with technological retardation. To verify this check the type of computers technology students are using versus the types being used in the average liberal arts college, a bastion of tech retards. Macs figure lightly at high in high tech circles, while in the liberal arts institutions macs are the last word.
by Shin hung, New york City, on Nov 27, 2006 11:03 PM, Report abuse Reply
You should try using a spell checker before bragging about "tech retards".
by Frank, Elmira, on Nov 28, 2006 04:26 AM, Report abuse
While I absolutely love the simplicity of iPod's interface, I have 2 main gripes: 1) h8 the fact you can't just drag and drop songs onto the player via standard windows file browser, and 2) I'm not overly fond of Apple's lets-make-it-look-like-an-alien-dildo design philosophy. That said, I'll never own a Zune - seems worse then iPod in every way imagineable. Sansa has my vote, for now at least. Creative's Zen player is a nice option also.
by thadrock, austin, on Nov 28, 2006 03:50 AM, Report abuse Reply
How can itunes be easier to use than Creative Labs products and software. All you do is click and drag. I have a 30GB Zen that was cheaper with more storage than anything Apple or Microsoft could offer. I've been using Creative products for three years now and will have a hard time switching brands until either the other guys lower their prices, make their software easier to use, or offer more storage for the same price. Creative Labs is the way to go.
by Freddy Pickle, Pittsburgh, on Nov 28, 2006 03:14 AM, Report abuse Reply
All things considered these are minor complaints, it's a about time someone challenges Apple. Being an owner of both I really enjoy my Zune and I've nothing but luck with it. Streaming music through my 360 is awesome. As you stated given time Microsoft will address all the minor issues that come with an ne launch.
by F. Owsley, OH, on Nov 28, 2006 02:56 AM, Report abuse Reply
The FM radio and wireless Zune to Zune feature wasn't even mentioned in this article. This article is very biased and the reporter should understand that many readers will go to other news sites in future to get unbiased information.
by Cleopatra, London, on Nov 27, 2006 08:09 PM, Report abuse Reply
The psychology behind your post wasnt even mentioned in your comment. Your comment is very biased and the writer should understand that many readers will ignore this commenter and read other comments in future to get less unbiased information.
by Skythra, Brisbane, Australia, on Nov 27, 2006 10:59 PM, Report abuse
BTW; if you are unsure of why i replied to your post sarcasticly, its because you missed the point of the article, its point was not "WHAT ZUNE CAN DO" it was the comparison between zune and ipod. If you wanted the featurelist of zune, go check an article that is based around the features of zune. If you want to know what an ipod can do, go check out an article about the ipod featurelist. If you want a summary of the differences that have been noted between them (notice, summary) id suggest reading this article. Im sorry if this article didnt go into depth for page after page comparing every dimension, every feature, every software difference. Personally i find this article a good summary of the public opinions that have been floating around the release of zune. Im pretty sure thats what this article is about.
by Skythra, Brisbane, Australia, on Nov 27, 2006 11:07 PM, Report abuse
Hey you got it. The whole mac phenomenum is driven by biased media coverage. Its like your old: "Israelis are responding to palestinian violence". Versus, "Palestinians are fighting to prevent the theft of their land by neocolonialists seeking greener pasteurs". The first quote is the one presented by the media and it is false. The second quote is the truth, but it is systematically suppressed by the media.
by Shin hung, New york City, on Nov 27, 2006 11:10 PM, Report abuse
Way to completely contradict yourself skythra. You said this article isnt about what the zune can do but "it was the comparison between zune and ipod". Then shouldnt the comparison take into account all the aspects of each player and what benefits and drawbacks they have?
by Matt, Chicago, on Nov 28, 2006 02:42 AM, Report abuse
Skythra....are you stupid? This article is very biased to favor the ipod...the title of the article states will it or wont it kill the ipod, correct? Then the article should state the good and the bad of the new zune. All the article does is talk about the negatives. And um by the way, if the author really meant to compare the zune to the ipod, then he/she would have brought up the positives AND the negatives of the zune AND the ipod....The author talks about how DRM is a great feature and the zune should have it...um hello? who created DRM? And DRM has to be one of the most annoying types of music protection there is, which is the reason why microsoft decided to remove it from zune.
by Anonymous, Washington D.C, on Nov 28, 2006 02:48 AM, Report abuse
whoops...i see matt had already said the same thing i did...but that shows that not only one person has the same view on your comment...multiple people do
by Anonymous, Washington D.C, on Nov 28, 2006 02:52 AM, Report abuse
Microsoft is wasting their time and money (althought it seems they have alot to waste). They will NEVER ever, be a threat to the Ipod...EVER
by Jon Ciangiulli, ROCKVILLE CENTRE, on Nov 27, 2006 03:38 PM, Report abuse Reply
now that's open-minded... NOT...
by brian, lincoln, on Nov 28, 2006 02:49 AM, Report abuse
The Zune software, surprisingly, is only 5MB roughly. Which is actually smaller than iTunes. It took me 6 seconds to download the Zune Software. I'm just pointing that out. I like the iPod better than the Zune now, but maybe in the 2nd generation of Zune will improve, and change my opinion.
by PM3D, North Bay, on Nov 28, 2006 02:41 AM, Report abuse Reply
I have a 30 GIG and an Nano....LOVE them, GO iPod...............Face it, if it tries to kill iPod, they will make something better :)
by Chris, Philadelphia, on Nov 28, 2006 02:02 AM, Report abuse Reply
ok....so if both units will play regular mp3 files, why buy either one when there are numerous cheaper, smaller, and lighter mp3 players on the market?
by Kim, Tampa, on Nov 28, 2006 02:00 AM, Report abuse Reply
Maybe I'm missing something, but I was able to download the Zune software from zune.net just fine using Firefox. Zune's site does check to see if you have the minimum required system, which it can't do if you are running Firefox, but it will still give you the option to download it, anyway.
by Mark Z, St. Louis, on Nov 28, 2006 01:59 AM, Report abuse Reply
To date, I have probably read dozens of reviews of the Zune, all of which say basically the same thing: the Zune is OK, but the iPod is better. Some go so far as to actually say that the Zune is bad/a flop/a piece of junk, etc. The comments to these reviews are also all remarkably similar, with many people calling the reviews biased/ignorant/uninformed, etc-a claim which I will accept for the moment. My challenge to you (everyone who says this) is to show me an article that you WOULD consider to be unbiased, or even one biased in favor of the Zune so I can get both sides of the story. To date, the best review I have seen called the Zune "Promising", while admitting that they had several major issues with the initial setup. If there are any positive reviews out there, I would very much like to see them.
by I.B., Fairbanks, on Nov 28, 2006 01:23 AM, Report abuse Reply
Yeah - the iPod is just too easy to use, and was designed as a solution to a consumer "problem." The fact is, everyone after the iPod is competing, rather than innovating - which is what the iPod did. In fact, that's the difference between Apple and Microsoft. MS stopped innovating for consumer audiences a long time ago - that is, they stopped creating products that allowed the consumer to make their lives easier. This is why Mac is "winning" right now - the consumer digital revolution is upon us, and Mac products by far have innovated solutions for our digital media needs more than anyone. Now, if microsoft stepped behind the scenes and started investing in smaller tech companites and making them hot (the Google appraoch), they would be far better off. Let game companies and consumer media companies be what they are. MS is a software company - and they should stick to that.
by Anonymous, Cleveland, OH, on Nov 27, 2006 11:00 PM, Report abuse Reply
More like the ipod is a gadget for tech-retards who have no concept of sound quality, versatility, or value. To buy a charger for my nano, i had to dish out something like 29 us dollars. That was sicker than sick, given that the gadget costs less than one dollar to manufacture. Indeed, more and more it feels that we are living in a world taylor made for dummies. Funny, when I visit a book store here in New York City I cant stop noticing the vast number of books with titles like "living for dummies", "eating for dummies", "thinking for dummies". It seems that the whole world has become a paradise for dummies.
by Shin hung, New york City, on Nov 27, 2006 11:34 PM, Report abuse
The whole points bashing is a big load of crap i mean if your are under 18 or if you dont have a credit card all you have to do is just go buy a points card from best buy you know the same ones you buy to use on the market place yes thats right there used for both i had my xbox and my points when i found out about how you could use your points to buy music i went out to get my zune it is a great pice of tech with a 44% larger video play back i have hours of video i can watch and i can see there faces i never put my zune down and as for the requirements if you have a genuine of windows then updates are no problem.
by Villian247, McAllen,TX, on Nov 27, 2006 10:32 PM, Report abuse Reply
I use a linux box for most of my work. I use firefox 2.0 as my browser. You arent buying a 'zune' you are buying into the microsoft idea. The idea that its an exclusive product that will make microsoft products more popular because you are restricting yourself by moving away from them. Its a marketing strategy that will probably work because of the vastness of microsoft, its based around giving its real users more reasons (if by exculusion) to stay microsoft, while also making it harder for alternative products to retain the same level benefit. Its a shame, because in other countries (much like the country i live in), this would be considered anti-competitive behavior. But its not, and you wonder why its not... Captalism is based on the idea of 'free entry'. But you cant enter freely into a market like that, the upfront cost is now becoming impossible for any alternatives. This is bad for consumers, because alternatives inspire innovation, and lower prices.
by Skythra, Brisbane, Australia, on Nov 27, 2006 10:54 PM, Report abuse
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO USE A PERIOD???????
by GERMEN, POUGHKEEPSIE, on Nov 27, 2006 10:55 PM, Report abuse
What you seem to lack is a keyboard with a comma (,) or at least some knowledge on how to write. It was painful to understand your point...
by Hector, Caracas, on Nov 27, 2006 11:12 PM, Report abuse
by Young king to J, ottawa, on Nov 27, 2006 10:57 PM, Report abuse Reply
The zune software is half hearted at best. I like my zune but I would love it if they updated the software. At the moment its easy to use but managing mp3s with it is rather tiresome and time intensive.
by sanger, sanger, on Nov 27, 2006 10:25 PM, Report abuse Reply
The whole ZUNE thing turned out to be very dissapointing. It's awful to feel that a company wants to force you so much in so many ways.
by Johann, Bogota, on Nov 27, 2006 06:16 PM, Report abuse Reply
I cannot wait until I get a Zune, I have bought 6 ipods for my children and myself, I have bought so many because the ipods usually last a year or less. And as it turns out it costs as much to get a replacement as it does to get a new one.
by James, Kingsport, on Nov 27, 2006 09:24 PM, Report abuse
I ran into this site in googles news section, and im sure many others found onto this article the same way and might i say, this is Biased with an "i" ... for ipod!! ... redicoulous, stop bashing MS, like some other comments have already said, they are doing a great job, and someone credicted them as being "greedy" ... and ipod isn't? because they surely just hand these things out for free? is that it? jeez
by No Name given, gagagugu land, on Nov 27, 2006 09:21 PM, Report abuse Reply
by vijay, chennai, on Nov 27, 2006 09:21 PM, Report abuse Reply
in the marketplace one needs to generate new ideas to become dominant--anyone just looking at the Zune notices how the geometry and function of the device are just a copy of iPOD. The Zune sounds a little like Mock-Dartins to me. Besides--if the reports in this article are true--I mean who would want this thing? Just another piece of proprietary trash from Redmond. No thanks--I'll save my $299 for the next new thing--not the next second rate knock-off:
by Anonymous, fall river, on Nov 27, 2006 09:15 PM, Report abuse Reply
by KINGSLEY PHILLI, ACCRA, on Nov 27, 2006 09:03 PM, Report abuse Reply
The "free-of-charge" song this article mentions is by no means "free" -- customers pay for it with their regular currency, i.e. points. There is nothing "free" about having to spend $80 in order to collect enough extra "rollover" points to be able to actually buy something with them.
by Zoran Rilak, Bloomington, on Nov 27, 2006 04:16 PM, Report abuse Reply
The whole thing was designed by the record industry and not for music users. If anything, the Zune will be dead in 2 years and MS users will have another incompatible WMA format dead and on their hands but what does MS care - they have your money. MS is done. They are 20th century technology like Xerox in the 80's - 10 years too late and too lazy and dumb now.
by relkin, singapore, on Nov 27, 2006 03:01 PM, Report abuse Reply
by Dr. Vandana Mha, Mumbai, on Nov 27, 2006 02:16 PM, Report abuse Reply
by jake, chicago, on Nov 27, 2006 01:04 PM, Report abuse Reply
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