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More on the Zune - Chris Lanier's Blog

More on the Zune

Charlie Owen says I’m going to love the Zune once I play one.  He also notes that the “ZunePad is absolutely brilliant.”  Again I haven’t play with one, but it is personally hard for me to think that the ZunePad is going to knock of the Click Wheel out.  Maybe I can get Microsoft to send me a review unit at some point.

Ian Dixon speaks for all the world that I always forget about (sorry guys, I’m working on it) and asks when they might be available in the UK (along with Extenders, Internet TV, decent TV signal support, etc).

On last thing about why I don’t see the Zune really denting iPod sales.  The iPod is 25% a great digital audio player, and 75% a product of the Apple marketing machine.  Like it or not, features are not the only thing that puts products in peoples hands.  Microsoft has the price right with this one, but can they get the marketing right?  I have major doubts, and I don’t think I really need to outline them.  Other than the Xbox, I have never seen Microsoft mass market a consumer product correctly. I have seen one good example of Zune marketing, but then again Microsoft didn’t take a clue from Apple and keep it going.  I really believe that commercials are the way to go, and I have seen it time and time again sell iPods to people who have never had any type of digital audio player before.

Published Wed, Oct 3 2007 11:33 by chrisl
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Comments

# re: More on the Zune

Please let it come to Canada!!! I would love a good portable player that would play my recorded TV, and presents as good as an iPod.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007 2:26 PM by Paduch

# re: More on the Zune

Big question - what about MCE integration?

Wednesday, October 03, 2007 3:11 PM by Ben

# re: More on the Zune

Nothing was announced, and since it requires the Zune software my guess is no go.  However, the Zune software now supports importing of DVR-MS recordings.  Something it should of done from the start.

But, nothing about 10-foot Media Center syncing like Portable Media Centers had.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007 3:25 PM by chrisl

# re: More on the Zune

Okay, for me it's a math thing.

Buy 1000 songs from iTunes...cost $1000

Rent 2,000,000 songs from ZunePass...cost$15/month

($180/year). I have to rent them for 6 years to be out of pocket the upfront to iTunes.

Instead, I spend 6 years listening to every new song released (NOT even written yet)...tens of thousands of songs...discovering new artists, rediscovering others...still at the end of 6 years, total cost is $1080.

Only a complete idiot would sit down and make up a list of 1000 songs, and say, I prefer these. The ONLY thing still missing from Zune2: Bluetooth (such a simple differentiator, how couldn't they?) and Audible book support (just buy the company already! How stupid can you be?).

The only begudging compliment I will give M$ though is that they are forcing me to upgrade to a Vista MCE...and though it upsets me (maybe I threw up a little), I will do it...for the video.

Final concern: Marketing lingo suggests that Podcasts are supported by selection (it is not a "choose your own" delivery system). It sounds like they give you the ones they want...that won't work.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007 4:34 PM by eufreka

# re: More on the Zune

I hear you on the ZunePass (details where not out when I wrote the post).

However, I'd really like a mix of the two.  I have so much music that I never listen to, but I also have a lot that I always want to have.  Give me a limited access ZunePass for around $5-6/month.  Only allow me to download an x amount of tracks, or if I want to go over change me that $15 for the months I do.  Then I don't feel like I'm overspending on "renting" music, and I can still budget myself for purchasing actually tracks.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007 4:52 PM by chrisl

# re: More on the Zune

>but it is personally hard for me to think that the ZunePad is going to knock of the Click Wheel out.

From the videos floating around showcasing how the new Zune works, I tend to think that the ZunePad may actually be better than the Apple click wheel. The one thing I didn't like about the iPod clickwheel is that although it is great navigating down a large list, it seems to me that it's hard to navigate one item at a time. The ZunePad can navigate down a long list very quckly, and it can go one item at a time by simply click on the bottom of the pad.

It seems like the best of both words!

Wednesday, October 03, 2007 6:31 PM by Jaxim

# re: More on the Zune

Woot has the Zune 1 refurbished for $99.  Kinda hard to resists for this price, especially considering it will be getting all the new software features next month:

www.woot.com/special.aspx

Act fast if you want it.

Thursday, October 04, 2007 7:37 PM by Aaron

# re: More on the Zune

Why I dont own a zune?

Well lets see. I spent weekend after weekend ripping my entire 600+ cd collection to wma lossless. Yet zune doesnt even support MS's own format.

Enough said.

Friday, October 05, 2007 5:51 AM by Ryan D

# re: More on the Zune

Ryan, the new Zune software will indeed support WMA Lossless:

gizmodo.com/.../more-zune-2-details-lossless-support-glass-screens-green-is-the-new-brown-306648.php

And this means the old Zunes will support it as well.  

Aaron

Saturday, October 06, 2007 9:58 AM by Aaron