Zune Not So Social When Record Labels Get Involved
from the welcome-to-the-what? dept
Microsoft’s Zune, supposedly their iPod killer has had plenty of problems. Beyond ignoring Microsoft’s own (ironically named) “Plays for Sure” DRM and making the WiFi on the device effectively useless, Microsoft keeps focusing on playing up the “sharing” aspect of the device. Of course, they leave out just how limited the sharing is. You can share some songs with some people, but only in a very limited way. In fact, plenty of people today are discussing the fact that a very large percentage of songs that Microsoft offers in its own download store cannot be shared at all, as apparently Microsoft allowed the labels to block sharing on certain songs. This is ridiculous for a variety of reasons. First of all, the sharing isn’t at all like typical file sharing, but is already so locked down as to be somewhat useless. It really is only good as a promotion the way Microsoft set it up (which might also explain why it doesn’t get much usage). To then go and let the labels agree to block sharing on many, many songs just seems wrong. It’s not clear why Microsoft has been so willing to roll over and play stupid to the recording industry’s demands. It’s also still not at all clear why Microsoft agreed to pay a dollar for every device sold to Univeral music, especially since Universal seems to be one of the labels that actively is stopping its songs from being shared via the Zune. It makes no sense from Universal Music’s point of view. They actually get money from Zune sales. Shouldn’t they be encouraging the features that might differentiate the Zune? Instead, they decide to make the device even more of a laughingstock.
Comments on “Zune Not So Social When Record Labels Get Involved”
I own and use a Zune so I may be biased. The wireless has been overhyped on both sides of the fence I think. The few people I’ve met don’t turn it on and neither do I. Why. Who cares about sharing music. If someone likes a song they can get it just as easily as I can thought the Zune interface.
Now in theory I can send my photos to a friend. That is cool.
The zune is a music and video device plain and simple. It does everything I want it to. It plays music, I can play video (usually tv I’ve recorded on the computer) and it works well for showing off pictures I’ve taken. The actual zune store has music and is easy to use. The device itself works well and I personally think it looks and feels beter than an Ipod.
Maybe the wireless is crippled for what consumers want. Maybe its not. I don’t know and I don’t really care because its not a function I care about.
Re: maybe it is, maybe it's not
Have you considered that the wireless function sucks, and maybe that’s why you don’t use it (I don’t know, I don’t have a Zune). My reference is that I have Internet on my phone, and I don’t use it either. Why, because it sucks. I would use it though, if it was implemented like on the iPhone (as presented).
The important thing is of course that you’re happy with your player. But it’s a sad state that these companies who charge quite a bit of money from us, announce functions that don’t work. It’s be better if what they sold did.
Sorry to mention the elephant in the room, but…the Archos 604 WIFI. It lets you do everything you’d expect with a wifi enabled device, yet I don’t think they pay any money to the labels, nor is there any of the limited sharing rubbish. You can get on the net with opera, you can send and receive files (music, pics, video, anything really) to and from your mac/pc or whatever, and it all just works.
As you quite rightly say, the dollar to universal doesn’t seem to make any sense – why cripple the Zune, then cripple it a bit more while paying people money (in theory) in order to allow them to not cripple it – if that makes sense. Very weird. Incidentally, I’m not in any way associated with archos, I just own one and they’re very cool. 🙂
Re: Elephant in the Room
Perhaps you do not understand what that phrase means. Clearly the ONLY elephant in the room is the iPod. Unless you are telling me that Archos has obtained a 75% market share overnight.
Microsoft has the money to tell the corporate mafia’s to go screw themselves, but yet, they try to lower themselves to the standards of groups they have nothing to fear from. They should be getting rid of DRM on their products and making them more user friendly, but they will have to learn the hard way. DRM is the death of any product.
I do not permit DRM in my household. And now I have to hear it in this forum, too??
Another Shameless plug
Sorry to mention the elephant in the room, but…the Archos 604 WIFI
No the elephant in the room is the Cowon iAudio A2 which has a 10 hour video playback capability plays any audio or video format you throw at it. Even records into MP4 with optional TV Reception module this device can really do it all. Check it out here
http://www.cowonamerica.com/products/cowon/a2/
If I had the money I would join my other friends and purchase one of the bad boys.
I love my Zune…………. I like it more than my iPod. However I’m still getting used to the softawre that comes with it. I may have actually starte beliveing tha a devine being existed if the Zune syched up with the iTunes software.
All you can eat music at last!
If MS is pre-paying Universal for its music then it seems that this must license Zune owners to freely download and share all the Universal music that they can take. Why else would MS pay them?
It’s about time, thanks MS and Universal !!! 😉
Zune
I’ve taken an iPod and a Zune and hacked them both into a totally new unit, ZuPod. It works great and does everything I want it to do. The best part is now Universal music pays ME a $1 for ever song I download.
Zune is good?
Sorry, I got a Zune for Xmas and it is in no way better than my brother’s iPod. It takes more button-strokes for the same functions.
Maybe for the novice user that is very used to the MS interface, but for a flexible power-user, no.
Arguing over whether a 2.5″ or 3″ screen is better seems silly to me, they’re both too small.
Get an axim and a large memory card… AND GET OVER IT, the handheld computer beats the s**t out of any mp3 players, and is the same size!
Zune is good?
Maybe for the novice user that is very used to the MS interface, but for a flexible power-user, no.
power user?!?! o.O it’s a media player you half-wit…
slanted journalism
“apparently Microsoft allowed the labels to block sharing on certain songs”
They “allowed“? that suggests that MS had a choice in the matter. For all the site-promoting linking you do, trying looking beyond techdirt for change and see what MS is “allowing” to happen, here. and for those who don’t care to read beyond the painful bias of TechDirt (god forbid we move beyond 1990’s-era MS bashing), the most notable quote from the article is what MS has to say to the recording industry:
“we can do this to you, or we can do this with you. We want to do it with you”
Lame!
So, does this only afflict songs purchased from the Zune store, or does it also infect the same songs that you’ve ripped from CD?
iTMS wasn’t the first online music service, but it was the first to set up a DRM system that accommodated the way people used their digital music (multiple computers and devices). It’s amazing that Microsoft tries to innovate with “The Social,” and then so happily hamstrings it.
The good & the bad
I have a Zune and I like it very much. However, the issue really isn’t about the hardware. Besides the virtually useless Wifi support, there really isn’t that much difference between the user experience on the iPod and the Zune.
The killer aspect of the Zune is the subscription based Zune Marketplace. For about $15/month you can easily fill your Zune with music. That is a big win in my house – this has made the Zune the preferred music player (we have a shuttle and a video iPod in the house that are hardly used anymore). However, Microsoft doesn’t have their act together on DRM. There are several open issues that I’ve called Zune support for:
1) DRM music stutters randomly on the Zune. Support suggested turning on the backlight because it fixes this for some folks. Of course that?s ridiculous; I presume a firmware release is coming to fix this.
2) I’ve had to remove all DRM files, restore the DRM licensing and redownload twice at the direction of Zune support because the DRM-issues have prevented me from playing downloaded music on my PC. It’s annoying and shows that Microsoft still has a way to go to get seamless DRM working.
3) Not all music that is available for purchase on the Zune market place is downloadable using the subscription service. Some albums have no songs that are available other seem to randomly have individual songs that aren’t available.
All of this is annoy, but I guess that?s what happens when version 1.0 of a product really is a beta version.
Hey wait, did Microsoft just purposely absorb a product failure that it could afford to absorb as the first big display from a big corporation that everything about the **AA’s is fucked up? I fuckin’ doubt it, but it’d be cool if they did.
Just wait for someone to put Linux on it, suddenly everything will become useful.
Re: Re:
Like they did with the ipod, you mean?
Eh I was a little critical about the Zune when people were like it sucks and stuff but I found a better MP3/Video player…the Sansa. Its about as small as the Nano yet it has a bigger screen, can play videos, has radio, can record things AND its not boggled down to software to put music, just drag and drop…except for videos which you have to encode using their program. But I got my 2 gb e250 for 110 and it even has MicroSD expansion slot up to 2 gb.
Remember…Ipods suck…end of story
Re: Re:
dude; get a life, apple and google and microsoft are gonna kill microsoft…
The Zune is an irrelavent piece of crap. Look at the sales numbers. Microsoft has resorted to paying kids (zune ambassadors) to hype it up to their friends. Get all you zune discussions in now because by 2008 they will be gone
Zunes are for tards
The zune subscription is an utter joke. You would have to be some kind of idiot to pay 180 bucks a year to download music you will never own and that will disappear when you stop coughing up. The box it self is a clunky, buggy piece of junk and man, those brown ones are showing just what kinds of total tools are out there. I mean M$ makes shit and even colors it like shit and fanboys eat it right up.
There was really nothing sadder than the face of my 14 year old nephew last christmas day when, after asking for an ipod for almost six months, my brother bought him a zune because some MSCE corporate chump at his work told him it was better. It was really depressing especially when his friends came over later that day.
Obligatory...
“…In Communist Russia, Microsoft Zune owns YOU.”
“All your Zune are belong to us.”
“I, for one, welcome our new Zune overlords”
“Can you imagine a Beowulf cluster of those?”
1. Buy a Zune
2. Buy DRM “enhanced” media
3. …
4. Profit!
DRMing* Digital files* Analog ears
Audio out
Record
Play back
Record
Convert
“save as”
Drag and drop
Done!
IF you really want to play with DRM
HAHAHA good grief Charlie Brown
One or two of these steps could be eliminated if your really savvy
Game on Play ON
my psp does all that..
Plus it plays umd movies, games, music, surfs the web, plays downloaded movies, ect. ect. ect. and it came out long before the zune, Video ipod, cowon a2, and the likes… wake up people… its 200$ us new…
So now instead of buying these songs through the Zune store, people will just get the pirated versions that aren’t restricted with stupid DRM. Way to go Sony and Universal, drive those customers away. And thanks to Microsoft for going along with it.
Zune really is a laughing stock
I went to the movies the other day, and of course now they have advertisements at the beginning of the movie (as if the ticket price wasn’t already insane enough). There was a Zune commercial on there. After the commercial people were literally laughing at, I kid you not. Even the general public knows its a failure.
The Zune is a failure, the iPod is a consumer hit, and the other options are for those smart enough to think around the marketing hype and choose things that work for them w/o succumbing to modern day media bullsh*t. In short, it may not be hardware problems, but software, control, and protection.
The other day I read an excellent post about someone theorizing why the RIAA does this stuff. It is because they want control. It doesn’t seem logical, and they aren’t turning a profit. It is all about control.
Unfortunately, things aren’t going to get better. After the RIAA, after Microsoft, after Apple, after the fanboys of all types, there will always be a major failure amongst people. The failure to relinquish the need for money, power, and our undying greed. There will never be the type of society where a everybody shares and plays nicely, where everyone works and reaps the collective benefit, and there will always be a power hungry and seemingly “dumb” corporation.
The worst part of it all, is that when we think there is light at the end of this dark tunnel of the human era, it will turn out to be someone or something with a great idea that hasn’t the balls to implement it or it will be destroyed by the very people who need it the most.
Obviously, there is a problem. Most unfortunate is the fact that there isn’t a solution that will ever come to be.
all the zune haters....
just remember, that the ipod is an equally useless hunk of mass as the zune. there isn’t any difference between the two except one (the zune) has the potential to have more useful features. that’s it. as it stands, they are both media players with stores to buy drm laden media. both can use non-drm laden media as well.
ipod ≈ zune ≈ a hunk of crap that people only buy because 2/3 of humans are psychologically sheep who fall prey to publicity and don’t realize there are better solutions that exist in the market place because there isn’t a) fancy commercials b) news articles concerning said product.
all the zune lovers...
no Guy.
ipod>zune in quality, design, interface, appearance.
ipod>>zune in capacity, value.
ipod>>>zune in sales.
do the math… if you can.
@Dadshome
M$ has has been working on watermarking technology since 2001. It would be silly to think that they didn’t include it in the Zune, PlaysForSure, etc.
One would have to believe that the reason they went after FareUse4WM with such feverant passion was because it also successfully removed the watermarking. I imagine that other tools continue to exist because the watermark still lives on in the converted WAV or MP3. If so, you’d have to reson that the watermarking is embedded at play-time. I’d be careful distributing anything that came from a protected WMV/WMA format.
The next update to Winders Media Player will probably use watermarking to re-evaluate MP3 DRM playback priviledges.
Scary thought, but check this link out.
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,43389,00.html
Zounds like protection money to me
Somewhere in a dark, smoky room, I can see a Universal Music thug hinting to a Microsoft exec… “We can keep the RIAA off Microsoft’s back on this Zune thingy…”
This is actually a serious question
Is it true that the Zune is unofficially knows as the “Shitbox” or sometimes the “Shitbox 360”? I did a search and this seems like a common reference to it on the net. I was just asking because several of my students are constantly refering to the MicroSoft Shitbox and I don’t really know if they mean the Zune or the xbox video console. Thanks, Any info would be helpful and again I don’t mean this as a joke.
Watermarking
Long ago in a galaxy far, far away I recall someone telling me not to trust Windoz Media Player, as such it hasn’t any rights on my machines. I guess in fairness to the folks that purchased a Zune or iPod, you bought into the system and as such need to use the hardware or put it on a shelf, a sort of like it or lump it.
Time will tell just how successful if at all the Zune will be.
I am old enough to have purchased the very first Sony Walkman, at that time, 1979 the only competition was another Japan made product that was available. All this was about to change in a hurry. At least we have alternatives to digital music players, some not worth the cost of shipping others just to good to believe.
I guess the point I want to make is that regardless what brand of portable music player you own, the music you bought and paid for should be yours to do with as you please.
It would be interesting to see just how deep this watermarking and or DRM will go to thwart attempts of sharing, rerecording, or format conversion.
If recording companies really are embedding information of ANY type it must be made aware to the end user. I did not buy data other than what I was told was there…
What’s next? We have seen root kits, could subliminal messages or worse be next?
The music industry IS NOT really in trouble, people will always buy recorded music. the model of how music is distributed has changed… AGAIN.
It would be an interest to know just what real monetary compensation there is on all levels in that business of recording, marketing, and distributing music.
Hopefully when artists decide to be managed and or sign contracts, they will have the savvy to hire only top notch web designers and servers that will only be very eager to provide all that is needed to be successful in their rise to stardom.
Caveat emptor
Re: throw me a soapbox
RIAA used to stand for Record Industry Association of America. They used to develop standards (RIAA equilization curve) to use between member companies. Then tapes came along, and they renamed themselves to Recording Industry Association of America. The RIAA equilzation curve was lost when another company, Dolby, introduced Dolby Noise reduction A, then continued to expand their portfolio with Dolby B, S, Hx Pro, etc etc. standards lost, they started looking into other methods of revenue, thats when it all became about the rights and privelidges.
Today, there is no record, no tape, but there is cd. the future’s based around nothing physical, which poses a threat to the business model (duh). There is no equalization curve, no hiss, no noise in a digital format. No royalties to be made.
Yet… they want to be compensated for the per-transaction cost they get whenever a physical recording is created, but there is no physical recording (Mechanical Reproduction Rights)
Want to venture a guess that RIAA will change their name to Rights Industry Association of America? I mean, they are already active in creating laws across boarders, forcing drm down our throats, and jailing grannies because they dont have proper “rights” to, well, at the end of the day, listen to something.
Then, let’s sue XM, and anyone and everything that doesn’t support “our” timeshifting format of CD/Tape or LP.
If they aren’t locked into our format, we’ll sue, and sue, and sue, and sue.
To record in essence means that something physical has to be captured from an analog source, right? But, what if it never changes to analog?
It’s all about who has rights to do what these days, and how blindly our leadership in Washington marches to the “piracy” beat. This so-called piracy is is real poor excuse for changing your business model.
If spoken aloud, this post will be protected by TechDirt DRM (P).
CAPITALS as PUNCTUATION
Wow, dadshome.
You are just so much wiser and smarter than the rest of us. Sony Walkman in 1979, what are you, 60 years old now? Save us your righteous indignation, will ya pops.
Also, Zunes suck and everyone knows it.
I like the story about the 14 yearold on xmas. I bet that happened alot last year.
Re: CAPITALS as PUNCTUATION
The bigger problem is gifts for kids used to be some thing that showed you cared, not how much more you were going to spend than the Joneses did on little johnny. Little johnny is a shit since he pissed and moaned about getting a $200 zune instead of a $200 shitpod. Give em all a broken hard drive and save yourself the whinning when they break that $200 media player or sell it for some ridalin.
Re: Re: CAPITALS as PUNCTUATION
The bigger problem is gifts for kids used to be some thing that showed you cared, not how much more you were going to spend than the Joneses did on little johnny. Little johnny is a shit since he pissed and moaned about getting a $200 zune instead of a $200 shitpod. Give em all a broken hard drive and save yourself the whinning when they break that $200 media player or sell it for some ridalin.
hmm, did you read your own post? The father was going to spend the money regardless.
I think the point was that more people want ipods than zunes. If you are going to spend $200 on a kid for Christmas, you could at least give him what he wants instead of listening to your Micro$loth shill at work.
It is pretty amazing if you think about it: That a 5 year old product in this day and age would continue to outsell a brand new device from the world leader in computers.
all the zune lovers...
ipod>zune in quality, design, interface, appearance.
yea right,
quality = the same (i’ve known plenty of people with plenty of issues with their ipods, just as i’m sure there are plenty of people with plenty of issues with their zunes),
design = the same kinda of design that ALL mp3 players have now which are based off of software mp3 player guis…
interface = read above, about the same as far as functionality is concerned, of course ipod users won’t like the zune interface as they won’t like ANY other interface as they’re familiar with the one they have, and we all know how scary unfamiliar things are to the majority of you sheep … nice try… and next?
ipod>>zune in capacity, value.
for the first zune release yes, there is a bigger ipod, however the 30gig ipod is roughly the same price and microshaft is coming out with bigger zune models … nice try… and next?
ipod>>>zune in sales.
wow, the ipod’s been out since 2001 where it was the only mp3 type device with tv commercials. the zune’s been out for a little over 2 months trying to infiltrate a market overrun by the ipod… and you wonder why the ipod has better sales? moron… how about we give microsoft more than the month we gave them before we determine whether or not it’s a success or failure considering it took the ipod 3 years to “dominate the market”, huh? and next?
oh wait, that’s all? way to demonstrate nothing at all about the supposed “superiority” of your “all-things-wonderful-and-holy” ipod, jackass.
Re: all the zune lovers...
HEY RETARD DO A BIT OF READING FIRST, TRY GOOGLE, IT FREE.
ipod>zune in quality, design, interface, appearance.
yea right,
quality = the same (i’ve known plenty of people with plenty of issues with their ipods, just as i’m sure there are plenty of people with plenty of issues with their zunes),
NO, RIGHT. THE % OF ZUNES RETURNED WITH PROBLEMS IS GREATER THAN ANY MODEL OF THE IPOD.
design = the same kinda of design that ALL mp3 players have now which are based off of software mp3 player guis…
WRONG AGAIN GENIUS, THE ZUNE MAY BE A RIP-OFF OF THE IPOD, BUT THEY COULDN’T EVEN GET THAT RIGHT. IT TAKES MORE STOKES TO DO THE SAME THING. IT HAS MORE GLITCHES AND THE IMAGE LOOKS SOFTER. THE FIT AND FEEL IS ALSO INFERIOR AS MANY HAVE POINTED OUT ALL OVER THE WEB. TRY A SERACH.
interface = read above, about the same as far as functionality is concerned, of course ipod users won’t like the zune interface as they won’t like ANY other interface as they’re familiar with the one they have, and we all know how scary unfamiliar things are to the majority of you sheep … nice try… and next?
NO, READ ABOVE, FOOL.
ipod>>zune in capacity, value.
for the first zune release yes, there is a bigger ipod, however the 30gig ipod is roughly the same price and microshaft is coming out with bigger zune models … nice try… and next?
THE DAY THE ZUNE CAME OUT 60 GB IPODS HAD BEEN OUT 11 MONTHS. BIGGER MODELS YA HA HA HA HA,
MS ISN’T SURE THEY ARE GOING TO DISTRIBUTE THE REMAINDER OF THE 30 GBS ZUNES BECAUSE ONLY HALF A MILL HAVE SOLD!!! AL MAJOR RETAILERS ARE OVERSTOCKED
ipod>>>zune in sales.
wow, the ipod’s been out since 2001 where it was the only mp3 type device with tv commercials. the zune’s been out for a little over 2 months trying to infiltrate a market overrun by the ipod… and you wonder why the ipod has better sales? moron… how about we give microsoft more than the month we gave them before we determine whether or not it’s a success or failure considering it took the ipod 3 years to “dominate the market”, huh? and next?
WRONG AGAIN YOU IDIOT, THE IPOD OUTSOLD THE ZUNE BY 6 TO 1 IN THE PERIOD SINCE THE ZUNE WAS INTRODUCED INCLUDING THE WEEK OF ITS DEBUT. TRY A BIT OF READING BEFORE YOU SHOOT YOUR MOUTH OFF. “POOR MICROSOFT, IF WE ONLY GAVE THEM A FAIR CHANCE BEFORE REVIEWING THEIR PRODUCT”
oh wait, that’s all? way to demonstrate nothing at all about the supposed “superiority” of your “all-things-wonderful-and-holy” ipod, jackass.
I THINK THE POST WAS IN RESPONSE TO SOME OTHER CLOWN WHO SAID THE IPOD = ZUNE. IT NEVER WILL BE ON ANY LEVEL AS LONG AS IT IS A M$ PRODUCT. MAN, TRY A BIT OF READING, LOL, YOU ARE THE JACKASS.
Re: Re: all the zune lovers...
Congratulations, all your capslock typing has successfully convinced me to no read your comment. I hope whatever point you might have been trying to make was worth it.
Re: Re: Re: all the zune lovers...
wow, what an insightful comment. thanks for sharing your bloated, egocentric, irrelevant opinion on what you will read and not read with on the thread.
Here is an equation for you:
PhysicsGuy = dumbshit
Re: Re:
Here is an equation for you:
PhysicsGuy = dumbshit
LOL !
I hope his “physics” isn’t as bad as his math.
He obviously isn’t a “reseach” physicistGuy
peace out,
joey
Zune Ambassadors for real!
Hey, I thought it was a joke but its true! Microsoft is actually hiring kids to pimp the zune out to other kids:
http://generationzune.net/?p=130
Yes, apple my have TV commercials pushing their product but this is just plain EVIL, even for Microsoft. Are 18-22 year olds really going to fall for this? Who is this really targeting?
Re: Zune Ambassadors for real!
Hey, I thought it was a joke but its true! Microsoft is actually hiring kids to pimp the zune out to other kids:
http://generationzune.net/?p=130
Dude, this is much worse than DRM! At least DRM has an easy work around that lets you choose the level of blind compliance/piracy you are personally comfortable with.
Getting kids to actually contact other kids to push a product is more akin to what crack dealers do than even the vilest corporations. Even big tobacco, in their worst direct marketing days, weren’t handing out free cigs to kids to give to other kids. The amazing thing is that they would think this might work on today’s young people. I mean these “Zune Masters” are self-identified corporate shills. How cool could that possibly look? Would 20 year olds hang out with these losers just because they have an “exclusive zune” or the “right look and attitude”?
What else is new?
What else could we expect from copyright king Microsoft? The paranoia keeps going and going and going….
Portable music sharing
iAudio’s x5 is the winner. No WIFI, but it does have USB host mode, which allows digicams/flash drives/anything that is detected as pure USB to be plugged into it for file transfer.
No drm, no software required. just 60 gb of space that shows up automatically when plugged into any computer. Tiny video screen (I bought a music player, I dont need a screen. Seriously, watching movies on a portable…why?).
It also plays OGG and FLAC files. And records voice. And has a line in jack.
So here’s how it works, plug the host cable into the usb host port, and plug a second x5 into the cable, and you can transfer files from one to the other, anywhere.
That is freedom, and that is why the x5 is the dominator in the mp3 player market. It also tells you how many volts are in the battery every time you turn it on. It seems to be good for about 18-20 hours of music playback on one charge.
I am serious when I say it is the greatest thing ever. Their a5 might be nice, but really, i dont care about video, and the a5 battery goes pretty quick I hear.
Thanks for those that have contributed information about their mp3 player experiences. I came across this page as I research and try out mp3 players. I’ll say first off, that I have not owned an Ipod or Zune prior to a week ago. I purchased the Zune first.
It wasn’t fun. The fact that Zune doesn’t work with the flagship, Windows Media Player, right off the bat told me that this might not be the most user-friendly and well thought out product. After screwing around with it almost non-stop for a few days I concluded,
1. The Zune-PC management software doesn’t suck. It’s mediocre.
2. The Zune device can’t delete anything off of itself. Everything must be done through the Zune pc software. Trying to annoy me on purpose?
3. Only natively supported video files are wmv mp4 and h.162. Monopolistic behavior. Restricting flexibility because they can.
4. Wireless is marketed (and has potential, obviously) but has no practical functionality.
5. The Zune controls are better for the user exercising because they are tactile instead of the flat touch sensitive wheel that forces you to look at the screen to navigate even if you’ve memorized the menu levels.
I quickly got tired of transcoding video. Not why I bought the Zune. So I returned t.
Then I bought the Ipod video 30gb. Now, I didn’t know much about Ipod before buying the device. There are very obvious problems to this thing.
1. Music from iTunes can’t be played on other mp3 players once your Ipod dies and you want to go to another mp3 manufacturer. So if in 2 years you buy 250 songs at $1 each to play on our $250 Ipod you’re screwed and out of $500. Ipod+the songs.
This doesnt affect me personally as I would never buy from iTunes but that is quite a serious detraction as a product for someone that is going to buy from iTunes. Actually, it should be the end of the conversation for that kind of user.
2. The controls were much better than Zune, if you are looking at the screen and not exercising or anything else that might require you not. The wheel moves nicely, very responsive and smooth.
3. iTunes does suck. I’ve actually heard people say that it was a good interface. I think these must be people that purchase music from iTunes which is really what the software is; a kiosk into the online store. Importing music and other Ipod controls seem to be an afterthought (and honestly, keeping in mind that Apple Corp. and all corporations exist to turn profits, those functions ARE secondary to them)
4. Pretty out of the box, the Ipod scratches very easily. Seriously. Before removing it from the box, I read reviews from users complaining about easy scratches and so I was gentle. Still, after a day I noticed two microscratches. Not a big deal except it was only 1 day. What might it look like after 365 days? Shoddy and rushed manufacturing.
5. The Ipod too has video format restrictions resulting directly from the impulse of monopolistic companies. Unlike other mp3 players like Archos and Creative they offer you less choice.
It’s not that Apple or MS can’t create good product. We all know that they can. Crappy(the Zune) and mediocre (Ipod) products are the direct result of the size and market dominance of these companies and thus their knowledge that they will be able to hammer people into buying their products with advertising and constant presence in people’s lives. If Creative advertised even half of what Ipod does, I think they could garner more market share. I haven’t seen the Zune ad ramp-up yet but it’s sure to come.
The Zune isn’t a good player when one considers offerings from the competition at the same or similar price points.
And the Ipod is a mediocre player that has gained dominance because of incessant tv, internet, newspaper and magazine ads. As a mp3 player consumer just entering the market but having seen the various manufacturers ads for these players since they began running them, I feel this opinion is honest.
I haven’t taken the Ipod back yet. As I said it isn’t bad and I like the way that it looks and the cool factor, both of which, I know are the result of the Apple marketing dept. I was thinking that if I could find another program to control it, I might hang onto it so that I could look cool in public since that is the major area it excels over competitors like Archos, Creative and Cowon.
From my experience with the Zune I predict it will either come up with actual practical uses for the wifi undergo a major facelift/overhaul or it will disappear after 3 stubborn years.
Zune Death
Zunes will be gone well before 3 years. They are a complete and utter joke. There is no way this buggy piece of crap will ever contend with the ipod. Hell, its big selling point was a larger screen but now it has a smaller screen than the iphone! This thing was hobbled out of the gate and the way MS has been marketing it almost forces it into failure. I mean you try to create a product for tech savy 20-somethings and the best you come up with are those lame commercials that make people laugh and the gad-awful-say-it aint-so-make-it-stop! zune ambassador/masters.
ZUNE INTERFACE IS BETTER THAN itunes
ipods suck so anything is better than them i have a brand new one in the box and im selling it because they suck and always break. Zune interface is the shit it is so much better than itunes dont buy itunes crap and support shitty people im not saying bill gates is any better but at least he can make a product that works!
Zune rocks
IPOD SUCKS! I hate apple and what is up wuth the stupid metal back. They are fuckin idiots. Zunes are bigger and better whil ipods break and act like shit. I studied both for over 3 months before i picked the good one. by far
There is a fat retarded kid on my bus with a zune. He listens to nursery rhymes with it. That pretty much sums up the zune experience for me. I think he may have written the post above because he seems scared of thing that are shiny. Also, I’m pretty sure he would need 3 months worth of “studying” to “pick the good one”.