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Microsoft Launches the Zune
Doug-W writes to mention an Engadget post about Microsoft's launch of the Zune. From the article: "Not a lot of surprises in the specs department, but they've confirmed the basics we've known for a while, like WiFi, 30GB of HDD, built-in FM, a 3-inch screen and the basic music, pictures and video playback. They also finally let slip the screen res -- an unsurprising QVGA -- and some better news on the codec front: the Zune supports h.264, MP3, AAC and WMA. As for ballyhoo, wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing is where the real action is at, and it works pretty much like we've been hearing: you can share a full-length track with a friend, and they've got three times to listen to it over a three day period, after which they can flag the song for purchase on the Zune Marketplace -- unless they're an unlimited 'Zune Pass' subscriber, of course."
the brown Zune look with the blue screen of death?
Here's a hint on all these ad-hoc wireless networks. We also have another ad-hoc wireless network. We call it air, and it can transmit vibrations from one person to another! Seriously, I've had my DS for awhile, and I've never suddenly found a person to play wireless with. Unless you have bells and whistles going off to indicate another person is around (and I'm not going to sit around at a "looking for" screen), it's a solitary thing.
And slapping on the usual DRM shackles won't change this. Most likely, make it much worse and harder to stick to the general public.
Is it just me or is Zune a terrible name?
"Technology.....the knack of so arranging the world that we don't have to experience it." Max Firsch
Brown? Seriously? It's meant to be a cutting-edge, fetishistic techno-gadget, and they offer it in fucking brown?
Steve Jobs: "Here's our new iPod Nano! It's available in black, white, silver and shiny green and pink!"
Steve Ballmer: "Oh yeah? Well, here's Zune! It's available in black, white and this stylish turd-brown!"
Steve Jobs: "Brown, huh? You got it in beige as well? Or tweed? How about a nice Argyle pattern?"
Steve Ballmer: "Fuck YOOOOOUUUU!" [throws chair]
Good ol' MS. Always as stylish and tasteful as ever.
You must think in Russian.
... and neither are mentioned, as far as I can see:
... as well...
Price & battery-life
Bit of a pity that:
"The Zune-to-Zune sharing feature may not be available for all songs on your device, and works only between Zune devices within wireless range of each other. This feature allows recipients to play full-length sample tracks up to three times in three days. Recipients cannot resend music that they have received via the sharing feature."
Simon.
Physicists get Hadrons!
Me...for one. I think it's pretty sweet.
One thing that we're all still wondering is how will people control the thing? I haven't seen one explanation for how the center "wheel" (if that's what it is) works. I think we'd all like to see a screenshot of the menu/control systems...
What about the Zune is so revolutionary that it makes a person not want to buy an ipod or throw away their current mp3 player for the Zune.
Klingon Software is not released, it escapes, inflicting terrible damage onto the enemy as it does
Is this really a launch? Can they be purchased today?? No? Then this isn't really a launch then is it? I can order a new Nano and it will be here in a few days to a day. Zune's probably ain't going ot show up until November.....
Gorkman
Alright you simply have to explain this one.
You'd rather give money to Microsoft over Apple.
All of Slashdot is pulling up a chair, make it a good one!
Mac OS X and Windows XP working side by side to fight back the night.
One thing that we're all still wondering is how will people control the thing? I haven't seen one explanation for how the center "wheel" (if that's what it is) works.
I think it was confirmed a while back (via an FCC filing or something) that it's not actually a wheel, just four buttons arranged to look like a wheel. The clickwheel without the wheel part.
Makes sense, as Apple does have a patent on the clickwheel design, and I was wondering how MS was going to get around it when I saw this. Simple enough; the wheel is not a wheel.
If they only renamed it the "Wii" it could be on Slashdot three times a day.
It may not be earthshaking news, but there's a lot of people who care - every person who owns MS stock. Microsoft has to keep pursuing new markets and Zune, like it or not, is one of their plays to get into a new market and keep the money flowing. (Of course, if they insist on losing money like they are with Xbox, that story may change.)
Microsoft's markets are largely saturated and under increasing pressure from FOSS and other products. And that's not a good story to tell investors. Microsoft hasn't had a killer product for a while and it's a company that thrives on growth. They need new brands badly because the ones they have are aging, and old brands, while good in financial and insurance markets, are not so good in consumer and high tech markets.
"It's real and we can touch it, so least we know where we stand." - Jack Burton
That is the stupidest feature I have ever heard of. Did they do any market research that led them to believe this was something people actually *wanted*? And that it worked the way they would want it to work?
...and he can listen to it for three days before it self-destructs?
So let me get this straight... if I have a Zune... and my friend has a Zune...
I can send them a track. Presuming the units sync up, and wireless works, and the phase of the moon is correct, because wireless is still basically tin-can-and-string at times...
Lame. Useless. Unless my friend and I both decided to take a risk and go out and get one of these doohickies each, how would this situation ever come up? Even if you find another Zune owner, what are the chances he also shares you musical interests?
It's a strange world -- let's keep it that way
Gapless playback?
As of yesterday, it's a must have
Summation 2
If anyone is wondering what the box art will look like, here it is
Summation 2
How can something that is functionally equivalent to an iPod be, in any way, the "next big thing?"
And no, I don't consider zune's wireless sharing to be even the "next little thing." It's like trying to take on Kimberly Clark (maker of Kleenax) by selling your own brand of facial tissue. Sure, you can make money, you might even take some of their market share, but you will never be Kleenax. You have to find a new niche if you want to be the next big thing.
Repetition does not transform a lie into the truth. - FDR
> Although it sounds good, do people hate microsoft so much (thanks to windows) that it will not be
> a success compared to the more-respected apple?
I'm still waiting for a portable player that meets my, admittedly demandinging, feature checklist. Doesn't look like Zune is in the running.
1. Must be able to run Rockbox. No vendor, especially Microsoft, is going to release a perfected firmware first try or even tenth try, and will move on to the next product long before the bugs are squashed and certainly before I am ready to buy a new unit. At least with something like Rockbox I could fix a really annoying bug myself if all else failed.
2. Must be able to support a wide range of codecs I am interested in and am able to rip to. MP3 is of course a given, but FLAC is important to me, especially on a HDD based player. OGG would be nice, but wouldn't be a deal breaker. I understand why many don't do it, nobody is doing it in a DSP yet so software only playback eats CPU and battery. AAC and WMA can exist, although I won't be using either of them. Video on a 2-3 inch screen is of zero interest for me, but if it doesn't bloat the physical size or kill battery life I'm neutral on it.
3. Must have a user replacable battery. Period, full stop.
Democrat delenda est
...the white model. The happy couple are frollicking in ... the east river of New York City. That's the Manhattan bridge in the background, and they're esentially right below and slightly west of the Brooklyn Bridge.
I have walked/jogged/biked/fled from that area thousands of times and it is *not* anywhere you want to put your feet in the water...the water itself is unbelievably polluted, and unless the pic is doctored, or somebody spent a month cleaning up the area, the dude is walking on broken glass, rusted everything, and stuff that can't be identified, and maybe that's for the best.
I'm not sure what to message to take from the pic: "Take a life threatening chance: buy a Zune!" comes to mind.
1st will likely be a means of sharing over wireless without the self-destruct "feature".
Probably shortly to follow, either a firmware update that adds more codecs, or a software app that transcodes to whatever Windows format is being used for video on that platform.
Next, a web-browser that can take you to various pages you have saved as favorites.
Finally, complete Linux port.
Any other good ideas?
There is no mod option "-1: Disagree" for a reason. "Overrated" is not an acceptable substitute. Post something instead.
Wireless. More space than a Nomad. Lame.
You must think in Russian.
I've got $20 that says only protected, purchased WMV's (or w/e they're called) will share. It's just a brazen way to drive people to purchase from the Zune store; they have no interest in sharing everything. Of course, they'll tell you that they only allow that kind of sharing to keep from "confusing" customers with shared files that can't be purchased. Thanks for the assistance, MS.
They've already hinted at it, saying that only "certain" files can be shared.
Repetition does not transform a lie into the truth. - FDR
Personally, I'd wait to see how it pans out before buying. First off, what kind of battery life is this going to have? With wi-fi and everything, I can't see how it'll be very good at all.
Second, what about the accessories? Right now, my iPod can be fully controlled from my Pioneer car stereo through their interface (and it charges the iPod for you too). Think they'll offer the same for Zune players? What about all the other iPod-related devices that have cropped up like clock radios with iPod docks, voice recorder add-ons, and digital camera storage adapters?
Because there are only four people who care?
Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
Well the *photos* do look nice. But nobody have seen the device in wild so they can be as well 3DStudio renders. :) Typical for MS they announce something like it is real - Zune is unreal as for now. Where can I get one? Where can I read independent review of one? Etc. Etc. Etc.
It does not even has branding on it. Just the look of it is not sufficient for branding - look of iPod is a brand itself, this looks like an iPod clone.
Actually I am used to MS strategies like announcing LongHorn with all WinFS and great stuff that just yet still is not here. So I take this announcement like usual. I will think that this is anything worth looking at when I actually can touch one.
Also I have some concerns, especially with:
1. The interface. Those *three* photos look nice but they do not tell anything about how the device works? Is it easy to use? I've used MS PDA (PocketPC) and it was horrible. I am with Palm now which is somewhat less horrible - so I don't se MS mobile products as quite easy to use or reliable.
2. Those ad-hoc wifi networks - how it is going to work? I've used MS PDA with wifi and it was pain. Actually wifi is quite painfull as for now (especially in MS arrangement). So how they are going to wifify those devices? IMHO wifi is not quite good for establishing such semi-PAN networks - BlueTooth is. But wifi - it is a hog on battery for sure.
So conluding - this is not something real. These are few photos even without branding (forget specs, pricing, performance and so on). So it is nothing actually - just to say "hey wait (like few months... or years) and we will have something like iPod is right now!", "don't buy iPod right now - wait (like months... years) for our mythic device" etc.
Quite unfair but at least in this market we know who rocks with launches that are real launches for real existing products and services...
Who told you that? There are plenty:
FLAC players
Vorbis players
FLAC - Free Lossless Audio Codec
Engadget recently interviewed an MS Corporate VP regarding the Zune and how Microsoft explains the lack of supporting "Plays For Sure". The resulting statements from this Microsoft Exec are truly worrisome:
Full Article Here"
E: "PlaysForSure was the thrust of Microsoft's strategy until the announcement of the Zune. How does PlaysForSure fit into Microsoft's strategy going forward?"
MS: "...There's another class of consumers that just want to get digital media, and they just want to be able to go to one store and have it all..."
E: "Wasn't that the point of PlaysForSure?"
MS: "...Zune says there is no choice; you get a Zune device, you hook it up to the Zune service, and it just works."
Yikes! I thought the iPod was evil because Apple didn't give me a choice...now it seems no choice is just what the doctor ordered! How stupid does Microsoft think we are?
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
I can't buy one (not that I would if I could). I can't find anything but a presskit on Microsoft's website. There's no Zune website. There's no mention of pricing, nor when the things will be available.
All I see here is a half-assed response to Apple's new iPod product launch a couple days ago.
Absurdity: A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion. -- Ambrose Bierce
Makes sense, as Apple does have a patent on the clickwheel design, and I was wondering how MS was going to get around it when I saw this. Simple enough; the wheel is not a wheel.
You know what else Apple has? Something I haven't seen mentioned in the first 120 comments on this post?
The Dock connector.
Apple's trump card, the 30-pin dock connector and it's communications scheme is par of their defense against other players stealing marketshare.
Want to plug your iPod into your new car? Next model year (which starts, ah in a few weeks), you'll be be able to buy a car from any of roughly 3/4 of the world's automakers that has a built-in iPod dock. The offerings this year aren't bad, either.
I see the requisite oval connector shape on the Zune (since they just couldn't stop at copying Apple's buttons and wheel look), but it's unclear what kind of dock connector they're using. If Apple has an exclusive deal with AMP, you can pretty much write the Zune off (as well as for other reasons, like the "what were they thinking?" color choices of white, black...and brown).
So, to sum up:
Apple has convinced everyone and their brother to put a dock connector in cars, boomboxes, camera connectors, etc. ad infinitum.
Zune does not have a dock connector, and can't use any iPod accessories, including those that come with a "Steering" wheel.
Theese people knocked the snot out of Kleenax.
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
Supporting more file types is irrelevant to me. I want it to support THE FILE TYPES I USE.
I don't have any WMA media. I do have iTunes Fairplay media. It doesn't support that.
Further, all these "Features" are typical MS lies - the file sharing won't work with all media, It may have a screen that is 0.5" larger but will it play movie content? Are you sure?
It doesn't even support MICROSOFT'S VERY OWN "PLAYS FOR SURE" DRM!!!!
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
That's not the only color it's available but personally I applaud MS for releasing turd brown as an option. Now if they do a special "Ween Edition" turd brown - it'll be the perfect player to enjoy the brown sound on, especially if it has "Poop Ship Destroyer" engraved on it.
Sometimes my arms bend back.
Something wierd I found out when doing digital video work...widescreen has nothing to do with resolution, it has to do with pixel aspect ratio. quoting side and top screen sizes can tell you if something is widescreen. Resolution and diagonal size cannot.
Digital video off of DV cams on SD res comes in at 720 x 480, no matter if you turn on the widescreen mode or not. The widescreen mode changes the pixel aspect ratio to 1:1.2 which is what we see in video as "widescreen".
All that being said, if widescreen on computers is so widely misunderstood, what good would having a widescreen device be if noone understands how to properly make media for it?
FLAC playback is unnecessary when you can just convert to WAV or AIFF. Amusing that it's a requirement of yours, since nothing eats the battery more than constant HD access, which your giant FLAC files will do.
It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
Earwax colored.
Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
Funny, if MS had that you'd be screaming anti-competitive practice...
Give me a break. There is a huge difference between coming out with a proprietary technology that SOLVES A PROBLEM and being able to successfully promote it vs. calling OEMs on the phone and saying "Ship Netscape and Die".
Avoid Missing Ball for High Score