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Why Microsoft's Zune Scares Apple to the Core
BoredStiff writes "Computerworld has an article examining Microsoft's plans to launch a competitor to the Apple iPod, the wireless media player called Zune. The article lists five reasons why Apple may fear the Zune, and why it won't be as easily smacked down as the dozens of mp3 players before it have been. The Zune isn't just a music player, the article argues. Think of it as a portable, wireless, hardware version of MySpace. With the Zune, Microsoft is trying to launch a consumer media 'perfect storm.'" From the article: "Microsoft will make the movement of media between Windows, Soapbox and the Zune natural and seamless. The Zune interface is just like a miniature version of the Windows Media Center user interface and is very similar to some elements of Vista. Apple fans are overconfident in the iPod because Apple once commanded 92% of music player market share, a number that has since fallen to around 70%. About 30 million people own iPods. But Microsoft owns more than 90% of the worldwide operating systems market (compared with Apple's roughly 5%), representing some 300 million people. The company expects to have 200 million Vista users within two years."
Mike Elgan is a technology writer and former editor of Windows Magazine.
You know if you like the music sharing, but hate the DRM, there are other solutions. Check out Radio Mixtape. You can create play lists from full length MP3 audio files that artists designate (we even have Sub Pop's promotional catalog, something the Zune claims to come pre-loaded with). Mix tapes can be embedded in MySpace profiles as Flash Widgets, or Blogs as JavaScript widgets. Everything is free and information about downloads and sharing are provided back to the artist directly (and all "buy album" links are in direct control of the artists, some link to Amazon, some to thier own label others even to iTunes). It's free for artists and free for fans, and it works on absolutely every portable audio player. You don't need to sell your sole to Microsoft just to share good music. -Jason
The Zune screen is 320x240, the same as the iPod. It's just slightly larger (larger pixels) and rotated differently. Any belief you can play widescreen content on it is seriously misguided. Andy