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The Zune Cometh

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the and-there-was-much-spilling-of-the-ink dept.

Well, except for those hiding under a mountain of used iPod batteries, it's fairly well known that the Zune iPod-wannabe killer is coming out Monday/Tuesday. There's a piece in the NYTimes about counting on the wireless part of the Zune to take down the iPod as well as some interviews with people involved in the creation. But OTOH, RoughlyDrafted (which has had a series of pieces about the Zune) points out some issues with the DRM systems, and forecasts a number of issues — and also calls out what they called a "Digg Fraud Campaign". But soon — the market decides.

2 of 291 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Question by Constantine+XVI · · Score: 3, Informative

    Try this:
    Reset your iPod (either action+menu, or play+menu, depends on model)
    While resetting, hold action+back, and throw it in disk mode.
    Use your favorite disk management tool (Computer Management in Windows, Disk Utility on OSX, and you probably know if you're on Linux), and blast off all partitions on your iPod, then put a new FAT32 partition on it.
    Use the iPod utility (or iTunes, if you have iTunes7) to restore the iPod software
    If that doesn't work, you're probably screwed.

    --
    "I think an etch-a-sketch with an ethernet port would beat IE7 in web standards compliance."
  2. Zune Specs and what I don't understand by green+pizza · · Score: 4, Informative

    I overheard an employee talking to some customers about the wonders of the Zune. It's much sleeker, looks better, is thinner, and has a bigger screen... you know, all of the important things.

    I keep hearing about how Zune is slimmer, smaller, and has a better screen. But when I look at the specs, the 30 GB iPod seems to be actually a tad smaller and lighter than the Zune. The screen resolution is the same, so Zune just has larger pixels.

    Zune:
    2.48" W x 4.17" H x 0.65" D. Weight:, 6 oz. Resolution: 240x320

    30 GB iPod:
    Height: 4.1 inches
    Width: 2.4 inches
    Depth: 0.43 inch
    Weight: 4.8 ounces
    Display: 2.5-inch QVGA 320 by 240 pixel resolution

    Also, I have heard that the Zune's "wheel" is not a wheel at all. The reviews suggest that the Zune has a regular 4-button "D-pad" menu button arrangement hidden behind that round black wheel-looking thing.

    Who is correct here? Have I been reading iPod fanboy BS?