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ZOMG New Zunes

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the can't-begin-to-care dept.

BarlowBrad writes "From PC World: "Microsoft announced a new slate of Wi-Fi-equipped Zune players today, including $150 4GB and $200 8GB flash-based players, and a $250 80GB model that's slimmer than the original Zune. All of the new models feature touch-sensitive controls and wireless syncing with your PC, a much-demanded feature that Microsoft will also make available on the original 30GB Zune when the new models debut in mid November." Wireless. More space than a Nomad. But draw your own conclusions."

9 of 358 comments (clear)

  1. Draw your own conclusions... by Stormwatch · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wireless. More space than a Nomad. But draw your own conclusions.
    Lame.
    --
    Circumcision is child abuse.
  2. Congratulations Microsoft... by PortHaven · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In other words...

    "Microsoft releases iPod killer. However, the new Zune was designed to kill the last generation of iPods - not the currently released iPods."

  3. Refresh my memory... by mattgreen · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do we hate this irrationally still? I don't read the newsletter much, but I want to feel like I fit in.

    Thanks!

    1. Re:Refresh my memory... by hobo+sapiens · · Score: 5, Interesting

      "Do we hate this irrationally still?"

      No. It is hated because it's an inferior product. Maybe it has nice capabilities, but these are then crippled by obsession over "content protection". The Zune is made to placate the RIAA, from it's DRM laden squirt "feature" to the pirate protection cost built into the price. It totally ignores even MSFT initiatives like playsForSure, which is just sloppy in my opinion. In fact, that's why I hate it the most. Not because of the DRM (because I don't care about that since I won't buy one) but because of the sloppy you'll-take-what-we-give you attitude from MSFT. They didn't even have the foresight to make it play well with their own stuff.

      So, to sum up: hated, yes. Irrationally, no. There is no newsletter to read here, just read about the product.

      --
      blah blah blah
  4. Microsostrich by Space+cowboy · · Score: 5, Insightful
    It seems Microsoft's answer to the ipod Touch and the iphone interface id to ignore it completely. And whereas the improvements to the Zune (V1, I suppose) are welcome and useful, I don't really see how it is supposed to beat out an ipod any time soon. What people will do is compare the Touch to the Zune (no matter how unfair that comparison is), conclude that the touch is better, and then buy an ipod if they can't afford the Touch. Yes, people are weird that way - having the market-leader, even if it's not generally affordable, is a big push for sales across the board.

    Also, it's not the player - I still can't believe people are missing this. It's the synergy of the player, the music, the store, the industrial design, the marketing and the ubiquity. MS have just changed maybe 2 of these (the design looks to be better). That's not sufficient.

    If you saw any of the zune V1 adverts, I think you'll agree they were just plain weird - Apple's promotion of (ahem) a *music* player was to show people enjoying their music. Microsoft's approach should be a case-study in how not to market stuff -
    • "the social" is a term of derision for unemployment benefit,
    • "squirting" music. Really ? That was really what you came up with ?
    • brown. Enough said. (although some will like it, it's not the #1 choice of everyone, is it?)
    • Complete disconnect from the product when marketing it. What ???
    • I could go on... the problems were legion


    Let's see if they do better this time around. I think they will, marginally. I still don't think they have a world-changer on their hands, and that's what they need - in the same way as Apple need a world-changer to upset the MS hegemony in the PC sphere; even with steadily increasing monthly saled percentages (far better than the zune is doing), a Mac is still very much a second-tier choice.

    So - nice try MS. Must do better.

    Simon
    --
    Physicists get Hadrons!
  5. I've never got the point of wireless synching... by Goth+Biker+Babe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You still have to charge the thing. How difficult is it to plug your player in before you go to bed and in the morning it's charged and synched.

  6. Unpopular... by Scottoest · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I know this opinion will be like an STD here, but the new Zunes actually seem alright.

    Disclaimer: I pre-ordered an iPod Touch last week, and am actually expecting it to arrive today via FedEx.

    Ars Technica had an overview of the major changes yesterday:
            * Wireless syncing with a PC? Check.
            * Software now supports podcasts? Check.
            * Move TV shows automatically to the Zune? Check.
            * Share whole playlists, albums, and podcasts (with no more silly time restrictions)? Check.
            * Bring DRM-free music to the Zune Store? Check.

    For Windows users, those actually seem like pretty nifty features. The wireless syncing alone is pretty darn cool, and is a feature iPod users like myself have wanted for a while (and my iPod touch STILL will not have). The DRM-free music bit is obviously in response to Apple, but it is a welcome move no matter what the catalyst. Being able to record TV shows using Media Center, and then move those recorded shows to the Zune is nice functionality too.

    I also think it was pretty good of Microsoft to extend this firmware update to existing Zune owners, so they get all of this new functionality, and aren't pushed to buy a new Zune.

    It's also worth noting that the new Zune's don't come in brown (the 80GB one only comes in black, for example), according to Ars.

    I am an iTMS user, so the iPod touch is still my personal preference (and I like the iPhone UI), but for others, the Zune 2.0 finally seems like a more than decent alternative.

    With that in mind - flame away.

    - Scott

  7. Re:what about the DRM "feature"? by BlueHands · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So, i was reading a number of the comments that said basically the same thing - it might not be good, but it is better than nothing. Obviously some people feel it is NOT better than nothing, myself included and I wasn't sure why. So, I started thinking about it, trying to understand why I felt the way I did.

    I think part of it is a feeling of MS being dishonest. It feels like they are trying to "cheat" the users, to cheat me. "Here is what you want, but not really, so why don't you buy our crippled product."

    It ALSO feels like it carries a certain mental baggage. By accepting that someone else can only play it 3 times, I am buying into a system that thinks DRM is a good thing in a very obvious way. With the iTunes/iPod connection, DRM is still there but it is not nearly as blatant. Basically, Apple doesn't get the same grief because the are better at seduction then MS. Apple is the smooth talker that just says, "hey baby, marriage just is not for my thing. Maybe it will be someday." While MS says, "I could give you what you want but I am not going to. Deal."

    It is a strange situation. We geeks often hate MS and love Apple. Both are not giving us what we clearly want, but one is more upfront and honest about it. You could also say blunt even. Which, if either, is better? Personal choice I think. Some of us prefer the pleasant lie, some prefer to take whatever we can get right now.

    --
    I mod everyone down who says "I'll get modded down for this." I hate to disappoint.
  8. Re:But... by mashade · · Score: 5, Funny

    Must.. resist.. joke about "squirting"..

    --
    Technology tips and tricks.