Obama's "ZuneGate"
theodp writes "Barack Obama supporters were left shaking their heads after a report surfaced that the president-elect was using a Zune at the gym instead of an iPod. So why would Mac-user Obama be Zune-ing out? Could be one of those special-edition preloaded Zunes that Microsoft bestowed on Democratic National Convention attendees, suggests TechFlash, nixing the idea that the soon-to-be Leader of the Free World would waste time loading Parallels or Boot Camp in OS X just to use a Zune."
Here in Germany I see more no-name mp3 players than ipod and zune COMBINED. What does it matter if he's an apple or windows guy? It's not linux, so why does it matter?
Obama is said to have been wearing Fruit of the Loom underwear instead of his usual Hanes...
WTF...*this* is news for nerds? I could care less what any politician uses to listen to his or her music.
I will seriously kill myself if he likes Star Wars better than Star Trek.
I record my sleeptalking
He is one of those f*** bastards who use the tool that best fits him (for example being free, if it is really a gift from microsoft) instead of "what he should use"!
(or better)
He is one of those f*** bastards who only want to listen mp3 ignoring how stylish is his player!!
Impeachment now!!
Maybe he cares more about the music he's listening to rather than the make/model of the player.
If I did n't have an mp3 player and got a zune for free, as long as it played my mp3s correctly I'd use it. Sometimes I wonder if Apple is a religion or just some company that makes tech products.
I can't believe that some people care more about which MP3 player he uses than what policies he's going to implement.
Can I get a reality check to aisle S, please?
"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - Tolkien
Holy Christ! Our president to be is using "such and such" as his mp3 player!? Holy Christ! Some one please tell me what popular Hollywood celebrity is dating what Hollywood celebrity right now as well because this is all totally fucking relevant to my life!
I ignore Anonymous Coward posts. If you want to discuss something, that's awesome. Log in.
As MAC user with a Zune, he will be able to experience the true value of DRM. I hope he'll remember that the next time some DRM lobbyist asks for a favor...
I'm posting to let you all know that I don't care!
GENERATION 25: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation.
Can you impeach a president elect? I think we should try!
I have this fantasy in which I am kind of superhero who travels the country tracking down hack reporters who slap the "gate" suffix on anything vaguely resembling a scandal, then jabbing them with a cattle prod until I'm satisfied justice has been served.
Was it a brown one?
Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
I seriously doubt Obama loads his own mp3 player, and that's a good thing. He's got lots to do before his first day on the job, and screwing with computers isn't on the list.
It's one of those "what a product represents" things. The Zune is immediately uncool at slashdot because Microsoft, newsflash- Microsoft make some decent products. Rated Excellent at cnet- http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/microsoft-zune-120gb-third/4505-6490_7-33259222.html?tag=mncol;lst . Reality check, this is a good mp3 player that he got free, I'd be concerned if he went out and spent $250 just for a different make.
As a Dutch citizen I have the perfect freedom to:
- get abortions
- do soft drugs of various kinds
- drink alcohol from the age of 16
- get serviced by a hooker
- get euthanasia
- get married whether I'm gay, bi or straight
- get divorced
- speak my mind
- drink on a sunday
- have sex in public places so long as it's not visible from the street
- go where I please (we don't need visa for 99% of the planet)
None of which are freedoms I've seen Americans enjoy.
So I second that motion. Obama will be president of the USA. Calling him "Leader of the Free World" pisses me off too since he sure as shit don't rule my country.
You guys are all missing the point! The "news, things that matter" part of this isn't that Obama is using a Zune, but that a Zune has actually been seen being used by someone. Happens to be the president-elect, that's just the bonus celebrity factor. But have you ever seen a Zune outside a store? See, now you know why this is news. :-)
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
- Because I'd like to avoid shooting my mobile's battery to hell through constant use for music.
- Because despite the propaganda from various cell phones makers, there's more and more evidence coming out that tends to show it's not very healthy to carry one over you for long stretches of time.
- Because I'll never again bind myself with another 12/24/36 months contract to have the latest 'ooh, shiny' and I much prefer buying a cheap phone with no strings attached which will last me at least a couple of years. That way I can change provider whenever I feel like it.
That's thinking about it for a couple of minutes. I'm pretty sure different people could find other reasons easily enough.
- get married whether I'm gay, bi or straight
Americans can get married whether gay, bi or straight... as long as they marry someone of the opposite gender!
Take that cloggie!
Considering the battery is there for running a moderate output transmitter, its not surprising that playing music pretty much has bugger all effect on battery life if you are involved in a call a day. (My W350's battery is barely scratched by playing music as opposed to normal standby).
If you read the GSM spec, you'll find when your phone is idle its transmitter is switched off. It listens to the closest towers, and when it notices its switched area (as in group of towers) it wakes up, notifys the BSC and goes back to sleep. Considering then its mainly a non-transmitting device like an iPod - I doubt the health issues are from anything but hippies. (I mean come on, its got a tiny battery - just how much energy can it deliver to your balls without flattening it? :P)
Me too. Thats why I bought outright every phone I have owned.
3laws: No freebies, no backsies, GTFO.
Here we go...more pop culture BS! Who gives a rats ass?
As a Dutch citizen I have the perfect freedom to: - get abortions
Legal in the US
- get serviced by a hooker
Well you can do that in Nevada. Its not like the Dutch have NO restrictions on prostitution, (no street hookers)
- get divorced
You can't get divorced in the US?
- speak my mind
We can't do this in the US?
- drink on a sunday
WTF? Have you been to the US since 1950? Their are some states that have prohibitions on where/when alcohol can be sold, I don't know of of any state that prohibits consumption in a private residence.
- go where I please (we don't need visa for 99% of the planet)
Getting a visa is going to largely depend on the *other* country, not your own.
The president is smarter than you think. He just wants make his iPod a less attractive target for theft.
iTunes Store: millions of songs. Download and keep any song for $1.
Zune Pass: millions of songs. For a flat rate of $15/month, download as many as you want, for use on up to three Zunes and three computers. Each month, you get to designate 10 of these as permanent. If you cancel your subscription, you keep the ones you designated as permanent, and the rest go away.
I have two iPods and an iPhone, and I'm sorely tempted to get a Zune for Zune Pass. That's a fantastic deal.