iPod MS please give up on the Zune

[CLuv]

Saw this on an MS fan site, and obviously posted by a Zune fanboy. Completely laughable.

"You can't keep a good retailer down, especially the kind that gadget nerds like us so adore: those that breaking sales embargoes and put hotly anticipated product (like these new Zunes, for example) on store shelves early. Behold, new Zunes -- which aren't supposed to be on sale until next week -- popping up on store shelves at Circuit City and Target. Granted, we don't know how many (if any) sold, since it sounds like they may have actually gotten pulled before customers made a dash for the registers, but who knows, perhaps you might strike Zune gold by trawling the shelves at your local mega-retailer this very weekend. You know who to tip off if you bring home the booty, right? (Note: read link only hits up the Target Zunes, not CC's Zune batch, which is separate.)"

Hotly anticipated? Are you kidding me, how much market share do you have? What is your rate of return on this turd? ZIPPY!

"Customers made a dash for the registers"? Seriously, have you ever seen people line up for the Zune?

Booty? Give me a break, looks like it came from one's "booty".

 

[mosx]

The new Zune is a decent product. Its a very good alternative to the iPod. If MS keeps up the improvements, the 3G Zune could definitely eat up a chunk of Apple's marketshare.

Microsoft also did one thing right with the Zune. Every single person who purchased an original Zune is getting a firmware update that will bring the old Zune up to the same level as the new Zune, with the exception of the new "Zune Pad" and battery life.

When was the last time Apple offered firmware updates for "previous generation" iPod owners? The 5G firmware update doesn't really count, because it was essentially the same as the 5.5G iPod to begin with, minus the screen and all it did was up the video support from 320x240 to 640x480 and add the support for games that were designed for it. Let's see Apple give us 5G and 5.5G iPod owners a firmware update with the new UI that the new iPods have. Or how about they let us play the games we purchased for our old iPods on our new ones WITHOUT having to purchase them again.

 

[GoodWatch]

I seem to be in error here, I thought this was an Apple forum. My bad

 

[rek71226]

I agree, the zune is horrible.. It would have been a great device if this was November 2001...

 

[Mindflux]

Who cares what the Zune is. Competition breeds competitive pricing and product refreshes. Would we have the iPod video or touch by now if the Zune hadn't popped up? I'm not so sure.

 

[CarlsonCustoms]

The zune might be ok if you want to sync with WMP but who wants that?

I'll stick with seemless Itunes integration!

 

[Stampyhead]

If MS keeps up the improvements, the 3G Zune could definitely eat up a chunk of Apple's marketshare.

Sorry, but I call 'not going to happen.' The only thing the Zune is good for is keeping Apple on its toes so they don't let the iPod get stagnant. I haven' tried the new Zune (tried the old one though and didn't like it at all), but it doesn't really matter because they're just not catching on like MS had hoped. The only reason they're still around is that Microsoft has deep pockets and can afford to keep a losing product in production...

 

[Scarlet Fever]

Apple need the competition. It'll force them to improve, because the whoreism for the iPod can't last.

 

[CRAZYBUBBA]

The Zune is very rich in features and well priced. Too bad it doesn't work for mac. I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

 

[CalBoy]

Who cares what the Zune is. Competition breeds competitive pricing and product refreshes. Would we have the iPod video or touch by now if the Zune hadn't popped up? I'm not so sure.

Apple need the competition. It'll force them to improve, because the whoreism for the iPod can't last.

Much agreed with both of you. The Zune is still in its early stages. Give it time, and the juggernaut that is Microsoft will turn it into a semi-successful product. At the very least, iPod buyers will see their iPods priced better and their iPods get better features. Competition really is needed in any field. Just like you wouldn't want only one OS in the world, you wouldn't want only one mp3 player either.

 

[GoCubsGo]

The new Zune is a decent product. Its a very good alternative to the iPod. If MS keeps up the improvements, the 3G Zune could definitely eat up a chunk of Apple's marketshare.

Microsoft also did one thing right with the Zune. Every single person who purchased an original Zune is getting a firmware update that will bring the old Zune up to the same level as the new Zune, with the exception of the new "Zune Pad" and battery life.

When was the last time Apple offered firmware updates for "previous generation" iPod owners? The 5G firmware update doesn't really count, because it was essentially the same as the 5.5G iPod to begin with, minus the screen and all it did was up the video support from 320x240 to 640x480 and add the support for games that were designed for it. Let's see Apple give us 5G and 5.5G iPod owners a firmware update with the new UI that the new iPods have. Or how about they let us play the games we purchased for our old iPods on our new ones WITHOUT having to purchase them again.

Thank you. At least there is one less troll in the world! The new Zune is actually quite nice feature-wise and I totally have to hand it to MS for providing the firmware update to previous Zune owners.

 

[ZiggyPastorius]

I'm not trying to be an ass, but an iPod has like three times the space for the same money, and doesn't look horrible...And it is less problematic and space-taking than the Zune, from my experiences.

 

[CalBoy]

but an iPod has like three times the space for the same money,

And what iPod is this exactly?

and doesn't look horrible...And it is less problematic and space-taking than the Zune, from my experiences.

Quite true. Design is worth a great deal to most of us.

 

[thebassoonist]

The new Zune is a decent product. Its a very good alternative to the iPod. If MS keeps up the improvements, the 3G Zune could definitely eat up a chunk of Apple's marketshare.

Microsoft also did one thing right with the Zune. Every single person who purchased an original Zune is getting a firmware update that will bring the old Zune up to the same level as the new Zune, with the exception of the new "Zune Pad" and battery life.

When was the last time Apple offered firmware updates for "previous generation" iPod owners? The 5G firmware update doesn't really count, because it was essentially the same as the 5.5G iPod to begin with, minus the screen and all it did was up the video support from 320x240 to 640x480 and add the support for games that were designed for it. Let's see Apple give us 5G and 5.5G iPod owners a firmware update with the new UI that the new iPods have. Or how about they let us play the games we purchased for our old iPods on our new ones WITHOUT having to purchase them again.

That would be nice. Really nice. It would make me feel like Apple still loved me even though I didn't buy an iPod THIS year.

 

[KurtangleTN]

The new Zune is a decent product. Its a very good alternative to the iPod. If MS keeps up the improvements, the 3G Zune could definitely eat up a chunk of Apple's marketshare.

Microsoft also did one thing right with the Zune. Every single person who purchased an original Zune is getting a firmware update that will bring the old Zune up to the same level as the new Zune, with the exception of the new "Zune Pad" and battery life.

When was the last time Apple offered firmware updates for "previous generation" iPod owners? The 5G firmware update doesn't really count, because it was essentially the same as the 5.5G iPod to begin with, minus the screen and all it did was up the video support from 320x240 to 640x480 and add the support for games that were designed for it. Let's see Apple give us 5G and 5.5G iPod owners a firmware update with the new UI that the new iPods have. Or how about they let us play the games we purchased for our old iPods on our new ones WITHOUT having to purchase them again.

Exactly! Great post.

The Zune IS a decent product, and that gesture MS did with updating the previous Zunes hopefully starts a trend. I'd get a current one while their cheap, but their lack of OS X support kills the deal.

 

[clevin]

pointless rant, follow OP's logic, there should only be monopoly in this world. and competition is absolutely useless.

Is that right? follow that logic, there wouldn't be OSX at all. go back and enjoy OS classic forever.

 

[gkarris]

I heard the new version of Zune software and the update to the old Zunes, as well as the new Zunes, are a good alternative to the iPod if you want to go out all Microsoft.

All the other small MP3 players had some form of video, Apple finally added it to the Nano and outdid everyone else.

Apple came out with the Touch to stay ahead of the crowd.

Competition is good... keep on, Zune!

 

[cohibadad]

Please don't give up on the Zune. I hope MS sinks a ton of money in the Zune and Surfaces. Keeps Apple on their toes and good for a few laughs at the same time.

 

[Eraserhead]

When was the last time Apple offered firmware updates for "previous generation" iPod owners?

The 3G iPod got the 4G iPod's features a bit later, as I believe did the 1/2G iPods at the same time.

 

[0098386]

See, normally I'd be for something like this as it forces Apple to cut prices or release better updates.

But it doesn't. The Zune doesn't bring anything (worthwhile) new to the table. With the Touch and the Classic there's nobody who can touch Apple and push them into making a better device. The market as a whole - yes. But individual products aren't doing it because the marketshare with iPods is just stratospheric.

 

[lampdeskchair]

You better hope Microsoft doesn't give up on the Zune and Apple goes back to ZERO competition and craptastic ipod tech updates.


Zune comes out? iPod touch replaces the iPod 5.5g as their flagship iPod not too long after. (Don't count iPhone, since. Well it's a phone lol.)

That's a pretty damn huge update tech wise if you ask me.


I welcome them to a nice big chunk of Apples ipod market share. Will make Apple work much harder and pump out some sweet ****.

 

[0098386]

So all the years prior to the Zune of Apple researching touchscreens and "fullscreen iPods" were implanted into our memory to make it look like the Zune forced Apple into updating their product line?

 

[SactoGuy18]

From what I've read, the new Zune models are actually quite good, with a lot of new features, improved player navigation and definitely improved interface software. And they priced them to sell: the 8 GB flash memory model sells at the same price as the 8 GB 3G iPod nano.

 

[lampdeskchair]

So all the years prior to the Zune of Apple researching touchscreens and "fullscreen iPods" were implanted into our memory to make it look like the Zune forced Apple into updating their product line?

I'm saying without competition, we'd prolly be merely hearing about said research instead of actually using the products for awhile longer. Apple likes to milk their hardware as long as they can. It's just business.

Competition from Microsoft is a good thing.

 

[dextertangocci]

I hate the Zune but love the competition it creates for Apple. Competition is good.