Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPod I acutally like the ZUNE
- Thread starter Rhema
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Actually, I'm into this - competition is good.
Zune users - did you try the new software? Does it work?
To bad it only plays WMV - I have everything encoded in MPEG4 for my iPod...
Does the Zune software update now include MPEG4 video playback directly on the unit?
Well to be fair, the Zune does play more than just WMV. It also does mp3 AND AAC.
w00master
It won't play it directly, but the software will automatically format and encode it to WMV for you.
I like the zune a lot too. So I bought one. I like the metadata features of the zune software and the ease of creating video for it. And it syncs my pictures without &%^$% adobe album. That was a stupid move on apple's part...I don't want to manage my photos with one single program and since I don't happen to have iPhoto...well.
I'm liking my zune so far. Still not coughing up my 8gb nano, but am very happy with the ease of creating content for this device as compared to the iPod, since without a mac the video and photo features of the iPod require a pile of extra software.
Also nice to get FM radio without paying apple ANOTHER $50 for it.
i was at target the other day and did get a chance to play around with a zune while i was there. it looked huge and unfriendly. i think that it is difficult to navigate and i dont like that u have to turn it sideways to watch a video. the video was pretty decent but i still wouldnt trade my ipod for one
Even though I'm solidly on a mac platform, I would like to give the Zune a spin just to see what it's all about (some of the stuff I saw online made it look flashy at times). But I haven't been anywhere that actually has a working model of the thing. 
I saw one at FYE today. It was set up in a corner, literally behind a table of discount CDs. It was odd to me that I couldn't even get close enough to touch it...compared to the Apple store in the same mall where everybody is playing with and touching everything in the store.
From what I could tell it wasn't even a working unit. Just one of those empty shells -- like cell phones at Radio Shack used to be.
MMmmmmmmm....
the interface looks nice. but seriously? an iPod competitor? no. definitley not the zune is a piece of ****. its an exact example of microsofts' dull, unimaginative thinking. sure, the interface is nice, but how much of it have they stolen from the iPod and OsX?
the interface looks nice. but seriously? an iPod competitor? no. definitley not the zune is a piece of ****. its an exact example of microsofts' dull, unimaginative thinking. sure, the interface is nice, but how much of it have they stolen from the iPod and OsX?
The ipod has a better exterior design but the zune has a better interface. I guess it depends on where your priorities lie.
Personally I am beyond sick of ipods interface. Ive had a 3G ipod for years and have seen zero incentive for me to upgrade to the half assed updates Apple keeps throwing at the ipod. Theyve kept the interface the same since the very first ipod (color screen isnt an interface change). Add that to the fact that Ive never been impressed with it to begin with and you can see why the ipod has made me a disgruntled user (when I got the ipod I was more concerned with its exterior and itunes, the competition made you use MusicMatch or some other terrible software which I didnt want anywhere near my computer). The only positive thing about the interface is being able to scroll through long lists with the click wheel, but if the interface didnt suck so bad there would be no need to scroll threw insanely long lists hoping to find the name youre looking for, plus the amount of clicks you need to go through just to get to the song is nothing to brag about. Trying to use an ipod while driving is pretty much suicidal. Ive spent a little time with the Zune at Target and thought the interface was head and shoulders above the ipods. Not only does it look more like something youd see past the year 2003, but navigation is much quicker and easier with long lists. The interface was quick and easy and there was no need for a scroll wheel which the ipod desperately needs to make it usable.
Before I get another MP3 player Im still waiting to see what the next ipod is like. I know Apple is capable of making a much better interface, but the real question is "will they?" If Apple continues its trend of laziness when it comes to recycling old designs for all their products then my guess is that its just going to be the ipod we see today but with a larger HDD and bigger screen.
Personally I am beyond sick of ipods interface. Ive had a 3G ipod for years and have seen zero incentive for me to upgrade to the half assed updates Apple keeps throwing at the ipod. Theyve kept the interface the same since the very first ipod (color screen isnt an interface change). Add that to the fact that Ive never been impressed with it to begin with and you can see why the ipod has made me a disgruntled user (when I got the ipod I was more concerned with its exterior and itunes, the competition made you use MusicMatch or some other terrible software which I didnt want anywhere near my computer). The only positive thing about the interface is being able to scroll through long lists with the click wheel, but if the interface didnt suck so bad there would be no need to scroll threw insanely long lists hoping to find the name youre looking for, plus the amount of clicks you need to go through just to get to the song is nothing to brag about. Trying to use an ipod while driving is pretty much suicidal. Ive spent a little time with the Zune at Target and thought the interface was head and shoulders above the ipods. Not only does it look more like something youd see past the year 2003, but navigation is much quicker and easier with long lists. The interface was quick and easy and there was no need for a scroll wheel which the ipod desperately needs to make it usable.
Before I get another MP3 player Im still waiting to see what the next ipod is like. I know Apple is capable of making a much better interface, but the real question is "will they?" If Apple continues its trend of laziness when it comes to recycling old designs for all their products then my guess is that its just going to be the ipod we see today but with a larger HDD and bigger screen.
My complaint is that the iPod is just too simple and plain. I mean, I like the minimalist style for home decor and electronics, but I think it goes too far. Sort of like a floating couch for a lving room. Plus if you have a really huge library, scrolling through it using the click wheel is tiring. The Zune lets you put photos and and up, I think that's cool. Plus the interface is just so much more interesting.
On the other hand, the iPod just allows you to focus on the content rather than the looks, in my opinion, which is cool for some people.
I'm not buying a Zune until they get a lot smaller and become Mac compatible, which is unlikely to ever happen.
On the other hand, the iPod just allows you to focus on the content rather than the looks, in my opinion, which is cool for some people.
I'm not buying a Zune until they get a lot smaller and become Mac compatible, which is unlikely to ever happen.
uh...most of the interface was ripped from their own media center software...
best feature so far? if you press and hold the "back" button it takes you right back to the main menu, instead of having to backtrack out of it like the iPod makes you do.
I think the interface is great. And it's actually not as large as people think. its the same physical size as the 80gb iPod (which I don't see people complaining about much) but weighs significantly less. I've been hauling around a 60gb photo for years and compared to that this thing is itty bitty. No problem at all.
As far as the software, it is pretty memory hungry since it's in three pieces, so I'd imagine on some computers it would run pretty slow. Mine has slow moments but overall it seems to be doing well.
Can't wait to see the features enabled by firmware upgrade, something apple absolutely stinks at doing. They put all the new features on a new device to get you to buy another one, but MS has already done two firmware upgrades for the zune that change the way the album art works and some other nice things.
I haven't used it yet (UK) but an article in Live! today said the Zune's motto is "like an iPod, but not as good". The reviewer didn't like it one bit. BUT. Radio. I never listen to the radio normally, but on my old MP3 player back in 2002, I lost all the music when I plugged it into an old G3 iMac. So instead of listening to nothing on the 2 hour walk home I stuck the radio on.
I'd love something like a smaller capacity iPod to have a radio. Very useful for when you grow tired of the same music and you're too far from your Mac.
I'd love something like a smaller capacity iPod to have a radio. Very useful for when you grow tired of the same music and you're too far from your Mac.
um. so a 30gb Zune is the same size as an 80gb iPod
. I think I'd carry around something larger than the 80gb current size to hold that much friggin music. Zune should be smaller to say it has 50gb less.um. so a 30gb Zune is the same size as an 80gb iPod
The hard drives are the same size, the only difference and the reason the 80gb is so fat is because they stuffed two of them in there instead of using one. considering the zune also has all the wireless hardware stuffed in there, and a bigger display, I'd say I don't really care to judge the size of the player based only on capacity- especially since the zune weighs less.
my point is everyone complains that the zune is soooo huge and soooo big but nobody complains that the 80gb ipod, which is heavier, is sooo huge and sooo big, even though in physical size is IS bigger and therefore should be getting the same complaints.
see, the good thing about M$'s products is that there are always thrid-party softwares to crack any limitations, which is very impressive. "official" means nothing in M$'s products.
If you keep the menu button on the clickwheel pressed it will bring you straight back to the main menu as well.
definitely a nice feature.
i just held the menu button on my ipod with touchwheel and it turned the back light on.
Its three quick clicks on the menu button to get back to the main menu. Don't see how thats a big deal.
A firmware update (for the more recent ipods) replaces the hold-the-menu-button-to-turn-on-the-backlight feature with the hold to go back to the main menu feature.