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iTunes v.s. Zune

Wow, reading that made my IQ drop a little. Its funny how he says MS is going to do so much better with Zune when we haven't gotten any DETAILS about it. Actually, knowing MS THEY don't even know what the hell they're going to do with it.

iTunes is a usability nightmare?! Compared to what, Media Player?? Give me a break.
 
Shouldn't the title be more like ipod vs zune?
Anyways, i agree, this guy is all for microsoft, but i will concede that he has some valid points. Whenever i run itunes on a PC it is really slow and buggy, but on my mac, it works perfectly.
Also, the XBOX did have an impact, but not as big as he is making it sound. First of all, microsoft never made any money on the XBOX. Although it was about getting their name on the map for gaming, losing money is rarely considered a success. Also, when you look at the numbers, 100 million PS2s shipped, vs 24 million XBOXs shipped, vs. 21 million Gamecubes shipped (just for comparison), the XBOX didn't make that big of a dent in Sony.
Does this guy really think that MS is gonna allow you to download a song more than once because you lost it? I seriously doubt it...
He complains about the price of music being to high, yet record companies have gotten on apples case for making music too cheap! music for the zune will cost the same if not more than itunes, which i believe has very reasonable prices.
If his experience with ipod/itunes was that bad, he probably just got a bad ipod, and was too stupid to replace it.
 
i love the internet. it brings all the stupid people into one convenient room.
 
he says some stuff.. mb valid or not... everything is based on rumors atm... and last... he hasn't made the switch to anything else like playforsure.. :rolleyes:
 
I love how they said that iTunes was too expencive, but then that iTunes should use variable pricing so that some songs/albums are higher priced.

Lets just hope Microsoft doesn't try to create a music store.
 
Xavier said:
I love how they said that iTunes was too expencive, but then that iTunes should use variable pricing so that some songs/albums are higher priced.

Lets just hope Microsoft doesn't try to create a music store.
Click to expand...

They have done that already, URGE...... and plus they created PlayForSure that is currently on, NapsterToGo, MSNMusic, AOLMusicNow, and five other online vendors use it as a platform to provide music service.
 
Benjamin said:
They have done that already, URGE...... and plus they created PlayForSure that is currently on, NapsterToGo, MSNMusic, AOLMusicNow, and five other online vendors use it as a platform to provide music service.
Click to expand...

Heh, URGE... I love it how when the word of this Zune thing hit the streets they announced they would also do their own version of iTMS. When.... they already had one... Actually URGE was their second if I remember correctly. Third time's a charm?

As long as they pick someone else to help announce it than Justin Timberlake...
 
That is THE WORST article I have ever read. I mean, Paul Thurott is at least going to wait until there's something solid to actually base this on (I hope), instead of announcements (And we all know how MS is with those).

Also, he blames the labels for variable pricing not existing in iTunes, when they've been on Steve for months now about it.
My verdit: Whoever wrote that article is a complete and utter tool. I hope not many people actually listen to him.
 
I love the "5% is a decent first-year failure rate, but 5% of 8.1 million is a big number!" argument. :D

This could be used in a statistics or a critical thinking class to illustrate ridiculous misuses of statistics.
 
funny how he says apple uses a proprietary file format with itunes, aac is open, fairplay is not but the format the music is, compared to WMA which is the most locked down audio codec available.

the guy is a douche.

oh and the quality issues how is pointing out that although the ipod has a low failure rate they sell like hot cakes so allot of people complain, he's essentially disproving himself.

and how exactly can he criticize the search in itunes, it's freaking instant


oh and what type of idiot does not make backups of their HD and claims to be a tech writer.
 
iTunes = TOO EXPENSIVE

Thats not always the case, quite a few times now, the albums on iTunes have been cheaper than anywhere else I could find online, expecially the imports. "Don Maclean the best of" £39 on Amazon - £9.99 on iTunes!

iTunes = TOO SINGLE-MINDED

Some of the best songs are the oldest! Steve Jobs fought to have all the songs the same price, its simple and if Record execs had their way, new songs would cost a lot more, besides most music download sites have the same model!

iTunes = UNFORGIVING
I'm sorry but when you download a song it reminds you to back up, besides in this day in age, you should be backing up. I have a automated systems that do this every week! OH!! and his Dell laptop broke down! well if he wasn't so PC centric he may have had all his songs still if he had bought a Mac! hehe. Buy an external harddrive and backup that way, don't rely on CD's whats the point!

iTunes = HORRIBLE USER EXPERIENCE

Well thats his opinion! I love iTunes, maybe its harder for PC users to use as its too logical! I personal can't stand Media Player, I went to rip a cd and found it took a bit to time to learn how to use it! If you like black depressing programs thats fine. everything in iTunes is in front of you and I have had no problems in searching for songs, he must be using iTunes 3.0.

iPod = CRASH

How does he know that the Zune player will not crash! knowing the products Microsoft releases it will probably over heat! iPods can Freeze (not crash!!!) but they normally recover! I have to be honest as well I have not had any problems with my iPods!

iPod = FALSE DAWN

"And then my Dell laptop stopped working, so now I’ve lost 40% of my digital music collection"

Firstly your PC broke down so what has that got to do with your iPod, oh right that won't happen if you had your Zune player right? secondly you lost 40% of your music? go to your backup then, oh right you didn't do one!

Okay only 60% of your music collection downloaded to the iPod, maybe it was full up?

iPod = UNETHICAL?

I can't say much here, he won? oh well, I suppose the fact that Microsoft has put loads of companies out of business, doesn't matter. Besides is it really Apples fault? they are/were investigating because they we unaware about the situation.


iTunes = PROPRIETARY FILE FORMAT
AAC offers much more than WMA including more accurate sound reproduction at the same bit rate, and not discarding about 1/5 of the frequencies we can hear to reduce space. The iPod can play other formats as well. MP3 and wav for starters! Why would anyone want to listen to WMA! Its just the case that more people use windows media player and they don't really care what file format it rips into.


iPods = QUALITY ISSUES?

Firstly you mostly only hear all the bad things that have happened to iPods not the good things usually, bad things make for more interesting reading. (why do you think that whats on the news is normally about who killed who?)
5% failure rate, regardless of how many peoples iPods have broken down if 30% failure rate within the first year the iPod is doing well. why use figures to make it sound worst than it actually is?

iPod = NOT ZUNE!(Durrr! Welldone!)

I'm sorry if it has taken Microsoft 5 years to make a product that looks like a cross between an old iPod and an apple newton! it will take probably more than 5 years to start competing. By that time, Apple would have moved on, everyones life will be in a phone style device, not a music, video device.


The End, Just thought I would have my say!
 
I think he's pissed because he didn't back up his files, i imagine Microsoft backs up all his word documents and excel files for him :rolleyes:
 
this guy is an idiot. he says there have been reports of scratchy surfaces. wow he must be deep on the inside. ipods getting scratched, that's an inevitability. and it will never work because they came in too late in the game. so he's an idiot
 
Regarding losing 40% of his library because he "didn't get around to backing it up", had he written an email to iTunes Customer Service, they would have allowed him to redownload his entire library "one time only", with a stern warning attached about backing it up. :rolleyes:
 
Wow, that looks just like the stuff being circulated by those b---lounge pyramid freaks! I hope that MS didn't pay for that blather.
 
aristobrat said:
Regarding losing 40% of his library because he "didn't get around to backing it up", had he written an email to iTunes Customer Service, they would have allowed him to redownload his entire library "one time only", with a stern warning attached about backing it up. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Whow! didn't know that, you learn something new everyday!
 
Just to play the devil's advocate

3. iTunes = UNFORGIVING

Is it true that the only way to backup your music, that was purchased off iTunes, is by burning it to a CD? That is kind of ridiculous, that you can't just copy it over to another computer and later authorize it to play.

4. iTunes = HORRIBLE USER EXPERIENCE.

I wasn't sure if he was specifically talking about the music store or just the player in general, but in my opinion the player is pretty awful. I'm a switcher, and compared to winamp, iTunes is too controlling. What I mean is, lets say you want to do this in a certain way, well iTunes wants you to do it this way. I'm all for keeping things simple, but iTunes makes it so simple that it becomes complicated. That's just the player, the store is just fine though.

5. iPod = CRASH.

On a completely unrelated note, my PC rarely crashes (maybe once a month), but in the first month of having my macbook it has crashed 5 times on me. Although, I admit that it was my first time using a mac, so it might have been my fault. I don't have an iPod so I can't really say anything about it.

8. iTunes = PROPRIETARY FILE FORMAT.

DRM sucks, plain and simple. I actually refuse to upgrade iTunes on my PC, because I still want to be able to rip out the DRM (later upgrades prevent a certain program from working). The point is that I don't have an iPod, and I want to buy music off iTunes and play it on my iRiver. iTunes only lets you play music on the iPod, I'm sorry but I don't want an iPod. At least Microsoft is giving you an alternative, “planning to let you download for free any songs you've already bought from the iTunes Music Store”.


I know I'm probably not going to get much support here for this post, but try to look at it from another side.
 
redfire said:
Is it true that the only way to backup your music, that was purchased off iTunes, is by burning it to a CD? That is kind of ridiculous, that you can't just copy it over to another computer and later authorize it to play.
Click to expand...
No, that's not true. You can copy your iTMS music anywhere you want (a data CD, a data DVD, another computer, a network share, etc).

I wasn't sure if he was specifically talking about the music store or just the player in general, but in my opinion the player is pretty awful. I'm a switcher, and compared to winamp, iTunes is too controlling. What I mean is, lets say you want to do this in a certain way, well iTunes wants you to do it this way. I'm all for keeping things simple, but iTunes makes it so simple that it becomes complicated. That's just the player, the store is just fine though.
Click to expand...
You make good points about WinAMP, but you're not going to be able to sit my parents down and teach them how to RIP and burn a CD with WinAMP. iTunes and Windows Media Player are both a PITA to use because like you said, they've made things so easy that it's become complicated. However, since Zune is going to be aimed at people like my parents, I really doubt if you like WinAMP that you're going to like what Zune's PC programs is going to look like.

redfire said:
DRM sucks, plain and simple. I actually refuse to upgrade iTunes on my PC, because I still want to be able to rip out the DRM (later upgrades prevent a certain program from working). The point is that I don't have an iPod, and I want to buy music off iTunes and play it on my iRiver. iTunes only lets you play music on the iPod, I'm sorry but I don't want an iPod. At least Microsoft is giving you an alternative, “planning to let you download for free any songs you've already bought from the iTunes Music Store”.
Click to expand...
Microsoft's alternative isn't likely to be DRM free. If they do let you "download for free any songs you already bought from the iTMS", then you're likely only to be able to use them on the Zune, which means your iRiver is SOL unless someone creates a "certain program" for Zune's DRM. Point being, you may be in a different DRM boat than iTunes, but you're still in a boat.
 
aristobrat,

aristobrat said:
No, that's not true. You can copy your iTMS music anywhere you want (a data CD, a data DVD, another computer, a network share, etc).
Click to expand...

Well that's good to hear! :)

aristobrat said:
You make good points about WinAMP, but you're not going to be able to sit my parents down and teach them how to RIP and burn a CD with WinAMP. iTunes and Windows Media Player are both a PITA to use because like you said, they've made things so easy that it's become complicated. However, since Zune is going to be aimed at people like my parents, I really doubt if you like WinAMP that you're going to like what Zune's PC programs is going to look like.
Click to expand...

Well to tell you the truth, for portable music devices I prefer UMS or drag and drop. Not because I'm a pirate or whatever, but it's a lot simpler. Instead of having to work through a program, you decide how your music is sorted and you don't have foul ups like accidently deleting your entire library from your iPod or computer (had a few friends that have done it).

But you are correct with the learning curve for those who aren't computer savy, if it were up to me I would make it optional to use iTunes to move music onto the iPod.


aristobrat said:
Microsoft's alternative isn't likely to be DRM free. If they do let you "download for free any songs you already bought from the iTMS", then you're likely only to be able to use them on the Zune, which means your iRiver is SOL unless someone creates a "certain program" for Zune's DRM. Point being, you may be in a different DRM boat than iTunes, but you're still in a boat.
Click to expand...

Well unless Microsoft switches from fairplay I would bet that it will still work with my iRiver. Even if they did switch DRM, newer players from iRiver or Creative will support it. Like just recently with URGE, the iRiver Clix works with it, and so do some other players. What I'm trying to say is that you aren't stuck with just one player, you have options.
 
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