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Microsoft Announces 2nd Generation Zune Music Player
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The Zune 2 natively supports h.264 and MPEG-4 video, just like the XBOX 360. Although the resolution is still limited to 320x240, not 640x480.
I have always found this curious in that so much effort and money was spent on Apple "locking up" the scroll-wheel patent, yet it seems to be imitated and ripped off everywhere.
The 'squarical" with a hidden centre button is not the same as a round pad with a non-hidden centre button??The function is identical, only the shape is slightly different. Does this mean I can make an oval shaped scroll-wheel and get away with it?
Also recently, the new Bang & Olafsen fashion phone uses as it's main navigation tool ... a metal version of the scroll wheel.
What's the point of having a patent on the thing and why did they go to all the trouble they did if it's okay to make such slight cosmetic changes and get away with it being a different product? I thought patents were supposed to be about function, not form.
This has never made sense to me, anyone got any idea how this can be so?
Wasn't it Serlet Bertrand who said at a recent WWDC conference a couple of years ago when comparing the unreleased "Vista" from MS to current OS X, that quote... "If you cannot innovate, you must imitate, but it is never quite as good as the original (show fake Elvis Presley photo now)...
At work, I am running Windows XP with latest MS updates. Fresh install of windoze as of 6 weeks ago. Running anti-spyware, anti-virus programs which waste processor power. All apps are 100% licensed, paid by work, so not running any hacks or cracks and still, the programs running on the machine certainly crashes a lot more than the Mac equivalent.
Nevermind the inconsistencies in MS programs that slows down productivity. I can show you 4 MS programs that each have different behaviors for even basic tasks such as open new window, and closing of windows. Not to mention the software bugs.
In addition, Windows require constant reinstall (few times a year), especially for the tinkering types, otherwise it slows down to a crawl due to registry and other issues. Defrag is required otherwise windoze slows down. If you change your hardware config too much, you have to reactivate windows. And that's with a legit windows.
I did not said Apple products are perfect and never crash, but it's certainly superiors to M$ products in almost all cases.
You are the one who is uninformed and uneducated. If you never attempted to use windoze for productive activities, you will see how superior Apple products are.
Looks pretty good! Whether or not you like Microsoft, at least they're keeping Apple on their toes and providing even more incentive to innovate!
Nope don't think so...
Zune? Microsoft is still selling these? Why don't they just give me the money they're spending on these... I'm sure I can blow it all in a much more fun and productive way than they are!
Seriously to offer mostly similar stats for a gen 2 product at the same price point as a competitors gen 6 is a tad ridiculous. There are two rules in inventing... make something revolutionary, or make it better, faster, cheaper. This isn't IMHO better, faster or cheaper and its certainly not revolutionary.
Why not add a few easy to add but grossly missing features. Like more memory... HD radio, or stereo bluetooth headsets (where is that on an ipod?), nothing besides the FM tuner is even interesting from an everyday usage point. Squirting... ummm I don't think so. WiFi... have you used the wifi itunes store... it's slick and easy to use. Also this is a device that will shut me out from the rest of the world hence the headphones... why are they trying to sell me social features?
Zune? Microsoft is still selling these? Why don't they just give me the money they're spending on these... I'm sure I can blow it all in a much more fun and productive way than they are!
Seriously to offer mostly similar stats for a gen 2 product at the same price point as a competitors gen 6 is a tad ridiculous. There are two rules in inventing... make something revolutionary, or make it better, faster, cheaper. This isn't IMHO better, faster or cheaper and its certainly not revolutionary.
Why not add a few easy to add but grossly missing features. Like more memory... HD radio, or stereo bluetooth headsets (where is that on an ipod?), nothing besides the FM tuner is even interesting from an everyday usage point. Squirting... ummm I don't think so. WiFi... have you used the wifi itunes store... it's slick and easy to use. Also this is a device that will shut me out from the rest of the world hence the headphones... why are they trying to sell me social features?
Hello?? The reason why it might be a cold before a Mac user tries a Zune is because there's no Mac Support! Please open your eyes before you just accuse Mac users of hating anything Microsoft does.
Feel free to correct me but is the Zune Marketplace made for OS X as well as Windows? NO.
Poor Zune, I feel sorry for it, I've just got my new iPod Touch, and well thats just WOW. So I don't see myself buying a Zune anytime Zune
The no Mac support kinda kills it for those who only have Apple, can't really fault those who are against the Zune for that one.
For those of us who run both it is an interesting choice. I already have a 3G and 5G iPod, but I am also a big gadget/techno-phile, so I am definitely open to trying it out.
For those of us who run both it is an interesting choice. I already have a 3G and 5G iPod, but I am also a big gadget/techno-phile, so I am definitely open to trying it out.
Coverflow probably wouldn't work well with the processor of the 5/5.5 gen iPods. From the reviews I've read, it barely works well with the 6 gen models. Nor is it very smooth on my Intel iMac. And frankly, it's a gimmicky feature anyway. Though it is cool to show off flicking through album covers with the finger on the iPhone.
As far as Google Maps go, it's entirely logical that Apple withhold some features from the iPod touch to keep it from cannibalizing iPhone sales (from which Apple not only makes money on the hardware, but on the calling plans as well).
Don't expect to see a bunch of iPhone features on the iPod touch just because it's technically possible.
Its a nice update. I think its a very viable alternative to the Classic and will be better suited for many people over it.
However, I still think its beat by a considerable margin by the Touch. The thing it has in its favour over that is the storage, but I find this quite easy to work around with smart playlists.
However, I still think its beat by a considerable margin by the Touch. The thing it has in its favour over that is the storage, but I find this quite easy to work around with smart playlists.
Even if it was supported on OSx could you easy pull your Itunes playlists to the Zune? Otherwise it wouldn't really matter WMP is not on OSx.
Sheesh!
OK I disagree wholeheartedly, clevin... You shouldn't call someone's statements uneducated and then go on to make gross generalizations. That's ignorant.
I grant to you that an iPhone is buggy but it IS a gen 1 product and its a phone! It has useful everyday functionality that hands down other products in its class don't currently have... at least not yet. I think the Zune is missing the target here by copying instead of differentiating.
To extrapolate an iPhones bugs to Tiger on the desktop/laptop is just plain wrong. Just like it would be wrong to compare Windows mobile to Windows on a desktop/latop. Plus your generalizations are just plain wrong. Some background... I have used windows for over 15 years and OS X for about 4. I prefer OS X because it is designed better and I'm an engineer but I will defend M$ too in certain areas. I'm not just talking out of my a$$ but instead speaking from experience.
First kernel Panics! Are you F'in kidding me? Those are rarer than diamonds. I've had 3 in the 3 years I've owned my two macs. (And have never had one on any of my linux machines.) And I've never had one that wasn't a direct result of me doing something incredibly stupid (like accidentally unplugging an external drive that I had forgot I had booted from.) Safari does crash on the iPhone but it doesn't on the desktop. That's an uneducated statement.
And to generalize that all other companies can make good products on Windows and Apple can't? Are you seriously saying you have 10,000 software products on your windows machine? I have Safari Beta on Windows and iTunes on Windows and both products are great. Maybe not as great as Jobs would have you believe but I feel they're on par with the other windows programs. In fact Safari Beta even adds a lot of functionality that IE lacks (CSS 3, color profiles) which is really nice IMHO.
Reality check here, first removing the big platform agnostic products (Office, Adobe, etc) from the equation, the other software I have on my mac is infinitely more useful than the other software I have on my PC.
Oh and BTW even M$ has trouble making great software on a PC... i.e. Vista, Office '07. Software is just hard to make... period.
Mac developers have it a lot easier because of XCode and they use this to an advantage. PC developers have a lot more work cut out for them and I feel their pain. To rip Apple developers is blatantly wrong and tells me you've never used other Apple products... Skitch, Acorn, Picturesque, Coda, CSS Edit, VisualHub, etc... low cost alternatives to the big software... the other mac software is awesome and awesomely useful too.
Seeing as how you repeatedly use lol in your posting should I extrapolate you probably don't have to worry software (other than games) after your current class assignment is done?
OK I disagree wholeheartedly, clevin... You shouldn't call someone's statements uneducated and then go on to make gross generalizations. That's ignorant.
I grant to you that an iPhone is buggy but it IS a gen 1 product and its a phone! It has useful everyday functionality that hands down other products in its class don't currently have... at least not yet. I think the Zune is missing the target here by copying instead of differentiating.
To extrapolate an iPhones bugs to Tiger on the desktop/laptop is just plain wrong. Just like it would be wrong to compare Windows mobile to Windows on a desktop/latop. Plus your generalizations are just plain wrong. Some background... I have used windows for over 15 years and OS X for about 4. I prefer OS X because it is designed better and I'm an engineer but I will defend M$ too in certain areas. I'm not just talking out of my a$$ but instead speaking from experience.
First kernel Panics! Are you F'in kidding me? Those are rarer than diamonds. I've had 3 in the 3 years I've owned my two macs. (And have never had one on any of my linux machines.) And I've never had one that wasn't a direct result of me doing something incredibly stupid (like accidentally unplugging an external drive that I had forgot I had booted from.) Safari does crash on the iPhone but it doesn't on the desktop. That's an uneducated statement.
And to generalize that all other companies can make good products on Windows and Apple can't? Are you seriously saying you have 10,000 software products on your windows machine? I have Safari Beta on Windows and iTunes on Windows and both products are great. Maybe not as great as Jobs would have you believe but I feel they're on par with the other windows programs. In fact Safari Beta even adds a lot of functionality that IE lacks (CSS 3, color profiles) which is really nice IMHO.
Reality check here, first removing the big platform agnostic products (Office, Adobe, etc) from the equation, the other software I have on my mac is infinitely more useful than the other software I have on my PC.
Oh and BTW even M$ has trouble making great software on a PC... i.e. Vista, Office '07. Software is just hard to make... period.
Mac developers have it a lot easier because of XCode and they use this to an advantage. PC developers have a lot more work cut out for them and I feel their pain. To rip Apple developers is blatantly wrong and tells me you've never used other Apple products... Skitch, Acorn, Picturesque, Coda, CSS Edit, VisualHub, etc... low cost alternatives to the big software... the other mac software is awesome and awesomely useful too.
Seeing as how you repeatedly use lol in your posting should I extrapolate you probably don't have to worry software (other than games) after your current class assignment is done?
I have to admit I like Zune 2 flash. pity there is no Mac support. I wanted new nano but after visit at the Apple store Im not so convinced. I don't really like new form factor and shiny back plate getting scratched in 5 min.....I will take Z2 over nano
I did not like Zune.
But when iPod classic was released, I knew Apple would be ashamed. And now it's the time. Don't think Apple has got iPhone and iTouch and it's okay. It's not okay. iPod classic is the biggest disappointment.
And iTouch is also a very limited device. You can't even input calendar. However because iTouch has wireless and is running Mac OS X, it is possible for Apple to add wireless sync function to it without problem.
But the memory...
Also for the flash based Zune. The screen is smaller and yet has the same resolution? Didn't Apple say it used the most dense screen? Zune seems denser.
But when iPod classic was released, I knew Apple would be ashamed. And now it's the time. Don't think Apple has got iPhone and iTouch and it's okay. It's not okay. iPod classic is the biggest disappointment.
And iTouch is also a very limited device. You can't even input calendar. However because iTouch has wireless and is running Mac OS X, it is possible for Apple to add wireless sync function to it without problem.
But the memory...
Also for the flash based Zune. The screen is smaller and yet has the same resolution? Didn't Apple say it used the most dense screen? Zune seems denser.
This turdy Zune is just plain ugly with an outdated design. It's hard to imagine reasonable people liking it and buying it apart from rabid PC fanboys and MS fans.
I just hope MS abandons this market as many others already did. Zune is dead in the water as it should have been a long time ago.
I just hope MS abandons this market as many others already did. Zune is dead in the water as it should have been a long time ago.
My take is that MS may be a bit wary of subjecting themselves to possible legal action in other jurisdictions. They haven't had a very good time of it when their business practices have been scrutinized by many courts outside of the U.S. Recent decisions in the EU particularly would make me think long and hard ( he he, i said "long and hard" in relation to ms and brown zunes... ) if it were my job to advise MS on opening the Zune up internationally. The possible downside problems look to be much more of an issue than any potential upside boon.
