Microsoft Announces 2nd Generation Zune Music Player

[neilw]

The one area where I think the competitors have it over Apple is in screen orientation. The vertical screen allows them to fill more of the face of the unit with screen, and therefore fit a larger screen in the same package. For photo and video viewing, the larger screen would be nice.

Other than that, pretty underwhelming.

 

[TheBonk]

I don't have the time to read 7 pages so I'm going to say what I think even if it has been said.

The 80GB has very few features better than the Classic. The screen size being one of them. I could see people getting it to watch their movies on. It's no competitor to the Touch though. Apple still has the upper hand with the Touch.

Zune Pad? How is that not a complete rip-off from the Clickwheel?

Pricing. Eh, Pricing them the same as the iPods isn't really a good idea, especially if Apple updates capacity and price of the Classics and Nanos after January. That'll bring the Zune down once again.

The new Zune doesn't make an impression on me. I'm still going for the Touch.

 

[joshwest]

Has anyone personally seen a zune in public, only place i've ever seen them is on display at target and even then they have dust collecting on them.. and i see they got rid of the brown color but they introuduced baby poop green

 

[Muzzway]

Microsoft seems to think that we (and 6% of the US market) will buy a PC just to be able to get a Zune.

 

[TheBonk]

Has anyone personally seen a zune in public, only place i've ever seen them is on display at target and even then they have dust collecting on them.. and i see they got rid of the brown color but they introuduced baby poop green

Thank god they got rid of the brown! I've seen only one in public. One kid in my gym class has it. It's so square and bulky.

 

[twoodcc]

wow, talk about copycats.....geez

 

[Evangelion]

Even if the Zune had many more features than the iPod, it wouldn't have that 'je ne sais quoi'.

People don't just buy an iPod for it's features, or lack of features. People buy them because 'iPod' is synonymous with MP3 player. It's a brand thing.

Perhaps, but the points is that we have people saying that Zune sucks for (among other things) since WiFi-syncing is "useless". But at least Zune offers the user the option of using WiFi, whereas iPod does not. As far as syncing goes, Zune offers everything iPod does and more, so I fail to see how that could be used as an argument that "Zune sucks"

 

[diamond.g]

Perhaps, but the points is that we have people saying that Zune sucks for (among other things) since WiFi-syncing is "useless". But at least Zune offers the user the option of using WiFi, whereas iPod does not. As far as syncing goes, Zune offers everything iPod does and more, so I fail to see how that could be used as an argument that "Zune sucks"

I think the argument is: Zune != iPod=> therefore it sucks. QED.


I love the bagging on the Xbox... Especially since the Pippin did so well during it's lifetime

 

[zgh1999]

Does the largest capacity model come in brown?

These nice devices make me wet my pants! I want one!

 

[TheBonk]

Microsoft seems to think that we (and 6% of the US market) will buy a PC just to be able to get a Zune.

hehe, another thing the iPod has an advantage over the Zune on. iPods work on both Macs and PCs.

 

[Telp]

Amen, brother. Zune sucks. If Apple made the same product, I'd say the same thing.

that's a good point. I am NOT hitting ON m$ because they aren't apple, its cause they suck. They dont make quality products and they are all ugly. That's why I dont like M$

 

[fiftydollarshoe]

Do you buy that much music between syncs? I plug my iPod to my Mac just about every day, at most I move over 1-2 podcasts and maybe 1-2 songs. And when I plug in the iPod, I usually use the computer for several minutes, and in that case even Bluetooth would be fast enough to sync that content over.
Using WiFi, 125MB would take about 25 seconds. How would that work? Well, I could start the computer, and start the sync. I would then start to head out the door, and by the time I close my front-door, the sync would be finished. With a cable, I would have to wait by the computer until the sync is finished.
And, at least Zune offers this feature, whereas iPod does not. Don't like wireless syncing? Then don't use it, and use the cable. That way there would be no real difference between the Zune and the iPod. As far as syncing goes, the Zune offers all the features iPod does, while offering something extra that iPod does not offer. Doesn't that mean that as far as syncing goes, Zune beats the iPod?
And it would be radically different if you used a cable? Why?

I get the feeling that Wi-Fi syncing will not be Wi-Fi syncing.... remember when Zune 1 announced that you could share songs with other Zunes via Wi-Fi ? To later find out that this was not entirely true.... I believe the same with Zune 2.... does this mean every time your Zune goes near your PC it locks up trying to sync... or throws up a dialog with "Do you wish to Sync Zune now ?"... that would kinda of annoy me.... I get the feeling that you won't really be able to update via Wi-Fi….. only playlist counts etc. Microsoft has habit of doing this sort of stuff........ I also get the feeling MS are in this music game to protect their OS market.... they don't really care enough for this to give it a red hot go.... if I had the keys to the city...... ie Outlook, office etc.... I'd be making devices with all of that embedded..... and Halo3-lite....... they could do it but they are scared to give away the cash-cow that is windows/office...... it brings a lot of money.....

 

[MattG]

Yuck!
this is what should happen with Zunes:

http://hideapod.com/

That's hilarious...I've got a Zune toting coworker (yes, they do exist) who needs to see that

 

[Stella]

Around that time there were a lot of products being called iSomething. Apple got on the bandwagon and kept the naming scheme.

iMac: Introduced October 26, 1998

I seem to remember after Apple started pumping those suckers out the iWhatever trend started to happen more and more. So I guess what I'm try to get at is that iRiver may have derived their name from that...

 

[Kallikinos]

Yeah, I'm not reading through 7 pages either but here's my opinion.

Microsoft, give up! iPod won, get over it. I really hope you guys don't think you have a chance against the iPod.

The new Zunes still seem too bulky for me. I've seen a couple of the old ones and they look ugly. I'm going to stick with my Nano for now.

 

[asrai]

Awesome site. Try and order one......lol.

LMAO.

 

[asrai]

that's a good point. I am NOT hitting ON m$ because they aren't apple, its cause they suck. They dont make quality products and they are all ugly. That's why I dont like M$

Yup, that about sums it up!

 

[Stella]

Zune2 still looks kind of ugly - not as ugly as Zune 1.

However, Zune 2 has some nice features:

* I like the auto syncing over WIFI option. Something that Apple could look doing at. Personally, I hate wires. I wouldn't mind if syncing took longer.

* Syncs with Windows Media Center (Can copy TV shows from the PVR)
its the copying TV Shows from a PVR I like ( despite only being WMC).

The sharing over WIFI ( although not new feature ) - again, Apple should have looked into that. It'll be more useful on iPod than Zune - whats the chance you'll meet other person who has a Zune!!! Shame about the 3 play limit - but thats been imposed by the music industry, no doubt.

Overall, the Zune is probably not, once again, and iPod killer, fortunately. The world does not need microsoft dominating the digital player market.

Apple should have added more screen real estate to the iPod classics - a bit difficult to watching movies on that screen.

Increased competition is welcome, even if it is microsoft. It raises the bar and will encourage Apple to do what they do best - innoviating. The iPod Touch was nice ( although, flawed in many ways ).

 

[gifford]

I'm soo anoyed MSFT jumped on the social networking side of things with media players first.
I have been saying for the last year AAPL should leverage the ipods into social networking devices. Now they would have to play catchup with the devil.
ipod,iphones, itunes, macbooks, iphoto.
make a social networing site, which shares video, musical, movies, photos.

WHY WHY WHY can Apple not understand the internet. Its the only week link in an otherwise fairly seamless business philosophy .

 

[diamond.g]

I'm soo anoyed MSFT jumped on the social networking side of things with media players first.
I have been saying for the last year AAPL should leverage the ipods into social networking devices. Now they would have to play catchup with the devil.
ipod,iphones, itunes, macbooks, iphoto.
make a social networing site, which shares video, musical, movies, photos.

WHY WHY WHY can Apple not understand the internet. Its the only week link in an otherwise fairly seamless business philosophy .

But how do they do that and retain the ease of use? And (preferably) without tying it into .Mac (so it is actually usefule for a Windows user).

 

[Kallikinos]

I'm soo anoyed MSFT jumped on the social networking side of things with media players first.
I have been saying for the last year AAPL should leverage the ipods into social networking devices. Now they would have to play catchup with the devil.
ipod,iphones, itunes, macbooks, iphoto.
make a social networing site, which shares video, musical, movies, photos.

WHY WHY WHY can Apple not understand the internet. Its the only week link in an otherwise fairly seamless business philosophy .

I want to go squirting with my iPod!

 

[pale9]

MS Marketing Boneheads at Work

one would imagine that MS would hire a couple of hot shot design and marketing geniuses to really take apple head on. but no, thinking in the box still rulez!

what dont they get about that they have to be 2 steps ahead of ipod features and/or design to really make a point. some things that come to my mind would be.... a kick-ass OLED display, built in skype and IM, a couple good games, voice recording, just to name a few.

 

[clevin]

How do you know? And Apple has already done this before: 5G iPods got many of the features that were introduced in 5.5G.

its confirmed by everyone

5G and 5.5G? if you call that a update,. may I ask what new features did 5G owner get? You can compare small, minor stuff to the big change like wireless syncing , etc, right?

wow, talk about copycats.....geez

lol, I guess any product priced same as apple is a copycat in your POV?

The 80GB has very few features better than the Classic. The screen size being one of them. I could see people getting it to watch their movies on. It's no competitor to the Touch though. Apple still has the upper hand with the Touch.

I wonder how many people left now still think Touch is a pure iPod, apparently M$ doesn't think so.

and to classic vs. ZUNE 80G, big screen is indeed a big difference, also, wireless syncing.

It's that the Zune sucks. I don't have to try and find things to dislike in the new Zune.

can't find another classic example of nutrition free statement like this. basically, make statement from nothing.

 

[gifford]

But how do they do that and retain the ease of use? And (preferably) without tying it into .Mac (so it is actually usefule for a Windows user).

Well scrap the iphoto bit, other than that every bit of software is available to windows.
Apple should open up a new website maybe "iBook" as the names not used anymore ((though they dont own website) AND if they start selling e-books on high res OLED screen, much like an ipod but for books i would probably use the name for that device)

Take a picture of yourself with your iphone, it would then give you an option to upload to iBook.com (lets just use that name for now) either wirelessly, att or through itunes.
Ultimately itunes is the information gatherer which resides on both PC and Mac, it knows what movies, music, and potential much other info (contacts from iphone? very handy)
100,000 ipods
100,000 iphones (over next 4 years)
.mac could co-exist, its a 'pay for' service that does not need nor have to go down the social networking route.

Also wirelessly connect and share images and information with friends via rendezvous.

Social networking is huge, Facebook has killed my forum stone dead overnight!

 

[Evangelion]

Zune2 still looks kind of ugly - not as ugly as Zune 1.

Aye, true that.

* I like the auto syncing over WIFI option. Something that Apple could look doing at. Personally, I hate wires. I wouldn't mind if syncing took longer.

I think that Apple should REALLY exploit wireless. I honestly don't understand why their attempts are so half-assed right now, when they could do so much more with minimium of effort. Example:

- Wireless syncing. I too hate wires.
- Wireless streaming. Stream your content from shared itunes-libraries.
- iPod Hifi: Build a Airport Express in to that thing so you could stream music directly to the Hifi from your computer
- Make iPhone and iPod touch work with AirTunes so you could stream FROM those devices as well. And that includes streaming to other iPods.
- Is there any reason why AppleTV couldn't act as a wireless network-extender?