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Microsoft Launches Zune HD

In the end it is not only the Device itself that is important to Users nowadays...
It is Prestige factor, "Ease of Use", ecosystem of a Device, Influence by friends n family etc.

Since the iPod is out there holding 70+% market share, it is very likely your Friend has one or your neighbor, father, brother ... u get the point.
This is free advertising!
iTunes is content rich and easy to use as Well, and DRM FREE! U can share your Music legally with Family members etc.
And there is a Billion of Devices out there that are compatible with your iPod. Docks, music players, Car Stereos, Fridges (yes FRIDGES: http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/01/gorenje-debuts-made-for-ipod-fridge/)
and so on!

So there are plenty arguments that are important for non Techblog readers.If you followed the outburst of Msft and Apple fanboyism on Engadget Gizmodo and co, you have to think, that this is going to take of like a rocket but how many people actually know what OLED is or TEGRA.

All those arguments do not count for average consumers!

Don´t get me wrong, iam still sure it will do much much better than the original ZUNE but i do not believe it to be a real threat to Apple inc.
 
iRACK said:
In the end it is not only the Device itself that is important to Users nowadays...
It is Prestige factor, "Ease of Use", ecosystem of a Device, Influence by friends n family etc.

Since the iPod is out there holding 70+% market share, it is very likely your Friend has one or your neighbor, father, brother ... u get the point.
This is free advertising!
iTunes is content rich and easy to use as Well, and DRM FREE! U can share your Music legally with Family members etc.
And there is a Billion of Devices out there that are compatible with your iPod. Docks, music players, Car Stereos, Fridges (yes FRIDGES: http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/01/gorenje-debuts-made-for-ipod-fridge/)
and so on!
Click to expand...

You could have just said "market domination" and made it much simpler. Cult, even... go figure.
 
NT1440 said:
You don't understand how much money goes into something like that do you? I don't think they would recover the losses anytime soon to constitute the man hours required to make it work with a Mac.
Click to expand...

Actually, all you have to do is fake a USB ID... </dangerous Palm joke>

I don't think it would be that time-consuming or expensive. There are several 3rd party utilities for various aspects of iPod management; if small 3rd party companies (or individuals) can do so; it's not going to make a ripple in Microsoft's budget.

I think the problem is more the fact that the already small Mac market is already dominated by other Apple products, the iPod & iPhone. The "Mac users who will buy another music/media player" demographic is very, very small. There is very little incentive for Microsoft to bring the Zune to Mac (though I wouldn't be surprised if we see someone hack it's way over here); other than PR.
 
Jesus this thread is filled with so many fanboys. I'm glad to see a few remaining objective about the whole thing.

Chances are most the fanboys saying "Nice try Microsoft, but your device is crap," have never even touched a Zune let alone the Zune HD. I've owned a Zune (both hard drive and flash based models) and I think its a great device. Perhaps I'm just a minimalist, but I love its UI, and would gladly take it over the jelly buttons of the iPod touch/iPhone. I also like the way browsing the UI and how playback is handled. I would LOVE for the iPod/iPhone OS to allow me to browse to a song and select it to "Play Next" but not escape my current place in my playlist.

I haven't tried the Zune HD yet but my co-worker is getting one and I'll be able to fiddle with that. I think the previous generations of the Zune were great devices, and this one will definitely be a large step up and offer some significant competition to the iPod touch. The lack of App Store is definitely a drawback, but the iPod touch/iPhone didn't have App Stores to begin with, so I'll give the device time, but as it stands I am impressed with what Microsoft has done. The only thing holding me back from getting one is the lack of native OS X support for the Zune Marketplace. I have Windows 7 installed on Boot Camp, but that seems like a bit of a hassle to go through in order to sync my device.
 
mags631 said:
Agreed that the tone is a little defensive, I'd be interesting in seeing counterpoints to the facts claimed in the article.
Click to expand...

You could find negative things about any device and that is what the article capitalizes on. I think the person writing that article got a little desperate when trying to dismount the whole "Tegra" hype.

Every company uses marketing terms to hype their products and that article has some vague accuracy but just seems to search in every dark corner for negative things to say about it.
 
We Apple customers have got to agree about one thing, and that is that the LCD screens in our iPhone and iPod Touch'es are still rubbish when compared to other brands.
 
This Zune finally brings some nice hardware to the line. The only place now where Apple is truly ahead is the app store, but the Zune store will get apps too. There are millions of .net developers and they can instantly be Zune app developers because of that.

Also, the Zune pass is actually pretty cool. I'm surprised Apple has yet to offer something similar.
 
I am in the market for a new music device and hope this Zune HD will provide Apple with the impetus to actually upgrade their iPod Touch. Version3 was a cheap upgrade lacking many features I was hoping for --- camera, HD out, OLED, radio FM tuner.

Of course, I will never buy windows-based devices... so I will wait until Apple improves :apple:
 
Huh?

richardhunt said:
I for one welcome any competition to the ipod Touch. Do you guys not realize that the reason you can now get a 32GB ipod Touch with improved specs for $299 is because this Zune HD came out? The beauty of market capital?OS.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what planet you live on ... MS enjoys a whopping 1% share at the moment. They are so far behind that's it's difficult to imagine they can ever gain ground given Apple's design and execution iProwess.

Not sure we know what you mean by 'the beauty of market capital'?
 
cababah said:
You could find negative things about any device and that is what the article capitalizes on. I think the person writing that article got a little desperate when trying to dismount the whole "Tegra" hype.

Every company uses marketing terms to hype their products and that article has some vague accuracy but just seems to search in every dark corner for negative things to say about it.
Click to expand...

This is tangential -- whether you like a Zune or not, the author of article does construct somewhat of an argument -- I would be curious to see some reasoned, even if biased, points against.
 
eastcoastsurfer said:
This Zune finally brings some nice hardware to the line. The only place now where Apple is truly ahead is the app store, but the Zune store will get apps too. There are millions of .net developers and they can instantly be Zune app developers because of that.

Also, the Zune pass is actually pretty cool. I'm surprised Apple has yet to offer something similar.
Click to expand...


Aww I was anticipating a link to the Ballmer video about developers.
 
This is actually a decent looking device with some decent specs. I'll refrain from developing a final judgment until I actually get my hands on one to see how snappy the interface is and how it feels. But I do find the OLED screen appealing as well as the Tegra chipset. It remains to be seen how successful the store will be and how well apps work on it.

It does demonstrate that previous iterations of the Zune have been, essentially, a placeholder until Microsoft could figure out how to create a device that is essentially an iPod Touch knockoff. Additionally, Microsoft has to demonstrate that it can remain committed to this device and platform. Windows essentially stagnated between XP and Longhorn/Vista and Windows Mobile remains a joke despite its considerable head start over Apple in the smartphone niche.

Despite the decent hardware and apparently decent UI, the Zune will not be a worthwhile alternative to the iPod until it has a vibrant marketplace for apps and media as well as a commitment from MS to improve the device in a way that is beneficial for its customers.
 
$2.99

Two free apps and the rest is $2.99 even the crappy ones. I didn't say that Microsoft did, they say they will sell apps no lower than $2.99.
 
Since it's got I.E 6 on it does this run windows underneath and is it susceptible to virus's and spyware?

Are people going to be able to steal my photo's through the browser?

Is it as crashy as a winmobile platform? Are they going to let their faux windows multi tasking run loose on this like they do on winmob?

I'm not being snide - I genuinely want to know.

Anyone?
 
Back2Bedlam said:
Great to see the photocopiers at Redmond are working well... Maybe they should Patent there copying technique. You'd think a company with that much money, and supposedly brains, would invent some things original!
Click to expand...

Look at the "chicklet" style keyboard from a Sony x505 released 5/2004. 5 years ago. Look familiar? Apple is SO original, yeah right.

vaio-x505-i1.gif
 
It's a nice piece of hardware. Nothing wrong with that aspect.
Let's see how it handles content and what becomes available for it.

Seriously, I'm not getting fannish about this. I always like to see something new and interesting.

Steve Jobs made the point a couple of years ago that the Japanese had some nice mp3 players out before the iPod but it was the software that they didn't get right.
 
lex750 said:
Look at the "chicklet" style keyboard from a Sony x505 released 5/2004. 5 years ago. Look familiar? Apple is SO original, yeah right.

vaio-x505-i1.gif
Click to expand...

Please spare me OLD stuff like this. In the end all Companies observe and serve... But here we are very clear which Company actually opened a mass MArket for Touchscreen Devices using capacitive screens in the first place.
It was Apple clearly and nobody is going to argue on that Fact. This Market has not ben excitant before the iPhone/iPod Touch platform emerged.

And again nobody will argue that tying this kind of gadget to an App selling Platform on a big scale has also been an idea from Apple.

So tell us now: Who cares about Keyboard Design?

Well and at least Apple moved up the keys to give them users a Hand rest! :)
 
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