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Microsoft to Kill Off Development of New Zune Hardware

Makes sense.

The Zune HD was very, very nice, the rest were a bit of a joke.

But the real magic of Zune is in the software and the services, both of which are Microsoft's strengths.

I love Mac OS X and find the first and third party software often has better UX than equivalents on the PC side, but the Zune PC client is one notable exception. It's really well done.
 
Say what you will about the Zune - I had one 5 years ago and it did something mindblowingly advanced that the iPod/iPhone/iPad still cannot do - wireless sync.

<sigh>
 
the zune is nice...when it works. that was the biggest problem with it. compatibility issues with it and windows. there was a period when the original one was incompatibe with vista. you would think that division of one company would talk to each other now and again.
 
Microsoft had no business ever entering the market. By the time Zune shipped, Apple already had 70%+ market share in dozens of countries and had you locked in with iTunes. They were too late to the game.

Sadly, they will likely repeat this in tablets. They want Windows on it but now realize that it makes no sense. If they can ever scale Windows Phone 7 or to be a tablet OS or create a real tablet OS, the shake out in tablets will have already occurred.

I don't see another xbox in Microsoft's future.
 
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Well just another failed product by microsoft.
 
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I dunno, I'm not sure I like apple having complete dominance. It doesn't bode well for future upgrading of products... iPod classic for example.

As is though the iPods are simply the best
 
I remember when the originals came out. I worked for Circuit City at the time and they had a 100% return rate. (Granted we only sold 3 before I left there but still).

The originals had the WORST colors (pepto pink, diarrea, and milk) Those were the colors. There was supposedly a black one floating around but our store never got it.
 
iMacx said:
Wow, and nobody could have seen this one coming. Proof that the demand is low: I've never even seen one!
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Well just another failed product by microsoft.
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No, I'm pretty sure Apple canceled the Zune.
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This is all so funny. Almost as funny as Apple's total failure in the server market. Remember? They recently cancelled the Xserve product line and they even quietly retreated from developing a standalone server version of OS X. Did you guys laugh so much about that, too?



So, now Zune software is gonna compete with Windows Phone 7?
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No. The Zune software is for Windows Phone 7 what iTunes is for iOS.
 
The problem for the other tablet makers, currently, is the economy. IMO, if you aren't first, then you need to do something to penetrate the market. (There are multiple "firsts", 1st to market, 1st competitor...) By the time M$ and others hit the tablet market, they will have to penetrate. Their hardware will have to be superior and expensive and they will have to sell for a loss.

This is where the economy comes in. No one's going to sell for a loss in a down economy. M$ xbox used this to penetrate the gaming market. If M$ didn't sell the xbox for a loss, the platform would never have been adopted and would have gone the way of so many before it.

The only viable option I see right now for a competitor to Apple, is Amazon. Apple is built and sustained by iTunes. If Amazon can re-create iTunes and make it available on Android/WP7/RIM, Apple will get a run for their money.

Amazon would be smart to become a viable iTunes competitor and then subsidize the cost of the hardware. Imagine buying a phone from Amazon with a carrier subsidization and an Amazon subsidization.
 
You mean they haven't already built in Zune functions into their Windows 7 phones??? Microsoft is way behind (their copycat product plans).
 
Winni said:
This is all so funny. Almost as funny as Apple's total failure in the server market. Remember? They recently cancelled the Xserve product line and they even quietly retreated from developing a standalone server version of OS X. Did you guys laugh so much about that, too?
Click to expand...

Here's what Ballmer had to say at the Zune launch:

Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer says he can break the dominance of Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod in the digital music market with the Zune player that hits stores across the U.S. today.

Please point out a statement from anyone at Apple stating they were entering the server market to compete and win with Microsoft.
 
I can't say that I'm at all surprised. First the idea of the subscription based model doesn't really fly when you can have the music with iTunes.

The zune was too little too late, they entered the market just as the iPod was peaking. Now that most of the functionality if in the phones, there is no demand.
 
dejo said:
So, now Zune software is gonna compete with Windows Phone 7? :confused:
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This is not correct. Zune is the brand (or service) currently & in the future to deliver music & video. Windows Phone 7 is their smartphone platform currently. So basically Zune will be service integrated into Windows Phone 7 (or any other OS Microsoft platform that MS wishes) to deliver music & video.

I've never used the Zune service on WP7 or the Zune software on my PC but from when I've read & heard it's actually very good. Many people that I know who use it say it's much better than iTunes. But that's anectodatal evidence at best.
 
A bunch of Microsoft's Zune "engineers" (which train do you drive?) live in my building. They're complete jerks, and aggressively vulgar toward anyone they see with an iPod.

I hope they enjoy listening to their precious Zunes while standing in line at the unemployment office.

DIAF, boys and girls.
 
My brother bought the original Zune. 30GB version.


Don't think he used it that much, and now it's just sitting in it's box.
I'd love to use it, but sadly, both my computers are Macs...
 
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Never seen one in the wild. Just in stores. A Target, to be specific.
But the UI, graphically, was actually really nice. More mature than Apple's elementary schoolish UI. Similar aspects have been ported over to their windows phones and they look great. But Apple's ecosystem can't be touched. Period. Be it Zune, Xoom, Android, Honeycomb, whatever - no one has, or can(?) develop an equivalent ecosystem. Game. Over.
 
Sadface. It wasn't ever a bad product; it was actually kind of cool, just poorly marketed and ill-prepared against the iPod juggernaut. They brought very little in the way of new things to the table. Also, who makes an MP3 player and doesn't give it Mac compatibility with how much the Mac install base keeps growing these days?
 
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I guess I have to change my avatar name now! ;)
Sent from my iPhone
 
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