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iPod Opinions On The Zune
- Thread starter shunpike
- Start date
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Don't call people fanboys just because they have no need for the great features the Zune offers.
Nice first try of MS and I'm sure we will see a lot more from MS in the future. But some MS fanboys need to accept that a lot of people don't care for Zune. Get over it. MS tried and, yeah, it's not great.
Enough of that. Back to the "real" video iPod or iPhone or whatever.
I don't even know why I care about the Zune. To much free time on my hand.
EDIT: and I'm sure some/a lot people would love to have more features in their iPods. But if I would lose battery life or the "ease of use" I would still go with the "poor" equipped iPod.
Their review seemed to be in depth and unbiased, but in the end I disagree with a lot of what they said. While fighting through the crowds in Circuit City on Black Friday I found a Zune they had on display so I thought I would check it out since I've been hearing so much about it. First off I didn't think it was attractive at all. I thought it was big and boxy and not at all sexy like iPod is. my 5G iPod video makes me want to use it all the time because it's just so nice looking, but the Zune did not inspire these sorts of feelings at all. I also disagree with what they said about the interface. I think having backround images on the screen makes it look cheap and cluttered. Sure you can customize it, but why? I guess the whole mySpace mentality has made people think they have to visually clutter everything they own in the name of "personalization." The iPod interface is sparse, yes, but I think that's the great thing about it. I look at it and I can see what song is playing without having to mentally sift through other visual distractions. I don't find myself going through an identity crisis because my iPod screen looks the same as everyone else's, but maybe that's just me.
In the end it seems as though Microsoft has created an adequate music player and hopefully it will be enough competition to keep Apple on their toes. But even notwithstanding my many purchased iTunes tracks and not owning a PC, I couldn't see any single reason why I would ever want a Zune.
I think M$ entered to late into the market with the zune. I think it is a crappy piece of ****. It is too thick and big and it doesn't work with the mac. And the brown one! OMG which idiot would be stupid enough to buy that! Eeeewwww!
Personally the Zune didn't impress me at all. In fact, when I used it the interface was laggy which is something I didn't expect (although it was pretty and a nice change). And no scroll wheel? I realize Apple patented it but my point is that Apple just plain got the physical human interface right. Up, Up, Down, Down* just doesn't cut it anymore.
*L, R, L, R, B, A, B, A, Start (for those of you old enough to get it)
*L, R, L, R, B, A, B, A, Start (for those of you old enough to get it)
Yeah, if the iPod was inferior and the Zune good, you could call us fanboys all you want, but I actually did look at other players. I even owned a few before I bought my first iPod. The things I found lacking about the mini (and those others) have been rectified with the new nano. And I'm sure Apple is working on something even better. Like if they can get wireless working well, I might consider it. But it works great as is for me and millions of others. MS has made so many mistakes with Zune, it'll be harder to even compete with the iPod, let alone kill it.
I'm sure people will buy it. Some poor kid will get one for XMas because the Best Buy sales person told their parents it was better than the iPod. Apple I hope Apple is taking it seriously just in case it does somehow miraculously take off. Hey, if they can make a good one, I'd buy it. But this ain't it. I look at Apple's first gen and MS' and just can't compare. They're going to have to do a lot better than this.
I'm sure people will buy it. Some poor kid will get one for XMas because the Best Buy sales person told their parents it was better than the iPod. Apple I hope Apple is taking it seriously just in case it does somehow miraculously take off. Hey, if they can make a good one, I'd buy it. But this ain't it. I look at Apple's first gen and MS' and just can't compare. They're going to have to do a lot better than this.
first off MS didn't develop zune software for mac like itunes. I don't want to use bootcamp for hooking with zune. no way. it can't be synchronize my itunes purchase music. wifi doesn't make any sense. if the feature could work with receiving email, songs, other multimedia files with PC or mac, it will be definitely ipod killer. Zune seems to have tons of software bugs which PC even generates error many times. it's ridiculous.
for MS or zune fanboy. don't compare with 1st Gen ipod back in 2001. it's 2006. technology follows time line. 2001 tech is different from today. it's changing faster. so new device in 2006 must have advantage or less errors in terms of integration.
plus, the marketing is very important how to get appeal to public. zune already failed enough. most of people don't know what zune is if they're not tech savvy. MS zune AD lost what it should be fucus. AD seems to reflect on 'welcome to social' as MS pharase that can't give people what it really is. then after commercial, people quickly forget what they watch. MS think that zune will be flying like windows or xbox. actually, windows is not sold. it's every PC's bundle. in reality, how many people actually buy windows XP? xbox with Al Jarred (I'm not sure spells) tries to make connection with zune. but gaming industry is much different from music, movies. MS doesn't have DNA. it's business software company. Apple has involved in entertainment in hollywood long time ago. that's why related products can't beat by others.
But I wish MS will show us better one so that Apple could leapfrog further ahead (yes, competition).
for MS or zune fanboy. don't compare with 1st Gen ipod back in 2001. it's 2006. technology follows time line. 2001 tech is different from today. it's changing faster. so new device in 2006 must have advantage or less errors in terms of integration.
plus, the marketing is very important how to get appeal to public. zune already failed enough. most of people don't know what zune is if they're not tech savvy. MS zune AD lost what it should be fucus. AD seems to reflect on 'welcome to social' as MS pharase that can't give people what it really is. then after commercial, people quickly forget what they watch. MS think that zune will be flying like windows or xbox. actually, windows is not sold. it's every PC's bundle. in reality, how many people actually buy windows XP? xbox with Al Jarred (I'm not sure spells) tries to make connection with zune. but gaming industry is much different from music, movies. MS doesn't have DNA. it's business software company. Apple has involved in entertainment in hollywood long time ago. that's why related products can't beat by others.
But I wish MS will show us better one so that Apple could leapfrog further ahead (yes, competition).
i can only say u guys just denying anything "good but not from apple", thats not good, i hope apple would look further, and learn from competitors.
verbally ditching without reasoning won't contribute anything to the develop of ipod and apple, u guys maybe love apple, but u are not doing anything to help them when new competitor appear, 1000000 times of praise won't improve anything, 1 critic is what they need.
verbally ditching without reasoning won't contribute anything to the develop of ipod and apple, u guys maybe love apple, but u are not doing anything to help them when new competitor appear, 1000000 times of praise won't improve anything, 1 critic is what they need.
the problem is that MS doesn't seem to improve much so far even they got tons of blames as much as Apple got. they have tried many things but how many products have been really successful? do you think Xbox is? windows? windows is not sold. it's every PC bundle. actually how many windows has been sold? not many because people don't want to buy it seperately. why? the quality of windows is not really good, and twice expensive than mac os x with lower quality. I think that MS's only successful product is Office.
But they Zune isn't good. I haven't read one single good review, even from MS fanboys. And my limited experience with it was not positive, vs. my iPod, which I have had positive experience with. That's why I bought it. If the Zune was better, I'd buy it. If any other product could do what the iPod could, I'd buy it. They don't, so I didn't.
I'm sure Apple is learning from MS. I'm sure they're learning a lot. Like what NOT to do.
microsoft doesn't really CARE what we at MacRumors think of the Zune. I don't think they expect to make "switchers" out of mac fanboys. It's just not for us - let's keep happy with our iPods and macs
Here's my assessment of the zune...
It's a promising device overall, and it really does feel sturdy and well put together. But I find that many of the "pluses" people find with it tend to be its shortcomings with me. The interface is quick and intuitive once you get the hang of it, but the layout is, as mentioned above, cluttered. It's sort of slap-dash with the transluscence and backdrop just all over the place. It's simply too busy in my opinion. One thing I found out, using the zune with the backlight off simply sucks. The ipod may be "boring" to some people, but if you use it with the backlight off to save power you can see everything clearly, because there's no heavy dark shapes and images to clutter up the actual text of your files. It's utilitarian, and that's why I like it more. The WiFi, although a very nice addition and a great jump start in the mp3 game, suddenly makes my eyes glaze over at the thought of the DRM nightmare, and this rumor floating about that non DRM'd songs are simply non-transferrable, which is, needless to say, pure fresh squeezed evil. I have yet to actually encounter the PC interface, so I'll just leave that one alone.
I actually value my ipod greatly as a portable external HDD, which is why im so surprised that the zune does not have this function as an *official* option. I don't care one iota about hacking. I don't buy electronics to hack them, I buy them to enjoy the features already included, not exploit their potential weaknesses. This is easily solved with a firmware update that possibly allows the user to make a dedicated and adjustable partition for file storage, so I won't thow stones at MS for this.
The battery life isn't too bad actually, and almost ties with the 30GB. This i get only from other (in my opinion fair) reviews. MS should really develop a larger capacity version with a better usage interval.
Aesthetic wise, the zune has a nice finish, but the touches all seem to just fit in an awkward way. I love the frosted plastic surface, but I hate that metallic dark semi-chrome border around the D pad and display. It just looks like a cheap add-on, but it definitely feels better than it looks. I will just have to repeat what many others probably have said, it looks like an ipod, but off somehow. Actually, it has one big touch of the 1Gen ipod, which can be seen in the 2 buttons on either side of the D pad (as opposed to the original ipod's 4 buttons above the mechanical scroll wheel), and has a touch of the later generation ipods, especially the 5G. Notice the doubleshot on the faceplate. The only real difference is the frosted texture and the colored transluscent panel above the first layer. The screen is big, which is a plus, but doesn't up the resolution to go along with it, which almost makes it a wash, especially when viewing album art, which looks simply awful in my opinion. I won't denigrate the machine for its form factor, because the fact that it does come equipped with an FM radio and a WiFi device compensate for this fact. Overall, the machine actually looks really decent, but I just have to hand over the industrial design trophy to apple for this one, because it really does have a nicer, sleeker look that the zune has yet to attain, albeit a very fragile beauty. The zune's sound however, is very very top notch. It sounds just as good, or possibly better than my ipod with the same exact headphones. Some tracks sound clearer and crisper. This is a major plus, and outshines this wretched WiFi thingamabob.
The player has promise, but is in serious need of a retooling, because so long as the WiFi remains under strict control like this that little "plus" remains an extremely unfortunate minus for me.
Yes, the sound on the zune was actually better! Strange only the iPod shuffle beat the zune's sound quality?
That's weird. Perhaps I'll post this on Zunescene. They may toss cyber tomatoes at poor Kaiser Machead.
apologies if this has already been posted:
http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/147048,CST-FIN-Andy23.article
http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/147048,CST-FIN-Andy23.article
I just upgraded from a 1g shuffle to a Nano....my gosh, I had never played with the click wheel before...I love this thing!
Back on topic. Only time will tell if the Zune will be successful. There is a 99% chance I'll stick with an iPod in the future because I like Apple's product. There is no reason for me to change. Even if the Zune has extra features (change wallpaper, wifi), I will stick with the iPod because it's simple and does what I want it do perfectly. Yes, I guess you can call me a fanboy, but I'm not going to proclaim ZUNE SUCKS. I simply like my iPod.
Even Paul Thurrot gives it a slating
http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/zune.asp
To quote him "The bottom line is that Microsoft should have waited until it had a more compelling product to sell. I can't imagine what they were thinking."
If he says that about it and we all know how much he loves microsoft, that is saying something!
http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/zune.asp
To quote him "The bottom line is that Microsoft should have waited until it had a more compelling product to sell. I can't imagine what they were thinking."
If he says that about it and we all know how much he loves microsoft, that is saying something!