iPod touch What exaclty makes the Zune HD incompatible with Mac?

[fernande-mac]

Well, I need to ask.

People complain about media players from other companies not working well with Mac OS. However, consider that Windows PC users may look at the iPod with exactly the same concerns if they do not want to use iTunes to do the management and sync. They have the same limited choices as Mac users trying to use other non-Apple media players.

So. . .

When people say that the Zune HD does NOT work for the Mac. What exactly do they mean by this?

Is the device not recognized at all by Mac OS X? Or just iTunes?

If the Zune HD shows up as a USB drive, wouldn't you be able to drag and drop songs/movies into the appropriate folders in the Zune HD? Or do they have a convoluted folder structure?

Are there any Mac-based applications that will let you manage media libraries and sync non-Apple devices?

One that comes to mid is the MissingSync for phones. There should be one for media players/PDAs.

Just wondering. . .

 

[PeteB]

I can only speak of experience of owning the original Zune.

From memory, Microsoft never released any software for the Mac (for unknown reasons, but mostly out of spite, I think). They also created an encrypted file system to store the files on the device so that the data files couldn't be read or written to using normal means.

There were a few attempts at writing some software, but as far as I remember, it got as far as reading a list of songs and playlists - no syncing was made possible.

This inflexibility helped to kill what was a pretty good mp3 player.

Microsoft's decision not to sell the device outside of the USA is also a rather odd one.

 

[fernande-mac]

Microsoft never released any software for the Mac
...
They also created an encrypted file system to store the files on the device so that the data files couldn't be read or written to using normal means.
...
Microsoft's decision not to sell the device outside of the USA is also a rather odd one.

Wow! These are rather strange choices for a device that was supposedly competing with the iPod.

Any word on the Zune HD regarding Mac software, encrypted file system, or selling outside the USA?

 

[NT1440]

The zune can only use the Zune software apparently (nothing wrong with that) but MS hasn't ever released a version for OS X. Thats why it won't work for macs.

Also, as of this post, Zunes are North American only. MS doesn't sell them anywhere else.

 

[Unprocessed1]

The zune can only use the Zune software apparently (nothing wrong with that) but MS hasn't ever released a version for OS X. Thats why it won't work for macs.

Also, as of this post, Zunes are North American only. MS doesn't sell them anywhere else.

I'm going to be using using bootcamp to sync my Zune. I just moved my saved itunes music to an external HD, and then to Windows, to test how it worked out. It literally took only 10 minutes to transfer 5GB of music, and Zune automatically collects the music you have in your windows music library.

 

[John.B]

The zune can only use the Zune software apparently (nothing wrong with that) but MS hasn't ever released a version for OS X. Thats why it won't work for macs.

I think Palm should reverse-engineer the zune software to allow syncing to the Pre.

 

[PeteB]

The zune can only use the Zune software apparently (nothing wrong with that) but MS hasn't ever released a version for OS X. Thats why it won't work for macs.

Also, as of this post, Zunes are North American only. MS doesn't sell them anywhere else.

I bought my old one from eBay (when I was still running Windows. Back then, the Zune was superior in looks/interface than the iPod at the time (although their software/marketplace was a bit shoddy). When the iPod Touch came out, the Zune was suddenly dead in the water and Microsoft completely failed to respond. The Zune HD, while being a good product will fail as well, I get the feeling that MS actually want it to fail for some reason.

The only way I could get the Zune to run on my Mac was to buy Parallels and put all my music into that. It turned into such a pain that I went and bought an iPod Touch.

Here's another interesting thing. MS marketing guys can't even think of a unique way of selling the Zune online - they had to go and steal ideas from Apple.

Zune HD marketing page:-
http://www.zune.net/en-us/products/zunehd/default.htm

Apple iPod marketing page
http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/

Same basic layout. Except Apple do it better, of course...

 

[cenetti]

New zune software is awsome! Heck alot better than itunes...(just downloaded 4.0)

With zune pass (which I have) new smart dj is like pandora .... amazing..

anyways.. I am using bootcamp via parallels and working perfectly....

brb I am on my way to get the new Zune HD.....