ZOMG New Zunes 358
BarlowBrad writes "From PC World: "Microsoft announced a new slate of Wi-Fi-equipped Zune players today, including $150 4GB and $200 8GB flash-based players, and a $250 80GB model that's slimmer than the original Zune. All of the new models feature touch-sensitive controls and wireless syncing with your PC, a much-demanded feature that Microsoft will also make available on the original 30GB Zune when the new models debut in mid November."
Wireless. More space than a Nomad. But draw your own conclusions."
So how much... (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Refresh my memory... (Score:5, Interesting)
No. It is hated because it's an inferior product. Maybe it has nice capabilities, but these are then crippled by obsession over "content protection". The Zune is made to placate the RIAA, from it's DRM laden squirt "feature" to the pirate protection cost built into the price. It totally ignores even MSFT initiatives like playsForSure, which is just sloppy in my opinion. In fact, that's why I hate it the most. Not because of the DRM (because I don't care about that since I won't buy one) but because of the sloppy you'll-take-what-we-give you attitude from MSFT. They didn't even have the foresight to make it play well with their own stuff.
So, to sum up: hated, yes. Irrationally, no. There is no newsletter to read here, just read about the product.
Unpopular... (Score:5, Interesting)
Disclaimer: I pre-ordered an iPod Touch last week, and am actually expecting it to arrive today via FedEx.
Ars Technica had an overview of the major changes yesterday:
* Wireless syncing with a PC? Check.
* Software now supports podcasts? Check.
* Move TV shows automatically to the Zune? Check.
* Share whole playlists, albums, and podcasts (with no more silly time restrictions)? Check.
* Bring DRM-free music to the Zune Store? Check.
For Windows users, those actually seem like pretty nifty features. The wireless syncing alone is pretty darn cool, and is a feature iPod users like myself have wanted for a while (and my iPod touch STILL will not have). The DRM-free music bit is obviously in response to Apple, but it is a welcome move no matter what the catalyst. Being able to record TV shows using Media Center, and then move those recorded shows to the Zune is nice functionality too.
I also think it was pretty good of Microsoft to extend this firmware update to existing Zune owners, so they get all of this new functionality, and aren't pushed to buy a new Zune.
It's also worth noting that the new Zune's don't come in brown (the 80GB one only comes in black, for example), according to Ars.
I am an iTMS user, so the iPod touch is still my personal preference (and I like the iPhone UI), but for others, the Zune 2.0 finally seems like a more than decent alternative.
With that in mind - flame away.
- Scott
Re:Draw your own conclusions... (Score:5, Interesting)
I know that it is popular for ipod users to badmouth the competition, but the other players aren't bad, they just aren't as popular with thieves. From what I gather, the original zune wasn't a bad player, the woman I know that ones one was happy with it.
Not being compatible with walmart isn't a bad thing, as they pretty much insist on destroying any groundbreaking non pop music they can find, but not being easily used at other stores is probably a bigger problem. And not necessarily the ITMS, although that is rapidly changing, most ipod users apparently don't use the apple store much, so it shouldn't represent a problem for most people.
Re:Microsostrich (Score:2, Interesting)
I used to think this is why the iPod was so great. However, the greatness of the iPod is diminishing imo.
iTunes was great at managing music. Then apple went and added movies, tv and video. The interface for managing that video was crap however. I was shocked that apple would realease a "video player" that could not play full screen. In addition the video files were useless unless you had a video iPod or your computer hooked up to your TV or Apple's lovely $300 movie player. You could not burn them either. None of this was disclosed at time of purchase which was diappointing.
Scalability is not in Apple's vocab. My library consists of 8000+ songs. Itunes on average uses in excess of 100 mb or ram. The music player beats out Outlook, Word, and Excel combined. Bloat anyone? Not to mention that it does not clean up it's temporary XML library files resulting in GB of litter after a year of usage.
iTunes is a rip off. Apple would have you believe that they are doing eveyone a favor of "fixing" the price of music at 99 cents. Yet, Amazon has just shown that in fact, the same music just doesn't need to cost that much. In addition, Amazons music is unencumbered. Although, I generally don't get how music can cost the same delivered virtually or physically regardless of who is selling it to me.
The iPod is nice to look at though!
But I'll be honest I own two iPods I don't use itunes anymore (winamp works nicely) and I buy my music elsewhere.
Where nerds congregate (Score:1, Interesting)
Slashdot with it's infinitely more responsible moderation system doesn't show the same pro-Zune bias. (or maybe that's the proported Slashdot anti-MS bias).
Up your Game (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Congratulations Microsoft... (Score:4, Interesting)
Wow, and I thought *I* was a Apple fanboy. C'mon, I run multiple Macs at home, and I own an iPhone, and even I like the new Zunes.
Same price, same storage, but wireless sync? On that itself I'm sold. But now add a DRM-less online store with an optional subscription model? Score. Larger screen than the iPod classic? Score too. If the battery life can live up to iPod, this thing is a clear winner for the time being.
The "Zune Nano" is a bit of a disappointment. The specs are nice, but in the end the design leaves much to be desired. The black border around the screen screams "We couldn't put a larger screen in here so we'll just pretend"... Either give us a bigger screen or a smaller device, or at least find an aesthetically improved way to get around the problem. IMHO these things need to have a storage edge over the iPod nano if they expect to win.
The big-boy Zune though... that's going to give iPod a run for its money on the Windows side.
Re:Unpopular... (Score:1, Interesting)
However, I'm unable to find any confirmation of that info. Anyone?
It's Web 2.0 in your hand! (Score:3, Interesting)
I wasn't sure if those were real screenshots, or what.
Re:I've never got the point of wireless synching.. (Score:3, Interesting)
Or you're like me and you have your player in a dock in your car, and you never use the player outside of the car. Right now I rarely add new music to my Zune because it's a pain in the butt to bring it inside. I do have to remember to hook it up to my PC once a month to renew the DRM licenses, at which point I may put some more music on it, but that's it. If I could wirelessly sync to the device while it's sitting in my car in my garage, I'd put so much more music on it and I'd never have to worry about songs expiring on me while I'm out on the road.
Woud be better if not constrained (Score:2, Interesting)
1) Three plays is ridiculous, even for evaluation purposes. Partial plays count against the limit as well.
2) It's unlikely anyone has WiFi enabled by default due to battery drain, so you have to go through some setup hassles just to make it all work. And both of you have to own a Zune!
That all combines to mean that even pencil and paper make for a more appealing and useful sharing option. If you could simply transfer a song over to someone, and let them play it forever with the option of buying it if they wanted to, then I might start to consider it of some use. As it is, it's almost never going to actually get used.
Re:Draw your own conclusions... (Score:1, Interesting)
Is this some co-ordinated smear campaign against apple? I'm curious. You want to hack something, get an N800.