RSSNew Zune Hardware, Software Starts Shipping
By Ed Oswald | Published November 13, 2007, 11:16 AM
Microsoft debuted its redesigned Zunes on Tuesday, hoping to make inroads into a market that it has so far little affected.
Overall, Zune players account for around three percent of the entire portable music device market. Up until now, the company only sold hard drive-based devices, which have long since fallen out of favor with consumers.
Now the company has added two flash-based models to its lineup, at sizes of 4 and 8 GB. Microsoft hopes that this will be the answer to its problems and push its device from a niche product to a platform that is more directly competitive with the iPod.
Along with the new players, Zune's online music store has received a facelift. Music videos and podcasts are now available, and Microsoft's promised catalog of DRM-free MP3s have also made an appearance.
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On top of this, Microsoft is hoping its social networking site also lures people. It will aim to connect people through musical tastes, and allows people to discover new music by seeing what their friends are listening to.
"We're trying to blow people's minds with Zune Social by giving them new ways to discover and share music that they haven't even thought about," Zune senior project manager Terry Farrell said.
Microsoft plans to give the user complete control over who can view the page, as well as how they can share their Zune information outside of the site through blogs and other social networks. Additionally, artists may use it to connect with fans much like many already do with MySpace.
"The possibilities are endless," Farrell said.
the new market place is awesome. the new podcast is even better. I have been listening to podcast for like 7 hours. great job microsoft.
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|For once I'll have to say to Apple, "wake up and take some lessons from Microsoft!"
Zune features to learn:
> wireless syncing and sharing
> social networking
> better interface than the new iPod classics
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|All the Apple idiots are starting to get about as annoying as the Sony idiots now. You don't like the Zune? Then don't buy it and shut the f**k up. Go buy Steve Jobs' next featureless, over priced, shiny piece of turd. Some of the idiots around here are so blinded by their hatred for Microsoft, they forget one simple fact: competition is good. Every time there's an article about a new Microsoft product, I see the same dips**ts posting their idiotic comments. pitdingo is a prime example.
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|Would you like some cheese with that? Apple releases a superior product. Sorry M$ can not compete.
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|Superior product is that what you call it. The sound quality is not that good and you can't even change your own battery yes that is quality.
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|Can I synchronise with using my Mac? no. Sorry, no dice.
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|Damn...MS can't sell to 4% of the market...oh well.
It's actually probably less then that...I bet most people that have macs also have pc's....or are at least running a windows vm.
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|bravo, sometimes you just have to slap those types around with some choice words :)
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|Well you know that a 12 year old is perfectly capable of using a computer, but it doesn't mean they're going to make any sense if they try and post their opinion about things here on a grownups website.
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|Zune I don't like, iPod I don't like.
Creative all the way -.-.
DRM Free, Encoding Free, But they are slow in designing some new stuff.
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|Oh yes just cause you own a zune or ipod you must use DRM, I have a shuffle i got for free when i started school and a video ipod. neither of which have to use DRM to be used. neither of which have to use itunes to use.
On a side note, I like the original zune better, though it at glance from pictures looks much more bulky then zune 2. Haven't read to much on the features but the radio and wifi parts are a big plus. the GUI of the zune is just sexy, puts ipod to shame and ipod puts everyone else to shame.
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|Zune marketplace is now DRM free too AND subscription enabled? Can your Ipood music store say that?
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|Creative is just an also ran in an already too crowded market.
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|Nope. A subscription uses the crappy M$ Zune Media DRM format. Zune is totally infected with DRM.
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|Yeah, but if you can't afford an Apple, it is the next best thing....way better than the M$ Zune.
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|EVERYTHING that is subscription based is DRM otherwise it would defeat the purpose. Everything you say can be taken with a grain of salt as:
You have never used one
Never seen one
Anything MS related you spout the same BS over and over
Just once I would like to see you NOT be a fan boy.
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|And their support for DivX (and I believe XVID from my experience) is great.
My only gripes are they haven't come up with anything new in the HD market for a while, their UI needs an overhaul, and their processor speed is a bit sluggish, but other than that they're wonderful.
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|I went through about 6 Creative Zens because the damn headphone jack would get messed up and I wouldn't get any sound. At 30 bucks a pop for an RMA/exchange, it was getting so expensive that I just bought a Sony 810i Walkman phone instead and haven't had an issue (other than the annoyance of the headphone dongle) since.
They really need to ruggedize those things.
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|Sansa is the best value and best sounding of all three, and smaller too, unless you get one of those tiny Apple's with no screen. Anyone who watches video and movies on thier iPod is a retard. There's always some jackass on my flight with an iPod full of movies with it propped up two inches from his face.
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|Just like iTunes? Uh oh, your head is going to eplode now because you found out iTunes has DRM!
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|Ive got the 8 Gb Sansa the only downside is perhaps its size a little bit big almost like a cellphone.. and that it can't play flac files as far as i know. Also its perhaps just a little bit slow when pushing the next song button. Other than that its a great looking player.
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|LOL. This is what they have been working on for so long?!?!?!!? What crap!
No thanks M$. I, like everyone else, will continue with the iPod/iPhone line. Zune is complete and total crap.
Try to copy Apple again...maybe Zune 3 will be better. LOL. Zune 3 might innovate and have a touch screen....lol!
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|have you use it? its not as bad as you think! The new zune software blows iTunes out of the water.
apple is not the first MP3 player on the market, so other can say apple copy creative well...
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|You have not even used it so shut the hell up. We all know you are a troll with any Microsoft thread.
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|man o' man, can we all just get along!! Zune, iPod, Creative, who gives a s**t! Zune owners: Enjoy! iPod owners: Enjoy! Those wanting to b**w me: Enjoy! Get a life people!!!
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|Touch screen...yes how innovative, it's only been around for over 10 years.
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|" I, like everyone else, will continue with the iPod/iPhone line."
So you will follow the rest of the iSheep and not decide on your own opinions? That's probably all you own is the iPod and that's it.
Too bad the iPod Touch wasn't the first to use a touch screen. The Cowon D2 has one and came out before it.
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|The new Zune software is pretty decent. It's certainly easier to use, and the wireless sync options are really nice. However, there are a few gotchas:
If you depend on the 5-star rating system, the new love-it/hate-it rating system will prove annoying. I don't rate my music at all, so this isn't a big deal for me.
Also, when you install it, make sure you actually READ the Settings pages... the defaults are to allow Zune Player to update the music library with Album Art and Metatag information, and many people (like myself) don't necessarily want it to do that.
The only major issue I hear complaints about so far is that damaged/limited Vista installs are reporting problems with updating the Dr. Watson debug manager library. Not sure of a fix for that.
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|At least the software is easier on the eyes than that god awful Zune on my pc screen travesty they had before.
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|Still NO mp3 player can give Apple a run for its money.....
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|The players themselves are fantastic and certainly better than anything Apple has produced. Larger screen, better quality sound, and just easier to use a real button/touchpad for navigation than the friggen "wheel" system Apple uses.
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|Apple has the edge on clean and simple designs, that is for sure, but you're never safe saying anyone is untouchable. Lots of companies have come back from almost-obscurity to lead the market... Nissan is a good example from another market... Apple itself is really only quite recently ressurected itself...
Myself, I am looking at the touch, because I like the size and functionality... and 16GB flash is pretty much all I need for all the music I've ever listened to in the last 10 years...
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|Apple has patent ownership on that friggen wheel you silly goose, that is probably why MS didn't implement it on their Zune player!
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