ZUNE

[pablosci]

this is microsoft ipod competition


We've got some juicy breaking details this morning about Microsoft's iPod competitor (http://www.i4u.com/article5886.html). The device had been referred to with a couple different names, but we now know that the official name is supposedly going to be the Zune.

The picture shown is reportedly the final design for Microsoft's flagship MP3 device, obviously going for the non-busy look like the iPod. There had also been speculation of Xbox tie-ins to add game functions (http://www.i4u.com/article5011.html) to the device, but it seems those rumors have been squashed (http://www.i4u.com/article6024.html). In fact, MS has been trying to keep the entire project under-wraps and denying a lot of the info that seems to circulate about it.
Anyway, assuming the picture is the real deal, it looks like the vertical screen certainly will be big enough to show you all the info that you need, like album cover pictures. The unit will come in a white color and possibly a black version as well.

The Zune is assumedly going to be ready for the holidays this year, though we don't know for sure what kind of price range Microsoft is thinking. It'll be interesting if Microsoft can give Apple the licking that they've most likely been wanting to do for years.

the nano version would be called PIXAS, and of of the more interesting things from this, is that it will came with a internet wirelles conecction, where you can connect to the internet store and keep downloading songs.

here is a little picture

http://www.i4u.com/images/2006/microsoft-zune-ipod-killer-details.jpg

[Butters]

Yeah saw that on Engadget a few days ago...

Looks like a crap version of the iPod, those two buttons either side of the scroll wheel look almost identical to those on the 3rd Gen iPod...

Nice big screen tho :P

Noone is ever going to beat the iPod, people should stop trying. Like hell it would be Microsoft anyways :lol:

[hybrid101]

microsoft:lol:
good luck with them. i so hope this comes with a BSoD!

[Theros]

Who Knows? I like the Zens and my PSP just fine :)

[Jeff Wheeler]

The screen looks awesome (although it'll probably be even larger on the next iPod :P), but the buttons are a complete rip of the iPod.

If this were a website, and some guy had posted a thread, we would've flamed him until he left.

[pablosci]

it would be nice to make a ZUNE design battle
i think we can make it better

[Theros]

they did a XBOX 360 cover contest, does that count? Some of the results were really quite kickass

[pablosci]

i mean, zune

[nobody]

You guys need to check out the features before you start bashing it and calling it an iPod rip off. It's actually got some pretty solid featuers that people would switch for, not to mention giving you every song you've purchased from iTunes for free on their network. Seriously, read about it before bashing :)

[Jeff Wheeler]

We didn't say it was an iPod rip in and of itself. Simply the design of the bottom part is…

You should read our bashes more carefully before bashing us. ;)

:P

[lunatic]

Looks like a crap version of the iPod, those two buttons either side of the scroll wheel look almost identical to those on the 3rd Gen iPod...



We didn't say it was an iPod rip in and of itself. Simply the design of the bottom part is…

You should read our bashes more carefully before bashing us. ;)

:P

You contradict yourself nokky. ;)

[Jeff Wheeler]

No, he did exactly what I said. We said the buttons were a rip, but nothing else. I did not contradict myself.

[Anogar]

If this were a website, and some guy had posted a thread, we would've flamed him until he left.

:lol: HA! You're totally right. So who do we flame now?

[Theros]

You? :P

[NANO3]

i like it, it's about time the iPod gets a (possible?) competitor

I say possible because this thing may die out like the iRiver and the Sansa (recently released one with color screen)

the features actually look decent. The ipod is really only a one way feature, music. This thing may prove different.

[Mik3]

Cool screen, but the design sucks bigtime!

[maxticket]

I say possible because this thing may die out like the iRiver and the Sansa . . .

I know quite a few iRiver owners--not nearly as many as iPod owners, but enough to where I wouldn't say it died out (yet).

[Jeff Wheeler]

I've never known anybody with an iRiver. Two people I know own a Creative, though.

[skOOb]

I've never known anybody with an iRiver. Two people I know own a Creative, though.yes, but how many total people do you know? You mean these two (http://www.kirupa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=227079) friends? :lol:

[Jeff Wheeler]

No, both of them have an iPod. I have lots of “friends,” just not the kind you invite over. Those ones would be so bored at my house… they're not complete geeks. (Or they're the WOW-type geeks…) :P

One of the people with a Creative Zen came over once or twice this summer, and he really likes to argue about how Apple stole the iPod interface. Man, he won't ever stop bashing Apple. He's worse than I was back in the day.

[Vexir]

The screen is way cool, I can't wait for this to come out. I think the bottom is a half rip of the iPod, I don't think its a touch wheel.. Xbox integration sounds good though.

[SlowRoasted]

microsoft = riposoft

It's business though and they are just trying to make money.

[Theros]

BUt riposoft doesn't always make bad products :D

[B3NKobe]

Um.... you cant say they are copying the ipod, theres hundreds of different branded MP3 players these days, literally hundreds!! They all do the same thing, play music, so lets just leave it at that!!

I think it looks nice and no one has seen what it looks like in real life, so never judge a book by its cover, I will consider buying this when its released to go with my X360 :thumb:.


...as for today I brought a iPod Nano 4G :love:

[prozacn]

Engadget just wrote a pretty full write-up. Link (http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/21/zune-what-we-know-think-we-know-and-dont-yet-know/)


Ok, so we got off the horn with Microsoft just a few minutes ago and realized that making heads or tails of all this Zune stuff is probably driving some of you crazy . (We know others are probably just getting driven crazy by all the posts we've been writing about it. Sorry, it's our job!) So here's what we know for sure, think we know according to inside sources (i.e. yet unconfirmed information), and what we don't yet know at all about the Zune.

What we know (for sure)

Zune is the name of the project, the brand, and the device.
The first Zune device will be launched this year, with more devices to come in 2007.
The Zune brand encompasses not only the device, but the software that will drive it, as well as a music, movie, and media service the Zune device family will use for acquiring, sharing, and discovery of said media. Music will be the first angle of service that is launched, "connected entertainment" being the ultimate goal.

The Zune media service will heavily leverage community aspects and recommendation; emphasis is being placed on using Zune to discover new artists, media, etc.
The Zune media device will be drive-based, and have WiFi.
The Zune brand is intended to be an entirely vertically integrated end-to-end solution, not unlike the iPod / iTunes / iTunes Music Store triumvirate.
The service and device will not be PlaysForSure compliant, meaning you will not be able to use your Zune player with Napster or Vongo, for example. This will be an entirely new system. Microsoft will continue to support and develop for their PlaysForSure initiative, but all things PlaysForSure are handled by two entirely separate division that will not have any crossover.

Zune is under Microsoft's new Entertainment & Devices Division, and is headed by, among others, Robbie Bach, J Allard (Corporate Vice President and Chief XNA Architect), and Bryan Lee (Corporate Vice President and CFO, Entertainment and Devices Division), which accounts for the division of this project from the rest of Microsoft, similar to how the Xbox project was also strictly separated.
The logo we had is, of course, real.
Microsoft's launched the Zune's viral marketing site. [Thanks, bv]


What we think we know (and are pretty sure of)

They'll be showing off the device by the end of next month, and will aim for a November release.
Microsoft will buy your way out of iTunes in order to convert you to a Zune user.

The Zune will come in multiple colors.
Pyxis is the codename for their nano competitor which would also include video capabilities; Alexandria is the codename for the software that powers the Zune experience.
A Microsoft portable gaming system is in the works, and will be a part of the Zune family. This device should have Xbox Live Anywhere integration. This may or may not be an Xbox co-branded portable, but is probably going to be the portable gaming / media device we've been hearing about for years.
Microsoft's ad campaign will include a Super Bowl commercial.
The Zune will have a bevy of accessories at launch; it'll probably be cheaper for accessory makers to develop for the Zune port than pay the Made For iPod tax.


What we don't yet know

Whether the Zune media service will offer the same kind of all-you-can-eat subscription media services as PlaysForSure media services like Napster and Vongo. Supposedly subscription will be offered, but downplayed in favor of song purchase (which is the opposite of most PlaysForSure services).

Whether you'll actually only be limited to sharing with up to 10 people nearby, as rumored, and that they won't get the protected files, but will "bookmark" them for later purchase.
Exact device specifications for the first Zune device, as well as its price (though we hear it could be as much as $399).
Whether it'll include XM and/or Sirius service as rumored (we doubt it).
Let the analysis begin!

[mikken]

But they've got it wrong from the start! Noone will want to buy something called "Zune".
It feels like it could describe a dull breeze, that brings a deadly disease.
And if the posted design is what they'll go for (it may be just a red herring) they're in deeper you-know-what than they can handle. While iPod may not be so unique as many would like to think (consider this (http://people.msoe.edu/~reyer/regency/)), this is definetly an ugly, unsexy version of it. They'd have to sit one or two more nights at the drawing table to get this right.
They want it to go hand in hand with mediaplayer, is that right? Then we'd better hope for a version 12, since it's inferior to iTunes by all means.

But, Microsoft loves money, and there's far too much money in this game to let them get this wrong. They pulled off xbox pretty well, i guess they can handle this as well.

And for the iRiver dying out: I once was a very happy iriver-owner, i loved the bulky retro un-design of my h320. But some looser stole it (hah! you'll never figure out the interface without the manual!), and now they don't produce them anymore, just sorry flash based players and some pmp. So yes, they're dying.

[darkplanets]

I think that a little competetion is good. With any luck the iPods will become more advanced in an attempt to stay on top of the market. I wouldn't mind that :D

EDIT: Oh and I almost forgot. If you can't put linux on zune, it sucks. If you have a color iPod, put linux on it and get dune :) I have it on my black and white 1G, but its not really worth it.

[tpspoons]

maybe if the ipod got a "real" competitor, then perhaps apple will consider dropping there prices a little....

edit: although im a very happy ipod mini owner :)

[pablosci]

maybe if the ipod got a "real" competitor, then perhaps apple will consider dropping there prices a little....

edit: although im a very happy ipod mini owner :)

i hope. here the ipods they are selling like 70 or 80 more dollars than the original price. :(

[Oli-G]

Inspired by the iPod, without question... but success stories will always generate that kind of a response.

Anyway, this looks like cack compared to the iPods :D. But i'm sure that feature wise, it's great. But nothing can touch the iPods in an aesthetic sense.

I wonder if this is made in a factory with chinese workers that live on the premises in ****ty dormitories, work 15 hour days, enrure military-esque treatment, and aren't allowed to see people outside of the factory, just as the iPod is?