[ojnihs]

Here's Microsoft's attempt to kill the iPod...not too much on it yet...just an initial report for those who are interested...

Zune

 

[ILikeMusic]

Don't know if it will be successful but the competition can only be good. Apple has pretty much rested on its laurels for the last few years and is being passed by in the hardware arena. Perhaps this will spur them back to being innovative.

 

[Sparky191]

Based on Microsoft track record I doubt it.

 

[donunus]

well the look is old and ordinary for todays standards

 

[Ingo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus well the look is old and ordinary for todays standards

Quote:

Originally Posted by digital-lifestyles.info The first Zune device (which may or may not look like the one illustrated) is scheduled to be launched late this year ready for Christmas, with further devices following in 2007.

One can only imagine the type of DRM shackles that a Microsoft brand could come up with for their players. As soon as you plug it into your computer it turns everything into 64kps WMA DRM files. Haha.

 

[dskywalker]

I hope that it doesnt look like what it is in the picture. It totally looks like a shoddy ipod with a fake scroll wheel.

 

[blessingx]

Not sure about the player, but the guys stroking that rabbit over and over on ComingZune is nice.

Is it true they're gonna call their iTunes, MyZunes?

 

[slwiser]

It will always be in a condition called "beta", its from Microsoft. What else would you expect. It has to call home once an hour to make sure that you are using it the Microsoft way, otherwise expect a quick update to correct your settings.

 

[Red2Black]

Wouldn't a DAP from Microsoft actually hurt their partners (ie iriver, Creative) than hurt Apple?

Quote:

Originally Posted by blessingx Is it true they're gonna call their iTunes, MyZunes?

I thought Microsoft was going to use their new WMP11 combined with MTV's Urge for player management and music downloads.

 

[ILikeMusic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ingo One can only imagine the type of DRM shackles that a Microsoft brand could come up with for their players.

I'm not sure how it could possibly be worse than the shackles that Apple has come up with for their players. As it stands now downloads using Microsoft DRM can be played on a dozen or more brands of players... iTunes downloads can only be played on Apple products, period.

Tell me again about how restrictive Microsoft is?

 

[jon_m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILikeMusic I'm not sure how it could possibly be worse than the shackles that Apple has come up with for their players. As it stands now downloads using Microsoft DRM can be played on a dozen or more brands of players... iTunes downloads can only be played on Apple products, period. Tell me again about how restrictive Microsoft is?

Nah, for *real* copy protection it's got to be Sony.... Installing malware on some of their CDs (http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/200...al-rights.html) and horribly restrictive protection on their MDs. At least itunes DRM can (so I'm told...) be hacked easily enough; on MDs sony have built it into the hardware

 

[blessingx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILikeMusic I'm not sure how it could possibly be worse than the shackles that Apple has come up with for their players. As it stands now downloads using Microsoft DRM can be played on a dozen or more brands of players... iTunes downloads can only be played on Apple products, period. Tell me again about how restrictive Microsoft is?

The DRM is but one aspect. After all saying something plays on 20 iRiver and Creative players could be argued as Apple supports 77% of the US market. It's silly. At the risk of this getting further ridiculous, would you seriously compare MSs closed WMA/WMV to Apples much greater support for open standards like MP3, MP4, AAC, H.264, etc. True neither supports Vorbis, so that’s a wash. And do you think MS Zune will be OTGUSB? Again that’s a wash. And finally Apple greatly loosened up the burning and sharing rights with iTMS than were avaiable at the time with ANY WMA services. Burning CDs, sharing with 5 computers, etc. And do you see Rhapsody fighting with the RIAA over prices (though you may understandably prefer a subscription model – which is the strongest MS arguement)? I'm no fan of any DRM (I think I’ve bought maybe two albums from any of the services), but I wouldn't compare the two companies in this way at all.

 

[mbd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILikeMusic Tell me again about how restrictive Microsoft is?

Well, since you asked, let's see:

- A small company called Netscape starts and soon dominates a market with their worthy commercial and good quality product (for its time).
- Then Microsoft tries to buy Netscape, but are rejected.
- MS buy a small competing company and rename that company's extremely crappy browser 'Internet Explorer' which they offer for free
- MS then integrate IE into their OS, so you can't even uninstall it.
- They stop Netscape from having full access to MS's APIs so taking full advantage of the OS becomes difficult.
- Netscape is still managing to survive, and making deals with hardware vendors to include their browser with sold systems.
- Microsoft then threaten companies who include Netscape's browser on their machines with less favourable dealings in future on Windows OEM deals.
- Netscape suffers, is ultimately bought by AOL, and becomes a marketing 'brand' rather than a company releasing products.

So, I can see a subtle difference. I'm not in support of Apple's close minded-ness in allowing third parties to take better advantage of their DRM technology, but they're hardly in the same arena as Microsoft when it comes to playing dirty.

 

[ILikeMusic]

Quote:

Well, since you asked, let's see:

Uhhh, I thought I was quite obvioulsy referring to music downloads, didn't meant to initiate a MS-bashing session (not that that's ever very hard to do.) In any event Apple is no innocent either.

But yeah, no fan of any kind of DRM here either. Imagine if some CDs could only be played in Panasonic players and others only in Sony players and still others could only be played in Toshiba players (unless you wanted to break the law and go through a troublesome conversion process.) The public wouldn't accept this for a second yet incredibly they seem to accept DRM that has exactly the same effect.

 

[The_Duke_Of_Eli]

I doubt they'll do it right. And at the same price as the 60gb ipod, their 30gb player won't go anywhere. Wi-fi is overated.