Related Sections: Portable Gadgets Shift
SHIFT: Why the Zune won't steal Christmas
Each week Adam Frucci takes a closer look at the latest gadget buzz in his column, Shift.
Image by Falon
Oh, Zune. You had so much promise! We were all so excited when we heard that Microsoft was putting all of its resources into taking on the iPod, and we figured that if they could do a pretty decent job jumping headfirst into a new sector with the Xbox, there's no reason they couldn't do it again. It even sounded good when we first heard about some of the features. Wi-Fi in a portable music player? What a great idea! You can download music from anywhere, share songs with your friends, and sync up with your computer without worrying about plugging in cables.
But oh, how we've been let down. What's with the lukewarm reaction? The unimpressive sales? While the Zune might not be considered a failure yet, the fact that it's #61 on the Amazon electronics charts (while iPods hold 6 of the Top 10 spots) is a very telling sign. Let's take a look at what the Zune did wrong, and why it may spell bad news for our friends in Redmond.
And that's not all. Zune's list of features that are disabled or neutered seems longer than the list of features you can actually use. Want to use the Zune as a portable hard drive? Too bad. Want to load it up with songs you've bought from other stores? Sorry, no can do; not even Microsoft's own PlaysForSure works with it. And Windows Media Player? Why would that work with the Zune? Silly consumers.
And now what chance does the Zune have to take some of Apple's market share? Not much. Music bought from the iTunes music store may have restrictive copy protection like the Zune Marketplace's songs, but that business model works for Apple only because the iPod is so ubiquitous. Their owners don't care that their downloads won't work on other players — it's not like they're giving up their iPods. It's too late for the Zune to do the same, so the only way for Microsoft to succeed in this arena would be by taking a different route, which it hasn't done.
If it had, it should look to eMusic as a good example of offering something that Apple doesn't. EMusic is the only online music store that sells unprotected MP3 files that you can play any device, and it's second (albeit a distant second) behind iTunes in online sales. Rather than following that lead, Microsoft went the extreme opposite route, worrying so much about copy protection that it forgot about the most important aspect of gadget design: usability. It's a classic Microsoft blunder of too many corporate interests getting in the way, but we really thought they could do something different with the Zune. Oh well… maybe next time.
By cliczune at 9:51 AM ON 12/01/06
Microsoft can't remove the DRM. The problem is the major music producers that won't let them do that. emusic is only distributing small labels that have nothing to lose.
Microsoft is already having legal problems in different countries with their drm. Read here: http://www.cliczune.com/2006/11/exclusive_zune_.html
By jrosen at 9:02 AM ON 12/07/06
Hell, the 'big' record companies don't have that much (more) to lose. Their stamped out music and ridiculous charges for it are a joke. I've listened to the radio minimally for years now, and no, I don't bother with satellite or XM. They just don't give me what I like either. Despite the often manufactured artists, Japanese music is FAR more interesting to me these days, and the quality is frankly, a lot better. Remember when american music used to have songs that lasted longer than 2.5 minutes, or 3 tops? When songs had more than 1 (if we're lucky 2) verses and unchanging, unending choruses after? (ok, I'll admit that some rock and some country do better than that these days, but not all of it). Not to mention the actual albums themselves. I've rarely seen a non-FULLY used cd from jpop. I look at most american labels, MAYBE 12 or so songs, but with each so short and lacking (sure it's danceable, but damn it gets dull fast, even the better songs) the CD is not filled to it's capacity.. so we're paying for a half-finished product. I'll see jpop cd's with 15 songs, each one is a full 4-8 minutes long you almost wonder how they get all the music onto the disc.
It's time the American record labels got a bigger kick in the ass, napster and the others just havent' done enough sadly
By righteousboy at 11:33 AM ON 12/07/06
Ha ... just as I thought.. the Zune comes no where close to the iPod. It's funny because a few ppl I know talked about getting one just because some of the colours offered and I pointed out to them various flaws in it compared to the iPod.
Dealing with the whole issue of DRM is something that is NOTHING to do with poor sales of the shite Zune. Apple has delt with the same thing on iTunes for years, hense the reason you are only allowed to burn downloaded songs 5 times or have to have the password for the account they were bought with to play them. That is the IRRA and others covering their arses because they were screwed over big when the napster era hit and they are looking to min that effect again, this way ppl still get them online but pay.
I want to also point out about the record lables, yes they do take to much of the earnings from the sales of records and digital media, However it's the musicians that suffer. Why do you think metallica through such a big fit about napster !? It was because they may not have had enough money to purchase a new jet for christmas lol. Seriously though metallica can shove it, alot of acts bigger then them didnt care if ppl downloaded their music freely, but its the smaller artist that suffer. Being one myself, when you start off you get jack for income, even if you have an album on the radio heard nationwide.. it may still be 2 years before you make any money and even then not that much. Its the bands like metallica who it would not really effect if you download their songs for free. So the way I see it is, if there is a band(s) that you truely like, buy their music and support them...because they may need it. If it's a band that is at the point there its not gonna matter ie metallica, rolling stones, areosmith, u2 etc then do what you will. u2 infact said they didnt care if ppl were to download their music for free.
By phrelin at 12:58 PM ON 12/07/06
I've never understood why people don't convert their music to the mp3 format (license unprotected at that point) and use any one of the mp3 players available out there. Then you can buy (yes, buy) from any source, put it on any computer or mp3 compatible device you own.
By Shadowchild at 7:25 PM ON 12/07/06
(response to righteousboy) I laugh at people who buy things just because of their color. Its one of the stupidest things you can do. Of course, people who do that are usually the nimrods that believe everything they see/hear on tv, so if the ad says its the best of everything then it must be...right? Idiots.
(response to jrosen) I agree that American music has gone down the tubes. Back in the day (great now I sound like my parents..) it was hard to get published, thus hard to get famous unless you really had talent. Nowadays any JoeBlo on the street can learn to play a guitar and start saying (not necesarily singing, mind you) words to a tune and next thing you know hes selling "albums". Im not the biggest fan of Japanese music (Im so over anime that anything Japan seems distasteful, no offense) but most of my favorite bands are from other countries. Germany, Columbia, Finland...
By Shadowchild at 7:26 PM ON 12/07/06
(response to righteousboy) I laugh at people who buy things just because of their color. Its one of the stupidest things you can do. Of course, people who do that are usually the nimrods that believe everything they see/hear on tv, so if the ad says its the best of everything then it must be...right? Idiots.
(response to jrosen) I agree that American music has gone down the tubes. Back in the day (great now I sound like my parents..) it was hard to get published, thus hard to get famous unless you really had talent. Nowadays any JoeBlo on the street can learn to play a guitar and start saying (not necesarily singing, mind you) words to a tune and next thing you know hes selling "albums". Im not the biggest fan of Japanese music (Im so over anime that anything Japan seems distasteful, no offense) but most of my favorite bands are from other countries. Germany, Columbia, Finland...
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