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Peer Review: Zune announcement provokes praise, skepticism and disdain
Microsoft announced some new Zunes this week, a kind of afterthought to Apple's big announcements a few weeks ago. This generation of Zunes is better than the last, with clear improvements both inside and out. Still, the question on everyone's mind was whether the Zune poses a real threat to the iPod. Microsoft tried to deflect that question by claiming that this year, at least, the company was only aiming to be second place in the category. Take a look at what the critics had to say, after the jump, and let us know whether you're ready to make the switch.
"Despite its giant size, [the flash-based Zune's] screen is smaller than that on the diminutive, chubby new iPod Nano." , The Motley Fool
"You can't expect people to choose a newcomer over the leader unless you're clearly better, or clearly cheaper. The new generation of Zune makes it a credible music player, but I don't see anything really superior to what the iPod offers." , CNet
"Microsoft's done something fantastic here by rewarding first-gen buyers with cool new stuff that also happens to be free by software upgrade… Contrast this to what Apple did between the iPhone and the iPod Touch. The iPod Touch is running the same OS as the iPhone, but it's artificially gimped." , Gizmodo
"The new Wi-Fi capabilities are great for fans of podcasts — your updating is done for you automatically when you walk through your front door (and press sync or dock your Zune)." , PC Mag
"Say what you will about Microsoft, but it's shown with things like the Xbox 360 that it can enter a market, and then learn a lot from customer feedback to improve its products, and I think they've done the same with Zune." , Wired
"The improved wireless music sharing (tracks downloaded from another Zune can be played three times) is a better compromise than the old three-days-or-three-plays straightjacket" , PC World
[There's] no mention of any changes to my two least-favorite Zune features: Its incompatibility with Microsoft's own PlaysForSure format for purchased audio and video downloads, and the Zune Marketplace's dopey "Microsoft Points" payment system. , The Washington Post
Personally, I love that Microsoft made the Zune back compatible, and bravo for the radio tuner. But it would take me a week to transfer all of my songs from iTunes, so I feel locked in with Apple. What do you think of the new Zune? Leave your thoughts below.
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By blueskye at 5:34 PM ON 10/07/07
I am actually glad about the next gen of Zune players coming out in November. I never jumped on the ipod bandwagon so I am good to go to start over from what I had before.
The reason I stopped downloading music was the liability of DRM. If I could not be sure someone could not impersonate me, download and distribute DRM music without my knowledge or consent, then I wasn't going to have anything to do with music online or copied to my computer from CD.
It is possible, but I still have to check it out, that with next gen Extended SSL and the limits on shared files, it might be safe to get back in the water. I don't have a problem with paying for songs, and I don't have a problem with DRM that I can reasonably safeguard, but plain text password sign in to your online music account has got to go.
I don't have a problem with Microsoft Points, although I do understand the "dopey" view ... but I like being able to buy cards at retail stores and then just enter the PIN in my software.
If the Zune platform has the account and file security I am looking for, then I will probably get one of the new Zune players in November.
By alexegz30 at 6:12 PM ON 10/08/07
The iPod has been great for many years, but since the iPhone hit the shelves, there has been much rumblings from customers as to the limitations being imposed suddenly on the use of these products. The requirement of the iPhone users to purchase songs "again" at more than triple the price in order to convert it to a 15 second ringtone is a big one and the new iPod classic has many complaints mounting since they disabled the video out feature in order to sell pricy new cables for the device. If Microsoft wants to make the Zune a true competitor, they'll work off the complaints that Apple refuses to address and soon those loyal to the "i" will find themselves leaning towards the "Z"
By wintermute44 at 9:08 AM ON 10/09/07
I was considering getting the itouch because of the large screen, but 8 gigs isn't all that much if you're looking for your new gadget to be a video platform. It's a bit on the expensive side for what it is, too. So, I *was* leaning towards the 80gb ipod classic... but now I'm leaning towards the Zune 2. It's a full third smaller than the first one... which was kind of an ugly brick. But the bottom line for me was a 80gb harddrive + 3.2" screen = win. Everything else is secondary. Propriatary file format issues? Kinda used to that from itunes. These files can be converted... so it's an annoyance, but one most are used to. I couldn't care less about Zune's wi-fi transfers because you never see people with these in the wild... so incorperating wireless sync was a nice touch to make a useless function merely gimmicky.
So yeah, I'm leaning heavily towards a Zune 2 at the moment... or untill the deal breaker flaw is made known.
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I was considering getting the itouch because of the large screen, but 8 gigs isn't all that much if you're looking ...More »