Microsoft to Add Wireless Video Sharing to the Zune

Christopher Vendemio

14 November 2006 - 04:21 Hot!

Microsoft's portable media player, the Zune, has just been released and already talks have started about future updates to the device. While no time line has been given, Steve Ballmer told Bloomberg.com that the ability to share songs wirelessly will be expanded to also allow the sharing of videos. Information regarding DRM limitations that would undoubtedly be placed on the shared videos was not shared, though the "3 plays in 3 days" system is the most likely candidate.

News source: Bloomberg.com

36 Comments

Lol, I'm hoping the RIAA sues MS, just so MS could shut them up. :)

Looks cool and all, but I'm poor.

Quote - Sierra Sonic said @ #1

Lol, I'm hoping the RIAA sues MS, just so MS could shut them up. :)

Looks cool and all, but I'm poor.

That would be nice. Then I wonder what all of those Microsoft haters would say, when Microsoft shut up the RIAA, that would be cool if it ever happens but it won't.

and they didnt think of this before... Pretty stupid if you ask me.

Quote - Jase said @ #2

and they didnt think of this before... Pretty stupid if you ask me.

If its so stupid, that they didn't think of it before, then how come Apple didn't think of transfering videos wirelessly? you calling Apple stupid too? I think everyones stupid in this world.

Quote - Scutley said @ #2.1

If its so stupid, that they didn't think of it before, then how come Apple didn't think of transfering videos wirelessly? you calling Apple stupid too? I think everyones stupid in this world.

Apple never added this into their technology because it would have made their players cost a nice amount. Now, Apple may be weeks from releasing a possible touch-screen, wireless, device.

...now, boys. Lets behave.

patience is key

"3 plays in 3 days" means I won't be using the Zune to share files with friends

you're not meant to "share" files with them. it's there so you can send them music they might be interested in so they can "buy" it. you know, legally.

Quote - HawkMan said @ #5.1

you're not meant to "share" files with them. it's there so you can send them music they might be interested in so they can "buy" it. you know, legally.

At least where I live, sharing music with a friend is perfectly legal. Sharing with 100 people you don't know is not as much so.

Quote - CheeseCow said @ #5.2

At least where I live, sharing music with a friend is perfectly legal. Sharing with 100 people you don't know is not as much so.

No, it's just not enforced.

Quote - MaceX said @ #5.3

No, it's just not enforced.

In Canada, it's legal for a friend to make copies of music that I own. However, last time I checked it is illegal for me to make copies for friends. Go figure.

too bad zune already its a flop, people and many people still think that ipod its better, and what can i say i agree with them the zune its the same price of ipod and right now no good reason or feature that an ipod dont have and zune look less stylish.

I'm sure you have links to the research which proves this. It has the same features + some when compared to the iPod.... and think I shall be getting one since it will hopefully play nice with Media Center.

Like it was said, you can't say it's a flop when it hasn't even been on sale for less than a day. Do you not understand how this stuff is determined? If anything, you should compare presales numbers to presales numbers but that wouldn't even determine that a product is a "flop" or not.

"feature than an ipod don't have" = built in radio.

Go away, troll.

The ipod doesn't sell more because it's better, it sells more because it's marketed better, thats the key to catching up with or beating the ipod if thats what Microsoft want to do.

Keep parroting that myth. The iPod sells better because of its design, including the patented click wheel (which Microsoft has copied in form but not function).

Arn't there still issues with it taking ages to wirelessly tranfer music? Because if there is surely it would be better to get over those first?

10 seconds per song even in the demo pics is not long at all, especially given that the user doesn't need to do a damn thing other than selecting the target system to send to.

I have feeling this Zune will be good. Remember no one thought it would be successful against Sony and Nintendo and look at what their gaming system did.

Sorry, but Zune will be classed as a "flop" if it has bad sales for more than like 2 years or so. This is a long run to determine if Microsoft are sucessful. Not to mention that this is only the first model of the Zune too!

This is the key to more sales, if they can hack it into the music player that everybody wants, just like modding an Xbox.

Quote - ishtar said @ #10

Being a microsoft product it probably won't be long before someone hacks it with a firmware upgrade or os hack and you'll be able to play a shared song as many times as you want

now that i think about it if that happen then zune would be awesome and better than ipod still very expensive but maybe its worthy

ishtar got it right, and I think that is what people need to realize and think about. The hacks will come, and when they do this little baby will be very nice.

Ability to play and share any and all music in your collection, wifi, mini browser maybe like opera, PDA stuff like sync your email, calendar, tasks, notes and so on.. the closest example I can come up with is the PSP.

Launched pretty bare bones, but the people weren't satisfied and so the hacks came. You can't have a portable device with wifi but no browser, to me its a no brainer.

Obviously input on the devices is limited but again look at how its done on the PSP. Not very practical, and maybe thats why these companies don't do some of these things we all think is obvious, but I say let the people decide. Put these basic things on your devices as extras not as a selling point of the device. You let the people decide if they will use it or not.

On the UK MSN website the main advert in the centre of the screen is the new Apple iPod advert with the colour trails behind them.

DOH!

LOL

I had to see that one for myself, and it's F'ing hilarious!
x)

Someone at MSN's web site management team should be fired over that decision.

RIP iPod. Finally.

steve ballmer dancing should be part of the pre-loaded content

One thing that I really don't like about the Zune (I've been playing with the demo one at Target for a few days now) is the constant need to turn it around when going back and forth between the menus and videos. If they were going to make the Zune widescreen, then they should have just made the menus that way to begin with.

3 plays in 3 days blows it for me

Really? And your alternative is what, exactly?

unlimited plays in 3 days?

7 plays in 7 days?

the 3 days doesn't bug me so much. But I mean for me it sometimes takes alot more than 3 plays to decide whether I like a song or not

now videos, doesnt seem like as big of a deal considering you do not play a video over and over day after day like some people do with their music. So my complaint was mainly towards just the zune's policy over the music 3 plays in 3 days thingy.

You totally missed my point.

If the 3/3 thing is a deal breaker for you, then understand that there is no other alternative in the industry for you to share files wirelessly or otherwise between devices. If you were to choose to get an ipod, you wouldn't even have the 3/3 plan. You'd have a never/never plan. You could connect the ipod to a computer and sync/copy media, but you can also do that on a Zune.

my only point was 3 in 3 is not a reason enough for me to switch to a zune. I think they should give you more time to really get your attention. I am happy with my ipod and I think Microsoft needs to up the ante (sp?) big time to steal loyal ipod users. I like the idea MS has of the wireless thing but I believe the 3 in 3 plan is not good enough to convince many people (such as myself) to jump off the ipod

http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/13/install...he-zune-sucked/

well zune was all about software like microsoft tried but it seems that their software got more problems that the hardware itself

nevermind

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