Microsoft unviels ZUNE - Official

[Xero]

:sleep:

Couldn't have said it better myself. This doesn't look like anything special. Much like the Xbox 360.

[fishrman]

Couldn't have said it better myself. This doesn't look like anything special. Much like the Xbox 360.

Would you care to back up those claims, then? You can't expect everybody to just know what your definition of "special" is.

[fantasticben]

Couldn't have said it better myself. This doesn't look like anything special. Much like the Xbox 360.

Okay - so how is the iPod, the PS3 or any other alternative product any more special?

[Stunna]

Watch those videos!

The UI seems damn nice - the whole presentation just seems really refreshing from the iPod's. This looks like a really decent contender.

All I want to know now is:

a) Battery life?

b) Where's the bigger size!

I'm really sick of people complaining about one Zune being brown btw. You're not in any way shape or form forced to buy brown zune - it's down to personal choice. Even though I don't like it, I can see the brown zune being popular with that whole urban/skater fashion thing - people who just want something that fits in with their casual style.

The more colors and styles the better

I can already see people matching their shoes and Zune

LOL

[jordanspringer]

i really dont like the brown, it looks horrible in the images. however every blog that ive read, i guess brown looks much differnt in person, and is acutally really nice, and alot of the people that have seen them in person, prefer brown to the other colors :|

[fantasticben]

i really dont like the brown, it looks horrible in the images. however every blog that ive read, i guess brown looks much differnt in person, and is acutally really nice, and alot of the people that have seen them in person, prefer brown to the other colors :|

I think it has a strange alure to it. Or maybe those people just have faece fetishes - we'll never know.

[Sniper101]

I like it, i thought its just going to be just another MP3 Player but i quite like it now. Now all i need to know is the price because i ain't paying something ridiculous for that if its ?100 to ?150 then id buy it anymore then Microsoft needs to re-think there Marketing Tactics.

[fishrman]

faece fetishes

I bet that was J Allard was doing for those couple've months in hiding. Working on cultivating that fetish for himself. :shiftyninja: :laugh:

Seriously though, its clear they're not just going to come out with the Zune in a one-stop-shop blitz - and leave it there. In time, there'll be room for growth, and more than likely, the inevitable rollout of a newer version of the Zune - likely in more flavors (inclusive of more colors, I guess.) At least, that's my take on it.

Edit: I don't normally do this, but to hell with it. w00t, 800 posts :p

[5Horizons]

That actually doesn't look terrible. I like it better than Creative's iPod competitor and that screen is pretty cool. I'm wondering what kind of sound quality it will have, the features look kind of nice. I wouldn't see myself using the music sharing feature very much, though. Unless everyone ends up buying one of these like the iPod.

Doubt it'll work on a Mac anyway, so it looks like I'll probably be an iPod man for a while.

edit: whoa, the interface is very nice as well.

Edited September 14, 2006 by mx3

[MonkeyClaw Veteran]

The UI looks really nice. Thats it. The design is ugly IMO, the fake scroll wheel just a pathetic attempt at copying an iconic design to draw in more customers. If the interface is designed to use directional scrolling, then put directional scrolling in there, don't try and fool customers into thinking its a scroll wheel.

The colors are eh okay, the big screen is nice but it has to suck having to flip it over to watch movies. The wi-fi is just a feature to add to a feature list, it wastes battery life and the average user is most likely not going to use it. Built in FM radio is always a nice feature, something Apple needs to include.

Time will tell how this thing performs but I see it as maybe taking at the most 10-15% market share from Apple. This thing will never top the iPod for the simple fact that Apple got user interface and interaction down to a science. And with a drop in 50 dollars, a regular iPod is a killer deal.

That isn't to say that the Zune doesn't have nice features, it does. Like I said the GUI is beautiful and though other players have FM, its a great feature to have. But I am unimpressed by everything else and I think the majority of MP3 buyers will be as well.

[Hafnium]

I understand Zune wont be PlaysForSure compliant... I wonder if that implies that it wont sync up with Windows Media Player...? If so, it is a sure no-go for me. I surely wont be maintaining two identical media libraries on my PC using two different applications (WMP and "Zune Software").

It is a disaster, if it is true that a MS device will not sync with the media software central to Windows! It will surely make a lot of people go for the simple choice: iPod + iTunes...

[instant.human]

tbh i like the brown one. looks kinda... cool. dont know... whatever, apple addict.

[Marduk]

Only being able to replay a song thats sent to your zune 3 times is a real downer, how much do you want to bet someone is more likely to get it by other means than the stupid music store after the 3 days or 3 plays wears out?

It doesn't look like the round buttons are very intuitive though just a big clicky thing shaped the same way as the ipod's wheel is what it looks like. Also its thick looking, but can't really judge that til we get a good side by side with an ipod.

[illicit]

It looks pretty good.

[digitalsoft]

i really really like it, the screen looks very clear. i'll probably buy one mainly cause i own a crappy ipod :p

[hajj_3]

i have to say, i think it looks beautiful. h264 videos would be cool. havent got an mp3 player myself, still wouldnt buy 1 as they will be expensive, but if i have money to burn id get 1. Itunes sucks, i hope zune and the download centre kills apple and itunes, will take a few years tho.

[Coolme]

The UI looks really nice. Thats it. The design is ugly IMO, the fake scroll wheel just a pathetic attempt at copying an iconic design to draw in more customers. If the interface is designed to use directional scrolling, then put directional scrolling in there, don't try and fool customers into thinking its a scroll wheel.

The colors are eh okay, the big screen is nice but it has to suck having to flip it over to watch movies. The wi-fi is just a feature to add to a feature list, it wastes battery life and the average user is most likely not going to use it. Built in FM radio is always a nice feature, something Apple needs to include.

Time will tell how this thing performs but I see it as maybe taking at the most 10-15% market share from Apple. This thing will never top the iPod for the simple fact that Apple got user interface and interaction down to a science. And with a drop in 50 dollars, a regular iPod is a killer deal.

That isn't to say that the Zune doesn't have nice features, it does. Like I said the GUI is beautiful and though other players have FM, its a great feature to have. But I am unimpressed by everything else and I think the majority of MP3 buyers will be as well.

VERY well put. (Y)

Though I have to disagree about the part where Apple has got the interaction down to a science. As many people have experienced major problems with iTunes 7.

[neufuse Veteran]

Screen res believe it or not is 600x800, copying from the newer PocketPC's using basically the same screen

[fantasticben]

Why are people whinging about having to turn the player on its side to watch videos? I mean - what the hell? You have to do the same for all portable video players, bar the iPod with Video - which everyone is screaming to be changed to a widescreen one that you'd have to turn on its side to use.

I mean literally...talk about a needless nitpick. How else do you show widescreen video and keep a device small?

Also, you're going to be watching the video, it's not like you're having to turn it sideways in your pocket to make it more uncomfortable. I dunno...it just seems like such a redundant argument to me.

[MonkeyClaw Veteran]

VERY well put. (Y)

Though I have to disagree about the part where Apple has got the interaction down to a science. As many people have experienced major problems with iTunes 7.

Well I was talking more about the clickwheel and iPod interface. And for the record, I haven't had a single issue with iTunes 7 and I think once the bugs are taken care of it will be amazing! I know it already is for me :D

[notuptome2004]

The UI looks really nice. Thats it. The design is ugly IMO, the fake scroll wheel just a pathetic attempt at copying an iconic design to draw in more customers. If the interface is designed to use directional scrolling, then put directional scrolling in there, don't try and fool customers into thinking its a scroll wheel.

The colors are eh okay, the big screen is nice but it has to suck having to flip it over to watch movies. The wi-fi is just a feature to add to a feature list, it wastes battery life and the average user is most likely not going to use it. Built in FM radio is always a nice feature, something Apple needs to include.

Time will tell how this thing performs but I see it as maybe taking at the most 10-15% market share from Apple. This thing will never top the iPod for the simple fact that Apple got user interface and interaction down to a science. And with a drop in 50 dollars, a regular iPod is a killer deal.

That isn't to say that the Zune doesn't have nice features, it does. Like I said the GUI is beautiful and though other players have FM, its a great feature to have. But I am unimpressed by everything else and I think the majority of MP3 buyers will be as well.

and wher did they or anyone say it was fooling peaple in to thinking it was just like the scroll wheel you can see from the video the guy prsses down and up and stuff to navigate

[viciv]

ipod video looks better

[PL_ Veteran]

UI gets my 5/5

Hardware? 3/5.

[Slimy]

Does anyone have a direct link to the videos? I keep getting page errors with the one in the op.

[Matrix XII]

I think it looks quite good actually. The FM and Wifi are huge selling points to me.