Who's getting a Zune?

[Kushan]

I don't see anything about the Zune that would make me want to buy it. I also don't see the appeal to ipods either, they're both DRM infested and neither do as much as some of the competition out there. The only thing about the Zune that stands out is the Wifi and even then it's pretty useless unless you know someone else with a zune (And to be honest, the whole 3day/3play thing for any song sent is a Joke).

[BeGiNnEr]

Yes! :)

[V-Tech]

Any idea when it will be in Hong Kong ?

I do want 2 get 1 but cant see anywere when it will be in Hong Kong .

[ambiance]

The Zune was released just because of Microsoft's envy towards Apple and how much they collect from one product. Not that Microsoft doesn't have their niche, but this product fails to deliver anything that would suay users (especially existing iPod) to change. I'm a Microsoft user to a certain extent, but I am embarrased they believe this will take off.

There are many different brands outside of Apple that already do this better. They left the impression it would change the market, but its more of the same DRM/license driven/non-interoperable device. We all know Microsoft will never be known for its coolness and what makes this worse is they didn't account for this with exceptional features.

[instant.human]

i dont know... i love the look of the brown one but it doesnt have any features i need that i dont get with my ipod, i am prett statisfied.

but i will see what future brings. :)

[kickenchicken360]

im diggin the white one. i agree with 3284lmm, if the "cool" factor is important than stick with a featureless,boring,old ipod. me on the other hand agree AGAIN, im keeping my Zen Vision M unitll the Zen X-fi comes out rumored at CES2007. excitement.

[AJerman]

people shouldn't be judging it, i mean just because its not an ipod doesn't mean it has to suck. to me its better. it looks better and YOU seriously CANT judge the WIFI. its the first time its been on a DAP and well it might be cool, its like the ipod videos video feature. just a really small bonus.

Why certainly I can judge the wifi, it's useless. I don't care if it's the first time it's been on a DAP, they should have made it useful. They don't have access to buy songs from the device itself, which, I myself agree may be a bit much, but more importantly, you can't synchronize over wifi. That would be a very nice feature to have. I find that I forget to sync my iPod sometimes, it'd be cool to auto sync when you're even in your same general vicinity. Think what you will but the wireless feature of the Zune is going to almost never be used. If someone wants to give someone a song, they'll give them a copy they can listen to more than 3 times. It'll just be a novelty.

Just because the screen is bigger than the ipods with the same resolution is no reason not to get the zune. would you rather watch a dvd on a 13 inch tv or a 32 inch tv? same difference

I'd rather watch on a 13" TV than an iPod or Zune. I rarely ever watch video on my iPod. My point was just to point out from a technical standpoint that the screen is actually lower quality. I agree that spreading the pixels out a little on a bigger screen is probably better overall, but I could care less about watching videos on such a small device. That's what I have a 24" monitor that does 1080p for.

[madcappp]

You are being sarcastic, right? If you're going to base your descision off of popularity and the "cool" factor, then just you're probably better off getting another overhyped ipod... :blink:

By the way, i'm looking for the intellectual section of this thread. I'd really appreciate it if someone would kindly point me towards the right direction ;)

He never once said anything about the "cool" factor. He just said that he wanted to wait to see if it was as decent as the advertisements said they were.

Also, how can you say that iPods are over hyped? Apple didn't advertise nearly as much before the iPod was released.

Just because a bunch of teenagers like the iPod doesn't mean it's overhyped

[PT 13]

Not getting one, Already have an iPod and it does everything I want

[PaulCabby]

Nope. Unless my iriver dies completely (ie not the Hard drive or the battery but the actual motherboard cos the rest I can replace).

[Koolslacker]

I don't own a mp3 player and I am not planning on buying one.

[wutang01]

I was tempted to at first. But after finding out about its size, and its "wi-fi" ... I decided not to.

I'll stick with my Nokia N80 (which is about average in playing MP3 and AACs :laugh: )

[gadean]

I will probably buy one - eventually. I hope MS comes out with an update to "relax" their video support so I don't have to convert everything I want to watch on it.

[3284lmm]

He never once said anything about the "cool" factor. He just said that he wanted to wait to see if it was as decent as the advertisements said they were.

Also, how can you say that iPods are over hyped? Apple didn't advertise nearly as much before the iPod was released.

Just because a bunch of teenagers like the iPod doesn't mean it's overhyped

this is what "he" said: "I changed my mind, I'm not getting one at launch.

I thought they were going to be cool, and beat the iPod, and everything would be grand.

I'm having doubts, so I will wait for the initial reaction at launch or else I will just replace my (broken) iPod with a newer one."

:unsure: Is it time to readjust your monitor, my friend?

[abbeh]

I won't be. The Zune looks wonderful, it's getting that new and important edge. However it is no iPod. The iPod is seen as fashion, it integrates with the iTunes music store and plays more formats than the Zune. The Zune is still a baby, I'm sure in two or three years it could easily kill off the iPod :)

[Hupp]

i will eventually so i can share my 360 downloads eventually

[GuJu]

my PsP does all the things Zune does plus plays games

and i dont need 30 Gigs im fine with my 2 gigs

[Lee G. Veteran]

Not getting one, Already have an iPod and it does everything I want

Same for me.

[kickenchicken360]

Why certainly I can judge the wifi, it's useless. I don't care if it's the first time it's been on a DAP, they should have made it useful. They don't have access to buy songs from the device itself, which, I myself agree may be a bit much, but more importantly, you can't synchronize over wifi. That would be a very nice feature to have. I find that I forget to sync my iPod sometimes, it'd be cool to auto sync when you're even in your same general vicinity. Think what you will but the wireless feature of the Zune is going to almost never be used. If someone wants to give someone a song, they'll give them a copy they can listen to more than 3 times. It'll just be a novelty.

I'd rather watch on a 13" TV than an iPod or Zune. I rarely ever watch video on my iPod. My point was just to point out from a technical standpoint that the screen is actually lower quality. I agree that spreading the pixels out a little on a bigger screen is probably better overall, but I could care less about watching videos on such a small device. That's what I have a 24" monitor that does 1080p for.

your forgetting that it CAN be updated by firmware. come on, its Microsoft's first time. i mean microsofts a bigger company than apple, any thing can become of the zune, a true ipod killer. or a shameful failure, and since Microsoft has LOADS of money to spend and with the wifi they can update the firmware to sat sync with ur computer, add a browser, connect yo ur home music system wirelessly. something the ipod wont be able to to without an accessory.

[Chicane-UK Veteran]

Why on earth would I possibly give up an iPod for yet another Microsoft 'innovation' - sorry, but unless hell freezes over, there is no way i'll be touching one of those.

[hotdog666al]

Not until I see the next iPod.

[schaggo]

I bought a 5th gen iPod recently. One of the updated models, so 5.5 gen if you want it that way.

Still I voted yes for a Zune, because I hope it will sort out or do better what the iPod does wrong in my eyes.

• The battery life is poor on both of them if you go for the 30 gig version of the iPod. They feature approximately the same so this can't be the point making a decision.
  
• A bigger screen is a nice feature but I have to say, that personally I'm listening to my music and not looking at it. And as long as I can browse my collection in a more or less efficient manner I don't care for the screensize. I will later come to watching videos.
  
• Also a role plays the PC end: for me, iTunes 7 as the device manager is cool. But on a Windows PC it takes ages to load if you have some thousand mp3s in your library. On my machine, after a reboot (eg. fresh, clean RAM) it takes 13 seconds for a first launch. Oh god, that's 9 seconds longer than Media Player 11. Although the new cover view and the cover search function rocks, I still listen and not look to music, so those 13 seconds are a killer for iTunes and so the iPod.
  
• The WiFi feature is a great idea, but as severals already pointed out, in the Zune it's pretty much useless. It's basically a substitute to giving one earplug to your friend to have him listening to the really cool track you downloaded yesterday so that he can download it too, this evening. Hey, turn on your WiFi and listen to that *sendingtrack* you have to get this! Well, I guess you got it. It's nice, but not that cool.
  
• Then we have a Zune with no accessories available and a whole industry supporting the iPod. That in fact really does hurt the Zune. I love listening to my music in my car using a FM transmitter fitted to my iPod, for example.
  
• Then there is the device software. I had a go on Windows Vista RC1 and I loved the redesign of the Media Center. From what I have seen the Zune has pretty much the same concept behind it's UI. And I have to say: I love it. I badly miss some kind of right click menu on my iPod, some kind of context sensitive menu presenting some options to do only basic actions on tracks, playlists or options. For example sorting tracks, turning on or off some options etc. How many times I selected a track, had to completely go back to the settings menu, turn shuffle on, go back to the artist to maybe select another album because I changed my mind on my iPod? Playing the album, turning shuffle on in the context menu, deciding to listen to another album so going back just one level and start playing the other album only would take 5, maybe 10 seconds in total. But 20, 30 or more on the iPod. We're back with iTunes vs. WMP11: time becomes more and more crucial when the basic funtionality is working. And it is on both devices.
  
• Watching video on the go is cool, too, but on both devices you have to recode pretty much everything you want to take with you. I'm not that advanced on Microsoft's codecs, but for my iPod, I can recompress 1 hour in perfect 'iPod suitable quality' to about 150 to 180 MB which plays nice on my iPod. But this is just a nice feature too, which both devices have, and surely not a key argument for a music player. And no, they are both music players and simply aren't media players, with only 2.5h of video playtime. They are music players with video capabilities. Or do you refer to your camera equipped mobile phone using the term digital camera? I don't.
  

After considering at least all that and everything I forgot to mention, I will have a go for the Zune. The iPod is a great device and I really like it and with the 5th generation Apple brought back some innovations after sitting on pretty much the first design, rereleased every year but with changed case. But I will try the Zune and see if it's positive sides over the iPod overwheight it's down sides to the iPod, escpecially regarding the next-gen iPod if it will be released in more or less the same century (modern time understanding ;)) as the Zune got released...

I would say my 2 cent, but I guess I produced some 3$...

Edit: I forgot to say that if I can get a Zune in my hands and it feels the same as a Zen Vision:M then I will stay with my iPod. Now don't get this wrong, the Zen Vision:M is cool, but to me it's just a little bit to "brickie": a slight bit to heavy, to boxy, didn't appeal me.

Edited November 12, 2006 by schaggo

[czanchez]

The only great thing about the iPod is that everyone has it. Its in, whats the difference between an iPod and say an Creative Zen:M, well, the M can support avi's encoded in divx, but besides that, nothing really. It does the same thing.

I think people with a 4G and higher should not consider buying an new MP3 until something breaks in theirs, or they want new space.

I have a Creative Zen Xtra 40gb, and I love it, well its a 3 years old design, mine is maybe 2 years old? Its got a monotone small screen and I thing its time to upgrade. I love how I can copy music off of it no matter what computer its plugged into unlike the iPod, so that is not a choice for me.

I was gonna get the Creative M, but the Zune looks a lot better, personally. The wifi is cool, might use it (if others get a Zune) but what I like about the Zune is that they said more functinality may come to it. It would be great to see that they add XMA functionality so it can play simple games, and use WiFi to play tetris with a friend while waiting at the movies, or for the car to finish an oil change. That might happen, might not. And the FM tuner is a nice feature, sometimes I wish I had that ...

Be opened and please don't be fanboys. That kills everything; following brands and companies blindly because its the 'Cool' thing to do. The Zune and the iPod are comparable systems, the Zune might even have an edge for the PC market.

[//////////]

I myself prefer the iPod because I own a Mac, however the Zune looks like it's going to be a great product. If I was PC only I'd likely try one out.

As far as the market for accessories, yes the iPod has the current dominance, but Zune accessories are already starting to come out. It won't be long until they're just as plentiful and widely available.

[Yvo]

I like my iPod, not only because I own a Mac, work on a Mac at work but because I have a good collection of iTunes music. Maybe when Microsoft releases their 3rd or 4th revision of their Zune I'll start taking a look at it.