Travel Technology - Microsoft Zune vs. Apple iPod with video? (30GB)

I've concluded sadly that I must have lost my black 30GB iPod with video, and am looking to buy another MP3 player.

I've been fascinated with the new Microsoft Zune, which is priced also at $249.99 and will be released on November 14, 2006. It boasts a larger screen with an attractive Vista-like interface, and will have wireless capabilities as well as a built-in AM/FM radio.

More information here (http://www.zune.net/en-US/default.htm).

Question is, dare I venture into the non-iPod category of MP3 players?

A guy I know at Microsoft brought his Zune to a meeting the other day. We were all playing with it. It's definitely bulkier than the iPod, but the interface is wicked, and the WiFi capabilities are interesting. The surface of the Zune feels a little like the rubbery-type substance that coats the lids of ThinkPads.

Once they introduce wireless syncing and wifi radio style service I'll get it.

What good is wifi when all I can do is share a track with someone I don't know?

True, not sure what I'd immediately do with wifi... but I'm most interested in the interface. While I've become used to the iPod interface, I've always felt that it was somwhat, sterile.

With the Zune's new Vista-like customizable and more graphically attractive interface, I think they may have a winner.

I hear there are working demo models now at some Circuit City stores. Maybe I'll stop by one and check it out.

Wirelessly posted (Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/2.0.4719/1378; en; U; ssr))

will the Zune have the capability to modify registry to one's liking? If so, that would be a huge plus

I dunno, I think I like the looks of my iPod better. It's true that the screen on the Zune looks bigger and nicer but I have the feeling iPod will put out something snazzy to be more competitive shortly.

If I did switch to a Zune, would all the music I've purchased from iTunes be able to be played on the Zune?

Microsoft's wouldn't be the first MP3 player to be cheaper, slicker, fancier, more feature-laden, or just outright better than Apple's Ipods. Still, the Ipod reigns!

I predict that the Zune will sell poorly and that Microsoft will kill it in a year or two, leaving it an unsupported orphan like their other many failures.

(And if I'm wrong, anybody know how far back I can edit my posts? :D )

Anybody know anything or hear anything about the rumored "true video" iPod that will supposedly use the entire surface for the screen, with a touch-screen interface? If it's real, it'll leave everyone trying to catch up again. Gotta know if it will be here for the holidays!

Anybody know anything or hear anything about the rumored "true video" iPod that will supposedly use the entire surface for the screen, with a touch-screen interface? If it's real, it'll leave everyone trying to catch up again. Gotta know if it will be here for the holidays!

Oooh, now that would give me enough reason to hold off on any purchasing decision!

Any Apple iPod enthusiast forums that may have more information on this rumor?

Oooh, now that would give me enough reason to hold off on any purchasing decision!

Any Apple iPod enthusiast forums that may have more information on this rumor?Several of them do, including some that discuss a patent for a touch-screen interface (with photos of the diagrams in the patent application). That lets them use the whole surface for a display. Apparently the bezel around the screen will be touch-sensitive as well, presumably for things like volume control. The big thing I have trouble getting a good reading on is whether or not it will be here in time for the holidays. Maybe I'll just give her a "your gift is coming soon" certificate if it's not.

Several of them do, including some that discuss a patent for a touch-screen interface (with photos of the diagrams in the patent application). That lets them use the whole surface for a display. Apparently the bezel around the screen will be touch-sensitive as well, presumably for things like volume control. The big thing I have trouble getting a good reading on is whether or not it will be here in time for the holidays. Maybe I'll just give her a "your gift is coming soon" certificate if it's not.
I would imagine not. To be competitive for the holidays, a product should be released before Thanksgiving, like the PS3 and Wii (Nov. 17 and 19, IIRC). It would be a tall (but not impossible) order for Apple to get it here in proper quantities in time.

Oooh, now that would give me enough reason to hold off on any purchasing decision!

Any Apple iPod enthusiast forums that may have more information on this rumor?


Also keep in mind that any music you purchased through ITunes won't work on the Zune. :(

Oooh, now that would give me enough reason to hold off on any purchasing decision!

Any Apple iPod enthusiast forums that may have more information on this rumor?

macrumors.com

the posts get pretty repetetive after awhile though.

hmm does this mean I should prepare to sell my 1 month old 80GB ipod that I bought to replace my 3G 15gb ipod? crap I hate techonology

macrumors.com

the posts get pretty repetetive after awhile though.

thinksecret.com is another - less rumor based...in fact apple sued them to find their sources inside the company that were giving the heads up. :)

Played with a Zune. It's snappy. Interface look and feel is a breath of fresh air compared to the bland Ipod interface. But thats about it. I don't listen to FM so that was quite useless to me. As nice as fullscreen album art is, I put my player in my pocket so I'd almost never see it...

They could have done so much with this thing, and they didn't.

I'm willing to bet that Apple will be introducing "skinnable" ipod interfaces soon...

The Zune got ripped up in both the NY Times and USA Today yesterday because of

1. Lack of accessories (speakers, fm transceiver, chargers, car plug-ins)

2. A scroll wheel that isn't. While it looks like a similar wheel on the front, it isn't. Just directional buttons meaning scrolling through long lists is a pain.

3. The wi-fi sharing feature sucks. You can only share content with other zunes within 30 ft and then only transfer one song that lasts for 3 plays or 3 days then gets automatically deleted from the user's zune with whom you shared it with

4. bulkier than the ipod

5. same price as the ipod

6. doesn't work with WMP. You have to download and install a new program that only works with the zune. All the other WM stuff is disconnected.

The upside was

1. slightly bigger screen (though same resolution)

2. a case that's harder to scratch because it's rubberized.


Personally, I can't imagine leaving my nano. When I got it, I never though i'd use it as much as I do. The biggest pros for me are size, ease of use (it loads in 3 seconds, i select an artist in another 2, press play - I can only imagine having to 'reboot' the zune when it locks, like my Motorola Q), connectivity to my car stereo.

1. Lack of Accessories? uh, not what I've seen in some press reports:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/09/zune-player-store-accessores-and-xbox-360-hands-on/

1. Lack of Accessories? uh, not what I've seen in some press reports:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/09/zune-player-store-accessores-and-xbox-360-hands-on/
It's all relative. According to Mossberg, Zune has 100 and ipod has 3000. 100 might be more than are available for the Zen, but it's a far cry from the ipod ecosystem.

It's all relative. According to Mossberg, Zune has 100 and ipod has 3000. 100 might be more than are available for the Zen, but it's a far cry from the ipod ecosystem.

Exactly.

I do like the XBOX connection though. If they could turn the xbox into an HD tivo, I'd get one right away.

It's all relative. According to Mossberg, Zune has 100 and ipod has 3000. 100 might be more than are available for the Zen, but it's a far cry from the ipod ecosystem.

Mossberg is an idiot.

Zune isn't even out and it has 100 accessories. When the iPod was released it didn't even have a spare power supply on sale, or a case. I know; cause I got one of the first out there.

I think Microsoft looked good and hard at Apple and made sure the big players like Belkin were on board with some decent accessories.

And yes; the iPod may have 3000 accessories, but when you consider that half of those are cheap Chinese knockoffs or the originals, or stupid things like socks, or faux fur cases then it isn't hard to reach that number. The number of REAL, good quality accessories for the iPod is much much lower.

2. A scroll wheel that isn't. While it looks like a similar wheel on the front, it isn't. Just directional buttons meaning scrolling through long lists is a pain.



The video I saw showed the Zune scrolling through track lists faster than any iPod can. I don't like the current generation scroll wheel, give me my 1G real rotating wheel any day over the current touch sensative one.

Also keep in mind that any music you purchased through ITunes won't work on the Zune. :(

Understood, though I don't have any iTunes purchased music.

Understood, though I don't have any iTunes purchased music.

iTunes AAC has been hacked for a long time. You can easily convert it to mp3 and then use it on Zune (or anywhere else).

The video I saw showed the Zune scrolling through track lists faster than any iPod can. I don't like the current generation scroll wheel, give me my 1G real rotating wheel any day over the current touch sensative one.

*sigh*

from nyt.com...(http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/09/technology/09pogue.html)

What looks like an iPod scroll wheel, though, is a fakeout. It doesn’t turn, and it’s not touch-sensitive. Instead, it’s just four buttons hidden under the compass points of a plastic ring.

Scrolling accelerates as you press the top or bottom button, but the iPod’s wheel is much more efficient. On the other hand, the Zune’s left and right buttons jump between menus (for example, Album, Artist, Genre) with less backtracking. The software design is beautiful, simple and graced by brief, classy animations.

The reason this product seems warmed over? It is. It's basically a Toshiba Gigabeat.

*sigh*

from nyt.com...(http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/09/technology/09pogue.html)

What looks like an iPod scroll wheel, though, is a fakeout. It doesn’t turn, and it’s not touch-sensitive. Instead, it’s just four buttons hidden under the compass points of a plastic ring.

Scrolling accelerates as you press the top or bottom button, but the iPod’s wheel is much more efficient. On the other hand, the Zune’s left and right buttons jump between menus (for example, Album, Artist, Genre) with less backtracking. The software design is beautiful, simple and graced by brief, classy animations.

I hate the current generation scrollwheel on the ipod. It used to be good when it was a Synaptics product, but when Apple started making it themselves it just got bad. You can't change the sensitivity for one...

Like I said; the old true rotating wheel was great.

They had two working Zunes to play with at Target tonight. I played with one for a few minutes. It was ok. The display is definitely nicer than the iPod but I wasn't crazy about the controls. I see no reason to switch at the moment.

You can also try appleinsider.com in addition to thinksecret.com and macrumors.

Speculating about what Apple is up to is a big game for many, but Apple rarely reveals what they have in the pipeline ahead of time. The iTV is an exception.

Even the Leopard preview a few months ago did not include many of the features they plan to have in the final release.

The MacBook updates last week were not announced.

I'd probably expect some kind of announcement at MacWorld in January.

You can never keep up with technology. Buy what you want at the time you need it, then you have to be content. I have a first generation nano, then three months or so later they have new ones with aluminum skins, more memory and more battery life. That's just the way it goes!

fuzz

I am going to stick with Apple. Of course, I use a PowerBook for personal computing. Had the original 1G, upgraded to a 60gig 3G, which I use all the time. However I did just supplement with the new shuffle -- 1gig, and about the size of a matchbook.