Microsoft Zune vs. Apple iPod with video? (30GB)
Nov 10, 2006, 9:17 am
#16
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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...
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...
Nov 10, 2006, 9:53 am
#17
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Zune Ripped Up
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 (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.
Nov 10, 2006, 10:15 am
#18
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1. Lack of Accessories? uh, not what I've seen in some press reports:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/09/z...-360-hands-on/
http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/09/z...-360-hands-on/
Nov 10, 2006, 11:18 am
#19
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Originally Posted by cj001f
1. Lack of Accessories? uh, not what I've seen in some press reports:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/09/z...-360-hands-on/
http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/09/z...-360-hands-on/
Nov 10, 2006, 4:05 pm
#20
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Originally Posted by murphy
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.
I do like the XBOX connection though. If they could turn the xbox into an HD tivo, I'd get one right away.
Nov 10, 2006, 4:19 pm
#21
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Originally Posted by murphy
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.
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.
Nov 10, 2006, 4:20 pm
#22
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Originally Posted by eternalX
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.
Nov 11, 2006, 12:43 am
#23
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Originally Posted by scassett
Also keep in mind that any music you purchased through ITunes won't work on the Zune. 
Nov 11, 2006, 7:13 pm
#24
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Originally Posted by UnitedSkies
Understood, though I don't have any iTunes purchased music.
Nov 11, 2006, 7:15 pm
#25
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Originally Posted by ScottC
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.
from nyt.com...(http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/09/te...y/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.
Nov 11, 2006, 8:49 pm
#27
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Originally Posted by eternalX
*sigh*
from nyt.com...(http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/09/te...y/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.
from nyt.com...(http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/09/te...y/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.
Like I said; the old true rotating wheel was great.
Nov 12, 2006, 1:19 am
#28
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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.
Nov 12, 2006, 9:46 am
#29
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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
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
Nov 12, 2006, 11:07 am
#30
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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.