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xmen65
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 Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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I think the Zune's screen and UI looks really cool, but the darn thing is too thick. It looks like one those first or second generation Windows CE handhelds. The Xbox 360, on the other hand, is a great system. I've had mine since they first came out. Once the hype dies down over the PS3 and Wii it will turn back to the games. Enter Halo 3!  |
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OGN
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 4:56 am Post subject: |
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| xmen65 wrote: | | I think the Zune's screen and UI looks really cool, but the darn thing is too thick. It looks like one those first or second generation Windows CE handhelds. |
I bet some of that thickness is coming from a bigger battery. It wouldn't surprise me if the 6G iPods ended up being slightly thicker than the 5G. These new players are probably going to require bigger batteries for powering their larger screens and providing decent battery life for video.
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MacWaffler
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:15 am Post subject: |
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| OGN wrote: | | xmen65 wrote: | | I think the Zune's screen and UI looks really cool, but the darn thing is too thick. It looks like one those first or second generation Windows CE handhelds. |
I bet some of that thickness is coming from a bigger battery. It wouldn't surprise me if the 6G iPods ended up being slightly thicker than the 5G. These new players are probably going to require bigger batteries for powering their larger screens and providing decent battery life for video. |
Maybe not, the 5.5G iPods have almost doubled their battery life with no size change, I can't believe how long I get between charges with mine.
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SOCOMRAIDER
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MacWaffler
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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All I can muster is 
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splen
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:15 am Post subject: |
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 Hah, this is really funny! My Favorite part was when restarting the computer after un-installing the Zune software took out their Raid5 array for a few hours!! 
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JahTS
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 5:31 am Post subject: |
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| Microsoft had their chance here, but the Zune doesn't look like much of a threat to the iPod. At least for now, that is. The press always dubs these new music players as the next potential iPod killer. What they always seem to forget, is that the device also needs to have a great application like iTunes to go along with it. If you compare the Zune with the 30GB 5GB iPod on specs alone (except for its thickness), it wins hands down. The Zune's graphical user interface makes the iPod's look like something straight out of the 90's. It also has a really nice 320x240 3" screen, radio tuner and Wi-Fi connectivity. But even with all of these cool features, it will still fail. Why? One word - iTunes! |
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splen
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 6:19 am Post subject: |
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| jah wrote: | | Microsoft had their chance here, but the Zune doesn't look like much of a threat to the iPod. At least for now, that is. The press always dubs these new music players as the next potential iPod killer. What they always seem to forget, is that the device also needs to have a great application like iTunes to go along with it. If you compare the Zune with the 30GB 5GB iPod on specs alone (except for its thickness), it wins hands down. The Zune's graphical user interface makes the iPod's look like something straight out of the 90's. It also has a really nice 320x240 3" screen, radio tuner and Wi-Fi connectivity. But even with all of these cool features, it will still fail. Why? One word - iTunes! |
This is a really good point, alot has been said about the relative merits of the zune vs ipod hardware but it really is the software which makes these devices what they are. Those of us who use ipods just take it for granted that we can plug it into our computer and it will work, with whatever level of automation we feel is appropriate. In my oppinion this is going to be a much bigger ask of microsoft than purely making a better mp3/video player.
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MacWaffler
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 6:36 am Post subject: |
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| jah wrote: | | The Zune's graphical user interface makes the iPod's look like something straight out of the 90's. |
It looks like a standard text list interface to me, don't be distracted by they option to customize your background, which is the major difference.
I messed with one at Best Buy yesterday and this product has a long way to go, iRiver and Creative have launched plenty of portable media players with better hardware and piles of features, but when you are navigating a device by thumb simplicity is key.
And until the firmware upgrade that allows wi-fi synching and purchasing comes along, the wi-fi is really a non-feature. In a group of 20 portable media player owners the vast majority will own iPod nanos of some generation, who ya' gonna' beam songs too in that group?
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g5g5
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:15 am Post subject: |
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I could be wrong, but doesn't video need to be converted to .wmv for playback on the Zune? I haven't been following it all that much.
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picaman
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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CNN on the Zune:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buKaqRG2SFA
About halfway through, the CNN fluff piece changes from a Zune cheerleading session to an iPod commercial. Hysterical and priceless.
Jamie
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g5g5
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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| picaman wrote: | CNN on the Zune:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buKaqRG2SFA
About halfway through, the CNN fluff piece changes from a Zune cheerleading session to an iPod commercial. Hysterical and priceless.
Jamie |
I think Apple needs to get Soledad O'Brien in a shuffle ad ASAP. I've never seen a piece do such a 180. The little shuffle just made the Zune look like a dinosaur on day one. The final kicker was those comments at the end about Microsoft's lousy design.
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Bandit Bill
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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| picaman wrote: | CNN on the Zune:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buKaqRG2SFA
About halfway through, the CNN fluff piece changes from a Zune cheerleading session to an iPod commercial. Hysterical and priceless.
Jamie |
Excellent clip.
I like the part where the female news anchor asks "who do they expect to buy this thing" (with a puzzled look on her face)? |
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devo
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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2:33 "Why don't they get some decent design people to make things look better?"
They all work for Apple!
If a stupid news anchor can see that, you know Microsoft is in trouble with the Zune.
Edit: This was the next clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upzKj-1HaKw&NR |
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MacScout67
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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| I got bored tonight and installed the Zune software on my Windows partition. As much as it hurts me to say this, the software actually looks pretty good. Sure it's a blatant rip off of iTunes, but there are a few cool things here and there. If Microsoft wants to give Apple a real fight, they should bundle the Zune software with Vista and eliminate that stupid point system to buy songs. Ok, I've seen enough, heading back to Tiger and iTunes. |
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