“When it comes to the hardware, we’re pretty much set; we all now know the Zune inside and out. But how it interacts with the software, the marketplace, etc. — that’s where the magic happens. Or doesn’t. We really wanted to give the Zune the benefit of the doubt. We hoped installing the Zune software and getting our player running would be as seamless and painless as getting iTunes and an iPod running on your machine, since that is, after all, what it’s up against. (Granted, not even iTunes is bereft of major problems on major releases.) Unfortunately, the reality of our experience with the first version of the Zune software this afternoon is much like that of many version 1 software experiences. It sucks. Read on to see what happened,” Ryan Block reports for Engadget.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “RadDoc” for the heads up.]
We didn’t have any problems with iTunes 7. But, of course, we don’t bother trying to use Windows PCs, we use Macs.
Related articles:
Apple releases iTunes 7.0.2 – October 31, 2006
Mossberg: Apple’s new iPod+iTunes are ‘better products at better prices’ – October 04, 2006
Apple releases iTunes 7.0.1 – September 27, 2006
Fortune’s Lewis reviews Apple iTunes 7.0: ‘thumbs up’ – September 26, 2006
Thurrott reviews Apple’s iTunes 7: ‘the best software-based media jukebox I’ve ever used’ – September 22, 2006
USA Today reviews new Apple iPod nanos, updated iPods, iTunes 7 (each earns 4 stars out of 4) – September 21, 2006
PC Magazine review: iTunes 7 ‘Apple’s best effort yet’ (4 stars out of 5) – September 15, 2006
What’s new in Apple’s iTunes 7 – September 12, 2006
Apple debuts iTunes 7 – September 12, 2006
Early Microsoft Zune customer greeted with Zune ‘Installation Error’ – November 13, 2006
Zuned: What’s the ‘deal’ with Microsoft Points? – November 12, 2006
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Apple has no need to worry about Microsoft’s cumbersome, chunkier Zune – November 11, 2006
BusinessWeek: ‘By this time next year, Microsoft’s Zune will be considered a dismal failure’ – November 10, 2006
USA Today’s Baig: Microsoft Zune is no Apple iPod – November 09, 2006
Forbes: Microsoft’s Zune stinks; like ‘Microsoft Bob,’ only more embarrassing – November 09, 2006
NY Times’ Pogue: Zune should come in green to match Microsoft’s iPod envy – November 09, 2006
Mossberg: MS Zune has ‘too many compromises, missing features’ vs. ‘thin, sleek, elegant’ Apple iPod – November 09, 2006
Microsoft to pay Universal for every Zune sold – November 09, 2006
Analysts: Microsoft Zune may end up being a flop – November 08, 2006
Are 58% of iPod owners really thinking of a Zune switch? – November 08, 2006
Survey: 58% of iPod owners planning another MP3 player purchase will consider Microsoft’s Zune – November 01, 2006
Zune is from Microsoft, but Microsoft doesn’t want anybody to know about it – November 07, 2006
Microsoft Zune to be US-only, no firm plans to launch anywhere else globally – November 03, 2006
Five Microsoft Zune TV commercials – November 02, 2006
JupiterResearch: Apple’s iPod will dominate for foreseeable future; Microsoft’s Zune insignificant – October 25, 2006
Ellen DeGeneres Show gives away Microsoft Zunes, studio audience goes berserk – October 23, 2006
More Microsoft Zune myths explored – October 20, 2006
Five more Microsoft Zune myths – October 18, 2006
Microsoft Zune intensifies chaos in Apple iPod+iTunes also-ran market – October 16, 2006
Newsweek Q&A: Apple CEO Steve Jobs discusses iPod’s impact, Microsoft’s Zune, and more – October 15, 2006
Microsoft’s Ballmer: Zune device not money loser, wishes Apple’s 30GB iPod was $299 instead of $249 – October 11, 2006
Microsoft’s consumer electronics track record: long string of failures – October 11, 2006
MP3.com founder: ‘Zune will be an expensive failure for Microsoft because consumers aren’t stupid’ – October 06, 2006
Microsoft fails to secure key Zune domains – October 04, 2006
Microsoft rigs Zune with tricky pricing and proprietary money schemes – October 03, 2006
Why Microsoft’s Zune won’t kill Apple’s iPod – October 03, 2006
10 Apple iPod vs. Microsoft Zune myths – October 02, 2006
Analyst: Zune could lead to ‘civil war’ between Microsoft and Windows Media partners – September 29, 2006
Thurrott on Microsoft’s Zune: ‘The makings of a disaster, what the heck are these people thinking?’ – September 29, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune’s as good as dead on arrival – September 28, 2006
Microsoft sets 30GB Zune price at $249.99 – September 28, 2006
How Microsoft’s Zune can kill Apple’s iPod – September 21, 2006
Microsoft’s Zune insanity – September 21, 2006
The Microsoft Zune 1.0 dud – September 20, 2006
Microsoft’s underwhelming Zune a ‘viral DRM’ device – September 18, 2006
SanDisk teams with RealNetworks against new common foe: Microsoft Zune – September 18, 2006
Creative does Apple’s dirty work by immediately attacking Microsoft’s Zune – September 17, 2006
Motley Fool’s Jayson: Microsoft’s ‘just plain ugly’ Zune a meager offering, not an iPod killer – September 15, 2006
What’s in a name? ‘Zune’ a French-Canadian euphemism for penis or vagina – September 15, 2006
Crave at CNET: ‘Microsoft Zune, all the excitement that brown can bring’ – September 15, 2006
Microsoft’s Zune underwhelms – September 15, 2006
Enderle: Microsoft Zune ‘a design mistake’ – September 15, 2006
Microsoft hypocrisy exposed with Zune: What ever happened to ‘choice?’ – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune with fake scroll wheel ‘hardly an Apple iPod killer’ – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune won’t spoil Apple’s biggest iPod Christmas ever – September 14, 2006
Microsoft unveils Zune 30GB player, Zune Marketplace; declines to disclose prices – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft’s Zune an ‘underwhelming’ repackaged Toshiba Gigabeat; no threat to Apple iPod – August 30, 2006
Microsoft confirms brick-like Zune to be made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
Microsoft Zune is chunky brick made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
Microsoft to sell single Zune model this fall, rumors of Wi-Fi capability were greatly exaggerated – August 10, 2006
Microsoft to spend hundreds of millions, several years on Zune trying to catch Apple iPod+iTunes – July 27, 2006
Zune: Apple cannot lose. Microsoft cannot win. – July 26, 2006
Zune me once, shame on me….Zune me twice……I won’t get Zuned again
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very original: reflection under album art!
The marketing pictures are confusing. I mean “FIND YOUR INNER DJ”?! What does that mean and why is Microsoft telling me to do that? Do you get Points for finding it?
-Squirt
Funneeee…
CARS wrote this humor piece back in July 2006, but it’s amazing how close they were on the hassles in getting the Zune set up.
http://www.crazyapplerumors.com/?p=633
If evidence were ever needed to convince every normal person: MS can’t hold a candle to Apple.
I would go so far as to say that I really believe MS’s standards are getting worse…
Oh and for those thinking the Zune is like some kind of tough Russian tank ready to advance, well, it isn’t.
It’s more like a Mr Whippy that my dog does after eating the wrong things
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”shut eye” style=”border:0;” />
I wonder what happened to the feature where MS would ‘buy’ or at least transfer your purchased iTunes songs to the Zube?
It seems that MS wants to make more money out of selling your personal data from Zube registrations than they will make on the device itself. Add to this the salami factor of excess Zube points.
Apple knew they had a hit because all the musicians who touched it said they really wanted one and were prepared to pay for it. Is it the same for the Zube? Not that I’ve heard.
Also, I can now understand where each of the three iPod designs fits with very different consumer needs and why not all features (screens, movies, HD) are in all models, but where does the Zube fit?
Its too big to fit in your pocket, the HD makes it unsuitable for jogging, it can’t plug into the TV, it has no podcasts useful for car trips. It seems to compete more with the Nano than the video iPod, but is more expensive and too bulky for a student. I want Apple to have competition, but this is not it.
Magic Word ‘last’ as in “Will it…?”
Coule..
Fucking brilliant. They used the Windows strategy for about 5 years and got NOWHERE.. and you’re saying.. watch out, they might use the Windows strategy….
Get it?
Windows doesn’t win because of quality, it wins because it runs on anything. That matters to corporate customers. (vendor lock-in)
If anything this Zune thing will be the polar opposite of Windows’ success.
Hey the Zune software is actually pretty cool. It’s got this feature where it instinctively chooses usernames to suit what kind of person you are based on your age, address, name and phone number. If you scroll down a bit on that page you can see the editor, Ryan’s suggested ZuneTags:
* TwinightRyan (sp)
* UprightRyan
* GrizzlyRyan
* PraisedCloud
* ScapularWorm and
* HangingCheetah
* PricyRacketeer
* GutlessStudent
* WontedSum
* PeeweeDust
Personally I think he should have gone with UprightRyan because he’s an upright kinda guy but don’t get me wrong ScapularWorm is pretty rockin!
I’m gob-smacked!
How many bloody dialogue boxes just to install the Zune player!?!??
Oh, to be a fly on Steve Jobs’ wall the first week of MS being Zuned!
This should be a hoot!
Mike:
They used the Windows strategy for about 5 years and got NOWHERE…
90% of the desktops is NOT = NOWHERE in my humble opinion.
MS has an own Zune, WindowsMediaPlayer and soon a decent (?) Webstore.
Sounds to me they are following the Apple strategy…a cheap imitation then, as usual!
Social, indeed, more like social disease. Is this also a preview of Vista’s performance? Microsoft’s state of the art is pure masochism imbedded in design.
I’m watching CNN (6:25 am), Soladad O’brien introduces the business guy.
He says “today we’ll look at Microsofts wannabe ipod killer, Zune. We’ll see (doubtful look on his face) if they got it righty…”
Miles Obrien interupts “…doesn’t Microsoft have a history of doing that, coming in late….”
Soledad: “…. I just got the little ipod thingy (holds fingers up to the camera, indicating holding somethingthe size of a book of matches)….”
Business guy: “Oh, the ipod shuffle?”.
Soledad: “Yes, and I LOVE IT”.
man this thing sucks *ss.
i just want a photo of ONE person going into a shop and buying this steaming pile of crap.
I just cant think who would do that, who would buy this dog turd wannabe?
bring on the comparisons between iTunes/iPod and this thing.
maybe people will start to see how far ahead Apple are in terms of software development and design.
we cant even compare the hardware because microsoft didnt even have the balls to create their own. (whats new?)
All this attention given to a crappy device. Zune should not even be compared to the iPod. It should be compared (probably unfavorably) to the also-ran MP3 players. As soon as Zune can match up with a Sandisk, maybe it will become worthy of comparison to the iPod. All this Zune vs. iPod gives Zune undeserved status and free marketing.
They just had the full peice on.
Too good to describe.
See if you can find it on Cnn.com or something.
Ends withe Soledad holding up the shuffle and saying “Why would I buy a Zune when I can have this?”.
zune polls:
Visit this http://www.zune-player.net/content/view/17/9/ web site and vote against zune. Choose “Not in a Million Years.”
Vote here too: http://zune-central.com/
Also visit this
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
How long is THIS going to take?
What?! I can’t “return” opened merchandise!
I get Zune Points for store credit???!!!!
re: They used the Windows strategy for about 5 years and got NOWHERE…
90% of the desktops is NOT = NOWHERE in my humble opinion.
MS has an own Zune, WindowsMediaPlayer and soon a decent (?) Webstore.
Sounds to me they are following the Apple strategy…a cheap imitation then, as usual!
—-
THIS IS NOT THE CORPORATE SECTOR!
The Consumer sector is A TOTALLY DIFFERENT beast to the corporate sector.
Corporate needs:
– Low cost pcs
– Functionality (does it connect to my server etc)
– Narrow minded IT vision
– Style/looks and ease of use totally irrelevent
consumer Market:
– Style: is it desirable?
– Is it ‘cool’?
– Does it work
– Is the cost competitive
Being successful in the ‘grey’ corporate sector means fuck all in the comsumer sector.
You cannot market a product in the same way hoping you will get the same success in the consumer sector as the corporate sector.
THIS is Microsoft’s failure – they are thinking too narrow and think the consumer market is the same as the corporate market.
Consumers are not idiots – they consider a purchase VERY carefully, wheras in the corporate sector ‘low price’ is normally the deal decision maker.
I thought the running commentary was rather funny. Later in the piece, someone commented that the ZUNE was “still better than…”, to shich I replied, comparing what the ZUNE is still better than is akin to comparing which breed of dog-crap is better to step in!
MDN Word, corps, which is certain to be a typo for corpse (AKA ZUNE)
Zune= Toshiba Gigabeat + Aero Interface. More lipstick on a pig. Throw in the Zuney software and you have yourself a problem.
Columbus Dispatch had article on the Zune going up against the iPod in the business section this morning. Basically an AP piece that the local people added a few paragraphs to. The typical Enderle quote, etc. They talked to the local Micro Store manager who said that they have had no interest or people asking about Zune. No Surprise there.
Welcome to the Social(ly Inept)
HaHaHa!! you guys have to see this but be careful not to touch it!!!
http://www.microsoftshitbrick.com/
http://www.cnn.com/video/
The link is in the Business catagory as:
“• Microsoft’s Zune released (2:43) “
http://www.cnn.com/video/
The link is in the Business catagory as:
“• Microsoft’s Zune released (2:43) “
http://www.cnn.com/video/
The link is in the Business catagory as:
“• Microsoft’s Zune released (2:43) “