“Well, here’s a bit of a surprise: a wireless PMP just showed up on the FCC, featuring a 30GB HDD, FM tuner and a strangely familiar 3-inch screen,” Paul Miller reports for Engadget.
Miller reports, “And it ain’t being manufactured by Microsoft. Instead it looks like Microsoft got their good pal Toshiba to produce the Zune, which not only saves Microsoft the job of gearing up some production lines for the thing, but seems to keep them from stepping on at least one PlayForSure licensee’s toes.”
Full article with photos of the bulky Zune cracked open and completely dissected here.
More photos via the FCC here.
Thick as a brick ain’t gonna sell. This Zune thing gets worse with each passing day (and it wasn’t sounding so great to begin with).
And when’s the last time you saw a laptop that thick? At least it makes the Zune look “thinner.” Imagine how thick a Zune would look next to a MacBook Pro. (shudder)
UPDATE: 1:40pm EDT: Microsoft’s PlaysForSure hacked: FairUse4WM strips Windows Media DRM – August 25, 2006
Related articles:
Microsoft confirms brick-like Zune to be made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
RUMOR: Microsoft Zune’s user interface revealed in images – August 23, 2006
Details of Microsoft’s Zune interface, features exposed – August 17, 2006
Microsoft to sell single Zune model this fall, rumors of Wi-Fi capability were greatly exaggerated – August 10, 2006
Zune already shedding features? ‘iPod killer’ won’t offer video at launch – August 04, 2006
RealNetworks CEO Glaser a little miffed with Microsoft over Zune – July 28, 2006
Microsoft to spend hundreds of millions, several years on Zune trying to catch Apple iPod+iTunes – July 27, 2006
In wake of Zune announcement, should ex-Microsoft ‘partners’ join iPod ecosystem? – July 27, 2006
Zune: Apple cannot lose. Microsoft cannot win. – July 26, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft partners zune to be the biggest losers – July 25, 2006
In wake of Zune, Microsoft ‘partners’ consider abandoning PlaysForSure – July 25, 2006
Wi-Fi seen limiting battery life on Microsoft’s Zune – July 24, 2006
Why Microsoft’s Zune is doomed to fail – July 24, 2006
Bear Stearns analyst expects Apple to respond to Microsoft’s ‘challenge’ with new iPod innovations – July 24, 2006
Microsoft Zune? They should’ve called it the Microsoft ‘iClod’ – July 24, 2006
Enderle: Microsoft’s ‘iPod killer’ Zune is ‘brilliant strategy’ – July 24, 2006
Microsoft’s so-called ‘iPod killer’ Zune won’t zoom up the charts – July 23, 2006
Microsoft confirms ‘iPod Killer’ plans – July 21, 2006
Microsoft’s rumored ‘iPod killer’ poses little threat to Apple’s domination – July 18, 2006
Microsoft plans Super Bowl ad for ‘iPod killer’ – July 17, 2006
Sounds serious: Microsoft approaches iPod accessory makers for Zune would-be ‘iPod killer’ – July 12, 2006
Microsoft preps complete line of Xbox-branded digital-media products – July 11, 2006
Photo of Microsoft’s ‘iPod killer?’ – July 11, 2006
10 reasons why Microsoft’s ‘iPod killer’ will fail – July 11, 2006
Enderle on what it would take for Microsoft to kill Apple’s iPod – July 10, 2006
Microsoft: ‘iPod killer’ reports based on ‘speculation and rumors’ – July 07, 2006
Can Microsoft hit a fast moving target? Apple likely to debut wireless iPod this year – July 07, 2006
Analysts: Microsoft faces uphill fight to supplant Apple’s iPod+iTunes market dominance – July 07, 2006
Microsoft plans to convert iPod users by replacing iTMS songs with free WMA format songs – July 06, 2006
Microsoft to release wireless ‘iPod killer’ by Christmas to challenge Apple – July 05, 2006
Analyst Wu: Microsoft unlikely to dethrone Apple iPod+iTunes – June 21, 2006
Microsoft preps iPod+iTunes killer – June 19, 2006
Report: Microsoft readying Apple iPod+iTunes rival – June 16, 2006
Microsoft: No iPod killer planned – June 05, 2006
Microsoft, Toshiba, DoCoMo, Victor to develop Japan iPod+iTunes killer – June 02, 2006
MTV-Microsoft URGE music service not targeting iPod, iTunes users; Real CEO PlayedForSure? – December 13, 2005
Report: Apple to bring out Bluetooth adapter for iPods – August 25, 2006
Patent application shows iPod capable of live wireless video conferencing – June 13, 2006
Apple patent application filed for wireless iPod+iTunes distribution – May 04, 2006
Generator Research: Apple to Ship $4.2bn in Wireless iPods (WiPods) by 2010 – March 14, 2006
Ready for your wireless Apple iPod? – February 09, 2006
Wireless iPod? CSR and PortalPlayer to bring wireless connectivity to personal media players – February 08, 2006
Wireless Apple iPods coming in 2006? – December 09, 2005
More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: Dell’s ‘DJ Ditty’ flash-based MP3 player is dead – August 22, 2006
More blood on Apple iTunes Music Store’s play button: MyCokeMusic is dead – June 20, 2006
More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: iRiver gives up on digital media player market – May 23, 2006
More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: Sony’s Walkman Bean is cooked – February 13, 2006
More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: Dell dumps ‘DJ’ hard-drive MP3 player line – February 04, 2006
More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: iRiver pulling out of Europe? – February 01, 2006
More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: Thomson gives up on MP3 player, CE markets – December 12, 2005
More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: BenQ withdraws from MP3 player markets – November 28, 2005
More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: Olympus halts production of portable digital music players – November 09, 2005
More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: Rio is dead – August 26, 2005
Apple’s iPod has blood on its Click Wheel: Virgin Electronics is dead – March 08, 2005
Apple’s iTunes Music Store has blood on its play button: BuyMusic.com is dead – March 28, 2004
It’s the XBOX To Go!
No really, it’s an XBOX with headphones and 3 inch screen.
Actually it looks downright SVELT compared to the utter piece of crap notebook it’s hooked up to LOL.
And look at the thickness of even the “dock connector”: <gasp>!
What’s it using? SCSI? Can it use floppies?
No one can make a better looking (and feel)mp3 player than the iPod. Not even Apple. I just got my 60gig Ipod w/video and it’s awesome to the touch.
Good luck Zune..Whatever..
That thing looks to be bigger than the original Newton.
Jimbo, here’s a few more for your Zune playlist:
“I’m Huge” by Steve Smith & the Nakeds
“Huge Disaster” by Industry Overflow
“Young, Dumb & Ugly” by Weird Al
“Ugly Machine” by Ugly Machine
“Wannabe” by The Tongues
“Fresh Garbage” by Spirit
“Crap Cannon” by Agoraphobic Nosebleed
“Got F’d Up Along The Way” by David Holmes (I think this is going to be Vistas theme song)
“Piece Of Crap” by Crazy Horse
“You Should Have Been Aborted” by F.Y.P.
“Give Me Your Money Quick” by Billy Jenkins
No matter what is said, at the end of the day there will be a lot of sheep (errrr…microsoft supporters) who will blindly buy it thinking that since it comes from Microsoft, it MUST be good.
You may laugh but there are really zillions of those sheep (err….supporters) out there. Too many people (and this is scary) are completely clued out about other operating systems like linux, OS X, etc. They are clued out about computing alternatives. Hell I have met some that had no idea that Apple makes the iPod. And no….these are not your local toothless banjo playing idiots, many have college educations.
Some days I just despair….
I can give you a sneak preview of what Microsoft’s innovative advertising tag line is going be –
‘10,000 songs in your briefcase’.
i dont want Zune to die soon. i want it to live. i want it to come out, meet the public with much fanfair and hoopla. i want people to try to use the thing. i want to hear about the frustration people have getting the damn thing to function properly. i want to hear about how it has trouble communicating with Windows and how the interface with whatever software its used with is unresponsive, unattractive and nearly unusable. i want to hear all the comparisons to the iPod and how it isn’t nearly as easy, good looking, or portable. and then i want it to die, forgotten, maligned and unloved… just like the Dell DJ/Ditty.
… maybe then the last of the anti-iPod pundits will finally shut their pie-holes and accept that the iPod is a successful device because it is precisely everything that a Microsoft product ain’t… reliable and usable.
You Guys have it all WRONG, that brick’s not a Zune.
It’s the new Mini-Origami.
“Microsoft Zune is chunky brick made by Toshiba”
That is the funniest headline I have evr seen on this site.
It’s all wrong. If it’s a gaming device the input buttons are wrong. If it’s a media player the aspect ratio is wrong.
It it’s an electronic piece of dung well I guess they’ve got it exactly right.
Whether it trying to clone the iPod’s success or Mac OS X, Microsoft once again demonstrates that its claims of “innovation” are based on its cargo cult approach to products. For those not familiar with the term “cargo cult,” just google it. True, isn’t it?
Ohhhhh, silly, silly Microsoft.
I’m reminded of the lyric from BS&T’s 1971 hit, “Go Down Gamblin'”:
Go down gamblin’,
Say it when you’re runnin’ low.
Microsoft is indeed going down.
Remember these days well, for they are truly the beginning of the end of the company . . . and you can tell your chilodren what it was like to live through it.
GET THE WORD OUT!!!
It is important to counter M$’s upcoming “heard the sheep” marketing assult with information.
“Information people, I need information!” – Dr. Evil.
Simply tell the sheep that Zune is nothing more than a re-skinned Toshiba Gigabeat S – which is EXACTLY what the Zune is (great design team, errrr, purchasing agents you have Redmond!).
Oh, and finish it off with, “Oh yes, M$ helped keep the Zune’s cost down by making the skin entirely out of platic. How’s that for durability?…
Hmmm, a plastic Zune from M$ or a Ford Fusion with horrific crash test ratings, what to do, what to do?…”
The Zune project is looking more like a bloated Hillary Health Care plan (good job on that one Bill), than anything remotely efficient.
I can see the political hate posts starting… NOW! Becuase Hillary sucks must mean I am madly in love Bush right? Not – don’t go there… okay, go there, whatever. ; )
This is exactly the type of product one would expect from MicroSoft, so par for the course continues. Nice to see.
~OUT
I doubt Microsoft could produce anything that would satisfy the readers of this forum, so I take all these comments with a healthy dose of salt. It all comes down to the price. If Microsoft wanted to, they could use their huge cash reserves to sell this “brick” for $50 and destroy the iPod overnight. Only time will tell.
this is great stuff, I really hope the same ad geniuses that did the DJDitty website, have a go at this….er……..brick. I am gonna laugh hard when and if this crap is released. The ads will be worth it!
Price is but one componnent. Microsoft has huge marketing awareness ability, but $50 would be going the completely opposite way for this product, and not position it correctly.
In other words, doing so would make the product looking even cheaper than it appears (at leat at this point).
Secondly, Apple and a dozen other companies would be likely to sue Microsoft, claiming monopoly power, wielding it unnaturally in order to create another monopoly – this is illegal.
Whether that has any merrit in massive buy-in to a market is up to the courts, but you can bet the suits would happen.
Third: Shareholders would not appreciate watching Microsoft bleed cash reverves for the next 2-3 years while Apple counters and each company bloodies each other, with no clear winner in either market share in the end.
Most importantly, no clear winner financially. Corporations do not work this way, thus the reasons companies may create slight loss leaders for a time, but not in the manner you suggest.
Even $150 would be a financial and marketing fiasco.
~Steven
I can’t believe I’m the first to say this…
LOL ZUNE IS HUEG!!!!!111
Indeed, I was simply exaggerating my point. But, the point is, there will be a price point that Microsoft could choose that would seriously undercut Apple and damage their market share. Microsoft aren’t stupid – they are the overwhelmingly most successful OS producer on the planet, yet have a demonstrably inferior system. Why should the Zune be any different? If Microsoft can be bothered, they could wipe the floor with Apple. Product quality is irrelevant, as Windows has admirably demonstrated over the past 15 years.
It’ll be the right aspect ration IF it supports screen rotation (auto if they aren’t cheapass) via software.
That way you can have the dial on the left or right of the screen when held the wide way, just rotate the Zune.
Now, Apple will soon leapfrog this altogether, using new technology, making the physical scroll wheel seem archaic overnight — just in time for Microsoft to adopt it as their “innovation”. Most consumers will not know the difference, of course.
It’s amazing that the crap on this site actually shows up on Google as news. I know the thought of Microsoft stepping on the one cash cow that Apple has is alarming for you guys. But, I’d probably prefer a slow silent death, than one in which I’m kicking and screaming.
“If it’s a media player the aspect ratio is wrong.”
Turn it 90 degrees. Now it’s a wide-screen player.
“And when’s the last time you saw a laptop that thick? At least it makes the Zune look ‘thinner.'”
Remember: If you want to look thin, hang out with fat people!
Hey Microsoft
“Your sperm’s in the gutter,
Your love’s in the sink”
And I think you!
This is like a gunfight between Paladin of Have Gun-Will Travel and Gabby Hayes.
Not only does Zune have a 24 hour battery life, but you can jump start a Hummer with it and use it as a chuck if you need to change a tire. No iPod can do that.
Linux Guy –
That is a superb observation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult
Another three for the playlist:
‘Zune’ by Fat Larry’s Band – ok, it was called ‘Zoom’, but they could re-record it…
‘Wannabe’ by the Spice Girls
‘Another one bites the Dust’ by Queen
I’ve counted about 23-ish songs mentioned here to fill the Zune – surley its battery won’t last long enough to play them all..?