Microsoft’s Zune portable music player appears “underwhelming” and could end up being “another classic case of overpromising and underdelivering” by the world’s biggest software company, said an analyst for American Technology Research on Wednesday.
“Apple Computer Inc.’s iPod has driven the company’s success of late, and competitors ranging from Dell to Creative Technology Ltd. to Samsung Electronics have launched rival products that, so far, have failed to even come close to touching that of the iPod,” The Associated Press reports.
“Apple’s iPod is poised to be the ‘Walkman of the portable media space,’ wrote Shaw Wu in a note to investors. ‘Walkman maintained its dominance over a 15 to 20-year period despite countless competitors trying to create a ‘Walkman killer,” the analyst wrote. Microsoft’s ‘iPod killer,’ however, appears to have more bark than bite,” AP reports.
“The company ‘had hinted of an all-new design from the ground up, but from our analysis, it appears that the Zune is essentially a repackaged Toshiba Gigabeat that has seen limited success,’ Wu wrote,” AP reports.
AP reports, “Wu said he is unimpressed by Zune’s fake clickwheel, which ‘does not scroll nor is touch-pressure sensitive, making navigation difficult, particularly for users with large music, video and photo libraries.’ Like most other vendors, Microsoft has created an iPod-look for its rival player, but chosen not to add the scrolling clickwheel. ‘We believe this key ‘look-and-feel’ feature may be difficult to replicate without infringing on Apple’s extensive patent portfolio,’ notes Wu.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arthur” for the heads up.]
Well, there’s a nice review. Is that blood we smell already? Wonder if Zune’s “fake clickwheel” is patent-pending? Microsoft has been “overpromising, underdelivering, underwhelming, and faking” for its entire corporate lifetime. It’s always nice when others notice.
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BuriedCaesar:
My comment was mostly aimed at how many people are busting on the Zune/Gigabeat’s looks, not at its functionality (and like I pointed out, WiFi and built-in bluetooth are not something I want until it has minimal effect on battery life). I fully expect the functionality of the system (which would not change from the demoed units probably) to be lackluster. But, the styling of the case may not in fact be final.
The parallel I was thinking of was how Detroit tests their cars on the open road with a bunch of crap stuck on to disguise the aerodynamics and styling cues until they do a final reveal of the car. Also, it might have been a way to save time to market, the same way that Apple chose to make only minor adjustements to the G5 iMac/PowerMac enclosures for the Intel transition. And Apple got bagged on for that as well.
MU1984:
I agree. I work in aerospace, and am familiar with how minor changes can cause major performance changes in electronics. BUT…given that both cases will probably be plastic AND assuming that the arrangement of the guts will stay the same, MS might be able to argue a “qual by simularity” approval with the FCC.
Dunno. I’m just arguing that the photos we are seeing might not represent the final appearance of the unit for a number of reasons.
“So if Gigabeat’s a “Brick”, and a Zune is just a Gigabeat, a 30GB iPod is just a slightly larger but thinner brick, and a 60GB iPod is a fully fledged brick.”
You must have very tiny hands…
Zune size.
The Zune appears (from web photos) to be slightly thicker than even the Gigabeat.
Keep in mind, the 30 GB Gigabeat is just slightly thicker than the iPod 60 GB product – which is too thick for many people, after they get their hands on the 30 GB version.
For Zune to be even “slightly” thicker than even the Gigabeat is a big deal.
These products must be sleek, as it directly relates to cool and state-of-the-art, or lame wannabe. The razor is only successful due to how thin it is – and that’s it.
If the Zune comes in at .60″ or even slightly thicker it will indeed be known as the “ZeeBrick”
I can’t quite understand why Microsoft is releasing Zune (what a stupid name).
Is it because of the Apple halo effect where people are exposed to Apple’s iPod+iTunes and then want a Mac later? Is M$ really worried about loosing significant market share?
Is it just the same old M$ trying to own every market?
I do think that Microsoft is intensely, insanely paranoid about loosing market share. Really the only place left for them to go is down. Then there’s the Karma factor that all the long-term leaders at Microsoft pushed the company to success through illegal actions, and down right ripping off the genius of creative people who work for other companies. In the back of their minds they can’t really be proud of their success because it’s hollow–they didn’t earn it–they stole it. Which leads to intense Apple envy because Apple’s Karma is clean and pure. They made their success through true creativity and innovation. Time and time again the entire computer industry follows Apple’s lead.
Microsoft’s Apple envy leads them to release an also-ran iPod wanna be. Their envy can’t even make them see that by releasing a D.O.A music player they’re only reinforcing their image as a company the copies rather than innovates.
My only fear of this is that Zune could be M$’s next Internet Explorer 3–a failed, flop of a product where M$ funnels hundreds of millions of dollars into it’s development AT A LOSS until they finally get something that’s good enough that the masses of people accept it because it’s something stupid like $10 less than an iPod.
What are your thoughts?
All a guy asks for is just one week – heck, just ONE DAY – without a bunch of Zune news being tossed across the pan.
It seems everyone of us is making the same arguments over and over again. And we’ll keep making the same silly arguments over and over again until the thing is released.
Maybe, just maybe, we should stop giving MS or Toshiba (whomever will brand the product) the liberty of our time.
Of course, I’m probably speaking to a brick wall here…
DW:
“Of course, I’m probably speaking to a brick wall here…”
A brick wall….made up of UNSOLD ZUNES!!!! BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!
I kill me!
“I kill me!”
Trying not to laugh…. trying so hard not to laugh! Nope, I won’t do it…
B-Sabre:
I am following in the footsteps of DW and am NOT going laugh. Maybe a “guffaw” but not a laugh. I just will not do it. “Brick wall. Unsold Zunes….” (GUFFAW)
I just chatted with my company’s head of technology who’s quite familiar with FCC testing requirements. He says that final form factor is essential for FCC testing cos how chips and such are arranged on a chassis definitely does affect how the final product radiates. Looks like its “what we see is what we get” in terms for what Zune is supposed to look and feel like. Of course, question is, is that really a Zune?
Here ya go:
“Zune Zucks.”
Here, the Pre-Zune (or how about calling it the “Longhorn Media Player”).
http://gigabeat.toshiba.co.uk/
(Can I barf already?)
Check out the pre-Zune.
It’s got (hold yer horses) a hold switch! a USB 2.0 connector! a color screen! and PlusTouch(tm) sensor switch.
The ™ makes it cooler.
SucksForSure.
That Laptop still has a floppy drive !!!! ROTFLH! Now that’s a hip machine! Obviously, the Zune is fully backwards compatible with Win95, and it can play Solitaire.
MW: century = 20th century