“What’s more fun than dissecting the overwrought failures of big dumb companies whose marketers ineffectually tried to put a price tag on cool? Doing it in real time, as it happens!” Danier Eran writes for RoughlyDrafted.
“Ten iPod vs. Zune Myths took apart the marketing spin attached to Microsoft’s upcoming iPod Killer, but there’s plenty left to examine. Here’s a look at the whimpers of jilted executives, painful marketing drivel and fan speak, the geeky in-jokes, as well as the market realities and technical problems facing everyone’s favorite iPod Killer,” Eran writes.
Eran’s Ten More Myths of Zune:
1: Microsoft’s iPod killer is … Zuma
2: Zune makes a good verb
3 : The Zune isn’t just another poorly constructed piece of crap
4: Microsoft can work out their iPod Killer’s kinks over the next few years
5: Microsoft can afford an extended failure
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “LinuxGuy and Mac Prodigal Son” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
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
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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
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Analyst: Microsoft Zune won’t spoil Apple’s biggest iPod Christmas ever – September 14, 2006
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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
OMG !!! I love the picture on the top of the article!!!! Too funny!!
Buahahahahahah!!!
OMG MW: john as in that dog is on the …
OMFG Im giving them like four hits at least
this information needs to find it’s way over to the poor lemmings @ http://www.zunescene.com — those folks @ nutts.
The image for Myth 10 is hilarious.
The only benefit I see on the zune is the larger screen.
Not so hard for Apple to improve on.
“Friends don’t let friends drive zuned.”
This guy is majorly productive…and he really knows how to get the Microsoft trolls worked up..!
I think there should be a Zune on display at the Apple Stores. And when someone touches it, they get shocked.
No, not electrically, just the fact that it is really in the store…
TowerTone
THIS is too damn funny. I predict numerous deaths here….from laughter.
Right now his site is getting hammered, and is very slow at responding.
Even though Apple seems to inovate in a vacuum, I actually would like to see some competition for the iPod. IMHO, Zune is not it.
Color me a trader, but I still think Apple should consider licensing fairplay. If perhaps only within a strict framework, that allows 3rd parties to design a front end to iTunes, but still ultimately provide content through the ITS. Maybe that would be unworkable, but what do I know.
Overheard on a few college campuses:
“If you squirt me one more time with that brown POS, I’m going to have to zune your ass.”
maczac….what type of stuff do you trade?
Fly Me to the Moon (redux)
(Bart Howard)
Fly me to the Zune
And let me play among the stars
Let me see what Microsofties like
On Jupiter and Mars
In other words hold my hand
In other words darling Zune me
Fill my life with song
And let me sing forevermore
You are all I hope for
All I worship and adore
In other words please don’t frown
The Zune I love is brown.
Hey gman
About that zunescene site, if you look at the picture which compares the height of the zune to the iPod, it seems that they are comparing the 80Gb iPod to the 30Gb zune…I guess they need all the help the can get to sell this brick of Scheiße
Good one, Buster.
I still prefer Diana Krall’s version, but that has nothing to do with words…
sophonik: yea,those guys @ zunescene have no taste and admiration for simplicity…they are the typical Ms suckblobs, that think “features” equal better product..anyways, I’ve since stopped posting, I’ll let them figure things out with time.
I’d rather a device that fits nicely into my pocket that plays music, does video and pictures (and more) than compromise size over garbage features…but then again, that’s me.
Ballmer’s use of the word “squirt” is hands down the most disturbing thing I’ve read this year, possibly even in the last decade. Was he trying to mimic the sound of the MagSafe connector in the Get a Mac ad, but doesn’t believe in onomatopoeia?
I belief Microtop to making big mistake.
In my country, “Zune” means
“My penis is stuck in your wife’s fanny. Please help to remove”.
Thanks Buster! I knew it looked funny when I typed it, but just couldn’t quite put my finger on it! So much for my reliance on spell checkers!
maczac…thanks for taking it in the spirit it was intended.
Oh oh…here coes another one…(sorry Sting)
There’s a Zune over Bourbon street tonight
I see faces as they pass beneath the pale lamplight
They somehow missed that iPod call
The bright lights, the people, and the moon and all
I pray everyday to be strong
For I know what they do must be wrong
Oh you’ ll never see my shade or hear the sound of my feet
While theres a Zune over Bourbon street
Borat, get back to camel ‘milking’!
In my country, many mens “milk camels”.
Yes, I saw your ‘interview’.
Very entertaini… uh, informative.