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Microsoft to update Zune media players
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The following comments relate to this news article:
article published on 8 April, 2009
Microsoft marketing manager Brian Seitz has said that the software giant will be revamping its Zune media players this year, marking the first significant refresh since early 2008 when Microsoft added a firmware update and increased storage capacity.
Over the past six months, the only significant news to come out about the Zune has been negative, and Microsoft is under pressure to keep ... [ read the full article ]
Please read the original article before posting your comments.
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stuntman_
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8. April 2009 @ 17:01 |
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just give up already
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SSSJDanny
Junior Member
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9. April 2009 @ 01:37 |
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Zune's are i think one of the best MP3 Players out, it may not have the newest top of the line tech but, i'd pick Zune over iPods any day.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 9. April 2009 @ 01:39
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9. April 2009 @ 01:55 |
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I just got a 120 gb Zune and I love it. This after having a couple of 30gb zunes. As long as they make them I'll probably keep using them.
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Member
12 product reviews
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9. April 2009 @ 02:00 |
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I also have a Zune. Plays everything I have as well--movies and songs. The only problem I have with the Zune is the software. They should have made it compatible with media player.
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Foxman
Newbie
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9. April 2009 @ 10:27 |
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I also own a Zune 120 and have found it to be a superior MP3 player. The problem most people see with the Zune line is a lack of product on store shelves and advertising to promote public awareness. When you go into a store, like Best Buy or Wall Mart for instance, you will find shelves simply "bulging" with Ipod's and Ipod equipment and very few Zune's and little to no Zune gear. The same holds true for Zune advertising. Just take a look at any Sunday paper and see what you find advertised for the Zune verses what you see advertised for Ipod's. I purchased my Zune 120 from Circuit City well before they announced they were closing and only found 2 Zunes for sale on their shelf verses about 20 Ipods. Is it any wonder that the Zune brand of MP3 players has seen such a decline in the market place? I think not!!
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9. April 2009 @ 12:12 |
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I have a 80gb Zune and I love it and I think it's better than the Ipod. But like Foxman said, Microsoft didn't do a good job of advertisement. If you were on a TV quizz show and the question was "give me the name of a mp3 player", you would probably say Ipod.
That's because Apple just crammed it in our brains with the ads.
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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9. April 2009 @ 13:19 |
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Why would I buy a Zune? Their software sucks and because it is a closed system you got to be a slave to MS.
Well, you guys show real loyality but I don't know how close you are to reality. I am sure they will die off in a year or 2. Apple does not advertise as much as the Zune does.
Most persons are unwilling to buy a closed system. I guess you all like your M$ Massa. I don't think even the Apple closed systems are doing well. At least they have a well thought out recovery system. At lest you cna go to a factory reset. With a Zuine you just have to throw it away when they get to that point. I guess none of you were casulties of that leathal upgrade that wiped out 10% of the Zunes. I figure good riddance!
It does not matter that the player is good. Who wants to be a slave. I just bought a 16 g Sabnsa mp4 player for 60 bucks that I can buy an extra 32G SD card on ebay for another 10 bucks. The battery life for audio is 35 hrs. It is an open system. You can drag and drop from Windows explorer.
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9. April 2009 @ 13:53 |
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I'm not too fond of Zune's software although it has improved a lot. I love the desktop album art and the customization tools it has. But overall it's not that good. And I despise iTunes! I've tried other mp3's in the past, (iRiver, Creative, Sansa). The quality of their hardware just doesn't compare to a Zune. And what mp3 has a better LCD other than the Ipod touch?
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9. April 2009 @ 14:04 |
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I just can't come up with a good reason as to why Microsoft didn't use WMP 11 for the Zune.
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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9. April 2009 @ 14:11 |
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juaneryle, I can agree with much of that. You notced I did not knock the hardware. I will say the new Sansa View LCD is very much like the Zune except for size. Both it and the Zune have bright colorful displays. The device is smaller than the Zune screen. The screen is a good size for that sized device.
I would rate the Zune software from 12/07 to be worse than itunes. That is saying something because I dispise itunes. I would not buy a device that locked you into itunes any more than I would buy a Zune. Well, I did buy a 30g on 11/07 for $80. That was not a bad deal. It is still running fine while an Apple disk player might not be. If they were an open devise, I would say buy a Zune if I really need a disked system.
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9. April 2009 @ 14:31 |
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Let's go back to the beginning. Before the Zune. Microsoft made sure that all 3rd party mp3's were PC compatible and able to use the WMP. Even Apple switched the Ipod from the firewire to usb to more PC friendly eventhough you still needed iTunes.
Microsoft invents the Zune and for some crazy reason, they make it uncompatible with their own media player! They went against the stragedy that made them the #1 PC. Could you imagine Win XP being locked to Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, and Paint only?
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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9. April 2009 @ 16:28 |
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Yes if you could use WMP, Zune would be far more desirable. Apple was comming out with a closed system, the touch, when the Zune was being concieved. The touch even though it is a nicer device doesn't do well compaired with the ipods. They hope they can lock you into buying all your tunes from them. Well, it aint happening much. People like open systems.
MS over estimated their sellability. At that time, the Asians were just getting into the market. I don't think even Apple has much chance against Sansa. They are building them better, smarter and cheaper than Apple. Apple doesn't have the Sansa battery technology yet. The Sansa screen is vivid like the Zune. They do not have that stuipd scroll wheel either. Being Sandisk they are going to probably come out with the 32 G flash player before Apple.
Then you got the Zune! It doen't have a snowballs chance in hell!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 9. April 2009 @ 17:18
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Foxman
Newbie
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9. April 2009 @ 17:54 |
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Mez . . . for your information, I had no problem whatsoever transferring almost 8000 songs from the music library that was located on my computer's external hard drive directly into my Zune 120. The process was a very simple "straight forward" process using the Zune software program. If the Zune is a "closed system" as you say it is, I would have been prevented from moving any of my music into my Zune. Also there are a number of sources for "do-it-yourself" Zune repair parts as well as "on site" repairs to keep your Zune running after the battery dies or you get a cracked display window or need a new hard drive for instance.
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resifreak
Junior Member
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9. April 2009 @ 18:43 |
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i think its a shame the zune is struggling , i have a ipod ive had several 30gb 60 gb 80 gb video 80, 120 gb video classics but thats in 3 years the things dont last a year ive had 7 ipods in 3 years tbh thats not good having to return them all the time, cus the battery sucks, or it has dead pixels or it the drive fails, i tryed a zune it was fun to use but the software sucked as much as itunes does, tbh but the zune standard earphones were great compaired to the apple ipod ones there junk, but i would buy a zxune if i knew a place that sold one in the UK over a ipod anyday i just wish theyd increase accessories support and well use WMP 11
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salsa36
Member
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9. April 2009 @ 22:40 |
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What's a zune???????????
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Foxman
Newbie
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9. April 2009 @ 23:27 |
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itisanice
Suspended permanently
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10. April 2009 @ 00:59 |
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I have a 80gb Zune and I love it and I think it's better than the Ipod.
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10. April 2009 @ 01:12 |
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It is better than the Ipod. I'm telling you what's hurting the Zune is the advertisement. Look at the Ipod ads. They are so hip and upbeat. The Zune ads are dull and all business. I mean that's cool with PC's, but not with mp3's.
JB
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hermes_vb
Senior Member
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10. April 2009 @ 01:37 |
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The Zune is a better piece of equipment than the iPod. Too bad it came to the market after the iPod became "THE" player. It has a better screen than the iPod classic (although nothing beats the Touch in that regard). It plays mp3 and AAC like the iPod, and it has something the iPod doesn't have, Wi-Fi. I don't own a Zune. I own an iPod like everybody else. The reason? I bought it before the Zune was available.
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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10. April 2009 @ 07:32 |
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Foxman, what a closed system means is, you are locked into a specific audio manager.
The Zune can only use Zune software. If you think it is not closed try using WMP with it and see what happens. If you can use it, the Zune is not closed if you can't, it is closed. Most people do not like Zune software. However, Zune says "F*ck you" use our software or else, so they will go out of business. Good for them!
The touch can only use itunes. ipods are not locked into itunes however the audio manager must be made to be able to access the ipod.
I have never seen an add for a Sansa but the Sansa clip is only second to the ipod in popularity. Do you really do what the adds tell you to do? I say value is what wins out in the long run. People mostly get what their friends bought and like and avoid what they bought and didn't like. Lots of persons hate the Zune for good reason.
ipods are 'the player' for good reason. Even though they probably 'stole' most of the technology from various sources, they put put it all together in a nice, pleasing to the eye package that was more usable than any mp3 player up to that point. Ever since then the rest of the mp3 players have just been knock offs. Apple's vision made digital music popular.
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Foxman
Newbie
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10. April 2009 @ 11:23 |
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Mez...so your contention is "most people do not like Zune software, their software sucks and this is going to make them go out of business." One might say the same thing about Ipod's software and iTunes. The truth is there are software compromises made for all MP3 players, some more than others.
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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10. April 2009 @ 12:09 |
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Foxman, one could say that about the ipod but that would be false.
The reason that the ipod sells better than the touch which has better hardware is, you don't have to use itunes with an ipod but you do with the touch. Even deeply discounted, the touch sales are flagging behind the ipods. I have an ipod; I haven't used itunes in 4 years. I will not install that garbage on my computer. It will try to attack ipods that 'have gone over to the dark side'. Once attacked, it will have to get updated with the latest version of 'police in a box' software (itunes) to work again.
The touch and Zune are both on many don't buy lists including mine. I will suggest buying a zune disked system over an ipod disked system. I am down on disked players because of battery life and equipment life.
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hermes_vb
Senior Member
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10. April 2009 @ 14:23 |
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What do you use to manage your iPod? Rockbox, Anapod, Floola...Just curious about it.
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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10. April 2009 @ 14:51 |
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Media Monkey has a wide array of sync options
Has a SQL engine for a back end which is about as fast as itunes with 300 times larger library. It is a must have, for an extremely large library.
It has a great integrated disk burning software.
Allows VB scripts to be installed into MM altering its performance. If MM nor an existing script can not do a worthy task someone will write a script for you. There are probably 500-1000 scripts that do truely amazing things. You have to convince the script writter that the job is important. Most requests for both the app and for the script writters are inane as you might expect. I have yet to see what I thought was a good idea ignored. The willingness to incorporate any good idea makes it a powerful app.
It will rip CDs but I use the top of the line ripper instead.
You can get a bairly crippled version for free. The paid for upgrade is 20 USD. I recommend trying out the free version.
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hermes_vb
Senior Member
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12. April 2009 @ 15:31 |
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I'll do that. I stopped counting songs after 10,000.
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