Purpose-Driven PMPs

[Adam Krebs]

&quot;<em>MP3 player makers include many popular [features] so as to &ldquo;cover all the bases&rdquo; and appease as many users as possible. This is the way that anythingbutipod manufactures have tried to compete with the Apple- offer just many more features at a much lower price, while Apple offered simplicity at a premium. Both strategies are viable since there are many types of consumers. </em><em>While Apple&rsquo;s strategy has worked well, they are now feeling the pressure in the market and are slowly absorbing the jack-of-all-trades approach. It is not as profound since it has been very gradual, but if you look at the history of iTunes, you will see how cluttered it has become by having to accommodate the many features added to iPods over the years. They also continue wow us with petty but impractical ones like &ldquo;cover flow&rdquo; as if we were a bunch of attention deficit two year olds.</em>&quot;<br /><br />Grahm Skee at <em>AnythingButiPod</em> has a great write-up on the problems faced with trying to be too many things at once. The iPod began as a great Portable Music Player (PMP) that was good at playing music and little else. As users demanded pictures and video, the iPod adapted to provide those features. The problem is, Apple hasn't really updated the way users interact with their music since the second or third generation. They became too afraid to disenfranchise users, and, in a decidedly un-Apple fashion, made their software and firmware bloated and devoid of any significant advances.<br /><br />Most of the reviews I've read about the Gen2 Marketplace have pointed to its simple design as an advantage over iTunes. PC Magazine's Tim Gideon, in his <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2214746,00.asp" target="_blank">review of the Zune80</a> praised the Marketplace and software as making iTunes &quot;seem like a big, boring spreadsheet&quot;. Gideon gave the 80 PC Magazine's Editor's Choice Award.<br /><br />&quot;<em>I write this in hope that Microsoft will continue to offer the Zune as a simple media centric device and not cave to the people screaming for clocks, games, web browsers, and other add-ons. Time, energy, and recourses are better spent improving the users&rsquo; music experience.</em>&quot;<br /><br />When Microsoft announced that they would be getting rid of the five-star rating system in favor of the heart/broken heart ratings, there was a huge outcry from longtime five-star users. I watched from the sidelines, and laughed at how people could be so upset over something as simple as a rating feature. That is, until I found out my beloved flagging feature would be gone too. I was preparing my own internet assault, planning to shout from the rooftops the injustice I had been dealt as a casualty in the &quot;simplicity wars&quot;, but I (mostly) refrained, instead agreeing that I'd wait 'til I tried the new device and firmware, and <em>then</em> launch a full-scale campaign.<br /><br />What I discovered is that I really didn't need the flagging as much as I thought I did. Looking over the software's inbox, I realized I had hundreds of flags that didn't serve much purpose to me, and that on-device features like &quot;go to artist&quot; held much more value than flagging. I realize that I may not agree with all the decisions the Zune team makes, but I've learned that, given enough time, someone will eventually come along to fill in the gaps. That's what the Zune project is all about.

[ACE]

I totally agree.

One of Microsoft's issues at the current moment (and it really isn't MS's) is they've opened the forum up to everyone, and everyone's too busy b****ing 'bout how everything is different, they haven't given the software a chance. I, like you, have had the new software grow on me. I had some of the common issues as did most, but after resolving them, I simply kept using and it's turned out to be a great piece of software!

Yeah read the PCMag Editor's Choice article too.....iTunes = a spreadsheet indeed...:D

[serpico]

I've got to agree with you on the topic of missing features and emotions. I am a new zune30 user this week, luckily, I found a local dude selling a new black zune30 here in Vancouver. I'm coming from years with the ipod +itunes world.

Firstly, the rating system was going to freak me. Coming from a 5star rating, this was weird. I heart or don't heart a song. But the last few weeks, in itunes, I was already rating my songs with 5stars or nothing. As much as I thought I needed all those ratings, it was taking over my life! 2 stars here, 4 here and so on. Forget about it, man. Love it or hate it or nothing, that's what I say. :D

I think the one important thing I miss is smart playlists. Then the Zune software could make use of adding my favorites to a list instead of dragging them myself. But I'm over it and just want to enjoy my music now.:D

[serpico]

Yeah read the PCMag Editor's Choice article too.....iTunes = a spreadsheet indeed...:D

itunes to me, looks like it's many years old, like win95 old. Compared to the new zune software, it looks very structured and free flowing. I can't get over the new look!

[ale_ers]

I agree about the "go to Artist feature." It is very usfull. I find myself on shuffel all songs for a few songs...then skipping over to the artist then back again.

[Nfuego]

I wish you could choose an artist and shuffle THOSE songs only...

Or choose a playlist and shuffle only the songs in the playlist...

[serpico]

Ya like a playlist on the go feature like the ipods. I really like the go to artist feature, I use it sometimes after shuffling for awhile.

[Adam Krebs]

I wish you could choose an artist and shuffle THOSE songs only...

Or choose a playlist and shuffle only the songs in the playlist...

I'm not sure I know what you're talking about... If you browse by artist (on the device and software), and choose to play one of those songs, it will automatically shuffle the rest of the songs listed under that artist (assuming you have Shuffle on, of course). Ditto with playlists.


On the device, it's even easier, allowing you to start with a random song. Just go to the artist and hit "play all."

Or am I missing something?

[Nfuego]

I'm not sure I know what you're talking about... If you browse by artist (on the device and software), and choose to play one of those songs, it will automatically shuffle the rest of the songs listed under that artist (assuming you have Shuffle on, of course). Ditto with playlists.


On the device, it's even easier, allowing you to start with a random song. Just go to the artist and hit "play all."

Or am I missing something?

Maybe I was just confused by the labeling...

I assumed that if you are using the Zune and go to the Artist and chose "Play All", it would just play them in order...

I'll check it out and see!