MSNBC Looks at The Zune

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15669798/site/newsweek/' target='_blank'>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15669798/site/newsweek/</a><br /><br /></div><em>&quot;Whether or not Apple's iPod is mortal, you can depend on Microsoft to keep trying to invent an iPod killer. To the Softies in Redmond, Wash., the thought of an Apple digital music device capturing three-quarters of the marketplace&mdash;and worse, an online store that handles over 80 percent of all legal music downloads&mdash;is more than a constant irritant. It's a threat to Microsoft's grand vision of becoming the standard platform for all media software. So while Microsoft executives privately concede the excellence of Apple's tiny white wonder, they are destined to spend sleepless nights plotting its demise.&quot;</em><br /><img alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/061109_zune_vl.widec-nov13.jpg" /><br /><br />This article by Steven Levy is a bit curious (and, oh man, clean and trim your fingernails before being a hand model). He reports the basics, and does a good job explaining how the Zune works, but his attempts to find minor things to complain about come across as trying too hard. He complains that the Zune comes with bundled music, claiming that no one will buy &quot;a house because it comes with a few sticks of furniture&quot;. He thinks that because Microsoft is bundling music they're expecting people to being enticed into buying the Zune, which is just silly. Of course they're not! What they're doing is providing some music so people can enjoy the Zune right away out of the box, and providing exposure to some indy bands that they're working with to help promote the Zune. It's a marketing move, to be sure, but one with zero down-side to the consumer. And if the Zune is about discovering new music, I personally think it's cool to be introduced to some music by bands I haven't heard of before.<br /><br />Of more serious concern, and rightfully so, are Levy's complaints about the harsh restrictions around sharing. He purchased a Rolling Stones song and tried to send it to another Zune, but it failed because the song had a type of DRM on it that prevents it from being shared at all. He points out that there's no indication of this limitation anywhere on the Zune Marketplace, which I think is a major problem - you can't tout the sharing feature of the Zune without also warning people when they're about to buy music that can't be shared at all. And I think Microsoft is missing a huge opportunity by not allowing indy bands to give away their music to other Zune owners to keep - they could have established something very unique with the Zune sharing, but instead it's kept from its full potential by DRM. I hope that's something they change in the future.

[Aaron Roma]

He purchased a Rolling Stones song and tried to send it to another Zune, but it failed because the song had a type of DRM on it that prevents it from being shared at all.

Woah! I haven't taken the time to read the above article yet, but this catches me by suprise. Had this been mentioned before? This is the first I recall hearing about NOT being able to share specific songs. That seems a little idiodic to cripple the one feature that you are trumpeting the loudest. Hmm.

And I agree that it's a terrible that even custom created content will automatically be DRM'ed for you. It will probably only be a matter of a couple of weeks before this feature is... uh.... corrected by someone.

[ucfgrad93]

Of more serious concern, and rightfully so, are Levy's complaints about the harsh restrictions around sharing. He purchased a Rolling Stones song and tried to send it to another Zune, but it failed because the song had a type of DRM on it that prevents it from being shared at all. He points out that there's no indication of this limitation anywhere on the Zune Marketplace, which I think is a major problem - you can't tout the sharing feature of the Zune without also warning people when they're about to buy music that can't be shared at all.

Ok, so let me get this straight. Microsoft includes wifi, which is a great idea. Then Microsoft decides you can't purchase songs using wifi. Next decision, no syning with your PC using wifi. The one feature left is sharing songs. Oh wait, you can't share all of the songs, and we (Microsoft) aren't going to tell you which ones you can't!

I'm sorry, but the wireless feature is so lame, that Microsoft shouldn't have even bothered with it in the first place.:mad:

[rabadash]

While I agree that the drm stuff is stupid, I understand why some of it is so limited. For example if they made a way so that you could permanently give music without drm from indie bands. That would be a big reason for people to use pirated music over music purchased from the Zune Marketplace. Most of these limitation I think are the result of record labels xenophobic attitudes about digital music, not Microsoft's(or Apple's for that matter) inability to implement new ideas.

[jdmountford]

Having a Zune playing not five feet away from me in the store I work in, I can tell you that the sampling of music is inspired to say the least. I have got to hear music from bands that I have never heard of. And most of it is really, really good!

As for the whole WiFi crippling, I doubt the songs being crippled is a MS thing, but would guess the bands have made these demands. It is hard to say as these devices should not be live yet whether or not MS has disclaimers for the songs that can not be shared. Either way the WiFi and sharing is a great idea. Right now obviously there are hurdles and annoyances. Eventually I hope MS will capitulate and broaden the WiFi's abilities to truly capitalize on their whole "Social" concept, because currently it is in need of a shot or adrenaline, but is capable of being truly great!<O:p

[Aaron Roma]

I did just notice this little fine print over on the office zune.net site.

"The Zune to Zune sharing feature may not be available for all audio files on your device"

While I agree that the drm stuff is stupid, I understand why some of it is so limited. For example if they made a way so that you could permanently give music without drm from indie bands. That would be a big reason for people to use pirated music over music purchased from the Zune Marketplace.

I do understand the reasoning behind it, I just don't agree with it. Unfortunately, just like most DRM, it's not going to stop those who want to pirate music. It's just a hinderance to the honest users. (Of which I consider myself. I've never "owned" any music that I didn't purchase.) It will only be a matter of time before someone breaks the Zune DRM, and those who want to pirate will do so at will.

[samt]

Of more serious concern, and rightfully so, are Levy's complaints about the harsh restrictions around sharing. He purchased a Rolling Stones song and tried to send it to another Zune, but it failed because the song had a type of DRM on it that prevents it from being shared at all. He points out that there's no indication of this limitation anywhere on the Zune Marketplace, which I think is a major problem - you can't tout the sharing feature of the Zune without also warning people when they're about to buy music that can't be shared at all.
Agree with this being a nobrainer problem. Hopefully the Zune people have enough time to 'fix' this problem, which initially seems should be a simple 'tag' or similar for the Zune Marketplace.

There should be a way to programmatically determine that a DRM'd file is not republishable (i.e. they do it in the Zune as it is) so it shouldn't take too long for someone to run a program on the ZM collection and tag the files as not sociable ? Or was that against the agreements for selling the music.




And I think Microsoft is missing a huge opportunity by not allowing indy bands to give away their music to other Zune owners to keep - they could have established something very unique with the Zune sharing, but instead it's kept from it's full potential by DRM. I hope that's something they change in the future.


I think the exact opposite here. Indy bands have a greater opportunity with this 'feature' to maximise branding and communications with fans. Give the fans the file on Zune wifi and entice them to visit the bands homepage where they can get more free stuff that further promotes the band such as wall paper tracks to own, forums etc.

My AUD$ 0.02 cents

[Jerry Raia]

DRM of this complicated and convoluted nature will only make consumers mad. It makes me mad and I don't even have a Zune!

[Jason Dunn]

Give the fans the file on Zune wifi and entice them to visit the bands homepage where they can get more free stuff that further promotes the band such as wall paper tracks to own, forums etc.

Well, maybe, but what if the people don't listen to it within three days? Poof, they can't - I think it would be way better from a self-marketing perspective for a DJ to beam a mash-up to people so they can keep it and use it as a reason to get people back to their site...that's what I'd do at least. Granted, this is all pretty academic until a whole lot more people have Zunes. :rolleyes: