[Darius Wey]

Originally Posted by Muntasser

Not to mention, the video ad was ridiculous - in its attempt to build "brand recognition" for Microsoft (???why!) you couldn't even work out what product they were trying to promote.

I think that's all part of the viral marketing scheme. You show the world a vague advertisement, leave them wondering what's going on, then when the time is right, bam - you hit 'em with the big guns.

[Darius Wey]

Originally Posted by Muntasser

Not to mention, the video ad was ridiculous - in its attempt to build "brand recognition" for Microsoft (???why!) you couldn't even work out what product they were trying to promote.

I think that's all part of the viral marketing scheme. You show the world a vague advertisement, leave them wondering what's going on, then when the time is right, bam - you hit 'em with the big guns.

[Darius Wey]

Originally Posted by WorksForTurkeys

and then there is the issue of compatibility: first generation xbox games are generally incompatible with the second generation Xbox 360. will Microsoft guarantee that first generation programming for the Zune will be compatible with the second generation Zune 360...

Good thought, but there are two different concepts being applied here: media players vs. game consoles. Games are written for a particular platform. When the console gets upgraded, the games get upgraded. Media, on the other hand, is universal. When the media player gets upgraded, the media stays the same. MP3 will stay as MP3, WMA will stay as WMA, AAC will stay as AAC, and so on. The only real hiccup you may witness going from a first-generation Zune to a second-generation Zune is accessory compatibility, and even the venerable iPod isn't immune from that problem.

[Darius Wey]

Originally Posted by capo

They can't call it Zune though - it needs to be something catchier and more memorable, like Windows Mobile SE Plus for Portable Emtertainment Media Devices...

You're thinking of this, right?

[aroma]

Originally Posted by Muntasser

Microsoft have the blinkers on if they think they can "penetrate" the market at this stage.

Really? Cause they've never been succesfull at it before... :roll:

[dma1965]

Originally Posted by aroma

Really? Cause they've never been succesfull at it before... :roll:

Precisely! Do not underestimate Microsoft. In 2000, when Palm had something like a 90% marketshare of handheld devices, people (like me) found it laughable that Microsoft would even try to compete with its Windows CE devices. Not so funny now, is it?

[unxmully]

Originally Posted by dma1965

Precisely! Do not underestimate Microsoft. In 2000, when Palm had something like a 90% marketshare of handheld devices, people (like me) found it laughable that Microsoft would even try to compete with its Windows CE devices. Not so funny now, is it?

Though to be fair, that had less to do with Microsoft's platform being better and more to do with Palm's failure to provide a sensible upgrade path for their users.

[WorksForTurkeys]

Originally Posted by Darius Wey

Good thought, but there are two different concepts being applied here: media players vs. game consoles. Games are written for a particular platform. When the console gets upgraded, the games get upgraded. Media, on the other hand, is universal. When the media player gets upgraded, the media stays the same. MP3 will stay as MP3, WMA will stay as WMA, AAC will stay as AAC, and so on. The only real hiccup you may witness going from a first-generation Zune to a second-generation Zune is accessory compatibility, and even the venerable iPod isn't immune from that problem.

only WMA may stay the same: AAC has changed many times as Apple perfects their DRM such that DRM'd tracks are not playable on non Apple players which are otherwise AAC capable. AAC is also changing as Apple impliments their own flavor of FLAC as Apple Lossless, and MP3 has attempted a change at least once. WMA may have to change again as their DRM is so restrictive that it's license renewal procedure regulalrly fails frustrating many current users with MS Certified players.

Also, I don't know if the game console analysis is accurate: PlayStation games work across their product line, and Xbox games work across the two generations if Microsoft decides support the game with their 360 emulator.

I just don't see this issue as that simple, and there is the issue that Microsoft's customer culture is characteristically different from Apple's. Windows persists because of public corporate requirements, whereas Apple persists because of customer enthusiasm (fanaticism). I can't see any corporate incentive to compel employees to use Microsoft's media player over another.

[Darius Wey]

Originally Posted by WorksForTurkeys

AAC has changed many times as Apple perfects their DRM such that DRM'd tracks are not playable on non Apple players which are otherwise AAC capable.

Of course, DRM restrictions in this situation are unavoidable.

You started off analysing compatibility issues on a single line of hardware manufactured by a single company, and in such a case, it's very probable that even with changes in hardware, support for older and newer variants of a single file format (and associated DRM) will still be present. Now you're looking at a separate issue altogether, and that is file compatibility across multiple hardware products manufactured by more than one company. Without question, incompatibility issues will arise in situations such as this.

Originally Posted by WorksForTurkeys

Also, I don't know if the game console analysis is accurate: PlayStation games work across their product line, and Xbox games work across the two generations if Microsoft decides support the game with their 360 emulator.

Sure, that's fair. But the point is, the architecture of the content is different. For support across generations of hardware, one requires complex emulation, the other doesn't. Guess which one is easier to execute?

Originally Posted by WorksForTurkeys

I just don't see this issue as that simple, and there is the issue that Microsoft's customer culture is characteristically different from Apple's.

Sure. Nothing's ever that simple. In this industry, it's always a competition to see who can execute concept XYZ the best. You have to work out who your consumer base is, how to target them best, and how to best draw those outside your circle to maximise numbers.

[zetsurin]

Originally Posted by dma1965

Precisely! Do not underestimate Microsoft. In 2000, when Palm had something like a 90% marketshare of handheld devices, people (like me) found it laughable that Microsoft would even try to compete with its Windows CE devices. Not so funny now, is it?

Palm killed itself, Netscape stood still too long (and were killed by the standard bundling with OS and OEM lock-in strategy). Apple are different. I can just imagine the microsoft executive panel saying, 'ok, let's take all of what makes the iPod cool and put that in our device/software'. Meanwhile, Apple are busy with the next level of gadget and I am sure they will have something new shortly after or at the same time that Zune comes out. Apple won't be doing a Palm anytime soon.

And as for the XBOX 360, let's not overlook the fact that the PS2 continues to outsell it!

Microsoft should just stick to what it does best: buggy operating systems and marketing/evangelism.

[Charles Pickrell]

I think Microsoft's strategy of copying and not inventing is sad. With such a large company full of talented individuals, I can only conclude that most of Microsoft management has had a labotomy. I wish Microsoft would spend more time inventing solutions that meet users' unmet needs today.

I think the last useful new product was the Tablet PC, and it isn't getting the marketing and development push behind it that Microsodt should be giving it. Everytime I talk to an executive about the abilities of a Tablet PC they drool and ask where to go see one. Microsoft is fairly broken, and I hope someone is allowed to step in to fix it. I wonder how different things would have been today if the Federal government had broken Microsoft up into multiple companies that competed against one another?