12-02-2006, 01:57 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 13
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Warning: Newbie Alert. News at 11.
(Now that's over with...)
IMO, MSFT was correct in addressing the flagship unit first. But they should've offered a large cap version as well, rather than just the 30GB unit.
For someone like me, a confirmed iPod user who already has a large non-DRM AAC (m4a) library, a 30GB Zune is made even less attractive simply because we're already b*tching up a storm at AAPL for not making iPod cap big enough. That said, I still bought a Zune anyways (I like the hardware regardless, and am willing to early adopt just to put it through its paces), but I strongly suspect that I'm the exception rather than anything even close to resembling being on the same planet as the rule.
I actually like Mr. Brown. Don't care for its management techniques (the Zune software), though. Or the Zune website, either; it's too superficial for a DAP geek like me. The hiccups through the installation process were unexcusable, particularly when it occurs on a relatively bare bones XP Pro SP2 box that has a minimum software install base to muck up the registry with. The problems with the library creation locking up (when reading the iTunes directory) was also unnerving as well; visions of the Zune software (it NEEDS a better name than 'Zune Software', btw) corrupting those tens of thousands of song files does not go down very well, even though ultimately none of that actually happened. But I didn't KNOW that at the time.
But the CS experience wasn't too bad (Zune wouldn't sync with the software); the hold time was short, and they were quick to hand off to an elevated CS tech when it became clear the initial tech couldn't find the answers within his available knowledge base.
Trouble is, I NEVER had to contact Apple CS for any of my iPods (had to return 'em for defects, yes, but never had any issues with either iTunes, iPod installer and their installations into Windows). But the Zune is a 1G product and in fairness I didn't start with iPods until the 3G came out.
Now that my initial impressions rant is over--newbies are like that, I guess--I'd say MSFT does need to get secondary Zune models online quickly. Flash-based units are a must for the fitness and exercise crowd and anyone who prefers the small FF afforded by non-HD units (like me). Apple really got it right when Jobs finally caved to flash-based designs; Redmond will likely see the same sort of response when their first anti-nano and anti-Shuffle players arrive, hopefully with better software that actually has a iTunes-equivalent nametag by then. And LOTS of colors, if I use my wife's personal tastes as a guide. Or so I think.
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