12-03-2008, 08:00 AM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 519
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Why Zune Beats the iPod... Seriously
"Okay, we know that the Zune doesn’t beat the iPod where it matters (sales) so this is sort of like BetaMax/VHS but the Zune really is an increasingly impressive device. I’m beginning to wonder if it’ll become the cult device that is sort of cooler than the iPod but not as popular. Sound familiar?" 
Jeff Blankenburg shares his thoughts on why the Zune is better than the iPod (seriously) and they're all important. He's got all the usual suspects (Zune Pass, FM radio, wireless sharing and syncing) but also mentions a few others, like Zune Originals, the consistently updated firmware, and how anyone can make games for their Zunes. Click through to see each of these points discussed in depth, and maybe pass it on to your "iPod owning uncle" at Christmastime.
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12-03-2008, 03:36 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,053
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I will say that the backwards compatibility point was a bit of a reach. The older gen models don't even have the hardware you'd need for a modern firmware update. Eventually the Zune 30 won't be able to keep up I'm sure. The current models all out actually I imagine won't be supportable forever.
MS has done a commendable job thus far but technology does have to move forward at some point. Apple's iPods did a lot to advance the actual tech of MP3 players and really expecting the older models to be kept current isn't very realistic!
I agree with many of his other points though. 
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12-05-2008, 03:32 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 22
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Um, yeah, Ok
1. The Zune Pass is certainly the best of the subscription models available, especially now that Microsoft allows you to keep 10 tracks per month. The subscription model is still extremely niche and now matter how slice and dice it, Steve Jobs is correct, the overwhelming majority of people want to keep their music, not rent it.
2. New iPods run OS X, older iPods do not. The new updates to the iPod lineup require OS X, therefore, the older iPods cannot take advantage of iPod software updates. Besides, do you really want to watch video on an old monochrome screen on a seven year old iPod? Didn't think so.
3. Until recently weren't Zunes and iPods the same price? So the Zune lineup now runs about $20 less? I guess that could sway some but cheaper is not always better. If that were the case then Coby would have the MP3 player market wrapped up.
4. Wireless sharing is a very innovative idea, all you need to do is find someone else with a Zune in order to share. Could take a while.
5. Wireless sync is great and something Apple needs to take advantage of.
6. Wireless music shopping was available on both the iPhone and iPod touch several months before it was on the Zune. Now if comparing iPod Classic, then yeah, Zune wins there, but honestly Apple appears to be pushing the iPod Touch as the defacto iPod these days and that is where the Zune competes.
7. If you want a smiley face on the back of your Zune, then more power to you. I woud like to know just how this affects the consumer's choice in an MP3 player.
8. FM radio. Whatever. Radio is as dead as dead.
9. I can stream all of my iPods on my Xbox 360 just as easy as a Zune.
10. User created games are great and no other MP3 player has games available for it. Now excuse me while I browse the iTunes App Store for some more game to download to my iPod Touch.
11. iTunes regularly has free TV shows and movies. When NBC came crawling back to Apple in September there multiple free episode of The Office, Battlstar Galactica, Monk, Heroes, 30 Rock, and many other NBC Universal properties.
Nice try, but do or do not, there is no try.
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12-05-2008, 05:53 AM
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Oracle
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 853
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
1. The Zune Pass is certainly the best of the subscription models available, especially now that Microsoft allows you to keep 10 tracks per month. The subscription model is still extremely niche and now matter how slice and dice it, Steve Jobs is correct, the overwhelming majority of people want to keep their music, not rent it.
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That's why Sirius XM has 18 million+ subscribers? Not to mention the millions using Pandora, last.fm, etc. (admittedly, these are free solutions, but the "10 for $15" model gets it pretty close to free).
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
2. New iPods run OS X, older iPods do not. The new updates to the iPod lineup require OS X, therefore, the older iPods cannot take advantage of iPod software updates. Besides, do you really want to watch video on an old monochrome screen on a seven year old iPod? Didn't think so.
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What about a 3 year old 5G? Not that Apple has innovated much on the Classic in years, but they could support the newer features on the 5G if they chose.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
3. Until recently weren't Zunes and iPods the same price? So the Zune lineup now runs about $20 less? I guess that could sway some but cheaper is not always better. If that were the case then Coby would have the MP3 player market wrapped up.
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Price is never a factor?
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
5. Wireless sync is great and something Apple needs to take advantage of.
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They'd have to put wireless in the Classic and Nanos first...
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
6. Wireless music shopping was available on both the iPhone and iPod touch several months before it was on the Zune. Now if comparing iPod Classic, then yeah, Zune wins there, but honestly Apple appears to be pushing the iPod Touch as the defacto iPod these days and that is where the Zune competes.
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It's not, though. It directly competes against the classic. Plus, how many songs can you download on a Touch for $15/month?
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
10. User created games are great and no other MP3 player has games available for it. Now excuse me while I browse the iTunes App Store for some more game to download to my iPod Touch.
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Let me know when you fit 120GB on that Touch. Oranges to oranges.
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12-11-2008, 04:37 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by onlydarksets
That's why Sirius XM has 18 million+ subscribers? Not to mention the millions using Pandora, last.fm, etc. (admittedly, these are free solutions, but the "10 for $15" model gets it pretty close to free).
What about a 3 year old 5G? Not that Apple has innovated much on the Classic in years, but they could support the newer features on the 5G if they chose.
Price is never a factor?
They'd have to put wireless in the Classic and Nanos first...
It's not, though. It directly competes against the classic. Plus, how many songs can you download on a Touch for $15/month?
Let me know when you fit 120GB on that Touch. Oranges to oranges.
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Sirius/XM has 18 million subscribers and still loses money, not a very solid argument. Pandora and last.fm are free. Is the Zune Pass free? Rhapsody Unlimited? Napster Unlimited? Nope. The people like to own their tunes, not rent them.
A 5th gen iPod cannot utilize the new features of the current iPod lineup because it does not have OS X as its operating system. I thought we covered that?
Only until recently the Zune was the exact same price as the iPod classic and iPod Nano. Recent price drops have changed that, but are they enough to sway someone on the fence. Is cheaper really an argument for better?
The Zune competes with the entirety of the iPod lineup sans the iPod Shuffle. The screen size is similar in size to the iPod touch, has wireless capabilities like the iPod touch, storage like the iPod Classic and iPod nano.
As for how many songs can I put on my iPod touch for $15? Well that depends on what music store I am purchasing from and the price of the songs. You see, I don't believe in wasting my cash on renting music. If iTunes offered a subscription, I would pass on it.
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12-11-2008, 10:04 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,053
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18 million people use Sirius and XM.
Sirius and XM lose money.
Therefore...people like owning their music.
Your logic is interesting.
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12-11-2008, 10:22 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 134
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These posts against subscription-based music are so apologetic, I can't even fathom them. Basically, I'm confused... Since when did the idea of choices become a bad thing? It's not like you can't just ignore that the Zune Pass exists and go about your life.
Honestly, if I'm going to buy music, I'm going to the store, buying a CD, and ripping it with LAME V0 to get a decent quality, DRM-free track out of it, not the 192 cbr stuff you get otherwise. But to be honest, I don't care about owning music; I care about listening to it. Same as I don't care about owning the movies I get from Blockbuster or Netflix; I just care about watching them. This is why I listen to the radio, and to Pandora, and why I will use the Zune Pass.*
* To clarify as to the future tense of this statement: BLUE ZUNES!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!
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12-11-2008, 10:32 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 853
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdmichal
These posts against subscription-based music are so apologetic, I can't even fathom them. Basically, I'm confused... Since when did the idea of choices become a bad thing? It's not like you can't just ignore that the Zune Pass exists and go about your life.
Honestly, if I'm going to buy music, I'm going to the store, buying a CD, and ripping it with LAME V0 to get a decent quality, DRM-free track out of it, not the 192 cbr stuff you get otherwise. But to be honest, I don't care about owning music; I care about listening to it. Same as I don't care about owning the movies I get from Blockbuster or Netflix; I just care about watching them. This is why I listen to the radio, and to Pandora, and why I will use the Zune Pass.*
* To clarify as to the future tense of this statement: BLUE ZUNES!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!
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Word - well said.
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12-12-2008, 02:01 AM
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Swami
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 4,396
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Poor Arguments
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
3. Until recently weren't Zunes and iPods the same price? So the Zune lineup now runs about $20 less? I guess that could sway some but cheaper is not always better.
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True, but if everything else is equal or better, it is. 
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
7. If you want a smiley face on the back of your Zune, then more power to you. I woud like to know just how this affects the consumer's choice in an MP3 player.
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It's not about a smiley face; it's about customization options. While I agree that it's a pretty lame reason (I prefer function over form), it matters to a lot of people.
By the way, why do the new Nanos come in 8 colors (or however many they have) instead of one or two?
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
8. FM radio. Whatever. Radio is as dead as dead.
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Please. I listen to it every day driving to and from work. I could play music from my Windows Mobile device or CDs in my stereo, but I generally like to have the opportunity to hear different music, hear some chat, etc. (While I could do without the ads, I can usually switch channels to avoid them.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
10. User created games are great and no other MP3 player has games available for it. Now excuse me while I browse the iTunes App Store for some more game to download to my iPod Touch.
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If you're going to compare the Zune with the iPod Touch (which is more like a music PDA), I'm going to compare my Motorola Q9m and iPAQ hx2795 (both of which can play MP3 files quite well) against your Touch. I can get lots of games for Windows Mobile. If I don't like those, I can get many emulators and play various console games.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
Nice try, but do or do not, there is no try.
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Right back at you.
Steve ( Not a Zune owner)
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12-12-2008, 02:13 AM
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Swami
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 4,396
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iPods That Use OS X
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashdaddy20
A 5th gen iPod cannot utilize the new features of the current iPod lineup because it does not have OS X as its operating system. I thought we covered that?
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Do the new Nanos really run OS X? I thought only the iPhone and iPod Touch did. That would be very cool.
Steve
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Linear Mode
