Microsoft Attempts to Chuck the 'Underdog' Label

[Damion Chaplin]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/2100-1027_3-6074744.html?part=rss&tag=6074744&subj=news' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/2100-1027_3-6074744.html?part=rss&tag=6074744&subj=news</a><br /><br /></div><i>"When it comes to music, mighty Microsoft is the underdog. For the company that dominates PC operating systems, desktop software suites and e-mail software and has a darn good business in everything from databases to video games, it's an unaccustomed label. Can the latest version of Microsoft's music software, Windows Media Player 11, be the first in many steps to dropping that underdog tag? While there's little question that Apple Computer is the company to beat in digital music, technology critics and analysts say Microsoft is starting to get its act together. Last week, a test version of WMP 11, the company's latest digital jukebox software, was compared favorably by critics to Apple's iTunes. Technology critic Paul Thurrott, for example, gushed in a review on his Web site that despite being an avid iTunes user, he found himself "drawn to Windows Media Player 11" because it "offers dramatically better performance" than iTunes."</i><br /><br />With the launch of WMP11, the iRiver Clix and MTV's URGE service, Microsoft <i>et al </i>attempts to shed the 'underdog' cloak and steal the crown from the reigning champion, the iPod and iTunes. Can they do it? It remains to be seen, but here's a short article discussing the various strageties taken by Microsoft and company to put them at the top. Personally, I think that if MTV pushes it hard enough, they may just have the brand recognition to sway those iTunes users, or at least those that were thinking about getting into it. What do you think? Does Microsoft have a chance? Were you on the fence regarding iTunes/URGE? If so, has any of the recent news pushed you one way or the other?

[Darius Wey]

I think WMP 11 and URGE have huge potential, but the two combined still have a long way to go before blowing iTunes out of the water.

URGE goes one-up on iTMS by offering an all-you-can-eat music subscription service. But then, in the grand scheme of things, URGE is only available in the United States, whereas iTMS is available in twenty-one countries. Already, iTMS is ahead of URGE in terms of market penetration.

Next, Apple has the advantage of possessing a single, uniform hardware model - the iPod. It's easy for them to customise and advertise. Microsoft, on the other hand, is still deeply reliant on third-party manufacturers to deliver 1001 hardware solutions.

And finally, while the sync experience of non-DRM music in WMP 11 is a positive one, the same cannot be said with the sync experience of Janus DRM music with Pocket PCs and Smartphones. It's still broken in WMP 11. :?

If Microsoft can address these three issues, then it will have the ability to take a considerable chunk out of Apple's market dominance.

[Jason Eaton]

MTV who... you mean that reality TV channel?

Hey WMP 11 is nice, a step up from what I can see. But that is stuck to my computer. I think what MS needs is the one thing out of its control, the portable player. The 'system' is only good as it's weakest link...

[jeffd]

I hate media player. I will never touch it again untill they make a version of it that is small, no bloated ui, fast load times without cheap tricks like memory resident librarys. And for christ sake let me configure the codecs!

I have been using Zoom player for years now and IMO it is the perfect media player. Fast start up times, 2 clicks away from codec configurations, multi format happy, and instantly scalable video window.

[rzanology]

i for one would love to see some video content on urge. i've been very pleased with it hus far. but i find myself wishing i could download the videos to the popular songs.

[ale_ers]

i for one would love to see some video content on urge. i've been very pleased with it hus far. but i find myself wishing i could download the videos to the popular songs.

You can, there is an icon in the URGE store next to songs that have a video. I watched one the other day. I never watch MTV, but I'm a big fan of music so at some point in time someone says to me, " have you seen that video." Now I can say, "no but I'll go watch it right now."