Microsoft Zune Blown Wide Open Today - Head Over to Zune Thoughts for Coverage

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.zunethoughts.com' target='_blank'>http://www.zunethoughts.com</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/official-zune-photo.jpg" /><br /><br />Microsoft has officially unveiled the Zune digital media player today, so if you're interested in learning more, head on over to <a href="http://www.zunethoughts.com">Zune Thoughts</a>.

[Felix Torres]

Looks like the core firmware is based on the PMC 2.x software, judging by the pics and previews. That is one enormous: yay!
The brown looks surprisingly nice.
Will be interesting to see if Zune marketplace is compatible with non-Zune players using the PMC 2.x software, like the Gigabeat S.

So far, so good.
It looks polished and the story is coherent.
They seem to be (properly) taking a page out of the XBOX playbook (first gen) laser focus on the core market: music enthusiasts. Everybody else can join or not join if they feel like it but the sales-pitch is geared at that audience to build credibility and cool.
This just might work.

It'll likely take several years to build volume and momentum but this is the first non-Apple DAP that is doing more than just saying: "I have great features, buy me." ;-)

Let the games begin.

[Jason Eaton]

Looking good, nice to see the screen filled even if simulated. The sneak preview from the FCC made it look a little drab.

I admit I have some curiosity about it. Though I am not sure if the 'in store' experience will be enough to do the device justice. As it has been said many times before a device may be good but how is the experience from PC to Player? How does it behave in day to day use? Do I have to read a manual or is it intuitive enough to use out of the box?

I don't think a five minute stop at the counter will answer that, so I am curious how the Zune folks plan to articulate those points on release.

[Felix Torres]

For a preview of the Zune, pick up any detailed reviews of the Toshiba Gigabeat S. The Zune is a superset of this (extremely well-received) device.

As for how you will adapt to it: if you ever used MCE or one of the wannabe 10-foot PC interfaces, you'll know what to do. If you ever used pivot tables in Excel, you'll know what do to.

All you need to remember is that the menu system is *not* a linear tree, but a multi-dimensional pivot table: at any point you can scroll sideways as well as up and down. And you're always one button-press away from the home screen.

Its a lot easier to use than to explain: when I demo mine I never explain anything. Folks just turn it on and start using it.

Check the two image galleries here:

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/zune_gallery_01.asp:

[Jason Eaton]

Oh I don't imagine the interface is difficult to use on the device itself, I probably wasn't clear there.

My curiosity is how does Zune behave outside the little box. If at the end of the day Zune is a new device but uses Windows Media Player as it stands now... not a good thing, at least to me.

My curiosity comes more in the entire Zune enviroment. Is ripping music easy? Does it transfer to the device simply? Does it manage my music in a decent manner?

iRiver, Creative, etc have had decent devices. In my mind however Windows was the fault. I'll go read up some more but I thought one of the components to the Zune experience was a better media interface on the PC itself.

If it isn't it needs to be. The iPod experience isn't just the device but is so intergreated into iTunes that it has become the defacto standard that people come to expect. At least I know I do.

[Jason Dunn]

You guys ARE watching Zune Thoughts, right? ;-) All the good stuff about the Zune, including the video I just posted this morning that shows how the device works, is over there.

[Felix Torres]

You guys ARE watching Zune Thoughts, right? ;-) All the good stuff about the Zune, including the video I just posted this morning that shows how the device works, is over there.

Been lurking there.
But not as likely to get much of a fight out of that crew. :twisted:

As for the use of "WMP as it now stands", which WMP? 9, 10, or 11?
A lot of folks that complain about WMP apparently never got past version 8 or 9, much less have sampled 11.

I never had much trouble with 9, *liked* 10, and find 11 to be a bit of an improvement although (being beta, I suppose) sluggish in the album view now being copied with purchased outside tech by some other players out there. ;-)

So far, I have had no problems feeding the Gigabeat from WMP 11 and even transcoding the Zunethoughts video took just a couple minutes.

I assume Zune will have a modified/disguised WMP11 as its official sync tool, but it wouldn't bother me if they just reskinned WMP, as long as it still behaved like a windows app and doesn't require a whole different meme to use. Which is why I see the PMC-ishness of the onboard interface as a good sign. They're not being different for the sake of being different.

From here it seems like the main reason for Zune existing is that MS designed PMC 2.x to be extended and enhanced by the licensees and the licensees didn't step up to the plate so MS is showing them what they should have been doing all along. Now they have three choices:
- learn from Microsoft's example and get creative, extending the Playsforsure space/tools/platform into new usage models and markets
- do nothing and head for the low end
- exit the business

Basically, MS was not going to let Apple win this market by default just because its partners think their job ends at the shipping dock.

(Now, isn't this discussion better suited to this site?) ;-)

[Jason Eaton]

I haven't gotten to 11 because of the beta tag. Been burned with betas often enough that I got tired of reformatting my PC.

10 is okay, but the hierarchy structure for navigating music, somewhat funky play lists, and the poor syncing I experienced turned me back to iTunes.

I honestly gave it a try, and was trying to kick the habit but going from iTunes to that wasn't a pleasant experience.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

The brown looks surprisingly nice.


I think that shows your age. I don't think anyone of my generation is going to be caught using a device of THAT colour. :P

[Felix Torres]

Really?
You think brown (actually more like copper/bronze, if the photos are accurate) is for adults?
Not often I get accused of that. :twisted:
MS seems to think its cool enough to put in on the shipping boxes, which I found to be *really* good looking and very un-microsoft-ish. ;-)

Could be you're right, though; we seem to live in an era when people want everything to be black or white and tolerate nothing in between. ;-)
(Just wait for the 2010's to get here to see the consequences; not going to pretty for anybody.)

I'm just enough of a contrarian to appreciate a choice that hasn't been beaten to death by the Cupertino hype machine. Plus earth tones are comfortingly mellow, don'cha know? Peace dude!

(As an older-gen might say.)