AnythingButIpod Sizes Up The Zune HD

[David Tucker]

<p><em>"...in an attempt to help you size up the Zune HD, here is a photo with hopefully a player that you already own. Full resolution photo after the break."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1253024330.usr307.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>There's two important things we can take away from this picture. AnythingButIpod has a lot of MP3 players! More importantly, if you haven't been able to touch a Zune HD yet in person (like myself), you can see how it sizes up against other PMPs. One thing I notice when looking at the picture is how well Microsoft used the surface of the device. There's not a ton of bezel to make the Zune HD too much larger than the screen.</p><p>I'm looking forward to going to the store and playing with one in person (I am waiting on a 64 GB model before I play with one full time!) to see how it really feels but visually I think it stacks up very nicely in size to the other players. <a href="http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2009/09/sizing-up-the-zune-hd.php" target="_blank">AnythingButIpod has a nice high resolution shot</a> of all of these PMPs together!</p>

[SoundMix]

(I am waiting on a 64 GB model before I play with one full time!)

I'll be waiting a little longer than you...128GB.

Paul

[David Tucker]

64 I can handle since my music collection is only half that and it took me 2 years to grow to that size...and most of the growth was in the first year (20 GB probably in year one...so still another 12 GB or so added this past year...)

That would mean a 64 GB Zune would easily keep me for a few more years. But I can certainly understand wanting to wait!

[Macguy59]

A buying experience at a Best Buy (this is pretty much the same experience I had at our local Best Buy a few hours ago) and their initial impressions. I thought this line was spot on

How do you expect a user who is probably in love with the iPod touch to want to go play with the Zune HD if there’s nothing worth playing with before you connect to WiFi and create a Zune account?

Where's Waldo? (http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/first-impressions-purchase-experience-and-first-impressions-20090915/)

[Macguy59]

Further proof that MS is indeed it's own worst enemy (on the subject of 3rd party apps)

Can we expect them anytime soon? According to the Zune marketing manager, Brian Seitz, probably not, and the reasons are as depressing as they are indirectly stated.

“If you look around the company at other places where things like this are important, Windows Mobile rises to the top,” says Seitz. “They have devices which are always connected, which make applications like maps really cool and important. On a sometimes-connected device, what people are using them for are games

“Right now our product roadmaps didn’t line up perfectly for us to snap to what they’re doing or vice versa. That being said, we know people want things like this on their devices so we’re going to build them ourselves, they’re going to be super high-quality, and they’re going to be free,” he continued.

[David Tucker]

Unless they make this a true portable gaming device that's an extension of the Xbox world...then really aps are pretty boring on a device that will almost never be connected. I agree. My G1 has the aps I want. The Zune wouldn't be able to do as much as it can so why would I even want it?

I really wish MS would focus on making the Zune the best entertainment device possible and stop tryig to copy the iPod.

Wow are we off topic? ;)

[Macguy59]

Unless they make this a true portable gaming device that's an extension of the Xbox world...then really aps are pretty boring on a device that will almost never be connected. I agree. My G1 has the aps I want. The Zune wouldn't be able to do as much as it can so why would I even want it?

I really wish MS would focus on making the Zune the best entertainment device possible and stop tryig to copy the iPod.

Wow are we off topic? ;)

It won't garner significant market share without an app store. Incredibly short sighted to think otherwise. Like it or not . . . agree or not . . . it will be compared to the 'Touch. Don't know about where you live but Wi-Fi hotspots are in abundance in my city. Is there a market now for a media only device ? Even Apple sees this as a dying segment. Guess we're going to find out ;)

[David Tucker]

Media maybe not...but entertainment only yes. I think more and more that this should be mobile entertainment. And the xbox brand is huge. If they tied it into that market then they'd have something that was a competitor because it would have a very different market. You can't take the iPod's market...but you can do what they did - build a new one.

[David Tucker]

Oh, and as far as wifi hotspots...that's great and all. But I work all week. I don't have WiFi access all day until I get home. If I was in college, sure, that'd be a cool feature. But for anyone who has a job, I don't see the value of wifi hotspots.