05-15-2007, 07:00 PM
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Executive Editor
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Zune Factory in China Confirmed
"The fact that you all voted the Zune "Worst Gadget of the Year" in the recent Engadget Awards doesn't seem to be causing any hand-wringing in Redmond, as Microsoft confirmed today that they're building a dedicated Zune factory in China with an unnamed partner to crank out the oft-rumored next-gen Zune. It looks like Toshiba's not going to be involved this time around, as Zune marketing director Jason Reindorp has been quoted as saying that the rush to get the original Zune to market "forced us to take a look around at what was on the shelf...and get it out there," while this time they're interested in "the flexibility and control we have in creating a device from scratch." Ouch. Sorry, Tosh."
We reported on this a couple of months ago as a rumour, but it's been confirmed now: Microsoft's Zune factory is next to their Xbox 360 factory, and this means that future Zunes will not be manufactured by Toshiba and slapped with a Microsoft logo like the first generation product was. Ultimately I think this is what Microsoft should have done in the first place - the Zune was rushed to market with off the shelf parts, and it shows. Microsoft desperately wanted to get into the market though, and they were prepared to take their lumps to do so - and what lumps they've taken! Looking forward, this will hopefully be nothing but good news for them: tighter control over the product, 100% influence over the design. I can't wait to see what they come up with...
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05-16-2007, 12:53 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,432
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I just bought my Zune, I don't want to have to buy another 
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05-16-2007, 06:26 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 179
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I agree Rocco. Granted I've had mine since December, but still. I'm really getting tired of being treated like a second class citizen because I'm an existing customer/user that showed the interest and support in a device that helped a manufacturer get going.
I've just gone through the same thing with my cell phone. I bought a Cingular 3125 (The "Star Trek" phone) last September as my old MPx220 had seen its better days and I wanted to get the latest version of Windows Mobile. So here it is 8 months later (with a phone under a 2yr contract) and I find that HTC didn't feel they sold enough, so currently no plans to release Windows Mobile 6 for my phone To add insult to injury Cingular no longer carries it in their stores, it's now only available online . So I'm in the exact same spot I was in 8 months ago! 
I can appreciate manufacturers wanting to sell product, but do they always have to do it at the expense of their existing client base? I don't know about you, but when this happens to me, I generally make it a rule to buy my next device from a competitor (Not to mention waiting to see how it's going to do in the marketplace). With cell phones, I wouldn't mind so much if they weren't locking you in to a 2 year contract.
Oh well, I really got off on a tangent. Hopefully, with the release of Zune 2.0 we'll get to reap some of the benefits with our existing devices. If it helps bring more users into the fold that will be a good thing.
__________________
--Bill
Red Zune80 / HTC Tilt 2 / Nook / iPad 16GB WiFi
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05-16-2007, 02:05 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 316
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I'm intersted in seeing what future Zune hardware can bring to the table. (I need to buy another anyway, so I can pass my current Zune on to the wife.) But right now, I'd be as giddy as a schoolgirl just to see some new, much overdue features added to the current Zune devices. I'm honestly suprised that we've not seen SOMETHING by now.
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05-16-2007, 11:00 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,432
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you know, i don't mind using older hardware (or new in my case  ) as long as i could load the firmware update on my current zune... if they even release one. granted, by the time the second generation zunes come out, i would probably be tired of mine and ready to trade it in 
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05-16-2007, 11:06 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,432
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oh, also, is there any word on who will be their unnamed partner? the first thing that pops into my head is HTC... and not just because they're the industry leader in Smartphones and Pocket PCs, but mostly because they have some of the best batteries in any devices i have ever used!
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05-17-2007, 01:28 PM
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Executive Editor
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bleeman
<sigh>Hopefully, with the release of Zune 2.0 we'll get to reap some of the benefits with our existing devices. If it helps bring more users into the fold that will be a good thing.
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That's definitely what we're all hoping for...!
</sigh>
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05-16-2007, 11:57 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocco Augusto
I just bought my Zune, I don't want to have to buy another |
Nah, don't worry too much about it - I seriously doubt there will be a new hard drive-based Zune out anytime soon. People are getting ridiculous with the way they're expecting a new device any day now...
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