09-09-2009, 08:33 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Reactions of a Zune Fan to the September 2009 iPod Announcements
Because I'm sitting here watching the superb gdgt coverage of the Apple iPod event, I figured I might as well multi-task and jot down some point form reactions and thoughts on what I'm reading. It's important to understand what "the other guys" are up to - that's the main reason why I bought an iPod Touch earlier this year; I wanted to understand how the App Store worked, to see how good the browser was, and to get experience using the on-screen keyboard. Here are my reactions to today's Apple event, in chronological order: - Good to hear Steve Jobs is healthy - organ donation is so important. I've signed my organs away if something happens to me, and you should too. If you're dead, they won't do you any more good, so why not share?
- 1.8 billion applications downloaded - that's a huge, impressive number. Apps matter. Microsoft has always said that software matters, but they've historically done a poor job of showing that on Windows Mobile and the Zune. They're finally getting rolling with a Windows Mobile app store, but apps on the Zune are still a bit of a question mark. Sure, we've had a couple games since the last generation units, but no cohesive plan on Microsoft's part to roll out a Zune games store, or to sync up with what the Xbox guys are doing.
- iTunes is in 23 countries. The Zune Marketplace is in one. Microsoft's US-centric approach with the Zune is maddening...I thought there was some light at the end of the tunnel when they launched the Zune in Canada last year, but we never got the Zune Marketplace here, and now the devices being sold here are being killed off. "Disaster" is a good word for how well the Zune launch went in Canada. Between the Zune HD being US-only at launch, and all of the IP-based geographic blocking madness that the Zune software and Web site does, it's like the Zune team is doing everything they can to alienate everyone in the world outside the US. More after the break.
- The ability to sync music/videos from one PC to another is neat, but Apple is still focused on a peer to peer system and is ignoring users who want to centralize their media content (NAS drive, Windows Home Server, etc.). I wonder if iTunes 9 will finally monitor music folders?
- The new iTunes store design is a rip-off the Zune Marketplace. That's OK though, it's the right way to go. You do the right thing for your customers, regardless of whether or not someone else has done it first. I wish Apple zealots would keep that in mind.
- The iTunes LP concept is really interesting - I wonder how it will be "packaged". Will you get all the rich content on your iPod? I've always thought there was a great opportunity for the Zune to display more of the ID3 tag info, specifically the Comment and Lyrics field. Talk about low-hanging fruit! Sadly no one on the Zune team seemed to agree enough to make it into the product.
- The iPod Touch 8 GB at $199 presents a real problem for the Zune, because the Zune team thought that killing off their two current form factors was a smart move. Now the cheapest Zune is $219.00. Sure, it's only $20 more than the 8 GB Touch, but the $199 price point is a powerful psychological force (as Apple pointed out). The good news here is that by eliminating the 16 GB iPod Touch, Apple is forcing people to make a $100 price jump, and at retail that's a huge jump. 16 GB is enough storage for a lot of people, so the Zune HD has an opportunity to steal sales from people who want more than 8 GB, but aren't willing to spend $299.
- Munch. Munch. Munch. That's the sound of me eating my keyboard after I made this comment over at mobility site stating that there's no way Apple could get a 64 GB iPod Touch down to the $399 price point. I'm really surprised that Apple can do a 64 GB iPod Touch for $399, but I guess with their massive purchasing power on Flash memory they can do what no one else can do. They must have used thumbscrews on the Flash memory guys to get the pricing to make that happen! Plus, let's not forget that the iPod Touch didn't get the camera abilities everyone thought it would.
- So other than the iPod Touch getting cheaper (8 GB @ $199), and it getting bigger (64 GB), it really brings nothing new to the table. Sure, the 32 GB and 64 GB versions are faster (welcome to the world of platform fragmentation Apple!), but still no microphone, no camera, same screen resolution, no HD anything? The Zune HD wipes iPod Touch off the map in terms of hardware features and performance. That's good news!
- Apple kept the iPod Classic in the line-up for people with big music collections, increasing the storage to 160 GB. At $250, there's a lot of value for the storage dollar there. The Zune team has decided this is market they don't care about going after, which I think is a shame - when you're the underdog, can you afford to alienate music lovers with big music collections? The Zune has always been about music and entertainment more than the do-everything-PDA that the iPod Touch has become, yet by only offering Flash-based models of the Zune HD, only people with small music collections need apply. I can't help but think that's a bad move.
- The Shuffle continues to be a bizarre little device with its lack of controls, but it's small, cheap, and perfect for going to the gym with, jogging, going to the beach, etc. You care a lot less about a $59 MP3 player than a $399 MP3 player. I think it's a huge mistake for the Zune team to drop the small form-factor Zune. If I ever manage to convince my brain to take me back to the gym again, I'm not going to strap my expensive, 32 GB Zune HD to my arm. I'm going to bring a cheap SanDisk Sansa Clip, a device that's a pain to sync music onto. I'd much rather be using a really small, Flash-based Zune (even if it didn't have a screen).
- The camera on the iPod Nano is kind of neat, but HD is all the rage now - so is VGA video really going to be that useful? I guess it's better than nothing - the best camera you have is the one you have with you when you need to take a picture - but I was expecting 720p, and for it to be in the iPod Touch. A camera + microphone + apps = magic for developers. Apple wants to keep their developers from having too much fun though, and that's an opportunity for Microsoft. Add to the mix a voice recorder and FM radio, and the Nano is more of multi-purpose device that people will find useful. More than once I've wished for a voice recorder on my Zune - there are just times when you need to record something, and I don't own a dedicated voice recorder. Interesting to see FM radio being included there after years of Apple scoffing at the idea, laughing all the way to the bank as they made fat royalties off the third party companies selling FM radio adaptors worth half as much as the device in the first place. I'll be interested to see if any of the Apple fanboys who mocked the FM radio on the Zune start using the FM radio on the iPod Nano for any reason. It can be more useful than you think...
So there are my thoughts on the Apple announcements today. What are yours? Jason Dunn owns and operates Thoughts Media Inc., a company dedicated to creating the best in online communities. He enjoys photography, mobile devices, blogging, digital media content creation/editing, and pretty much all technology. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his lovely wife, and his sometimes obedient dog. He's surprised how useful he finds his iPod Touch. 
Do you enjoy using new hardware, software and accessories, then sharing your experience with others? Then join us on the Thoughts Media Review Team! We're looking for individuals who find it fun to test new gear and give their honest opinions about the experience. It's a volunteer role with some great perks. Interested? Then click here for more information.
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09-09-2009, 09:12 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 56
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Speaking as a Zune owner as well as an iPod Touch owner...
The whole 1.5million apps really isn't that big of a statement, being as only a handfull of those apps are worth a crap. I mean really, how many fart/burp apps do you need? They also missed the mark by not putting a camera on the Touch, BIG mistake IMO. Todays Apple event was a big ole YAWN. Even the fanboys seem fairly disappointed.
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09-09-2009, 09:27 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 67
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2 cents
Nice write up!
How good is the new Ipod software? Early reports are that it is much improved. If Apple can make it as good as the Zune software, coupled with their new hardware...I'd say Zune has a huge problem.
The 160GB Ipod is going to be a major problem for Zune. It even offers more space than the now defunct 120GB Zune.
If Zune fails to counter these moves...I hope Cowon, Iriver, or Creative does something. Anything but IPOD!
Paul
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09-09-2009, 11:19 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundMix
How good is the new Ipod software? Early reports are that it is much improved. If Apple can make it as good as the Zune software, coupled with their new hardware...I'd say Zune has a huge problem.
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It's better, but it's still not as fast, fluid, or pretty as the Zune software. Much-improved UI, that's for sure. Let's not forgot though that the Zune 4.0 software is coming soon...
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundMix
The 160GB Ipod is going to be a major problem for Zune. It even offers more space than the now defunct 120GB Zune.
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I don't know what the numbers are, but given the way Apple ignores the Classic (hell, even the name tells you that...) I don't think they're big sellers. It seems like Apple is keeping it around to keep some people happy, but are there a lot of those people? I'm not so sure...
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09-10-2009, 09:12 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 367
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
I don't know what the numbers are, but given the way Apple ignores the Classic (hell, even the name tells you that...) I don't think they're big sellers. It seems like Apple is keeping it around to keep some people happy, but are there a lot of those people? I'm not so sure...
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Maybe not a lot, but I'm certainly one of them. As much as I like my Touch and my iPhone, my two HD based iPods are my main music machines because I can have my entire iTunes library on them. The 80 GB stays in the car and the 120 GB is my "daily driver." I hate having to pick and choose what I'm going to put on my flash based iPods, so I don't. Neither my iPhone nor my Touch currently have any music on them. I use my HD based iPods for that.
My son, on the other hand, is perfectly content with flash-based stuff, but his iTunes library is only a small fraction of the size of mine.
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XBox 360 S, 16GB iPhone 4S, iPod Classic 160 GB, Dell Inspiron Mini 1018; Macs: Mac Mini 2.4 GHz 6 GB RAM; Macbook 2.0 GHz 3 GB RAM; MacBook Air 11", 24" Cinema Display
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09-10-2009, 09:05 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 367
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundMix
The 160GB Ipod is going to be a major problem for Zune. It even offers more space than the now defunct 120GB Zune.
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Am I the only one that remembers that the 120 GB classic replaced the 160 GB classic and that Apple is just bringing back something it had previously killed?
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XBox 360 S, 16GB iPhone 4S, iPod Classic 160 GB, Dell Inspiron Mini 1018; Macs: Mac Mini 2.4 GHz 6 GB RAM; Macbook 2.0 GHz 3 GB RAM; MacBook Air 11", 24" Cinema Display
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09-10-2009, 09:22 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 676
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crimsonsky
Am I the only one that remembers that the 120 GB classic replaced the 160 GB classic and that Apple is just bringing back something it had previously killed?
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Well, yes and no. The new classic is a thin single platter device for $249 whereas the one from 2 years ago was a double platter device sold for $349. But yeah, they're otherwise pretty similar and nothing much new.
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64 GB iPad 2 WiFi, Apple TV 2, 32 GB iPhone 4
Early 2011 MacBook Pro 13" (dual boot with Windows 7), Early 2009 Mac Mini
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09-10-2009, 09:27 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 676
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I find it interesting that Apple has been getting panned on the blogs for only doubling storage for the same price points on the Touch (plus a faster processor on the mid and high end models) and not adding a camera, etc. But at the same time, the blogs have mostly applauded the new nano which didn't increase storage (let alone double it) but added a camera, FM radio, and pedometer (although they did lower their higher price point by $20).
I too expected a camera on the new Touch.
But I bet the new nanos and Touches sell like hotcakes this holiday. Time will tell.
Not that I really care either way. The only iPod I plan to buy any more is the next gen (2010) iPhone.
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64 GB iPad 2 WiFi, Apple TV 2, 32 GB iPhone 4
Early 2011 MacBook Pro 13" (dual boot with Windows 7), Early 2009 Mac Mini
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09-09-2009, 11:13 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nook
The whole 1.5million apps really isn't that big of a statement, being as only a handfull of those apps are worth a crap.
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Are you referring to the 1.8 billion apps downloaded? There are 75,000 applications in their catalog right now. Not 1.5 million, but a healthy number.  As for the quality of the apps, and I can't believe I'm defending Apple here, but it's not all fart apps.  There are some really great apps in there - sure, lots of crappy apps, but when I can pick up my iPod Touch and in 30 seconds have bought and downloaded an app for tracking stuff with my new baby boy, that's impressive. The App Store is no joke.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nook
They also missed the mark by not putting a camera on the Touch, BIG mistake IMO.
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Agreed - but if you put a camera and a microphone on the iPod Touch, it's going to be turned into a VOIP/Webcam device, and I think Apple is afraid it will hurt iPhone sales.
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09-09-2009, 11:34 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,608
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Agreed - but if you put a camera and a microphone on the iPod Touch, it's going to be turned into a VOIP/Webcam device, and I think Apple is afraid it will hurt iPhone sales.
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Actually if Apple were really afraid of that, they would not have included WiFi. VOIP is already possible (jailbroken) on the 'Touches. I expect Apple to add video to them in the near future. I agree that the event was a snoozer but I'm really surprised that Jobs used it to make his first public appearance. I would have thought he waits until the tablet is announced but perhaps the board felt it necessary. The iTunes store makeover is not an extreme one. I've seen screenshots of the Zune Marketplace but I'm not making the connection you are ?
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27" iMac 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 8GB RAM
16GB LTE iPad3, 13" Macbook Air Core i5 w/128GB SSD
iPhone 4S (16GB), AppleTV 2.0
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