09-12-2009, 10:43 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1
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Hands off for non-US Customers?
If I live in Germany and get my hands on the Zune HD, what limitations will I have and what hacks/workarounds will I have to deal with? ZunePass, Marketplace ...
I get my MP3s from Amazon and mostly listen to Podcasts. Should I get it or turn to the dark Apple side? 
Cheers,
Alex
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09-12-2009, 05:44 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aosterloh
If I live in Germany and get my hands on the Zune HD, what limitations will I have and what hacks/workarounds will I have to deal with? ZunePass, Marketplace...
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This is what you'll want to read:
http://www.zunethoughts.com/news/sho...r-s-guide.html
The bad news? No Zune Pass for you. The good news? Everything else can be worked around.
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09-12-2009, 07:56 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 67
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aosterloh
If I live in Germany and get my hands on the Zune HD, what limitations will I have and what hacks/workarounds will I have to deal with? ZunePass, Marketplace ... I get my MP3s from Amazon and mostly listen to Podcasts. Should I get it or turn to the dark Apple side?
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I also download podcasts, and get music from Amazon. You do not need a Zune pass for any of this. No hacks of workarounds are necessary. The Marketplace is where the podcasts are listed, but they are free. Put your music in the PC's MUSIC folder and it will automatically be picked up by the Zune software.
The PC Zune software is your portal to the Zune hardware but also works GREAT as a PC media player/library.
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09-13-2009, 03:44 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 5
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I'm a European Zune-lover myself. I've a Zune 30 and a Zune 120 and when my cousin goes to the US he'll bring me a Zune HD.
My take on the Zune not being released in Europe is simple. I understand that the risk might be too high to release the Zune HD in every European country at one time. BUT they should release the Zune in at least one country so they could estimate if a product would be successful in other countries. The US and Europe are two totally different markets. Europe (the EU, actually) has 23 official languages and 27 countries. A release in all 27 countries at one time would be too risky when they don't have knowledge about the European market.
Take eBay for example. Before they decide whether or not to release a service in the whole EU, they try it off in Belgium. Belgium is a small country with 3 big communities and 10,665,867 inhabitants. There are Flemish (Dutch speakers), Walloon (French speakers) and German Belgians. And in Brussels is a European community of people who work for the European Union.
Microsoft should consider a release in a small European country (like Belgium). Going to the European market without any experience of it is stupid. But not trying to get that experience is even more stupid.
If a product is successful in the US, that doesn't have to mean that it's going to be popular in Europe. They're ignoring a big opportunity for Zune. There's a bigger percentage of Windows-users in Europe than in the United States. Why does Apple have a big market share in the mp3 market in Europe? Because there is no real alternative to the iPod. Microsoft has the chance to fill up that gap, but they aren't even trying. Everybody who sees my Zune is excited about it, every time they ask where to buy it I have to answer they can't. What if the Zune would be a success in Europe? Microsoft wouldn't even know, they can't wait until the Zune gets popular in the US to get it over here. What if Zune can't be that popular in US as Microsoft wants it to be before getting outside of the USA? They're ignoring a big opportunity. Okay, I can understand that they won't do a European release at once, but listen Microsoft, bring Zune to a test country (a small country that has a big population with a variety of cultures in the population) where you can examine if it would be popular in Europe. You need this anyway and how sooner you get there how sooner you can make money.
If anyone knows a member of the Zune Team or a Microsoft employee, spread the word. I'm sure that their marketing guys and economics are smart enough to see that what I'm saying is true.
My theory is based on what the head of eBay Belgium said a few years ago in De Standaard (Belgian - Flemish - paper). Like I said, they test their services like this and Microsoft should test the Zune in Europe on a same way. Here's a translation of a part of that article:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by De Standaard
-Is Belgium is an important country for eBay?
"Oh yes, Belgium is ideal for eBay as a test country. Many innovative features are first introduced on the Belgian site and only then find their way to other countries. Skype, for example, was first integrated at the Belgian site. The classifieds, classifieds for example-estate deals, were first introduced here. Now we include working with SMS services and we work with Proximus to the Vodafone Live platform. "
-Why all of this first in Belgium?
"Because we have two linguistic communities, because many different cultures are present and because we have a relatively high broadband penetration. Also e-commerce in general are increasingly starting to get established. There is still much work to do, yet. "
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09-14-2009, 10:00 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 12
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What to do??
Hey Guys,
Korneel is right I think. I live in Holland and it's been a frustrating week for a Zune-owner. It should've been nice because of the HD's release (even for us), but:
- No EU release of the Zune in sight (Music labels being difficult; what the heck? Do these people want to make money with their music or what? Be realistic and embrace the digital generation...) MS should be capable of finding a new, cheaper way to sell the Zune here. Via webstore for instance, just online ordering and delivery! And for the hands-on 'falling in love experience': demostands in the main electronics stores.
- they stopped making the other flash and HD models; why on earth is that a good decision?? I'm convinced that also these models would do great here in the EU!
- Apple just released a 64 Gb iTouch. Damnit. MS should've been quicker with that on the HD (132 Gb!!), and also should've upgraded the 80/120 to 160 Gb like the iPod Classic.
So IMO, what NEEDS TO BE TOLD TO THE ZUNE EXECUTIVES: Launch the Zune ecosystem within 1 year in the EU, Launch the COMPLETE range of devices to make yourself a serious competitor, be quick to anticipate in the capacity-race.
BE BETTER!! BE BETTER!! BE BETTER!! BE BETTER!! BE BETTER!!
anyone knows a Zune-developer e-mailadress? 
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