Zune vs. iPod: the battle begins: Fortune reviews the Zune against the iPod and the winner is…the iPod. But it’s not as much of a runaway victory as you’d expect.
The Zune did quite well in a couple areas, and, as Fortune notes, it’s the first model out the door. It’s only going to get better. Competition is good — my hope is that this will drive the iPod forward as well. Two behemoths fighting for market share will benefit everyone.
If I didn’t already have an iPod — and had not already invested lots of money in songs and videos downloaded from the iTunes media store — the Zune might be tempting. It’s an impressive digital audio player, and the bigger screen is alluring.
But like so many Microsoft products, version 1.0 is not as polished as it should be.
The Zune really got burned by their goofy DRM issues. The Zune store is as cool as iTunes either.
But, if you feel like criticizing the Zune, there’s ample fodder at the Wikipedia page:
Though the Zune is a Microsoft product, it is not capable of playing music encrypted in Microsoft’s own PlaysForSure Format.
While the Zune has built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, it can connect only to another Zune. It can’t sync to a personal computer, and it can’t wirelessly download new music from a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Songs wirelessly transferred from one Zune to another can only be played three times. After three days, the song expires — regardless of whether or not it has been played. Just playing half the song (or one minute, whichever comes first) counts as one “play.” You can never resend a song to the same friend, nor can a song received from someone else be passed on to a third person. These limitations apply to all files, including copyright-free self-recorded songs and similar.
The software that supports the Zune seems to be very unstable on some Microsoft Windows configurations
Unlike many similar players, the Zune cannot be used as an external hard drive.
Zune's Big Innovation: Viral DRM: Microsoft's upcoming Zune will DRM your music before you can share it with anyone else, even if the music wasn't DRMed in the first place. [...] recipients of shared songs will only be able to listen to them three times or for three days,…
Two behemoths fighting for market share will benefit everyone.
Wow; Apple is now considered a "behemoth"? I think I like the sound of that! ;o)
I read that the Zune is going to be selling for around $280 (at Walmart!); the iPod video sells for $249 at the Apple Store, so it'll be interesting to see how the competition between the two shakes out, especially given some of the Zune's limitations that we already know about, much less what we don't.
But the question that sticks in my head is whether MS will be making a dime on them. I seem to recall something about the XBox being sold at a horrendous loss, and the profit was to be made on the games. Similar market strategy here?
just a little correction on that comment dave the zune sells for $250 (not 280) everywhere...(even walmart).
looking at the zune....something about it is tempting for sure. but it's just too flawed and too pricy right now to be worth it. if it was cheaper, i think people would go for it fast, and the sales could trump the lower cost. but right now...i don't think so. it took time for apple to build their empire, and they've already got most of the kinks out. when zune improves, it will be serious competition
i agree with most people that the zune is too pricy for its flaws. If it was cheaper alot more people would buy it no doubt.
i agree with most people that the zune is too pricy for its flaws. If it was cheaper alot more people would buy it no doubt.
i tot the zune was an external harddrive...im reallly dissapointed with Gates
Zune's nuthin compared to da ipod. no external harddrive sucks!!!!!! Hope the next model iz better AND CHEAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My zune was 100 dollars at best buy and has no problems
the file sending stuff was just made to be like a borowing feature
30G for 100 dollars vs the 4G ipod nano for 150
whose pricy now
i am trying to decide between the two, and right now i'm thinking about the zune... the second generation... the prices are the same! and the styles are about the same... it is just your usage... so i don't know!
even though the ipod is getting more sales at the moment more people want them causing them to steal for it zunes arent that big right now so people won t steal them as much as they would steal the ipod.
i have had both the zune and the ipod and like the zune a lot more. the am/fm radio did it for me and the price is alot better. i have had it over a year and the battery still works. can say the same for the ipod.
to be honest, i dont know. i have had a sansa clip for about a year for football, but my sister droped it in the water. one of my cousins has a zune, and the other ipod. they both recemend what they have. i like my sansa alot, good sound, but still not sure. we have itunes, and i KNOW i can swithch them.
i dont know why people keep on fighting on what one is better!!! i have a zune and my brother has an ipod and i think both are awsome. it just depends on what a person wants. if you like the ipod get the ipod if you like the zune get the zune
