If you’ve been living under a rock lately, tech-wise, then you may not have heard about Microsoft’s attempt to compete with Apple’s iPod. Their offering, which was released last week, is called Zune. Before the announcements several months ago, there have been grumblings around the internet (for at least a year… I wrote about the rumour last December) that they may be trying something like this endeavor in an effort to cash in on the success story that the iPod has become. In fact, if this is your first time at this blog, read the entry I did about two weeks ago… something about a certain jackass CEO of a certain music company that had the nerve to shoot off his big mouth served up golden words of wisdom pertaining to his company’s deal with Microsoft regarding the Zune player. But I digress…
Normally, I have a lot of patience writing lengthy blog entries. However, from all that I researched about it, I could literally write a book about the new Zune player’s triumphs and shortcomings (I hope you understand I’m being really gracious saying that last line!). From the Wi-Fi capability to the draconian (compared to Apple’s FairPlay) DRM scheme, from the bigger screen to the incompatability with Microsoft’s own Plays-for-Sure DRM and its partners who use it, from the novel color assortment and different body styling (ok, I’m being facetious there!), to its own software giving new users no end of crashing and hurdle-jumping grief.
With that out of the way, I think I’ll let these links to recent articles speak for themselves:
Chicago Sun-Times: Avoid The Looney Zune
See a pattern emerging here?
To be fair, there are some pro-Zune reviews:
These are the only two that I could find right away but I’m sure, if you just keep digging, you may find more good reviews. Be prepared, though, to wade through a lot of so-so to bad reviews. Let’s face it: CNN actually had its own commentary about the Zune player, and the reviewer along with the two anchors are trying to figure out how good it is. Then one of the anchors whips out her iPod Shuffle and it makes everyone’s eyes grow wide through the cool factor alone… well, it doesn’t look promising for Microsoft or its Zune player when that happens on global television!
Before anyone says, “Well, did you actually buy a Zune and try it out before writing this drivel??”, there’s a few things I’ll say about that argument. One, I’m not a member of the press, so Microsoft doesn’t have any incentive to send me a Zune for review purposes. Two, I’m just a blue-collar working stiff and, though I love technology as much as the next techie, I can’t blow my money on every gadget that comes out. Three, refer back to my previous article about UMG and Microsoft; I’d rather spend my hard-earned cash on a new iPod than give a dollar to that unholy partnership!
Personally, as I had told a friend of mine earlier, I had expected much more from one of the world’s most powerful tech companies. I’m actually sad to say I’m quite disappointed.
Technorati Tags: Microsoft, Zune, iPod, DAP Reviews
