Why Won’t Microsoft Just Give This One Up?
January 8th, 2008 | 
Author: 
The Zune!
Sure you’ve heard of it. It’s that thing that is supposed to be like the iPod, only more complicated and less versatile.
I try not to take those Apple vs. Microsoft commercials seriously, only relying on them as a bid for humor and some insight into the Apple culture. However, given Microsoft’s latest attempt to resurrect the Zune from the copycat gadgets graveyard, I’m beginning to realize that Microsoft just doesn’t get it. You can’t bring your old school ways into a new-school world. This is the 21st Century, Steve Ballmer, and the idea that wrapping your products up in outdated and complicated products from the past is ridiculous.
Now that the latest version of the Zune is out, old Zune users can completely throw their outdated PlaysForSure songs to the side. They are no longer compatible with newly developed Zune. And before you go out and upgrade, who is to say that this is the last time that Microsoft will scrap their current attempt at copying the iPod universe?
The real problem with Microsoft and the Zune’s relaunch is that is purely a game of “monkey-see-monkey-do”. Microsoft sees all of the money and potential Apple users wrapped up in the iPod urbanity and they see an opportunity to do the same thing. So the Zune has come back, better than ever before. Its three new models all rival iPod formats; including an 80-gig version, a 30-gig version, and a 4/8-gig version that is the Zune version of the iPod Nano. The Zune opted for textured backing that is virtually scratchproof. And the Zune even came out with a cute little pad that sparks the same intrigue and sophistication that the whelped did for the iPod once Apple irrevocably finalized their design.
But let’s be real. After years of living in an iPod world, with things like the iPod Store, iPod accessories, and the revolutionary iTunes software, are people really going to switch over to a not-so-cheap knock-off?
Well, obviously it is not impossible. Afterall, McDonald’s is not the only burger chain, and as Microsoft knows all to well, they aren’t the only ones making PC software. So it is apparent that consumers, especially Americans in the middle class, have no problem opting for a better, cheaper, version of the things they want.
But I’m not so sure that the iPod has not ascended to a cult-class, luxury, level; as if it is one of those things that just screams “premium” no matter what tax bracket you’re in. The same way engagement rings, caviar and a New York City condominium are accepted as premium priced objects, perhaps the MP3 player has become the same way. So the only way to compete with a premium product, is not to beat it at its own game, but to come up with a new agenda.
The same way high-priced clothing designers create new styles, trends and fashions every day, that’s what Apple has done with MP3 player, only they’ve done it without all of the clothe and skinny models.
Microsoft is just trying to steal the other designers’ sketches, and the sad thing is that they can’t even cheat right.
The Zune lacks an alarm clock, notepad, stopwatch, games, comparable battery-life, and certain auto-synching elements that the iPod does with one’s computer. The Zune also fails to carry computer files, something the iPod does, and something you think a Microsoft product would be ahead of the curve with.
The Zune software (the iTunes and iTunes Store counterpart) is also inferior. The Zune software lacks a graphic equalizer, closed captioning for videos, and album cover flow-views. The Zune store doesn’t even provide TV shows, movies, or books.
Lastly, you cannot buy songs with straight up cash-money. Whereas all of songs at the iTunes store are $1, the Zune store has varying prices, and you are forced to buy songs with points that you purchase in five-dollar increments. Thereby, you have to pull out your calculator (conveniently not located on the Zune) to figure out how many points you will need to buy a certain number of songs. Now how Microsoft and “1993-like” is that logic?
So while Microsoft tries to make interests off the pennies you leave in your Zune store account, while providing you with a less resourceful, less adaptable product, I’ll be telling you, “I told you so”. Hopefully though, Microsoft will continue to fix and upgrade this product until the figure out that being a rigid copycat is not the way to compete with the iPod. If you want to tap into a culture knee-bent on MP3’s, podcasts and downloadable music, give them what they want, and none of what you desire, and you’ll be closer to realizing that the iPod’s success is due to originality and creativity, and creating a user-friendly experience.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
Posted in Miscellaneous
Before you write an article pretending to know everything about the Zune why don’t you actually try one…or do some research first. First off, you mentioned that anyone with an old zune can no longer use it with the new software. That is so far from the truth. Not only can you use the old zune’s with the new software, you can put the new firmware that comes on the latest zunes onto an old zune…and Microsoft supports it. That would be like Apple giving the iPod classic firmware to someone with a 5G Video iPod. That definately isn’t going to happen. Secondly, you mentioned that the Zune software doesn’t have an equalizer. Wrong again. Install the damn software. It’s free you know and it has an equalizer. The device doesn’t right now but from my use so far it doesn’t need one. Everything that i’ve listened to on the device has sounded phenomenal. Why don’t you compare the features in Zune with iTunes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or even 6 and see how they measure up. This is version 2.0 and it’s only going to get better from here. I didn’t point out all of the mistakes you made in your column so why don’t you at least give it a try before bashing it to pieces. I used an iPod Video for a year and the Zune has been leaps and bounds better.
From the NYTimes (click for the article):
“Here are some of the iPod features that the Zune lacks: Games, alarm clock, stopwatch, world clock, password-protected volume limiter, graphic equalizer, notepad, auto-synched copy of your computer’s calendar and address book, and Disk Mode, which lets an iPod serve as an external drive for carrying around computer files.”
“After all, the Zune is not Microsoft’s first effort at an iPod-like universe of player, software and music store; that honor goes to the PlaysForSure format. And everybody who bought into it must be feeling just a tad rejected at this point. When it introduced the Zune, Microsoft shut down its PlaysForSure store and further development efforts. Whatever songs you bought in the PlaysForSure format won’t play on the Zune.”
So actually the Zune does not have a graphic equalizer…so you are wrong about that. I’d be as disparaging as you were, but you seem too obtuse to waste such an effort on.
As for the incompatibility of the old Zune with the new Zune software, I made a mistake there. I meant to refer to Microsoft’s PlaysForSure project that got shut down, making songs downloaded on that format incompatible with the new-Zune and its software.
And why would I compare the old iPod to the new Zune? That is not real life. The market we are in now is used to a well developed iPod, and if you were working at Microsoft, you know that its better to catch with Apple now than to keep waiting as Apple captures more and more of the mp3 market.
Once again. The Zune software does have an equalizer. The Zune device does not. You were comparing it to iTunes in your article so I assumed you meant the software. The device however is leaps and bounds ahead of the iPod. The features that are missing are trivial. Sure the iPod has games but they aren’t really playable. Solitaire with a click wheel? It was fun for a minute but it wasn’t good. A clock isn’t important either. The other features listed are so crappy on the iPod that they aren’t worth having. The Calendar and such had poor usability and were only on the device by name. When you talk to 99% of iPod users they use it to a) listen to music and b) watch videos. Those 2 things are done better on the Zune. I said to compare the software to old versions not the device. Microsoft has already passed Apple there. The only problem with the Zune is that the software is lacking a few features and stability but that can be added over time. If you think that a device needs to ship with every feature known to man right at the get go let’s look at the iPhone. It sold well and at first you weren’t able to change your ringtone or send messages to more than one person at once. It’s now been updated but you still can’t install appications without hacking the device.
Like I said before. Don’t knock the device until you’ve tried it. Everything that you’ve read online isn’t true. As someone who owns an iPod and a Zune I will tell you right now that the Zune is a superior device. Most Zune owners will agree.