> From: Holipac <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 07:48:03 +0800
> To: WAMUG Mailing List <[email protected]>
> Subject: Zune on Forbes - ouch
>
> http://blogs.forbes.com/digitaldownload/2006/11/zune_stinks.html
Interesting reading the comments on that article - there appear to be a lot
of Microsoft fans or Zune fans or perhaps lots of astro-turfers (fake
grass-roots movement) at work trying to discredit David M Ewalt, the author
of the Forbes article.
Here's what I couldn't help writing in support:
Come on guys let's look at a few facts many of which David mentioned in his
article and which the Zune-boosters are conveniently ignoring - how about
some informed critique? Looking at the comparison below, I think you'd have
to agree that David's article is pretty accurate. You don't need hands-on
experience to critique these issues.
Pros:
- WiFi music sharing (though 50% of songs purchased by money.cnn.com
reviewer on Zune store had sharing disabled!)
- DJ mode for broadcasting what you're playing to other Zune users
- 3" screen vs 2.5" on iPod (though same 320 x 240 resolution so album art
looks more blocky on Zune in portrait mode)
- Integration with Xbox 360 (iPod only works on Xbox with non-DRM music)
- FM Radio built-in ($49 option for iPod)
- Rubber-feel plastic case doesn't scratch as easily as Face of iPod Video
- Subscription option for music ($180 per year pretty expensive though for
music that is deleted if offline for a month or cease subscription)
- Guest Synchronisation option to copy songs from other PC (but not back up
to your PC)
Cons:
- 46% larger volume than the 30GB iPod (13% larger than even the 80GB iPod)
- 35% thicker and 8% taller than the 30GB iPod
- 17% heavier than the 30GB iPod (1% heavier than the 80GB iPod)
- Zune Chunky vs slim and elegant iPod according to Wall Street Journal
- 2hrs less battery life than the 30GB iPod (in real-world tests)
- 12-14hrs battery life for Zune vs 20hrs for 80GB iPod or 24hrs for iPod
Nano
- WiFi reduces battery life by 2hrs in real-world tests
- no WiFi to Computer or Internet
- 4 buttons instead of scroll wheel
- 2 million songs in Zune Marketplace vs 3.5 million on iTunes Store
- No TV shows in Zune Marketplace
- No Podcasts in Zune Marketplace
- No Music Videos in Zune Marketplace
- No Movies in Zune Marketplace
- No Audiobooks in Zune Marketplace
- No Games in Zune Marketplace
- No music library sharing between computers unlike iTunes
- Confusing points system for music purchase - $5 minimum purchase
- No Calendar on Zune so no calendar synching
- No Contacts on Zune so no contacts synching
- No note viewing or synching on Zune
- No pre-installed games on Zune
- only 100 accessories for Zune vs 3,000+ for iPod
- No auto integration for Zune vs 70% of new cars iPod compatible
- Zune adds yet another DRM standard
- Zune not compatible with Plays For Sure so can't play music bought from
Microsoft's own MSN music or other MS licensees
- Zune not compatible with Windows media player, the MS standard for MP3
player integration
- Zune Windows-only vs iPod Windows and Mac compatible
- half songs ripped by money.cnn.com reviewer would not transfer to Zune
Player
- 3 models (colours) of Zune vs Shuffle, 6 Nano models, 30GB Video iPod and
80GB Video iPod (plus Red and U2 versions of Nano and larger iPods)
- Fewer supported audio formats:
Zune: WMA, MP3, non-protected AAC
iPod: AAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless, MP3, WAV, Audible
- No USB Disk mode so can't use for file transfer/storage on PC
- plastic case on Zune vs metal case back for iPod or all-metal for Nano
- 3-day or 3 play limit on DRM and non-DRM shared music (even 1 second
counts)
- No passing on shared music to a third Zune player
- no synching of purchased music from Zune up to other computer (new iPod
feature)
--------------------------------------
Martin Hill
email: mart "at" ozmac.com
homepages: http://mart.ozmac.com
Mb: 0417-967-969 hm: (08)9314-5242
