Zune Zune
The tech world is abuzz with the launch of the new teaser website for the Zune system, which is Microsoft’s rumored iPod/iTunes rival. The website is completely ridiculous, as it doesn’t give any information and is a cartoon of some guys petting a bunny. This would be cute if it had anything to do with the product, but since most people will be visiting the site for actual information, it’s pretty far off.
No fear, the rumor mill has been spinning for a while now. There is a concept-image circulating the net (below), but I haven’t been able to determine whether or not it is authentic (although it seems reasonable). “Confirmed” facts also include that the device will be drive-based and will use wifi to download music directly onto the player. There are speculations that the device will include a gaming system and that Microsoft will buy users out of iTunes (by allowing free downloads of anything purchased from iTunes).
Will it be better than iPod? I find it likely that the Zune will be similar to all other previous iPod rivals: a lot of hype. In the end, Zune will need to provide users with simple and elegant design that Microsoft has never been known for. Otherwise, the Zune will become just another mp3 player with a minimal amount of the 23% of the non-iPod digital music player market.
nizome said,
July 24, 2006 @ 12:04 pm
Guess what!!! I can’t see the video on my mac. I can hear the music though. I’m definitely getting 3 of them.
monkey said,
July 24, 2006 @ 12:15 pm
Holy hell, that is awesome!! Microsoft is completely ridiculous! The song is actually not that bad though…
Christian said,
July 24, 2006 @ 10:17 pm
What? You mean that the Zune will not be a virtual device I can use to electronically pet cyborg bunnies?? I am very disappointed.
This was a good post on Engadget, “What we know, think we know, don’t yet know about the Zune“. In case you haven’t seen it …
monkey said,
July 25, 2006 @ 7:04 am
Maybe the concept image is wrong and it will look like a cartoon bunny…?
I have in fact seen the Engadget article. I linked to it in the post!
(the “Confirmed” link.) But thanks for sending it… Unless I’m wrong, it doesn’t say whether or not the concept image is correct, but maybe I keep missing it!