"Loony Zune?" Ouch!

I've done my share of kvetching about the Zune's packaging, and about how Microsoft (MSFT) tried to emulate the iPod but missed the mark. But since I don't have a Windows machine, I had little to say about the Zune itself (except that brown was a strange choice). But tech writer Andy Ihnatko has plenty to say about it-- and none of it is good:

The setup process stands among the very worst experiences I've ever had with digital music players. The installer app failed, and an hour into the ordeal, I found myself asking my office goldfish, "Has it really come to this? Am I really about to manually create and install a .dll file?"...

...Zune is incompatible with Windows Media Player, the familiar hub of the Windows desktop media experience...

...It's incompatible with Microsoft's own PlaysForSure standard, too...

...the Zune's sole wireless feature is "squirting" -- I know, I know, it's Microsoft's term, not mine -- music and pictures to any other Zune device within direct Wi-Fi range. Even if the track is inherently free (like a podcast) the Zune wraps it in a DRM scheme that causes the track to self-destruct after three days or three plays, whichever comes first...

Go read the whole thing. It is a laundry list of design flaws, each as horrid as the last. And even though Andy used to write for MacWorld, from what he says I think even the most dyed-in-the-wool MS fan will have problems with the Zune.

There's just one thing I'd like to add: Why must MS (and other companies) make products that LOOK like they have  clickwheels even though they really don't? You're not fooling anyone-- except the people you ARE fooling, who will then be pissed off.

Comments

[Ennis]

A friend pointed out that brown with cyan is the hipster (think W'burg) color scheme. It's supposed to make it "hipper". Same reason for the retro clunkiness of it.

[Eric Siry]

Good point, Ennis, but does the Zune have any cyan on it? The packaging and the branding have that orange-to-magenta gradient as a second color. I would love to learn whether brown Zunes become popular in the hipster community.

I did a little googling to find brown Zune photos just now, and found a page by an 8-year MS vet named Steve Clayton, from which I learned something very cool about the Zune: it comes preloaded with posters from the book The Art of Modern Rock! I'd consider that genuinely hip.

http://blogs.msdn.com/stevecla01/archive/2006/11/03/zune-s-brown-page.aspx

http://www.zune.net/en-US/meetzune/artofmodernrock.htm

[ChuckUFar]

"...It's incompatible with Microsoft's own PlaysForSure standard, too..."

Ummm, PlaysForSure is a Sony standard, not a Microsoft standard, therefore this is no surprise, especially given the HD-DVD/BLU-RAY disc battle that rages between the two giant companies.

[Jim]

ummm yourself . . . PlaysForSure is MS for sure. One that MS pushed on its "partners" and then decided against using on the ZUne,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_PlaysForSure

[Unknown]

Andy Ihnatko is an Apple fanboy, basically a Microsoft bigot. Of all the Zune reviews his is the most extreme. If you want something balanced read the review at ExtremeTech.com (its a Ziff-Davis site).
To use Andy's review to make a point is somewhere between lazy, uninformed, or biased; take your pick.
I've used the Zune, its a great product but has some problems, like all gadgets, including Apple's.
And why the wheel look, because is esthetic, creates a clean look, the finger moves freely from one click position to another, and gives equal mobility of 5 buttons, basically its practical. You didn't mention the two other butons that enhance useabliity. Most who actually have used it much thinks its easier than Apples spin wheel, I do.
Apple makes great products, that doesn't mean the other products aren't good; its not a zero sum game.

As for the color brown. It tested high with consumers MS targeted. I wanted one but they sold out. Black and white is getting tired, like smoking a pipe.

You really should write about things you actually know about or have used, otherwise you are just another mindless blogger, and we already have enough of those.

[scott]

"You didn't mention the two other butons that enhance useabliity."

People who think the more buttons the better don't get Apple's (Job's) vision of how things should work. Maybe that's the key difference between Apple and MS fans.

[REZA P]

Andy Ihnatko said "But since I don't have a Windows machine, ...".
If you don't have a Windows machine, then don't offer your B.S. opinion, and simply go hang yourself, you idiot.

[Zetta]

Yes - as Jim correctly pointed out, Andy I. is the ultimate AAPL-cult member. He probably has a S-Jobs bobblehead doll on his nightstand.

Gene from ZuneChannel.com

[Alan]

I recently bought a white Zune and connected it to my media center where I had recorded movies and TV series, I had to load a program called "dcut" on my media center but then I was able to convert my recording to wmv file format and to load them on my Zune. It was easy even if it takes time to convert and load (I did it overnight) but I have "pirate of the caribbean", a 3 h movie, and 5 hours of other programming loaded on my Zune and the quality of the image and sound is impressive. I do not have an iPod so not sure if the same is feasible but I love it.

[The king of tech]

Ah yeah, like apple's version of the mouse. Remember that? No buttons, had to push it down to make it work. Great thinking. MSFT had to fix that one too. Face it, MSFT makes apple products ...better. ta ta.

[Sten Drescher]

I'm not in the market now, but when I am, I'll take Microsoft's advice and "[l]ook for the PlaysForSure logo if you're shopping for a music or video device and you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time." http://www.playsforsure.com/WhatIsPlaysForSure.aspx

[deepee]

>>But since I don't have a Windows machine, I had little to say about the Zune itself<<

Well then why do you care?

[Brooks Harper]

If by the first couple of times you can't remember it's a click wheel. You are an idiot.

[Eric Siry]

Hey, all, thanks for stopping by and commenting. There's nothing like an Apple-MS discussion to stir up some spirited debate and ad hominem attacks.

deepee-- You don't need to be a member of the Knicks or the Sixers to enjoy a Knicks-Sixers game. It's fascinating to me what tack Microsoft is taking to capture some of this market, especially as that relates to their product design.

Reza P-- Andy Ihnatko didn't say that, I did. A more hotheaded person might suggest that if you don't know what you're talking about you should hang yourself. I'll just refer you to my comment to deepee above.

King of Tech-- The one-button mouse debate is so played out it bores even me. So instead I'll offer a bit of trivia: Did you know that the very first mouse had three buttons? Also, it was made of wood. Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_%28computing%29#Early_mice

Brooks-- I agree with you. But, if you don't realize it's a click wheel when you first buy it, that's understandable.

Unknown-- You're right on two counts, I am lazy and biased. I wear my pro-Apple bias on my sleeve, and I'm not a journalist who needs to remain objective. If you so desperately need balance, here's a positive Zune review from an Apple fan: http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,72281-0.html?tw=wn_technology_2

Also, I was wondering whether you thought any parts of Andy's review were wrong. Does he say anything that's not true in your experience? Please feel free to rebut him in this space.

And please note that I didn't say anything about the practicality or usability of the buttons. My only complaint is that they made it look like a click wheel. Surely they could have made an aesthetic, practical, usable interface without opening themselves up to the eternal charge that they are copying Apple?

And I know that MS does make good products-- I love my Xbox and love my new Xbox 360 even more. Check back when I post about that so you can read all the insults from Playstation fans.

And everybody, as long as you're here, please feel free to read some of my non-Zune posts. I'm sure you'll still find plenty to piss you off. :)

[Reza P]

Eric Siry and Andy Ihnatko should be tied to same cart and then be pushed off a cliff.
Apple is for bunch of sissy guys who carry a woman purst.

[Patrick Dengler]

This is odd to be delivered as news associated with a popular stock board like yahoo two days in a row. This is far from news. This is one person's opinion, and clearly someone who does not have experience much with Microsoft software or a liking to it.

I actually had the best experience with Zune that I have had with any media player ever. In fact it was my 4th media player and I am sticking with it. I do wish it had features like shuffle video play, and an easier way to convert video to play on it (media encoder is still touchy at best).

Setup was specifically a breeze, so it's strange that a highly opinionated article like this is posted as news two days in a row.

[anonymous]

This is probably the worst commentary I read--what a waste of time. Zune is not great but this review is full of stupid opinions ... about "squirting", what do you expect it to work? Encourgaging copyright violations with the free forever sharing?