I have never heard or seen anyone listen to the radio with an iPod. I have never heard or seen anyone hear or see anyone think about listening to the radio with an iPod. But of course, I'm only one person.
Has anyone looked into what type of audio files this thing will play and the restrictions M$ has put on those file? Nobody is talking about it yet because it will be the most closed system out there. Buyers beware, the sh*t will hit the fan when the suckers that buy these things realized that they just bought chains and shackles.
Read this review, it will tell you what you want to know.
It is the most requested feature, true. That's why Apple came out with an FM tuner accessory.
I'd much rather have an AM radio included. I'm already carrying around hours of music (which, considering I picked it, is likely to satisfy almost every single one of my musical desires). There are plenty of times I would like to flick on the radio to listen to the news/weather.
With the proliferation of 'all news, all the time' AM stations, I'd be set. Unfortunately, FM radio doesn't offer that option.
I'd be willing to bet they lose no money with the Zune, because they are probably still making 150 bucks off of the Zunes they sell.
$150 profit for each Zune? Surely you aren't subscribing to the fallacy that the tear-down estimates are a good stab at the total of all of the expenses it takes a company to sell a product? As it is, I'm guessing that Apple makes about a 10-15% net profit per iPod when it is all said and done, based on their quarterly reports. I really don't think Microsoft can achieve much more than a slim profit given that they don't yet have the volume to take advantage of economies of scale.
yer, well i supose its different from just the normal black and white.
That's the thing. Black and white are used so much in consumer electronics that even brown might seem oddly refressing. I don't think brown can be #3 or better in color popularity except in a list of three colors. If you offer ten colors, I would put brown at #8 or lower in popularity. It's not the same market, but brown is tenth place or lower in popularity for automotive colors, with about 1% of cars shipping in brown. How brown is going to be #2 in consumer electronics is beyond me unless the material is wood, fur or leather.
yer, well i supose its different from just the normal black and white.
Here's an interesting story.
Aside from the fact that the software didn't allow an install, look at the color he bought. And look at the high style keyboard of his desktop. Not that untypical of the buyer they will see.
And notice that he doesn't have a clue. Even we Mac users know that MS has put "Greetings From Seattle" on the back to seem folksy.
Seriously, this thing is going down like the Titanic. Or like something else after you flush. Even MS's huge advertising budget can't keep this thing from being an also-ran, though I'm sure MS will ship a very limited number of them initially just so they can say that they 'sold out' of them.... bwahaha.
So if the Zune is able to implement WiFi into their MP3 player, is it feasible in the near future for MP3 players to work with WiFi hotspots and stream internet radio stations?
Jeff beat me to my first response. I bet Microsoft is actually losing money on each Zune sale. They aren't getting the volume discounts on the parts that go into the Zune that Apple is getting on the iPod components.
Anyway, I have a theory about the "social" product positioning on the Zune. If you look at Microsoft, they are often a reactionary company. They see Google making it's way in the search space and they change course to try to duplicate the same success.
Look at who designed the Zune. It's the Xbox team.
I believe the Xbox team has been watching the development and witnessing the huge buzz surrounding the Nintendo Wii with some amount of jealousy. The are thinking to themselves, "why didn't we think of this first? Obviously, gaming should be a social event!" Social products were obviouly on their mind.
Then they were given a project to create a media player to rival the iPod and they decided that if turning gaming into a social event works, then turning listening to music on a personal player into a social event must work as well. They created a feature that lets people share songs with one another. They even went so far as creating the slogan, "welcome to the social." The entire marketing campaign is geared toward the social aspect of the Zune.
I think there are two problems with this. The first is that they didn't go far enough into making the Zune a social device. The one feature meant to do this is too restrictive. The second is that using a portable media player is inherently a private event and no amount of slogans and scenes of college students laughing and staring at the Zune will turn it into a social event for most people. It's easy to understand how games can become a social event. Many games, like tennis, require more than one person to play. Music, on the other hand, is more personal. Most people I know don't like the same music as I do. When I use my iPod, nobody else can hear it either.
So if the Zune is able to implement WiFi into their MP3 player, is it feasible in the near future for MP3 players to work with WiFi hotspots and stream internet radio stations?
It doesn't have that capability. They would have to redo it for that.
Then they were given a project to create a media player to rival the iPod and they decided that if turning gaming into a social event works, then turning listening to music on a personal player into a social event must work as well. They created a feature that lets people share songs with one another. They even went so far as creating the slogan, "welcome to the social."
I think there are two problems with this. The first is that they didn't go far enough into making the Zune a social device. The one feature meant to do this is too restrictive. The second is that using a portable media player is inherently a private event and no amount of slogans and scenes of college students laughing and staring at the Zune will turn it into a social event for most people. It's easy to understand how games can become a social event. Many games, like tennis, require more than one person to play. Music, on the other hand, is more personal. Most people I know don't like the same music as I do. When I use my iPod, nobody else can hear it either.
Anyway, that's my theory.
First of all, this is a Toshiba device. Very little hardware is changed from the Toshiba specs.
Secondly, the "social" abilities of the device are defined by the companies they license their music (and later, possibly, video's) from.
They were likely REQUIRED to put those restraints into the system.
There was/is a phone marketed with the name "Chocolate", "Chocolat" or some such. If it's brown, it's a much darker brown.
The LG 'Chocolate' is just the name of the phone ... it comes in black, white, pink, and a few other colours. Apparently it's called the chocolate because of the design, not the colour.
Hi there, as a marketing and branding consultant there is one massive point which no one seems to be addressing with the Zune.
Ultimately it is not to do with the player, the file format or indeed the actual offering because what Microsoft is doing that no one is really picking up on is far more devious.
Its called lateral monitisation.....what Microsoft are doing is earning money off every Zune owner and I'll explain why...
When Apple sells a song it makes hardly anything from the transaction because it is transparent in terms of its actually cost delivery structure. What Microsoft are doing is using an old Starbucks trick....that is that instead of paying per song you start in effect holding an account with the bank of Microsoft. Strictly speaking to add paid content onto a Zune you need to buy credits, you do not actually use real money. In effect by using a confusing pricing structure Microsoft are making it so that you cannot buy £5.00 of credits and then spend £5.00, there is always a residule credit in your account.
So what is the boon of this I hear people ask??? Well Microsoft start earning interest on your spare credits and generate a tidy income, this is only the start of an even more corrupt Microsoft and goes to show the length that this company holds its customers in contempt.
Hi there, as a marketing and branding consultant there is one massive point which no one seems to be addressing with the Zune.
Smartz, thanks for posting. That is one very interesting factor I didn't think of. It is yet another sneaky aspect of the launch of this product.
Was anyone else aware that some songs purchased from the Zune store cannot be shared between Zunes, and you won't find out about this until you actually try sending? Apparently some artists would not give permission to Microsoft to allow sharing, even with the restrictive permissions.
Comments
I have never heard or seen anyone listen to the radio with an iPod. I have never heard or seen anyone hear or see anyone think about listening to the radio with an iPod. But of course, I'm only one person.
There is this ...
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...nMore=MA070G/A
Let's look at that statement a bit more closely.
It is the most requested feature, true. That's why Apple came out with an FM tuner accessory.
But while it is the most requested (after a case), very few people do request it.
Has anyone looked into what type of audio files this thing will play and the restrictions M$ has put on those file? Nobody is talking about it yet because it will be the most closed system out there. Buyers beware, the sh*t will hit the fan when the suckers that buy these things realized that they just bought chains and shackles.
Read this review, it will tell you what you want to know.
http://reviews.cnet.com/Microsoft_Zu...-32068976.html
I lot of people have said they like it. Whether they will sell much of that color is something else though.
yer, well i supose its different from just the normal black and white.
It is the most requested feature, true. That's why Apple came out with an FM tuner accessory.
I'd much rather have an AM radio included. I'm already carrying around hours of music (which, considering I picked it, is likely to satisfy almost every single one of my musical desires). There are plenty of times I would like to flick on the radio to listen to the news/weather.
With the proliferation of 'all news, all the time' AM stations, I'd be set. Unfortunately, FM radio doesn't offer that option.
I'd be willing to bet they lose no money with the Zune, because they are probably still making 150 bucks off of the Zunes they sell.
$150 profit for each Zune? Surely you aren't subscribing to the fallacy that the tear-down estimates are a good stab at the total of all of the expenses it takes a company to sell a product? As it is, I'm guessing that Apple makes about a 10-15% net profit per iPod when it is all said and done, based on their quarterly reports. I really don't think Microsoft can achieve much more than a slim profit given that they don't yet have the volume to take advantage of economies of scale.
yer, well i supose its different from just the normal black and white.
That's the thing. Black and white are used so much in consumer electronics that even brown might seem oddly refressing. I don't think brown can be #3 or better in color popularity except in a list of three colors. If you offer ten colors, I would put brown at #8 or lower in popularity. It's not the same market, but brown is tenth place or lower in popularity for automotive colors, with about 1% of cars shipping in brown. How brown is going to be #2 in consumer electronics is beyond me unless the material is wood, fur or leather.
yer, well i supose its different from just the normal black and white.
Here's an interesting story.
Aside from the fact that the software didn't allow an install, look at the color he bought. And look at the high style keyboard of his desktop. Not that untypical of the buyer they will see.
And notice that he doesn't have a clue. Even we Mac users know that MS has put "Greetings From Seattle" on the back to seem folksy.
http://www.flx-tech.net/2006/11/zune...bestbuy_1.html
"Hey, the brown Zune is GREAT!...
... for me to POOP on!!!"
Seriously, this thing is going down like the Titanic. Or like something else after you flush. Even MS's huge advertising budget can't keep this thing from being an also-ran, though I'm sure MS will ship a very limited number of them initially just so they can say that they 'sold out' of them.... bwahaha.
When can we expect a lawsuit by Creative over the hierarchal menu?
I think they already gave them notice.
still cant get over that shit brown...
It was supposed to be a cross-promotion with the movie "Flushed Away."
I think a better name would have be "bronze". That is always popular, even though it's usually just brown.
Anyway, I have a theory about the "social" product positioning on the Zune. If you look at Microsoft, they are often a reactionary company. They see Google making it's way in the search space and they change course to try to duplicate the same success.
Look at who designed the Zune. It's the Xbox team.
I believe the Xbox team has been watching the development and witnessing the huge buzz surrounding the Nintendo Wii with some amount of jealousy. The are thinking to themselves, "why didn't we think of this first? Obviously, gaming should be a social event!" Social products were obviouly on their mind.
Then they were given a project to create a media player to rival the iPod and they decided that if turning gaming into a social event works, then turning listening to music on a personal player into a social event must work as well. They created a feature that lets people share songs with one another. They even went so far as creating the slogan, "welcome to the social." The entire marketing campaign is geared toward the social aspect of the Zune.
I think there are two problems with this. The first is that they didn't go far enough into making the Zune a social device. The one feature meant to do this is too restrictive. The second is that using a portable media player is inherently a private event and no amount of slogans and scenes of college students laughing and staring at the Zune will turn it into a social event for most people. It's easy to understand how games can become a social event. Many games, like tennis, require more than one person to play. Music, on the other hand, is more personal. Most people I know don't like the same music as I do. When I use my iPod, nobody else can hear it either.
Anyway, that's my theory.
So if the Zune is able to implement WiFi into their MP3 player, is it feasible in the near future for MP3 players to work with WiFi hotspots and stream internet radio stations?
It doesn't have that capability. They would have to redo it for that.
Then they were given a project to create a media player to rival the iPod and they decided that if turning gaming into a social event works, then turning listening to music on a personal player into a social event must work as well. They created a feature that lets people share songs with one another. They even went so far as creating the slogan, "welcome to the social."
I think there are two problems with this. The first is that they didn't go far enough into making the Zune a social device. The one feature meant to do this is too restrictive. The second is that using a portable media player is inherently a private event and no amount of slogans and scenes of college students laughing and staring at the Zune will turn it into a social event for most people. It's easy to understand how games can become a social event. Many games, like tennis, require more than one person to play. Music, on the other hand, is more personal. Most people I know don't like the same music as I do. When I use my iPod, nobody else can hear it either.
Anyway, that's my theory.
First of all, this is a Toshiba device. Very little hardware is changed from the Toshiba specs.
Secondly, the "social" abilities of the device are defined by the companies they license their music (and later, possibly, video's) from.
They were likely REQUIRED to put those restraints into the system.
First of all, this is a Toshiba device. Very little hardware is changed from the Toshiba specs.
Secondly, the "social" abilities of the device are defined by the companies they license their music (and later, possibly, video's) from.
They were likely REQUIRED to put those restraints into the system.
Neither of your points, which I agree with, change any aspects of my theory.
Also, a name is sometimes everything. It isn't "brown", it's "chocolate.
I think a better name would have be "bronze". That is always popular, even though it's usually just brown.
There was/is a phone marketed with the name "Chocolate", "Chocolat" or some such. If it's brown, it's a much darker brown.
There was/is a phone marketed with the name "Chocolate", "Chocolat" or some such. If it's brown, it's a much darker brown.
The LG 'Chocolate' is just the name of the phone ... it comes in black, white, pink, and a few other colours. Apparently it's called the chocolate because of the design, not the colour.
Ultimately it is not to do with the player, the file format or indeed the actual offering because what Microsoft is doing that no one is really picking up on is far more devious.
Its called lateral monitisation.....what Microsoft are doing is earning money off every Zune owner and I'll explain why...
When Apple sells a song it makes hardly anything from the transaction because it is transparent in terms of its actually cost delivery structure. What Microsoft are doing is using an old Starbucks trick....that is that instead of paying per song you start in effect holding an account with the bank of Microsoft. Strictly speaking to add paid content onto a Zune you need to buy credits, you do not actually use real money. In effect by using a confusing pricing structure Microsoft are making it so that you cannot buy £5.00 of credits and then spend £5.00, there is always a residule credit in your account.
So what is the boon of this I hear people ask??? Well Microsoft start earning interest on your spare credits and generate a tidy income, this is only the start of an even more corrupt Microsoft and goes to show the length that this company holds its customers in contempt.
Hi there, as a marketing and branding consultant there is one massive point which no one seems to be addressing with the Zune.
Smartz, thanks for posting. That is one very interesting factor I didn't think of. It is yet another sneaky aspect of the launch of this product.
Was anyone else aware that some songs purchased from the Zune store cannot be shared between Zunes, and you won't find out about this until you actually try sending? Apparently some artists would not give permission to Microsoft to allow sharing, even with the restrictive permissions.