Clunky-looking Microsoft Zune player revealed in filing

135

Comments

  • Reply 41 of 91
    meelashmeelash Posts: 1,045member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Louzer


    And this is NOT the final form factor for the 'Zune'. You mock the stupid thing up first (aka, cheap plastics), then, when you have the look you want, you then work on a final materials list. Second, you'd be stupid to put the actual device in a government document that doesn't need to have the actual device. The FCC only cares about frequency and electrical interference, not "OOh, its got a scroll wheel". Plus, its hard for MS to have a grand-announcemnet event if they stupidly put up pictures month in advance.



    I hope, for MS's sake (as I said above) that you're right. But several fact (ahh, troublesome things, those!) point the other way.



    1) When Apple got certification with FCC for the Mighty Mouse, the picture someone else has already linked was released. No one is more concerned about secrecy than Apple (in fact they tried to prevent the FCC from releasing those pics). So, if it were possible to just give the FCC a generic mouse with the "frequency and electrical interference" of the final product, they would have done so, no?



    2)MS hardly ever does anything without telling everyone about it months in advance and tons of leaks as is the case with this product already. They don't have the secrecy kick like Apple does (for better or worse, as has been argued before)...
  • Reply 42 of 91
    So, the Zune's "killer feature" is a more convoluted method of accompishing exactly the same thing you could with an iPod, an FM transmitter, and a radio?
  • Reply 43 of 91
    jlljll Posts: 2,713member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Louzer


    And this is NOT the final form factor for the 'Zune'.



    Most people seem to think it is.



    On another note, it seems that Toshiba also did the design as it looks a lot like an updated Gigabeat S.
  • Reply 44 of 91
    gmacgmac Posts: 79member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Louzer


    Second, you'd be stupid to put the actual device in a government document that doesn't need to have the actual device. The FCC only cares about frequency and electrical interference, not "OOh, its got a scroll wheel".



    Not true. I used to do this type of testing (FCC and DOC compatibility) in Canada. The Zune is sitting in an anechoic chamber on a turntable for testing EMI/RFI compatibility. That testing involves having a damn expensive receiver listen to what electrical noise the device emits. All the styrofoam blocks are there to hold the device at different angles to see which angle performs the worst and is the noisiest. In the case of a computer peripheral, it's required that the device be connected to a sample computer as well as part of the testing. Often the noisiest parts are the cables connecting two devices together - they act as a big antena. The FCC does require a production sample (or at least representative sample) as many times the case impacts a devices passing or failing the testing.



    Having said all that, I think the title of this forum posting is a bit one-side. It doesn't look that clunky to me. And I like the big screen.
  • Reply 45 of 91
    meelashmeelash Posts: 1,045member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gmac


    Having said all that, I think the title of this forum posting is a bit one-side. It doesn't look that clunky to me. And I like the big screen.



    This is, of course, opinion (which I agree does not belong in proper Journalism- but then, this is a Mac-fan rumors site...) but look at the 4th pic from the bottom where you can get an idea of the size of this thing.



    From Oxford Dictionary:

    Quote:

    1. awkwardly solid, heavy, and outdated : even last year's laptops look clunky



  • Reply 46 of 91
    Time to JUMP SHIP!
  • Reply 47 of 91
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    I'm pasting my ARs post. It applies here just as well.



    "I'm looking forward to seeing this thing come out.



    The question is why would anyone be interested in it unless they simply hate Apple, as we know some here do.



    The WiFi seems to be the only thing that Apple won't have this year, though they might have Bluetooth 2. The function of WiFi on this device seems to be quite limited, unless there is functionally that MS isn't letting us on to as yet. WiFi will drop the battery life by almost 75% if left on for any length of time, going by the HTC 6700, and other phones that have it. If someone forgets to turn it off, something that will be far more common that you would think, they will be very unhappy later on during the day.



    Otherwise, the other criticisms given here will likely be enough to kill it.



    Black and white is fine. Apple proved that. Brown is a dull, bland color, that doesn't even sound good.



    I would think that "bronze" would be a better choice. That does well.



    The "wheel" that is not a wheel, does seem to be placed badly. It looks mucho uncomfortable. You would have to bend your thumb all the way down, and then you, lose the easy ability to move it around the control. Unless the device is really meant to be held sideways. But then the weight would extend beyond your fingers, making it precarious. You wouldn't be able to grasp it the way you can with a vertical player.



    This should be fun."
  • Reply 48 of 91
    Quote:

    I can use an iTrip and have my friends tune in with a $20 FM radio.



    Or get the iPod FM receiver and mimic the Zune's capabilities completely.
  • Reply 49 of 91
    macgregormacgregor Posts: 1,434member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by psilopsyche


    Microsoft is smart. People love retro, and Zune will remind everyone of the original Gameboy! Big... slow... clunky @$$ piece of $517! bahaha!



    I'm thinking "Space 1999" is the design target!!
  • Reply 50 of 91
    macgregormacgregor Posts: 1,434member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gmac


    Not true. I used to do this type of testing (FCC and DOC compatibility) in Canada. The Zune is sitting in an anechoic chamber on a turntable for testing EMI/RFI compatibility. That testing involves having a damn expensive receiver listen to what electrical noise the device emits. All the styrofoam blocks are there to hold the device at different angles to see which angle performs the worst and is the noisiest. In the case of a computer peripheral, it's required that the device be connected to a sample computer as well as part of the testing. Often the noisiest parts are the cables connecting two devices together - they act as a big antena. The FCC does require a production sample (or at least representative sample) as many times the case impacts a devices passing or failing the testing.



    Thanks for the info Gmac, that is actually quite interesting!
  • Reply 51 of 91
    meelashmeelash Posts: 1,045member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Shookster


    Or get the iPod FM receiver and mimic the Zune's capabilities completely.



    In fact, better, since an unlimited number of people can tune in...
  • Reply 52 of 91
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    I'm going to bring this up again, since there were no responses:



    The article (which appears at that point to be quoting MS material) specifically says that the wireless functionality allows sharing of "promotional" songs.



    Maybe it's nothing, but that strikes me as suggesting the possibility that this will involve some DRM flag that only allows streaming of certain songs that the label wants to push. New release from the latest hotness that they want to build buzz on, that sort of thing.



    Or possibly you can stream anything, but "promotional" songs can actually be transferred?



    I can't think of any other reasons to use that word. Thoughts?
  • Reply 53 of 91
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member
    I'm not sure about the rest of the world ... but when i'm usually with several friends we tend to have conversations and enjoy each others company, not huddle around and listen to music on our MP3 players. Besides, isn't that what stereos are for?



    I can see the future now ... a group of friends sitting at a table, all jacked into their own separate MP3 players listening to one person's "shared" music library, while text messaging each other on their cell phones.... Give me a break.



    Which brings me to another point... if sooo many analysts are worried that cell phones will soon start to eat away at the iPod's market share, how in the hell can they consider Zune to be any threat whatsoever? Seems a little late to be jumping into media player market doesn't it?





    There's only a few benefits to having wireless capabilities in a portable music device;



    1. Streaming music to an output device; speaker system, stereo, etc...

    2. Downloading music directly from a source (music store) ... this of course does not apply to copying your music library over as wireless bandwidth is extremely slow for copying multitudes of audio/video files - would definitely want a hardline connection for that.

    3. Proximity detection and auto-update/sync. Any changes on the "go" could be synced automatically when the "base" computer detects the mobile device. Could be anything from, purchased music (#2), play count, voice recordings, saved photos, etc...
  • Reply 54 of 91
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    And here's another bit to ponder:



    Quote:

    "In order to use wireless sharing feature such as 'send' and 'DJ' you will need to turn on your device's wireless capabilities," Microsoft states in the user manual. "When this setting is on, your device will be discoverable by other Pyxis devices and also be capable of searching for other Pyxis devices in range."



    "Discoverable by other Pyxis devices and capable of searching for other Pyxis devices" sounds like you just sort of run into other Zunes on the bus, say, until you consider that that would require all, uh, Pyxis (ugh) devices to have their WiFi turned on all the time, i.e. with the batteries dead most of the time.



    And WTF is a "Pyxis" device, anyway? A giddy name for "WiFi enabled"? Some intricate MS proprietary implementation of same that includes whatever DRM the RIAA felt was necessary to allow sharing?
  • Reply 55 of 91
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mjtomlin


    I'm not sure about the rest of the world ... but when i'm usually with several friends we tend to have conversations and enjoy each others company, not huddle around and listen to music on our MP3 players. Besides, isn't that what stereos are for?



    I assume you are an adult.



    My daughter, and her friends, mostly between 14 and 17, do this all the time. I see it being done on the subway between older people as well.



    It's fairly common, earwax and all.
  • Reply 56 of 91
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addabox


    And here's another bit to ponder:







    "Discoverable by other Pyxis devices and capable of searching for other Pyxis devices" sounds like you just sort of run into other Zunes on the bus, say, until you consider that that would require all, uh, Pyxis (ugh) devices to have their WiFi turned on all the time, i.e. with the batteries dead most of the time.



    And WTF is a "Pyxis" device, anyway? A giddy name for "WiFi enabled"? Some intricate MS proprietary implementation of same that includes whatever DRM the RIAA felt was necessary to allow sharing?



    Here you go:



    http://www.pyxisit.com/
  • Reply 57 of 91
    macgregormacgregor Posts: 1,434member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addabox


    I'm going to bring this up again, since there were no responses:



    The article (which appears at that point to be quoting MS material) specifically says that the wireless functionality allows sharing of "promotional" songs.



    Maybe it's nothing, but that strikes me as suggesting the possibility that this will involve some DRM flag that only allows streaming of certain songs that the label wants to push. New release from the latest hotness that they want to build buzz on, that sort of thing.



    Or possibly you can stream anything, but "promotional" songs can actually be transferred?



    I can't think of any other reasons to use that word. Thoughts?



    Yeah, we don't know enough yet.



    But if only certain songs will be tagged as "share-able" then this would limit the excitement factor unless you are in a particular group of people who are following the free Tuesday downloads very closely and sit around to talk about them.



    As for sharing headphones to hear each other's music, yes it is kind of common, but not is a real deal buster for anyone.
  • Reply 58 of 91
    Good ol' Microsoft copying again. They think that all the iPod consists of is a screen, a scroll wheel placed under the screen and a rectangular shape. And if you have those 3 basic, fundamental requirements you have a bestseller. Forget the name Apple which has a cult following, forget the already installed marketbase of 75%, forget the ease-of-use that has made Apple so popular in the first place. The Zune will be unreliable, hard to use and will require a manual that is at least 50 pages. Someone earlier posted that Apple has just now developed a mouse that has multiple buttons and that they were a decade behind. Think about it, what other computer can you do more with than any PC, using only ONE button.
  • Reply 59 of 91
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macinthe408


    If I were Apple, I'd be afraid, very afraid. That thing looks demonstrably way better than any iPod. It simply looks amazing. I am, ohmygod, flabbergasted.



    The billions and billions of dollars Microsoft spends on R&D has finally come to fruition. This is the result of years of hard work and dedicated engineers diligently working to reinvent the music playing device as we know it.



    I am simply enamored at how Microsoft closed the curtains and totally designed this thing from the ground up, without regard to what designs and form factors are already out there.



    Unbelievable. As Jim Rose would say, "I am riveted!"



    I'm not sure if this is a joke, or what. Does macinthe408 not see ANY striking similarity between the two devices, other than the fact that the Zune is about 25% larger? And where does the amazement come from? The bigger screen that extends vertically instead of horizontally so forget about watching movies in widescreen without a whole lot of wasted space, or is it the two little buttons on either side of the scroll wheel where all that amazement is born. Years of hard work? The same years that tried to create a reliable Vista that is still plagued with bugs and blue screens. And my favorite, designed from the ground up. If Wi-Fi is designing from the ground up...just wait until about September/October of this year...The Zune will be lying in a Dune of Ruin -- Peace out.
  • Reply 60 of 91
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by staylor007


    I'm not sure if this is a joke, or what. Does macinthe408 not see ANY striking similarity between the two devices, other than the fact that the Zune is about 25% larger? And where does the amazement come from? The bigger screen that extends vertically instead of horizontally so forget about watching movies in widescreen without a whole lot of wasted space, or is it the two little buttons on either side of the scroll wheel where all that amazement is born. Years of hard work? The same years that tried to create a reliable Vista that is still plagued with bugs and blue screens. And my favorite, designed from the ground up. If Wi-Fi is designing from the ground up...just wait until about September/October of this year...The Zune will be lying in a Dune of Ruin -- Peace out.



    He's serious. We ALL agree with him.
Sign In or Register to comment.