Microsoft to launch iPod killer.

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Zonda

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Microsoft is planning to launch a media player to rival the iPod in time for Christmas, according to entertainment industry executives who say they've been briefed by Microsoft.

The main feature being touted by the computer giant is wireless connectivity, which the iPod currently doesn't have.

It won't be the first music player with Wi-Fi, as the MusicGremlin beat Microsoft to it earlier this year.

Microsoft is also planning a new media software similar to iTunes, so that the player and software will be integrated.

Protypes are reportedly going out to the recording industry in the next few weeks.

"They're proposing an iTunes model approach", said one source to Reuters. "They're now interested in controlling the whole vertical stack of technology from the device to the service to the software."

According to another source, J Allard, the vice president of the Xbox team who worked on the console from inception to launch is involved with the new media player. Microsoft must be hoping that his success with the Xbox will be mirrored by the new device.

Microsoft faces a stern test of its marketing skills, as analysts from research company NPD report that Apple's iPod holds half the media player market, while iTunes is responsible for 70% of music sales in the US.

The yet-unnamed player marks a new strategy for Microsoft in the digital music world, as it has so far been content to let other manufacturers, like Samsung, develop devices that run on Microsoft software.



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Hm, why do I serioulsy doubt that they will succed in this? I can't think of a design that beats the Ipod's and with the amount of people downloading music with Itunes it should be even harder. Not to mention it's reputation and the amount of fans it already has.

I can't see myself buying anything else than Ipod. I would like to see a pic of this Ipod "killer" though before I completely make up my mind.
 
Re: Microsoft to launch Ipod killer

I doubt it'd be a "killer", but it will sell like every other MP3 players out there. I want to see a pic of it too. And who needs a wireless connectivity in an MP3 player?
 
Re: Microsoft to launch Ipod killer

Well if anybody could make a "killer" then that would be MS (they have the rsources)... but so far they have been denying this story.

Oh and BTW, you guys know that MS has the patent for the rotational interface like the one iPod uses... when Apple filled for a patent of the iPod interface, it was rejected on grounds that MS had already placed a similar patent 6 months earlier. MS hasn't requested any royalties yet, but could probably do so. This is why future iPods will most likely drop the rotational interface, and this is also why rumours of a iPod killer from MS are circulating.
 
Windows is already on something like 95 % of all the world's PCs, IE has 90 % of the internet browser market, Windows Vista will present M$'s attempt to get a big piece of the firewall and anti-virus market, Xbox is gaining a bigger share of the billions on the game console market, MSN Search is trying to threaten Google, some rumours tell that Microsoft is going in to the movie business and now this. M$ seems to be too greedy to leave any big business market alone. Monopoly is never good for the consumer so at least I'm trying to avoid using or buying Microsoft products as much as I can.
 
bmer said:
Windows is already on something like 95 % of all the world's PCs, IE has 90 % of the internet browser market, Windows Vista will present M$'s attempt to get a big piece of the firewall and anti-virus market, Xbox is gaining a bigger share of the billions on the game console market, MSN Search is trying to threaten Google, some rumours tell that Microsoft is going in to the movie business and now this. M$ seems to be too greedy to left any big business market alone. Monopoly is never good for the consumer so at least I'm trying to avoid using or buying Microsoft products as much as I can.
Click to expand...

I used to feel that way too... but not anymore. Now I just buy whatever I feel it's the best (that goes for anything if I can afford it), and if it happens to be from MS, what the hell. I mean I bought an iPod and I despise Apple, but damn, they are the best for MP3 players.
 
Zune first Look

We'll see how much of an iPod killer these are when Apple releases the new flatpannel iPods in january

c93f28a85f9dc9b84fcdf42e1ce81513.webp


http://hardware.teamxbox.com/articles/xbox/1731/Zune-First-Look/p1/

Movie
 
Looks sweet and promosing so far:)

Still waiting for tests though.
 
Yeah, doesn't look so bad. It'll be the 'whole of experience' that counts for people though. That includes the cool factor.

I'm sorta with Siko - I despise Apple, and I hate to go with the mainstream (iPod is such a default choice). Still, if there's nothing better (and if I was even buying a mp3 player) then it might have to be it. I use Windows and Office and have no problem with Microsoft (maybe since it's somewhat anti-mainstream to like MS, in some tech circles..).
 
It would have been a great tool, if the songs didn't delete themselves after they've been played 3 times :t-banghea That's just morronic

do like the way you can use wallpapers and stuff to adjust the screen. Big thing that's missing with the I-pod.
 
Snake Vargas said:
I'm sorta with Siko - I despise Apple, and I hate to go with the mainstream (iPod is such a default choice). Still, if there's nothing better (and if I was even buying a mp3 player) then it might have to be it. I use Windows and Office and have no problem with Microsoft (maybe since it's somewhat anti-mainstream to like MS, in some tech circles..).
Click to expand...


What a crazy world we live in... Apple mainstream now, I remember when it was a cult
 
The success of the iPod and iTunes has always been the ease of the entire user experience. Everything is pretty straightforward and laid out for you.

You buy something on iTunes and it behaves just like anything else you've bought on iTunes. There's no special rules or surprises. I smell trouble when wired songs self distruct after 3 plays. If this is the sort of mentality that permeates the Zune experience I don't think it'll have a chance.

Microsoft uses brute force to enter markets, and this is no different. The only thing that will propel Zune further than the competition is a stratospheric marketing budget that'll probably be impossible to ignore during the holiday season.

I guess what could really take the wind out of Zune's sail is the simultaneous launch of the next generation iPod and/or an Apple cell phone. I don't see an astonishing wow factor in the Zune player and the irrational pull of a new Apple device is difficult to contend with.

In any case, I'll be happy if Zune poses a threat to Apple's monolitic dominance of digital music sales. There's bound to be downward pressure on the iTunes store, and maybe we'll see prices on albums fall to reasonable levels. I'm sick of seeing the same bargin-bin Fleetwood Mac or Frank Zappa album selling at full price just because digital is a new medium. If it was crap for $2.99 down at Tower Records, it ought be crap for $2.99 on iTunes damnit.
 
Osnabrueck said:
The success of the iPod and iTunes has always been the ease of the entire user experience. Everything is pretty straightforward and laid out for you.

You buy something on iTunes and it behaves just like anything else you've bought on iTunes. There's no special rules or surprises. I smell trouble when wired songs self distruct after 3 plays. If this is the sort of mentality that permeates the Zune experience I don't think it'll have a chance.

Microsoft uses brute force to enter markets, and this is no different. The only thing that will propel Zune further than the competition is a stratospheric marketing budget that'll probably be impossible to ignore during the holiday season.

I guess what could really take the wind out of Zune's sail is the simultaneous launch of the next generation iPod and/or an Apple cell phone. I don't see an astonishing wow factor in the Zune player and the irrational pull of a new Apple device is difficult to contend with.

In any case, I'll be happy if Zune poses a threat to Apple's monolitic dominance of digital music sales. There's bound to be downward pressure on the iTunes store, and maybe we'll see prices on albums fall to reasonable levels. I'm sick of seeing the same bargin-bin Fleetwood Mac or Frank Zappa album selling at full price just because digital is a new medium. If it was crap for $2.99 down at Tower Records, it ought be crap for $2.99 on iTunes damnit.
Click to expand...
As you mentioned M$ astronomical advertisment budget is what's going to make this player hot. MS advertisement for Halo 2 resulted in the game launch being the biggest one ever. If we are to talk figures on the launch date Halo 2 sold for over 200 million dollars. all that thanks to heavy advertising.

At the moment I'm rocking an iPod photo 30gb. I like it but at the same time I hate Steve jobs and his crew. I'm unhappy with the bas response, unhappy about the EQ, me not being able to move songs from my ipod to my computer and lastly that apple refuses to update older ipods with new features.
I'm ready to buy a new mp3. If Zune turns out to fall into my liking I will probably buy it. right now I'm waiting for more specs and some reviews.
 
The iPod/iTunes setup isn't working very well with Windows. It's in Apple's interest that this is happening, but I don't want to live under that. I just got a new iPod and the transfer & validation process is a nightmare. I have to update my iPod along with iTunes 7, that's a 30MB download, then transfer of songs take ages, and then WMA files will conflict and converting will take another century. I say, bring on Zune. :banana:
 
Osnabrueck said:
You buy something on iTunes and it behaves just like anything else you've bought on iTunes. There's no special rules or surprises. I smell trouble when wired songs self distruct after 3 plays. If this is the sort of mentality that permeates the Zune experience I don't think it'll have a chance.
Click to expand...

Ah but you forget something about iTunes, Apple and special rules or surprises - You buy something on iTunes and it only works on ipods, and no other player or device. If I buy something I want it to work on anything damnit, not just an ipod.

Osnabrueck said:
Microsoft uses brute force to enter markets, and this is no different. The only thing that will propel Zune further than the competition is a stratospheric marketing budget that'll probably be impossible to ignore during the holiday season.
Click to expand...
Apple have done the exact same thing with the ipod. There are consistently superior products to the ipod from smaller dedicated companies like iRiver, which consistently provide better sound quality, and better functionality. The only thing that ipod may possibly have been better at in the early stages of the MP3 device development is the UI, but after using an iRiver yesterday, that is far from the truth now. Without Apples marketing budget, the ipod simply wouldn't have taken off like it has, simply because there is better stuff out there.

Unlike the belief of many, Apple isn't this go-happy company that looks out for the consumer's best interests. The above is an example of how they are trying to monopolize the MP3 market just like MS did with Windows. And don't get me started on Apple Hardware - Thats right, if I want to use Mac OS (Which is a great OS I must admit), I have to buy a special Mac hardware (which is exactly the same as PC hardware) except Mac put some code in their OS to make sure it won't work on any old PC hardware.

I'm not saying that Microsoft or Apple is better. I just had to add the counter-balance to Osnabrueck post, which seemed ever so slightly pro-Apple and anti-Microsoft :) (No offence Osnabrueck, I know your love for apple, but someone has to do it).

If I were to lay down my money, I'd forgo both and get an iRiver.
 
I'm pretty sold on the unit... the IF is great and the WiFi is a great bonus!


RikfromBelgium said:
It would have been a great tool, if the songs didn't delete themselves after they've been played 3 times :t-banghea That's just morronic
Click to expand...

For letter word: hack
 
siko said:
I'm pretty sold on the unit... the IF is great and the WiFi is a great bonus!




For letter word: hack
Click to expand...
I have no doubt someone will hack it. But it'll be a tough job. Microsoft are most probably using Trusted Computing to enforce this, which utilises hardware to help with DRM (Digital Rights Management) and security - supposedly the be all and end all of security and DRM. I have no doubt that it can be hacked, but the hacking will be only for the experts and semi-experts (e.g. soldering on a bypass chip directly onto the Trusted Platform Module on the motherboard).

It'll be interested :)
 

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