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When it comes to the hardware, we're pretty much set; we all now know the Zune inside and out. But how it interacts with the software, the marketplace, etc. -- that's where the magic happens. Or doesn't. We really wanted to give the Zune the benefit of the doubt. We hoped installing the Zune software and getting our player running would be as seamless and painless as getting iTunes and an iPod running on your machine, since that is, after all, what it's up against. Unfortunately, the reality of our experience with the first version of the Zune software this afternoon is much like that of many version 1 software experiences. It sucks. Read on to see what happened.
Installing the Zune... sucked
Seeded on Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:38 PM EST
Article Source: Engadget- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
- Public Discussion (49)
Along with the first report of the Zune software crashing during installation, this is a pretty high-profile report of the Zune that's riddled with a (very) negative user experience.
Microsoft need to get on this fast if they're to provide a good user experience like they set out to do. A crashing install does not constitute happy customers.
- 3 votes
#1 - Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:44 PM ESTAnd yes, I know I'm posting about the Zune a lot, but the thing is finally seeing the light of day for real, and there's finally real reports coming in — it's not my fault they're so negative.
- 2 votes
#2 - Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:05 PM EST
Hmmmmm...software problems...Microsoft...why am I not surprised?
- 6 votes
#4 - Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:10 AM ESTThis is sad, just plain sad! No wonder Apple stock was up a buck 23 today, MS? 12 cents!
- 1 vote
That has just about nothing to do with it.
Apple shares are far less numerous in volume. 12 cents of rise MS shares price equates to about $1.1Bn in increased company value. $1.23 of Apple shares price increase equates to just over $1Bn, ergo, less actual money.
- 1 vote
THANK YOU smithco! My faith in the stock market is restored!
- 1 vote
jpmacor,
Market share is very overrated. Apple, with its 5% market share, is quite profitable. No reason to be at 90%, really. Apples and oranges...
- 1 vote
tcervo: Market share is very overrated. Apple, with its 5% market share, is quite profitable. No reason to be at 90%, really. Apples and oranges...
True, but if you've got the 90%, it can be loads of fun bullying the other 10%.
Plus, people look at that 90%, figure you're not going anywhere, and want the other 10% to disappear just so everything "works the same." (And I curse my father for confirming that people who "think" this way actually exist. BTW, his typing speed is just shy of being measured in minutes-per-word.)
and Escort...Lamorghini...are you f'ing kidding? obviously not a car guy. unless you're of the mind that you just need to have something to get you from point a to b, then this is quite possibly the stupidest thing i've ever heard. i love my scion tC a lot, but that doesn't stop me from missing the hell out of my jaguar x-type, for a variety of reasons, most notably the luxury.
You entirely missed his point...
He's saying that just because Lamborghini or Jaguar x-type (OS X) doesn't have double-digit market share doesn't mean that you're better off getting a Ford Escort (Windows.)
- 1 vote
"If Microsoft wants to get into hardware, and it has had success with the XBox"
Has it? I thought the Xbox division has never made money.
- 1 vote
Has it? I thought the Xbox division has never made money.
It hasn't so far; that part of MS is still losing millions each quarter.
So -- let me get this straight. The Zune Music Player Software is only useful in conjunction with the Zune?
These guys don't even -want- to kill the iPod.
The nice thing about iTunes: I had tons of fun with it ages before I ever bought an iPod. I bought music from the iTunes store -- I listened to CDs -- I ripped CDs.
When it came time to buy a DAP -- the iPod choice was a no-brainer because I was familiar with iTunes.
- 3 votes
#8 - Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:05 AM ESTYou can use the Zune software without owning a zune player. The model is almost identical to iTMS.
iTunes only works with iPod players
Zune only works with Zune players
Both can rip, import, burn, and play music and video. The only apparent difference I see is that iTMS installs on both platforms while Zune is only Windows-compatible.
- 2 votes
Most of the installation steps seemed to center around syncing it with a Zune -- which is why I was curious.
- 1 vote
"What do you call version 1.x of a Microsoft product?" "Beta testing."
I'll give Microsoft some credit for being able to learn from their mistakes (except that whole "first release of anything sucking" thing--they never get that right).
The VHS wasn't technically superior to Betamax. What made the VHS the victor in that particular format war was ubiquity. And ubiquity is strongly on Microsoft's side in this particular format war.
Microsoft can still pull this off, if they can build up their music catalog more and get a proper version 2 out the door soon. Whether it's actually good that they do is still up for some debate, though.
- 1 vote
#9 - Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:07 AM ESTThat's true. Maybe that's why Microsoft is using pictures of orgasming girls for their Zune install screens…
- 2 votes
""What do you call version 1.x of a Microsoft product?" "Beta testing.""
Excuse me-- this is AT LEAST version2.x. Remember "Plays for Sure"? the suckers that bought into that surely do.
microsoft is very clever.
they have trained their users to accept the crashing of their computers so that they can spend less time making quality products.
very clever.
- 6 votes
#10 - Tue Nov 14, 2006 11:19 AM ESTdoes the Zune player have the equivalent of CTRL ALT DELETE on a PC?
i'd really like to know what it is ...
- 4 votes
#11 - Tue Nov 14, 2006 11:22 AM ESTi have no idea about the zune, but any decent mp3 player has a reset. on most ipods you have to hold down the menu button and scroll wheel for a few seconds. my iriver has a pin hole reset button...
- 1 vote
What a mess. Hopefully people will see this review before they make the mistake of buying one of these things. Great seed.
- 2 votes
#12 - Tue Nov 14, 2006 11:22 AM ESTat this point the Apple's iPod is so far ahead of the game that any other Mp3 or compact music device just seems so 3rd party. im sure there will be better machines made by other companys but at the end of the day ask 4 people if they know(or own) what and iPod is and then whatever is its latest competitor is, ie 'Zune' today...and i'll bet iPod wins!
#13 - Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:36 PM ESTof course. iPod will win if you ask people. Zune is still making a name. iPod's name is already established.
Interested by this article, I looked into Zune Reviews and found that none of them had any installation problems whatsoever. So i read deeper into this specific review and noticed something. the Zune didn't like to be installed on a computer running a RAID 5 (to my knowledge its not a very widely used RAID, and only is now getting significant MoBo support (e.g the brand new 590 Intel ed.)). It is Possible that either the AID was setup incorrectly, or that the software doesn't like dealing with a RAID. Of course this is just a theory, but I think that this one incident (which I have not noticed in any other reviews) should not be the pivotal turning point in a decision. Lets say someone was testing the 5.5 gen iPod and when they tried installing iTunes their computer crashed, would anyone care? No, it would be blamed on any number of non-iTunes/iPod things, so why blame this one incident on Zune Network/Zune? Just some Food for thought for you.
#14 - Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:32 PM ESTWhat, exactly, is the value proposition of the Zune?
Cheaper than the iPod? well....no.
Bigger capacity? ....No.
Bigger screen? Yea-- but same number of pixels.
Wireless? So you can trade acid hip-hop with the little old lady on the bus?
- 3 votes
Lets say someone was testing the 5.5 gen iPod and when they tried installing iTunes their computer crashed, would anyone care? No, it would be blamed on any number of non-iTunes/iPod things, so why blame this one incident on Zune Network/Zune?
Uhhh, iTunes 7? Have you forgotten the insane uproar when iTunes 7 started causing problems for people? Yes. People do care. People care when software fails, whether its Windows or Mac OS X.
- 4 votes
Uhhh, iTunes 7? Have you forgotten the insane uproar when iTunes 7 started causing problems for people? Yes. People do care. People care when software fails, whether its Windows or Mac OS X.
My point was this: It didnt cause people to say, well, iPods and iTunes now sucks because of it, so I am not going to buy it. That is what this review feels like.
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