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New Zune TV Ads
Some are good, but some can improve. My favorites are the picnic, and concert one. The dog scratching one, I don't like. What's your favorite?
Microsoft challenges iPod with the 'Zune'
Apple's iPod will soon be facing some new competition. On Nov. 14, the electronics giant, Microsoft is set to
launch its own digital media player called the Zune. The iPod has been hugely successful since its launch almost
five years ago. Apple has reported sales of over 60 million units and over 1.5 billion songs from its iTunes music
store. Despite Apple's success, the company recently revamped its line of digital media players and introduced
its new Nano line, which includes much smaller versions of iPod that hold an impressive four gigabytes of music.
Apple has also released the video iPod in both 30 and 80 gb models. The Zune will be released with a 30 gigabyte
capacity; the same as the iPod's base model. It will retail for $249.99, only $0.99 more than the comparable iPod.
So what does the consumer get with the Zune for the extra buck that they don't with an iPod? First, the Zune allows
the user to wirelessly share full length sample tracks, playlists or pictures with any other Zune user. If users
decide they like the songs friends send, they can then log into Microsoft's new online music store, the Zune
Marketplace, and purchase it. Microsoft plans to offer both individual downloads and a monthly subscription to
the Zune Marketplace. The $15 monthly subscription will allow users to play any song in the Zune Marketplace,
but they will not be permitted to keep songs on their Zunes permanently. The Zune is designed to be fully
customizable. The 3- inch LCD video screen can play movies or show pictures in either landscape or portrait mode,
maximizing the video and picture display. It is also designed to let the user know when software updates are
available so it will constantly be up-to-date. The Zune also comes complete with a built-in FM radio tuner, a
distinct departure from the iPod. Even with all the additional features offered on the Zune, one would assume
people would be at least a little reluctant to give up their iPod. So if Quinnipiac students had an extra $250
lying around, which media player would they choose?
Microsoft's Zune to rival Apple's iPod
update After trying for years to compete with the iPod through an array of partners, Microsoft confirmed Friday
that it plans to directly go after Apple Computer with its own rival, Zune.
Confirming weeks of rumors, Microsoft said it will launch music software and players under the Zune brand, though
the software maker left plenty unsaid in its confirmation.
"Today we confirmed a new music and entertainment project called Zune," Chris Stephenson, a general manager of
marketing for the software maker, said in a statement. "Under the Zune brand, we will deliver a family of
hardware and software products, the first of which will be available this year."
The initial device will have Wi-Fi and use a hard drive to store music, Microsoft said. Stephenson's statement
also lent some credence to speculation that the company's player will use wireless connectivity to share music
with other Zune devices.
"We see a great opportunity to bring together technology and community to allow consumers to explore and
discover music together," Stephenson said. A Microsoft representative declined to offer further details,
although Stephenson told Billboard magazine that other Zune devices, including a video player, are in the works.
The software maker has posted a teaser Web site, set to the song "Us" by Regina Spektor. Microsoft also noted
its move on a blog, Zune Insider, whose author is part of the company's effort.
"So what's Zune?" writes Cesar Menendez, the author of the blog, who says he recently began working on the
project. "It's Microsoft's new, holistic approach to music and entertainment. And yes, this year, we'll be
releasing a device as part of the project. Under the Zune brand, we're looking to build a community for
connecting with folks, all to discover new music and entertainment.
Microsoft is still apparently figuring out just how the wireless sharing will work. In the Billboard
interview, Stephenson said the company is looking at several different options, including downloading
music directly to a device, as well as sampling music from nearby devices.
Zune-branded devices are apparently only one part of Microsoft's strategy, though, with Stephenson telling
the magazine that Microsoft's broader vision is to allow people to play and discover music from a variety
of devices including computers, phones and the Xbox 360.
An Apple representative declined to comment on Microsoft's announcement.
This is not Microsoft's first attempt to go after iTunes and the iPod. Until now, though, the company
has largely relied on partners to make the players and software that use its Windows Media digital
rights technology and tie into the Windows Media Player software built into its Windows operating system.
More recently, the company had tried to modify that strategy. While remaining open to other players and
services, the company had been focused on promoting more heavily certain products, such as iRiver's Clix
player and the Urge service it helped develop with MTV Networks.
One of the big question marks surrounding Zune is whether any Microsoft music service will work with all of the
third-party players out there, such as the Clix and devices from Samsung, Creative and others. Also unclear
is whether rival music services, such as Urge, RealNetworks' Rhapsody and Napster, will work with Microsoft's
upcoming player.
An MTV Networks representative said the company couldn't say what if any role MTV and Urge would play with Zune.
"We're talking with Microsoft on a number of levels and we can't comment on those discussions at this time,"
the representative said. The representative said MTV is committed to "nurture and evolve" Urge, which it
says has received a positive response since launching in test form two months ago. Urge is built into
Windows Media Player 11, with the software available as a download for Windows XP, and it will be an
integrated part of Windows Vista when it ships next year.
Dana Harris, a spokeswoman for Napster, said the company isn't worried about competing with Microsoft.
"We've held our position as the No. 2 service through the launch of MSN and Urge and a host of others,"
she said. As far as any device goes, Harris said Napster would welcome a cool product that works with
its service, but declined to comment on whether the Zune player would, in fact, work with Napster.
A RealNetworks representative declined to comment.
On the device side, iRiver America CEO Jonathan Sasse expressed hope that the Zune could help raise
awareness of non-iPod devices such as the Clix.
"Microsoft is a great partner and we expect continued success moving forward," he said in a statement.
"The potential launch of a device by Microsoft does not appear to threaten our relationship in any way."
As a result of its heritage, analysts say Microsoft faces a potential backlash now that it has decided to go it alone.
"This is the first step, and it comes with a sacrifice," said Shaw Wu, an analyst at American Technology
Research. "They now must compete with their customers."
Wu also pointed out that Microsoft must do more than just add its brand name to have a winner.
"I think it's yet to be proven that they can come up with a seamless, integrated experience that iTunes
and iPod provides today," he said. "They have to create something as fun and easy to use. Everybody
else has failed. You have to remember that people have an emotional attachment to their iPods."
Apple has maintained a dominant share of both the music player and downloadable music businesses,
selling more than 58 million iPods and more than a billion songs.
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