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Microsoft Zune Pricing & Availability Details | |
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| Time: 10:58 EST/15:58 GMT | News Source: Microsoft | Posted By: Robert Stein | ||
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Today the company announced that the Zune™ digital media player and online service will be available to consumers in the U.S. on Nov. 14, 2006, just in time for the holidays. The Zune device will retail for $249.99 U.S. (ERP) and will create new ways for entertainment fans to connect and share media experiences device-to-device through the use of wireless technology and new software scenarios. | ||
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| #1 By 2960 (68.101.39.180) at 9/28/2006 3:21:21 PM |
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I'll pass. Personally, I think this is an utter disaster.
TL |
| #2 By 15406 (216.191.227.68) at 9/28/2006 4:44:31 PM |
| #1: With the fact that it can't play MS' 'Play4Sure" media as the cherry on top. |
| #3 By 3653 (68.52.143.149) at 9/28/2006 5:06:51 PM |
| you guys would find it a "disaster" Regardless. if microsoft bought Ipods from Best Buy, opened the box, slipped in a $20 bill, then resold the ipods... you'd find some BS to post. |
| #4 By 7754 (216.160.8.41) at 9/28/2006 5:53:30 PM |
| I agree with Latch about the Plays4Sure nonsense. They say they can't play that media "at this point," but that had better change SOON. This strikes me a little like the Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger craziness. I don't think the Zune is a disaster as a device (though whether it actually sells is another matter...), but not including Plays4Sure support is just baffling. That has been one of the few good reasons to buy a non-Apple player thus far. |
| #5 By 23275 (68.17.42.38) at 9/28/2006 8:17:19 PM |
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#4, all, it is very likely that plays4sure itself is in trouble and much of it centers on inconsistencies from provider to provider regarding DRM, lic. backup and trasnfers - so it appears that Microsoft has allowed each provider to establish its own policies - rather than Microsoft carrying that water for all of them. While all that content will work - just as Plays4sure was designed to support, I'm betting it will no longer be as important, and this is actually a good thing for Microsoft - as they will be able to reintroduce their own MSN music store in a different, more central way and compete based upon qaulity and the diversity of codecs available to content providers and their Zune platform.
Zune will succeed and it will evolve in several steps and I am betting that it being as open as it is to so many providers, Plays4Sure aside, will make people happy. #3, has a point.... very negative vibes... Latch, when I am grumpy I roll down to PetSmart and pet the newborn pups - it helps and I'd give it a shot. |
| #6 By 1401 (65.255.137.20) at 9/28/2006 8:26:48 PM |
| #5 - Zune will succeed for sure huh? So how are sales of that 'Oragami' device doing lately? |
| #7 By 1401 (65.255.137.20) at 9/28/2006 8:27:30 PM |
| Are we gonna start calling recordings "Zunecasts"? |
| #8 By 23275 (68.17.42.38) at 9/28/2006 8:40:39 PM |
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#6, I have no idea how they are doing over all. We have sold four of them to customers and they love them [Samsung Q1]. The buyers of them have wanted a very light system that they could use on the road. The Q1's case and companion keyboard make it extremely usable. All four have gone to professionals who are also on the lecture circuit who were tired of managing a laptop. Having configured two of them, I can attest to the fact that they perform very well and are extremely lightweight. I do not see how that has any relevance to the Zune, but it is as much of an answer as I have.
And yes, the Zune will succeed - that is my opinion and I have shared why. |
| #9 By 32132 (64.180.219.241) at 9/28/2006 11:00:07 PM |
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"A Zune Pass subscription gives consumers access to millions of songs for $14.99 per month. "
As long as Microsoft offers a similar or better selection of music than Napster, whats the big deal? |
| #10 By 2960 (68.101.39.180) at 9/29/2006 8:58:22 AM |
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#3. It has nothing to do with what you state. It:
1. Is poorly priced. 2. The service is expensive. 3. The accessories are expensive. 4. It doesn't support Microsoft's own technologh "PlaysForSure" which MS swore was the end-all, be-all of music. For starters. TL |
| #11 By 2960 (68.101.39.180) at 9/29/2006 9:00:07 AM |
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#9,
I get the same thing at Yahoo Music for $4.95 a month. Do the math. TL |
| #12 By 8556 (12.217.111.92) at 9/29/2006 10:10:27 AM |
| Every new product that MS has sold that was functional and priced substantially below the competition (MS Office Suite was sold for less than Word Perfect stand alone word processor) was a success. There is no way that consumers will rush to buy Zune at the same price as a comparable iPod. There is no name recognition, or buzz, for Zune. Zune will soon join Bob in the dumpster, unless its price is cut in half. |
| #13 By 32132 (142.32.208.238) at 9/29/2006 11:53:58 AM |
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Jan 2006 Apple shipped ...14,043,000 iPods during the quarter
April 2006 Apple shipped ... 8,526,000 iPods July 2006 Apple shipped ... 8,111,000 iPods during the quarter. "The iPod, the digital music player beloved of everyone from Coldplay's Chris Martin to President George Bush, is in danger of losing its sheen. Sales are declining at an unprecedented rate. Industry experts talk of a 'backlash' and of the iPod 'wilting away before our eyes'. Most disastrously, Apple's signature pocket device with white earphones may simply have become too common to be cool." http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1869042,00.html |
| #14 By 37 (67.37.29.142) at 9/29/2006 12:17:40 PM |
| Well, I know I will be a happy Zune owner in November :-) |
| #15 By 2960 (68.101.39.180) at 9/29/2006 1:24:45 PM |
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Notparkker,
I know the full truth isn't your bag, but how about listing the next largest seller alongside those apple numbers for perspective :) TL |
| #16 By 23275 (209.149.207.40) at 9/29/2006 1:38:05 PM |
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There is a lot more to Zune than music - a lot more. First, there is an entire ecosystem behind it that does not require Plays4Sure at all - and one backed by many content providers. Second, Zune is not alone - it will ride a presence enhanced by Xbox and its community where the currency is the same as for the Zune; it will also have a strong presence in Soapbox, which is entirely consistent with Web 2.0, with viral and social marketing energies driven by user participation and content, and of course, all of Windows/Vista - an enormous presence.
That's only one side of the force that will be applied to support Zune. The next part, four, is the nature of Zune interactions - immediate, discoverable and with presence - all that "People near me" business that is so much a part of Zune's strengths in allowing people - especially younger ones, to share via peering wi-fi - they may share songs they have purchased and without any additional costs, the person(s) they share with may play that content for three days. Finally, Zune's content base will be huge, and not limited to music - so 4.95 comparisons do not apply as it will include TV, Movies, Music, Games and Soapbox vids out the kazoo. When one combines all that marketing weight with all the content as delivered within a discoverable peering wireless network that is exactly in tune with how Web 2.0 savvy young people use the web, and Zune will eat very deeply into Apple's iPod market and faster than any one of us can say, competitive parity. That is just my take, but I reason it is close to how it will play out - the proof I suppose will be evident when Apple counters with similar capabilities after 01/07 - after it is too late. Oh, and did I mention that Zune's screen is bigger and that young people are hungry to declare anything yesterday's news. |
| #17 By 15406 (216.191.227.68) at 9/29/2006 1:43:43 PM |
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#13: If there is one thing MS is known for (besides security bugs, anti-competitive behaviour and general bad acts), "cool" is not it. Yes, there are legions of MSbots who will buy it just because MS makes it (see #14), but that doesn't mean it's going to overtake the iPod anytime soon.
|
| #18 By 3 (62.253.128.15) at 9/29/2006 2:16:40 PM |
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#16 while I agree that young people are hungry for new products, Zune isn't cool enough to have it overtake or even get close to the iPod the first time round. While I know all about the lower sales of ipods over the past few months, its not really a surprise, Jan sales were very high as its was from the christmas period for a start. But as #15 said, give some quotes of the nearest other seller and you'll see how far ahead the ipod still is.
Declining sales of it are no real surprise to me, its not because people don't like them or have lost interest, its because the main buzz has happened and the majority of people who wanted them now have them. Most of us Tech Savvy people here on awin and on other tech sites love the idea of Zune's wireless sharing, the rest of the real life world won't really care all that much when it doesn't look good enough to buy. The screen size arguement, while being a genine good screen, the screen itself won't sell it to the majority, other players have had much better screens than the ipod for a while, how well are they selling? While I can't see version one of Zune selling that well, the good news is that Microsoft will keep going, they are making a large enough loss on this one to give an indication they mean business and the rush of the product from the toshiba gigabyte is proof enough that they wanted to get a brand name out even if the product isn't at the place they want it to be right now. #16 again I agree with most of what you say about the good points of Zune, its a good product software and hardware wise just with a poorly concived look at the moment. What I will disagree on is that it won't sell as well as you think and thats not a fanboy opinion at all as I have a Sony MP3 player remember ;o). Lots of people on here believe that because it has Microsoft's backing it won't fail, but people said Origami would sell well (its sold even less in the UK than Tablets did), tablet PC's would sell well, neither of them have done, people here get it wrong a lot of the time when it comes hardware comments. The one thing Microsoft do right in hardware is that they don't give up and I look forward to the battle in a year or so's time when the next Zune and ipods are out. This post was edited by Byron_Hinson[AW] on Friday, September 29, 2006 at 14:17. |
| #19 By 37 (67.37.29.142) at 9/29/2006 2:47:06 PM |
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"17 By Latch (830 Posts) at 9/29/2006 1:43:43 PM
#13: If there is one thing MS is known for (besides security bugs, anti-competitive behaviour and general bad acts), "cool" is not it. Yes, there are legions of MSbots who will buy it just because MS makes it (see #14), but that doesn't mean it's going to overtake the iPod anytime soon. " Then you have people like the above who have their head stuck in the sand, wasting their precious time on a website dedicated to Microsoft, preaching FUD and lies. Heaven forbid another company try something new. Heaven forbid somebody actually likes it. |
| #20 By 23275 (209.149.207.40) at 9/29/2006 3:02:05 PM |
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#18, Excellent counter-points. This is a big part of what makes our industries fun to work in from time to, all too rare, time - small side bets based upon assessements. It will be interesting to see how Microsoft builds it up - not just for the sake of Zune, but because I am starting to feel that Microsoft is changing - a lot and for the better.
For example, [seems totally unrelated] they recently published a set of guidelines for themselves regarding how to responsibly build the future of Windows in ways that builds up both competition and aggregate world market "for all." Rules - for themselves to obey. In other areas, I sense guys like those at Channel 9 revealed a very different, and human side to the company that has done so much to shape the age of CS we are in - I reason that more than anything, the engineers and others that work there started to look inward and what they saw was better than they were being described by many in the press. So for me, Zune represents Microsoft building what people think is cool - vice building what they think is cool - and doing in a way that is goverened by that same type of thinking. Zune reflects a lot of "flexible diversity" (if you will...) that will allow people to use it in so many different ways - "their ways" I suspect that as Microsoft evolves we'll see a lot more of this and that even developer tools will reflect this kind of thinking. There is a way of thinking I like that is what I would recommend to Microsoft if given the chance - goes like this.... a man has a dog. He's good to the dog and never chains it. He pets the dog and feeds it and allows it out as he goes to work. During the day the dog walks to the end of the yard and looks about - wondering if he should wonder off, or not. The dog looks left and then right and decides for the better, that he'll just ease on back to the house. The man comes home, pets and feeds the dog who settles down for yet another restful nap. A different man has a dog - he values the dog so much that he chains it up each day when he leaves for work. Each time the dog manages to get loose, he runs away for days. I think people and customers are like that, too. I also think Microsoft is learning to let both its people and its customers decide about what they'll be doing and with whom. Virtualization of many named spaces is about supporting that and Web 2.0 - driven by what people want to do and with whom is about exercising that. On the social side of the equation - that is what I sense is behind not just Zune as a device [less sexy than an iPod as some may say it is], but what Zune is designed to enable. I think it is as much about what Microsoft's own people need in order to evolve. After all, a lot more people do not have computers than people who do - so there is a lot of market left to grow into. |
| #21 By 3 (62.253.128.15) at 9/29/2006 3:11:01 PM |
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I think they are in the perfect coolness spot when it comes to the software and the hardware itself, its just the outer casing I don't like. I'm different to a lot of music player buyers, I went with the Sony player not because of looks (even though my view of that is that its the best looking one out there!) but because the sound quality was the best I have heard and I wasn't disappointed. Right now I won't buy any other player until one comes out that really does enhance what I want it to do which for me is just play music, I'm not interested in watching video on small screens personally, though I know loads of people who lap it up.
I hope Zune does do well, but the sharing feature is no use if no one buys one in the first place. |
| #22 By 32132 (142.32.208.238) at 9/29/2006 3:20:38 PM |
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"but how about listing the next largest seller alongside those apple numbers for perspective"
"Phones are outselling dedicated MP3 players by six to one. Apple had the market for MP3, but they lost it.'" If, within the next few quarters, all phones end up with MP3 functionality, and Apple doesn't come out with an iPod phone, then Apple would have 12.5% of the MP3 market or less. Which is the point of the Observer article. |
| #23 By 7754 (216.160.8.41) at 9/29/2006 4:03:30 PM |
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Personally, I would be more interested in the Zune if:
- it supported Plays4Sure to support other download sites (along with WMA lossless, if it doesn't already; hopefully it also supports the WMA Voice codec as well...). One of the reasons I own an iPod (even though the hardware is great) is precisely because of iTunes (the app and the store); I want to be able to buy the music from anywhere--I would be a little upset if I bought a CD player from Best Buy and it only played music purchased at Best Buy - it they offered a much smaller, flash-based model with a flash expansion slot (I really don't think I'd use the video feature much, so flash would be enough storage for me...) - it had great line-in recording support - looked a little less like an iPod ;) (I'll have to try their "wheel," but it makes it look an awful lot like an iPod) Hopefully, though, this will come in the 2nd generation. I hope the audio quality is top-notch, also. I'm not optimistic about its chances at this point, but maybe that will change as the product progresses.... |
| #24 By 3 (62.253.128.15) at 9/30/2006 6:06:55 AM |
| #23, owning a phone that plays back MP3s and using the phone to playback MP3's is a different thing altogther, I have a phone that does MP3 playback, would I use it to play my music, not a cat in hells chance. Just because phones have MP3 playback means nothing, certainly over here in the UK most new phones come with MP3 but I don't see hardly anyone ever using their phones for anything other than calls or photos, just the white headphones of ipods around the uk. |
| #25 By 23275 (68.17.42.38) at 9/30/2006 5:30:31 PM |
| #24, Most true, but I assess that is a function of perhaps self-imposed limitations, or limitations imposed by practical considerations - price, codecs used, or licensed - meaning, making a phone capable of superb MP3 playback is technically possible. For example, I use a Motorola Q [we sell and fully configure them, too], with build 149 [includes the SFP for Windows Mobile 5.0]. It has a measured MP3 playback capability equal to the best MP3 players on the market. Now, I must admit, I do not listen to music at all - it hurts my head and I am nearly deaf - so I have no subjective ability to assess such things - but I can read an o-scope pretty well and as I love to share, "Math does not lie" I am betting we see a few things very soon, from the "Zune Megafront" [what I see it as] - a convergence device like no other. I expect they will roll their own SmartPhone and combine all that zune is, with a great phone that is carrier agnostic, SIP and Wi-Fi enabled and an effective client for their own Unified Communications goals inside Exchange 2007 and the enterprise. I bet it's going to be a fine universal remote, too and a client for MCE 2007 - post Vista release for next year - when a dual format HD/BD optical is released for Xbox. That's my bet. |
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