Derrick
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Microsoft announced the Zune 4, 8, and 80 yesterday with the number corresponding with the storage capacity in GB of each player. Both the 4 GB and 8 GB players make use of Flash memory.
The new player sport a smaller and sleeker form factor, and according to the official Zune website all new media players feature Wireless sync, Extended wireless sharing, New innovative touch controls, A built-in FM tuner and ‘Recorded television content to go’.
Keeping in line with the latest Web 2.0 trends, Microsoft will launch a Zune Social online community in November that will give members a place to share their music tastes with others.
The Zune Marketplace will also get a dramatically different new look and feel this November, and Zune owners can look forward to a new line of accessories to help consumers get the most from their Zune.
Available at stores in November, the new Zune devices are priced from $149 to $249.
Lagging behind Apple’s iPod
Since its launch last year the Zune’s sales figures were not impressive when compared with Apple’s iPod – only exceeding the one-million mark in July this year.
According to WikiPedia a ‘November 2006 survey of 40 retailers found only 8% of the salespeople recommended Zune, far less than the 75% who recommended the iPod, and that most of the salespeople were unaware of the Zune or who made it.’
Microsoft clearly have a massive battle on its hands to compete effectively with Apple in the portable music player space, and with the recently launched iPod Touch and the new iPod Nano & Classic models Apple has definitely upped the ante.
Microsoft Satisfied
The New York Times quotes Bill Gates as saying that they are very pleased with the Zune. “For something we pulled together in six months, we are very pleased with the satisfaction we got.”
“The satisfaction for the device was superhigh. The satisfaction on the software actually is where we’d expect to see a huge uptick this year. It was just so-so on the software side.”
“I’m sure a year from now we’ll do even better,” Mr. Gates said. “But I’m blown away by what they’ve been able to do in a year.”
The new player sport a smaller and sleeker form factor, and according to the official Zune website all new media players feature Wireless sync, Extended wireless sharing, New innovative touch controls, A built-in FM tuner and ‘Recorded television content to go’.
Keeping in line with the latest Web 2.0 trends, Microsoft will launch a Zune Social online community in November that will give members a place to share their music tastes with others.
The Zune Marketplace will also get a dramatically different new look and feel this November, and Zune owners can look forward to a new line of accessories to help consumers get the most from their Zune.
Available at stores in November, the new Zune devices are priced from $149 to $249.
Lagging behind Apple’s iPod
Since its launch last year the Zune’s sales figures were not impressive when compared with Apple’s iPod – only exceeding the one-million mark in July this year.
According to WikiPedia a ‘November 2006 survey of 40 retailers found only 8% of the salespeople recommended Zune, far less than the 75% who recommended the iPod, and that most of the salespeople were unaware of the Zune or who made it.’
Microsoft clearly have a massive battle on its hands to compete effectively with Apple in the portable music player space, and with the recently launched iPod Touch and the new iPod Nano & Classic models Apple has definitely upped the ante.
Microsoft Satisfied
The New York Times quotes Bill Gates as saying that they are very pleased with the Zune. “For something we pulled together in six months, we are very pleased with the satisfaction we got.”
“The satisfaction for the device was superhigh. The satisfaction on the software actually is where we’d expect to see a huge uptick this year. It was just so-so on the software side.”
“I’m sure a year from now we’ll do even better,” Mr. Gates said. “But I’m blown away by what they’ve been able to do in a year.”