Microsoft Announces Zune; Xbox 360 Buyers Explode With Anger
The internet is all abuzz over the official announcement of the Zune. Isn’t that just fabulous?
Well, not really. And here’s why:
Wi-fi sharing:
According to Cesar over at ZuneInsider.com, you CAN share any audio file that is on your Zune, whether it’s protected or not. But get this: “‘I made a song. I own it. How come, when I wirelessly send it to a girl I want to impress, the song has 3 days/3 plays?’ Good question. There currently isn’t a way to sniff out what you are sending, so we wrap it all up in DRM.”
Are you kidding me, Cesar?? Let me ask you this. Is it legal or illegal for me to take a music file (legally owned, either protected or unprotected), record it to an audio cassette and then give that “mix tape” to my friend? Is it legal or illegal for her to then digitize that audio cassette and import it to the Zune? The FACT is that this type of fair use is protected by a little thing we like to call the “Audio Home Recording Act.” Congress said: “In short, the reported legislation [Section 1008] would clearly establish that consumers cannot be sued for making analog or digital audio copies for private noncommercial use.” (House Report No. 102-780(I), August 4, 1992)
What the hell? Why are you stopping me from doing something that is private, noncommercial, and protected by law?
Video Streaming:
Get this. Again according to Cesar,
On Zune file formats: Zune will support . . . video formats (WMV, H.264, MPEG4, 320×240). . . . You can plug your Zune device into your Xbox 360 to stream music, pictures, and video, via USB cable.
WHOA WHOA WHOA! So, you’re telling me that the Zune not only can stream VIDEO to my Xbox 360 via USB, but that it also supports MPEG4???
MY HEAD A SPLODE!
So, what exactly is stopping you useless corporate whores from supporting Mpeg4/DivX/Xvid streaming to my 360 RIGHT NOW via USB? Huh? What is it? NOTHING. That’s what. Nothing except the insanely aggravating practice of restricting and handicapping anything and everything that might ever conceivably compete with Microsoft in the past, present, or far distant future.
SO… PISSED… OFF… RIGHT… NOW…
If for some strange reason, you want to see the specs and whatnot, head over to Engadget and check out the gory details.
Podcast Support:
It gets better. Jason Cross responds to this statement made by Cesar,
“Zune will play podcasts. I’m actually listenting to a podcast right now. If you bring the audio file into the software (like a wma or mp3 file), you can play it on your Zune. Beyond that, there will be other options for podcasting support for future releases.”
Quoting Jason, Translation – no actual podcast support. There’s no podcast directory, and there will be no support for importing your podcast RSS feeds to the software app and having it download them.
All you can do is use Juice or Doppler or whatever to grab your podcasts and then manually import the MP3s or WMAs into your library, just like you can with every other music player that doesn’t really have any kind of ‘podcast support.’
LAME LAME LAME.
‘Community’ oriented player my ass.
Well put, my friend.
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I love some of MS products but I think their attempt to get into the MP3 market is really futile. Even though I am an Xbox fan I cant see a reason to trade in my 5G iPod for a Zune.
I agree, I love my iPod and love iTunes even more. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Even my PSP has a saved RSS list that I can download or stream directly from a hotspot. Zune can’t even do that?
+ The screen on the promotional photos are fake, it’s sharper than it should be. The resolution is the same as that of the 5G.
ill just use my psp
Was thinking of getting one of these, I hate IPods. Now, no chance in hell. Screw M$ and their constant limiting my options. Windows already limits my options to run well all the time… but at least I can play divx and any other media file on it. Also the reason I built a media center PC. I don’t rely on my video game systems to play movies, videos and music. I don’t need videos on the go anyway. I don’t want to watch videos on a screen the size of a credit card. That’s the reason I bought a 52″ TV!
I found the perfect solution and it’s called Japanese electronics. They sell MP3 players in Japan you can’t get here and they are waaay better. Like an SD card MP3 player, the size of an SD card but 1/2 inch thick. You can get 4Gb SD cards now, and that makes it all easier.
Small memories of the small minded.
If you think Apple is any better than Microsoft, it’s time you took your head out of your arse.
It took Apple a while to support podcasts…
It’s taken Apple 7 generations of its software to get gapless playback…
Why should MS give support for anything they don’t want to just because you say you want it??
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Why should MS give support for anything they don’t want to just because you say you want it??[/quote]
@funkyj: maybe because THEY want US to buy it? ever heard of consumer orientation for the sake of making $$$?
F**k M$, they cant let me watch videos on my 360 so they make a device that does it to get more money!>? hell no Im not buying that crap Ill stick to getting an ipod.. not to mention windows media center… im not buying that either just to stream videos…
i own a zune player and i tell you i love it. and if you think apple is that much better, your a very jaded soul.lets see, micro$oft saved apple from complete and udder shut down. maybe not completely out but imac would have been the first “name” they sold. plus my lynix is costumizable to do anything i want W/ my zune. not with islob
not so customer orianted i guess
i have a zune, and the picture is great the video is great and the screen is huge, i like it way more than i liked my 30g ipod, it kicks the shit out of it actually, and the sound is way better.. thats just me though.. i like better things