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iPod’s Doomsday Coming?

Posted by E. A. Smith

On September 18, 2006 C-Hyphen reported to the Highbrid Nation about Microsoft’s new Zune in an article called Microsoft introduces Zuneâ€¦.Is It the iPod Killer? Microsoft has reported that they will target gamers, the people who were not directly targeted by Apple. The units will be placed in EB Games and Game […]

Zune the iPod Killer

On September 18, 2006 C-Hyphen reported to the Highbrid Nation about Microsoft’s new Zune in an article called Microsoft introduces Zuneâ€¦.Is It the iPod Killer? Microsoft has reported that they will target gamers, the people who were not directly targeted by Apple. The units will be placed in EB Games and Game Spot locations as well as other store locations. It is set to be released November 14, 2006 and the 3-inch, 30 gigabyte unit will be priced at $249.99. They plan to release Zune with preloaded music and video clips so that the consumer can immediately test out it’s capabilities.

Zune will be launched with an Car Accessory Pack, Travel Accessory Pack and an A/V Accessory Pack. The Zune Home A/V Pack and Zune Travel Pack will drop for $99.99. Other accessories, like the Zune FM Transmitter $69.99, Premium Earphones $39.99, Dock $39.99, Remote $29.99-Dock required, Car Pack $79.99, and various interface cables $19.99-$29.99 will launch the same day as the Zune.

At launch the Zune is going to be WiFi compatable from one Zune player to another Zune player as C-Hyphen reported, but Microsoft has big plans on interconnecting X-Box 360, the personal PC and Zune into a complete network. It is also rumored that a Zune Phone is set for release in Quarter 1 or Quarter 2 of 2007. As the Zune was hyped, questions came up about the file sharing option. The break down is, Zune users will be able to detect one another and then share songs, recordings, play lists, and pictures completely wirelessly. Songs owned on one Zune and shared with another will be available for playback up to three times over the course of a three day period. After the shared period runs out, users will be able to bookmark the songs for purchase via the Zune Marketplace, Microsoft’s name for its upcoming iTMS-like content download portal. Microsoft will offer two options for the Zune Marketplace, allowing users to either purchase songs one by one like iTunes, or subscribe to a “Zune Pass” rental plan like Napster and Yahoo! Music. Microsoft will be working with a variety of smaller record labels to include both songs and music videos with the Zune. A subscription will be $14.99 a month for unlimited acces.

Stayed tuned for up to the minute updates on the Zune, we will keep it coming until Zune Day on November 14, 2006.
“I have not been excited about anything lately except for the PS3 and now the Zune! For approximately $400 you can be connected completely. I cannot wait.”
-E.Night-

2 Comments »

Comment by Evorgleb

2006-10-03 01:33:07

People people start screaming “iPod killer” lets think about something. Yeh Zune has the tech to give iPod a run for its money but its a microsoft product. Apple=cool. Microsoft=not cool. I think they really need to think about how they brand the product. If i were the guys at microsoft I would keep the microsoft name and logo off the package entirely

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Comment by E. Night

2006-10-03 08:44:16

True, that is why they are targeting people who are already on the Microsoft field (such as X-Box users and PC users). Regaurdless of Microsofts reputation, majority of America has some kind of Microsoft product (computer, software, phone, home game system, PDA, television, email, ect.), by making it compatable with all Microsoft products, I think that it will do all right. The marketing and branding of the product is very important though, and no one has beat Apple in that yet, mp3 wise.

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