Does The Zune Matter?

I’m not sure how anyone could have missed it, but Microsoft’s Zune hits the streets today at $249. On the positive side, the iPod competitor integrates an FM receiver and WiFi functionality. But the Zune is bulkier than the iPod, offers fewer store downloads, has a small selection of accessories, isn’t cross platform, and it isn’t even Microsoft PlaysForSure compatible. Zune’s WiFi strikes me as more of a novelty than a compelling feature at this point — I just don’t see myself sharing music with strangers on the subway… But maybe I’m old and cranky.

Zune coverage:

6 thoughts on “Does The Zune Matter?”

  1. Yup, old and cranky. The Kidz’ll eat this up. I don’t understand it, I’m older and crankier. (Actual I kinda do, and that’s worse.)

  2. I assume the iPod line *will* get WiFi and/or Bluetooth within the next 6-9 months. I also assume Apple left off FM to push people into buying more iTunes. They did come out with an accessory recently for FM, but it why not just build it in so we can listen to the iPod with the TVs in the gym?

  3. Ha!:
    “but it why not just build it in so we can listen to the iPod with the TVs in the gym?”

    ZNF credibility just went down the tubes. Gym! Ha!

  4. WiFi is a good question, but I’m not surprised FM isn’t built in. Most FM isn’t worth listening to, and some of the content you might hear on FM radio is available via podcast.

    In fact, with podcasts I can’t imagine why I’d ever want to listen to FM again. Especially here in San Francisco where I live, where hills make reception spotty.

  5. For me, one of the big points to having an iPod in the first place was to get AWAY from FM. AM/FM is dead to me. I have over 13,500 tracks in my collection (all legal), and I have Sirius in my car. (I actually like XM better, but the car came with Sirius.)

    I actually get more drop-outs with Sirius than I did with FM – one road I drive every day is completely tree-lined, so I can get drop outs on that road, especially when it is raining or very cloudy. But most of the time it is clear. I don’t have ads. And I get to hear the ‘real’ version of the songs, not radio edits. Can’t have those nasty curse words on FM! And I get better musical options – lately I’ve been listening to Channel 19, Buzzsaw – classic hard rock.

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