Microsoft's answer to Apple's iPod: Zune

I was wondering when Microsoft would have an answer to combat the dominance of Apple's iPod. Here's their answer, it's the Microsoft Zune.



Zune? What? Whoever in marketing thought of that name? What does it mean? Microsoft did a promoting marketing site to entice users. Get it? Coming Zune as in coming soon. But when you go to that web site, it just looks like some kind of game, they don't really tell you what's it about. You know it's from Micrsoft if you click on the Terms of Use. So apparently, Zune is just the player which is like an iPod but can do more like Wi-Fi and wireless networking. More info can be found on Microsoft's Presspass web site. The player apparently will connect on a PC to a software that guess what resembles like iTunes for syncing and downloading music and media. It's meant to enable sharing, community and is part of Microsoft's Connected Entertainment vision, basically, extend the life of a PC and sell more PCs since PCs form the brain of the entire network and digital devices are just peripherals. In other words, Microsoft wants you to buy a PC so you can then buy their digital devices, extend the network into your home, which means having to install Microsoft software, and hence Microsoft controls your life (if it hasn't already).

From the Gizmodo web site, Microsoft is not trying to beat Apple at its own game, it's putting in features that the iPod doesn't have like ad-hoc networking and buffered internet video. It will be interesting to see what the battery life is in this device, and how consumers will react to this. Apparently, it will be available at Christmas in the States, but no word about if it will be coming to Canada, although I think it will be. So Microsoft will start to control your home, with Windows Media Center and XBox360 for gaming, Zune for mobile music and video, Windows Smartphone PC for cell phone, and UltraMobile PC for small mobile computer so instead of reading the newspaper while you're in the loo, you can check your e-mail and the catch up the latest news using the UltraMobile PC. Remember, the iLoo that Microsoft somehow announced in the UK?

Check out Technorati for more news on the Zune. So, what's the battery life on this thing, knowing that Microsoft mobile devices don't have much battery from past experience. The answer I got is about 12 hours with no wireless on for playing music according to Engadget, which is less than that of the iPod.

On Technorati: zune