News
Microsoft confirms Zune products
Following months of rumors and speculation, Microsoft has finally confirmed the existence of its “Zune” project, which will spawn products to compete with the iPod and iTunes head-on.
Microsoft executives said today that the company will later this year launch the Zune umbrella brand, which it calls “a family of hardware and software products” targeting various digital entertainment services. As expected, the first Zune offerings will be a portable audio player and a digital music service, both of which will be released before the end of 2006. Microsoft said additional Zune-branded devices will follow, including a portable video player and possibly a portable gaming device. The company also confirmed the rumored Wi-Fi connectivity features.
Microsoft has also launched a new “Coming Zune” website and a new “Zune Insider” blog. The company said it will support the Zune launch later this year with a “massive advertising and marketing campaign expected to be heavily artist-centric, including several live performances nationwide.”
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1
Well…....lets see if they can get this out “Zuner” than Vista!
They’ll still never beat iPod!
Posted by mik on July 21, 2006 at 2:04 PM (PDT)
2
i’m curious as to see how this will measure up to the almighty ipod.
Posted by QWER on July 21, 2006 at 2:19 PM (PDT)
3
Was zunelounge.com registered by ilounge.com?
Posted by joe on July 21, 2006 at 2:19 PM (PDT)
4
oh oh there goes the neighbourhood
Posted by leepod on July 21, 2006 at 2:20 PM (PDT)
5
Haha poor Microsoft.
Posted by :3 on July 21, 2006 at 2:46 PM (PDT)
6
YAWN..another ipod killer..
5 years too late
ipods rule..
Posted by mango on July 21, 2006 at 3:03 PM (PDT)
7
I’ll reserve my judgement of the product once I see it but the name is horrible. Xbox..xbox 360..iPod…Zen..those all have a nice sound to them. Zune sounds like a bad guy from Tron.
Posted by df57 on July 21, 2006 at 3:32 PM (PDT)
8
In other words, they’re going to do exactly what they did with the Xbox and pay a bunch of stupid sellout celebrities to lend their support for the product. I know I can’t wait for the P. Diddy voiceover and Justin Timberlake performance!!!! Ugh.
Posted by Devil Neville on July 21, 2006 at 4:49 PM (PDT)
9
I look forward to their first ZuneCast/
Posted by deedubya on July 21, 2006 at 5:35 PM (PDT)
10
Ummm…did anyone Zune website? A giant man, a rabbit and a tiny person…what the hell was that all about?
Posted by confused on July 21, 2006 at 6:26 PM (PDT)
11
To Confused:
It symbolizes friendship. If you notice at the end of the dumb presentation, you well see something like “Were all Friends….”
I guess they think their product will become friends with the iPod…. yeah right.
Posted by LazyBoy on July 21, 2006 at 7:06 PM (PDT)
12
The Zune “blog” is A FAKE. There’s no Cesar anybody actually writing his experience about working on Zune!
It’s so poorly done, that it’s even obvious that it’s a giant commercial scam (including the fake comments to the “blog” entries, which the average passerby can’t actually post to).
I hate Microsoft, and this is EXACTLY why. Their marketing is garbage, so they resort to lying in order to appeal to the naive blog browser who happens by.
That is so sad.
Posted by jblaize on July 21, 2006 at 7:16 PM (PDT)
13
I welcome this Zune with open arms. It’ll push Apple to make better products instead of rehashing their products every year and releasing lame revisions like the U2 iPod…
Posted by Sean on July 21, 2006 at 7:32 PM (PDT)
14
Hey Sean… buddy…. Even I welcome this move my MS since it will surely spice up the competetion, and in turn we all will get better iPods…. BUT, U2 iPod is NOT LAME !!!
Posted by Alien on July 22, 2006 at 12:10 AM (PDT)
15
Microsoft will also compete heavily on price. This will have a very serious impact on profits at Apple.
Posted by Joshua on July 22, 2006 at 12:10 AM (PDT)
16
@ Alien: I agree even though I wouldn’t buy one. The U2 iPod might seem to be a desperate marketing ploy on the surface. However if it didn’t work they wouldn’t do it - after all they don’t really need to.
@ Joshua: A games console can be sold cheaply because profit comes from games; but with music players it’s not the same model. If MS sold their player at a loss what would they make profit from?
Posted by Pikemann_Urge on July 22, 2006 at 5:12 AM (PDT)
17
Sorry but the Harry Potter and u2 edition ipods are really pointless, i mean how many younger people even know who u2 is? I think the new player is a great idea! I mean hey Microsoft is really not that bad when it’s not working on windows or windows media player, or patching you computer with tons of security updates. I cant wait to get the reviews on this.
Posted by Travis on July 22, 2006 at 5:15 AM (PDT)
18
Their “Coming Zune” site is surprisingly good and surprisingly subtle. The video looks like the artwork of Beck’s last album, and it’s kinda interesting that the music they’ve chosen is a Regina Spektor’s song. To be honest, iPod ads look stupid in comparison.(And yes, I have an iPod, and I like it).
Posted by Eugene on July 22, 2006 at 5:40 AM (PDT)
19
Zune?
Why do I think of throat lozenges….
Posted by Bob Levens in UK on July 22, 2006 at 6:49 AM (PDT)
20
$500 says it won’t support AAC.
Posted by Galley in Greenville, SC on July 22, 2006 at 9:06 AM (PDT)
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