Zune is a failure

[method77]

Andy Ihnatko from the aemrican Chicago Sun-Times wrote an excellent review on the Zune. Just read a part of the article:

"Yes, Microsoft's new Zune digital music player is just plain dreadful. I've spent a week setting this thing up and using it, and the overall experience is about as pleasant as having an airbag deploy in your face.

"Avoid," is my general message. The Zune is a square wheel, a product that's so absurd and so obviously immune to success that it evokes something akin to a sense of pity...

The Zune is a complete, humiliating failure. Toshiba's Gigabeat player, for example, is far more versatile, it has none of the Zune's limitations, and Amazon sells the 30-gig model for 40 bucks less.

Throw in the Zune's tail-wagging relationship with music publishers, and it almost becomes important that you encourage people not to buy one."

Must read the article.

[Malicious Intent]

Why is it I can stream music via wifi to my M$ WM5 based mobile, but you can't to the Zune?

What is the difference between sending music between PCs using windows networking software and sending it to an mp3 player?

The article gives Apple some credit. It is nice that Apple stands up a bit, but you have to be foolish to buy an MP3 player from any company that is involved in selling music.

Between fighting to lock consumers in and appeasing the industry, there is nothing left for consumers to enjoy.

[method77]

Why is it I can stream music via wifi to my M$ WM5 based mobile, but you can't to the Zune?

because the phone follows the creators brules not the software provider's. Nokia? Motorola?

What is the difference between sending music between PCs using windows networking software and sending it to an mp3 player?

even the corporate fools don't have an answer to that.

The article gives Apple some credit. It is nice that Apple stands up a bit, but you have to be foolish to buy an MP3 player from any company that is involved in selling music.

Between fighting to lock consumers in and appeasing the industry, there is nothing left for consumers to enjoy.

There are a billion choices out there with no CRAPWARE installed. Lately, iRiver has caught my attention. Excellent stuff.

[DudeAsInCool]

The article gives Apple some credit. It is nice that Apple stands up a bit, but you have to be foolish to buy an MP3 player from any company that is involved in selling music.

Apple makes its money off of the IPods, not the music. I'd rather have Apple selling music then the record companies themselves. You dont have to buy music from Apple to have it play on their IPod--you do have to use their Itunes player, though, which is free

[method77]

Apple has some limitations which is a minus for me. As long as I buy music, I want to play everywhere I choose to. Apple does not let users do that. Boo for Apple as well

[DudeAsInCool]

Apple has some limitations which is a minus for me. As long as I buy music, I want to play everywhere I choose to. Apple does not let users do that. Boo for Apple as well

I dont think that's true. What limitations did Apple impose? I think the recording industry imposed certain limitations, and the softward only allows songs YOU BUY to play on that software. Other than using the Quicktime player to import, and the Itunes player to export to your Ipod, if its your music previously, you can play it anywhere. In addition, people have programs that buypass the rest of the limitations. PS, I dont have one because I dont have a use for one...but I will probably get an IPod shuffle, the miniature player--too good a deal to pass up; and i probably will get an IPhone for ease of use

Every file bought from the iTunes Store with iTunes is encoded with FairPlay. It digitally encrypts AAC audio files and prevents users from playing these files on "unauthorized" computers.

While the iTunes jukebox remains the most popular method to buy and play FairPlay-protected files, the actual decoding is performed by Apple's QuickTime. In fact, every player that can use the QuickTime-plugin is capable of using these files, including RealPlayer, Media Center, and Media Player Classic.

FairPlay is based on technology created by the company Veridisc.

Contents

[hide]

1 Restrictions

2 Harmony

3 DeDRMS, PlayFair, QTFairUse, and Hymn

4 See also

[edit]Restrictions

FairPlay will allow a protected track to be used in the following ways:

The protected track may be copied to any number of iPod portable music players.

The protected track may be played on up to five (originally three) authorized computers simultaneously.

The protected track may be copied to a standard Audio CD any number of times.

The resulting CD has no DRM and may be ripped, encoded and played back like any other CD. However, CDs created by users do not attain first sale rights and cannot be legally leased, lent, sold or distributed to others by the creator.

The CD audio still bears the artifacts of compression, so converting it back into a lossy format such as MP3 may aggravate the sound artifacts of encoding (see transcoding).

A particular playlist within iTunes containing a protected track can be copied to a CD only up to seven times (originally ten times) before the playlist must be changed.

FairPlay does not affect the ability of the file itself to be copied. It only manages the decryption of the audio content.

An intentional limitation of Fairplay is that it prevents iTunes customers from using the purchased music on any portable digital music player other than the Apple iPod. On January 3, 2005, an iTunes online music store customer filed a lawsuit against Apple Computer, alleging the company broke antitrust laws by utilizing FairPlay with iTunes so that purchased music will work only with its own music player, the iPod, freezing out competitors (iTunes Lawsuit).

On June 28, 2004, VirginMega filed a complaint with the French Competition Council against Apple regarding its refusal to license Fairplay to VirginMega for use in their own online music commerce store. The French Conseil de la Concurrence rejected the complaint over accused anti-competitive behavior. (The Decision). The Conseil ruled against the notion that FairPlay was an "essential facility" for three distinct reasons: 1) Playing purchased music on portable players was a small part of the market; 2) CD Burning provides an adequate work-around to get purchased music from other vendors onto an iPod; and 3) There is sufficient availability of portable players that support Microsoft's WMA DRM as a viable alternative and choice for consumers. (iTunes, DRM and competition law)

[method77]

You said yourself that apple requires you to play it with itunes. That is a limitation. Are you flip flopping Dude? :P

BTW the above disclaimer you posted has billions of limitations. What the hell is an "unauthorized" computer? What happens if I don't have a quicktime compatible player? What if my player does not support AAC? What if...? What if...?

I want to buy music and play it all over my house, work and car. I also want to make a copy to give to a hot girl to show off. I also want to play a Barry White track while fucking but I don't have an Apple supported player. Can't I fuck?

[DudeAsInCool]

You said yourself that apple requires you to play it with itunes. That is a limitation. Are you flip flopping Dude? :P

BTW the above disclaimer you posted has billions of limitations. What the hell is an "unauthorized" computer? What happens if I don't have a quicktime compatible player? What if my player does not support AAC? What if...? What if...?

I want to buy music and play it all over my house, work and car. I also want to make a copy to give to a hot girl to show off. I also want to play a Barry White track while fucking but I don't have an Apple supported player. Can't I fuck?

Lets suppose you want to put YOUR collection on your IPod. You download quicktime and itunes, as you would any other software, to get it in your player--both are free. To get it to play on your cd, you simply export it using the AIFF control on the Itunes player--now it will play any where, including your bedroom. I dont have an IPod--Itunes doesnt limit where and how I play the stuff I already own--I can put in my car or anywhere else. Now you dont have to use Itunes, you can check the Tech Tips forum here for the open source player that bypasses Apple's DRM, and still use the IPod. Do you really think all the kids who have IPods follow all these other rules?

[method77]

I DON"T WANT TO DOWNLOAD ITUNES TO PLAY MY TRACKS! WHY DO THEY MAKE ME DO IT? I DON'T CARE IF IT IS FREE! I WANT TO BUY MUSIC FROM THEIR STORE AND PLAY IT ON MY CREATIVE ZEN PLAYER! CAN I? NO!

Bought music from Bleep or eMusic plays everywhere. Period.

[DudeAsInCool]

I DON"T WANT TO DOWNLOAD ITUNES TO PLAY MY TRACKS! WHY DO THEY MAKE ME DO IT? I DON'T CARE IF IT IS FREE! I WANT TO BUY MUSIC FROM THEIR STORE AND PLAY IT ON MY CREATIVE ZEN PLAYER! CAN I? NO!

Bought music from Bleep or eMusic plays everywhere. Period.

I buy music from emusic sometimes. I dont buy music from Itunes. In your case, if you had an IPod, you would only use ITunes for the transfer. Im surprised you want to buy from Itunes

Its not a bad player. I also have Audible, which is great - the drm free Itunes - windows media player and real player.

[method77]

I'd never buy music from anywhere not just itunes but I'm using it as an example. Some people would do that

[DudeAsInCool]

Here are a couple players you will probably like in due time:

Songbird

http://www.songbirdnest.com/

http://www.rockbox.org/

The anti-DRM message is getting out there. Newsweek recently posted an article about it. DRM is a lost cause, and I predict it will soon disappear. BTW, here is a blog devoted to the subject:

http://www.defectivebydesign.org/en/node

[method77]

defectivebydesign is already a Beatking member -link- and has already posted about the movement a while ago -link-. I had that linked in my sig a while ago as well.

...and I know about free music players. I was just pointing out the limitations that Apple applies which you fail to see. FairPlay IS drm

[DudeAsInCool]

defectivebydesign is already a Beatking member -link- and has already posted about the movement a while ago -link-. I had that linked in my sig a while ago as well.

...and I know about free music players. I was just pointing out the limitations that Apple applies which you fail to see. FairPlay IS drm

I get your points. But the player works for me, because the rules dont affect me - so in the meanwhile, it works for me while I will continue to support the anti-drm movement

BTW, MyTunes is the simplified DRM free ITunes replica for windows

[rainbowdemon]

All this talk about buying music!!

http://www.beatking.com/forums/index.php?showforum=90

[method77]

we are just discussing the DRM issue Joe for people that actually buy music

[DudeAsInCool]

Zune Hacks