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The Zune Potential

Pat scored on a cheap iPod Video. When I found out that it’s a 30GB, I wanted to say that he should’ve gone for a Zune.

Why? The iPod is sooooo last year. It can only play audio and video. Personally, I don’t care if it plays video or not. I hate small screens.

The Zune has great hardware. FM radio, wireless 802.11b/g and longer battery life. What does the iPod have that it sells so good? The Apple logo? Oh, it doesn’t have the color brown (Zubuntu?).

Can you imagine the possibilities if somebody got to build a working Linux version for it? Here are some of the stuff that I’m thinking of right now.

  • Stream audio to your laptop, home theater, WiFi-enabled car stereos (if there are such things) and WiFi headphones. Unwire and keep the music playing!
  • Share your whole music library by setting up an HTTP or FTP server. Now that’s real P2P!
  • We can’t skip on the web browser
  • Sync via WiFi (is that possible now?)
  • More games! Don’t forget multiplayer games over WiFi.
  • Share contacts, calendar events files.
  • Decrypt WEP/WPA keys (just a small thought) over the air.
  • Arrange a 3×2 array of Zunes and you have one large screen. Synergy-ish screen sync.
  • Instant Messaging

Microsoft could just open the platform but that’s unlikely. I hope they allow third party operating systems in the device like Apple does.

Wait. Are they even selling Zunes locally?

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 1st, 2007 at 01.23.26 and is filed under Geektraptions, Techitude. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • I still wish the apple had fm radio but i still love my ipod haha because i can bring my vodcast collection with me. I don't need wifi on it, it is useless if you don't own a wireless home theater or if you can't browse on it hehehe..
  • But they didn't factor in wifi being powered. The Zune still has a better battery. It'll probably last playing better with WiFi radio turned off when not in use.

    It actually hit me that the Zune is for Windows only this morning. I guess they both suck (well, at some level). Let's go for the Sandisk Sansa Connect instead. Haha
  • by the way, the apple 30 GB 5.5 gen has a 14 hours of batt life and 4 hours of movie playback. while the zune has 12 hrs (some says 14 hours) of music playback and 3.5 hours of movie playback. Small difference though.

    What i like about zune on the other hand is the file format compatibility, h .264, wmv, mp4, acc, wma, mp3

    another downside of zune is it is PC only. it would be nice if it can be used on Apple computer, maybe in the future.
  • well, i guess personal choice.. hehe.
  • I disagree. Even with the DRM, the Zune still has that bonus because you can still do the same thing as the iPod does except that you can share files in a limited way.
  • it is 3 days/3 times, meaning (i think) the file you are going to share that is not DRMed protected can be shared three times to another zune users and the file will only be playable for 3 days (I don't know if the user can actually share the shared file)...

    so Playforsure will play big for this player since you have to use DRM protected files to enjoy the wifi features of zune.

    Apple is still the best hehe, kahit walang fm and wifi capabilities..
  • Yeah, it's 3 days or 3 times, whichever is satisfied first. That sucks. I think someone will come up with some way to crack it though.
  • Yup thats for a brand new unit. Hindi fake ha.. I was actually surprise to hear that the price was too close with apple 30 GB ipod 5.5 (bnew).

    By the way if i was to buy a player for video playback, i'll just buy a creative zen W or an archos player. bigger screen! hehe

    Not only the drm that keeps me from buying zune, if the rumors were true, the shared files will have this property: "3 days/3 times" but this unrelated with drm protection scheme and it is controlled by a metadata found on the NONDRM files. tsk tsk...

    the DRM protect files on the other hand has no limitation of ciurse you have to set the file as shareable..
  • Yeah, and the DRM sucks. It doesn't even work with Microsoft's Play for Sure. I wonder how the next generation will be like.
  • somebody stole the deal from me, but i got a new better deal. i would've also gone for a zune, but i can't afford to buy a new one nobody's selling second hand zunes.
  • P15K? Oh. That's for a new unit right? The hardly used 5.5G iPod is 8K (from TPC).

    And yes, DRM suxx0rz.
  • The answer would be yes. Go to Greenhills and theres one particular place there that does sell one. The 30 GB is being sold for P15K. not bad. I hate the DRM and 3 times-allowed-only sharing of files, I think theres an expiry on the shared files.. It will be cool to get rid of the ms crap on zune and replace it with linux kasi walang ng drm protection...

    Apple 30 gb I think is the only thing that can run the ipod linux. the 80 Gb doesn't have one yet.

    I like my 80 Gb ipod hehe, since i can get the files in it and place it on another ipod though I need a computer to do that. Ok rin naman yung video ng ipod eh. the diff with zune I think only a few inches or centimeters.
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