Thinking about buying a Zune? DON'T. Read this review first.

[thewayne]

I love the fact that Microsoft would bring out an MP3 player that isn't compatible with Windows Media Player, much less the fact that it cannot play podcasts.

http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/147048,CST-FIN-Andy23.article

And if you like fanboi rants, feel free to look over the Slashdot thread at http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/11/26/1426240

Comments

[donkey-hokey.livejournal.com]

Bleh. I'll stick with my iRiver, thanks. It doesn't play videos, but who wants to try watching videos on a headache-inducing 2 square inch screen?

And it WILL integrate with Media Player, if I want it to.

[silveradept]

Bah. Zune, from the sounds of things, is going to crash and burn. I'll keep my requires-no-special-software Zen Micro, thanks.

[thedragonweaver.livejournal.com]

When I got married, straitened circumstances indicated no DJ, but hey! We had computers and MP3s, and could borrow a PA system, so no problem. Tower + keyboard + mouse + CRT + stupid annoying MP3 player that made playlists a PITA.

Eleven months later, Apple came out with the iPod, and you could do the same thing with something the size of a deck of cards. Sure, it wasn't the first, but it had one added benefit— it just worked. Now portable music devices— those that have survived— have hewed to that one necessary rule.

If you want it to survive, having it work nicely out of the box is a big factor. 'Cause people know that they should, and therefore any setup difficulties are apt to be met with the attitude of "take it back; it's broken."

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

I'm not a fan of the iPod because of its interface: the wheel simply does not work for me. I much prefer the "cassette player" interface that many other players use. That's me. I do respect the iPod for just what you said "it just worked." It's frightening how Microsoft so completely ignored this simple axiom.