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All posts tagged "service"


Friday, February 13, 2009

Leaked WinMo 6.5 Screenshots Hint at Marketplace

Posted by Adam Krebs in "Zune News" @ 06:30 AM

http://gadgetmix.com/index/?p=3562

"We're just days away from Mobile World Congress where Microsoft is expected to make a few notable annoucements. Until then, we have to settle for all the hints and innuendo we can gather as Redmond attempts to win back the hearts, minds, and pocketbooks of consumers infatuated with Android, WebOS, and whatever Apple's got cookin'. Like these supposed 6.5 screenshots above, this time showing what looks like a Marketplace store a la the Zune. We also have CNET reporting today that Microsoft quietly split its Zune team in two on January 22nd: software and services under Enrique Rodriguez, and hardware under Tom Gibbons who just happens to heads-up hardware design at Microsoft's Windows Mobile unit."

If true, we could be seeing a major paradigm shift from Microsoft-managed end-to-end device and software services, to opening up the Zune experience for more devices through Windows Mobile. Whatever the case, I can only hope Microsoft decides to release this internationally so that we can finally start to see some real sales. Mobile World Congress is only a few days away, and I can't wait to see what they show off.


Friday, December 15, 2006

Are You A Sucker for Zune Pass?

Posted by Darius Wey in "Zune Talk" @ 06:45 AM

http://www.terrygold.com/t/2006/12/thank_you_apple.html

"Last month the Zune was released, and now the way I listen to music has changed radically again. Music makes me really happy, and I’m listening to more of it and I’m discovering new types of music too. I do like the Zune better than the iPod, but that’s not the point of this post or really the reason that I’m listening to new music. Every Zune comes with a free 14 day free trial of Zune’s subscription music service - that's what changed everything. I may never buy another CD. I’ll warn you, if you try it you may get hooked just like I did."



Much like Terry Gold, I love music and I love discovering new artists, so I wasn't the least bit surprised to find that I was able to relate to his love for Zune Pass - an all-you-can-eat music service (similar to URGE et al.) that the iPod/iTunes ecosystem lacks. For the cost to own roughly one album per month, you gain access to many, and that's a hard deal to beat. As "rented" music (good for as long as the subscription is active), the DRM isn't overly restrictive; while tunes cannot be burned, or synced to more than two devices, they can be played back on three computers and even the Xbox 360 (either via the Zune software or the Zune player). That's a reasonable amount of playback rights for most people. This new door to music is one edge that the Zune has over the iPod, and is even the reason that some people have chosen a Zune over an iPod this Christmas. Are you in that boat?


Monday, November 20, 2006

Microsoft Embracing Open Ecosystems

Posted by Darius Wey in "Zune Talk" @ 08:00 AM

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=146646

"Zune is unlikely "to make any dent at all in Apple’s market share," says Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies, a consultancy in Silicon Valley. But Microsoft probably has no choice but to try, he adds. During its first 25 years, he says, Microsoft succeeded above all by bringing computer technology to businesses; to succeed in its next 25 years, it must turn its attention to consumer gadgets, for that is where the innovation and growth will be. But the formula with which Microsoft achieved its dominance in the first round appears not to be working in the second. So Zune is based on a very different business model-evidence that Microsoft is changing."

The iPod and Xbox 360 are living proof that closed ecosystems in the entertainment industry do work. This is the path the Zune is taking, though that doesn't necessarily guarantee success in the same order as the aforementioned. In its current form, the Zune ecosystem is decent, but it could be so much more. Where are the movies and the TV shows? Where's the deep integration with other Microsoft products (because at the moment, it's only scraping the surface)? There's so much potential, and Microsoft has to deliver it.


Thursday, September 28, 2006

Zune Marketplace Details Announced

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Zune Media" @ 11:36 AM



There's not much to go on here, but the first official details about Zune Marketplace have emerged: the all-you-can-eat subscription cost will be $14.99 USD per month, and the service will contain "millions" of songs. Individual songs will cost 79 Microsoft Points, which work out to 99 cents USD. And that's it for the official information.

Let's unpack that a little - first, the pricing at $14.99 USD. That's the same as Napster with a NapsterToGo subscription, which is what is required for playback on devices. It's 50% more expensive than the Yahoo! Music Unlimited To Go offering at $9.99 USD per month. Microsoft's pricing then would seem to be hardly market-leading, and I firmly believe market-leading is where they need to position themselves to make serious in-roads on the already established players. If I can get unlimited music on my Creative Zen Vision:M for $9.99 USD a month from Yahoo!, will the WiFi goodies on the Zune be enough to justify the $60 more a year? I would have much preferred Microsoft to position their service with more aggressive pricing - $9.99 USD per month has a nice ring to it. We can always hope that the $14.99 USD pricing is for monthly payments, and a yearly payment would cut the price back.

The issue may be moot however, as the Zune Marketplace is going to be limited to the United States only at launch. I held out slim hope that there'd be a footnote someplace that said "Oh yeah, Canada too", but a Microsoft source confirmed for me that it was limited to the USA. This is going to be hugely frustrating, although it's not unexpected. Regardless of where Microsoft launches the Zune hardware, people from outside the USA will get their hands on the hardware. They won't be able to use the device to it's full potential though without access to the Zune Marketplace. This issue is made more glaring by the fact that the Zune will not work with any other online music services. The "Zune Experience" might be easier than other services, but the question is how quickly will Microsoft be launching the Zune in other countries? MSN Music still isn't available in Canada, though they did launch in seven other international markets (Australia, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom). Will the Zune launch in more countries, and faster? I sincerely hope so.

A word about track pricing: 79 Microsoft points converts to 99 cents USD, which is standard for the market. I hope that pricing will be different when the Zune launches in other markets: 79 points is $1.26 Canadian, which is 27% more expensive than the 99 cents CAN iTunes users in Canada pay. Interestingly enough, Darius (who's in Australia) tells me that the $1.30 Australian that 79 points converts to is less expensive than iTunes in Australia. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in international markets.

There are still many unknowns: what about Zune Marketplace on multiple PCs? One would hope that, at minimum, they'd match Napster's three-PC offering, though as someone with six regularly-used PCs in his home, I'd love to see a more aggressive offering. What about multiple Zunes on one Marketplace account? Questions, questions.


Thursday, August 24, 2006

What is the Zune?

Posted by Darius Wey in "Zune Talk" @ 10:51 AM



One of our readers kindly informed us that in the excitement of the launch of Zune Thoughts, we failed to mention what the Zune was, and so he had to perform a quick web search to find out more. Not too surprising, really. There hasn't been much Zune-related publicity in print and visual media, and most of the buzz surrounding the product has been generated from blogs, internet news sites, and teaser pages. Over the days, weeks, and months, we'll be revealing the Zune slowly and steadily, similar to the peeling of the layers of an onion (without the pungent smell, of course). To kick things off, this post will give a quick "5W" analysis of the Zune. For those of you who have been tracking past and present Zune-related news, you won't find anything new here. This post scrapes the surface of the Zune, and serves to provide a basic overview of what the Zune is and what it has to offer.

What: Zune is a collective term describing the hardware, software, and services behind a new Microsoft-driven portable digital entertainment experience. All three components will be heavily tied together, much like the successful Xbox and Xbox Live model. Unlike other digital audio players driven by Microsoft technologies, the Zune will be unique in that everything will be born and bred within Microsoft, without the interference of OEM partners.

Who: As you've probably worked out, Microsoft is the company behind the Zune. Digging deeper, some of the folk behind the Xbox 360 are the brains behind it all.

When: The Zune isn't a Microsoft project lasting several months. While the first-generation Zune device is expected in the fourth quarter of 2006, the project will continue for many years as successive models are released with new features enhancing the overall integrated experience.

Where: The Zune will initially launch in the United States. By the end of 2007, the product line will expand and be made available in multiple countries.

Why: Microsoft's plan to rejuvenate its presence in the portable digital entertainment market isn't simply about replicating the functions of other digital audio players. The company plans to go the extra mile by tapping into this core theme of "community and discovery", which it knows a lot about, thanks to the successful Xbox model. Visiting an online media store won't just be about purchasing the media, but rather, an additional opportunity to share media (both purchased and user-created), share experiences, and so on. And then in the bigger picture, extending and integrating that Zune experience with other Microsoft products such as Media Center, Windows Mobile, Windows Live, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, and the list continues. Many have argued that the Zune is simply an iPod clone, but based on the hints that Microsoft has dropped over the past couple of months, it's a lot more than just a clone, and as we approach Christmas, we'll start to see the Zune take shape and its features become clearer.

Want to see Microsoft's official teaser page? Visit Coming Zune.


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