Friday, December 15, 2006
Are You A Sucker for Zune Pass?
Posted by Darius Wey in "Zune Talk" @ 06:45 AM
"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?
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?
