ibtimes.com — Yesterday, Microsoft announced pricing and release dates for its anticipated Zune portable media player. Once thought to be the greatest threat to Apple's dominant iPod lines, some experts now contend that the device will do more damage to Microsoft partners instead.
Sep 29, 2006 View in Crawl 4
oxide7Sep 29, 2006
Microsoft has too much money. they can afford to make products that suck because they can just afford to push it on to everyone until people just start accepting it. Xbox isnt really that great is it? Same w/ the Zune. The guy in the article says its bulky w/ inferior battery life. But its ok, MS can afford it!
addicted44Sep 30, 2006
@estvir - The main problem with comparing the music scene to the game scene, is that in the video gaming scene, companies actually make money by selling content. A great example is EA, which is a huge financial success, and pretty much the only thing they do is sell video games. Thus, there is enough profit in selling video games, that MS can recover the loss on the hardware (although, they have not been able to do that yet. I dont have the link on hand, but I am pretty sure their Xbox division (which includes money through sales of games) has not been able to turn in a profit yet. Correct me if I am wrong).On the other hand, no one has been able to turn in a profit selling music. iTunes, while clearly being the dominant player, turns in very little profits. Maybe eMusic makes money, but definitely not enough to support losses on hardware. For apple, iTunes is just a way to let people use their iPods better (by providing an easy path to legal music). All their profits are from the iPod, and not sales on the iTunes. MS, quite obviously, is trying to dominate the market, by decimating the competition. Once that has happened, then the field is open for them to make tons of money.
loplaSep 30, 2006
OMG, my 17 yr old stepson and I started talking about the Zune. He said he's getting a nano for Christmas and his friend Jeremy was going to get a Zune until his friends started calling him a "Zunetard" and laughing at him, this is not looking good for MS.. It's actually going to be "gay" to own a "Zune", what a disaster.
addicted44Sep 30, 2006
@everyone. I have a question regarding the subscription business. 1) Is there any company in the music subscription business that is making money?2) How do the subscription companies recompensate the labels?3) How do the companies recompensate the artists?If someone could answer those questions, it would be really helpful. I am doing some informal research, and some assistance with this would be awesome.Thanks
skellenerSep 30, 2006
> Regardless, the analysts believes the Zune will see modest > success due to Microsoft's vast resources and strong brand...Åhahahahahahahhahahahahahaha! Vast resources and strong brand? Microsoft? Åhahahahahahahhahahahahahaha! Too much kool-aid drinking among analysts!
antdudeSep 30, 2006
<a class="user" href="http://duggmirror.com/apple/Zune_Hurts_Microsoft_and_Partners_more_than_Apple">http://duggmirror.com/apple/Zune_Hurts_Microsoft_and_Partners_more_than_Apple</a>
loplaSep 30, 2006
Ballmer called them personally to remove it, the exact words were "DO YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE!!?? WE WILL CRUSH YOU!! I WILL RIP YOUR HEAD OF AND SH(&^%$! DOWN YOUR NECK!!! YOU WILL REMOVE THE ARTICLE NOW AND SO HELP ME GOD!! IF YOU HAVE RUINED OUR PLANS FOR AN IPOD KILLER I'LL KILL YOU!! HHEEEEYYEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"
dustybSep 30, 2006
@addicted44 Yeah I understand, while I don't agree with the style thing, thats just me, but its all about what you like. And ease of use is important, but I like to have the best. And I don't mind a little bit thicker of a player. But I can completely see where your comming from.@SyDIGGYou're an idiot.
ptrcd003Sep 30, 2006
Uh..I think your and his friend are the "retards".
jwdavOct 1, 2006
Note to Microsoft: You should not launch faux "Zune fan" websites until after the product is actually released if you want anyone to think they're really inspired by your product/service.