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RIP Microsoft Zune brand

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Re: RIP Microsoft Zune brand

#31

Post by Qz »

burgerbrain wrote: post #6
protomyth wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would make sense, as a way to build market share, to turn Zune into the WP7's iPod touch. From a developer perspective, that is a powerful additional number of users.

When you say "Zune" to your average consumer, all you get is laughter. The tech might have been good, but in my (humble) opinion, ditching the brand and all it's baggage is a very good idea.

Actually plenty of average consumers I know actually like the Zune brand, the windows media program specifically.

Re: RIP Microsoft Zune brand

#32

Post by darthg0d »

foresterh wrote: post #30
chops wrote: post #11

As a longtime Zune user and appreciator, I'm hoping that the Zune-Pass will be rolled into something else and that existing devices won't suddenly lose access to the Zune-pass service songs ($15/mo for unlimited (DRMed) songs and 10 MP3 Downloads was generally great). Further, if the Zune software becomes the "WP7" software, I won't really care so long as it still works with my existing devices. If, on the other hand…

How was it better than Rhapsody? That's only $10/month, and you can, as far as I know, download whatever you want to listen to offline (though I may be wrong... I listen to most stuff online)

Other than the unlimited songs which have DRM on it, you get to own 10 songs every month (in MP3).

Re: RIP Microsoft Zune brand

#33

Post by arrogant »

agazso wrote: post #24
Refringe wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't stand iTunes as a media player. I'm still using an old version of Winamp.

Try Foobar2000! It is open-source, actively developed, has tons of features and plugins but still lightweight, plays numerous formats and the best, works out-of-the box. http://www.foobar2000.org/ I also changed from Winamp, when it became adware.

It's freeware, but not open-source.

Re: RIP Microsoft Zune brand

#35

Post by burgerbrain »

Qz wrote: post #31
burgerbrain wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you say "Zune" to your average consumer, all you get is laughter. The tech might have been good, but in my (humble) opinion, ditching the brand and all it's baggage is a very good idea.

Actually plenty of average consumers I know actually like the Zune brand, the windows media program specifically.

The most I ever personally hear is "my aunt bought me this instead of an ipod, it's not as bad as I thought it'd be".

Re: RIP Microsoft Zune brand

#36

Post by c141charlie »

The Zune desktop software is stunning. The design and layout of the application is vastly superior to iTunes and Windows Media Player. The Zune pass, and artist bios are excellent people who love to discover new music. Each time I use Zune I think to myself, "I need to write software this beautiful and functional."

Zune integration with Windows Phone 7 was the candle that flickered my last hope for Microsoft to compete with iOS and Android. Microsoft's inability to work with carriers to push out WP7 updates, and now the death of the Zune brand, puts that candle out. What a tragedy.

Re: RIP Microsoft Zune brand

#37

Post by qq66 »

uvTwitch wrote: post #10

I think Windows Phone 7 really suffers from the lack of unique branding. It doesn't have a unique product name like Android or iPhone; even 'Zune Mobile' would have been better, Windows Phone 7 doesn't evoke anything and just sounds like a technical specification.

90% of the phones sold this year in the US were dumbphones. For the people who bought those phones, Android and iPhone are not very strong brands yet, iPhone perhaps on par with "Windows" (what they use at work and at home).

Windows is still a very familiar brand to everyone, even though it doesn't have any cachet.

Re: RIP Microsoft Zune brand

#38

Post by imaverickk »

chops wrote: post #11

As a longtime Zune user and appreciator, I'm hoping that the Zune-Pass will be rolled into something else and that existing devices won't suddenly lose access to the Zune-pass service songs ($15/mo for unlimited (DRMed) songs and 10 MP3 Downloads was generally great). Further, if the Zune software becomes the "WP7" software, I won't really care so long as it still works with my existing devices. If, on the other hand…

http://www.facebook.com/Zune/posts/183517868352402

Re: RIP Microsoft Zune brand

#39

Post by larsberg »

chops wrote: post #11

As a longtime Zune user and appreciator, I'm hoping that the Zune-Pass will be rolled into something else and that existing devices won't suddenly lose access to the Zune-pass service songs ($15/mo for unlimited (DRMed) songs and 10 MP3 Downloads was generally great). Further, if the Zune software becomes the "WP7" software, I won't really care so long as it still works with my existing devices. If, on the other hand…

I, too, hope it's just rebranding.

Zune Pass is Netflix for music, and I think people on other platforms (including me, back when I was on iPhone+Mac) are really missing out.

Re: RIP Microsoft Zune brand

#40

Post by smbwrs »

ptomato wrote: post #23
thought_alarm wrote: post #16

Well, it was no surprise to most people that Microsoft could release a well-designed MP3 player well after the problem of the MP3 player had been solved. (Although, the Zune Desktop software was way too underpowered for my needs.) It was also no surprise that it had little impact on the market. They have been 3 steps behind their competition for the entire time. Few differentiating features beyond music subscriptions…

Judging from what they call that, they'll probably call it the Windows Media Device 7 Windows Windows Media Device Windows 7 Windows Device Device 7.

I kept reading the name and it never got not-funny.

(Should I get the Home Edition, Premium Edition, Professional Edition, Gold Premium Edition Plus, or the Home Platinum Professional Office Extra Plus Edition?)

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