What to start a dyalogue like this one?
to start one of your own.Is the Zune HD ready to battle with the iPod Touch?
On May 26, 2009, Microsoft officially announced the new addition to the Zune lineup, the Zune HD. As the name indicates, the Zune would feature HD playback on an HD capable TV assuming you have the provided dock.
In addition, it features HD radio, a nice 3.3 inch OLED screen, a "smokin fast" web browser, operates on a Tegra chip, and a slick touch screen. In terms of pricing and availability, it is set to be on sale on September 15 costing $220 for the 16 GB model and $290 for the 32 GB model.
Microsoft and Apple are long-time rivals in nearly every aspect of technology. Apple has long been the king of all MP3 players pretty much for the past 8-10 years. Is the Zune HD ready to take on Apple's latest iPod, the iPod Touch?
Natesh Sood
I believe the Zune HD is fully ready to take on Apple's iPod Touch. Microsoft has done a great job hyping up the Zune HD and the initial reactions to the device are great. Everyone involved in tech and the public is excited for latest Zune.
Just recently, the prices and availability were announced regarding the Zune HD and they are very competitive with the iPod Touch. In fact, the 16 GB iPod Touch is $299, while the 32 GB is $399. If you compare that with the $220 and $290 price tags of the Microsoft Zune HD, there really is comparison.
To take that one step further, the Zune HD boasts even better specs than the iPod Touch. The iPod Touch doesn't even feature a radio, while the Zune HD features an FM radio and an HD Radio. Just by comparing screens, the iPod Touch uses a glass LCD screen, while the Zune HD uses an OLED screen which allows for better lighting and colors. Another key aspect of the Zune HD is it's ability to playback HD video in 720p resolution. As long as its connected to a dock, it will be able to TV-Out 720p resolution to your HDTV - a huge advantage over the iPod Touch.
Lastly, many have stated the web browser is very fast and especially since it operates on a Tegra processor, which is a special chip. The iPod Touch just uses the Safari browser. When all the specs and pricing are considered, there is no logical reason for someone to purchase an iPod Touch over the Zune HD. As you can probably tell, I'm pretty pro-Microsoft and Zune.
Amy Chou
After reading the specs of the Zune HD, I feel it still does not compare to Apple's IPod Touch. While Zune is indeed making an effort to create a touch device, it simply cannot beat the original IPod Touch for multiple reasons.
Starting with the HD, I understand that plugging in the Zune to the HDTV would make great use of the HD capability the Zune has. In reality, how many people purchase an MP3 player to plug into a TV? On the 3.3 inch screen and 480p resolution, there is no point for the HD, though it is a nice accessory to the device. The human eye cannot decipher pixels when the screen is 3.3 inches and 480p. Speaking of which, the IPod Touch screen is still larger than the Zune HD, being 3.5 inches versus 3.3 inches respectively.
Additionally, the IPod Touch offers a built in application and music store to the device, offering an easy marketplace for media. The Zune specs do not speak of any such function to be available for the Zune. The Apple Store itself is more convenient than the Zune store by far.
Also, the software for the Zune solely runs of windows based operating systems, meaning Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7, while Apple software and updates are compatible with all operating systems. I personally own an IPod touch, and have a Windows Vista computer; I have faced no operating system errors of any sorts while using my two different devices. The Zune software allows you to purchase music from the Zune Marketplace, but the Marketplace is further complicated with "Microsoft Points" or a "Zune Pass" which allows you to download an unlimited amount of music, but you can only keep 10 songs at the end of each month, though you purchased a pass or points. The Microsoft points system is overwhelmingly complicated; $5 dollars a month gives you 400 points, each song is at least 79 points, which means each song is at least $0.9875 + tax. This is about the same cost as the ITunes store, except the ITunes store offers specials and free media with a much easier system for purchasing media. The Zune Pass allows for unlimited downloads for a set price, but you cannot put any of the music downloaded via the Zune Pass onto a CD unless you purchase it with Microsoft Points and may only keep 10 of the songs as your own; it's like paying for your music twice. Also, the amount of media available is limited, the Zune Marketplace offers a few shows from networks such as Fox or NBC rather than the wide supply of media that Apple offers, everything from episodes of your favorite TV shows to Supreme Court audio arguments.
While I do commend Microsoft's effort to merge into the music player field, I cannot forsee them taking much of Apple's sales at this point in time. Perhaps if the Zune HD was placed on the marketplace earlier, it would have stood a chance at competing. At this point, I think the Zune HD can battle, but cannot win.
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Natesh Sood
If you think about it, transferring videos from, let's say the computer to an HDTV, is not very easy. It requires the use of other devices, and even then many devices do not support transferring HD videos. With a device that can transfer HD videos from a computer to an HDTV will definitely make it easier on video junkies who want to experience HD videos.
I'm not too worried about the iPod Touch's screen being 0.2 inches larger because of the type of screen the Zune HD uses, an OLED screen. OLED screens are of higher quality and do not require a backlight to function, allowing for a longer battery life. Let's not forget the Tegra processor the Zune HD runs on which is a very powerful processor that allows to handle many applications including HD video. In addition, the HD radio is a unique feature to the Zune HD, which allows users to listen to clear and high quality radio. This way, there is unlimited music access if you do not feel like purchasing music.
While the Zune Marketplace is certainly limiting in functionality especially since it only works on Windows computers, I find using iTunes troublesome on my Windows XP computer. It hogs a lot of memory and isn't very convenient. I imagine it to work better on Apple computers, but then again Microsoft software would most likely work better on Windows PCs. A lot of the content in iTunes I find to be over priced and the ability to download unlimited music for a month for only $15 isn't a terrible option. How often do you actually use iTunes to purchase music, videos, and apps? Not often I bet.
I don't see Microsoft trying to take away Mac users, just ones who are on the fence about which MP3 player to purchase, the over priced decently spec'd iPod Touch, or the innovative cheaper, better spec'd Microsoft Zune HD.
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Amy Chou
While it would make it easier to transfer videos to an HDTV, how many people are going to use that function? Also, the videos available via the Zune Marketplace are very limited in their scope.
I have a few concerns regarding the OLED screen. You are right as to the fact that they do not require a backlight, which means longer battery life, but that also means it has a shorter life span than the iPod Touch's LCD screen. The OCLED screens at times are easily damaged by water, while the LCD can withstand water touching the screen (do not soak your iPod to test this). I have gotten water on my iPod numerous times, have had it exposed to very moist conditions, or have flat out dropped it, and it is still in perfectly good workable condition.
The radio option is very unique, but many people that purchase MP3 players do so to have a shuffle of their own personalized music not what they play on the radio over and over again. I can see people using the Zune to listen to the radio once in awhile, but with many of the radio stations playing the same songs over and over again, it gets rather old.
On the contrary to what you have stated about the Apple Store, I actually do purchase almost all of my songs and videos from there. It is convenient with its one-click buying option and charges directly to a credit card or iTunes gift card. With the Zune Marketplace, the "unlimited music" is not truly unlimited in that you can only keep 10 of the songs per month. Wouldn't you rather just pay a dollar per song or get the song for free via iTunes and be able to keep it?
Many people already have music playing devices, and with this, they are not willing to spend the extra 200 bucks to get another one. Perhaps if Microsoft had introduced the Zune HD earlier, it would affect Apple's sales to a greater extent, but I do not foresee them doing any such thing in the future.
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Natesh Sood
People who enjoy watching HD quality videos would certainly enjoy that function. HDTVs and web services like Hulu are looking to expand to HD video mainly because many people would view it in HD than normal quality and the technology is possible. Casual users may not take advantage of HD video on the Zune HD, but casual users may not dish out a lot of money for all those apps on the App store.
While the lifetime of an OLED screen is certainly a disadvantage, take a look at this fact: it has a lifetime of around 14,000 hours (five years at 8 hours a day). How many people do you know actually have the same MP3 player for 5 years now? Also, I doubt many people will constantly use the Zune HD for eight hours a day, that is not realistic. Even if water damage is possible, I'm sure Microsoft will market a strong cover for the device. When all the positives and negatives are weighed, OLED is the future of all screens and is definitely the better technology than the LCD screen. The fact that the Zune HD uses an OLED screen is always mentioned in specs because it is important.
Every MP3 player I can think of features at least FM radio, obviously many people enjoy listening to the radio. People generally prefer music in the form of MP3s but people will always listen to the radio and that is such a nice tool to have. In terms of the Zune Marketplace, you can purchase music and keep it, the Zune Pass is optional. And how do you get a song for free via iTunes?
Not everyone has jumped onto the iPod Touch bandwagon and I think there are enough people out there who are willing to buy the Zune HD and it will provide some serious competition to the iPod Touch. No matter how you look at it, the Zune HD is a clear upgrade to the iPod Touch as it contains the same specs plus more for a cheaper price.
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Amy Chou
Apple is planning to release an updated iPod Touch in September featuring a camera, more storage and at a more affordable price. With these specs, I think the classic revamped iPod Touch definitely trumps the Zune HD. Once this new iPod is released, it will clearly bypass any competition stemming from the Zune Player.
Your argument regarding the MP3 with FM radio is invalid seeing as Apple's sales have skyrocketed and beat those of all other brands of MP3 players added together, even though Apple's devices do not directly offer radio. Actually, there are many applications that allow you to listen to radio via the iPod Touch, I know that I have about 3 of those applications on my own iPod, and they work fine. Speaking of music, you can get free audio via the "free downloads" and the tons of free media that is offered. There are many songs, applications, podcasts, etc that are available free of charge via iTunes.
The Zune HD OLED screen is an important spec offered by Microsoft; that I will agree to, but there is really nothing wrong with the iPod Touch's existing LCD screen.
The main problem I have with the Zune is that it does not sync with iTunes and that it is not compatible with a computer that does not utilize Windows XP, Vista, or 7. Many people already have their music in an iTunes library, and it would not be feasible to move the music elsewhere.
Overall, the upgraded iPod Touch puts a new spin on the currently wonderful iPod Touch, which will greatly affect the Zune HD. I do agree some of the specs look pretty good, but it simply cannot compete with the classic iPod Touch.
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In this dyalogue...
Starter
Enjoys all things tech especially MP3 players and computers. At any given moment, he can be find rocking out to music, following baseball, fixing his friends electronic problems, playing video games, or running to the local volleyball court.You can also find Natesh Sood at:
- http://www.centralgadget.com
- http://www.gadgetell.com/tech/author/Natesh%20Sood/
- http://www.sportsfullcircle.com
- http://www.twitter.com/ynksrule93
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