Zune Review: Can we Stop Comparing the Zune to the iPod?

Wall Street Journal technology guru, Walter Mossberg, published his review of the Zune. After usual Zune 30 extreme bashing, Mossberg had few goods words for the new Zune players:

“We’ve been testing these new Zunes and find them to be notably better than last year’s entry. They are smaller, lighter and more attractive, and they include three big improvements. First is a new controller, called a Zune Pad, that combines buttons with a touch pad for scrolling. Second is a completely overhauled, simpler PC-software program and online store, the Zune Marketplace. Third is expanded usability of the built-in Wi-Fi, which allows you to synchronize your Zune and your PC without plugging in a cable and makes sharing songs between Zunes — its only function last year — slightly better.”

But then the inevitable iPod comparison kicks in with this paragraph:

“Unfortunately for Microsoft, Apple hasn’t been standing still, either. It now has its own large-screen, wireless model, the iPod Touch, with a radical “multi-touch” interface like the iPhone’s. The screen on the Touch is larger than the one on the bigger Zunes and is much sharper. Its Wi-Fi allows you to browse the Web, watch YouTube videos and even buy music without a PC — none of which is possible on a Zune — though the Touch is $50 more and holds much less content than the new full-size Zune.”

If you have a few minutes, you should read Mossberg’s Zune review. He got it right on a few things, but I think that the comparisons with the iPod becomes less and less meaningful. The Zune is becoming a lot more than a mp3 player. The social aspect of the Zune brings something we’ve never seen before and the Zune music experience is becoming a product a platform on its own. A new product category will have to be created soon.

I’ve been using the ZuneSocial for less than 24 hours, and I already discovered new bands and the songs are already on my Zune 30, thanks to the Wifi Sync feature. That, is an experience. That, is something I could not have done before.

Comments

[Sean]

By "much less," he means a difference of over 80 GB. Personally I think the small capacity of the touch makes it a flop right there. The iTouch is just apple's way of getting the tech-hoarders to spend money on a lot of flair and little substance.

[LinkTree]

As a long time iPod fan I must say that the new Zune looks like a great product an if you compare it with the Classic its looks even better.

But since Apple is the leader of the market the analogy is in place, cause while MS created a great iPod classic with new features, apple the industry leader moved to a new realm.

Hope MS will soon create a Touch style player too.