PriceSCAN Blog: The Zune: Microsoft's Little Brown Lump Of DRM-Enforcing Digital Joy

« New iPods: More Memory, Smaller Size, And A Tough Day For SanDisk | Main | Last Month's iPods Don't Fade Away –They Get Discounted »

The Zune: Microsoft's Little Brown Lump Of DRM-Enforcing Digital Joy

Electronics | Sep 19, 06

The iPod's many colors have been said to evoke thoughts of ice cream and candy. Verizon's appeal to the taste buds is apparent in the dark mocha hue of the Chocolate. Now, Microsoft has produced the Zune, available in white, black, and brown, or as my colleague David Cost put it, "a turd or pooh-like color". David went on to add that he thought "the odd choice of color was prophetic". Current web buzz has the rumored Xbox tie-in a red herring. Further, the vaunted Wi-Fi capability is now said to allow Zune users to share DRM-protected songs wirelessly just three times or for three days (whichever comes first) before the man shuts the party down. To be sure, the Zune comes with a three-inch screen, larger than the iPod's 2.5-inch display. Yet it's unclear what Microsoft will do to make video content available. There's an FM tuner (can't anyone but PoGo! put an AM radio in one of these things?) It's got a 30 GB hard drive and has been said to have a suggested retail price of $299. That may be a problem in itself, since the 30 GB iPod is now priced at $249. Microsoft is now rumored to intend to lower that SRP before release, making it more competitive with Apple. But the Zune, which comes pre-loaded with major-label music, is already said to be priced as a loss leader for Microsoft's music download service. There's some innovation here, in that Zune Marketplace will allow unlimited downloads for an as-yet unknown set fee. If that fee were low enough (and the buyer's rights don't expire too quickly, if at all), perhaps Redmond can find a business model here.

Look, folks, I'd really like to see some serious competition for Cupertino in the digital player market. But a sepia-toned player that narcs on music-sharing kids? Late night comedians are already making jokes about giving Junior a non-Apple MP3 player so he can let the world know you don't love him enough to get him an iPod. Microsoft's response seems to be a device that tells you to get off your ass and virally promote that new track (not more than thrice!) before it closes you down. Beyond this, paying 20% more for a slightly larger screen, a radio (there are cool-looking FM iPod modules) and some very limited music-sharing capability hardly seems like a value proposition truly threatening to Apple.

As for the colors, the black has a hint of blue, while the brown sports bits of green. I wonder if that last touch is a harbinger of profits or just a way to give Microsoft's new offering that "undigested" look.

Posted by jeffrey.trester (Permalink)