Forget brown. The true color of the Zune is black-and-blue.
Microsoft's music player has been taking its share of hits for some time now, ever since the first details emerged over the summer--including that peculiar option in the color palette. Now, with Zune's November 14 retail launch finally upon us, the reviews are in, and they're not pretty.
Bloggers were quick to comment on Thursday's reviews from the big guns at The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal; both David Pogue and Walt Mossberg found the Microsoft device lacking in comparison with the well-established iPod. "What, exactly, is the point of the Zune?" Pogue asks. Bloggers weren't always that harsh, but many had bones to pick with Microsoft.
Microsoft's Zune group also came under attack by bloggers for a deal this week with Universal Music Group, under which Redmond will give the music industry giant a cut of all Zune sales.
Blog community response:
"Microsoft had a few good ideas such as Wifi and the fm radio, but come on, its too big, and the wifi can only be used to transfer music to another Zune?"
--Clogging the Tubes of the Internet
"You can't share your own files: Microsoft could become a surprise hero to the indie music market, to (ironically enough) Creative Commons lovers and the music maven audience. All they have to do is let you share files to which you own the rights -- MP3s of your own band, for instance -- with other people. Instead, you're limited to the same DRM that's applied to purchased music."
--Create Digital Music
"Why doesn't MS just stick to what it does well: making a decent Office Suite and a less-than-decent Operating System? I mean, aren't all the other money losing projects (hello Zune and Xbox) just financed by Office and OS anyway?"
--VitrosChemistryAnaly on Slashdot
"UMG is shaking down the new kid on the digital music block, trying to get from them what they haven't been able to get from Apple: a cut of the hardware sales."
--Blogaritaville