Microsoft's iPod killer....

[squire777]

The Zune HD was a great device. I still think it is one of the best looking portable devices ever made and wish MS or Nokia would make a phone with the same lines. The build quality was great too. I tried for a long time to find a blue one in Canada but by the time I did I already had something else.

As for a dedicated MP3 player - I still have a Sony player and carry it around mostly because I haven't had a phone that matched it in audio quality (but I'm not one of those 'audiophiles') and the battery seems to last forever. Hopefully Sony makes a Windows Phone in the future and adds the same audio technology.

 

[mase123987]

Samsung made two generations of android player based in its Galaxy line. When was the last time you saw anyone carry one or even heard of such player?

There is no such market for anything but iPod. Just like there is no market for tablet other than iPad.

It takes more than a good hardware to dethrone Apple in these two markets.
Sent from my RM-820_nam_canada_246 using Board Express

No market for tablets other than the iPad?? There are TONS of Android tablets in people's hands and Microsoft's share is growing as well.

 

[dw852]

Never seen a Zune in my city. But Apple products are everywhere here!

 

[neo158]

Never seen a Zune in my city. But Apple products are everywhere here!

Here in the UK, the Zune name is fairly well known due to the music and video service on the Xbox and the sync software for WP7.x but the players themselves were never released here.

My Zune HD cost me more than my current Windows Phone but I feel it's the best media player out there.

 

[ultimatedeath91]

its called buy a nokia lumia 520 for $100 and there you go you have a mp3 you dont need a sim in it

 

[xandros9]

This is something I wasn't overly happy about, seeing everyone neglect the sort of PDA market and go for the smartphones, which was out of my reach a couple years ago. I was still in the middle of my time using Palm PDAs (like the Tungstens) and wasn't exactly happy with the only remote successor being Apple's offering. (I did see the iPod touch everywhere) and I just thought that some people should try to break in a bit with the younger people. I saw a grand total of 2"x1" of flyer space (not even calling it an ad) showing the Galaxy Player for sale, but no ads or anything. Sammy probably just made it to try and tossed it out there, hoping "if you build it they will come" I guess.

I'd like to see a dedicated WP8 media device instead of just saying to get the Lumia 521 and dont buy service because I don't know if people will make the connection. "Billy we're not going to get you a cell phone, and that's a cell phone, we'll get you an iPod touch."
the device isn't positioned like that
but I could just be a bit too cynical here.

but it could be a lost cause with the iPod touch being literally everywhere in everyone's hands. If they're a kid and don't have a smartphone like an i5 or a GSIII, then there's a good chance they are wielding an iPod touch.

 

[neo158]

its called buy a nokia lumia 520 for $100 and there you go you have a mp3 you dont need a sim in it

Problem is that Xbox Music sucks more than an industrial strength vacuum cleaner and the sync programs are a PITA to use compared to Zune.

 

[sinime]

They just need to get Xbox music back to where Zune software was.

 

[neo158]

They just need to get Xbox music back to where Zune software was.

They should have just rebranded the Zune software and provided sync options in Xbox Music on Windows RT

 

[Villain]

One thing I noticed with my 80GB Zune is if I have the wireless on... the battery gets destroyed (almost useless having on anyway) less than a day but off I get a week easy.

 

[neo158]

One thing I noticed with my 80GB Zune is if I have the wireless on... the battery gets destroyed (almost useless having on anyway) less than a day but off I get a week easy.

I found that with the Zune HD, I would get a week at the most with Wireless on but almost a month with Wireless off depending on usage.

 

[gwinegarden]

Audiophiles.

And true audiophile wouldn't touch an MP3 player.

 

[gwinegarden]

its called buy a nokia lumia 520 for $100 and there you go you have a mp3 you dont need a sim in it

Yup. A Nano is 150 bucks for 16GB and no Wifi. You can put a 64GB card in the 520 for another 50, so, about the same price. And, later, you can always turn it into a phone.

 

[gwinegarden]

Audiophiles.

And true audiophile wouldn't touch an MP3 player.

 

[marcomura]

i dont personally know anyone at this time that actually still uses a "designated MP3 player". Everyone just uses their phones.

I do. I own a Lumia 920 and I had to buy an iPod to replace my old Zune HD player... (and I hate apple products).

BTW: I hate using my phone as an mp3 player

 

[neo158]

And true audiophile wouldn't touch an MP3 player.

They would if it played FLAC files!!!!

 

[azcruz]

They would if it played FLAC files!!!!

That's why I keep my Sansa Fuze.





Sent from my Windows Phone 8S by HTC using Tapatalk

 

[andrelamont]

I think there will always be a market for the niche music fans.

streaming services don't cover some of the music for niche fans (trust me as a collector of 80's hip/hop u won't be able to find the non-mainstream artist on Pandora...there was a lot more to 80's hop than run-dmc!)


Back in my day, it was the guy that had a room filled with vinyl records, then crates of cassette tapes, then crates of CD and then 30-50-100GB of songs.

My guess is 95% of most peoples music needs can be served by streaming services or 4GB of local storage

But there are always exceptions...rural areas where internet speeds are slow, military servicemen, extreme campers, limited data plans, company offices/cube that don't allow non-approved devices on the network (cough),DJ's

They are a small group by they are not going anywhere. iPod classics are still selling and apple hasn't killed it for a good reason...they still sell (or maybe they just have a bunch of unused stock) and apple likes to make money...even if its a lil' bit

My ideal next gen ipod classic / zune classic would

• be flashed based 128GB / 256GB / 512GB model
• wifi (stream Pandora, iRadio or xbox music)
• stores/manages playlist in the cloud
• playable in cars via USB skipping the headphone jack
• hardware based controls for previous, next track, volume (hate looking at touch screen controls to skip songs)
• service that allows scan and match for backup
• plays FLAC files

plus what happens if the Walking Dead / zombie apocalypse really happens? I mean can u imagine not having all your music with you, I mean wifi would be non-existent right

 

[ImmortalWarrior]

I think there will always be a market for the niche music fans.

streaming services don't cover some of the music for niche fans (trust me as a collector of 80's hip/hop u won't be able to find the non-mainstream artist on Pandora...there was a lot more to 80's hop than run-dmc!)

100% agree with you. I simply cannot use streaming services because I listen to a ton of heavy metal that is just not available on these services. Then, even if some of it is, it gets streamed with totally different music that isn't even close to the same style.

For example, I'll be listening to Manowar and the next song that comes up is Avenged Sevenfold. What. The. Sh*t.

Even Xbox music groups heavy metal in with Rock. It is not rock. Period. I don't want to be listening to Slayer and have Kiss come on next because someone doesn't understand that the two a totally different genres.

 

[Bob Shiska]

But there are always exceptions...rural areas where internet speeds are slow, military servicemen, extreme campers, limited data plans, company offices/cube that don't allow non-approved devices on the network (cough),DJ's

You forgot runners/gym people that don't want to get their phone sweaty/carry a phone in an arm band.

I've got an old Sansa Express that I use in the gym/running. There's no way I would subject my phone that I have to carry around everywhere to that amount of sweat, and can't think of carrying the weight of my 920 in an arm band. The 1oz Sansa already slides down my arm once it gets sweaty, anything heavier would drop to my elbow in about half a minute.