Geeklawyer cannot find a decent mp3 player. He currently has a Creative Zen Vision:M but frankly, it’s a dogs dinner. The software is crap, there’s no Apple Mac OSx software (except some ropey Opensource stuff) you can’t use it as a portable hard drive and the FM radio broke within 2 months. The Apple iPod is a superbly thought out device but it is overhyped overpriced and underspecified: to get anything decent like a radio, or even something so basic as a voice recorder, requires a dongle which is expensive and pointless - except that the 3d party ecosystem is intended to milk you the punter of the maximum amount of cash possible. Fair enough Geeklawyer says, business is business, but Steve: don’t tell me you love me as you rifle though my wallet.
Geeklawyer is reading all the publicity surrounding the new Microsoft Zune. He was quite hopeful that the Evil Software Empire could at least produce a competent mp3 device but his optimism appears misplaced: sure, nice big colour screen, FM radio, large hard drive; But, Windows only, crippled wireless connectivity and you can’t use it as a portable drive. As for the big ‘Sociability’ thing that is the core of Microsoft’s marketing effort, well whoopee, share a song with a mate who gets to listen to it 3 times or for 3 days before it vaporises in a puff of RIAA purchased smoke. This is what happens when monopolies get together - a music one on the one hand and a software giant on the other. A mediocre device designed to perpetuate their interests.
Will the Zune take over from Apple? On the basis of the version 1 attempt, no. Deep pockets and tenacity will give them a significant share in some years and by then Apple will hopefully have sharpened up their act; them or one of the others like iRiver who produced a nearly perfect player in their old iHP140.
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