Zune vs. iPod: the real comparison
November 15, 2006|
Zune
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iPod
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|---|---|---|
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Installs on Mac OS X
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No
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Yes
|
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Installs on Windows XP
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Yes
|
|
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Installs on Windows Vista
|
||
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Plays for sure
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Damn straight
|
|
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Share music
|
|
|
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Plays with XBOX 360
|
|
|
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Uses WMP 11
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No
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What’s a WMP 11?
|
|
Plays Podcasts
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Oye!
|
|
|
FM tuner
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Yes
|
|
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View using in-flight video
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No
|
|
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Listen in car
|
|
|
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Welcome to the social
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||
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Load your own videos
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||
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Halo effect
|
||
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Desperate
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Here’s another list of points of comparison:
Pros:
- WiFi music sharing (though 50% of songs purchased by money.cnn.com
reviewer on Zune store had sharing disabled)
- DJ mode for broadcasting what you’re playing to other Zune users
(actually, MS has dropped this feature – it could have been good)
- 3″ screen vs 2.5″ on iPod (though same 320 x 240 resolution so album art
looks more blocky on Zune in portrait mode)
- Integration with Xbox 360 (iPod only works on Xbox with non-DRM music)
- FM Radio built-in (US$49 option for iPod)
- Rubber-feel plastic case doesn’t scratch as easily as Face of iPod Video
- Subscription option for music (US$180 per year pretty expensive though for
music that is deleted if offline for a month or cease subscription)
- Guest Synchronisation option to copy songs from other PC (but not back up
to your PC)
- Attractive customisable background pictures and transparent menus
Cons:
- 46% larger volume than the 30GB iPod (13% larger than even the 80GB iPod)
- 35% thicker and 8% taller than the 30GB iPod
- 17% heavier than the 30GB iPod (1% heavier than the 80GB iPod)
- Zune Chunky vs slim and elegant iPod according to Wall Street Journal
- 2hrs less battery life than the 30GB iPod (in real-world tests)
- 12-14hrs battery life for Zune vs 20hrs for 80GB iPod or 24hrs for iPod
Nano
- WiFi reduces battery life by 2hrs+ in real-world tests
- no WiFi to Computer or Internet only other Zune Players
- 5 buttons on imitation click-wheel instead of scroll wheel for navigation
- 2 million songs in Zune Marketplace vs 3.5 million on iTunes Store
- No TV shows in Zune Marketplace
- No Podcasts in Zune Marketplace
- No Music Videos in Zune Marketplace
- No Movies in Zune Marketplace
- No Audiobooks in Zune Marketplace
- No Games in Zune Marketplace
- No unlimited streaming music library sharing between computers on same
subnet or wifi network unlike iTunes software
- Confusing points system for music purchase – $5 minimum purchase
- No Calendar on Zune so no calendar synching
- No Address Book on Zune so no contacts synching
- No Note viewing or synching on Zune
- No pre-installed games on Zune
- No Alarm Clock, No Stopwatch, no World Clock, No password-protected
volume-limiter, No Equalizer,
- only ~100 accessories for Zune vs 3,000+ for iPod
- No auto integration for Zune vs 80% of new cars iPod dock connector
compatible (not just audio connector)
- Zune adds yet another DRM standard to crowded field
- Zune not compatible with Plays For Sure so can’t play music bought from
Microsoft’s own MSN music or other MS licensees (MS has knifed it’s
partners)
- Zune not compatible with Windows media player, the MS standard for MP3
player integration
- Zune Windows-only vs Windows and Mac compatible iPod
- half the songs ripped from CDs by money.cnn.com reviewer would not
transfer to Zune Player
- 3 models (colours) of Zune vs Shuffle, 6 Nano models, 30GB Video iPod and
80GB Video iPod (plus Red and U2 versions of Nano and larger iPods)
- Fewer supported audio formats:
Zune: WMA, MP3, non-protected AAC
iPod: AAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless, MP3, WAV, Audible
- No USB Disk mode so can’t use for file transfer/storage on PC
- plastic case on Zune vs metal case back for iPod or all-metal for Nano
- 3-day or 3 play limit on DRM and non-DRM shared music (even 1 second
counts)
- No passing on shared music to a second Zune player
- no synching of purchased music from Zune up to other computer (new iPod
feature)
- No equivalent to iTunes Gift certificates
- No equivalent to iTunes Allowances (monthly store credit for kids)
- No user-submitted playlists
- Weak FM radio reception
- No Recording
- Zune player and Zune Marketplace USA-only
- The word “zune” is obscene in Hebrew and French-Canadian
On my most recent visit to Best Buy, I saw an IT techie lined up one deep at the counter, ready to purchase the Zune so he can force the corporate secretary to use it to record the meeting’s minutes. This bodes well for MS because, by this method, the Zune is likely to gain a foothold in corporate IT.
How slanted was this review. Complete waste of time
I’m still going for the iPod.
The zune has a cool feature – a wireless connection which allows you to share files with another zune nearby. read more about ipod vs. zune on my blog post
http://zeesvoice.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/apple-cuts-deals-with-major-airlines-for-ipod-use-in-flight/
The Zune works on many levels just not enough to really challenge the Ipod. Would have wished for the sharing capability to be for a longer period but all the same I’m sure we can expect big things from Microsoft in the coming years, just give them time.
Josh Chandler
http://www.techilious.wordpress.com
Microsoft released the Zune product too soon. There is no chance that it will beat or co-exist with the ipod. The Zune would have been amazing four years ago when the ipod wasn’t out, or when it was new. If Micrososft wanted to actually stand a chance against Apple (great support, products, creativity) they would have waited to release the Zune and made it smaller, lighter, more compatible, and would have already prepared a better music transfer/ buying system. Sorry Microsoft but you have struck out with yet another product (especially against apple)
To be fair, Podcasts are not special files. They are just MP3’s, so all you need for for the Zune to get podcasts is a podcast catcher that can be configured to copy the MP3 files it downloads into a folder that the Zune will sync with.
I would also disagree with the “Listen in car” line, iPod’s work in cars that have the connectors which isn’t that many. There are more and more manufactures that are offering iPod connections which bode well for Apple and the iPod, but I still have to use the $79 FM transmitter option to get the iPod’s music and podcasts into my car stereo.
As to the wireless feature, that’s only useful if there is another Zune in the area and they have their library exposed so that you can see it as well as you have yours open for others to see. Personally, I find that kind of creepy. I really don’t want someone else to be able to see my music unless I know them.
Also, once you get a song from someone, you can’t send that song to someone else. You have to get the person that sent you the song to send it. Not really all that “social” if you ask me.
I got a zune for christmas after having an ipod for years and it was actually a good switch. The bigger screen actually helps and none of the “problems” that people had with installation happened to me. I have had a good relationship with mine thus far and haven’t had problems putting dvds on it with my windows xp. this “real comparison” is just biased ramblings of a guy that for some reason or another hates microsoft (though I’m not gonna lie, theres many reasons to hate them). Hearsay is not proof by any means
I got this zune download that is a blast. i am glad microsoft is catching up. I know they get a lot of flack but i like them
Come on the dam thing is just as good if not better. I have owned every dam player on the market and the software blows away Isuck. I have not had any issues and have converted it to use as a hard drive and can sharte music indefinately now so the 3 days arguement is done for.
The Zune vs iPod table is bogus. I think most of the points have been made. I do agree the battery life is a little shorter, however let’s consider something real. The iPod and iTunes have a 5 registered device rule. While some people might be happy with having 5 devices being allowed to playback a file, I find that this is unacceptable. While I do not wildly distribute music, I do not like the limitations. I numerous computers and having a life limit on my music is unappealing. I certainly do not like the idea of having to re-rip my music if I am changing computers, which I do frequently. Otherwise, they both sound fine, the playback is excellent and the sizes are perfectly fine.
Microsoft still makes the Zune?
Hah. Yeah, buying a new car with iPod integration is somehow better than an accessory. We get that you’re biased, but come on.
That is 5 devises at once not forever. If YOU change computers YOU just de-authorize the old one and authorize the new one.
I like Zune
The real comparison my ass! Whoever made this did whatever they could to make Zune look bad
I’m not going to bother pointing out that many things you claim zune doesn’t do are built in standards, but are you really trying to say that the zune MAYBE works with Windows XP?
It’s cool if your an iPod person but there are a lot of things that it doesn’t do (subscription service with free 10 permanent songs per month, wifi and way better looking interface) that zune does. Period. So its just preference. Geez.
/wall of text