Category Archives: Music

Zune Desktop Software vs. iTunes

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Here are some screen shots of the Zune desktop software showing its various modes for managing music, pictures, videos and podcasts on the device, the PC and in the Zune marketplace/store. (Click each thumbnail to see a larger image.)

00-Zune-Software-Device-Music 01-Zune-Software-Device-Playlists 02-Zune-Software-Device-Videos 03-Zune-Software-Collection-Pictures
04-Zune-Software-Collection-Podcasts 05-Zune-Software-Device-Status 06-Zune-Software-Marketplace-Music 07-Zune-Software-Marketplace-Podcasts

While this version is still significantly less functional than iTunes, the Zune software has a much better user interface with its cleaner, less-cluttered methods of transporting various media on and off the device. iTunes, by comparison, looks and behaves more like a sluggish spreadsheet on my machine. You be the judge:

00-iTunes-Library-Music 01-iTunes-Library-Podcasts 02-iTunes-Store

My biggest gripe with iTunes is it doesn’t recognize album art stored in folder.jpg files. Despite all its capabilities, this reason alone places iTunes in the “sucks” category—I’d rather use Media Monkey.

My biggest gripe with the Zune software is the removal of auto-playlists and removal of folder.jpg album art in this version—both worked before. The auto-playlist support is painful but I’m using a utility a co-worker created for exporting auto-playlists created in Windows Media Player to the Zune software in its .zpl format. It’s a great workaround in a clunky, non-automated kinda way. The folder.jpg issue is bizarre since the software does recognize album art stored in ZuneAlbumArt.jpg.

A quick command-line utility is all it took to create corresponding ZuneAlbumArt.jpg files for the 1010 albums currently in my collection by copying the existing folder.jpg files. Keeping multiple copies of the same file is wasteful but a necessary evil since Sonos, Windows Media Player, Media Monkey and Windows Vista all recognize folder.jpg.

This only matters to people like me who still buy entire albums and adhere to a well-defined Artists/Albums/Tracks organizational structure where the folder.jpg convention makes sense. If you buy individual tracks from iTunes or the Zune marketplace you probably prefer having the album art embedded in the same file as the song. What’s baffling is there is no technical reason iTunes and the Zune software cannot support both methods. Bummer.

My Zune 80 Original Has Arrived

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Talk about service: My Zune 80 order from Zune Originals arrived direct from China five days early! The devices were shipped from Zhuhai, China on December 3 and arrived in Kirkland, WA on December 5, via FedEx. That’s amazing considering shipping & handling is included. (I can’t ship anything to Spokane, WA in 2 days for free.)

Opening a Zune 80 original is unlike any electronics experience I have ever had. The unboxing alone should secure the innovative Zune Originals a slot on Oprah’s Favorite Things—I don’t watch Oprah. :ashamed:

Here is a gallery of pictures I took during the opening ceremony.

TB was humored by the whole unboxing thing. She thinks I’m a nerd.

My first impressions of the new Zune experience (player software, desktop software and the physical device) have each been largely positive. I need to use the device for a while before reporting back on the overall good, bad and ugly.

Stay Zuned…

Zune Update

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As promised two posts ago, I ordered a Zune 80 from Zune Originals late last week. It has officially shipped from China and will arrive on or before this coming Tuesday, December 11. My older brother, who is currently serving our country in Qatar, had me order one for him also, so there are now at least two “May the Funk be with You,” Colletivo designed Zune 80s in circulation.

In other news, this week C|Net published a Microsoft Zune 80 vs. Apple iPod classic prizefight, pitting the devices head-to-head in 5 categories: Navigation, Sexiness, Compatibility, Sound and Science and Wallet Factor. The new Zune won every category except compatibility.

It is not clear how a device can win 4 out of 5 categories and the bout still end in a tie. C|Net surely isn’t using the Queensberry rules in this contest. In fact, it is reminiscent of Florida balloting in the 2000 presidential election. Hmm…

Regardless, this head-to-head comparison by 3 somewhat-independent judges validates my assertion that Microsoft has outpaced Apple in this category of digital media players in just under a year. To go from laughing stock to serious contender in only v2 is a significant accomplishment. Will Microsoft once again achieve significant market share in v3? Only time will tell.

Pimp My Zune

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I have seen the future and it is beautiful. In addition to releasing the new devices, tomorrow Microsoft is launching a new site for ordering and customizing (for free!) your very own Zune with amazing artwork created by world-renowned artists and designers. Here is the design I plan to use to pimp my new Zune 80:

Zune Originals - Colletivo - The Funk 'Fro  

I will affectionately refer to this design as The Funk ‘Fro which I find pleasingly ironic considering my hairstyle of choice. I think the artist bio is fitting too given our recent travel to Brazil. I am glad I waited to order one of the new devices since this deal is only available on orders placed directly from the Zune Originals site at http://ZuneOriginals.net. You can learn more about this novel collaboration and see all the artwork in an interview on Cool Hunting.

Apple iPhone/iPod 6G Compared to Microsoft Zune

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To commemorate today’s release of the Microsoft Zune 2 digital media players, services and software, I present a feature matrix comparing all the Apple iPod 6th generation devices—including iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic and iPod nano—with the 1st and 2nd generation Zunes—Zune 80, Zune 30, Zune 8 and Zune 4.

The following table covers what I think are the most important features of a portable media device including screen size, storage capacity, screen resolution, height, width, depth, weight, battery life, connectivity options, interface, supported audio formats, supported video formats, available colors, and, of course, price.

There are several comparisons missing to keep the chart manageable (e.g., podcast support, size of music & video stores, Cover Flow, desktop software, etc.) However, I have included things many shoppers want to evaluate when choosing a device to playback music, video and pictures from various sources while on-the-go.

Zune 2 vs. iPod 6G Comparison classic touch iphone 160 80 8 4

Earlier, I stated “…Zune 80 sets a new standard for hard-drive based media players vs. iPod Classic.” This table shows why. Note the new Zune 8 & Zune 4 devices compare favorably to the latest iPod nanos as well.