As expected, nobody can review the Zune without constant references to Microsoft "borrowing" ideas from Apple, but despite this reviewers apparenent bias towards Apple, this review is pretty fair...
In spite of these factors, the new flash Zune is a pleasant surprise and genuinely benefits from most of Microsoft's development efforts over the past year, even if some of them are clearly reactions to Apple's designs. At least in black, the new Zune is attractive, durable, and finally easy to use in both hardware and software. It is also second only to Apple in terms of podcast management; this is one of the few players outside of the iPod line that I can recommend to Windows users who virtually depend on podcasts to get through work or a commute.
There are clear areas where Microsoft could have improved the design: a better screen, better battery life, stronger wireless features, and a few minor interface changes would have helped the device fare better against the newest iPod generation. With these in mind, however, the new flash Zunes (and to some extent, the Zune 80) have made giant strides compared to the Zune 30 and are certainly more capable than many of the players that sit nearby on store shelves.
10 Responses for "Electronista Reviews the Zune 4"
Every review I see about the Zune has someone saying how Microsoft is Taking ideas from Apple… It just annoying to me. But I do agree that this was a pretty fair review and there was some things that I do agree with him on. The wi-fi being one of them I would really like to see web browsing on the Zune 80 at least. But the fact that they did make changes and leaps from the Zune 30 shows they are trying. Can’t wait to see how things will be in a year and they come out with even better devices and then they really can call themselfs Ipod killers….
I love reading peoples reviews cause it help me think about things that I will like/hate when I do get my own.
Trevor
I don’t care if Microsoft copies Apple or for that matter if Apple copies Microsoft, so long as in the process we get better, cheaper devices.
I have never owned an Ipod. What makes the podcast management better on the ipod?
I find it incredibly simple to sign up for podcasts and sync them to my zune now, but I would like to be able to delete them from the device itself.
Well Gosh how many ways are there to make an mp3 player? Maybe some features were copied but, its just basics for mp3 players now. How many ways can you make navigation buttons? But yeah- In a lot of ways the Zune is different. Hmm. Im going to have to sleep on this post.
Apple has been a leader in this space and it is natural to compare a new product to the best in the market. Having said that I am sure Microsoft want’s to set itself different from Apple. They want to create their own brand and have done so very nicely in may spaces like the new Zune Marketplace which is completely different than iTunes, the Zune music subscription, the ZunePad, Wireless sync.
At the very root this is a music player and will obviously have a lot of features that are similar to the iPod, especially given the fact that Microsoft came into the market very late where iPod had around 3-5 years head start and had ironed out a lot of nice features. To make a product that is not like iPod Microsoft will ahve to change the way people play music and that would be silly.
One of my biggest complaints with the Zune was its battery life. It drained power like its was going out of style. I really hoped that they would improve it with these new versions.
You guys should check out Ars technica. review of the Zune.
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/zune-redux.ars?bub
I really agree with their assesment that original Zune was kind of thrown togehter. Here’s a sample.
Cobbled together from bits of the Urge music store, the Toshiba Gigabeat player, Windows Media Player, and an ad campaign ripped right from the Abercrombie & Fitch playbook, the Zune was bolted together in a hurry, and some of the rivets showed.
Great news guys! Zune Insider is claiming we should see a lot of Zune 80s in the next 7 - 10 days.
http://zuneinsider.com/archive/2007/11/20/on-the-availability-of-zune-80.aspx
That is an ok a review. I like the idea of the podcasts and I still have yet to use it. Cnet gave it a better review over tv iPod as far as podCasts go. So I say that its better than I pod anyway
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