Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Robin — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 13:38:18 GMT

I just thought I'd pop in to mention that we have made the Zune news stories we feature at http://zunearmy.com into a feed that anyone can freely use on their own sites using an iframe. The feed is updated daily, includes screen grabs and summaries and is available at http://wmhq.com/zune/

- Robin.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Daveworld — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 16:24:42 GMT

Agree with Chad

Microsoft is a big corporation and this sort of maneuvering is not anything knew to large companies. But the fact that he is leaving for "personal" reasons at a time when the Zune is trying to get noticed & accepted (positively) can't be good. As a (pro)consumer looking from the outside, it seems you guys don't have faith in your own product if a "key" guy is stepping down shortly after launch. Mainstream consumers may not know any better but for a gadget enthusiast like me, why would I buy into the Zune now, especially with an already rough launch? Maybe with the zPhone if true, you guys can go the opposite direction. By that I mean releasing a kick-ass 1st Gen product so other “key” members don’t have to step down for “personal” reasons.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Havoc — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:33:32 GMT

I think the transition to J is an interesting one because he looks fairly young for someone who has moved that far up the corporate ladder. To me that implies someone who has strong vision and drive to accomplish that vision.

I've heard his name before in association with Xbox but since I'm a PC gamer I haven't be in the loop on his impact within Microsoft.

Personally I can't understand why people are saying the software sucks... I've used pressplay, napster and Rhapsody(i.e. I was a paying subscriber of those services). Rhapsody has gotten the best critical reviews of those services and frankly I found market place to be a refreshing improvement in searching for artists. Its been easy for me to use and I haven't experienced any crashing while using the software.

The biggest thing I'm hoping to get from the zune team is audible support. I don't care if that comes in the form of market place offering their own audio books or just support for audible.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Chad — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:19:07 GMT

Question..

Why would Lee leave right after a new product launch? "Probobly not his choice" , but for the record was TOLD to say...yada yada yada...for the press to make hay over and spin til they fall down..

However, he was made out to be a KEY player with the launch of Zune. Somethings NOT Right.

Now they are working on the Z-Phone minus a KEY player of "Welcome to the Social" to compete with iPhone.

I don't care how much $$$ MSFT has they are just not an innovative company..

MSFT is a toll booth collector.

From my vantage point It don't look good for the Zune division. I don't care how smart those guys are....I would not want to be in their shoes.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

mnmtiu — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:45:18 GMT

cesar,

I have to say that I really like the zune. Convinced a friend in my office to get one too. But, I have to be totally honest, the wifi is useless with the restrictions. I like it as a standalone player, but seriously, we do not benefit one bit from the wifi.

I hope better things are to come of this bit of tech.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Kevin J Baird — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:00:29 GMT

ACtually Ron, it comes from the Xbox FAQ and was mentioned by J. Allard himself. Here's the line I'm talking about...

Q. Can you save your game, or Download contents on to a 3rd party Hard Drive, thumb drive, etc? Updated: Aug 22

J Allard: at present our design for xbox 360 uses the usb ports in a read-only capacity for playing music and viewing photos. if there are other applications that you guys think are interesting then please give us your feedback.

Now, as you can see, that was dated back on Aug 22nd, so maybe he was just talking about software support. I've tried using USB devices to write to them, and I have had zero success. I don't know anyone who has done it. As far as I understand it, external drive support doesn't work. What are you saving on your memory cards and USB drives on the 360? I'm curious, as I'd like to try to do it myself. I've tried the video content with no luck on three different USB drives.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

admin — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 22:19:40 GMT

oh boy. . . be nice to each other. everyone who comments here is smart. Zune is a product that people like, a product we'll continue to work on for many years to come. one or two troll comments on an employee blog isn't going to shut down the Zune operation ;)

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

JamesC — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 22:10:50 GMT

Oh, but Chad, why must we stomach your "DRM" and "iPhone" talking points in a discussion of J. Allard's helmsmanship of the Zune project?

Not to fan (pun intended) the flames, but remember how confident Sony was in the console space when the Xbox launched? Think it over.

I'm being serious.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Chad — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 21:18:15 GMT

You got me... I do love all of it.

I just can not stomach some of the stupidity.

I'm mean REALLY.... Now the Z-Phone.. UUGGH.

I am all for free market.. But do Zune users realize they are more locked into DRM under the Microsoft flagship than with Apple?

I'm being serious.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Franco — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:45:56 GMT

ChadAdmin

You Can't handle the TRUTH!

Do not worry this is my last post.

I'll be on my way.

^^^^^^^^

you'll be back...admit it.You love this site

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

admin — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:28:09 GMT

call me Cesar. Admin is just my stage name :)

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Chad — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:24:21 GMT

Admin

You Can't handle the TRUTH!

Do not worry this is my last post.

I'll be on my way.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Ron — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 18:10:58 GMT

NO. Xbox 360 USB ports are NOT "read only." Where did you hear this?! If that was true, I couldn't save Xbox 360 content on a USB flash drive or external USB hard drive. I do it all the time.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Kevin J Baird — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 17:35:25 GMT

Oh, one more thing. J. Allard is not a hatchet man. If they were going to kill off Zune, they wouldn't have put Allard in-charge, it'd be someone with a track record for busting heads. Allard makes things happen, so don't see this as a negative, it is very much a positive.

re: Bryan Lee Leaving Microsoft, J Allard to Manage Zune

Kevin J Baird — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 17:34:02 GMT

I don't think you'll ever be able to transfer any Xbox 360 media to the Zune, because the 360's USB ports are supposedly "Read Only" which means they can't write anything to the Zune. I believe they would probably open up Marketplace to expose the same content you purchased on the 360, and let your PC sync your video purchases to the Zune, but it appears unlikely that will happen with the 360 directly.

J Allard comes from the hardware camp, and I think we all think the Zune hardware is great (Well the majority of us anyway) but the software is lacking.

More than anything though, I think we'd all like some improved communication. If it's supposed to be a "social" community, it would be social of the Zune camp to drop us some hints once in awhile. Build some excitement. Right now, it's like a ghost town without the ghosts.