Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

A Little More on Ignition

Zune Insider — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 22:48:14 GMT

Ok, by now you've seen the Ignition press release, and read the Billboard article . I thought I'd provide

MP3 Friday: Thirteenth Edition

Zune Insider — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 01:52:26 GMT

What a week! The Zune Markeplace editorial team got featured in the Seattle P-I. Readers expressed their

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

admin — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:16:32 GMT

zuneless - you know your comments are always welcome here! and you're right: it was the 'itch comment that got deleted. Thanks for commenting :)

Zune in Seattle PI and Update on Firmware Updates

The Wow — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 18:37:53 GMT

Cesar Menendez lets us know that the Zune Marketplace Team was in the Seattle PI article "Microsoft,

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

John West — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 18:36:42 GMT

Whining is complaining without suggesting possible alternatives/solutions. We have not just said negative things. We have made many suggestions. I made a post in January that listed 10-20 possible improvements. I want to see the Zune successful. And we're simply suggesting that Microsoft formally announce that fixes/improvements are coming, along with a rough timeline. For example, Halo 3 has a tentative release date of Fall/Winter 2007. If a game can have rough release dates, and weekly updates about it, why can't the Zune have something similar? Microsoft has everything to gain by letting customers know that they're actively supporting and improving the Zune. Right now, the positive Zune discussions between owners and non-owners has morphed into discussions about its limitations. It would be great to be able to counter with "Yes, but improvements in x and y are coming in a month or two", as opposed to, "Well, I think Microsoft might address that at some point, but I can't be sure, and I have no idea when." As I said, that type of informal communication hurts the Zune immensely.

So, Cesar, should we give up and stop asking? I know it's not your fault. I'm sure you'd tell us everything if you could. Is anyone who can decide to disseminate this information reading this? Who is it that can decide to stop the official "No comment" response and start giving us tangible information to go on? How do we contact them?

Thanks,

John

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

Zuneless — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:52:57 GMT

Wow. Cesar pulled one of my comments. It wasn't critical of the Zune. It was an observation that the commentary on this 'blog has changed over its existence. Before the Zune was released, and early on, there was so much excitement about the product. The comments to Cesar's posts reflected that. Cesar's posts haven't changed (High-Five! Check out my new background picture! Hey, it's MP3 Friday!), but the comments have... Now, it's just Zune owners complaining either that they haven't received firmware updates to add features, or complaining about existing issues: skipping, etc.

I'm posting again in the hope that the censorship was merely due to the inclusion of a fairly innocuous expletive (that rhymes with itch), and not a sign that Cesar (or MS) is censoring critical views.

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

Franco — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 11:42:58 GMT

Seems Zune owners have become a bunch of whiners. You knew the features it had before you bought it...if you wanted games why didn't you buy a PSP? The Zune is stillmuch better than most other MP3 players. Stop whining and give constructive dialogue.

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

Paul Pearson — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 06:35:40 GMT

You have no idea how hard it was for me to fit inside that Zune for the picture. I knew I should've taken those yoga classes at the Learning Annex.

Thanks, Cesar.

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

Lord Baker — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 03:19:40 GMT

Awesome stuff with the Zune Editorial team. I've only had one problem with the ZMP recommendations but it was corrected incredibly quickly (Thanks Cesar!).

On the email, if I were to leave my computer unlocked at my house (fraternity house) the EXACT same thing would happen to me! Sounds like a fun place to work :P

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

admin — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 23:13:39 GMT

I hear you, guys. I do. Lots of the stuff that you want, I want. I actually posted on this here: http://zuneinsider.com/archive/2007/02/27/the-official-word-on-firmware-updates.aspx

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

Two different business models — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 23:08:52 GMT

The Microsoft way...build it quickly, get it out to market, hope people buy it, and then apply band-aids to the problems.

The Apple way...make sure it works before it goes to market, let the quality and features of the product convince people that the product is better than others, and then incrementally build upon the product.

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

Jeff — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 23:03:04 GMT

I have been saying for a while that we need news on updates. It turns out that im sorry i bought a zune. I was so excited around christmas time with the potential of the device. It hasn't shown me anything special. There isn't even anyone to share songs with around here. Why are there still no video downloads? I was under the impression that those would be availiable soon after christmas... There is never any new good news coming from the zune team. what if they have abandoned it already? what if they have abandoned us?

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

ray — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 22:21:23 GMT

Zune can't be dead if they're still desperately looking for attention at 3am!!!:

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/zune-mobile-terrorizes-nys-lower-east-side-with-timberlake-songs-239658.php

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

Hiro — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 22:19:46 GMT

Ive been watching the zune scene for a while and held off on buying a zune myself mainly for the reasons Tom has commented on. The thing which attracted me initially to the zune was the potential that the zune has. But its been a few months and the fact that there hasnt been any notable updates is really a turn off. I really hope that the Zune team manages to get a notable update (even one of the noted changes would be nice to show that there is work being done) off while the zune is still somewhat in the lime light, if it hasnt passed already :(

re: Zune Marketplace Team Profiled in Seattle PI

swanlee — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 22:05:04 GMT

Yep the Zune is currently way behind the curve even compared to lower end model MP3 players. Where are the firmware feature updates?

total silence on this is not helping at the very least a basic time frame for a firmware update with a general idea of what will be included would help us out.

Also this firmware better have lossless audio support, every freakin mp3 player on the market EXCEPT the zune support at least one form of lossless audio.