MS Denies Reports That Zune Hardware Isn't Long For This World Posted by XanTium | January 14 16:24 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From gizmodo.com: [QUOTE] Steve Ballmer's recent statements about the Zune seemed to imply that it didn't have much of a future as a hardware product. Microsoft has responded to such suspicions: "Basically, what happened last week, Steve [Ballmer] said a couple of things about the category," said Adam Sohn, head of Microsoft's Zune marketing division, causing speculation that Microsoft would stop making Zunes. However, he clarified, "we're not getting out of the hardware business at all," adding that Microsoft is "deeply committed" to continuing to its Zune hardware strategy. [/QUOTE] Full Story: gizmodo.com

The honesty of public companies has to be taken with a grain of salt. I don't doubt the Zune will die within 2 years. It's not a 'bad' product but it's part of an overcrowded market. I almost think they would have been better off using the Xbox brand instead. Most companies need to seriously look at their offerings and cut back otherwise they will suffer a horrible fate.

Have people really used the zune???? i mean the ipod is good, but for a user that is not so techsavy the zune is the way to go. I would take a ZUNE over an Ipod, but this is just me.

I agree. I think it's a fantastic product, but the mp3 market is so dominated by the iPod, it's insane. I bought a Zune about a year or 2 ago and I can't find any decent accessories for it anywhere. I bought a new stereo system for my truck and figured since the dock had a USB connection that my Zune might work for it, but it is just for iPods. There aren't any alarm clocks that take advantage of the Zune. Even the new AV Receiver I bought has a USB strictly for iPods.

Just the amount of things you use in everyday life now are starting to support iPods, even though I believe the Zune is a better product, if I had to go out and buy a new mp3 player today, I would get an iPod for sure just for that reason.

Hopefully once they fully integrate the zune into the xbox 360, it will start making a bigger name for itself and be able to gain at least a little bit of ground.

I have one - I REALLY like it. Although I agree it's basically a saturated market, Zune is doing well - last time I checked it's the second most successful music player out there. Saying that MS should just get out is like asking all the OTHER players to get out as well (since they're less successful) and letting apple have a monopoly.

I also love my Zune...

I bought it because they were selling them really cheap and I figured it would make a great portable hard drive, but I ended up really enjoying the thing and how elegant the user interface was... WAY better than a iPod in nearly every measurable way IMO.

I do agree that what kills is is the lack of accessory support, but that's what kills every non-iPod player.

IMO if MS or anyone else really wants to take over iPod they need to leave the device WIDE OPEN... let individuals write their own applications, run their own OSs and make the interface open as well...

If the car stereo company has to pay royalties to interface with a Zune they're just going to thumb their noses at it... but if it's free... then it costs them peanuts to just ad the protocol to the firmware and now your device is supported in more places.

If MS was smart about it they'd leave the thing wide open until they're king of the hill... THEN you start closing up things and start charging royalties..

As it is I can't even build my own remote interface for the Zune because I can't even get a fully pinned connector for the port on the bottom, never-mind find documentation on how the interface works.

it's obvious that the biggest selling point of any portable device is the amount of accessories available and how compatible it is with other systems... Apple has it all over MS on that

... even worse is that is the same reason why people use Windows over any other OS... compatibility... MS should know better.

i've had the zune since it first came out and i still love it. i use it everyday at work. its easier than ipod and itunes and i just dont understand why it hasnt been selling so good. the screen is like twice the size of the ipod. that alone was the selling point. who wants to see...um... "movies" on a tiny screen when you can have thingies on a bigger screen. but its true that whats kinda killing the zune is lack of support from companies. i have seen on ebay and f.y.e. there is a ihome for the zune. and i was shocked to see it. if interested you can check it out here...


http://cgi.ebay.com/BNIB-iHOME-ZN9B-Clock-...%3A1%7C294%3A50


but anyways long live the zune! down with the inferior ipod!

I had a Zune and it sucked. When the updated the software about a year ago I just couldn't stand it.

I now have an iPod and I am happy.

Zune all the way. Love it.

great to hear your thoughts twisted...always can trust you...

i continue to hear great things about the zune but have not personally played with one myself. i agreee that without accessory support, the product remains an island. ipods are indeed saturating the market as many people have several that just end up in drawers unused when the newer models come out and they are really getting quite cheap with the several different models available.

i still respect having a choice and hope that MS can continue to challenge the portable audio market...