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28 Jul 2006
Microsoft does not expect to see a return on its upcoming Zune portable media device for several years, according to a top executive at the company.
Robbie Bach, president of the software giant's entertainment and devices division, stated that it would take three to five years before Microsoft reaped anything from its "hundreds of millions of dollars of investment" in Zune.
"It is something that is going to take time," he told financial analysts yesterday. "We think of this over several years. This is not a six-month investment."
Microsoft announced last week that it planned to release the Zune music and entertainment player, along with accompanying software, in the US later this year. Zune is expected to be launched in the UK and other regions in 2007.
The device will tie into other Microsoft efforts, including Xbox, Media Center and the Live Anywhere gaming service. "It enables us to complete the picture," said Bach.
Zune is seen as a direct but belated challenge to Apple's iPod and iTunes. "We have to drive a new brand," said Bach. "We have to drive people who think about iPod as the brand, to think about other things."
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hello... can anybody tell me that how i will get the knodledge about the latest technology?i want to update my overall knowledge of technology...can anyone hel me also about networking???can anyone suggest me any website for my these questions? Thanks Ratnesh Pandit
Posted by: Ratnesh Pandit 30 Jul 2006
Apple Fanboys
Yep, everywhere I read this story I see nothing but Apple fanboy comments. "Apple is the best, Microsoft is just copying them," blah blah blah blah. Apple didn't invent the portable MP3 player. Apple just happens to be the market leader in portable audio players. Doesn't mean that they're the best, doesn't mean that they're even good...just means that they've brain-washed a lot of people into buying them over something from another company that's even better (see iRiver). So what? If you like Apple's iPods that have batteries that last 1.5 years and cost more than a new iPod to replace, then you are a sheep that has too much money on your hands. This has happened to several friends of mine, and, with the exception of one, they've left Apple behind to go with a company that isn't out to screw you quite so hard. Of course, they weren't Apple fanboys from the start...and they also had to leave their purchased music behind. And wasn't that the point behind the Apple scam in the first place? "Once they've spent an s-load of money on songs, they'll be buying a new iPod every couple of years for the rest of their life!" Weak. You mock PlaysForSure, but it does, in fact, play for sure. You don't own the songs, but for the cost of a CD per month you can listen to all the music you want into eternity. If I could only turn all of the money I spent on crappy CDs over the course of my life into this plan, I'd die a happy man. So what's your issue with it?
Posted by: Chazzzer 29 Jul 2006
compatibility? are you serious?
Microsoft is all about non-compatibility. In order to be profitable, they have to drive traffic to their own store - we'll call it M-Tunes. Particularly since it took "hundreds of millions of dollars" and many years of research, I highly doubt Microsoft will allow consumers to choose iTunes. It's their nature to give consumers little or no choice. If I remember history, didn't the Ford Edsel also cost "hundreds of millions of dollars" in research, etc.? We could be looking at another blockbuster dud!
Posted by: ctracy 29 Jul 2006
ME2-MSFT, what a great investment strategy, copy
Wow "...the software giant's recently announced Zune player will result in one product this year, but will cost "hundreds of millions of dollars" in research development." That's incredibly expensive. Imagine how much it would have cost if they actually had to create it from scratch, instead of just copying the iPod and iTunes and then tacking on a few extra features to try to appear innovative. On another note, I just love how they're screwing their partners on the PlaysForSure thing-- that is hilarious. Really gotta hand it to Microsoft: compete with them at your own peril, or partner with them at your own peril. That kind of choice ranks up there with deciding where to take the first bite of a dog crap sandwich. :-)
Posted by: Jack 28 Jul 2006
Microsoft?s insecurity & jealousy
Just another example of Microsoft?s insecurity & jealousy of all things tech related. Any tech company who experiences success, makes Microsoft feel threatened. They are constantly entering markets they have no business entering, just because they have the money to do it. If they would spend those resources on improving their OS, browser, Productivity software, we would be using them because we want to, not because we have no other choice.
Posted by: I'm Guessing 28 Jul 2006
Compatibility/Economic
I'm wondering if this device will also play the ACC files that iTunes uses to record music. Ipods aren't cheap and I doubt this Zune will be either. So what about the music that we as consumers have purchased from iTunes? Will this new device support them?
Posted by: Patrick Becerra 28 Jul 2006