Microsoft May Build Copyright Cop Into Every Zune

[Woochifer]

First MS screws everyone who bought a PlaysForSure media player (which MS abandoned in favor of its Zune Marketplace, and will now totally orphan when they take the MSN music servers and DRM authentication offline by August). Now, it's talking about implementing a filter that blocks non-DRM video files from playing on a Zune -- files that play unabated using the current software. Why? Because that was the only way that they could convince NBC/Universal to release content for the Zune.

MS is in a Catch-22 with the Zune. With more openness in the architecture, they can appeal to consumers who want a more open player than the market-leading iPod. But, with only a 4% market share, MS can only attract more content providers to the Zune platform by agreeing to lock down the player.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/0...to-every-zune/

Does anyone actually own a Zune? And has anyone ever used that music "squirting" feature? (i.e., the feature that allows Zunes within a few feet of each other to transfer music files ... files that self-destruct after 3 plays)

[kexodusc]

Wow this kind of bold move could bring Zune sales to a grinding halt.

I've never even seen a Zune outside a store to my recollection, and very few times in one. They certainly aren't on display much in most electronics stores I've been too.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I can't recall ever actually seeing a Zune period. Now I've got a reason to not even look for one.

[Woochifer]

Oh and just in case you haven't seen this before, this is what Microsoft's ingenious Zune logo looks like when you reverse it ... what a disaster all the way around ...

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Oh and just in case you haven't seen this before, this is what Microsoft's ingenious Zune logo looks like when you reverse it ... what a disaster all the way around ...

Looks up at his brudda and says "bruddah!, what's a Zune? Is it like a bigger pimple or sumptin?

[noddin0ff]

Oh and just in case you haven't seen this before, this is what Microsoft's ingenious Zune logo looks like when you reverse it ... what a disaster all the way around ...

THAT's funny!

[bobsticks]

What's that brown, wrinkly, crinkly thing with a hole in it that's making music?

One of my buddies owns a Zune and seems to be happy with it though it would be safe to say that it most often seems to see car-duty. From a functionality standpoint the basic operations seem to please him.

[Rich-n-Texas]

What's that brown, wrinkly, crinkly thing with a hole in it that's making music?

Dammit sticks! Now I gotta go see what one looks like!

[diggity]

does this help?

but this guy seemed to like it!!

[bobsticks]

Dammit sticks! Now I gotta go see what one looks like!

Most of us assumed you were already well-versed.

[kexodusc]

Oh man, where'd you find the pic of that guy with the Zune tatt? He's right out of the WoW computer-geek stereotype handbook - bad facial hair, overweight, poor fashion and hygiene, creepy dragon posters, and fanboy branding inked into his shoulder.

ROFLMAO.

[nightflier]

Well at least the Zune is fairly hackable, although being such a small share of the market, it's probably going to be hard to find people on the net who actually bothered.

'Wonder if it will run Linux....

[Woochifer]

Well at least the Zune is fairly hackable, although being such a small share of the market, it's probably going to be hard to find people on the net who actually bothered.

'Wonder if it will run Linux....

Or for that matter, will anyone who owns a Zune bother with updating the system software if the new versions wind up locking people out of video files that they can view just fine right now?

MS is in a tough spot. They've been trying to catch up with a moving target in the iPod, and trying to replicate the ecosystem that Apple has built around the iPod platform. Problem is that Apple's greater market share and iTunes content means that they can maintain DRM and not screw themselves in the process. And even so, their game plan seems to be about moving away from DRM, which reduces disincentives to the iPod.

People who want a more open media player architecture already have alternatives from SanDisk or Creative et al, and consumers willing to accept a more restrictive and closed-ended platform generally choose the iPod.

[Rich-n-Texas]

Most of us assumed you were already well-versed.

Why? I currently own an iPod nano with no further plans to purchase anything else. I'm not really on the go enough to justify portable media players, and the nano is for use at the gym (if I ever get back to it).

A ways down the road though I can picture myself in an iPod Touch plugged into a B&W Zeppelin dock.

[bobsticks]

Why?

Look at the logo again Rich. You gotta want it.

[nightflier]

Well, I forgot where I read this, but isn't it true that to transfer music/video files in Zune w/o being restricted, all you have to do is change the file name extension and then move the through to the image file transfer folder? Frankly if it's that easy, then I'm sure Microsoft's copy-cop won't be a genius either.

By the way, Zune will run Linux, sort of, but much of the functionality is lost. There are also all sorts of hacks to get Linux boxes to work with Zune, but everytime someone publishes it, Microsoft "updates" the stupid thing and disables that. Microsoft really does hate Linux, I think.

Yeah, if I had to buy a new one, any digital music player for that matter, it would definitely be an iPod, and barring that a Sensa or something from Creative. But for now, My Rio is still working just fine - when it dies I'll probably buy an iPod Touch.

[Woochifer]

Well, I forgot where I read this, but isn't it true that to transfer music/video files in Zune w/o being restricted, all you have to do is change the file name extension and then move the through to the image file transfer folder? Frankly if it's that easy, then I'm sure Microsoft's copy-cop won't be a genius either.

The only way to make sure that this works would be for the Zune to only play videos with DRM tags, which would exclude not only copyrighted non-DRM vids, but also vids that you created yourself with no copyright restrictions whatsoever! This sounds like another one of MS' vaporware scams, and they seem to have pulled it over NBC/Universal by promising a technology that may or may not ever be feasible.

By the way, Zune will run Linux, sort of, but much of the functionality is lost. There are also all sorts of hacks to get Linux boxes to work with Zune, but everytime someone publishes it, Microsoft "updates" the stupid thing and disables that. Microsoft really does hate Linux, I think.

Of course they hate Linux. They can't control it, and they don't make money off of it. MS hates any open format that they cannot co-opt and fork into a proprietary Windows extension. The Zune is just another play to keep people locked into the Windows Media formats. Apple purposely excluded MS' proprietary Windows Media formats in favor of the open AAC and MPEG-4 H.264 formats. Apple's no different from MS in that the iPod also uses a closed architecture, but the difference is that the iPod already has the market share and media partners on board.

MS has been trying to break into the media player market ever since the iPod took off and built up sizable market share leads for Apple in both media player hardware AND digital media download sales. MS' first attempt was through their PlaysForSure program, where they lined up manufacturing partners to support PlaysForSure. Some people thought this would take off because those players supported more formats than the iPod and often gave the user greater flexibility. When those players sold poorly, MS simply abandoned their partners by introducing the Zune (which is the same kind of closed ecosystem as the iPod) and now switching off the MSN music servers in August (anyone who doesn't lock their MSN-purchased music files to a specific computer by that time will find them unplayable).

Yeah, if I had to buy a new one, any digital music player for that matter, it would definitely be an iPod, and barring that a Sensa or something from Creative. But for now, My Rio is still working just fine - when it dies I'll probably buy an iPod Touch.

The Touch will become even more intriguing when the iPhone developer's kit (which can also be used for the iPod Touch) gets more widely circulated next month. Even though Apple wants to maintain control over distribution of iPhone and Touch applications, the developer's kit is actually free for anyone to download and use to develop their own applications. My understanding is that anyone who knows how to build apps for Mac OS X will already know how to develop apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. And that developer's kit includes a virtual environment that lets you run and test iPhone apps using a Mac. Catch of course is that you need a Mac to run the iPhone SDK!

[nightflier]

The Touch will become even more intriguing when the iPhone developer's kit (which can also be used for the iPod Touch) gets more widely circulated next month. Even though Apple wants to maintain control over distribution of iPhone and Touch applications, the developer's kit is actually free for anyone to download and use to develop their own applications. My understanding is that anyone who knows how to build apps for Mac OS X will already know how to develop apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. And that developer's kit includes a virtual environment that lets you run and test iPhone apps using a Mac. Catch of course is that you need a Mac to run the iPhone SDK!

Since the Touch also has WiFi, I may be able to pawn that off as a business expense. Now if only it could accept a SD-cellular card, then I'd have my compact laptop all in the palm of my hand - maybe the SDK will make that a reality?

Actually, if it has a built-in mic, couldn't it pretty much be used as a service-free phone using something like skype? Just to rub it in, maybe people will use them over their AT&T-provided internet access, LOL.

[pixelthis]

This is a very important battle, because the portable file server is going to be what replaces the CD and other "hard copy" media.
And it looks like Apple is winning.
The difference between a pile of CD's in your car and a player are huge, in terms of convience, etc.
My old creative had my entire collection before my HD fried (I only dropped it five feet! What shoddy craftsmanship!)

[Woochifer]

Since the Touch also has WiFi, I may be able to pawn that off as a business expense. Now if only it could accept a SD-cellular card, then I'd have my compact laptop all in the palm of my hand - maybe the SDK will make that a reality?

Actually, if it has a built-in mic, couldn't it pretty much be used as a service-free phone using something like skype? Just to rub it in, maybe people will use them over their AT&T-provided internet access, LOL.

Hackers have already been trying various ways of getting Skype to work with the iPhone and iPod Touch. Line inputs are built into the iPod docking connector and my understanding is that they are active on the Touch, although I don't know of any "official" audio input accessories available as of yet for that model.

The iPhone/Touch is limited because for now it can only "officially" use web client-based apps. If you hack your way into the root of the OS (like others have to make Skype work with the iPhone), you risk bricking your iPhone/Touch.

The SDK will open up a whole new world of possibilities, though Apple has supposedly left out the application frameworks that could turn the Touch and iPhone into a full-fledged wi-fi enabled audio input/output device. Even with the SDK, getting Skype to work might still require hacking into the root directory. But, 500,000 people have already downloaded the beta SDK, so that's a lot of braintrust out there to potentially figure out solutions for making VoIP work.