I'm sorry, I'm have to agree with Jason and disagree with you, for the most part. There is only one reason why you can't have a device solely focused on "music centered features" with the quality you speak of, while having all the other features as well..... It is not the fault of the device, hardware, or software, but the manufacture and the developers in charge that make the decision to "cut corners" and sacrifice quality for quantity. There is no reason why they can't simply focus on doing both and delivering IF they would make that decision to do so. If you ask me, I believe that most manufactures of these "all-in-one" devices are getting better and better with time and expierence.

"There's no complexity here, no software needed: just a slot." (Jason on an expandable memory slot for the zune) What about the zen? Their expandable memory slot didn't work out so well. (unless a recent firmware upgrade intigrated it with the memory) i still would like expandable memory, though. Anyway, i still agree with jason most on these points, sorry to say.

Sorry, BobbyRS, but there absolutely IS a reason why you can't have everything. It called finite resources. People seem to equate Microsoft's size, profitability, and market share, with the idea that they could do anything they want to, if the only cared enough. The reality though, it that it's really a land of many fiefdoms, with many projects pulling those finite resources in many different directions. The zune team, while they do have some of the resources of a behemoth like Microsoft at its disposal, do not have ALL of the resources at their disposal. They have a finite team, with finite money, and finite time. And the have to make hard choices. Some of which you'll probably like, many of which you won't.

And I think that's why Grahm wrote his article. It seems like people were getting all wrapped up in the lack of a clock, instead of focusing on what it did do. And they were unwilling to let the Zune team prioritize what they felt was important for their vision of the product, as they had stated in various blog posts.

It's kind of like the hue and cry now over lack of Zunes in the non-American marketplace. I'm quite sure that Microsoft, being the profit loving company that they are, would love to have a zune and it's marketplace in every country in the world. I'm equally sure that there are real business reasons why to this date it's only sold in America.

If we are realistic in expectations and fair in criticisms I think (or at least hope) we'll reap the benefits of this still growing media ecosystem.

I'm sorry. I still have to disagree. I believe that finite resources and money issues you bring up are just excuses. I am a firm believer in if you are going to make something, make it right. If quality or design suffers, then it is for multiple reasons like poor implementation of features or poor decision making. Again, it is still the fault of the manufacture and administration responsible. They only have themselves to blame. Manufactures can still make the decisions to focus on the one or more particular areas of their product, which are to be its strong point, without sacrificing quality. If for some reason this cannot take place, their product won't be able to compete or eventually go down a different path to obscurity. If the proper attention to detail, research, decision making, and responsible spending can take place, then I don't see why it can't be done. Manny manufactures seem to not have any problems release device after device, so I don't see why this "all-in-one" concept can't be obtained correctly..... eventually.

"I believe that finite resources and money issues you bring up are just excuses."

You really haven't the slightest clue about product development and project management. To say that having finite resources is an excuse tells me you have never worked with a budget of any kind.

The biggest point you are missing is that not everyone wants an all in one device which is obvious from the comments left here and by myself writing this article.

Well, not in the DAP/MP3 industry no, but I do actually work within budgeting constraints and understand completely about the impact on how the lack of funding effects projects. However, in this particular case, I'm just saying I don't buy it completely. If the manufacture wants to add more features and then decide to "half-ass" others just because of budget constraints, then they desearve a bad or not-so-good product. Yes, and I am agreeing that they should not include the "half-assed" features IF it takes away from it's main feature. But, for the most part, many devices are getting better and better at offering these "other" features (without infringing on its other capabilities) For the indivuals that do not like these other features, don't use them or don't by them. If more people feel the same way, then the impact should be felt.

@Bobby

But that again brings up the question of the Zune team having the resources to properly intergrate those features properly.

I have to agree, I want a music player to only play music.

Sound should be the most important feature.

I have never found a "do it all" gadget of any kind that can do it all and do it well. Most of the time, the extras are not well thought out and not fun to use.

I want DAP's that play music and sound great. That's it.

It really is a shame that most sheeple don't even know what music should sound like.

Jason's article wasn't really a rebuttal since out of the 8 points, he basically agreed on 4 of them. As for calling your post flamebait and then agreeing...poor journalism.

Has expandable memory ever been implemented seamlessly? I'm not sure on that one. As for an alarm clock/clock. There is already a clock built in for the DRM, so they just need to show it on the interface. Everything else I agree with.

In the end, we all know that separate devices will eventually fade due to convenience and cost.

Jason's article wasn't really a rebuttal since out of the 8 points, he basically agreed on 4 of them. As for calling your post flamebait and then agreeing...poor journalism.

Has expandable memory ever been implemented seamlessly? I'm not sure on that one. As for an alarm clock/clock. There is already a clock built in for the DRM, so they just need to show it on the interface. Everything else I agree with.

In the end, we all know that separate devices will eventually fade due to convenience and cost.

i hate ipods but i have a freind who owns a iphone and ipod touch i have borrowed the itouch a few times to get on the internet i really like it i would love for zune to come out with one like that so i dont have to buy a ipod the thing i would like to see is zune release a touch w/ internet on it and make it as fast if not fast then the itouches but if they do then they need to make it were they can get on the internet no matter where you are at! right?