Post all of your App complaints here (AKA, the Darwin Award thread) - several merged

[NSILMike]

Originally Posted by Mr. Popo

i doubt that we'll see anything until the zune software gets an update, Dave keeps mentioning that a store update is holding them back, so don't expect anything until then.

Go to bing.com, and search on your favorite artist. In the result, click play on one of the offered songs. You'll get a zune marketplace pop up, and a 30 second preview. Click 'buy' and you get a msg to come back soon...it's a work in progress. FYI, you can use a credit card when they get this up and running...no more points only requirement.

[CrowdAds]

[epithetless]

Originally Posted by NSILMike

Go to bing.com, and search on your favorite artist. In the result, click play on one of the offered songs.

Ha...Apparently none of my favorite artists are in the Zune Marketplace -- no song results on Bing.com, no Zune popup window available. Whoops.

[NSILMike]

Originally Posted by epithetless

Ha...Apparently none of my favorite artists are in the Zune Marketplace -- no song results on Bing.com, no Zune popup window available. Whoops.

Well that may be part of the problem... it's interesting though- if you change bing views to songs (from web) after searching an artist, your 'buy' choices include zune, itunes, and amazon. while the zune marketplace is pretty good, the amazon and itunes markets are quite a bit bigger.

[Stujoe]

Originally Posted by NSILMike

Go to bing.com, and search on your favorite artist. In the result, click play on one of the offered songs. You'll get a zune marketplace pop up, and a 30 second preview.

And, if you have the Zune Pass, it will play the whole song. Assuming it is a Pass song, of course. And, it didn't give me a 'Coming Soon' message. It let me buy it. And in US Dollars, not 'Points'.

[epithetless]

Originally Posted by Stujoe

And, if you have the Zune Pass, it will play the whole song. Assuming it is a Pass song, of course. And, it didn't give me a 'Coming Soon' message. It let me buy it. And in US Dollars, not 'Points'.

Ooh, progress!

Originally Posted by NSILMike

it's interesting though- if you change bing views to songs (from web) after searching an artist, your 'buy' choices include zune, itunes, and amazon. while the zune marketplace is pretty good, the amazon and itunes markets are quite a bit bigger.

Good call. That did bring up a few more results than the "web" view. Out of curiosity, were you able to get any results to appear that have only iTunes and Amazon as "buy" options? From what I could see, only albums that are available to purchase through "Zune" are made visible in a Bing Music search. Searching for the Mountain Goats, for instance, brings up 5 albums under Bing Music, despite Amazon having 25 Mountain Goats albums available for digital download. Perhaps that's just the in-progress nature of the site updates...or perhaps Microsoft only wants to include results that can be audibly previewed (aka can be bought from the Zune Marketplace), which would be unfortunate (...the true "Decision Engine" at work? ).

[NSILMike]

Originally Posted by epithetless

[snipped]Out of curiosity, were you able to get any results to appear that have only iTunes and Amazon as "buy" options? From what I could see, only albums that are available to purchase through "Zune" are made visible in a Bing Music search. Searching for the Mountain Goats, for instance, brings up 5 albums under Bing Music, despite Amazon having 25 Mountain Goats albums available for digital download. Perhaps that's just the in-progress nature of the site updates...or perhaps Microsoft only wants to include results that can be audibly previewed (aka can be bought from the Zune Marketplace), which would be unfortunate (...the true "Decision Engine" at work? ).

I didn't dig deep enough to tell...

[Forza]

Seriously, 70 days without any app release... Are you guys just waiting till ZuneHD hits a year old or until Next gen ZuneHD comes out and forget about it or what?

[NSILMike]

Originally Posted by Forza

Seriously, 70 days without any app release... Are you guys just waiting till ZuneHD hits a year old or until Next gen ZuneHD comes out and forget about it or what?

you guys...? I think 99% of the folks in here are customers.

[Forza]

Originally Posted by NSILMike

you guys...? I think 99% of the folks in here are customers.

I'm commenting to Microsoft....

[Zuniq]

I made this thread to express my disappointment freely without fearing of being off topic...

The new apps are nothing to get excited with.-

Microsoft probably ported Money app from the forthcoming WP7 apps to show that they have something for ZHD too and tease us about what we will see in WP7...It's a totally irrelevant app because Zune HD target groups are not businessmen (...and probably businessmen prefer to use their ultra expensive smartphones for listening to music or watching videos.)

Animalgrams is just one of a whole bunch of apps they should had released if they wanted a "strong app session" inside Zune HD. It's certainly not a great app/game like Audiosurf, PGR, Lucky Lanes or even Labyrinth...



The Problem:
Zune HD is theoreticaly not app oriented but, MS tease possible buyers and current owners by referring to apps (and games, which is written on the box).
Zune HD IS capable of running great apps and games, so, there is a hype about what this device could do (it's already a nice media player) if MS decide to release more and better stuff for it. MS mostly care about retaining that hype, so, they keep us waiting possible app releases with rumors.
Practically the situation inside the apps area is tragic...2 very simple or mediocre apps every 2-3 months doesn't make Zune HD "appy". I think that MS are playing their "marketing game" with their customers...

I'm mostly disappointed with MS attitude (marketing strategy)...I could be happier if i wasn't here all these months to read Dave's (Microsoft's) promises and taking part to the glorification of the situation, and maybe i could be happier if i hadn't give so much money for such a restricted device...

MS do what they want with their customers because they almost have the total control of Zune HD devices...our pricey hardware it's just a terminal for their software services....

I wouldn't say a thing if i could do simple tasks, easily and quickly, but right now, i have to use Zune software, i have to convert flac or ape files and loosing many hours for doing this, and the worst...my Zune HD is just "invisible" for any other computer that hasn't got Zune installed...so, no drag and drop and file sharing between different computers, no last moment transfers (before a trip, everything must be strictly programmed because the conversions take hours), no fun.



There are many possible and easy solutions, but MS simply don't care.

a.They could make a Zune software "light" version that its portable (it doesn't need installation or it automatically install the minimum files that are needed for communicating with the device) and it makes possible the use of ZHD with other computers in a trip or at a friend's house. They don't really prevent file sharing by not having a solution like this, because everyone can have zune software in a flash memory and install it in almost every pc he/she wants. They just made that procedure intolerable.

b.They could simply make Zune software support and automatically convert flac (and any other major formats that are not currently supported) to mp3 inside the pc software (i'm not talking about flac support in the player here)..it's ULTRA simple for them.

Anyway, i have stated again that if WP7 works with the same way for audio, i will prefer an Android phone...all this situation is very frustrating especially with every new and "exciting" release of apps and updates...

[KingAvarice]

Originally Posted by Zuniq

Microsoft probably ported Money app from the forthcoming WP7 apps to show that they have something for ZHD too and tease us about what we will see in WP7

Actually, it was made as part of an contest. Whoever made the best app won custom ZuneHDs. My source is the interview on the ZuneInsider podcast. Every company is trying to be profitable, so they are currently working harder on Winmo7 because ZuneHD just hasn't sold that well. I think it's poor strategy to not put the Winmo7 app store on ZuneHD, especially since ZuneHD2 rumors are being shot down. The apps should be able to run on the ZuneHD (I'm guessing) and they'd be making more money.

Originally Posted by Zuniq

Animalgrams is just one of a whole bunch of apps they should had released if they wanted a "strong app session" inside Zune HD. It's certainly not a great app/game like Audiosurf, PGR, Lucky Lanes or even Labyrinth...

Larger games require more work, dedication and time. DaveMac has said that there is are, I believe, around 30 apps in the pipeline. When they're finished, they'll come out. Sure, Animalgrams is childish. But it works as a time killer. Just be patient; more's coming.

Originally Posted by Zuniq

The Problem:
Zune HD is theoreticaly not app oriented but, MS tease possible buyers and current owners by referring to apps (and games, which is written on the box).

They could have delivered more,but you can't say they haven't delivered anything.

Originally Posted by Zuniq

Zune HD IS capable of running great apps and games, so, there is a hype about what this device could do (it's already a nice media player) if MS decide to release more and better stuff for it. MS mostly care about retaining that hype, so, they keep us waiting possible app releases with rumors.

What rumors are you referring to? Every app they've announced so far is already out. If you're talking about the Youtube app rumor, that was shot dead by Dave Mac and it wasn't planted by Microsoft.

Yes, it is capable of doing much more, so I understand most people are disappointed and underwhelmed by what has been given since the original big app package. At this point, there's no point in complaining. It hasn't done anything for anybody. The Zune Team will continue their release of a few apps a month (the recent delay was due to other important work, such as integration of marketplace into Bing and the U.K. Zune Pass).

Originally Posted by Zuniq

Practically the situation inside the apps area is tragic...2 very simple or mediocre apps every 2-3 months doesn't make Zune HD "appy". I think that MS are playing their "marketing game" with their customers...

I don't think it's a marketing strategy, so much as it is a lack of funding. The Zune Team isn't able to release that many games. Logically, the best thing is to make an app store where development teams can make money for their apps.

Originally Posted by Zuniq

I'm mostly disappointed with MS attitude (marketing strategy)...I could be happier if i wasn't here all these months to read Dave's (Microsoft's) promises and taking part to the glorification of the situation, and maybe i could be happier if i hadn't give so much money for such a restricted device...

I've felt he's avoided promises. I don't see how the device is restricted. Third-party apps are enabled via XNA and OpenZDK. If you want more apps, you can go learn how to program and make them yourself.

I feel that I've received as much as I've paid for. They have scrimped in terms of hardware, as Apple does (ex: no OLED on iPad). It's a device I can use daily as a PMP and that's really all I could ask for. But, that's my opinion, because I don't care that much about apps, really.

Originally Posted by Zuniq

Anyway, i have stated again that if WP7 works with the same way for audio, i will prefer an Android phone...all this situation is very frustrating especially with every new and "exciting" release of apps and updates...

Not going to make any comment about your suggestions regarding Zune software. I think the software is already leaps and bounds above the competition as a media player.

Audio? If you mean apps, there are already lots of apps lined up for the opening of the app store. What's disappointing is that we won't be able to get any part of them. Getting an Android phone is your choice. They're trying to sell their device and whatever strategy they take is Microsoft's choice. Your buying a different product is reflective of your opinion on their strategy. If it comes down to it, I would probably go for Android too.

Really, I'm trying to say that 1) they're aiming to sell the ZuneHD. That's their goal, because sales make money. If they believe that making their product this "restricted" works, then it's their choice and your complaining does nothing to change it. 2) that you can't expect the app experience you get with other devices. The iTouch is aimed for apps solely and puts media as a second priority. The ZuneHD puts apps probably last in terms of priority. 3) Go get a new device if you're unhappy. Complaining here just makes for arguments and trolling and no change.

[Jacob]

Oh look! This thread again...

[medion]

Originally Posted by Jacob

Oh look! This thread again...

Oh look! Merged again!