Microsoft Reportedly Kills Off Zune Hardware

[lip]

Originally Posted by eddie.exe

This is pretty disappointing. I was looking forward to a WP7 device without the Phone to come out. I hope this means we at least get a firmware update soon. The ZuneHD is probably the buggiest Zune player to have been released.

I feel like an orphan now.

Buggy? In what way?
Do they need to update the firmware to add glaring missing features...yes...will they now...highly doubtful...I like it for what it is but it's missing a lot of basic media features...gapless has been broken since day one with drm files and they just don't give a s**t to fix it...wifi doesn't work with all wireless security protocols...no features have been added since smartdj(which is awesome)...
I'd like to put my faith that these will be implemented in WP7 but with their terrible update history, I highly doubt it...it seems MS is interested about talking about features and what will come but nothing ever comes...

I'm a big fan of the potential of MS but man do they really have a tough time implementing what they say they will...

I wonder what Dave will do now in the future? He's definitely an asset to MS...

[aimran]

Originally Posted by lip

Buggy? In what way?
Do they need to update the firmware to add glaring missing features...yes...will they now...highly doubtful...I like it for what it is but it's missing a lot of basic media features...gapless has been broken since day one with drm files and they just don't give a s**t to fix it...wifi doesn't work with all wireless security protocols...no features have been added since smartdj(which is awesome)...
I'd like to put my faith that these will be implemented in WP7 but with their terrible update history, I highly doubt it...it seems MS is interested about talking about features and what will come but nothing ever comes...

I'm a big fan of the potential of MS but man do they really have a tough time implementing what they say they will...

I wonder what Dave will do now in the future? He's definitely an asset to MS...

Dave should go work on the Xbox team. It seems that anything they do turns into success.

[Briankealing]

Can we at least get a firmware update? Pretty please?

[The DarkSide]

Meh,...sometimes being right doesn't feel so good,...

[Darkhyperchaos]

Maybe now people will stop defending the Zune HD by saying it's not dead. I really wished the Zune brand succeeded, but due to the way MS handled it (especially as of late), I've moved on to different brands that are constantly supported.

I think the Zune was a good example of how in the PMP market, a company needs to be competitive with the iPod line. There were some great ideas and features along the way, but in the end, the Zune wasn't competitive enough with the iPod.

If MS ever decides to bring the Zune back with the intent on making it as competitive as possible with the iPod, I'll be there from day one. But until then, I can only hope they continue to improve WP7 and learn from their mistakes.

[Satellite_6]

Oh noes!

(i had to)

[aimran]

What Microsoft should do if this does turn out to be true is license WP7 or the Zune software to be on other OEM PMPs much like Android PMPs but with Zune standard we have been accustomed to.

[BlindBandit]

I knew it ever since iPod Touch 4G came out that the Zune HD will die a slow & painful death. now i really don't want to sell my Zune HD because it's going to be a rare item now.

[Uberman5000]

This is disappointing, but the PMP in general has become second-tier to the smartphone lately, and with Microsoft wanting to focus their efforts on their own smartphone platform, the PMP has had to step out of the limelight. The heyday of the PMP is behind us, and this is going to be happening to a lot of devices soon (Sansas are becoming steadily less relevant, and you can't even get Samsung or Cowon players in Canada anymore.) At least this means Microsoft is taking WP7 pretty seriously; since the iPhone is just the iPod Touch with a mediocre phone crowbarred into it, Apple can easily support them both.

I'm kind of sad to see the Zune pass quietly into the night, since it always seemed like it was trying its best. At least the Zune HD is a really spectacular device to go out on, and the Zune line didn't keep going on and on until it was just spinning its wheels; Creative could take a hint from Microsoft here.

[RagingDaemon]

Here's an idea... drop the price to $99. I'll take one off their hands easily.

agree with this man. 64GB for $150.

[futurejp]

Obviously sad news, but I don't really see how it's much of a problem. I still have my Zune, and it'll still work great for a long time. By the time it dies, maybe I'll have a Windows Phone, or maybe I'll have a completely different PMP altogether, which is likely to be even better in a few years than we can imagine now. So what does it really matter that a brand dies? The software still lives on, it's just the hardware that's going away.

[Marine1]

Originally Posted by Uberman5000

This is disappointing, but the PMP in general has become second-tier to the smartphone lately, and with Microsoft wanting to focus their efforts on their own smartphone platform, the PMP has had to step out of the limelight. At least this means Microsoft is taking WP7 pretty seriously; since the iPhone is just the iPod Touch with a mediocre phone crowbarred into it, Apple can easily support them both.

I'm kind of sad to see the Zune pass quietly into the night, since it always seemed like it was trying its best. At least the Zune HD is a really spectacular device to go out on, and the Zune line didn't keep going on and on until it was just spinning its wheels; Creative could take a hint from Microsoft here.

There's really no reason why MS can't support both a phone platform and a PMP based off of it.

For the people who say the PMP is dying off, I invite you to A) look at the sales numbers of the iPod Touch, and B ) look at the number of people around you that still use a dumbphone and a PMP. There's a reason for it. Mobile broadband rates in the US are not cheap and telecom companies are constantly reducing the amount of service provided per dollar paid in subscription. I like the idea of a smartphone but hate the fact that I have to go through a phone company to get that kind of device. They screw you over for their service. Given that Wifi is available in quite a few places these days, a PMP makes quite a bit of sense for web access and using apps. In my situation, I go to a major state university with campus-wide Wifi. Why would I want to pay the fee for mobile broadband when I can get it from the university for free? PMPs are cheaper than their smartphone counterparts, and let you leave your valuable handheld device at home when it's wise to do so.

Microsoft should be fulfilling this market. I'm disappointed and furious that they're not.

[Uberman5000]

Originally Posted by RagingDaemon

agree with this man. 64GB for $150.

Seconded, but I don't necessarily want to wait around for this.

[ItsLasher]

Even if they killed the hardware though nothing in those articles say they are actually killing and kept updating the software\firmware would that be so bad?

[Darkhyperchaos]

Originally Posted by Marine1

For the people who say the PMP is dying off, I invite you to A) look at the sales numbers of the iPod Touch, and B ) look at the number of people around you that still use a dumbphone and a PMP.

Exactly. The excuse that the Zune HD didn't do well because nobody buys PMPs anymore isn't valid. There's still a strong market for PMPs, it just needs to be competitive to the iPod Touch. The Zune HD did poorly because it wasn't competitive to the iPod Touch, not because there wasn't a market for devices like it.

[RagingDaemon]

Originally Posted by BlindBandit

I knew it ever since iPod Touch 4G came out that the Zune HD will die a slow & painful death. now i really don't want to sell my Zune HD because it's going to be a rare item now.

when the excess flood of Zune HD stock lands on woot, yours will be rare no more.

[berklon]

Originally Posted by ItsLasher

Even if they killed the hardware though nothing in those articles say they are actually killing and kept updating the software\firmware would that be so bad?

With the hardware still alive, when was the last firmware update for the Zune HD? I can only imagine how little support they'll give it when it's dead.

[Uberman5000]

Originally Posted by Darkhyperchaos

Exactly. The excuse that the Zune HD didn't do well because nobody buys PMPs anymore isn't valid. There's still a strong market for PMPs, it just needs to be competitive to the iPod Touch. The Zune HD did poorly because it wasn't competitive to the iPod Touch, not because there wasn't a market for devices like it.

So rather than PMPs dying off, they're rapidly shrinking down to the iPod Touch and its imitators. This isn't an improvement.

[Marine1]

Originally Posted by Uberman5000

So rather than PMPs dying off, they're rapidly shrinking down to the iPod Touch and its imitators. This isn't an improvement.

Basically, yes. Which is why everyone around here should be having an anger aneurysm over the fact that Microsoft is getting rid of the Zune.

[Uberman5000]

Originally Posted by Marine1

Basically, yes. Which is why everyone around here should be having an anger aneurysm over the fact that Microsoft is getting rid of the Zune.

I consider this the same as "dying off". An industry with one guy at the top of the heap, and a bunch of knockoffs clamouring around it, isn't a real industry; it's a plutocracy. Especially when its being neglected in favour of an industry that costs more for the consumer.

Maybe I'm just miffed because, with the Zune falling by the wayside, I'm not sure what, if any, will spring up to replace it. Stunning OLED screen of a perfect size for video viewing, it weighs next to nothing, its got really wonderful social and navigation features... I don't want to have to get a chintzy Walkman S after this, or bust my balls to get a Cowon player that won't work properly in my country. It's upsetting to see an interesting specialty technology be struck down by a do-everything technology that only leaves the most exploitive bit of kit to survive the tide of progress.

I shouldn't be so upset, though. My Zune 120 was a fantastic player, even though I bought it weeks before it was discontinued, and I used it for years afterwards. I would still be using it if the hard drive didn't fail (and might still use it when I get it replaced). The Zune HD would undoubtedly be no different, I should be happy for the present rather than mourn for the future.