I am not sure of the sales figures for the Zune so far this week. I for one was poised to purchase and ready to get the new device. However, the recent information that I have received regarding the application of a new DRM system has made me pause.
It appears that the new Zune will not honor the DRM of any of Microsoft's previous PlayforSure suitors (the playforsure irony is killing me). So you would think that MSN music is exempt. No! apparently the two dozen songs that I purchased from MSN music are useless on the new Zune! Seriously someone is not thinking things through! It appears MSN music, Play4Sure and Zune are never going to meet at a common ground. So if you were crazy enough to purchase music from MSN you will have to burn a CD and rip the music into an unprotected format. DRM, you have got to love it! Well this should spell then end of MSN and Playforsure.
Thankfully most of my music was ripped from CD in an unprotected format (WMA and MP3) in Windows Media Player so I can convert these files into the Zune experience. In order to remain flexible I will have to buy CDs and rip my music. That way if Microsoft decide to update the DRM standard again it will not worry me! DRM, you have got to love it!
I am still tempted to move forward, the WiFi features are terrific and the share and play features are tempting for an avid musician like myself. The idea of sharing my music with anyone in my vicinity and being able to permit them to play that song for a limited time is genius! iPod will need to respond but not quickly ... they should revel in being the 900lb gorilla.
This is a quote from the Zune site that first got me hooked!
Picture this: You're walking down the street. Or you're in a room with a . Or at a concert. Or at the airport. Or on the bus (you get the picture) and then you whip out your Zune and see all these other Zune devices around that you can choose from. Zap! You’re connected to your best friend and send the new song your band recorded in the garage last weekend. Another friend gets the hilarious podcast your kid brother made at school, plus that song you just downloaded from the Zune Marketplace and can’t get out of your head. And hey, lookee here, your friend wants to send you something that you might like and buy, too.
Best of all, the song you sent isn’t just a 30-second preview—it’s the whole song! Your friend can sample the song up to three times in three days, flag it on their device and then, if they like it, they can buy it later from Zune Marketplace. It's all connected.
bunch of friends
"I like rice. Rice is great if you're hungry and want 2000 of something." - Mitch Hedberg
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