More Zune
Great, lengthy, detailed review of the Zune on Fox News (I know, I was surprised too) here. In many ways, I found the most interesting comment to be about the much maligned (let's be honest, everything about the Zune has been maligned in the press) points system:The points thing is an issue with some people. Why not just use regular regional currency? Well for starters, if you buy one $.99 track, the credit card transaction fees are killer. But Apple deals, so why not Microsoft? Isn't it just a ploy for them to sell blocks of 400 points to users that want to buy a track or two, always leaving customers with (and pocketing the money for) unspent points? Well maybe, but there's a lot more to it than that.
See, the points you have on the Zune Marketplace is the same pool of points you have on Xbox Live to buy stuff, because your Zune Tag and Gamertag are one and the same.
Have a Zune and pick up an Xbox 360 later, and you can spend the points you already have, and vice versa.
[...]
Most importantly, "points" are a legal loophole that could potentially let Microsoft do some cool things. Points are not legal tender, and from a legal standpoint they have no monetary value.
If you wanted to send points to another user, say in another country, it would be pretty easy to do (should Microsoft implement that function - it's not there now).
The legal ramifications of doing that with actual money are substantial. Microsoft can award points as prizes, or as incentives, without jumping through the same legal hoops required to do so with real money.
Already there has been a rumor that Microsoft will award points to users who use the wireless sharing function. True or not, it's a possibility that would simply be untenable if it were real money, especially if you're talking about various worldwide currencies.
Imagine if you put your podcast on the Zune Marketplace (also not a feature right now) and got points for how many different users downloaded it. A point system simply opens up a world of potential capabilities that are ten times harder to do with straight money.
So there you are, a great example of why the points system might be a good idea. The other interesting thing about the article is that the writer, like me, isn't all that excited about what the Zune can do now. It's the potential for the future that has him excited. He reels off things that can be done with just a few updates, and points out that Microsoft is essentially installing in home integrated entertainment systems that run through the whole house without anyone really noticing that they're doing it.
I don't need a digital music player - my Palm works fine for me for now. But were I buying one, with what it looks like Microsoft are doing here, I would get a Zune in a flash, the potential when it develops is just great. And try as I might, I just can't convince myself that an iPod has that same sort of potential.
See, the points you have on the Zune Marketplace is the same pool of points you have on Xbox Live to buy stuff, because your Zune Tag and Gamertag are one and the same.
Have a Zune and pick up an Xbox 360 later, and you can spend the points you already have, and vice versa.
[...]
Most importantly, "points" are a legal loophole that could potentially let Microsoft do some cool things. Points are not legal tender, and from a legal standpoint they have no monetary value.
If you wanted to send points to another user, say in another country, it would be pretty easy to do (should Microsoft implement that function - it's not there now).
The legal ramifications of doing that with actual money are substantial. Microsoft can award points as prizes, or as incentives, without jumping through the same legal hoops required to do so with real money.
Already there has been a rumor that Microsoft will award points to users who use the wireless sharing function. True or not, it's a possibility that would simply be untenable if it were real money, especially if you're talking about various worldwide currencies.
Imagine if you put your podcast on the Zune Marketplace (also not a feature right now) and got points for how many different users downloaded it. A point system simply opens up a world of potential capabilities that are ten times harder to do with straight money.
So there you are, a great example of why the points system might be a good idea. The other interesting thing about the article is that the writer, like me, isn't all that excited about what the Zune can do now. It's the potential for the future that has him excited. He reels off things that can be done with just a few updates, and points out that Microsoft is essentially installing in home integrated entertainment systems that run through the whole house without anyone really noticing that they're doing it.
I don't need a digital music player - my Palm works fine for me for now. But were I buying one, with what it looks like Microsoft are doing here, I would get a Zune in a flash, the potential when it develops is just great. And try as I might, I just can't convince myself that an iPod has that same sort of potential.