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All posts tagged "partnership"


Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Don't Rely On Your Zune as a Backup Tool

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Zune Talk" @ 01:12 PM

http://revision3.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5076

I saw a Revision3 forum thread where a fellow was expressing frustration over something the Zune did:

"So I updated the Zune software and well after I did it didnt [sic] work. I had to uninstall [sic] and reinstall. Well, after you do that, the Zune Software sees your Zune as foreign and reformats it for ya to work with your new library. But, I forgot I had converted the first 40 Star Trek TOS episodes for the Zune already and deleted them from my PC. Now they are gone. I am doomed to repeat that 2 day process I fear. Somebody hold me."

I feel for the guy - I really do. It's ridiculous that the Zune couldn't update it's firmware without losing the partnership information, and it's even more ridiculous how easy it is to lose the content on your Zune. But...(and you knew this was coming), relying on a Zune, or any portable media player for that matter, as the one and only source for your video files is a really bad move. The partnership information on the Zune doesn't appear to be particularly reliable - two weeks ago, prior to the 1.3 firmware update, I synchronized my Zune - and it claimed it was a new partnership and helpfully offered to nuke all the content on my Zune. I hadn't updated or changed anything, yet it lost the partnership information. Has anything similar happened to you?


Monday, January 22, 2007

Microsoft Discussed Apple Partnership in '03

Posted by Damion Chaplin in "Zune Talk" @ 08:00 PM

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&refer=conews&tkr=MSFT:US&sid=anhaQOstu83g

"Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, as early as 2003 considered a partnership with Apple Inc. or creating its own digital music player to rival Apple's dominant iPod. Microsoft, displeased with hardware partners Creative Technology Ltd. and Dell Inc. that made players using Microsoft's Windows Media software, talked about building its own device, according to an e-mail exchange between Windows chief Jim Allchin and media software executive Amir Majidimehr. The correspondence, introduced into evidence in a civil antitrust trial against Microsoft in Des Moines, Iowa, was made public today. Allchin, who started the exchange in an e-mail entitled "sucking on media players," also suggested he talk to Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs to get the iPod to work with Microsoft's media software for fear the iPod would "drive people away from Windows Media Player." Microsoft introduced its Zune music player in November. "My goodness it's terrible," Allchin wrote about one of Creative's devices. "What I don't understand though is I was told the new Creative Labs device would be comparable to Apple. That is so not the case." Majidimehr replied "Now you feel our pain." He said Microsoft was providing cash incentives to get the partners to improve devices. If that doesn't work "it is time for us to roll up our sleeves and do our own hardware," he wrote."

So apparently, Jim Allchin was so disappointed with the Window Media software experience on third-party vendors' devices he actually suggested that they speak with Steve Jobs about getting Apple to license the WMP software. Yeah, right. I can just see that happening. Even if it were a good idea, Apple would likely have declined just to see MS flounder. Personally, I'm glad the giant flop that was the WMP initiative fizzled out, 'cause now we have the Zune.


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