Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Microsoft, Zune, Windows, Economy | Themes: Audio/Video Players
Amidst the economic turmoil, Microsoft is confident everything will be A-OK.
Among other news in the company, Microsoft revealed that sales of its Zune media player were down 54 percent last quarter. While some of this can be attributed to the economic slowdown, it left many wondering about the Zune's place in 2009.
Rest assured, Microsoft came out to console the masses. "Every time anything comes up, there is a set of people who pull a Chicken Little and say, 'The Sky is Falling. Zune is dead'," said Adam Sohn, Microsoft's director of marketing for the Zune. He also noted that iPod sales were down 16 percent. The numbers seem pretty far apart at first, but Sohn was quick to remind that the Zune is only sold in Canada and the United States, whereas the iPod is sold in North America and several international markets.
"That category, Apple and us, didn't grow like it did [in 2007]," said Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division. "But Zune did fine. Right about our expectations and we feel pretty good about the direction that's going."
So what about the Zune's future? According to Sohn: "The fact is we are on track to deliver the next generation of Zune innovation in software and hardware. We will deliver progress this calendar year."
The Zune's safety in 2009 isn't the only good news coming out of Microsoft today. The tech giant also revealed it's new pick for the head of its Games for Windows division. The recently departed (laid off) Chris Early has been replaced by Ron Pessner, who is coming over from the Entertainment and Devices division.
If you've never used the Games for Windows service before (which is now 100 percent free), head on over to Steam and download the free Dawn of War II multiplayer beta. Remember, if you have an Xbox Live account, log into Games for Windows with the same user information.
-
Previous News Article
Microsoft Pledges Support for... -
Next News Article
DTV Delay Bill Fails in House;...
I think Zune is now the best portable MP3 device. With the Zune Pass its more like Rhapsody except you can keep 10 songs every month even after your subscription ends. Its also easily used in connection to the PC, and its only a matter of time until they link Zune players to Microsoft Networks like MSN, and Windows Live.
I love my Zune, I wouldn't trade it for any other mp3 player.
Now if Microsoft can integrate the Zune Marketplace and XBOX 360 Marketplace into one Marketplace so you can download and sync your music and movies from the XBOX 360. And when you purchase music or Movies from the 360, you can watch it on your Zune..
They need to finally bring all their services to the cloud and bridge their content and services between all their platforms Xbox, Zune, Windows Mobile, Windows Desktop and Web.
Hell yes!!!!!!!!!!!!
They need to finally bring all their services to the cloud and bridge their content and services between all their platforms Xbox, Zune, Windows Mobile, Windows Desktop and Web.
...the cloud? You do know Windows Azure isn't for Home use?
But a single media service for all of their platforms would be great. Just imagine buying a movie on your PC, then walking into your living room to watch on a larger screen. You might get an urgent call in the middle of the movie, so you grab you zune, and finish watching it on the go.
I believe that's been Microsoft's grand strategy for years now. Bill Gates envisioned a future where everything is connected and runs off of Microsoft software. Your smart refrigerator would link to your computer and network so that when you go to the store, you could see what stuff you had in the fridge and what stuff you still need to buy. Your PDA/phone/Zune would be able to act as a mini-computer that travels with you. Everything would run off of Microsoft's software of course.
Unfortunately, Bill's vision was slow to be implemented, causing him to have several of his famous blowups. I speculate that he left Microsoft because he just couldn't handle all the disappointments and how newer companies like Google kept on releasing stuff that he had thought of years ago but somehow couldn't get to market in time.
As a Microsoft shareholder, I'm amazed how incompetent the management and employees are. Microsoft supposedly hires only the top people and programmers, they're famous for their interview process where they make you solve problems to indirectly test your intelligence. All these smart people and they still can't make software as good as their competitors? They can't innovate themselves but have to wait and copy off of what others have thought up? No wonder Bill Gates was so frustrated. How could a small group of people produce a better browser like Firefox when Microsoft has all of its resources and staff? What are the IE people doing, other than copying Firefox? What the hell is going on?