[Macworld]

Post your comments for Zune HD = iPod touch? Uh, no.... here

[rmeister0]

To be completely fair, this conclusion is premature. One of the details we do have so far is that the device will run on top of Windows CE, which already has a large number of applications available which run on it.

The iPod Touch cannot do radio. It can do 'internet radio', if you can connect to a wifi hot spot, but having a radio tuner eliminates that need.

While you can say the device may not be an effective competitor to the iPod Touch, you cannot say that it wasn't created with that in mind. Only the people who built it know what the design objective was.

[Chris Breen]

rmeister0 said:

The iPod Touch cannot do radio. It can do 'internet radio', if you can connect to a wifi hot spot, but having a radio tuner eliminates that need.

This is a topic for another article, but given a device that holds umpteen audio tracks, podcasts, and audiobooks, how necessary do you think radio really is? And do you believe this is the feature Microsoft should highlight as the one that distinguishes it from the iPod touch?

[mdawson]

Correct Chris. The whole point of these digital devices is to free one?s self from the 20-song playlist monotony of modern radio.

[Allegro72]

Well said, rmeister0. Your points on Windows CE applications and iPod Touch needing WiFi for radio are key.
I was going to post that while I love to visit macworld.com every day, sometimes I wish the articles could be a little more objective, and the editorials (such as this one) could be a little more professional and less Microsoft bashing. There were certainly other ways to write this article to reach a more intelligent audience and yet still communicate perceived deficiencies in the Zune HD compared to the iPod Touch.

[davebarnes]

Zune + Rush Limbaugh (on the radio) = iPod killer

[karlfranz]

Chris,
Your app count is off by a "small" margin (about 10,000). According to some reports, there are now approx 45,000 apps in the iTunes App Store.
Cheers.

[flybynight]

What is the resolution of video that the iPod touch can output via the optional component cable? If not HD, I'm sure it's at least DVD quality.

[Chris Breen]

Allegro72 said:

Well said, rmeister0. Your points on Windows CE applications and iPod Touch needing WiFi for radio are key.

To what? I've already suggested that radio is anything but a killer app given every other audio opportunity you have with a device like this. As for Windows CE, I did suggest that it's possible that Microsoft will unveil a Zapp store for these apps.

Even if it does, however, it will be interesting to see what kind of draw it is for developers. The Zune has hardly been a barn-burner of a product and if I were a developer I'd likely put my resources into apps that will find a home on popular devices like the iPhone/iPod touch.

[ZeroGravX]

I'm going to agree with Chris's comment. If you pack your iPod or Zune full of music, tailored to your liking of course, then why would you need a radio that plays as many commercials as it does repeats of the same song all day long?

[jdhedrick]

I agree Allegro. I especially enjoyed the part where the author was corrected, didn't acknowledge being wrong, then proceeded to tell you that it shouldn't be the highlight.

How nescasary is radio? I commute to work a total of 3 hours a day. I own a G1, 2 iPods, and a multi disc changer in my car. Guess what I listen to for 3 hours a day...the radio.

[Chris Breen]

davebarnes said:

Zune + Rush Limbaugh (on the radio) = iPod killer

Limbaugh's on AM in most markets and so won't be available from the Zune.

[ch2co]

The Zune this fall.... but but the next model iPod touch is probably going to be released next month with OS 3.0 and a camera to boot!

[TheTSArt]

Is the browser on the Zune IE? If so, that would seem to be a bullet point for the iPod with Safari.
Would that open up the Zune to viruses too?