340°

Why Microsoft's Zune is Still Failing

RD Mag writes:

"Last winter, I detailed why Microsoft's iPod Killer would fail miserably. This year, Microsoft will fail again, but for a new set of reasons. It is not obvious that the company has figured this out itself. Here's why the Zune will fail in 2007, and how Microsoft is painting a fraudulent portrait of interest that doesn't exist.

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roughlydrafted.com
Bonsai12146418d ago

the simplest reason why Zune will not do well this holiday season (not fail..):
revamped ipod line
advertising blitz by apple
revamped apple stores across the country
its a microsoft product (no joke) its not "cool" to have a m$ product like it is to have an ipod

rbanke6418d ago

Exactly, for some reason apple has duped the world into thinking its products are cool and different. Good job to the marketing department i suppose.

pilotpistolpete6418d ago

They're like tunes, but to the Zextreme!

durran36418d ago

Don't be an ignorant fool.. the new 80GB Zune downright Trumps the iPod.. its far more sophisticated has a ton of new features that the ipod doesn't have like wireless to wireless data transfer, FM tuner etc.

I am really impressed by the new Zune and i think its a Great product and is dam reliable also... i dont care what others think my mp3 player is only for music and the quality is just superb

Kaneda6418d ago (Edited 6418d ago )

ipod touch... let see the zune can compete with ipod touch...:) it has wireless, and will have ton of programs you can use with it...:)

ActionBastard6418d ago

I have a 30GB Zune and a 16GB iPod touch. Guess which one has dust on it.

PS3PCFTW6418d ago (Edited 6418d ago )

youve got to be living in a bubble.

*POP*

"Microsoft discovered the embarrassment, and the next day there were 16,481 new votes, 14,999 of which happened to be Wall Street Journal readers exclusively excited about the Zune. That’s over 91% of the readers of an article that had fallen out of sight by that time. There aren’t that many people on Earth who have heard of the Zune and read the Wall Street Journal."

false market interest = false advertisement= false sales.

below are pictures of products that consumers WANT. NOT products that microsoft wants you to believe consumers want.

Real gamer 4 life6418d ago

I dont need either of them my psp with a 4gb card is good enough for me.

BloodySinner6418d ago

Been there, done that. It's quite clunky to carry around as an MP3 player.

Lionsguard6418d ago

Yea PSP is too clunky, when I changed from a PSP to an ipod Nano it was like switching from a brick in my pocket to well...a nano..Though the ipod Touch is a bit bigger I want it badly but I'm waiting out for it to get at least 32 or 64gbs before I do.

Gamespot-equals-EGM6418d ago (Edited 6418d ago )

A PSP can work fine as a mp3 player, it really depends what a person doing. A PSP is absolutely fine if a person is stationary, eg, in the library studying, sitting at a table or desk.

But if a person is moving the PSP isn't exactly ideal (especially when jogging or exercising).

ParaDise_LosT6418d ago (Edited 6418d ago )

an MP3 as new and unoticable as Zune is Bound to Fail....

Its like putting Bioshock against Halo 3...
The other might be 10x better, but that doesn't mean its gonna achive the success the much more popular Item achived....

BloodySinner6418d ago (Edited 6418d ago )

Great article. What the author failed to mention is that Microsoft never tries to take risks. They just like to copy other products and improve upon them.

I'm totally happy with my 80GB iPod classic purchase I made a few weeks ago.

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240°

AMD CEO Shares Vision Behind Xbox Partnership and Next-Gen Chip Roadmap

AMD CEO Lisa Su talks about the Xbox AMD partnership, next-gen Ryzen + Radeon chips, and AI rendering tech coming to all Xbox devices.

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clouddosage.com
Obscure_Observer19h ago

AMD is really building hype around their unique partnership with Microsoft to help and build an advanced and seamless Xbox ecosystem across all Xbox consoles and devices.

I wonder what she meant by "full roadmap of gaming optimized chips" though? Seems ambitious.

Next year´s Xbox Showcase already looks promising and exciting. Here´s hoping they deliver.

InUrFoxHole13h ago

They had best show 3yrs in a row. Heading for another

VenomUK6h ago

Obscure_Observer said “I wonder what she meant by "full roadmap of gaming optimised chips" though? Seems ambitious.” To me, I interpret this to mean rather than having a couple of X/S products for launch and a handheld there is a longer term plan to release new products with higher specs at timed intervals. I’m speculating of course, but this could mean a spec bump every year or two, so that even if the PS6 or Steam Deck Home is released a year after ‘Xbox’ Microsoft can release an updated model that has a higher spec.

KwietStorm_BLM1h ago

It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever.

Ganif9m ago

Correct.

"Sony's PlayStation 6 reportedly will feature an AMD semi-custom APU with a Zen 5 CPU and UDNA GPU, capable of 4K 120FPS and 8K 60FPS gaming. The console will include X3D cache and advanced AI upscaling technology."

https://www.tweaktown.com/n...

Fishy Fingers19h ago(Edited 19h ago)

Some odd, deliberate wording, no branding, not 'Xbox consoles, Xbox handhelds' specifically, feels and sounds like they're building towards hardware that anyone can be used or licensed to/by themselves and other manufacturers.

Multiplatform software and hardware 'Xbox/AMD APU'.

Obscure_Observer18h ago

I guess you missed Sarah Bond´s next generation Xbox announcement this week, were she clearly states:

"I´m thrilled to share that we´ve established a strategic multi-year partnership with AMD to co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices, including, *our* next generation *Xbox consoles*."

But hey, I don´t think you´re entirely wrong, maybe MS will build their own Xbox consoles while licencing other manufactures to build and sell their own Xbox branded consoles. Who knows

BeHunted14h ago(Edited 14h ago)

I think you watched the wrong video. It's below the description, or you can watch it directly on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/kprpRvsOua...

HyperMoused18h ago

Shares vision....we provide chips for money, this deal will sell many chips, we will make lots of money...good vision

Christopher18h ago

The marketing behind this is so heavy that I worry about the actual outcome. Why are they just not showing us the product, why all this talking in market speak?

Lightning7713h ago

Probably because the next xbox isn't ready to release yet?

The marketing and rumors seem to be heavy out of no where. The rumor was a 27 release but it maybe it could be 26 new console launch instead.

Who knows.

Eonjay1h ago

There PR is alrways super heavy handed. No one is acutally buying an Xbox as is.
Also it is very early to be talking so much about a next gen console.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1h ago
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170°

Switch 2 accessory makers are “working hard” on magnetic analogue sticks to combat stick drift

Nintendo Switch 2 stick drift is already an issue, but accessory makers are already working on magnetic joysticks.

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videogamer.com
Neonridr8d ago

I've never had stick drift in any controller I've ever owned. All my joycons (3 sets) from my Switch are perfectly fine. My Switch 2 ones are good. Never had a dualshock / dualsense have it (did have a dualshock get a stuck trigger once). Even my Valve Index controllers which were notorious for drift were fine for me.

Goodguy017d ago

Varies. Just because you've never had one doesn't mean others won't. I've had PS, Xbox, and Nintendo controllers indeed drift on me. Remember the drift lawsuits that Nintendo has had.

Please stop trying to say that traditional potentiometers are absolutely fine when hall effect/tmr sticks are beyond superior lol, not sure why so many people keep trying to defend potentiometers when hall effects are so pro consumer.
Companies like nintendo, sony, and mcsft don't want to implement them simply because they want you the consumer to keep buying them. Most casuals will just buy a new controller if theirs difts, easy money for the big 3.
I've gone hall effects and have never gone back, can leave my controllers out absolutely fine without worry of dust ruining the sticks.

Neonridr7d ago

when did I say that traditional joysticks are absolutely fine? I'm sharing my own experience here. I never said that others don't experience issues, nor that this is somehow acceptable. Strange leapfrog from A to B on that one.

People love to say it's a huge widespread issue, yet you only hear about it because the minority is vocal whereas the majority don't report anything because they are fine.

I'm happy you switched to hall effect sticks, if that's what works for you, then awesome.

Christopher7d ago

Cool? Pretty sure this is for those who are having it happen. Not sure how your anecdote addresses other peoples' problems.

Neonridr7d ago

people around here act like everyone will get drift. I'm willing to wager more people won't get drift than will.

Pyrofire956d ago

lucky you. I've only had minor drift once in my L Joycon which I fixed with some card stock, but drift is an undeniable problem as a whole.

repsahj6d ago

My 2 sets of Joy-Cons from my OG Switch started to drift with just a month of use. That is why I bought Dobe Joy-Cons with just $25, and until now they are still fine. I hope this will never happen again on my Switch 2.

jznrpg6d ago

My left joy con for the OG Switch got stick drift right away as well. I never had issues with my PS5 controllers since launch until I got my kids PS5’s and they had stick drift with 2 controllers. They drop them because they are kids and although I have them wash their hands before gaming they still get gunk under them somehow. I got their controllers modded because they would have issues no matter what I have them do.

jambola6d ago

"people around here act like everyone will get drift. I'm willing to wager more people won't get drift than will."
no, nobody is acting like that, you're jsut exaggerating it and lying to downplay a problem

-Foxtrot5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

Nintendos biggest defender on here so it figures

gold_drake5d ago

you know, i said the same thing not too long ago and then BOOM both controllers ha.

one on the moving stick and one on the look around stick.

both suck arse. ha

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 5d ago
jznrpg6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

The tech is already there. I had a couple of my PS5 controllers modded with Hall Effect modules and they work great. They should come standard with them these days but they don’t.

OtterX6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

Nyxi already made some fantastic Hall Effect controllers for Switch 1. I don't know why Nintendo couldn't have it by now if Nyxi has had for years.

spoonard6d ago

Cheap, frictionless sensors ALREADY exist. Why are they "working hard to combat stick drift"? Stick drift should be a thing of the past at this point. The technology is here...NOW. It has been...for YEARS! Why is stick drift even still spoken about? It shouldn't exist!

Chocoburger6d ago

Because its a scam for Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft to sell more overpriced controllers.

jambola6d ago

because pathetic fanboys will continue to defend and support

Doomeduk5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

WD 40 if it's shagg.d anyway why not ? I ordered a new ps5 pad after Helldivers 2 and POE 2 became unplayable due to drift but in the meantime I fired a bit of WD on my balls just below my stick rotated in a clockwise fashion massaging it in so to speak and also did the pin reset thingy and all clean no drift and hit that cancel purchase button like I meant it

UltimateOwnage5d ago

Honestly I’ve used my original Switch JoyCons and Pro Controller since launch and only in the last year did I see drift start to show up on one of my JoyCons. I’m sure it happens depending on how much and how firm the joystick is used, but it seems like a minor issue that goes with wear and tear after thousands of hours of play. I wish there had been Hall Effect sticks on Switch 2 just so there’s one less thing to worry about, but I’m not really concerned about it.

110°

PC Gaming Show 2025

Tune in on June 8th for this summer's PC Gaming Show, featuring exclusive trailers, new game announcements, and developer interviews from around the world. Hosted by Sean "Day[9]" Plott, Mica Burton, and Frankie Ward, the showcase will include 70+ of the most exciting games in development, all of which can be found on our Steam Wishlist.