Zune HD Would Have Been Huge in 2006
The lickable hotness of the Zune HD cannot be denied. But to be a successful gadget, you've got to bring more to the table than just hotness. You've got to give people a reason to cough up the cash. From the Zune HD press release:
- Built-in HD Radio™ receiver. Allows you to listen to higher-quality sound than is available from traditional radio channels, as well as access additional programming through HD2 and HD3 multicast channels from many of your favorite local FM radio stations at no extra cost.
- HD video output capabilities. Supports HD video playback from the device through a premium HDMI A/V docking station (sold separately) directly to an HDTV in 720p, making it easy to enjoy better-than-DVD-quality video on your own big screen at home.
- OLED touch screen. Allows you to easily flip through music, movies and other content. The 3.3-inch glass screen and 16:9 widescreen format display (480x272 resolution) offer a premium viewing experience.
- Built-in Wi-Fi. Allows for browsing, streaming or downloading new music from Zune Marketplace.
- Internet browser. Full-screen Web browsing, optimized for the multitouch screen with zoom-in and zoom-out gestures.
- Accessories, at home and on the road. Zune HD and AV Dock charges and syncs players while playing supported 720p HD videos on HDTVs. Play HD Radio, music and podcasts from your Zune HD device through your car stereo using the Zune Premium Car Pack.
Sick display, WiFi, Web Browser, online music store, built-in radio. A device like this would have ruled the world, selling millions of units and ending up stealing back a huge chunk of media player market share for Microsoft...in 2006. That's ~ 1 year before Apple released it's first iPod Touch and changed mobile media devices forever.
Sure with Zune's bad ass Nvidia Tegra processor, the screen is going to dampen any geek who lays eyes upon it. But what's the point? Downloadable band photos? Zune's video store is horrific, and watching old episodes of Monk on your OLED screen or via HDMI won't change that. Unless Microsoft has something up it's sleeve, like an exclusive Netflix streaming deal or Flash browser support, I don't see a compelling reason to buy a Zune HD. Apple's devices currently do things like provide GPS driving directions, manage my budget, create spreadsheets and stream live NY Yankee games. And if I ask them to slum it, they'll even lower themselves to simply playing audio + video. Given the choice, which would you spend your money on?
HD radio? People actually still listen to radio with services like Pandora, Last.FM, Spotify out there? Really??
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