Digital Streets

Well the Zune finally arrived. I couldn’t wait to see whether all the bad press was warranted or not. I was very pleased to find that the Zune is a very nice piece of hardware. All the junk about it being an iPod killer and doing side-by-side comparisons was a real waste of time. What people need to realize is that the iPod is mainly for Apple users who are used to Apple interfaces and Apple intuition. Zune is geared towards Windows users. I found it to be quite nice and it has more than met my immediate needs. First, the controls are much easier and more intuitive (for me, a Windows user). To move up a list, click the top of the control. To move down, click the bottom. There’s none of the circular motion requirements of the iPod. Another complaint that I was noticing was its size. I found it to be a perfect size, especially considering the 30GB size. The Zune software, that is necessary for getting your music and video on the player, wasn’t bad. I found it to be no better and no worse than the iTunes software. I plan on analyzing all of the functionality on a more indepth level, but as far as a first impression goes, the Zune rocks.To prove the point even further, my daughter (a Windows user) picked up the Zune and immediately had it all figured out. Not to mention the fact that she would gladly trade in her iPod for a Zune. She’s never been exposed to the hype, just the hardware.