Zune on Windows Mobile - A Lot of Risks For Little Reward

We know Windows Mobile will be delayed well into 2009, possibly 2010.  With Microsoft, delays are common.

And now, we hear that Zune will be made available on Windows Mobile.  For a while, rumors and speculations have been going on for months going back to the iPhone.  On the surface, it would seem to be an obvious decision but it is not as easy a consideration as we might think.

What Microsoft is doing now in the mobile war is added another weapon to beef up WM (Windows Mobile).  However, it carries a lot of risk.

There are questions we like to know.

• Is this a Zune Phone or is this a Windows Mobile with Zune phone?
• Can manufacturers separate Zune functionalities from Windows Mobile?
• Now that there is a change in thinking, suppose Amazon wants to create an app for WM for people to buy from its music store, will Microsoft allow it?
• Will this risk killing off Zune players in general?  

Microsoft will provide us with public announcements but the market is swimming a lot of competent competitors.  Any misstep may cut into what good will Windows Mobile has generated over the years.  Like we mentioned at the top of this post, WM 7 has been delayed and, because of that, WM 7 better well be head and shoulders above WM 6 and not just comparable to Android or Apple's mobile devices twelve or eighteen months from now.


For Microsoft, the failure of such a joining can affect more than just its mobile operations.  Vista ain't doing well and Microsoft needs a win against more nimble, but not necessarily smaller competitors.

Note:  I'm personally excited to see this happen.  As a Mac and iPhone user, soon to be G1 owner, I love to see a lot of competitors in the market.  It's good for us, mobile warriors, when companies spend billions to court us.  So, yes, I am pulling for this to work out.  Good luck, Redmond.

More links:

• Ars Technica
• Gizmodo
• The Inquirer
• Mobility Site
• CNet
• WM Poweruser

Blog from ZDNet has unveiled "Pink", a project within Microsoft to make Zune and other, possibly entertainment, services (games...hmmm...) to Danger, those Sidekicks very popular at T-Mobile among youths.  The blog also mentioned Microsoft has yet to pursue the possibility of a Zunephone.  I just want to say, that option was explored and is currently being worked on deep within Microsoft the moment the iPhone came out.

iPod or MP3 Head Phone Saver (Mobility Tip)

I've been riding my bike quite often lately because of the coming $8 per gallon gasoline that we're going to get hit with.

But I still do listen to my iPod even when I'm riding but only through one ear so I can hear for the insane drivers in my city (I thought folks in West LA were insane with their BMWs.  The peeps in East LA are just as crazy if not more so with the Benz.  I like Torrance more).  I was nearly hit by a LA sheriff duty on Monday.  

But what gets to me is the line on the headset when I take the iPod out of my backpack.  I spent about five minutes try to untangle it before I can use it.  Now alas, there's a solutions.  Check out this video.  It'll save you and me a lot of time and frustration.

I tried it and it took me a couple of practice runs before I got it right.  Best solution until Bluetooth headsets become more common and cheaper.  

Thanks, Gnowk, for the tip.  

____________________________

My bike milage since 6/7:  23 miles, savings:  $13.11  (I'll will be depositing an equal amount at the end of every month.  Half will go towards UNICEF and half towards a new bike!)

Napster to Apple and Amazon: Take that and that!

Why…won’t…you…die?

                    

Once the bane of the music industry, Napster has been shut down, given a second chance at music scene, then put on virtual life support, and now it’s back again.

Millions of DRM-free MP3 songs are now for the taking (after paying 99 cents for each song.  Then it’s for the taking).   Six million songs to be exact. 

While Amazon has had a lead in the DRM-free MP3 for months, it has done well but yet to catch Apple’s music store due the ease of use of iTunes and iPod’s dominant position in the portable music device market. 

However, Napster, the former MP3 bad boy, could have the name recognition in music that Amazon does not have.  Only time will tell if Napster can still matter but with more players in the market, it’s a big win for music lovers.  Some details:

• 256Kbps encoding
  
• Album art
  
• No software support for importing into iTunes (Amazon has support for iTunes)
  
• Watermarks
  

Could this also put a dent in piracy and loosen iTunes’ hold on the legal downloadable music market or will this be a battle for second with Amazon?

Here’s what others are saying:

• ·Wired – details about watermarks
  
• ·CNet – some information for current Napster customers
  
• ·Electronista – Napster leads with 6 million DRM-free songs, followed by Amazon at 4.5 million and iTunes trailing at 3 million.
  
• ·Apple-friendly sites believe Apple is being punished for not accepting terms more friendly to the music studios, thus only half the available DRM-free music of Napster is offering.  Apple still boasts the largest online music store for downloads.

Where do you buy your music?