Zune HD Review: Finally, an iPod Competitor?

I want one really badly...Damn U.S Only launch. No love for us Canadians, eh?

Has anyone even heard about Creative's Zii? That looks like a pretty bad-ass unit right there, if I might say so... but I already know where this is headed.

The Zune HD is not just an iPod competitor, but a vastly superior product, capable of crushing the iPod touch and wiping apple off of the map.

math1337The Zune HD is not just an iPod competitor, but a vastly superior product, capable of crushing the iPod touch and wiping apple off of the map.

Only when microsoft decide to support it a 100%, remember hddvd.

techguy911Archos is much better then either zuneHD or ipod touch you can record tv when put in its base it can record tv or off any video source neither zune or ipod can and it had real HD no video conversion needed plays all major file formats and has more storage than both and plays back to your tv when in base in FULL HD.

Though I agree with you that the device itself is amazing, the media management software is garbage and is in no way on par with either iTunes or Zune. However just like Zunes software in the beginning this too can be corrected.

iPod's are forbidden where I work due to the nature of the work. Same thing will happen with Zune.

sicundercoverThough I agree with you that the device itself is amazing, the media management software is garbage and is in no way on par with either iTunes or Zune. However just like Zunes software in the beginning this too can be corrected.

Archos has no management software that it is tied to i use to use windows media player 12 but i have been using media monkey, i even got it working with itunes with a little work.

It works with any of the itune alternative programs media monkey,song bird, winamp.

It is both a portable media player off base and on the base it's a home media player i can stream video wireless from my pc to my tv through the archos on the base it has a remote control /w keyboard for use on the base.

When i go to the doctors office i always bring it for watching video nothing beats it, the new archos 5 looks nice.

Oh and forgot the new archos 5 uses android for the os the amount of things you can do with it compared to zunehd or ipod touch i find it has more features.

war2k9Only when microsoft decide to support it a 100%, remember hddvd.

Why would MS 100% support something they did not create? They were a backer and a strong one at that but the movie studios were the deciding factor in who won that war.

The Zune is like General Motors. It has gotten much better than it used to be, but in consumer's minds its considered a crappy item. If Microsoft can put some serious marketing muscle behind it, it may have a chance, otherwise it'll be overlooked.

Did you all forget latest Microsoft change in DRM technology, stopping DRM servers (silly the technology is/was called "Play For Sure"...) asking all customers to "convert" their purchased songs...
This alone is a valid reason to not trust Microsoft in this business, even if the HW is (finally) competitive...

Nice pic of "Hell"

^Yeah that picture is where Apple wants the Zune HD.
It's good competition for the iPod.

techguy911Oh and forgot the new archos 5 uses android for the os the amount of things you can do with it compared to zunehd or ipod touch i find it has more features.

Yeah, how's the appstore? AFAIK, you can't even get a VNC client / server monitoring software. I'm not allowed phones in the building I work at, so my iPhone has to be checked in - if I had to use an Archos or Zune - I'd need to lug a laptop/netbook wherever I go. With a Touch I can quickly log into any of the assets even in a meeting. Meh, a Touch is more of an ultraportable comp that's also a good media player; the other 2 are just media players with some token features bolted on. I'll pass thanks...

P.S. That's not to say that they can't be or have any worse hardware; they are all much the muchness - but Zune suffers from poor Msoft decisions and Archos just doesn't have the clout to create a viable software ecosystem. The android version, (5?), could be a viable option if it plays nice with the Android marketplace. Although, since anyone can post anything on AM, my work will probably black list the device... Making the only option for me either Apple or MS devices. Of course, this is just my lot in life, it doesn't necessarily represent the one true way ;-)

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TFBundyYeah, how's the appstore? AFAIK, you can't even get a VNC client / server monitoring software.

Yes then new archos does have a vnc client ect. the processor in it blows away the iphone ,itouch or zuneHD and custom apps are made for it there are over 300 atm and i have made a few myself and it runs all android apps.

vnc on android:

http://code.google.com/p/android-vnc-viewer/