Microsoft's Zune player dies worldwide

[Razorguns]

Well done Microsoft! XBox 360, Vista, Zune - Clearly Microsoft is on it's way down. Good riddance.

Microsoft’s Zune 30 plagued by freeze - Tech and gadgets- msnbc.com

r

 

[EnderJE]

"Everything that has a beginning has an end, Neo."

 

[Razorguns]

Large Marge sent me.

r

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Well done Microsoft! XBox 360, Vista, Zune - Clearly Microsoft is on it's way down. Good riddance.

Microsoft’s Zune 30 plagued by freeze - Tech and gadgets- msnbc.com

r

If Microsoft focused on software instead of trying to dominate that and other industries this wouldn't have ever been an issue. Even Vista.
If he were alive yet even Hitler would be shaking his head at Microsoft's childish "I want to dominate you and you and you" business strategies.

 

[mrplunkey]

If Microsoft focused on software instead of trying to dominate that and other industries this wouldn't have ever been an issue. Even Vista.
If he were alive yet even Hitler would be shaking his head at Microsoft's childish "I want to dominate you and you and you" business strategies.

I dunno... there's another company that makes a really good computer *and* a really good music player.

So it can be done!

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

I dunno... there's another company that makes a really good computer *and* a really good music player.

So it can be done!

It still has its problems though-
iPod Reliability Survey

Also, Apple still isn't anywhere near as big as Microsoft if you go by install base. They have a lot less to troubleshoot, and they still have a higher than normal rate of problems. Plus all their software/hardware is closed source, which should make quality control all that much easier.

Let Apple get as big as Microsoft and see how well they do at that point.

 

[mrplunkey]

It still has its problems though-
iPod Reliability Survey

Also, Apple still isn't anywhere near as big as Microsoft if you go by install base. They have a lot less to troubleshoot, and they still have a higher than normal rate of problems. Plus all their software/hardware is closed source, which should make quality control all that much easier.

Let Apple get as big as Microsoft and see how well they do at that point.

Considering what a smashing success Vista was, we may get to find out sooner rather than later.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Considering what a smashing success Vista was, we may get to find out sooner rather than later.

They supposedly cut out a lot of the fluff for Windows 7. It's pretty much sink or swim for Microsoft at this point. Lets see....Vista, 360, Zune, that's already three strikes in a row. To say Windows 7 is very important for Microsoft would be a huge understatement. I would hope the public has enough sense that they wouldn't fall for another dud.

 

[mrplunkey]

They supposedly cut out a lot of the fluff for Windows 7. It's pretty much sink or swim for Microsoft at this point. Lets see....Vista, 360, Zune, that's already three strikes in a row. To say Windows 7 is very important for Microsoft would be a huge understatement. I would hope the public has enough sense that they wouldn't fall for another dud.

Never underestimate the gullibility of the American public.

 

[Razorguns]

Check the stats.

The number of people converting from windows to mac is scary. Even business, the last monopoly for microsoft, is in serious danger ever since they cut off all support for XP.

If Apple ever made a campaign to win over businesses and gamers - it's lights out for Microsoft.

r

 

[chewyxrage]

They supposedly cut out a lot of the fluff for Windows 7. It's pretty much sink or swim for Microsoft at this point. Lets see....Vista, 360, Zune, that's already three strikes in a row. To say Windows 7 is very important for Microsoft would be a huge understatement. I would hope the public has enough sense that they wouldn't fall for another dud.

I have no problems with Vista but my xbox just took a shit for the third time. I played it for a total of 3 hours once I got it back, then pffft, frozen again. This is beyond frustrating. Right after I rented Far Cry 2 and Tiger 2009 no less.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Check the stats.

The number of people converting from windows to mac is scary. Even business, the last monopoly for microsoft, is in serious danger ever since they cut off all support for XP.

If Apple ever made a campaign to win over businesses and gamers - it's lights out for Microsoft.

r

True. Although I read MS extended XP support through 2009 or at least until Windows 7 is released.
Also, what about the PC hardware/software industry. 99% of them would go belly up if it was up to Apple and their proprietary hardware/software philosophy.
I think Apple has a ways to go. They've made a dent in marketshare but they won't be able to maintain their momentum with their current dictator-like business strategy.

It's ironic though that with the Xbox 360, Microsoft seems to behave a lot like Apple. Proprietary everything at an inflated cost.

 

[Mr. dB]

Check the stats.

The number of people converting from windows to mac is scary. Even business, the last monopoly for microsoft, is in serious danger ever since they cut off all support for XP.

You got some numbers to support that? Has there been a significant leap in MacOS market share compared to Windows?

 

[mrplunkey]

You got some numbers to support that? Has there been a significant leap in MacOS market share compared to Windows?

There has been. Mac OS has made major inroads. I'll try to find some numbers to support it.

 

[Razorguns]

You got some numbers to support that? Has there been a significant leap in MacOS market share compared to Windows?

"In the first quarter of 2008 Apple shipped 2.3 million Macs, up 44 percent over the same quarter in 2007; the second quarter was up 51 percent at 2.2 million; in the third quarter, Apple shipped 2.4 million, up 41 percent; and in the fourth quarter Apple 2.6 million Macs, up 21 percent.

That’s pretty incredible growth, no matter how you look at it."

51 PER CENT. Hot DAMN.

For dinner, I expect a nice yummy pot roast with corn and vegetables. Maybe some red wine. DO NOT skip dessert. Surprise me.

2008 in review: Apple | Macworld

r

 

[Cutiebaby]

I have heard so many problems about microsoft yet have not had any of them. I guess I am thankful that I did not have to deal with any of the nightmares that others have. I must admit having it be like that it makes me more cautious and I tend to be more nervous about my things not working.
I own an xbox 360 and never had any issues at all. Rumor was a
"red ring" thing that would crash the system, never seen it.
I also have a lap top with vista on it (actually 2 in this house). Though I prefer Xp much more so than vista I have not have any issue with vista crashing or whatever.

 

[Mr. dB]

"In the first quarter of 2008 Apple shipped 2.3 million Macs, up 44 percent over the same quarter in 2007; the second quarter was up 51 percent at 2.2 million; in the third quarter, Apple shipped 2.4 million, up 41 percent; and in the fourth quarter Apple 2.6 million Macs, up 21 percent.

That’s pretty incredible growth, no matter how you look at it."

51 PER CENT. Hot DAMN.

For dinner, I expect a nice yummy pot roast with corn and vegetables. Maybe some red wine. DO NOT skip dessert. Surprise me.

2008 in review: Apple | Macworld

r

That still doesn't say anything about market share. They could have made the huge leap from 1% to 2% from all I can tell from that.

 

[mrplunkey]

That still doesn't say anything about market share. They could have made the huge leap from 1% to 2% from all I can tell from that.

That's still 10 million macs going out the door. We need market share data now!

 

[mrplunkey]

Here's a blurb that is obviously pro-apple:

The Slippery Numbers of Market Share
Microsoft-enamored analysts have long been titillated to report Apple's small Mac market share in comparison to all PCs sold worldwide.

They are not as quick to mention that the definition of “the PC market” ballooned as PCs makers pushed into markets unrelated to Apple's business, resulting in a commensurate decrease of Apple's share as the overall PC market rapidly expanded into unrelated directions.

By referring to Apple at every opportunity as having "less than a 3% share of the market," it enables them to casually suggest that a $77 billion company with the world's hottest consumer brand is really just of little consequence.

Gartner reported in January 2007 that the worldwide PC market in Q4 2006 grew by 7.4% over the previous year to 67.3 million units. Apple sold 1.6 million Macs in that quarter, giving it a mere 2.3% of that global market.

Charting Gartner's sales numbers for PCs since 1991--including its estimated sales through 2010--provides Apple with an embarrassingly tiny bit of blue next to the towering yellow bar representing the entire worldwide PC market, even when the chart is expanded vertically to flatter Apple.

However, in the same January 2007 press release, a Gartner analyst also stated that "the PC industry battled for wallet share against other consumer electronics products, such as games consoles and flat panel TVs." In other words, the vast PC market is but part of a larger market: consumer electronics.

Additionally, Gartner also breaks out the US market as distinct from the worldwide market. Worldwide, Lenovo, Acer, and Fujitsu place third, fourth and fifth, while in the US market, they don't show up in the top five at all. Further, while HP leads worldwide PC sales, it is second to Dell within the US. How is that even possible?

Clearly, market share isn't a subject where numbers "speak for themselves." The more contextual information one has, the less relevant a specific portion of the entire world's market share appears to be.

In fact, if we throw all of the top eight brands Gartner tracked since 1991 into our chart, they all look rather unimpressive next to the overall, worldwide market, graphically demonstrating the fallacy of relying upon PC market share numbers to “speak for themselves.”

 

[mrplunkey]

Here's ipod share. Now I need this for PC's!

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Tech.Q1.07/FFE4A8E2-9816-4344-9FB0-61BED246674C.html

 

[mrplunkey]

Ahhh... got it.

Mac market share = 9.1%

OS Showdown: Linux vs. Mac OS X vs. Windows - Business Center - PC World

 

[UA_Iron]

Windows 7 will help MS out a lot.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Microsoft Says Leap Year Bug Caused Zune Failures (PC World)

* Posted on Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:32PM EST

Picture this: You're gearing up to create a killer playlist on your 30GB Zune for your annual New Year's bash. All of a sudden, your Zune locks up, reboots itself, and freezes. What the heck is going on?

In September, Microsoft released the Zune 3.0 software and firmware update along with its newest hardware, the Zune 120GB and 16GB models. At the time, Microsoft mentioned that it would be phasing out the older models slowly--but the company didn't say the change would be this dramatic.

As early as yesterday evening, reports of 30GB Zunes crashing began to surface on Microsoft support forums and gadget blogs. Microsoft updated the Zune support Web site with the following acknowledgement: "Customers with 30GB Zune devices may experience issues when booting their Zune hardware. We're aware of the problem and are working to correct it. Sorry for the inconvenience, and thanks for your patience!"

We contacted a Microsoft spokesperson, who confirmed the issue with this official statement:

"Early this morning we were alerted by our customers that there was a widespread issue affecting our 2006 model Zune 30GB devices (a large number of which are still actively being used). The technical team jumped on the problem immediately and isolated the issue: a bug in the internal clock driver related to the way the device handles a leap year.

"That being the case, the issue should be resolved over the next 24 hours as the time change moves to January 1, 2009. We expect the internal clock on the Zune 30GB devices will automatically reset tomorrow (noon, GMT). By tomorrow you should allow the battery to fully run out of power before the unit can restart successfully then simply ensure that your device is recharged, then turn it back on.

"If you're a Zune Pass subscriber, you may need to sync your device with your PC to refresh the rights to the subscription content you have downloaded to your device.

"Customers can continue to stay informed via the support page on zune.net (zune.net/support)."We know this has been a big inconvenience to our customers and we are sorry for that, and want to thank them for their patience."

Microsoft Says Leap Year Bug Caused Zune Failures (PC World) by PC World: Yahoo! Tech

 

[mrplunkey]

Microsoft Says Leap Year Bug Caused Zune Failures (PC World)

* Posted on Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:32PM EST

Picture this: You're gearing up to create a killer playlist on your 30GB Zune for your annual New Year's bash. All of a sudden, your Zune locks up, reboots itself, and freezes. What the heck is going on?

In September, Microsoft released the Zune 3.0 software and firmware update along with its newest hardware, the Zune 120GB and 16GB models. At the time, Microsoft mentioned that it would be phasing out the older models slowly--but the company didn't say the change would be this dramatic.

As early as yesterday evening, reports of 30GB Zunes crashing began to surface on Microsoft support forums and gadget blogs. Microsoft updated the Zune support Web site with the following acknowledgement: "Customers with 30GB Zune devices may experience issues when booting their Zune hardware. We're aware of the problem and are working to correct it. Sorry for the inconvenience, and thanks for your patience!"

We contacted a Microsoft spokesperson, who confirmed the issue with this official statement:

"Early this morning we were alerted by our customers that there was a widespread issue affecting our 2006 model Zune 30GB devices (a large number of which are still actively being used). The technical team jumped on the problem immediately and isolated the issue: a bug in the internal clock driver related to the way the device handles a leap year.

"That being the case, the issue should be resolved over the next 24 hours as the time change moves to January 1, 2009. We expect the internal clock on the Zune 30GB devices will automatically reset tomorrow (noon, GMT). By tomorrow you should allow the battery to fully run out of power before the unit can restart successfully then simply ensure that your device is recharged, then turn it back on.

"If you're a Zune Pass subscriber, you may need to sync your device with your PC to refresh the rights to the subscription content you have downloaded to your device.

"Customers can continue to stay informed via the support page on zune.net (zune.net/support)."We know this has been a big inconvenience to our customers and we are sorry for that, and want to thank them for their patience."

Microsoft Says Leap Year Bug Caused Zune Failures (PC World) by PC World: Yahoo! Tech

So Microsoft did suffer from the Y2K bug but like every other product they make, it was just 9 years behind schedule.

 

[Razorguns]

Maybe if MS stopped hiring shitty foreign programmers - they woudln't have such incredibly stupid and embarasing bugs.

r

 

[mrplunkey]

Maybe if MS stopped hiring shitty foreign programmers - they woudln't have such incredibly stupid and embarasing bugs.

r

American programmers still generate bugs too -- just in a business environment that is much more expensive to operate.

 

[Razorguns]

American programmers still generate bugs too -- just in a business environment that is much more expensive to operate.

What douchebag programmer could fuck up a leap year algorithm?

For the biggest software company in the world - a company that MAKES software tools - this is unacceptable and embarassing.

Chalk it up to companies that make things so overly complex that it's the simple shit they fuck up.

Which is also why IE continues to have stupid bugs and loopholes hackers continue to use to take over peoples computers.

Firefox ftw.

r

 

[mrplunkey]

What douchebag programmer could fuck up a leap year algorithm?

For the biggest software company in the world - a company that MAKES software tools - this is unacceptable and embarassing.

Chalk it up to companies that make things so overly complex that it's the simple shit they fuck up.

Which is also why IE continues to have stupid bugs and loopholes hackers continue to use to take over peoples computers.

Firefox ftw.

r

But that's the problem with microsoft in general. They are run by marketing people who establish feature sets with total disregard for stability, security and the long-term health of the code base.

It's great that microsoft has a new whiz-bang whistle or bell in the new release of their product -- but they do it at the cost of everything else.

 

[sixxtoes]

ahh, Y2K is back!

 

[chazk]

Our families first computer was a apple 2e . Then around 88-91's we when to pc becuase you couldnt find alot of programs for the mac's and all the schools back then used pc's so you could save stuff on disk and take it home if you owned a pc .
I have a pc laptop but think the next laptop will be a macairbook ( maybe) . I start school again in a few months and the whole computer lab is all mac's
pc stuff is just so damn cheap memory,acessories,add on shit like printers ,scanners and so . It is costly to deck out a mac with apple pricey brand stuff

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

But that's the problem with microsoft in general. They are run by marketing people who establish feature sets with total disregard for stability, security and the long-term health of the code base.

It's great that microsoft has a new whiz-bang whistle or bell in the new release of their product -- but they do it at the cost of everything else.

TITCR x (Vista+Xbox 360)=fail. It's amazing how unprofessional and childish Microsoft conducts business being as big as they are. Or wait maybe that's why.