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Mass Failure Of 30GB Zunes Shows That At Least A Few People Actually Own Zunes
from the who-knew? dept
It's no secret that Microsoft's "iPod killer" Zune device has been a pretty big disappointment in terms of sales -- but who knew that the most attention the Zune would get in ages would be for having all of the 30 GB models fail at once. Obviously, there's some sort of software bug that caught Microsoft by surprise (apparently Zune's were never taught to understand leap years), causing a ton of Zunes to freeze up at the same time. At least, Microsoft can take a little comfort in knowing that there really are some people out there who use their Zunes.
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both Zunes failed
Both of the Zunes purchased by consumers failed last night.
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Funny correction
"At least, Microsoft can take a little comfort in knowing that there really are some people out there who use their Zunes."
Not after last night.
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"Real Regulators" at Work
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Still the Best PMP
Apple has never ever had any issues?? ever?? BS
I have 3 Zunes and guess what, never had an issue with them even once.
Bottom line, the Zune 120Gb is still the Best MP3/PMP player on the planet!
Hardware issues have not slowed down the 360, and a minor issue with the LAST GENERATION ZUNES won't be the end of the Zune either.
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Zune
Lets get a hungry lawyer to start working on a class action lawsuit. Microsoft needs to pay for my distress. The emotional pain is too much to bear without a few bucks...
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Re: "Real Regulators" at Work
Obviously this problem was caused Tim Lee's "lazy, incompetent, technically confused" Real Regulators at work since private enterprise only hires qualified people, operates efficiently, and would never overlook something this simple.
See Real Regulators Aren't Magicians, And They Usually Screw Up
We unfortunately seem to live in a world where the "evil" regulator even if he or she is not involved always gets blamed. So I am going with the flow here even though Real Regulators may not have been involved. But wait, as an electronic device the Zune had to have an FCC certification, so there is a plausible link that the Real Regulators were able to get their grubby paws on the device!
My apologies, my point is that economic inefficiencies and technical incompetence are EEO concepts and private industry is not immune.
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Zune
Wow, I thought I was going to have to go out and buy a new ZUNE today! Then I came upon my CNN.com and was assured that I wasn't alone! Thank Goodness! I just LOVE my Zune. To all of you anti-Zuners out there, this is the FIRST and ONLY time my Zune has ever froze on me in well over a years time. I owned a DELL DJ that froze on me every other day and my daughters IPOD freezes more than I would want to happen. If this is one glitch that Microsoft promises me will be fixed tomorrow, I will put up with it. I think that my Zune is awesome, easy to use, and now that I know it isn't just me, would own another one in a minute. Thank you Microsoft for taking care of our little glitch. I can't wait until tomorrow! Happy New Year All!
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Re: Still the Best PMP
Right on MIke!!! I agree with you! Happy New Year!
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Well only temporarily
If you take your Zune apart and disconnect the battery and reconnect it will restore it until you power up or sync again. Thank you Microsoft.....
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Ah, Schaudenfreude. It Makes Me Smile...
Mike - Dec 31st, 2008 @ 4:45pm Apple has never ever had any issues?? ever?? BS
Spare us the PC bigot invented strawman. The Apple-never-ever-didn't-do-anything-wrong-ever Fanboy user doesn't exist. It's a comfort for thrice burned Microsofties. Don't you poor suffering Windows slaves get tired of defending Microsoft's massive screwups and consumer abusing practices by stammering "But Apple..."?
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Maybe this is the Zune's way of making sure the "rumored" layoffs stay out of the org.
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His Shadow, I'm sorry, I forgot my place, as the ruler of the computer world (PC) we are sometimes forgetful that only the underclass (Mac) individuals are permitted to point out imperfections.
Sorry to keep this short, but I really need to reboot my Vista machine, and my 360 is due it's 30 minute RROD checkup.
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The Zune trail boss must have picked up a maverick the last time he turned the herd of developers. WTF are the using 12 year old interns at MS?
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new special edition zune!!!!
i think microsoft should replace our zune with a new special edition zune, made specially for us, who believed in their product, we who bought the zune (an unknow deviced at the moment) instead of an ipod. what an excellent opportunity to thank us for being the pioners in the zune sociaty. with that im sure they'll bring alot of people to trust them in the future.!!!
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It has been great to see so many passionate Zune users posting on the forums around the place.
Lets hope they magically work in a few hours.
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It's like a little New Years present.
5-4-3-2-1.....yeah, my Zune works again.
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if you are stupid enough to own a zune. A cheap knock off of a real MP3 player, that by Gates' own admission "was not all that great". then you deserve what you get.
It has been written many times but today it is truer than ever:
ZUNE = FAIL
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Zune
Leo Laporte ain't gonna like this
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I personally love my Zunes. I had a Dell DJ before Apple introduced the iPod, hated the iTunes software, went with Zune.
Never had a problem before and we'll get a quick fix from MS. The iPod is just a music and video player. Get over yourselves Apple lovers.
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Happy New Years
This was the only problem I had with the Zune, ever. When it went down last night all it did was give me a reason to buy the 120GB Zune. Now, after my 30GB started just like MS said it would, my wife has a real MP3 player other than her POS iPod that shuts down all the time, looses music, has half the features of the 30GB and cost about the same amount of money.
Maybe all you iPodfiles should get off the Apple Bandwagon and come over to the "darkside" as you like to call it. You're not a rebel if you doing samething as everybody else.
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Zune failure
I truly love my Zune device but I am not going to defend MS simply because they have not given me anything but disappointments. My Zune was not free, I bought it. The day MS pay me for advertisement I will go out there defending the inexcusable. I own a 30G, is a beautiful design, but after I updated it to the 3.0 version it began to freeze all the time. Nothing you could not fix with the arrow and up button. But this time...! (3.1 version) Let us wait 'till tomorrow.
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People own Zunes? I guess MS didnt think anybody would either.
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leap year
2009 not a leap year!
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My zune has been doing this since i updated it to the latest firmware version...this problem did not just pop up today/tonight. When my zune was on its previous firmware version i had no problems at all..i updated and then started having issues.
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Re:
"The iPod is just a music and video player. Get over yourselves Apple lovers."
Um, can you develop apps for the Zune?
Simply put: "No"
but more accurately, "Why the hell would you want to?"
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"At least, Microsoft can take a little comfort in knowing that there really are some people out there who use their Zunes."
LOL
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Re: leap year
It was not a leap year, but there was a leap second
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Re: Still the Best PMP
Agreed. Zune's Rule! Ipod is a joke!
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Develope for a Zune
Can you develop for a Zune? Yes. I would not expect an Apple user to know what XNA is but yes, the XNA Studio 3.0 is free and allows anyone to develop for the Zune, and not just the current gen Zunes but the last gen as well.
Is there any reason to develop for a Zune? Yes.
The Zune is just begining to spread its wings, games have been added and Xbox 360 integration is on the way. Netcast or Podcast support is growing stronger and both the Zune social and Zune pass are getting better. Sales may be slower than the better known iPods but sales are sales, and with each person that uses a Zune and realizes that hey, this thing rocks, the word will spread.
To those who say things like "Zune = Fail"
I say simply reply with "iPod = Poser"
Both statements hold about the same amount of truth.
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Why is no one asking...
... why the hell a clock function stops a digital audio player from playing digital audio?
This problem is akin to your car not starting because the glove box isn't locked. One's got nothing to do with the other.
So the answer, of course, is DRM. The clock is used to prevent users from playing their copy encumbered files...
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Re: Still the Best PMP
I wouldn't care either way about an MP3 player so long as it will allow the installation of Rockbox. Any other interface simply sucks by comparison.
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This failure of Zune isn't the problem of the code, the coder, or the dang firmware's fault. (Bad Firmware! Be correct!) It's a much-repeated symptom of MS not having QA. You can see it in many MS products, it's a standard, undocumented feature that suddily weaves itself into the entire MS ecosystem. Take Vista... No Really, take it.
No QA = Fail in one second.
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Zune
tough break indeed... first the X-box meltdown and now the Zune. but is this really all that surprising?
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Re: Develope for a Zune
Keep telling yourself that. But it's 2008, so let's all help you out:
"I think I can... I think I can... I think I can...I think I can... I think I can... I think I can...I think I can... I think I can... I think I can..."
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Xbox meltdown??
@ coffee fiend:
sure because 21 million in sales is just another MS failure lol
Just another example of how people like to point out the bad while ignoring the good... Xbox Live..
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Re: Xbox meltdown??
And surely these successes have been reflected in UTTERLY MASSIVE stock price increases that have occurred over the past decade.
Let's face it, MSFT products are chosen as a last-option. They should declare the new company mantra to be: "Since 1975, choosy people choose us when nothing else is available."
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only a 24 hour glitch
I love my zune and would not trade it for a ipod. The zunes up and working as of noon today.
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Freezing ipod
I switch to a Zune 80 because I got sick of how often my ipod froze up on me... My Zune 80 has NEVER once given me a single problem. And get this, my daughters (and some of their friends) liked my Zune so much, they switch to Zunes too and I haven't heard a complaint from any of them...
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Re: both Zunes failed
I own a Zune 80, my friend owns a Zune 80, both my daughters own a Zune 4GB and a couple of their friends own Zune 4GB... That's at least six... If people like you would stop being a sheep and actually looked at the Zune for a minute you would come to a realization... "The Zune is actually a very good media player... In fact in the opinions of some people (dare I say it), it's superior to the ipod!"
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Re:
If people like you would stop being a sheep and actually looked at the Zune for a minute you would come to a realization... "The Zune is actually a very good media player... In fact in the opinions of some people (dare I say it), it's superior to the ipod!"
Tensor = SHEEP!
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Re: Re: Xbox meltdown??
Let's face it, MSFT products are chosen as a last-option. They should declare the new company mantra to be: "Since 1975, choosy people choose us when nothing else is available."
Yeah, because 90% OS market share was "forced" on people because they didn't have an alternate choice... Hahahaha!!!!
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Wait... what?
"and now that I know it isn't just me, would own another one in a minute"
So if it HAD been only you, would you NOT purchase (own) another Zune? This is the exact opposite conclusion this logic should lead you to...
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Give Me a Break...
Maybe all you iPodfiles should get off the Apple Bandwagon and come over to the "darkside" as you like to call it. You're not a rebel if you doing samething as everybody else.
This the saddest and most pathetic aspect of anti-Apple bias. When Apple was in disarray in the 90's and their future was doubtful, the PC bigots major criticism of Apple was their supposed niche status. If you used a Mac you were out of step with the "reality" of a Microsoft dominated software world. Now that the revitalized Apple has the best of class products in almost every category they enter, and has earned their sales on merit, what do we have? PC bigots attacking Apple products for the fact that they *ARE* selling, and now claiming choosing a *Mac* is following the herd.
Is Apple to small too matter, so go with the herd, or is Apple so popular, to show your individuality you should follow the herd to Microsoft anyway?
Laughable nonsense.
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Apple wasn't ever sued by the whole Gosh dern United States of America.
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Re: by tensor
I own Zune and I was stupid enough to own 2 ipods,first died after two weeks just went blank replaced with another .
After 13 months this piece of crap went down forever .
So I'm no longer stupid and I own Zune .After I drained power from battery today I just recharged and everything working perfect.So mr tensor before you post stupid opinions have a little mercy for yourself and stop act like a clown .
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tbh
I've owned 2 iPods (iPod Classic 120gb, iPod Photo 20gb), and a Zune (120gb 2nd gen). The best of the bunch in terms of stability is the iPod Photo, which still is more dependable than the zune or classic (better battery life and doesn't crash nearly as often).
I like the Zune's big bold text, hate it's 'wheel'. I hate the iPods' tiny text but love the wheel.
As of now, I use my Zune mainly, because it holds more, I like the screen for driving and working out and doesn't crash as much as my iPod Classic.
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Re: Re:
Yeah... As a Game Dev, I can.
http://blogs.msdn.com/xna/archive/2008/02/20/announcing-xna-game-studio-3-0-and-zune.aspx
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Re: Zune
Got to shout AMEN from the chorus... I've had a 30gig Zune since day one. My problem has never been with the player. Microsoft has done a great job of supporting upgrades and revisions for the earlier players FOR FREE. It works well, has a great display, plays everything I put on it. The only problem I've ever had was crappy support for the x64 operating system, but that was so universal I dumped it and we back to the 32 bit version and all problems solved.
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Re:
LOL LOL Too funny..
But ya I agree with you Mike. THe bigots on here ar enot Zune owners, its al the ones bashing MS and Zunes and anything thats gets bashed on here for the sake of not having enough intelligence to know any better, like mr Shadow....
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Re: Still the Best PMP
Ipods break left right and center.. but apparenetly thats ok. OMG Apple is never does any wrong! Apple is not a money hungry company who really could care less about people.. no no thats only Sony and Microsoft! LOL give me a break! Apple is just as bad if not worse than everyone else, but where is all apple bashing? Seriously!!
Give me a break, this is total BS
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Heavy Redmond Readership?
Statistically, the number of positive Zune responses are quite skewed in comparison to actual hardware marketshare, and percentages pro-Zune are statistically impossible when compared to percentages pro-Zune of other blogs. Therefore, this must be a blog where all the Microsofties hang out.
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Heavy Redmond Readership?
Statistically, the number of positive Zune responses are quite skewed in comparison to actual hardware marketshare, and percentages pro-Zune slanted stories are statistically impossible when compared to percentages pro-Zune of other blogs carrying this same story.
Therefore, this must be a blog where all the Microsofties hang out.
Yah! GO TEAM!
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You people need to do your homework alittle better.. Yes the Zune 30's were not all that great, but not as bad as you are all making out. Second, the new generation Zunes, 80's 120's etc are the best players out there in many many ways. This has been proven and tested. What really matters is the sound quality and zune kicks apples tail in this department aswell. ipods are less user friendly, have worse sound quality and shorter life spans. Atleast MS allows any zune to update to new versions of the software and firmware etc etc. ipods go the way of the dinosaurs every 6 to 8 months when apple brings out a new ipod. You might as well just give your money to apple cause thats all they want from you.
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Re: Still the Best PMP
So. MP3 players that cost less with more features and no DRM with the ability to play all formats just will not be included in your list of MP3 players or are you stupid?
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Confused
I'm sorry Stuart, is there another MP3 player on the market with:
Wireless Sync
FM Radio
Buy From FM
Anything similar to Zune Social
How about Zune Pass (and lets not forget you can now keep 10 tracks each month)
DRM free Hey my Zune can play DRM free music too
A backwards compatible track record that rocks
The only thing it doesn't have is that feeling of "I have the right MP3 player because it sells the mostest".
As far as being stupid, hmm theres a mindless insult for ya. How about this, everyone is entitled to their opinion, right or wrong. Or were you home schooled on an Apple iPod farm ;) (no offence to actual apple farmers)
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Re: Confused
Hmmmm people just dont get it Mike...
I have thousands of Legit, paid for music, and all of my mp3's our DRM free encoded @ 320Kbs.
So what does DRM have to do with anything??? ipods/itunes quality is not very good to be honest, and they charge way too much for songs. Sure we can all by a cheap MP3 player for like $25 bucks, but since when does sound quality not matter? Music has always been about sound quality, so why settle for something that does not perform to the level of a Zune for example.
Also just curious.. What other player other than the Zune has full 480p uncompressed video ouput? Ummmm not ipods that for sure. Zune TV rocks!!!!
What other player offers full uncompressed audio out?? Or did you all think the headphone jack did that?
Ontop of all the Features Mike just listed, go get the home A/V dock and experience what your digital media should look and sound like when not using your headphones!
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What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?
IPOD...ZUNE...APPLE...MS...who cares.
It's like arguing that your $1000 washing machine washes better and has more buttons than my $500 dollar one. Do any of these players make the music sound better?
BTW- My SanDisk Sansa works great.
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Hey Look at me!
I have the largest penis on the face of the planet.
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Ya...
Obviously, iPhone users haven't been complaining about the lack of C&P on the iPhone, because they're all fanboys... OH WAIT!
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Re:
..... The iPod i just a music and video player that actually works.
Fixed that for you
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In related news, this WAS NOT A MICROSOFT ISSUE AT ALL.
Look it up kids, the firmware on the processor (that more than the Zune 30 used) has a bug. Are we all going to bag on Toshiba now as well?
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Re:
...[T]his WAS NOT A MICROSOFT ISSUE AT ALL. Look it up kids, the firmware on the processor (that more than the Zune 30 used) has a bug. Are we all going to bag on Toshiba now as well?
The problem with this logic is that zunes are bought from Microsoft, and not from Toshiba.
In general, a customer doesn't care whose guts or chip sets are inside any consumer electronics product, they just want a working device. Customers assume that the end-manufacturer performed due-diligence, and testing including that related to all firmware. Apple does this extensively. However, some companies have a long history of deflecting problems related to it's products, and claiming themselves to be a victim of a supplier.
But it gets confusing when an entire product strategy is based around DRM-based subscription plan, and (this may be a surprise) authorization based on dates/times. Wouldn't it be wise to test virtually every possible scenario of the clock and related mechanisms?
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Re: Re:
Oh, so it's ok to rip on Zunes, because they are made by Microsoft, and not EVERY OTHER COMPANY that used this chip/firmware? Testing everying is a great idea. But until you've actually worked with software/hardware, you'll never know how hard it is not to let things slip by. The design / coding is the easy part. The troubleshooting is the hard part.
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It's OK DS
he's just mad cuz he can't share his music w/ his friends w/o going through a bunch of hoops. If my ball & chain had me locked down like that i'd be cranky too. Let the apple-fanboys preach all they want. @ the end of the day, we here more bad news about ipods than we do about zunes. Might be something to consider.
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Zune player
June sales may not have matched with Microsoft's sales of their OS but definitely when it had leap year bug on 1st of January 2009, every blog worth its salt reported on their first page. There are some June buyers who have definitely liked its services and may remain loyal to Microsoft's June now that bug has been debugged.
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Not possible
It's just not possible to test "every possible scenario". Never has been and never will be, just like writing anything more than a few hundred lines of code without a single bug is nearly impossible. There is just no way of knowing everything they will do with your code.
If it was possible to test everything, the hacker community would be out of hobby :)
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Re: Zune player
I agree with VWS, the Zune 30 was only sold in the United States and Canada, but somehow headlines range from "World Wide Zune Outage" to "Zune commit suicide worldwide".
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What's a zune?
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Re: It's OK DS
Yeah. Think about it. Like, crazy things like the facts. Apple has sold 170 million iPods, and has released over a dozen models. You hear more about the iPod than ANY other players, because none of the others, including the Zune, matter in the long run. You might as well ask why you hear more bad things about McDonald's than Burger Baron.
Exactly.
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Re: Re: It's OK DS
There ya go folks, the iPod has won, they've sold the most, your decision has been made for you.
Heck now that we know how to solve difficult decisions, let's solve another one.. hmmm oh I know a another hard one for people. Which Operating System should people buy, hmm Windows or that thing from Apple hmm. Oh that's easy, Windows of course because there are an estimated Billion computers running it. Problem solved.
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Re: Re: Re: It's OK DS
Anything with NGSCB is a no-show at my house.
But have you seen the leaked pictures for Macworld? The most surprising picture is the one with the huge HP banner hanging from the ceiling. Do you think HP will be selling machines that run OSX?
The thought makes me drool.
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Re: leap year
Thats because 2008 is a leap year.
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Re: Re: Still the Best PMP
Agreed. I have a Sansa 8G and it's decent, but with RockBox, it's awesome. I can't imagine using anything without RockBox (except my ancient Nueros II, but it supported OGG out of the box).
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