The Zune: Whats Not To Love, Part 2- A Closer Look

Its clear that a great deal of effort has gone into the marketing of the Zune experience. The website features content that demonstrates how fun and cool life can be with this MP3 player. Take the Zune Journey  and see what I mean (highly recommended). Then there's Zune Arts: billed as "a place where emerging young artists can collaborate", you can watch and download original content like "The Lost Ones" graphic novel or the Three Legged Legs & Chromeo zombie puppet video. Or download artist backgrounds featuring Toronto's own Derrick Hodgson. 

*Update & shameless plug: go here to listen to Derrick talk about his artwork for Zune.

Some of the free pre loaded content--podcasts, music and videos-- is a little dated now, a year later from when it was added but its enough to get the gist of what's possible. But the features that really speak to me are its WiFi capabilities and excellent FM tuner. Its awesome to be able to plug the Zune into my little JBL speakers and blast DNTO while gardening outside or listen to the accompanying music during The Festival of Fire. What's also cool is that you can even reverse sync.

Its only really when I go to log into my Zune account that things fall apart. I am not seeing anything that really speaks to me there. It may be because I've (happily) used iTunes for so many years, but the idea of paying a monthly fee of $14.99 to access an instant music library (which is effectively renting) doesn't really appeal to me. I already have a humoungous library-although I appreciate that it would appeal to many. 

The whole social aspect of the Zune is lost on me too. I have spent a lot of time considering this product and its entire ecosystem. I am just not picking up what its putting down. A part of this could be explained by the fact that as a Mac user, I am shut out of the full Zune experience. Having to use my BF's computer to be a part of Zune Social and the Marketplace is like graduated licensing-you can drive but you can't drive alone or on the highways. 

So what's not to love about the Zune? Well as it turns out, a lot. For me at least. But sort out its exclusive M$ platform issues and I think iPod will have a formidable competitor.

The Zune: What's Not To Love, Part 1-Out Of The Box

Its been a little more than a month that I've had the Zune and as I mentioned in an earlier post, the packaging is tight. It appears that thoughtful consideration was not only given to the player itself, but even to the colourful foamy ear bud covers which fit over comfortable ear buds (unlike the ones that come with the iPod). But what is not so thoughtful, no what bites, is that Zune is 100% NOT Mac compatible. How it makes good business sense to alienate that much of the marketplace who are Mac users I'll never be able to figure out. But for this reviewer and Mac user, this is a big downer. 

Luckily my BF does have a PC so he volunteered to download the Zune software to get started. In the process of downloading the software it actually seized up his laptop. A smooth looking machine it may be but that wasn't enough to make for a smooth start to use it. Talking later with a friend, I learned that he had experienced a similar sort of ordeal when he bought a Zune for a Father's Day gift.  Nevertheless my intrepid BF sorted it out and by day's end I could begin my test drive.

The elegant 8GB Zune has 3 buttons on its face just below the scratch resistant 1.8" 320X 240 pixel colour display. The screen has a vertical orientation while listening to music and makes a smooth transition to a horizontal one while viewing videos and pictures. Hit the trackpad or little play/pause button and a two dimensional menu with easy to read font comes to life. Designer Steve Kaneko and his team have done well. While I'd say that so far, the Zune is generally intuitive to navigate, the trackpad is annoyingly sticky compared to the iPod.

In my next post, I'll tell you about my take on the marketplace and social aspects of Zune.

Cuil Is Cool

Have you checked out the new search engine Cuil yet? Chances are if you tried just after their launch yesterday that you didn't see that much: their servers were jammed. Billing itself as "the world's biggest search engine", cuil has a different search basis than Google which analyzes web users and the sites they visit. The more popular the site, the more often Google and other search engines will list that site as relevent- regardless of whether the content you are looking for is really there.  Anna Patterson, the founder and one of 4 developers of cuil (an old Irish word for knowledge) reasons that metrics might not be the best way to database information. Her goal is to create the new gold standard for information architecture and organization by indexing the entire internet, not just the popular portions of it and analyzing that data quickly to get the relevant results. I like the interface. Its simple, bright and is laid out like a magazine. 

Money ≠ Talent Even in Hollywood

The rumours are true: people are just not that into celebrity fashion collections, at least if sales are any indicator. I thought it was just me who couldn't give a hoot but it seems not. Kitson Boutique ,the infamous L.A. shopping destination to see and be seen at, have canned Victoria Beckham's dVb menswear collection and Lauren Conrad's line due to "lacklustre sales". Kohl's department stores launched Avril Lavigne's new junior line to immediate markdowns and dismal reviews aren't helping move Heidi Montag's collection. 

Fed up with the hype, Kitson owner Fraser Ross offers this advice to celebrity designers:

1. Do remember that not everyone's a size 2 like you.

2. Don't think your clothing line will fly off the shelves just because you a celebrity. (LiLo is the exception.)

3. Do make multiple personal appearances at retail stores that support your brand.

4. Don't believe everything your publicist says.

5. Do walk to the nearest coffee shop carrying a sketchbook after alerting the paparazzi. After all, it never hurts to look like you're doing work.

To read the rest of the tips go here.

'Light Footprint' Shoe Manufacturer & Award Winning Architect Collab

Architect Zaha Hadid is trying her hand at shoes with Brazilian manufacturer Melissa. Today's British Vogue and New York Magazine Blog The Cut reports that these sculptural plastic shoes will come in eight colours and be available come September exclusively at Dover Street Market in London. Hadid will join the likes of former collaborators Judy Blame, Vivienne Westwood and Alexandre Herchcovitch. Check out the S/S and F/W 2008 collections.

Radar: Curated by Arkitip Series Launches

And we're back! Check this gorgeousity out: Incase the California based outfit that makes protective sleeves, cases and folios for iPod, iPhone and MacBooks in conjunction with L.A based magazine Arkitip and Krink a.k.a drip styles graf artist KR a.k.a Craig Costello have just released a first ever limited edition protective sleeve for the MacBook. Get your 13" or 15" Krink sleeve online for $79.95. Check out the genesis of the project here.

Moving Daze

Stand by: Regular postings will resume just a shortly as I can get an internet connection up and running at my new office!