Battleangel

So, Microsoft’s Zune is available … at least in reliable, non-blurry and plucky promo photos and has, to some degree, been fleshed out in technical specs. Just about everyone has written something on the topic. Most people hate it already. I guess that would be the same 75% who currently own an Apple-infested DAP and hypocritically decry Microsoft’s dominance in unrelated fields and their attempt to gain DAP market shares.

As much as I don’t want to buy a Zune (especially as the Microdrive, WLAN and battery details were hinted) I also enjoy having the Apple Taliban scuttling around, spouting doctrine and feeble arguments. It’s clear they’re upset. And it is also clear that they don’t have a concept of irony as they attack the Zune over a number of strategic choices where Apple clearly fail as well. Like sturdiness. They think the Zune is looking cheap and plastic. Talk about a lack of perspective and hypocrisy.

The Zune also endeavors to make the user (at least the thinking non-drone) experience as unpleasant as possible using DRM. In fact it aims to break Creative Commons licenses or any other type of license or lack of a license by automatically alter the audio files stored on the unit, making them DRM protected so that they for instance wont share properly using WLAN. I have no doubt that Apple too will stifle that feature should they ever launch some sort of wireless music sharing technology. Obviously, Apple is no stranger to DRM either.

So in the end, Microsoft’s “latrine brown” seems to be on the same level as Apple’s “queer pink”. The rest of us will just have to rest secure in the knowledge that greater competition, even by two entities that usually get it wrong and stifle the user, will benefit innovation in the long run.