Apple Event 9-9-09: iPod vs. Zune: Round-Two

[admin]

Someone call 911! Apple’s keynote invitation image looks like a crime scene victim’s chalk outline. Apple’s annual meeting tomorrow has a name that may invoke images of the Beatles, the band that loved the number nine but doesn’t like digital distribution. While blog-o-sphere rumors of what’ll be in store at the Apple event tomorrow are more elaborate than the Da Vinci Code, one thing is for sure: It’s Apple’s turn to strike back in the war to be your next MP3 player.


Discuss "Apple Event 9-9-09: iPod vs. Zune: Round-Two" here. Read the article.

[Longbluesquid]

sorry reserved my Zune HD 32gb i do have a small Apple lossless library but most of my music is in Wma Lossless so ya Zune it is.. its clearly the winner right now...

[Wayde Robson]

I think Microsoft has decided (and rightly so) that they'll turn their MP3 player into a premium product with high-end features like HD-video-out.

One possibility is that Apple drops the Classic completely which means the iPod becomes more of a smaller MP3 player and Zune/iPod doesn't even compete at any price-point. Since the iPhone is ... well... a phone, it's not even part of Zune's market either.

But yeah longbluesquid - let us know how you like the new ZuneHD when you get your hands on it. It sounds awesome!

[jinjuku]

sorry reserved my Zune HD 32gb i do have a small Apple lossless library but most of my music is in Wma Lossless so ya Zune it is.. its clearly the winner right now...

A winner for you or a winner in the market place? If market place I won't hold my breath.

[MinusTheBear]

AH needs a portable music subforum where we can discuss portable music players, headphones, acessories etc. You guys can make it happen . There are so many good choices when it comes to portable media players besides microsoft and apple from such companies such as Sansa, Sony, Samsung and Cowon. There are lots of quality headphones to choose from in all price ranges which are worthy of such discussion as well.

This is one area you can maxamize sound quality with very little coin and great for people that are on strict budgets. Sansa just released the new budget killer the Clip+. Pair the Clip+ up with some Koss KSC 55/75 headphones and you have a quality audio setup for under $100.

[Wayde Robson]

Hey MinusTheBear

Do you think there's enough interest for more portable music devices here on Audioholics?

I know a lot of purists would rather not take their music for a walk but it seems to be the way of things now.

I'm kind of in the middle myself. I love good headphones and once even made a CMoy mint-tin amp for my old iPod so I could use my Grado headphones while walking. It's quite a nice experience.

I think the perception is that mobility is at the expense of quality, and while usually that's true there are exceptions.

At my desk at work where I do lot of writing/editing I listen to an Antique Sound Labs tube amp with an iPod and Grado headphones. Sounds spectacular especially with good high bit sound files.

I'd do more stories on mobile entertainment (which inevitably has a lot of cross-pollination with cell-phones these days) - but I hope there's interest.

I guess as long as we keep the idea that sound quality is first we'd be true to the Audioholics attitude. I don't think there are many sonic-skeptics covering these technologies. Most tech-blogs give these gushy little "love-at-first-sight" blurbs about anything new that fits in your pocket. I'm ALWAYS more skeptical about them.

In fact I risk sounding like a crotchety old man every time I read about new mobile A/V technologies.

Although, I have to admit the Rhapsody iPhone app (announced today) sounds pretty freakin' cool!

I've long held that streaming mobile radio (when the technology reaches customer-favorable cost) will sink Satellite Radio - or it could force Satellite Radio into a sort-of hi-fi niche market. Wouldn't that be a twist! Sat Radio actually providing high-bit, high-res audio because it can do so far cheaper than mobile Internet Radio - XM/Sirius should think about it!

[MinusTheBear]

There is a misconception among many that think that music on the go equates to poor sound quality. It can't be further from the truth it is just a different experience listening to headphones. There is no other audio market in which I can achieve audiophile quality sound for under $100. I actually find this one of the most interesting markets right now in the audio world. It is so competitive, there is so much selection and innovation is taking off and the quality is there.

[MinusTheBear]

Whether audiophile purists like it or not this market is here to stay. I believe a portable media section would provide a valuable service. AH can separate themselves from the "others" by providing factual and non snakeoil advice on portable media players, headphones, headphone amps, dacs, cables etc. Gene and Clint might be surprised on how popular a subforum like this might become (with all the hits this forum gets). It could open up avenues to reviews, potential advertisers and demand for products in Audioholics online store. Its a growing market and worthy of exploring .

[dkane360]

i vote yes for a forum about portables/headphones

[BMXTRIX]

I think Microsoft has decided (and rightly so) that they'll turn their MP3 player into a premium product with high-end features like HD-video-out.

One possibility is that Apple drops the Classic completely which means the iPod becomes more of a smaller MP3 player and Zune/iPod doesn't even compete at any price-point. Since the iPhone is ... well... a phone, it's not even part of Zune's market either.

But yeah longbluesquid - let us know how you like the new ZuneHD when you get your hands on it. It sounds awesome!

If Apple drops the classic altogether it would be due to low sales in favor of the Nano and the Touch would be my expectation. The Classic is starting to look like a dinosaur considering how much horsepower the Nano is starting to have and considering the capabilities of the Touch.

The biggest disappointment of the show was definitely the Touch which apparently had some development snafus since Best Buy was showing Generation 3 Touch cases which specifically have a camera opening on them. That means that somewhere, someone really messed up some engineering work and they thought it would be better not to revise it yet until they get it right.

But, with the memory trend, next year we could see the Touch hit 100+GB in storage space with the large interactive screen and full Touch capability which is a heck of an experience without a phone contract required.

Not sure about the ZuneHD, but the Touch with component output doesn't exactly suck at 64GB right now.