iPod Zune first impressions

[milo]

I'm surprised to hear that the interface is better. How does Zune handle scrolling without a wheel interface? Is there a way to quickly and accurately scroll without hitting a button a million times.

And what specifically is better about the interface? The interface on iPod is pretty awesome, if they've improved on it I'd like to hear how.

In the end, watching a movie (horizontally) on the zune provided quite a bit more viewing area compared to my ipod. Now, the thing I am watching is a widescreen format movie ripped to my ipod (which, i guess, is illegal)...anyways, the two black bars comprise more area than the actual viewable movie. This same type of thing on the Zune provides a great deal more viewing space. The black bars on the top and bottom are almost unnoticeable. So, in the end...could be the same screen resolution, but the screen is quite differnet in shape. The ipod clearly has a box shape, and the zune clearly has a rectagular shape.

They are the exact same shape, the Zune is just a hair bigger. If you're seeing smaller black bars, that just means the Zune is cutting off the sides. There might be an option for that on iPod as well, I don't know.

Thus when viewing the same image on the iPod and the Zune the iPod would be clearer. Viewing the same text would show more "blockiness" on the Zune.

True, but most people care about screen size, not which is clearer. Would you argue that a smaller TV is better? After all, since it's the same resolution as a bigger TV, it is clearer.

For example, if you click on a song within the ipod UI, you get several screens, one after another and the most ANNOYING thing is that you cannot "tag" a song when doing this to make it part of your automated "on the go" playlist. To do this, you need to back out to the playlist, scroll down (potentially) and find the song, click and hold it and wait for it to flash.

I don't think that's true, can't you tag a song while it's playing just by holding the middle button? And I don't know what you mean by several screens for the song? I don't see anything wrong with their implementation, seems as simple as can be.

If you can't offer specifics about why the Zune interface is better, you definitely are going to get some skepticism. And if they did improve on the iPod interface at all, there's nothing Apple from improving as well.

 

[amin]

They are the exact same shape, the Zune is just a hair bigger.

oops, sorry -> *post deleted*

 

[zap2]

Click wheel and the fact I can't use a Zune on a Mac even if I wanted to....will keep me with iPod. Also battery life is much more important to anything then UI for me...and I love my iPod's IU

Screen Size, while its nice, its not needed, my 4G iPod was fine, as was my Mini...heck my Nano is fine I don't need 2.5'' for music, for Videos it might help, but again battery life