Zune HD Kicks Ass.

Despite what you have read on the internet, the new Zune HD from Microsoft is an outstanding media player with awesome features. The reviews are "mixed" because of the ridiculous market penetration Apple has over all other products, specifically cellphones and mp3 players. If a new device doesn't support thousands of third party apps, then the ubber dorks of the world feel the device is "set up for failure" or blast it because it's "no ipod killer".

I'm actually surprised at the increased amounts of biased, yellow journalism the blogosphere has to offer, especially in regards to product reviews. Most of the negative reviews from respected PC magazines and supposed technology "experts" have been very sad. Here's the general template these would-be journalists turned blogger have been using:

Insert "Zune Sucks" Headline or equivalent
examples:
Zune: It's No iPod So It Must Suck Fat Ones
Zune Will Fail Again Because It's Not A Phone
Zune Is Cool I Guess But LOL Mac Still PWNZORZ

List specs and comment on how awesome the screen is. Here's a list of details if you really are interested.

Big long discussion of the Zune's lack of app support (after being on the market for 24 hours). Be sure NOT to mention that Microsoft prefers to manage their own applications and whatever they do put out in the coming months will be completely free. Nevermind 90% of iPhone apps are completely worthless. Let's just compare apples to anvils and hope no one notices.

Discuss price comparison to iPods. Don't get too far into it. Just list them and sit quietly, hoping no one reads down this far...

Wrap the article up with saying how the Zune HD is aweome and works great, has a great software that works seamlessly on your Windows computer, has a gorgeous screen and nice features BUT it doesn't have the app support iPod has.

Apple has always prided itself on being the different one, catering to individualistic, creative folks who "think outside the box". They prattle on about taking the road less traveled when it comes to computers, however when it comes to media devices, the Apple lovers (wince) seem to have forgotten their own marketing strategy. Face it. Some of us do not like dicking around in iTunes. We like being a little "different", something a Mac lover should identify with. Afterall, why wouldn't we like things better outside of the iTunes environment? The Zune works great within Windows and doesn't require importing, syncing with alternate libraries that we had to import, etc. or other DRM hijinks. Plus, a lot of people don't buy music from iTunes and some of us who buy or download it elsewhere, don't pay as much as iTunes charges.

Zune HD has a lot of other features too, but my favorite feature is that it's NOT an iPod. I've had 1 iPod that lasted less than a year. I've had 3 Zunes (now 4) from each generation, all of which are still working perfectly with the same battery life they had new out of the box. Call me nuts, but I like products that do what I want them to do, not for what they COULD do with the right app installed.