title WebLog #535 Topic: 2006-10-02 17.52.03 matt: Zune vs iPod, why I don't care
user matt
ip 66.238.115.109
vol 1
lock ********

Why the music player dick-fight between Apple and Microsoft still doesn't matter to me.


/more


  I really don't care what Zune or the iPod does, since my
/link http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GJOUGK/104-1360038-4291168?ie=UTF8&tag=matthargettbl-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000GJOUGK Treo
with a 4GB flash card allows me to more freely have the same functionality as both of them. With
/link http://tcpmp.corecodec.org/ TCPMP
, I can play videos and audio in many formats that aren't infected with DRM or tie me to a service.

I'll tell you what Apple could do that *would* make me buy one and get tied into their service, though: 24-bit lossless audio. If iTunes allowed me to download 24-bit lossless audio versions of albums -- something not really available to me from bricks and mortar stores, aside from a scant few DVD Audio releases, I'd be on it in a heartbeat. Of course, their audio hardware in the iPod would need to be a full 24-bit pathway -- no downgrading to 16-bit anywhere. Also, the DAC noise issues would need to be looked at closely. From what I understand, the iPod DACs have decreased in quality from a few years ago.

This same thing goes for movies. If I can download them in 1080p and 24-bit lossless audio, that's something I can't get from the bricks and mortar stores or via HD cable/satelite service. It would be worth it to me to get that, even if it didn't include extra content from the DVD release.

Give me a reason why I should buy either of these devices or use either service, and I will. Right now, there's nothing compelling about any of it versus buying CDs and DVDs or HD satelite/cable service.


/dis