6 posts tagged “microsoft”
Microsoft, please cease all efforts to compete in the portable music player/online music store space. You're embarassing yourselves.
I remember a time, early on in the iPod's domination, when some bigwig or other at Microsoft slagged off the iTunes Store ecosystem, saying it didn't give customers choice. It didn't take them long to release the Zune and the Zune Marketplace, effectively copying the Apple model wholesale... albeit totally ineffectively.
Oh, and by the way, early on the Zune couldn't play files from Microsoft's partners' stores that used their similar but incompatible PlaysForSure DRM. Oopsies! Needless to say, the devices didn't sell well, but that may be because they were only available in the US, and looked like they were fashioned out of Bakelite.
Then when Apple announced that it was trying to get rid of the DRM the record labels had insisted on, Microsoft were caught on the hop and fumbled a response.
And now their latest bullshit. Now they're trying to put the boot to the iPod by saying their Zune Pass allows you to fill your Zune for less than iTunes allows you to fill your iPod:
http://www.zunepass.net/?WT.mc_id=Display-MMN#/videos
Many, many, many things they neglect to mention here.
1. If you cancel your Zune Pass membership, you do not own that music. You get ten songs free every month, and that's that.
2. They suggest that you can only fill an iPod with music from iTunes. I pay just ten bucks more than their Zune Pass and get 100 DRM-free MP3s from eMusic every month. I also buy CDs, with prices as low as $7 a disc - far less than the $1 per song they quote for the iPod.
3. Not all of the songs in their library are even available with the Zune Pass.
4. Song purchases are slightly cheaper with the Zune Marketplace, but you have to buy fucking point cards in blocks of 400 at a time to shop on their store. You can't use a credit card directly.
I'm not an Apple fanboy. I have many criticisms about their devices and software. However, Microsoft are constantly ragging on them while totally glossing over their own more abundant flaws. The Zune HD looks like an attractive piece of hardware, certainly compared to its siblings, but it is far too little, too late.
I got an email from Microsoft at both of my Hotmail addresses. Um, maybe I said No for a reason?
"Dear Windows Live User,
We are contacting you regarding your communication preference settings for Windows Live and MSN.
Currently, your settings do not allow Microsoft to send you promotional information or survey invitations about Windows Live and MSN. We would like to communicate important product updates to you, so if you would like to change your settings, please visit your account profile here to change your preferences.
Sincerely,
The Windows Live Team"
You can't even block the junk mail I already get, why would I ask you to send more of it?
I am writing this because I had trouble finding this information. Every forum thread, support page and tech tips site I found on Google was terrible.
a) The Microsoft Xbox 360's wireless adaptor *is* compatible with the Apple Time Capsule
b) You do not need *any* other equipment to get them to talk to each other
Here, in a nutshell, are the settings you need for your Xbox 360 to successfully find and talk to your Time Capsule. These instructions assume you know how to use the Airport Utility (Apple's support site).
In Airport > Wireless...
- Radio mode: 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible)
- Wireless security: WPA/WPA2 Personal
In Internet > Internet Connection...
- Connection Sharing: Share a public IP address
In Internet > NAT...
- Enable NAT Port Mapping Protocol: Yes
Assuming everything else is set up correctly (i.e. you can get online with other devices attached to your Time Capsule), your Xbox 360 should now connect, too.
So you might hear all these bands talking about how they use Pro-Tools to get that generic, over-produced sound that's really popular with the kids these days. I don't use Pro-Tools for my personal recordings because, well, I can't afford it, but I do use audio devices manufactured by Digidesign sister company M-Audio.
I started out using the Fast Track USB - a small, portable audio device that gives any computer a mic and guitar input. I used it for a while before deciding to upgrade to the Ozone: it's a guitar/mic/MIDI interface housed in a MIDI keyboard... double bonus, as I left my synth back in the UK.
Not long after I got the Ozone, Apple released the latest version of Mac OS X - Leopard. Unfortunately, for some reason the Ozone's driver software wasn't compatible with Leopard. I looked on the M-Audio web site and found a news story that was all "M-Audio welcomes Leopard!" - but it basically said drivers would come at some unknown point in time. Nice welcome.
It happens. I mean, ignoring the fact Apple had been seeding Leopard to hardware and software companies long before it came out... and numerous small, independent software companies got their software working with Leopard at launch... I understand. And heck, Windows Vista came out a whole year before Leopard and the Vista drivers for the Ozone were still in beta.
Anyway, it's three months on and while they've finally released M-Audio drivers for some of their devices, i.e. the most expensive ones, they still don't have drivers for the Ozone or Fast Track USB. And there is no estimated time of arrival or response from their support team when I ask.
Is it just me or is something very wrong with this pie chart, sent out by Windows Live?
I have fallen in love with a man named Yahtzee. Not proper love, just geek love.
Yahtzee records a series of video reviews for computer games under the banner Zero Punctuation (which is accurate given his rapid-fire delivery and excellent lo-fi animation). A recent great example is his comparison of the three major gaming platforms:
A full list of his video reviews can be found at:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation
It's a very refreshing change from normal gaming criticism.
