DS Forums

 
 

Zune is fat


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 31-10-2006, 10:32
TheBigM
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: moon
Posts: 12,983
True, both are QVGA resolution. Zune's screen rotation so that it is long instead of wide is more useful for movie watching, you can turn it on its side and allow the movie to take up more screen space particularly on widescreen films displaying at 2.35:1 or 1.78:1

However in terms of physical screen size zune's is bigger.
TheBigM is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 31-10-2006, 12:14
moisie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Herts
Posts: 2,378
Originally Posted by TheBigM
True, both are QVGA resolution. Zune's screen rotation so that it is long instead of wide is more useful for movie watching, you can turn it on its side and allow the movie to take up more screen space particularly on widescreen films displaying at 2.35:1 or 1.78:1

However in terms of physical screen size zune's is bigger.
I don't see how turning something on it's side is a benefit, all it does is make the ratio of the screen more appropriate to the medium you're watching it on. If it only had a 2.5 inch screen it would be a disadvantage because you'd be having to do something extra to achieve the same thing you can do by default on an iPod or other similarly orientated player. Yes the screen is bigger but it's still a 4:3 screen for watching movies, but because it's running at a lower ppi the picture won't automatically look better just because it's bigger.

I can accept the logic behind having the long side of the screen running along the long side of the device but I don't accept that the zune is better overall. Of course, chances are apple will come out with something bigger at some point, probably just after the zune launches to steal its thunder.

The zune has bigger screen but in terms of video it in no way makes better use of the screen other than being bigger but with a lower ppi. How important these factors are to you on a portable player is purely individual but it's not clear cut that the zune is somehow magically better because of it's screen. In fact in terms of text for track listings and the like when view right way up you'll actually have less to play with since you'll have 75% of the pixels and marginally less width to view them on.

Last edited by moisie : 31-10-2006 at 12:16.
moisie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-10-2006, 12:54
andybno1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posts: 6,065
the OP brings up the point of the zune being bigger than ipod well memory serves correct the zune is the same size as the ipod when it first came out
andybno1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2006, 22:15
innocentbystand
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,446
cnet.co.uk talked to the head of microsoft uk and he confirmed there are no plans to launch the zune in the uk.... ever/
innocentbystand is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-11-2006, 10:59
TheBigM
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: moon
Posts: 12,983
They said they have no plans at the moment to launch anywhere outside of the US not that they will never launch in the UK. This is because they are testing the waters with the Zune.

Don't lie just to be controversial.
TheBigM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-11-2006, 11:02
Chrismcfall
 
Posts: n/a
Hmm,
250.00 USD=131.524 GBP. Ill see the first reviews, if they're good, might consider asking for one for christmas. Shipping wouldn't be that much would it?
  Reply With Quote
Old 04-11-2006, 13:38
sancheeez
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,762
Originally Posted by Chrismcfall
Hmm,
250.00 USD=131.524 GBP. Ill see the first reviews, if they're good, might consider asking for one for christmas. Shipping wouldn't be that much would it?
$20-$40 dollars I'd imagine depending op the shipping option you go for and who you buy from.

Either way, with a start price of £130 odd, it's gonna be pretty good value.

I got my player shipped in from the USA and even with the shipping costs, it was still cheaper than anywhere in the UK at the time.

If you get unlucky and get hit for import duty though, thats gonna bump the cost up a bit ....
sancheeez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-11-2006, 15:18
Chrismcfall
 
Posts: n/a
Thanks sancheeez, but where would be a good place to buy from?
  Reply With Quote
Old 04-11-2006, 15:26
sancheeez
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,762
Amazon US?

Ebay seller with good international feedback? (thats the route I took)
sancheeez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-11-2006, 15:38
TheBigM
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: moon
Posts: 12,983
Though you won't be able to make purchases from the zune marketplace - that will be available for US people only.
TheBigM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-11-2006, 15:41
Chrismcfall
 
Posts: n/a
Wont be that fussed about that. All of my music is from cds usually.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2006, 15:20
high_on_candy
Banned User
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: England
Posts: 1,964
Yeah that post I posted last week about microsoft not launching it till 2008 was taken "out of context" a zune official has said. Check out zuneinsider.net really helpful.
high_on_candy is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 16:41.