It still really isn't the best argument. Most people like the Apple players better and it is a feature that Apple could add at any time. It is a horrible feature to try and differentiate on.
@mxpx5678: "Most people" haven't taken the time to really compare mp3 players. If you spent a week with both an iPod and a Zune, you'd see they're both very strong mp3 players, and both have advantages over the other. But most people don't know that. They "prefer" the iPod only because it's the more popular player, so they assume it's better.
And considering both players use music as their main use, the pricing plan of said music is a pretty important feature to differentiate on. If you could buy a car that got more gas for cheaper than other cars, would you get it?
With a monthly Zune Pass music subscription, you can download millions of tracks from Zune Marketplace* for the price of one CD a month ($14.99). Play them whenever you want on up to three computers and three players, for as long as you keep your subscription up to date. You also get to keep 10 of your favorite songs each month to add to your permanent collection. That's $10 worth of songs you know you already love."
@vinnyr: The value of subscription vs. pay-to-own really depends on your dabbling habits. I personally have no interest in a subscription. I'd rather just stream from Pandora for free. It has its limitations compared to a full on subscription plan to ZMP, but it's still $0, except for the cost of my ever valuable internet connection.
I can see the value it holds for some, but it's just not my cup of tea. Far be it from me to decide that it's not worth it to everyone.
Is everyone just deciding to ignore this fact? So technically even if you cancel your Zune pass you get to keep 10 a month or 120 songs a year forever? Or is that wrong??
@efenili: Correct. But if you ever cancel, or if Microsoft pulls the plug, you have essentially paid $1.50 for each of those songs. Or $45,000 to fill an iPod, in Zune marketingspeak.
Honestly though, name one person you know that has an iPod and hasn't spent as much as a nice car loading it up with songs? I don't know a single person.
Really though, does anyone even HAVE 30,000 songs on their iPod?
@Justinpaulson: I couldn't say how much I spent on the music my iPod currently has, but I'm sure it's a lot. Doesn't matter, as this amount was spread over many months, and is pretty much of zero impact since I have a steady income to keep paying for it.
Why does writing a book make you a douche? Take that, Mark Twain - 1000 douche points! That goes for you too, George Orwell. You shame us with your vagina-cleansing ways!
@Jason Chen: What's wrong with financial planning books? I think given the current economy we can all use a little help with financial planning, or do you not use your 401k (obviously worth a few Douche points if you have one, worth even more douche points if you made money instead of lost it in the downturn via your 401k by your reasoning).
@mltdwn: They are a lot like self help books and life coaches, sure you might get some advice from them that may end up useful, but most likely you will just be more poor in the end.
@dillinger23: Even if that was true, it would still be presumptuous to imply that since some financial planning books are not helpful, all people who write financial planning books are douche bags.
@LindsayJoy's MBP is into S+M: Maybe deep within the bowels of some research facility, people found out that investors are suddenly stripped of their judgment and will do whatever you ask of them when presented with something vile enough to trigger a gag reflex.
Steve Ballmer and Karl Rove engaged in a passionate kiss, their naked sweaty bodies pressed against one another, their hands groping and probing each others' pimply, flabby, hairy ass.
@ALT: Steve Ballmer circles his glistening tongue back and forth from the base of John McCain's scrotum back to his anus. As he does, McCain releases his bowels, a stream of loose ocher stool pouring over Ballmer's face. Gene Simmons then licks it off.
@Texas, Texas yee haw_Nick: It was tough. I spent all of May kicking puppies, punching babies, and donating money to Mark David Chapman's defense fund in an effort to lock down my nomination.
It was worth it. The Douche is a highly coveted award. It's an honor just to be nominated.
While this article is funny, I don't see any real valid douche points up there. People need financial planners. Reading the Journal at a young age isn't douchey. Growing up with old money is not a choice he made. Writing two books is an accomplishment (whether or not they're shitty books is undetermined by me). Hosting a radio show is also an accomplishment. Running his own website for his stock and trade is also an accomplishment.
Not to seem rude, but without knowing this guy personally, or reading or hearing any really douchey things from his mouth, I don't see anything douchey about him at all.
Being douchey is a matter of attitude and what a person says in public and private.
@nutbastard: I think the issue is that rather than saying this guy is a douche for being pretentious or for flaunting his self-professed knowledge, this article attacks his various credentials which are superficial to his level of douchery. Many of these credentials are irrelevant to what might be valid reasons for being a douche, such as having been on "the Apprentice". For instance, saying he gets douche points for being a radio host, implies that all radio hosts are douches. This could easily be offensive, depending on how seriously someone takes the article.
@superberg: That's a huge generalization. The fact is, most rich people get rich by doing things that are not related to finance or investments. There is nothing wrong with paying someone a fee in return for guidance on how to keep your money safe or to grow it over time.
@Sixdust: VERY bad mojo, guys. HUGELY uncool; HUGELY stupid; HUGELY immature.
I realize y'all are big Mac fans and can't stand when MS gets some decent marketing of their own. . . but you DO realize that other people think the Mac vs. PC guys are pretty douchey themselves, right?
But aside from calling them "snarky" (which I do all the time - and they are. . .) I haven't seen anyone calling them douchey. . .or even "super douchey"
You are better than this, guys - or at least I HOPE you are, or I'm finding somewhere else and promoting against you on this campus.
@CaliBoom: I gotta admit, when I saw the ad, my first thought was "this guy really is a douche." It's no diss on MS except for their judgment in choosing him. He gives off douchey vibes. His douchiness exceeds even the usual douchosity of this kind of ad. And in a way, not to say so would be bad manners.
@frigg: hrm... I think the article should be pulled until such time as this guy, and his family have been notified of his douchetasticality, he probably doesn't even know...
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And considering both players use music as their main use, the pricing plan of said music is a pretty important feature to differentiate on. If you could buy a car that got more gas for cheaper than other cars, would you get it?
05/15/09
"Discover millions, keep 10
With a monthly Zune Pass music subscription, you can download millions of tracks from Zune Marketplace* for the price of one CD a month ($14.99). Play them whenever you want on up to three computers and three players, for as long as you keep your subscription up to date. You also get to keep 10 of your favorite songs each month to add to your permanent collection. That's $10 worth of songs you know you already love."
05/15/09
Zunepass: $15 for 10 songs. You do the math, which one is cheaper. Windows fanboy. Btw hows dem virus's treating ya.
05/15/09
I can see the value it holds for some, but it's just not my cup of tea. Far be it from me to decide that it's not worth it to everyone.
05/15/09
[www.zune.net]
Is everyone just deciding to ignore this fact? So technically even if you cancel your Zune pass you get to keep 10 a month or 120 songs a year forever? Or is that wrong??
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But you would have had access to unlimited songs during that period of time it took to fill the ipod up, wouldn't you?
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Really though, does anyone even HAVE 30,000 songs on their iPod?
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/sarcasm
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Or maybe it's because he looks like this guy...
05/12/09
Steve Ballmer and Karl Rove engaged in a passionate kiss, their naked sweaty bodies pressed against one another, their hands groping and probing each others' pimply, flabby, hairy ass.
Shall I go on?
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How about Jobs and Woz in Two Steves One Cup?
05/12/09
Perhaps you're not aware of this but I will escalate things to inappropriate levels. And anilingus involving Jay Leno is just the beginning...
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TubBallmer is an insult I will most certainly use in the future however.
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Pure unrelenting puppy sodomizing evil.
And this is why I applaud thee.
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Does the Church have asinine food prohibitions like no shellfish or bacon?
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It was worth it. The Douche is a highly coveted award. It's an honor just to be nominated.
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Not to seem rude, but without knowing this guy personally, or reading or hearing any really douchey things from his mouth, I don't see anything douchey about him at all.
Being douchey is a matter of attitude and what a person says in public and private.
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"I don't see any real valid douche points up there"
...did you miss the part where he was on the apprentice??
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Jason Chen over using the word douche and variances of (+1000 DP)
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Because most CFP's just leech off people with so much money they don't know what to do with it all?
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you sure you didn't leave another 0 off the end of that?
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I are very serious.
05/12/09
I realize y'all are big Mac fans and can't stand when MS gets some decent marketing of their own. . . but you DO realize that other people think the Mac vs. PC guys are pretty douchey themselves, right?
But aside from calling them "snarky" (which I do all the time - and they are. . .) I haven't seen anyone calling them douchey. . .or even "super douchey"
You are better than this, guys - or at least I HOPE you are, or I'm finding somewhere else and promoting against you on this campus.
05/12/09
05/12/09
So sad.