2G Zunes, Coming October 16th, Trade Squirting For Squircle
Sep 19th, 2007 | By James Lewin | Category: iPods & Portable Media PlayersZune Scene and others are reporting that Microsoft will release its second-generation Zune portable media players on October 16th. And while Microsoft tried to use the first-generation Zunes to turn “squirting” into a trendy term, this time around it’s “squircle”.
Here’s the specs, via Zune Scene:
“We have also verified that in addition to the pink, red, and black colors an “Army Jeep Green” color will also be available for the smaller flash Zunes. Although the Zunes in the leaked image appear glossy, they will actually have the same doubleshot surface as the original Zune. The navigation button has been replaced with a new “squircle” shaped button, which is a square with rounded edges. It will not have a separate center button as the original Zune does, but the functionality will be the same. The current launch date is scheduled for October 16th, exactly 3 weeks after the Halo 3 launch. Based on our previous leaks, the memory sizes will be 4 GB, 8 GB, and 80 GB. “
Based on these specs, it doesn’t look like the 2G Zunes will offer much in the way of hardware innovation. The specs appear to be about two years behind the latest iPods, with Apple offering 16 GB flash players and 160 GB hard drive players.
The squircle button promises to make the 2G Zunes a source of ridicule. According to Wikipedia, a squircle is a mathematical shape with properties between those of a square and those of a circle. Is a new button shape the biggest innovation Microsoft can bring to portable media players?
Unless Microsoft has some amazing new software to go along with their new portable media players, it looks like the Zune will remain a 2nd-string portable media platform.
For the record, Microsoft did not come up with, nor ever endorsed or used the term ‘squirt’ for the Zune. That term was coined by Leo Laporte in an episode of This Week in Tech (TWiT, http://www.twit.tv/).
Steve
The squirting-Zune connection seems to have come from Microsoft itself. While Microsoft doesn’t “squirt” in its official Zune marketing materials, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer discussed squirting videos and photos.
“The value of Zune, if we’re successful, is all in the software. It’s in community,” said Ballmer in a BusinessWeek interview. “I want to squirt you a picture of my kids. You want to squirt me back a video of your vacation.”
“Squircle” will only be a source of ridicule if that term is used by Microsoft to explain it; or if their user/fan base heavily adopts it… which it would appear they are.
I’ve already started practicing my puns and double entendres in anticipation of M$’ hilarious new launch and their soon-to-be hapless new users! 🙂