This month, Apple announced several new improvements to it’s products, introduced some new stuff and updated some products with better software, most people think that Apple came with new stuff to the market that did not exist, but the truth is, most of it is actually old news to Microsoft!.
I’ll talk about the major new stuff that Apple announced and prove to you that these things actually already exist at Microsoft’s Side!
Let begin.
iTunes 10:
You hate the new logo (Me Too), Looks like Apple used Microsoft Paint to draw it 
, with iTunes 10, Apple Introduced the following new features:
Ping:
The new social network for music so that you can follow friends and artists, sounds like new, People made it look new, however, It’s OLD!, Microsoft had a similar service for a very long time, it’s called Zune:The Social, a service that also allows you to communicate with friends about the music, what you are listening to, share songs, etc…, similar to Ping, the Social is quiet old, around 2 years, and may require some additions, but Apple Ping is no news, and with very minor improvements to Zune:The Social it will be HOT!.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zune_Social
iTunes Streaming Capability:
Well, It’s new to Apple, But Very Very Old to All Others (Not Just Microsoft), Apple is just very slow in adopting cool technologies, with iTunes 10 you can stream stuff to your iDevices and play them on the Device itself or on the TV, right? OK, that’s cool and we were waiting very long for this, but did you know that this is really really old? Streaming?! Oh come on!, We’ve been enjoying streaming technologies for years now, Microsoft technologies provided many ways to stream content to both PCs and Mobile Devices! and to compare this specific thing to Microsoft, Specifically with Consumer Products, Microsoft already have streaming capabilities to it’s mobile devices (and non-mobile), its called Zune! , the Zune Software Allows Streaming Music to your Zune Device (and the Windows Phone 7 Device), also, it allows streaming music to your XBOX 360! there are also some articles that will help you stream to non-Microsoft Devices such as the iPhone! 
, oh not just that, the “Zune Pass” allows you to stream contents directly from the Zune Market Place to your Zune Device to XBOX 360!
OK, now, on another side, Let be honest, iTunes Sucks in managing libraries and stuff and the new interface also took the colors, making it look like the 90′s, Importing Media to iTunes from other stuff is a headache! and by default items imported to the library are copied to a new locations for iTunes to use it, it simply sucks, I would’ve removed it from my Mac if I can sync the iPhone somewhere else!, Take a look at the beauty of the Zune Software! and By the way, you can import iTunes Library to the Zune Software!
Overview of the Zune 4 Software http://www.winsupersite.com/zune/zunehd_sw.asp
How to stream your Zune Content to Apple iPhone http://gizmodo.com/5309642/stream-zune-songs-to-your-iphone
Remember, Managing a Windows Phone 7 Device will be through the Zune Software, and I am pretty sure that Microsoft will update the software to even a better one, the coolest thing about it, its Light! Very Light! Unlike the famous iTunes, that makes your computer SLLLLOOOWW!
AppleTV:
Yes, the new Apple TV is Small, Looks nice, Takes streams from iTunes, etc…, but hey, It doesn’t work without iTunes! and It’s only streaming! how about we have the option of both? with a Battery on the device that eliminates the need to connect it to a power supply while visiting a friend’s home? Yes, with this specific case, we have three things from Microsoft that can be compared to AppleTV:
1- XBOX 360 with Zune Software and the Martket Place: You can stream your HD Cool stuff from your computer or from the Zune Market Place Directly, Movies, TV Shows, Music, Whatever you want!, in HD! Why would I buy AppleTV for 99$ If i can buy the XBOX 360 for 150$ the old one, or 199$ with Kinect for the XBOX 360 S!
2- Use the Zune HD Device: Yes, the Zune HD Device, 60$ More than AppleTV (for the 16 GB Version), but what do you get for this extra 60?
- 720p HD Video Out (HD Videos on Apple Store are 720p, Checkout Apple’s Website)
- Super Portability: The device runs on a Battery, allows for up to 8.5 Hours of Video Playback!
- Lightweight!: Even Lighter than AppleTV, which weighs Around 250 Grams, the ZuneHD is only 74 Grams!
- Music On the Go!: It’s Portable, with Storage, Use it as a Music Device Too!
- HD Radio!
3- Windows Phone 7 Devices (Upcoming):
Windows Phone 7 will have a Zune Software Inside it, with powerful devices coming out, expect to see devices similar to Droid X with 720 HD Out and even better!
The New iPods (I’ll talk a little more about them):
Looks cool, but I will focus on the iPod Nano here since it’s the new thing, it looks nice, very small and is very light, but it’s just weird,! why would i need an accelerometer on a device that looks like a square? the view is the same from all sides, right? tell me so that you can use the device the same way no matter how you hold it and i’ll tell you, ssshhhh, no matter how I hold it? Apple are the ones who brought the “You are holding it wrong” thing with the **Magical** iPhone4!, Also, do we get an Accelerometer for the Phone Jack? NO! , so I guess an Accelerometer is just a useless addition, as well as Multi-Touch?! What am i going to do with that on a 1.54 Inches Screen?! a Full Colored Screen that doesn’t even play videos!? a 240×240 Pixels Colored TFT-LCD Screen just to look at the album art? oh and 220 Pixels Per Inch! “I think the screen should’ve been OLED so that we pay double the price for nothing” The iPad doesn’t have that on a 9.7 Inches Screen! Are you going to read books on it? That all just doesn’t make sense to pay for, Too much money for no features, or for useless features! and without Wi-Fi, Which means no streaming and no Wireless Syncing, you need your USB cable to sync! all that is for 179$ (16 GB Model)!! oh, and when you want to buy it, Apple’s Headline for the Product is MULTI-TOUCH! That’s the funniest headline ever! like am going to swipe two fingers to change the song!
Comparing the iPod Nano with the Zune 16 is really REALLY funny!, take a look:
Zune 16 Features:
- Video Playback! with Many Formats Supported!
- Wireless Sync (Wi-Fi and USB Cable Sync Supported)
- Send/Receive Songs with Other Wi-Fi Zunes Around you (and know the song they are currently playing!)
- Stream from the market place or the computer (Wi-Fi Hot spots are now useful for Music Listeners and Video Lovers)
And its 199$, and you will actually make good use of the stuff!, not 179$ for features that you actually need on Large Screen Devices (that’s the 16 GB Model of course)
Conclusion:
The new Apple stuff are not actually New!, some nice stuff to see from Apple, but still, expensive and old in terms of technology, I believe that Microsoft is already prepared to compete with Apple’s new stuff, whether it’s the iPhone, the AppleTV or iTunes; the launch of Windows Phone 7 will change many things and I believe that a new Zune Hardware and Capabilities will come around.
Apple’s Store is Amazing, It includes many things, from music to Movies, and that is an advantage and Zune’s only major drawback,in the coming months, i believe that the Zune Market Place will whiteness major changes to most of its content, and the good news is that Microsoft already have what is required to compete with Apple, and its just a few steps away.
Zune did not gain publicity because Microsoft did not put a good effort to market it very well, some people never heard of it, and most online communities doesn’t even talk about it, this doesn’t make the product itself bad, and also doesn’t make Apple Products better. Zune’s drawback lies in the market place content and country limitations (US Only)!, Changing that will surely attract many more customers to current and future versions of the Zune!.