Not again From The Outside: Marques Lyons

From The Outside: Marques Lyons

• Tweet

• Tweet

This is a new feature where we have guest writers contribute their insight on not-so-familiar stories. It’s an open mic where they can express ideas and thoughts about living in a Microsoft world. Sit back and enjoy some of their stories with us.

The following article was written by Marques Lyons, who is a Microsoft Zune MVP. Marques has had the award since 2008 and has used it to create Consumer Camp. Consumer Camp is a series of free educational workshops, that demystifies Microsoft technologies for consumers. You can follow Marques on Twitter (@tromboneforhire) and/or follow Consumer Camp on Twitter (@consumercamp).

So, from what I understand, the definition of hipster is someone who claims to have performed a certain activity before that activity was considered cool. In that case, I’m a hipster in the Zune camp except Zune was never really considered cool. Matter of fact, it’s still not considered cool. We live in a world ruled by Apple and it’s iDevice juggernaut. The other horse in the race is Google with its Android platform. For all of the great work and features that Microsoft released with their Zune platform, it never really caught on; never really caught fire.

So, an obvious question would be why would one stick with Zune and not just succumb to the allure and seduction of the iTunes or Google ecosystems? Many people have their reasons for not assimilating to the Borg, but for me, that reason is because Zune has been able to tap into something that I, as a lover of music, couldn’t pass by: The ability to discover new music (using what you currently like) and using music as a tool for community connections. Think of it as the concert effect. When you know you’re all there to enjoy the same music, you all become one family. Everything in the outside world becomes secondary to the experience that you and a group of people are about to share together. I see that in Zune; for the time that you’re engaged with your friends and music you can forget about what ails you, troubles you, or has you worried. Everyone can be swept away by the music.

Of course, Zune is much more than music. It’s music videos, it’s television shows, it’s movies. It’s an entertainment vehicle. Whether you’re on a PC, Xbox 360 or Windows Phone, Zune is able to be the bridge that connects all of your entertainment. Imagine buying a movie, using the Zune PC software, and having that movie become available on your Xbox 360 and Windows Phone. Imagine being able to listen to practically any song you want, on any device you want (well PC, Windows Phone, Zune HD, or Xbox 360). Zune made sure that your entertainment was where you are.

When I go from Point A to Point B, I can count the number of iDevices / Android handsets on 50 fingers, at any given point. Sure, when I pull out a Windows Phone, I get a decent amount of stares. Some wonder if it’s a super configured Android handset or if I put a crazy skin on an iPhone. Obviously, those people don’t know phones all that well. Many don’t want to deal with those situations and, again, opt to just join in with the Apple / Google crowd. For me, it’s not really about doing what everyone else is doing. It’s about doing what’s right for your situation. I happen to be one of these people who have a Hotmail account as the center of my digital world and the Zune is the center of my digital entertainment.

Now let’s get one thing straight: I can love Zune (and I do) but that doesn’t translate into hating on Apple or Google. Again, the idea here is to let people use whatever technology is making their lives easier. Because fundamentally we all just want our lives to be easier. We just want to go from morning to night and have everything just work. We want to just hit the power button and not have to think about the next steps. Many people find that solace in Google products, Apple products, Microsoft products or even a piecemeal combination of all three. We could sit here and tear down other ecosystems, but the better idea is to simply show the advantages of all three and let people figure for themselves what works and what doesn’t.

Let’s get another thing straight: Zune, as a brand, looks to be on its way out. If you’re using the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, you notice that Zune doesn’t really make an appearance, unless you install the classic PC software in the desktop environment. It seems that Xbox 360 is becoming the center of the entertainment universe for Microsoft users. Is that the correct move? I originally was against the idea. I thought that Zune and Xbox 360 could exist in the same space. However, Xbox 360 has become such a juggernaut that it could easily go toe-to-toe as a brand with whatever Apple and Google foists out there. Plus, the music and video marketplaces (and their subsequent experiences) are still powered by Zune. So you may not see the name, but the spirit is definitely there.

The world of ecosystems, phones, media players and the like is still in its infancy. Right now the gorillas in the room are Apple and Android. Windows Phone (and by extension Zune) is a fly on the wall, listening on the conversation; trying to figure out what makes these gorillas tick so that it can finally come in and create some space for itself. For us users of the Windows Phone ecosystem, we hope for that day when it becomes the third gorilla in the space, jockeying for position and finding its footing.

To the users of Windows Phone (and the people who were behind Zune), understand this: What you love about Zune will always be there, so keep listening to music, keep watching videos, enjoy the ecosystem. No matter what form Zune takes, it will help drive and power our entertainment experiences.

It can be difficult to do, when going against two gigantic mountains like Apple and Google. However, even the tallest mountains have eventually been climbed, flagged and conquered.