Cupid is helping Microsoft whisper sweet apologies to customers who may not receive their Valentine’s Day edition Zune until after February 14. Even though the players are en route, the company has promised full refunds to any scorned Zune buyers.
Ars Tech reprinted Microsoft’s letter:
We wanted to provide you with an update on your order status. Due to some issues in our fulfillment center there remains a chance we will miss getting your Zune to you by February 14th. We are working hard to get your order to you as quickly as possible and we currently plan to ship your Zune within the next 3-4 days. Once your order is in transit, we will send you a shipping confirmation with a link for tracking.Our goal is to provide a smooth customer experience for ordering, customization, and delivery. We sincerely apologize for not meeting that goal in this specific case. We will be refunding the entire amount of your order, which you should be able to see on your credit/debit card within 7-10 days. We hope you love your Zune and that you will accept our sincere apology.
If you have additional questions, please call 1.877.GET.ZUNE. For fastest service, press 5 then press 1 and have your order information ready.
The Zune Originals Team
We’re not saying there’s a connection, but this is the same response we featured last week from Tiffany & Co. Good work, Microsoft.
Microsoft says “sorry” with free Valentine’s Zune 80 players [Ars Technica]
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@boobaloob: But the catch 22 is that in many cases it is perfectly legal to transfer over tunes, including (but not limited to) me maintaining a collection over my multiple computers and server. Or, in a more traditional case, for a song to be distributed among one person’s children, if more than one, as in the example I mentioned earlier.
Now, you are correct in saying a song can be authorized, but it IS a convoluted process in that it requires a folder to folder transfer (once again, iPod to iTunesis not allowed even if well within the 5 user cap), and there is no way to simply redownload as you claim – again, folder to folder is the only way.
And if you really, honestly think that downloading software that handles ipod to itunes transfers or doing a folder to folder and reauthorization process is that simple for those who don’t use computers, you don’t have much contact with people who don’t use computers. This is not demeaning to you or them, but things like this can be intimidating. If you don’t pity these ‘idiots,’ that’s fine. But keep in mind one of the advantages of the iPod is that it is made for people who don’t use the folder interface for transferring files and rarely research every fine point of hacking their gadgets – made for idiots, if that’s what it makes them. Apple knows full well that this large portion of the market will not use iPod to iTunes tools.
Besides which, I certainly prefer not to jump through said hoops, and I consider myself very computer literate. Something that works simply and without fuss can be a nice thing.
@Riddar: I said nothing about the 3rd-party software — that was SpinachDip I believe. I’ve never used the 3rd-party software, so I couldn’t say whether it is difficult or not.
You’re right, iPod to iTunes is not allowed, even with your own iPod! But it is easy to download music into the *iTunes* of an authorized computer, no? Even if that computer wasn’t the one used for the initial purchase? That’s what I’m alluding to.
When it comes down to it, I think you’re saying, well, I want to be able to transfer files from my iPod to any computer, and what I’m saying is that Apple does not want to be held responsible for you having the ability to do that. We’ve clearly totally gotten off the point of the blog post though!
@boobaloob: You can not re-download music, it is your responsibility to back it up (even in the case of hardware failure). And Apple *is* catering to record companies by doing this, as you say. I don’t know, I guess I’m just bitter at Apple over how DRM keeps growing as if they think it *is* their responsibility, as you mentioned. I know its not just them, 2KGames and Sony are just as bad or worse.
@coaster.n3rd: Agreed. I’ve had a Creative Zen Micro (2, in fact. The first broke before my warranty was up and then the refurb they sent broke too) and a Toshiba Gigabeat that will only play when plugged in (which makes it a less than useful mobile device) that they refuse to acknowledge exists despite being still in warranty. My husband got one of the new sleeker Zunes recently and I inherited his “brick” first gen one and have had zero problems with it. I love that it plays video and has an included radio tuner that works quite well.