Is it "Hating" to Expect More??

(Too much Microsoft news lately….like three stories back to back! Gotta break up the monotony.)

From time to time I frequent what I like to call, “Black News” sites (like ConcreteLoop.com and others). They’re a great source of information and since I’ve been out of school for “a little while”, they’re a great place to keep pace with “what the young kids are saying”. (Sadly, they’re also a stark reminder of my aging ways and opinions.)

One trend I’ve begun to notice is somewhat disturbing. Frequently the site hosts will post information about a celebrity that leads to a public debate. For instance, recently folks who frequent the site have been critical of Beyonce Knowles for “media overexposure” on one hand, while her album appears to be somewhat lackluster on the other. The same is true of Janet Jackson. Almost the exact same situation — lots of media coverage, but an album that doesn’t quite reach the level of past efforts. On any message board there will be a certain contingent of people who will complain about anything. But there are occasionally a few folks who have well thought out critical responses to media stories.

Today I noticed that under the posting featuring Beyonce’s “Got Milk” Ad with her Mom (Tina Knowles), there are a lot of critical responses. Some just don’t like Beyonce and truly do want to say something negative just because she’s famous. I’ll agree — those folks are just haters. But a few seem to be fans who realize the negative impact that overexposure (and sub-standard albums) can have on your long term career. And then there are others who just didn’t care for the ad. While personally I thought the ad was pretty tasteful, does it make me (or anyone else) a “hater” just because I have some critical feedback to offer?

I’ve often heard it said by thirty and forty-something folks that “calling older artists ‘Old School’ has driven a wedge between the older generation and the young.” They claim that Caucasian artists who fall out of the limelight are considered “Classic” and are put on a pedestal (like the Rolling Stones and The Allman Brothers). But when it comes to older R&B and Hip Hop artists, (Chuck D, Atlantic Starr) rarely do they receive the same respect. Similarly, I think the whole concept of “hate-sighting” is driving a wedge between us. There are times when as older fans of 80s and 90s artists, my opinion may truly be out of touch. But in my honest opinion, “taste is timeless”. If something is done in good taste, it doesn’t matter whether it’s 1906 or 2006 — it will be seen as such. It seems as if the second that someone expresses a thought that is anything short of a glaring compliment about another celebrity of color, the accusation is that, “you must be hating”. “Stop hating.” “Don’t hate, celebrate.” “Don’t hate me cause you want to be me….” and all other variants of the sentiment.

I feel as if I’m all over the place with my thoughts tonight. Put simply, my challenge to the younger generation is this: Understand and be able to discern the difference between someone who’s “hating” and someone who’s seeking a higher standard.

Reactions: Zune Launch Details

So, given the Microsoft’s press release today, how are you guys feeling about the Zune’s chances? Without having seen the device yet (I might be wowed by the video quality), I’m pretty disappointed so far.

I was convinced that Microsoft didn’t announce any pricing information during the official Zune announcement a few weeks ago because they were being revising their original pricing strategy to be more aggressive. Honestly — $249 for a 30 GB player is not “aggressive”. I completely understand that competing on price may put you at a disadvantage and position you as a “cheaper alternative” in the perception of the consumer. But considering the “death grip” that the iPod/iTunes combo has on the digital media device world, you gotta do better than this.

I will say that I am impressed with the $14.99 price on the “all you can eat” option. This sounds somewhat enticing. (Especially since I just canceled my Napster subscription.) But the strategy that bothers me most is the “79 Microsoft Points Per Track”. The Microsoft “Points” system is a really, really bad idea. I have some exposure to the way that the system works, as it’s the same way that I buy downloadable games and other content on the Xbox 360. You buy points at certain intervals — in the U.S. it’s currently:

500 Points – $6.25

1000 Points – $12.50

2000 Points – $25.00

…and so on…

Seems pretty fair. However, there’s a hidden cost associated with the system. When I buy a content on Xbox Live that costs 800 Microsoft Points, I’m not paying $8.75. I have to buy 1000 Points….leaving me with 200 unused Points (basically money spent that could have gone someplace else, but is instead tied up in these “Points”.) This probably won’t be as big a deal with songs as it is with the content on Xbox Live, but it’s still pretty pointless and needlessly cumbersome.

Zune Price and Release Date Official at $249.99 on Nov. 14

Microsoft officially announced today that the Zune price would in fact be $249.99 (and not the $224 that it was previously speculated to cost. Well, I did kinda think that ‘224’ was an odd number. Oh well.) Aside from the player’s pricing were a few additional (and interesting) announcements:

Zune Marketplace

The Zune Marketplace will offer an “all you can eat” option at $14.99, where you’ll be able to download as many songs as you want. Individual songs can be purchased with “Microsoft Points”, and the rate will be 79 points per song, which at the current rate translates into about 99 cents per track. (Hmmm…. more on that in a minute.)

Pre-Loaded Content

The player will have pre-loaded content (just in case you can’t wait to get home to check it out.) Among the content are nine audio tracks, twelve music videos, three movie “shorts” and a collection of images. Details for the audio and video tracks can be found on the press conference here, but chances are unless you are a super indy-head that you probably haven’t heard of any of the bands either. (Well, I do kinda like Grandaddy…).

Zune Accessories

Also announced were the standard array of overpriced accessories. You know…. cases, headphones, bundles of cases, batteries and headphones, etc.

Details on the accessories, pricing, bundled content and all other details can be found here. Microsoft Zune Release Date/Pricing Press Release.

Later on I’ll share my reactions.