Zune DRM Cracked

An anonymous reader noted that Zune Scene is reporting that the Zune DRM has been cracked with software now available that strips the DRM from Zune Marketplace tracks and those shared with WiFi.

Breach of Their Contract

[blankaBrew]

I recall Steve Jobs claiming back in February that if iTunes Fairplay was cracked, they were under contract with the Record Labels to repair the crack within something like 24 hours. He used this as a reason why Apple couldn't license Fairplay to third-parties. Do you think M$ has a similar agreement? Maybe the Labels will have to wait until Patch Tuesday.

It doesn't solve the problem

[dalmiroy2k]

We hardcore and tech savvy users usually crack, mod or unlock any device we got ours hand into (Ipods, cell phones, DVD Players, Apple TV, etc) but it doesn't solve Six pack Joe's DRM problems. He will get a Zune, won't bother or know how to crack it and play along MS and MAFIAA's rules.
The same thing will happen with our parents and most people. The solution is buying products that are open and DRM free in the first place.

Marketshare and cracking

[Infonaut]

For years now we've been hearing that Mac OS X is less vulnerable to viruses and cracking because it has a far smaller marketshare than Windows. The argument is that nobody bothers with OS X because of the smaller marketshare. Although Zune DRM is being cracked for a different purpose, it does make me wonder if marketshare is much of a factor in decisions regarding which systems crackers attempt to defeat.

Re:Microsoft is thrilled by this news

[gilesjuk]

Actually, it might even increase sales, which all goes to show how DRM isn't good for hardware sales.

Re:Beyond Me

[PopeRatzo]

I guess it's the consensus around here that the Zune is a horrible piece of junk. The place I work bought some Zunes and some iPods and some other portable media players and I got a chance to take each home for a few weeks.

I really kind of liked the Zune. To my surprise it wasnt' that ugly brown color. All my (non-DRM) music played just fine, and I even kind of liked the way the Zune sounded with a pair of the $40 JBL 210 reference ear pods. The videos played well and the interface was acceptable. Battery life was pretty good.

I didn't try the wifi stuff, but the unit I tried compared nicely with the 30gig iPod.

I'd never buy one myself because I make a concerted effort to avoid giving Microsoft my business, but it wasn't the horrible crap that I'd been led to believe by that group of people who only seem to post at Slashdot when the issue turns to something having to do with, or competing with, Apple. I have heard that if you look at those people out of the corner of your eye you only see a black silhouette of a dancing gen-Y'er with fake dreadlocks.

Re:Beyond Me

[Glytch]

That pretty much matches what I've heard from a Zune owner. His gripe isn't with the player's interface or the hardware itself, but rather the deliberate crippling of the wifi and the horrible PC-side software.

Re:And yet...

[petermgreen]

but this is exactly the problem - rather than try and create a solid OS, they've looked for ways to lock customers into Windows.
Afaict microsofts main profit centers are windows desktop and office. MS therefore ttries to crush anything that threatens those products. Maybe this is a bad strategy long term but the stock market only really cares about the short term.

Looked at in this light IE (particularlly free IE) and MSN are reaction to netscape and googles threats to make the desktop OS irrelvent. The XBOX line is a reaction to sonys attempts to expand games consoles into the tasks of desktop PCs. The zune is a reaction to apples highly popular iPod/iTunes which give PC users a taster of the Mac.

Re:Big and Old Con that Never has Worked.

[Anonymous Coward]

I used to keep a server in my basement with my music collection on it. I would use it to listen from work. This, of course meant that I had to keep my backups current, my server available and running 24x7, and I had to keep paying for new music. I gladly paid $14/month to Yahoo. I get access to all the same music I had before on my home system, but I can listen from work without having to worry about my home system. I probably save the $14/month in my electric bill since I now only turn on the machine in my basement when I am working on it for some reason. I also get new music this way at no additional cost, and it plays just fine in my Creative Zen Vision:M with no additional steps, just drag and drop the files and I'm good. Personally I don't see why your bitching.

Here's why the Zune sucks

[brunes69]

It's much larger and heavier than an iPod. The interface is not as simple or intuitive, but clunky.

Even aside from that, at time of launch it cost more than a simmilar iPod!

The only thing the Zune ever had going for it was WiFi. And Microsoft botched that up so bad it's ridiculous (why no Zireless sync? Why no wirless purchase of music?)

The fact that they went to the trouble and expense to include WiFi but not include these basic features people would WANT it for is ridiculous. and indicates they did not do proper market research. The whole "WiFi share" idea is also retarded in a number of ways.

pros and consequences

[aapold]

Given the zunepass subscription model, someone could effectively grab a ridiculous amount of free music for any player (including ipods). Heck, you can even download the zuneplayer without owning a zune, but don't think it will let you subscribe without one. And then cancel the zunepass subscription when they are done. Given sheer logistics, its probably impossible to grab the entire marketplace, but you probably could grab just about everything you wanted, at least until they patch this and i'm sure they have people working overtime on this. Because the danger is that the RIAA would pull their stuff out of the marketplace if they don't feel confident microsoft can protect their content, they're already overly nervous about something like a subscription and wifi sharing, to the point where they'd crippled much of the device's potential.

I use a zune, mainly for the subscription model, the player is nice for some things but there are times I'd rather use my sony ericsson phone because its a lot smaller, heck, i use it sometimes although that's limited to my none-zune marketplace content... My zune is more used in my car and at my desk. But I take it with me elsewhere at times because of the greatly expanded content I have access to on it. at least till now, where this would allow me to listen to it on that device. I'd happily keep paying my subscription fee if I had a means to listen to it on the device of my choice. You know, like that playsforsure concept...