Microsoft's Argo, Pyxis, Zune and Alexandria -- confused yet?

It's raining Zune rumors again, or more properly, "Project Argo" rumors, and far be it from us to keep these to ourselves. The latest word comes from BetaNews and their "sources close to the situation," and things just keep looking better coming from the Redmond camp. They're claiming that Microsoft will start showing off the device to the public in the last week of August, followed by more presentations mid-September, and an October release. The August announcement would come a few weeks after Apple is rumored to release new iPod nanos at WWDC, but would come a fair bit before the flagship iPod refresh is expected, giving Microsoft a great shot at the "you have to buy a new iPod at least once a year" crowd pining for a fix. BetaNews also has some more code names from Project Argo for us to kick around: Pyxis and Alexandria. The former is a rumored iPod nano competitor, with similar size and functions, but the addition of video support. The latter we've heard of before, back when Origami rumors were in their prime, and appears to be the music/video service that will complete Microsoft's utopian ideal of end-to-end content and device provider -- and which is sure to piss off a few PlaysForSure music services in the process.

[Jeff @ Jul 21st 2006 11:57AM]

Ha Ha!



Nice to see that they've raided the Benetton stock photo archive for their ad campaign. (Assuming that's a real campaign photo.)

[Jeff @ Jul 21st 2006 11:58AM]

Argh, Engadget apparently doesn't like my [nelson] tags... without which the attempt at humor of my previous post is mostly lost.

[Tino @ Jul 21st 2006 12:06PM]

I think the poster is saythat "entertainment" would be more open with "different" cultures.


Its a bad poster, I don't mean to rude but it really doesn't mean anything unless you open your mind.

[bob @ Jul 21st 2006 12:08PM]

please explain why you HAVE to buy a new ipod every year? do YOU buy a new computer every 6 months due to faster / better models?

[Aaron @ Jul 21st 2006 12:14PM]

God that photo is hilarious. The first thing I saw was that and the caption made me laugh because I immediately thought of a new television show where trendy young adults sit around and talk about how much it sucks working at McDonalds and Starbucks and how cool it is to shop at thrift stores that cost more than department stores.

[fannyboy @ Jul 21st 2006 12:16PM]

Dude! I TOTALLY look like one of those people and identify with the urbanindiepoprock demographic it's trying to portray.

-*I Hate Ad jerks!*-

[Baumann @ Jul 21st 2006 12:20PM]

Man, Microsoft is stupid.

"[Pyxis] is a rumored iPod nano competitor, with similar size and functions, but the addition of video support."

So, let me get this straight, assuming I'm willing to waste disk space and power consumption on video, why would I want to watch a video on a screen that tiny.

I suppose it kind of points to how they expect Americans to use a product now. I mean, the "WALKMAN" made sense, because that's what people did. They'd use it while walking/exercising. I guess now these portable devices are just for losers riding the bus/subway and people who try to avoid human contact at all times.

PS. I own a nano because I wanted to listen to music on my bicycle rides, though I suppose I *COULD* watch tiny videos on it while riding too.

[Sasha S. @ Jul 21st 2006 12:34PM]

Two things are important to mention here:

1. The devil is in the details and Microsoft does not goes for details. As with many marketing oriented companies the product should not be perfect - it should be good enough. That is not enough for people who have seen higly styled iPods or who have experienced the ease of iTunes / music store.

2. Very very few companies understand what their customers want. The bigger the company - the bigger the arrogance - the more they think they know what their customers want. As a consultant in telecom / IT industry I have witnessed huge corporations ignore market research results and go to market with most stupid idea possible. Microsoft is no different. They do not listen to their customers and that will ultimatelly bring failure in their endevour in music / video world.

Too bad Sony rejected iPod licence when it was offered to them.

[dave95 @ Jul 21st 2006 12:36PM]

Yeah, makes no sense watching videos on tiny screens but I guess though worthless, they have to add it because others have that feature.


The "you have to buy a new iPod at least once a year" was a deliberate misquote by Jobs and that was beating to the ground as being such, a misquote. Consumers decide if you need to buy a new iPod every year, not Apple.

[ClintEastman @ Jul 21st 2006 12:46PM]

I think you will find that the "Poster" above is really a couple of stills from the promo/viral/leaked Alexandria video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS4qlYwTdnk

[Finished.Law.School @ Jul 21st 2006 12:46PM]

I'll buy it if it lets me record audio (lectures) into mp3 format while being charged and has support for xvid video.

[Finished.Law.School @ Jul 21st 2006 12:46PM]

I'll buy it if it lets me record audio (lectures) into mp3 format while being charged and has support for xvid video.

But what do the homeless urchins in the photo have to do with this thing?

[Kevin @ Jul 21st 2006 12:47PM]

I know a lot of people with 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th gen ipods still. I still have my mini, as opposed to a nano.

Video on a screen that small is pointless. As dave95 said though, they are going to have to add it to stay competitive with everyone else.

Maybe Apple won't do it though. Go against the trend. Could be damaging. Or it could work out, remember the floppy drive?

[Philip @ Jul 21st 2006 1:00PM]

I like that video ... a nice teaser.

[scott @ Jul 21st 2006 1:14PM]

"I think the poster is saying that "entertainment" would be more open with "different" cultures."

whether or not one can call it a "culture", the hipster douchebag set in that poster is totally crying out for a mediaplayer that is the underground new cool to thwart the apple cool. and what could be more hip, underground and anti-cool than microsoft? oh, and where's the love for the douchebags with the gotti haircut and striped shirts hanging out?

[Norm @ Jul 21st 2006 1:20PM]

Still waiting for another all-aluminum ipod. I certainly won't replace my old 4gg Mini until then!!

Also, I'm completely smitten with that girl in the middle of the photo :)

[dave95 @ Jul 21st 2006 1:37PM]

Speaking about the "poster"

Companies that try to force cool on us end up looking un-cool. Think about K-Swiss ads with kids in the urban community holding their K-Swiss. http://www.kswiss.com/
The thing is no one in the urban community (the so-called hip, cool, trendsetters) wears K-Swiss, so they end up looking like un-cool posers.

The kids in this photo look like "posers", trying to push cool. You don't push cool, it is not up to a company to tell us what's cool.

[Alaina @ Nov 5th 2006 10:42AM]

You dont think the Ipod tried to push cool? Are you serious? Oh please thats what advertisers do ..they try to appeal to your senses. Some use babies, some use sex and some use dancing people in shadow. It worked otherwise you would not have one.

[dave @ Jul 21st 2006 2:01PM]

That is what all of the designers at M$ try to look like these days...
it's pretty sad, because most of them are middle age women and too fat to squeeze into those skimpy clothes.

[Fred @ Jul 21st 2006 2:10PM]

the addition of video to something with such a tiny screen will be silly and coupled with the increased price, decreased battary life and increased dimensions this will bring over the nano, not to mention the inevitably - 'not quite as good as the scroll wheel' control method. Microsoft have a sure fire failure on their hands

[Oddmanout @ Jul 22nd 2006 2:33AM]

The 'people' in that ad picture, look neither entertaining, nor entertained.

If that is the "Future of Entertainment", I'm stocking up on paperback books...

[Melangell @ Jul 22nd 2006 1:06PM]

My Gen 3 iPod is still running strong on the original battery. Hells, I'm thinking of getting the little guy painted!

[Zune @ Aug 18th 2006 6:52PM]

You can find more at the Zune Forums http://www.zunemax.com/forum/index.php