This bin is in the entryway of Microsoft’s Zune Headquarters and is there to encourage employees to recycle their iPods in favor of a Zune. This picture was recently posted to Flickr and apparently some Mac sites, like MacWorld UK are saying the bin represents , “child-like and unrealistic behavior”.
I think it’s actually kind of funny for two reasons… First, I like that Microsoft has picked a clever and funny way to take jabs at their competition. Let’s face it, it’s not easy to be taking on the most popular music player in the world. Things like this might serve as a rallying point for the Zune team boosting morale. Secondly, and what made me chuckle more, is how pathetically large the bin is in relation to the iPods it contains. I guess the management was a little more optemistic about their employee’s willing to trade their iPods for a Zune. Note that most, if not all, of these iPods seem to be older units. I don’t think I see a single 5th gen in there, do you?
iPod Amnesty Bin (via fimoculous)
Perhaps even funnier, if you look closely at the “ipod” in the foreground, it’s just a silicon protection sleeve for an ipod. Does that count?
Yea Dave, I was gonna mention the same thing too!
Looks like there’s a few bites out of the proverbial “apple”. I guess those Microsoft employees are hungrier for Macs than we thought!
Oddly enough, the number of iPods in that bin is EXACTLY the same number of Zunes sold.
I think that the bin is really not what Apple wants to see, but on the other hand Microsoft is seeing they are losing market share in every level so they is just one way to get back…
Another thing we have to be worried about is where does the iPods are going after they are in the bin? Lets say for some strange reason a whole bin is full, they should have a plan to reuse and recycle..
Lol, Zune=FAIL
iPod pwns the Zune dude!
Hi.
Here is how Microsoft will increase sales:
http://macworld.idg.se/2.1038/1.109377
i am sorry it is in swedish, but i think you can work out the message yourselves.
I would like to offer my perspective. First off, I am a Mac Switcher: my first mac was the iMac DV special edition 500MHz. I am also an Microsoft ex-employee. At Microsoft, we live by the “eat your own dog food” mantra. What does it mean for outsiders? It means we use our own software for critical daily tasks. Easy, you say? Not so, if you realize the software we use are still under development, even months before reaching alpha state. I have used command-line Chicago (code name for Windows 95) every day, I have used Outlook as my primary email program years before it hit the market. The point? Microsoft managers believe that we (developers, testers, managers, …) should live through the pain of using our software so that our customers do not have to. If we think the software sucks in some way, submit a bug so developers can fix it. You might argue that Microsoft products still suck in their final form, but we do put it lots of pain and effort to make them a better product.
Now, what does this have to do with the Zune/iPod story? By giving up their iPods, the Zune team will use their own product at work, at home; the more they use their own product, the more problems/bugs/glitches/annoyances they will find and the better they can improve.
I wish I could work at M$ just to steal an iPod. But there are so few, that they would notice.