Is Zookz The Next Napster?

Zookz.com is brand new company that offers unlimited downloads of movies and music for a low monthly fee. I was able to try out the website for a week and here is my review.

When I first heard about Zookz.com, I was a bit skeptical. Upon hearing that downloading was unlimited for a monthly fee, my first thought was, well, so is Napster, Music Rhapsody, and several others. I was also even more skeptical about it only being $9.95 a month for music. So, what is the catch?

I logged into my account at Zookz.com and I really enjoyed the fact that it was browser based. At first, I didn’t like the basic look of the site, however I changed my opinion shortly after I realized this is a site about downloading movies and music and not about selling fabric softener. I changed my tune (remember as a web designer I am ultra picky). I downloaded song after song and then I realized I could just download the entire album, which made life much simpler. It was about two hours later of downloading and downloading that I realized the true beauty of Zookz.com. All of this music I was downloading was just a regular MP3 format that was being downloaded right to my hard drive. I actually was able to keep what I was downloading. I wasn’t tied down to having the service and could transfer it to any device I wanted.” I figured that because they were just launching there had to be something wrong with the service or something. So, I did my checking around and nothing was wrong. They actually let you KEEP the music. I have now downloaded over 70 albums and can’t get enough. Last night, I started downloading movies as well and just like the music, I downloaded it right to my hard drive and was able to play them without being logged into the site whatsoever. I even burned the DVDs and played them on my Xbox 360 with no problems.

I do have a few negatives about the site. I couldn’t tell what I downloaded without having to look at my own hard drive. They also have a very basic search function making it a little difficult to find what you are looking for, however when I just searched by letter, it became much easier. I wish they had AJAX built into the website so that you could see what was downloading in real-time. Also, the website really needs a visible internal queue set up so I don’t have to wait for each download or have a million external browser windows open. It would also be nice if the website was a bit more colorful and inviting. Another problem I have overall is that the database is pretty limited. I found a ton of things to download and still have a huge list, however it doesn’t really compare to Napster yet, but with Zookz.com uploading several new movies and music daily, I am sure it will catch up eventually. It is also really fantastic that you can request what you want and they will just upload it for you to download which is a HUGE plus.

My overall review is this: Zookz still has a lot of work to do on their UI (user interface) and overall technology. There are many more movies and music that need to be uploaded, but for $9.95 to download AND use the media all that you want and on any device, you simply cannot beat it. In this regard, it does not compare to the other download websites. I think if Zookz works on their website technology, and has the right marketing plan, and word of mouth, this website could be just as big as a Napster. I don’t like the limited database, but they upload whatever I want with a simple request form. So, with a little patience, (usually about a week), you will have the music and movies you want. Honestly with the 70 albums already downloaded, it would take me months to even get to it anyway…

Zookz.com definitely has a thumbs up from Dashal and I am excited for the future with better technology and overall UI.

By,

Nick Harrison - Creative Director for http://www.dashal.com