Zune 2 "source" leaks launch date and specs

Heads up, Zune fans -- some new product is heading your way sooner rather than later, and we suspect there's more than a couple of things to get jazzed about. According to reports from a "source" inside Microsoft, a new batch of Zunes (AKA Zune 2, Draco, Scorpio, etc.) are due out on October 16th (just in time for the holidays), in both flash memory- and hard drive-based forms. The new, smaller, flash Zune (the Draco) will be hitting shelves in pink, red, black, or army green colors, will have a 4GB or 8GB capacity, and will feature a "squircle" (the source's term, not ours) for navigation, which won't have a center button but can be pushed, "From any side." The hard drive-based player (the Scorpio) will be available in 80GB, sports the soon-to-be infamous "squircle," and touts a screen which the source claims is "awesome" for video. We can safely say that there is at least one man out there who is going to be very, very excited about this.

[Thanks, Tyler]

[Brad @ Sep 19th 2007 9:07AM]

AWESOME! Cant wait to try it.

[Deputy Doffoos @ Sep 20th 2007 4:41AM]

AWESOMO!!

can wait to get a new tattoo!!

[KR @ Sep 19th 2007 9:11AM]

Squircle? Are they serious?

[stretchsje @ Sep 19th 2007 10:46AM]

It's a mathematical shape:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squircle

[KR @ Sep 19th 2007 11:16AM]

Yes, which we learned an hour and fifteen minutes before your post. Scroll down.

[BigD @ Sep 19th 2007 5:37PM]

Can anyone say squircle tattoo for this guy?

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/17/what-kind-of-man-gets-three-zune-tattoos/

[hoopa @ Sep 19th 2007 9:12AM]

Well I bought my first iPod last weekend.. 80GB Classic and the sound quality is utter shit - I did a search and it seems many others agree. The only decent sounding iPod I've listened to is the Shuffle! LOL - so my iPod is going back to store and I may bite the bullet and get one of these IF they're decent sound quality.. I know the screen will be better than iPod anyway..

[Jason @ Sep 19th 2007 9:34AM]

I have to say I agree with you. I picked up an 80GB iPod 5.5G a few months ago and promptly returned it because of sound quality. I had a Zune when they fist came out, and although it was kinda big and clunky, the screen was nice and the sound quality was heads and tails above the iPods (except the shuffle) at the time. I can't wait to see what the Zune 2 sounds like. Hoepfully it'll be a bit more compact and easy to pocket than the original.

[Javi0084 @ Sep 19th 2007 10:46AM]

Cowon seems to have the best audio quality, you two might want to give them a shot although I don't think they have an 80GB player just yet.

[nikster @ Sep 19th 2007 11:13AM]

My nano has fine audio quality but for 5.5 and 6 (classic) iPods I refer to the experts here:
http://homepage.mac.com/marc.heijligers/audio/ipod/comparison/measurements/measurements.html

An audio engineer who's measured iPod classic vs. 5.5, he comes to the conclusion that the Classic does sound worse than the 5.5 generation. He also thinks that the 5.5 happens to have very good audio reproduction.

So all those people who keep posting that the audio quality is bad are either 1) lying, 2) paid by M$, 3) general Apple haters 4) unable to change their recording settings to a proper quality level, 5) Listening to some crap mp3s they got off the interwebs , or 6) have shitty headphones. Whatever it is the 5.5. had good sound quality. The Classic seems to have some problems though.

[shabbis @ Sep 19th 2007 12:23PM]

Good thing the new iPods are based on OS X now, basically running a mini-iTunes, no more embedded application. Apple will be able to tweak a lot more in the software to improve sound quality, just like they have done with iTunes.

IMHO, I think my iPhone is the best sounding iPod yet. I disagree on the shuffle's sound quality, although it's good enough for my daily run.

[Monique Jules @ Sep 19th 2007 3:14PM]

Ditto!

[Demodave @ Sep 19th 2007 3:02PM]

The sound quality should come from using good hardware. Trying to compensate for mediocre hardware with software fixes is never going to be all that good. Remember, the sound quality can only be as good as the weakest element.

[Andrew @ Sep 19th 2007 4:28PM]

In contrast, the hardware is also only as good as the software

[Nando @ Sep 19th 2007 9:13AM]

A "squircle"?! Zunes are going to have pokemons now?

[James Ollier @ Sep 19th 2007 9:13AM]

And what about DRM and the 3x3 rule?

[Zach @ Sep 19th 2007 9:25AM]

Yes, complete with a self-destruct button that causes 60 damage to everyone in its surroundings.

[Mike Botros @ Sep 19th 2007 11:32AM]

Why does everyone make a big deal out of the Zune's DRM support but not any other players' DRM support?

[HineyWipe @ Sep 19th 2007 9:14AM]

It's 2 Zune too tell!

[Steve @ Sep 19th 2007 10:46PM]

No it's Zune360

[BobbyW @ Sep 19th 2007 9:15AM]

Draco? Scropio? Ever heard of marketing to women? Who is running MS? Is Bill Gates 13 years old? wtf?

[Alan Partridge @ Sep 19th 2007 9:29AM]

I think those are just internal code names, you wont actually see a product called The Draco.

[gfar @ Sep 19th 2007 9:42AM]

What's wrong with Draco? Chicks love Slytherin.

[david @ Sep 19th 2007 10:08AM]

Isn't Draco the name of the "creatures" in Enemy Mine? I'm sure M$ will sell dozens of these, just like the Zune 1.

[wetworker @ Sep 19th 2007 10:23AM]

you mean metrosexuals, guys who don't know what side they are on.

[christapher @ Sep 19th 2007 11:40AM]

it comes in pink! women love pink! it also is rumored to have an attachment for mounting to an apron or a vaccuum.

[daedalus @ Sep 19th 2007 9:15AM]

Squircle... hmm... I always chose Charmander

[Dias @ Sep 19th 2007 9:16AM]

Let's hope it does not suck, I'd like to see some serious competition here.

[Brad @ Sep 19th 2007 9:30AM]

completely agree!

[lysernix @ Sep 19th 2007 9:26AM]

Squirtle, squirtle squirtle... Squirtle!! Squirtle - squirtle squirt; SQUIRTLE!!!

[Mike @ Sep 19th 2007 10:49AM]

Oh, go f'in read a book or something

[h0mi @ Sep 19th 2007 1:35PM]

Say your lines, Earl! Or you'll get the gas!

[Paddy Mc Morrow @ Sep 19th 2007 9:30AM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squircle

it is a shape

[AmazingRobie @ Sep 19th 2007 9:32AM]

All I can say is I saw those pics on Zunescene and the body style sucks. I'd rather them use the first gen cases and just add wifi. That's all I would need. Wifi, Bluetooth, video-out capabilities, good sound quality, decent UI. Why the hell did they go and make these look like crap. I'm hoping that those pics are a joke.

[Jason @ Sep 19th 2007 9:37AM]

...because the way a MUSIC player looks is deathly important to it's function, right?

I think there's a company you should be introduced to; they're called Apple, and they make some really pretty MP3 players.

[AmazingRobie @ Sep 19th 2007 9:46AM]

@ Jason

Hey guy. Yes, aesthetics are frickin' important to me in a music player, but so is functionality. That's why I haven't bought anything from crapple. I'm not really that impressed with their products, that's why I own a PC. So take your comments and shove them right back up in the hole they leaked out of.

[Dave @ Sep 19th 2007 9:46AM]

@ Jason

While looks may not be "deathly important to function", Looks are important any way you cut it. Plain and simple. Think about car manufacturers. You could have the most dependable car on the planet, but if it looks like crap, most people will not buy it. Human beings are visual creatures. You cannot dispute that. Women, cars, art, homes, and yes... even gadgets get attention because of how they "look" in addition to how they function (especially when it comes to women.. no offense ladies!)

;)

[mike @ Sep 19th 2007 9:35AM]

what the hell is a zune?

[Josef F @ Sep 19th 2007 10:19AM]

It's an MP3 player (considered ugly by some) that has a hell of a lot better sound quality than the (very pretty) iPod.

I own one and thoroughly enjoy it.

[Josef F @ Sep 19th 2007 10:25AM]

God damn, I sure did, use a, lot of commas, in that last post

[Manny @ Sep 19th 2007 9:36AM]

If this "leak" is one of Microsoft's attempts to create buzz, they really suck at it. No creativity, no imagination. Microsoft should really make a huge sum of gold to try to hire away some of Apple's marketing people.

[jilie @ Sep 19th 2007 9:55AM]

down with Apple and Engadget!

[xgwynn @ Sep 19th 2007 9:38AM]

If these are any good (and are released worldwide, not just the US) it could put a bit of pressure on Apple. I'm really disappointed with the new iPod line and would consider a Zune if it offered the right features.

[Daniel Dubois @ Sep 19th 2007 9:39AM]

now if only this source would leak some info about the new firmware for my 1st gen zune

[kingtimm @ Sep 19th 2007 9:42AM]

Maybe I watch too much TV (24), or maybe Microsoft is trying to flush out a mole who is forwarding information. I think high-ups gave different names for this "Squircle" button to a few different people they suspected. Now that squircle is all over the net, this guy is gone.

[joe23521 @ Sep 19th 2007 9:44AM]

The squircle is the most visually unpleasant geometric shape known to man.
That alone will keep me from even considering to buy a Zune 2.

[Josef F @ Sep 19th 2007 10:21AM]

And yet, I would wager that, when you were a child, you spent hours a day looking at one.

[Maff @ Sep 19th 2007 5:17PM]

lmao, I bet he still does (secretly), Josef

[Mrmean @ Sep 19th 2007 9:50AM]

LMAO @ Zune

[skyshard @ Sep 19th 2007 9:50AM]

well, the pictures must be pretty bad, cuz they look shiny in the image but TFA says they still have the doubleshot cases

*waits for a better image