Zune 1 running firmware 2.1, Zune 2 coming Wednesday

Here it is, direct from a trusted source close to the situation -- a Zune 1 running firmware 2.1, which will bring all the Zune 2 software goodies and UI tweaks with it when those bad boys are announced on Wednesday. That's right, we also have confirmation that Microsoft will be making the Zune 2 announcement on Wednesday, which should give the Zune tattoo guy plenty of time to get some new ink before the holidays.

Update: We're now being told that while Microsoft will announce and discuss the Zune 1 firmware update on Wednesday, it won't be available until sometime later -- presumably when the Zune 2s hit the market.

[Amper @ Oct 1st 2007 7:34PM]

What?!
mine says it is already up to date!!

[Brett L @ Oct 1st 2007 7:36PM]

mine too
i want a firmware upgrade!!

[darknight630 @ Oct 1st 2007 7:42PM]

I'm guessing the new firmware is for Wednesday and not today?

[lt.milo @ Oct 1st 2007 7:37PM]

I think they are saying that the firmware comes out on Wendsday along with the new zune, because mine says it is up to date as well

[Bobs @ Oct 1st 2007 7:52PM]

I wish I had a zune so i can say its up to date

[Invisiblemoose @ Oct 1st 2007 7:35PM]

What sort of "software goodies" are we talking about? Regardless, this makes me happy. I'm liking my $8 Woot bag of crap Zune more and more...

[Mark M @ Oct 1st 2007 7:35PM]

any more in depth details on what the changes are in this new firmware? any more info? come on guys spill the beans!

[Bryan @ Oct 1st 2007 7:37PM]

When I heard that there was possibly a new firmware, I quickly synced my Zune, but sadly, my firmware is up to date. I guess we'll see on Wednesday.

[Rajat @ Oct 1st 2007 7:37PM]

The songs you download on your Zune Pass are yours for as long as you hold your Zune Pass subscription. ---- So i don't own them? How is the marketplace supposed to work??

[Rususeruru @ Oct 1st 2007 7:54PM]

The Zune pass is a subscription, in other words you are leasing songs. Subscription expires, songs expire. GO AMAZON MP3 STORE!

[DeoWulf @ Oct 1st 2007 9:29PM]

It's called good marketing: If someone went and bought a Zune pass for a month, downloaded a huge amount of songs, then canceled the service, that would be a lot of money lost.

That said, Amazon MP3 store FTW.

[Josh @ Oct 1st 2007 9:34PM]

iTunes+ anyone? lol

[typoink @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:31AM]

Uh, some people seem to be kinda missing the point on this.

The Zune Pass is an all-you-can-eat subscription service. You pay $15 a month, you get to download as many songs from the library as they want. You can fill your 30 (or 80) gig Zune with any music you want. But if you stop paying the subscription, the songs will stop playing after a couple weeks.

If you buy individual tracks off the Marketplace, they're yours. No monthly fee. They are DRMed, though. I never buy individual tracks, because I won't buy music with DRM.

I personally only buy music on CD and rip it. It's higher quality and you have a nice archival hard copy. Subscription services are excellent for finding new music and DLing stuff I don't want to buy, like stupid pop albums I want to listen to once or twice or classical albums that I'm not convinced I'll like. Subscriptions give you (nearly) full access to a massive archive of music. It's good stuff. People who scoff "Bleh! I don't want to RENT music!" don't usually seem to understand what the point of subscription services is.

[Adam Zeldin @ Oct 1st 2007 7:38PM]

Is this Zune news frenzy of the last couple hours a backlash against the Apple-hating commentors?

By the way, I love the Apple news.

[nate @ Oct 1st 2007 7:43PM]

no, i think it be because information about the zune just came in..?

by the way, i love zune news

[Jeff Lewis @ Oct 1st 2007 7:44PM]

Oh please. Three relatively positive Zune articles in one day - compared to the months and months of iPhone and iPod news. It's not even in the same class.

That being said, "Thank you" to the Engadget gang for the Zune 2 coverage so far and for doing it with a nice even hand this time.

Much appreciated.

[Adam @ Oct 1st 2007 7:46PM]

The only thing I'm worried about is that they'll get tired of this, and start a backlash before Microsoft has a chance to take advantage of the good PR (for once). That said, the new hardware and UI look very cool. I can't wait.

[Dan Z @ Oct 1st 2007 10:10PM]

Seriously, people complained the day Zune 1 came out that four articles was too many. All the Zune fans have to put up with hundreds and hundreds of iPod/iPhone articles, let us enjoy our two days of fame :)

[Amper @ Oct 1st 2007 7:41PM]

i think you need to update the zune software on the laptop before updating to the zune...

[wetworker @ Oct 1st 2007 11:16PM]

no, u just plug you Zune in, then right click on your tag or name and choose check for Zune device update, I’ve been running a couple of hacked on the software and they work great, the guest hack and marketplace hack, you can turn off the marketplace features and just use regular sync and media playback, that hack makes a tone of difference with computer resource.
Check www.Zuneboards.com for a lot more hacks for it

[Mitch @ Oct 1st 2007 7:42PM]

This is what i hate about ipods. You would never get the ipod classic features on a older ipod, despite it could handle most of it (maybe not cover flow)

[[e-mail] @ Oct 1st 2007 7:45PM]

thats exactly how I feel and is why I am happy I made my investment in a zune. I know it sounds scary but it actually seems like Microsoft cares about their customers.

[mferrari3 @ Oct 4th 2007 5:44PM]

What! r u kidding, srsly do have a 360, they hate their customers. They have u buy it & then shit in ur face! BTW I have zune, 360, windows, etc. I don't hate Microsoft, but they hate US. I just forked over $99 for my 360 repair even tho they make shitty product!

[illingist trooper @ Oct 2nd 2007 2:04AM]

You're being sort of selective in your memories... My first-gen 5 gig iPod had a clock, calendar, and various features added to it via software, and I remember Microsoft's "Plays For Sure" program longer than Microsoft itself did. So it goes both ways.

[Ruben @ Oct 2nd 2007 3:19PM]

Seeing that you have a 5G iPod, how do you like the new menu setup? How about the coverflow? Is it nice, because since you have a 5G iPod and you seem to make it seem that Apple updates its existing iPods with new software that is released for the newer iPods, i would assume you have those features as well in your 5G iPod, just by updating its firmware.

Right?

[Mitch @ Oct 4th 2007 7:36PM]

@ mferrari3:

Yes, i do have a 360. When mine broke, a courier picked it up on tuesday, then dropped it off thrusday morning. I didn't pay a cent and got a free month of Xbox Live as a gift. They hate me?

[hoohoo @ Oct 1st 2007 7:43PM]

hopefully the wifi and battery indicaters being switched from horizontal to vertical implies a clock will fit in the horizontal space.

[darknight630 @ Oct 1st 2007 7:46PM]

Even if it doesnt mean a clock. At least it's not needed to buy a new Zune. The new UI and everything will stay there.

[Rususeruru @ Oct 1st 2007 7:55PM]

Microsoft will announce Zune HALO COMPATIBILITY! well... I'd get a laugh. I like my Zune and Halo.

[phrozunsun @ Oct 1st 2007 9:17PM]

It may play halo with this update....






...but will it play doom?

[Josh @ Oct 1st 2007 9:35PM]

No, but i am pretty sure that it will blend.

[phrozunsun @ Oct 1st 2007 10:07PM]

my first comment is highly ranked. *sheds tear*

[carl @ Oct 2nd 2007 2:24AM]

The fact that your comments are highly rated have just convinced me that reading comments on engadget is complete waste of time. I wonder what took me so long?

[sleeptastic @ Oct 1st 2007 7:55PM]

You can buy the songs forever for about a buck or you can use the subscription and have the songs till your subscription is canceled.

[Future Man @ Oct 1st 2007 8:01PM]

Where's our option to opt out of Zune news? This is getting pretty ridiculous. Zune this, Zune that.

[DeoWulf @ Oct 1st 2007 9:29PM]

Are you kidding? 3. Stories. Thats. All.

[Mike Laraway @ Oct 1st 2007 8:51PM]

Three zune posts in a day.... OH NO! SO ANNOYING!

[Josh @ Oct 1st 2007 9:37PM]

suriously

"wah wah wah"





I am actually interested in hearing what they add to this zune, after apple botched the iPod Touch for me by excluding calender functions.

[iofthestorm @ Oct 1st 2007 11:24PM]

Uhh, sarcasm anyone?

[wcnghj @ Oct 1st 2007 8:06PM]

Yessss, finally. I knew Microsoft wouldn't just leave us Zune users hanging.

[will Arnold @ Oct 1st 2007 8:07PM]

OMG this is soo exciting maybe I should buy one... Or maybe one of those new nanos wow this will be a hard choice.

[Alex Padilla @ Oct 1st 2007 8:09PM]

Aaah, I'm loving all the news. Just don't leave me out of it, Mr. Gates. Remember: affordable, useable, and ergonomic. Do me right, MSFT!

[yes @ Oct 1st 2007 8:15PM]

What is a zune?

[Joseph @ Oct 1st 2007 9:30PM]

fart with a lump in it

[jilie @ Oct 1st 2007 8:16PM]

hahaha oh my engadget.. clean those pictures

[david @ Oct 1st 2007 8:24PM]

OMG, all these M$ articles, you guys must hate Apple (read: sarcasm)

[DW @ Oct 1st 2007 8:33PM]

Bring on the Mac-compatibility?! Please!!!

Oh, and double-shot, tough-to-scratch surfaces FTW!

;)

[YukonDawg @ Oct 1st 2007 8:38PM]

I read in several places that the announcements are tomorrow (Tuesday, October 2) *not* Wednesday.

Check it out here: http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_to_Debut_Zune_2_on_Tuesday/1191256215

[Kosso @ Oct 1st 2007 8:41PM]

Hmmm... so how about uncrippled WiFi??? Eh??? come on!

[Dolomite @ Oct 1st 2007 8:46PM]

And all three Zune owners rejoice...