Microsoft beefs up Zune music and community experience
By Ryan Block 
posted October 2nd 2007 11:31PM
posted October 2nd 2007 11:31PM
- The Zune Marketplace is officially adding DRM-free music support, launching with over a million DRM-free MP3 tracks. As we mentioned earlier, other details (like which labels, whether there is a DRM-free upgrade path is for users who've bought music with DRM, price differences, etc.) are not yet known.
- Zune Marketplace is also getting podcasts and music videos. (Great, but where's the real video content?)
- Microsoft is also launching Zune Social, a free online music community / social network (great, another social network!) which allows users to create...
- Zune Cards, which are web widgets not unlike Xbox's Gamer Cards. Zune Cards let other users track your most played and recently played music (updated each time you sync back to your host machine). Users can also sample music directly from someone's Zune Card.
- You can now share with others music that was shared with you.
- No, the Zune still doesn't analyze the tracks it shares, so Zune Pass unlimited customers still can't share music without DRM.
- But, at very least the Zune's 3x3 DRM no longer has a time limit. Same three play restriction, but it no longer has to be within three days.
Woot
I agree. This is really awesome.
Now, Zunes practically do everything the iPod G5's did, PLUS MORE. That's a BIG leap.
There still needs to be more work done, to make it much more better, but based on these facts alone, this is really amazing.
I mean, compared to the latest iPod, these Zune 2.0's really give you the bang for the buck. I mean, they are way more functional than the iPod's right now.
This is just like the "Xbox to the Xbox 360" jump.
It's that much better. Xbox went form a 'meh' kind of console to a "full-featured, multi-use, gaming console". Xbox 360 does a ton of stuff. Now Zune 2.0 does too. It may have taken a 2nd try, but I can tell where Zune 2.0 is going.
@michael, my xbox1 with xbmc still does more regarding media than any 360. but sure, stock box to stock box it was an upgrade..
Great! Yet ANOTHER post-millennial "design" involving Victorian lace, swirls, and intricacies! Microsoft is trying SO HARD to be hip with the times that it comes off as trite. A product like an MP3 player should promote feelings of stability, durability, and reliability, none of which come through when you're constantly trying to appeal to the current decoration fads. If all else fails, it should at least attempt to innovate design standards rather than copy the same look that consumers have seen for years now!
@Michael
How about stating some facts instead of saying blanket statements like the Zune 2.0 is better than the iPod. In what way is it better??
Yes the Zune is moving in the right direction but I dont see any major feature in the Zune that you dont get with the iPod - There are also many drawbacks with the Zune that still have not been addressed.
Following are things you get with an iPod that are not part of the Zune...
Video Out?
Address Book?
Calendar?
Audio Book support with chapters?
long battery life?
Mac OSX support?
What does the Zune add that we haven't seen in an MP3 player?
I think the iPod has set the bar fairly but also respect any company that manages to push the envelope and come out with something new. I just dont see anthing in the Zune that other MP3 players dont already do.
Umm Carlos, if Im correct I remember seein a set of belkin Video cables for the Zune.. Composite outs using the headphone jack..
Phour ZwanZig
you're right the Zune does have video out - my mistake
My point is that the Zune brings nothing substantially new to the table that we haven seen in other MP3 players
Battery life isn't mentioned which worries me, screen resolution is rather poor which kinda ruins the fact it has a nice size screen etc
The price is great until you realize that they probably just cut corners - oh and guess why the 2.0 software still runs on the original Zune - because these Zune 2.0s are probably sharing the same internals, so really these arent all new Zunes - just a refresh. Makes sense from a money making point of view.
I want to see MS come out with great new products not just play catch up - If MS came out with something that truely was better than what the market has to offer I would be the first in line to buy it.
COMPLAINT ABOUT RYAN BLOCK
Ryan, why do you even post anything about Microsoft? You are obviously a mac fanboy. Recently, people have been complaining about you, your posts and the obvious slant you put on EVERY post. Enough. Report it as it is; if you can't then don't...
Good Job MS! You may now have my money. :)
I do wish that I could have the new zune in Brown.
coverage from the local paper: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoft/2003920832_zune03.html
Very Very nice Microsoft, still why no clock on the zune?
http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/digged/
yes i say the same but this still have one month to make one
im excited for the flash. i have bin wanting something that was like the ipod nano second gen and this seems like it will be the player for me.
This looks very cool (and the software looks awesome as well).
Quick note: the Zune software was based off of WMP11, not 10.
YAY. Music Videos!! I would assume EMI and thus Kylie's new album X will be DRM free!
I'm a current Zune user, and I must say.. I don't want the new Zunes... They've removed so many things I loved about the Zune. It looks too much like an iPod now.
No more double shot, touch controls, shiny surface, it looks easily scratched.... Everything's changed. I'll just keep my Gen 1, and upgrade it myself, it looks like.
Im still keeping mine a classic I say but I will eventually upgrade to Zune 80
Kudos to Microsoft on this note. If you don't like the new hardware, keep the old stuff. You'll still have all the same features. Take note, Apple.
Exactly, Mr. B
I am going to keep my Zune 30, but I don't feel like I'm losing out on the experience, at all.
And once I'm ready, I'll just pop the casing open. Pop in a better battery and 160gb Hard drive and I'm good.
Good move Microsoft, but I wish it still had the same casing and the double shot.
I loved my v1 Zune for exactly the same reasons, but
you should really wait until it comes out to decide.
A picture doesn't necessarily tell a thousand words - if it's not accurate.
Although it does look like (in the picture) it will be made different. But if it's for real, they probably did so to make it thinner. So people can't cry "bulky!".
So I'd say wait and see for yourself when it comes out. Or you can keep your v1 Zune - the firmware updates will still be supported. One of the benefits to Zune :)
i really like the new zunes, (esp. the 80), but the touch controls kills me.
touching up-down-left-right isn't innovative or intuitive, msft! i want buttons!
Wow! - seriously - that software looks absolutely gorgeous - reminds me a tad of Adobe Lightroom :)
Give a w00t w00t for Microsoft!
I know they never will, BUT if they made it work with Macs then I would buy a Zune. No... TWO Zunes!
I agree they need to support the Mac. It would open them up a lot more to compete with the iPod, which I would assume is their main goal. I have a gen 1 and I love it, but I primarily use my MacBook Pro, so I have to go dig out my desktop just to put music on my Zune. So I find myself returning to the iPod...
WINE?
you can touch or click... when they have them on display on circuitcity i will see how scratch resistant they are because if they scratch very easily then i dont know if i will give up my first gen zune.
hah its so funny you said that. i work at a circuit city and they have a zune and an ipod displayed right next to each other... ipod is scratched to hell and back and the zune has only a few smudges from that fat kid that walked in with food in his hands...... im loving all this news .
Yeah. That's 'cause everybody just walked straight past the Zune.
"The new Zunes will now be able to connect and synchronize content stored on Windows Media Center PCs and will be able to play television recorded on high-end Windows Vista PCs."
SWEET
Cue the suddenly rampant paid shil... er, Zune fanboys praising every little thing MS does and claiming they'll be first in line to buy ten of these new players.
Because we all know Apple fans don't do that....
Seriously people actually own Zunes more then a million people own them thats a significant amount. So go buzz off. We would like to hear some news about our player too its only one day not like we didn't have to sit through monhs of stupid iPhone gushing and iPod gushing.
yeah and we still dont know where Gates is! damnit!!
I have to agree with you. What's with the Zune fanboys. I look critically at the product I review, and see both iPod and Zunes for what they are (both have advantages and flaws).
Zune is pretty average player. Looks like groupthink overtakes reason. On Slashdot they'll bash MS and praise Apple, over here it seems the opposite.
The topic matters not.
i would love to be the recipient of a 3-plays-before-destruction track.
Not only that, I would love supporting the company that introduced it.
Especially when there are so many completely unrestricted (upload and download) devices out there, working on any operating system without proprietary software being a requirement, much like a USB stick.
http://flac.sourceforge.net
http://www.vorbis.com
Wow, I feel curious enough to download the Zune software and try it out myself!
That's awesome. The current Zune software is shit. I have a Zune and I hate using the crappy software.
Engadget - it's a modified version of Windows Media Player 11 (WMP 11). Wikipedia says so : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WMP_11#Zune_Software
Anyways, the new software looks amazing, but...
I would have really preferred that Microsoft ditch the old buggy Zune software.
They could have transitioned the Zune Marketplace store to WMP 11's wide selection of stores, and made the Zune PlayForSure compatible. That way, it's more fair for the PlayForSure partners Microsoft has hurt.
Plus WMP 11 is the best media managing program there is! Compared to crashing iTunes on Windows, WMP 11 works like a charm.
It's beautiful, has a very simplicated UI, comes with awesome ways to tweak it (http://wmplugins.com), many online stores use it, and it just works amazing. Ripping/Burning have never been done so easy. Codecs are easy to find and download.
Zune should have transitioned their store to WMP 11, and let Zune management be taked care of in WMP 11. Microsoft deserting WMP seems really sad.
At least the new Zune software 'looks' amazing.
I'm hoping it just works as nice as it looks.
I think the reason they couldn't/wouldn't is because of the ongoing "monopoly" and lawsuits regarding embedding software within Windows. If the EU would back off, then maybe we would see thing come together a little better.
There is no real reason the Zune can't sync with WMP.
Looks good.
Who cares?
I would call you an apply fanboy... but you totally threw me off by saying "Looks good, who cares?".
Maybe they'll redo the crappy website now...
Honsetly, I don't think there's much any iPod user can complain about here.
Good news is that it appeals to iPod users.
Bad news is that it doesn't appeal to me as current Zune owner...
Except for the no mac support... yea. I mean sure. i have this bigger screen, umm... umm... what else? but i cant seem to get any music or movies on it... well, i guess it makes a nice decorative weight to keep this stack of papers from blowing around.
Did I miss the most important part? When can I download it???
I haven't bought an MP3 player in 4 years.
After Apple started bricking iPhones they lost my potential business.
I am getting an 80GB Zune 2 for my brother and I.
1. Great screen
2. FM
3. Wireless syncing
4. Interesting social network ideas
5. Good storage
6. Thinner, lighter
Apple needs some real comp.
It's about time.
If the two of you share your computer or are on the same network, you can probably share the same Marketplace account. The wife and I get unlimited tunes for $15 on my account.
WHEN?????
Sheesh! lol
Are there any specs on that software? It looks like it might be a WPF application which would rock if it were....
"The Wi-Fi feature is present in the entire Zune line — only high-end iPods got this technology in September"
LOL!!!! WHAT?!?! Comparing the wi-fi capabilities in the zune (or lack thereof) and the wi-fi capability of the ipod (the one that cna browse the web and download songs directly to it)
.....fair enough /sarcasm
so you agree? the zunes have always had wifi ability and only recently have the most pricely ipods have had that feature?