Microsoft's new Zune 2 line: new details, due ever so soon

The official announcement is still pending, but at least one early AP report confirms tomorrow's (or tonight's) Zune 2 launch will include a slimmer, black 80GB player with a 3.2-inch screen, as well as 8 and 4GB flash players (duh), all apparently capable of WiFi sync of music, movies, and photos (something the iPhone and iPod touch still don't do). More as we get it. Of course, without a video store or the ability to play anything other than WMV, video on both new Zune 2 devices is still trivial, so we'll cross our fingers Microsoft gave their customers a hand here and put some decent codecs in this time around.

Also, on the more rumor side of the spectrum, Silicon Alley Insider has it that he 4GB will start at $150, with the 8GB at $200, and the 80GB at $250, and that Microsoft will also launch is overdue DRM-free music store (although we've no idea how that will play out for Zune to Zune song sharing).

Read - Zune announcement pending
Read - Pricing and DRM-free rumor

[David @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:19PM]

Wonder if it will be compatible with Surface...

[Sy @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:21PM]

Ho hum ...

[Jeff @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:30PM]

Go do something useful like unbrick your phone.

[Rob Fleming @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:21PM]

does it have a browser?

touch screen?

come on ms.

[L.M.L.Y.P @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:28PM]

god forbid an mp3 player plays mp3s .......
i think its good that things stick to what theyre meant to do.... or you get things like the iphones (bricks worth 600 whompum)

[Mark @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:43PM]

Does it cost insane amounts of money for an 8 and 16 GB player? Oh.. no... I guess it doesn't do that either. Oh and I guess it won't get bricked 4 months from now either.

[The Grand Master @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:05PM]

Is it even offered in 8 and 16GB capacities?

Read the article, 4+8GB capacities.

[MasterCKO @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:22PM]

Holy shnikies, if this is true, both the big fat meant-for-travel mp3 player that I currently have (Creative Zen Vision) and the small workout mp3 player I was about to get (Creative Zen) will be Zunes.

[Peppie @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:22PM]

" Zune Marketplace will have an expanded library including videos " http://www.zunescene.com/

Yes it will include video in marketplace.

[Jeff Lewis @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:22PM]

Geeze - haven't we had enough of all this obsession with the Zune? I mean come ON - it's just a music player. Get over this obsession with Microsoft and their products, MSFanboy.

[Ok - I don't mean it. :) I'm actually glad to see some other product being focussed on for a change, so actually thanks again to Engadget for the info. I'm hoping that this version will make up for some of the bad design choices in the Zune 1. Waiting for midnight - even if I'm not lined up at a store somewhere. :) ]

[bruce @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:24PM]

aww, what happened to brown? ;)

[Gadgie @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:25PM]

Microsoft? Codecs? I don't think so.

[Louis @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:26PM]

I like the Zune interface, the orientation of the screen, and the overall feel. However, I have a Mac.

So thanks for locking me out entirely. Not to mention I think I have a few hundred iTunes downloads.

I'm locked into the iPod until Steve and Co. decide to let me be free.

[tits @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:04PM]

there is no way you can get those song you buyed in a normal transferable mp3 format???

I have an ipod video 5g (gift from my ex-employer) and itunes but I never buyed anything from the store... mmm... since double tape cassette exist I lost the habit to actually buy music...

[michael @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:40PM]

That's something that's always annoyed me - Mac users complaining about lack of support

That's one of the things that's part of OS X, if you haven't known. You're going to face a lack of support, whether you like it or not. Things will not always "just work" as advertised.

I own a Mac too, and I'm ok with it. I understand the consequences.

That's why I also own a Sony Vaio. I get the best of both worlds. No need to worry. I plug my Zune up, and it just works.

And Apple's iTunes is still awful on the Windows version btw. It does the job, but not as well as it could and should. That's why I find myself loving WMP 11 more than all the other music managing programs.

So if you're a Mac user and you want to complain - don't. You should know what to expect from the stuff you buy.

[Chris @ Oct 3rd 2007 11:46AM]

Why would a jailer free you when you locked yourself up?

[DrunkMonkey @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:27PM]

Still, nothing has come close to the 16 GB Sansa View for $200.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/the-sandisk-sansa-view-returns/

Then again, this has Wifi.

[Zune-Online.com @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:27PM]

Because the King5 link is dead, you can read the most important parts of it here:
http://www.zune-online.com/news/zune/official-zune-2-announcement-price-list.html

[neonez @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:31PM]

*CORRECTION* The zune marketplace will have video and podcasts available according to zunescene

http://www.zunescene.com/zune-announcement/

[Señor Swanky @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:31PM]

Is it 1992 already? Wow, what a nap!

[TrueDis @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:31PM]

That photo of the prototypes that has been floating around seriously looks like they were made out of clay...

[404error @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:32PM]

Cardboard, actually.

[LJKelley @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:35PM]

Can't wait to see all the new features. Wireless Syncing is awesome and I won't be left out with my 30GB Zune :)

[John @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:36PM]

I'm glad to know that their WMV only support makes video 'trivial'... I don't store videos in any iPod compatible format (cause there are so many, right) normally, I convert what I want to watch. You can do the exact same thing for your Zune.

[Kupaka @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:22PM]

well it's not like the zune software automagically converts your videos into something watchable. 9 times out of ten, it looks more like a mass of pixels that refuses to stay synced with the audio.

[John @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:29PM]

If you converted the video to WMV it works fine... and unless you buy Quicktime Pro (BUY, note) from Apple, iTunes isn't going to be converting any videos for you any time soon.

[Julian Treadwell @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:00PM]

There's free options for converting video to itunes. Better than Quicktime Pro actually.

[Killian @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:37PM]

omg stfu about the zoon, how much is microsoft paying you? why don't you change your name to zunegadget!

[Killian @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:14PM]

well, either my sarcasm is failing in my old age, or no one found it funny. Either way, I digress

[Curtis @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:37PM]

No one is locked into iTunes. If really, really want to use your purchased iTunes audio files with other DAPs, then burn the tracks to CD and re-import them as MP3s. Then update their metadata. Yes. This is tedious as hell but it works. So the questions is how much your care about leaving iTunes/iPod behind?

I'm staying with the iPod and iTunes. My only gripe is not all the songs (actually just one now) and movies are available iTunes. Movies is a minor gripe because I prefer DVDs over downloads.

[adrian @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:39PM]

Microsoft reminds me of concrete drying out.

[Kupaka @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:26PM]

have to ask why.

[Josh @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:17PM]

They make you warm inside?

[Chris @ Oct 3rd 2007 11:53AM]

Ummmmm...... OK?

[Tony @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:42PM]

ooooo the ZOOOOON... can't wait to get the ZOOOOON! LOL What kind of bloody moron buys that trash is way beyond me. Welcome to the LONER

[oliveros123 @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:48PM]

iDiot

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:43PM]

"..Silicon Alley Insider has it that he 4GB will start at $150, with the 8GB at $200, and the 80GB at $250, and that Microsoft will also launch is overdue DRM-free music store.."

Huh?

[Rickumus @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:45PM]

I can't wait to see the new 80GB Zune 2. The iPod touch doesn't have enough storage for me. The classic and new nano are just lame.

[Gene @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:53PM]

Agreed...
I don't get why people are complaining so much about hearing about the Zune. It's not like the iPod's done anything new lately. Seriously... the only "wow" thing it's done any time recently is add a color screen and the ability to play videos... which, now almost every player can do... At least the Zune is doing something different - wireless syncing. I don't know about anyone else here, but, I honestly think MS is really trying, and I succeeding. I don't own a Zune, and I really don't plan on buying one (Too fond of Linux). But, the Zune seems to me to be a better quality player for the price. I've had three iPods and every one of them has crapped out on me, while, I haven't heard really anything about a Zune crapping out...
So...
Which is actually a better player?
-My 2 cents-
GR

[JT @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:51PM]

Not considering accessory availability, feature for feature this does beat the ipod in several ways. Of course that's what they've all said before and ipods are still everywhere.

Although wifi is nice, if I were in the market, the pricier 160 GB ipod classic would probably get my dollars for storage capacity alone. A ricockulous amount of storage is a feature I'd get more practical use out of than wifi synching.

[Scott @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:17PM]

"I haven't heard really anything about a Zune crapping out..."

Considering there's about 1000 times as many ipods as zunes, it's much more likely you'll hear reports of ipod problems than zunes.

[Bloobie @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:45PM]

Gene: try syncing 80GB worth of data over WiFi and see how quickly that novelty will wear off. I'd strongly suggest doing the initial sync over USB, then WiFi for the occasional sync of smaller data chunks. Otherwise, it is nothing spectacular.

[Spooky @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:46PM]

If you call Zune support they call there new Zune online stuff, Zune Live. I found that kind of strange, so that might have to do with XBOX Live and Windows Live. So Zune might have online stuff on the way.

[Rususeruru @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:50PM]

Undoubtedly MS is definitely pushing an integrated "LIVE" experience. And to think way back when the original Xbox launched everyone thought it was just for gaming.

[Mark @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:47PM]

Apparantly, people who don't want to buy the overpriced pieces of trash that are ipods. Have you tried the new ipod classics? I tried one for about a week and couldn't stand it and returned it because it was so ungodly slow. Also, itunes is a pain in the ass to use, especially for adding pictures. Zune FTW!!!!

[Anthony Huff @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:53PM]

The Zune needs to be more than just a cheaper alternative to the Ipod. There are other companies that do it better than microsoft. It should focus on the interface and its selection of media. Right now most will choose an ipod over a Zune, with Wifi.

[JAdmiral @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:54PM]

What? A new Zune so soon? But what about my $100 credit for buying the last Zune? WAAAAAAAAA!!!!

[Slvrgun @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:29PM]

Your credit will be a nice firmware update to give you the same features seen in the new Microsoft made Zune 2.

[Conda @ Oct 2nd 2007 8:58PM]

space is kinda tight on my Zune as currently just my music collection alone takes up 22GB, i may have to pick up that 80 when I get time to convert videos to watch on my zune at work

[noize @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:00PM]

The first gen Zune is a quality peice of kit for picture viewing, storage and video play back. the screens nice and big and it has a robust feel to it. Also, not to mention the 30 gb hard drive that can store loads of songs along with metadata + artist pics.

iPods are old hat and tiresomely and traditionally breaking down ALL the time. Sorry but those who slte the Zune have never used or tried one out for real. the only assumption i can make as to why this is, is because theyve spent uber amounts of money on a white plastic fad and grown attached to the fact the THINK theyre cool. Sorry but, no. I'll be buying one of these 80 gm Zunes because i know its value for money and it WORKS.