Microsoft's new Zunes: officially in 80, 8, and 4GB sizes
By Ryan Block 
posted October 2nd 2007 10:40PM
posted October 2nd 2007 10:40PM
Hard drive Zunes
- It's called the Zune 80 and, shockingly enough, it has 80GB of storage.
- Uses the new Zune Pad -- four way touch-sensitive d-pad (with up, down, left, and right buttons).
- It will sell for $250 (with "premium" headphones).
- Available only in black (to start).
- Screen size has increased to 3.2-inches (from 3-inches). As far as we know the resolution is still QVGA.
- Dimensions are 61.1 x 108.2 x 12.9mm (2.4 x 4.25 x 0.5-inches), some 1/3rd smaller than the classic Zune.
- The classic Zune will now be known as the Zune 30 -- it's not going anywhere. More on that in a sec.
- Zune 8 and Zune 4 are the names for the 8 and 4GB flash based models.
- Also uses the Zune Pad.
- These will sell for $200 and $150 respectively.
- Both will be available in pink, green, black, and red.
- It will feature a 1.8-inch screen (compare to the nano's 2-inch screen).
- Dimensions are 41.4 x 91.5 x 8.5mm (1.6 x 3.6 x 0.33-inches) -- compare to the new iPod nano, at 69.8 x 52.3 x 6.5mm (2.75 x 2.0 x 0.26-inches).
- New Zunes ship in November, date not yet announced.
- All Zunes (including the Zune 30) will have a new, redesigned interface and feature parity. In other words, early Zune 30 adopters will have all the same software features as new Zune 80, 8, and 4 users.
- Additional native video codecs for h.264 and MPEG-4 -- users no longer need transcode those file types to WMV.
- Zune can FINALLY sync video from your Media Center PC! Jeez, took you friggin long enough, guys!
- WiFi sync to host computer! Includes moving over music, movies, photos, podcasts, etc.
- Podcast support! (Sorry, no over the air downloads -- sync only.) Podcasts can also be shared via WiFi.
- The 3x3 song sharing DRM has had its three day restriction removed, but users can still only play files three times.
- There is still NO wireless music store.
- The Zune software is all new and rewritten, and is supposed to actually be more than a rebadge of WMP10 now. Friggin finally.
- The Zune music store is going DRM-free, with over 1m MP3 tracks being made available for download. 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 revealed.
New Zune accessories
- Zune Home AV Pack ($99.99) - "Home Dock with three faceplates to accommodate each Zune device, wireless remote, AC adaptor and composite AV output cable."
- Zune Dock Pack ($49.99) - "Home Dock with three faceplates to accommodate each Zune device and AC adapter."
- Zune Car Pack ($79.99) - "Redesigned FM transmitter/charger and dashboard grip pad."
- Zune Cable Pack ($39.99) - "Sync cable, composite AV output cable and audio cable."
- Zune Premium Headphones ($39.99)
- Zune Leather Case ($49.99)
- Zune Sync Cable ($19.99)
- Zune AC Adapter ($29.99)
DANG.
Not that interest.
Needs mac compatibility.
*ahem* apple fanboy *ahem*
Browser! Browser!
Love the wireless syncing, win.
Love the upgrading of old firmware with the new interface, win.
Apple, learn things.
http://www.sizeasy.com/page/size_comparison/5883-iPod-Touch-vs-Zune-2-vs-Zune-4-8-vs-iPod-nano
http://www.sizeasy.com/page/size_comparison/5884-Zune-vs-Zune-2-vs-iPod-Classic-80GB-
RE: Needs mac compatibility.
Fuck Apple
You know what. It does need mac compatibility if they want to actually maybe compete with the iPod.
Thats the only thing that would possibly keep me from getting one, except for the whole being a zune...
What I like about Zune 80 is:
- The border around the screen is finally black! (not silver)
- It's slim-now!
- Touch Sensitive Pad
- Screen is pretty big.
- Looks more like a nice gadget!
What's wrong with asking for Mac compatability. That's a fairly narrow-minded attitude just dismissing Mac users. What would be the best way to get Mac users to purchase a Zune if so inclined to do so. If it's using H.264 and MPEG-4, why not? The Zune 80 could be rather useful with the larger screen and all.
I'm a Mac user and the iPod Touch just doesn't cut it with such a small amount of storage. I only wanted a wide-screen, a large amount of storage and more video codecs but instead Apple offer's some cross between an iPhone and WiFi browser. I'm not happy about that at all.
Oh for the love of...
Look. Apple had to make the iPod *Windows* compatible because at the time Apple had 3.5% of the market while Windows had 95%.
Currently, Apple has 5-6.5% (depending on who you talk to) or 22M users (from WWDC 2007 - those are Jobs' own numbers). Windows still has 90-92% of the entire computer installed base.
Even if it WERE compatible with MacOS, very, very few Mac fans are going to buy a Zune. Have you been reading the comments they've been leaving about it? They're a pretty hostile bunch.
So, let's put it gently: MacOS (or Linux)compatibility plays almost no part whatsoever in the Zune's success or failure. None. Zip. Nada.
Get over it.
It's possible that Microsoft might make something to bring support to MacOS, but there's very little incentive to do so.
Thank you for playing. Have a nice day.
agreed sick of apple fan boys!
Well put, Jeff Lewis.
Do you want to compete or not? If you do, you attack the home turf. That's why Zune needs to run on Mac.
The biggest news for me is a DRM-free MP3 store. The music industry really has it in for Apple & that's their way of showing them who's boss: DRM free music for everyone but the iTMS.
Sleazy, but - at least for me - very effective. I already bought some stuff on Amazon even though I am using a MacBook Pro and have a nano.
I want DRM free tracks because I want to own what I buy and not "borrow" it until I have replaced my machine 5 times, or until the DRM somehow breaks and I have to beg Apple to get my property back. I have 10 year old CDs, so this isn't that far out.
Microsoft, I will absolutely use your DRM free Zune music store as well. I have Apple gear because it works, not because of the brand name, and similarly I will get DRM free MP3 because it works. I am brand agnostic.
It IS Mac compatable, I mean, you all rant and rave about bootcamp.
Can't you people dual boot Windows on your new Intel Macs? Just get over it. There will always be awesome hardware and software not compatible with your MAC OS, you knew about it and still signed up for it so stop your whining. You guys like to "think different" so much that you guys are a tiny number that most hardware and software firms don't care about the drop in the bucket of revenue that you guys might bring to the table. So keep being proud of "thinking different" it's also what keeps you from experiencing some great products. Get over it, while I load up some Weeds on my Slingplayer. Sorry you can't do the same.
Personally, I love my iPod, so I won't be buying a new mp3 player anytime soon, but I'm starting to like the look these new Zunes are taking on. The old ones get kudos for that rubbery texture and for at least making the "d-pad" configuration work well, but otherwise the colors were butt-ugly and they were FAT. Anyway, my point is, if and when I am in the market for a new portable multimedia player, I might take a look at these new Zunes IF it weren't for the fact that they don't sync up with a mac - I have a PC, but my music is stored on my mac (and of course I use iTunes because it really is the simplest way to drag+drop playlists in like 2 seconds). But anyhow, it's not about "pleasing the apple fanboys" or whatever crap argument you're trying to make up, it's about a little something called "universal compatibility." Yes, the ratio of mac to pc users in definitely in favor of pc in a big way, but why can't microsoft, for once, try to make something universal? Geez...
Unfortunately, I agree.
I think that the Zune should have some sort of OSX compatibility. I love the new look of the Zune, and would love to replace my iPod for a new Zune. I wouldn't even care if it wasn't iTunes that I was importing into.. I just want something other then the iPod at this point...
I'll break it down for iPod lovers who still don't quite understand:
Zune 2.0 = iPod G5 + MORE
It's that BIG of a leap.
As far as I can tell, my Zune 2.0 can do practically all the functions of the iPod G5, and tons of other stuff that was always available on v1 Zune.
It's that awesome. And it still cost $250 and less.
Nice guys! I was wondering what kind of responses that would conjure up.
ANd to be honest, I am glad about the music store, and I still would like mac compatibility seeng as how all my music is on my Mac HTF partition that windows can't read. I don't want to move al my music to there.
Meh, Ill just get a iPod video then.
iDiot
Just a few points to put things into perspective:
1. Yes, 90% of the install base is Windows. Wanna bet that a sizable amount of those computers are only used between the hours of 9-5? Take away the business-only share and it doesn't look nearly as clear-cut.
2. I don't know about where you are, but where I am (large, north-american university-centric metropolis), the kids these days have Macs, and that's your target audience. And they're *not* the raving Apple fanboys - they'll buy a Zune if it gives them what it wants, and if it doesn't work with Macs, then Microsoft's the loser there.
I'm an Apple fan, but I'm happy the Zune's out and it finally looks and works half decent. Not that I'll buy one, but someone's gotta get Apple off their ass and do things like open up their hardware (to encourage platform development) and stop being so freakishly obsessed with the iPhone. Plus I'm excited++ that Microsoft (of all companies!!) is supporting DRM-free music. Consumer: 1, Big Media: 0 (after a valiant but misguided try)
@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?? Big Leap WTF are you talking about??
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 anything in the Zune that other MP3 players dont already do.
Man its one thing to be an MS fanboy or an APPLE fanboy but Michael your straight up delusional if you think the Zune 2.0 is adding anything at all to the MP3 player market.
@Carlos
I found myself laughing when you mentioned some of the more ridiculous iPod "features" that trump those of the Zune in your short list below. I've annotated the parts that I find ironic or just plain hilarious given the current level of feature-crippling apple is doing.
Following are things you get with an iPod that are not part of the Zune...
Video Out? (Oh yeah, because they didn't totally cripple that so it only works with certain video out docks/cables! "Presently, the only apparent way to turn this feature on is if you connect your iPod to a device with an Apple authentication chip built in," writes iLounge...)
Address Book? (A lot of fun, you can actually edit them, too!)
Calendar? (This is great, insofar as you always schedule new appointments while you're sitting at your desk, which, of course, negates the point of having a mobile schedule in the first place. /smacks forehead)
Audio Book support with chapters? (Do you seriously actually listen to audio books? Just read the text.)
long battery life? (Subjective, especially given the fact that iPod Touch is flash based.)
Mac OSX support? (What, like, if they did, would you seriously expect the Mac zealots to buy one? They'd sooner be caught dead with an Acer monitor and LG Prada phone, or one of those cingular-branded iPod mini knockoffs. pfft, please. Especially when apple is busy adding SHA hashes to their iTunes music database files so you can't use different library software with your iPod.)
I guess what I find maddening is that every time there is any dialog about a PMP, the iPod customarily HAS to be brought up, and the PMP judged against.
In addition, if the iPod Touch/iPhone feature set is so "rich" and "revolutionary" and "paradigm shifting," why is everybody crying now that 3rd party apps are locked with 1.1.1? If it was so great out-of-box and "just works," why the need for tons of 3rd party apps in the first place? ::shrugs::
@ Nerdtalker
Sure some iPod features may not be useful to YOU but they are features non the less. Being a fanboy of one side or the other is really just stupid. No matter who you're a fanboy of you have to give credit where credit is do.
My point was that the Zune 2.0 brings nothing new to the table - its disappointing.
How about this - battery life is important to you right? (wonder why its not mentioned in the Zune press release?)
Zune 30 - (from the Zune website) Music, up to 14 hours (wireless off), up to 13 hours (wireless on); pictures, up to 4 hours; video, up to 4 hours
iPod Classic 160 - from Apple - Music 40hrs video 7hrs
and most importantly from a real world test done by iLounge (yes they are reputable) - iPod 160GB -> 58.5Hrs Music ! and 9.5 hrs Video!
No need to bring the iPod touch into the discussion since there is no comparable Zune to match it with. Last time I checked none of the Zunes offers a full browser, YouTube, touch screen, 3.5 inch widescreen (163 pixels per inch) or direct music downloads like the touch does.
Look the Zune is a great little player and its going in the right direction but it doesn't do anything thats all that new or better than the rest of the MP3 players out in the market. I could just as easily point out the shortcomings of the Zune by comparing it with players from Archos.
DRM free is good, WiFi sync is good but how about something that pushes the envelope a little?
Please reply and tell us all what the Zune 2.0 does that other MP3 players (iPods, Archos, Samsung etc) dont do....
Three things that the Zune does that at last the iPod doesn't:
1. WIRELESSLY sinc.
2. Support of the competitor's codec (which is hardly a good one...)
3. Has the freaking screen set up in the right direction. The iPod Touch might have it right now, but come on, did it take 6.5 generations to figure out wide screen should run DOWN the device?
Let's not get into a petty argument over the Apple codec either...if an MP3 can encode at a higher quality than the codec, it isn't good, and certainly not necessary!
Apple is going to have to shape up. And not a bit. This is good stuff. Take that from a self-declared Apple fanboy (i.e., me).
"Let's not get into a petty argument over the Apple codec either"
AAC stands for "Advanced Audio Codec", not "Apple Audio Codec". AAC is not an "Apple codec". It is a standard codec and produces better sound quality versus an equivalent bitrate MP3.
Just like I expected.. VERRRRY original features right????.. (NOT!)
No Mac compatibility... hahahaha.
I guess Redmond didn't have enough time to copy the iPod touch for the Zzzzzzune release.
Microsoft is just ridiculously ignorant to reality.
@ Zennalathas
Just what I expected, nothing really tipping the scales toward a Zune, do you realize that the Zune and the iPod are just about the same device? The Zune does nothing significantly better than other MP3 players. Plus the new Zune software is still an unknown - who knows how well it will work and for how long MS will support it.
Wireless sync is ok but it uses battery life while you transfer and you have to be withing range of your computer - why not just plug it in? It is a nice option though, I'll give you that, but do I really want to pay for a WiFi radio in a device just so that I can sync wirelessly and share songs with friends?
Not sure I care about the orientation of the wide screen as long as my wide screen videos maximize the space available.
Other than MP3, AAC, WAV, VBR, AIFF, H.264 and MPG4 what other codec do you need? Are you talking about support for other companies DRM? becuase there I would argue that we as consumers don't need DRM at all!
Here are a few things MS could have added to the Zune (all software based)to really make it stand out.
- Passive browse and listen to the files on other Zunes near you (as long as you're Zune is set to public)
- Zune act as a WiFi remote for Media Center/PC/360
- Stream audio/video from PC, XBox360 and/or Media Center to your Zune either on a local network or over the internet
- Wireless Zune store for music, podcast and video
- Widgets - weather etc (yeah who cares right, you would be surprised how useful this is)
- Games? simple stuff, solitaire, mindsweep etc
Hmm. Very nice.
Screen resolution?
still the low QVGA resolution with 64,000 colors
pretty said for a PMP
So does it have a wireless store or not?
h264 and mpeg-4
w00t
Seconded YESSSSSSSSSSS
YESSSSSS
that's pretty cool
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but according to Caesar(from Microsoft) on his ZuneInsider blog:http://zuneinsider.com/archive/2007/10/05/in-which-i-attempt-to-answer-some-zune-questions.aspx#11882
he seems to indicate that the Zune 30 will not be getting the new codecs, but that it'll continue transcoding them to wma. It's a nitpicky detail, but one that irked me as someone hoping for better video support.
Additionaly, he seems to indicate that video out on the Zune 30 will continue to be at 320x240, which was disappointing to hear.
I don't know if this is software or hardware related(probably hardware), but I think 'near feature parity' is a bit more accurate when describing the backported firmware updates with Zune 30 and 80.
I'm really impressed by Engadget's cover of the new Zune 2.0's.
I'll probably be getting a couple. They really look nice. I love my v1 Zune, and Zune 2.0 looks pretty nice. They could have done more, but I'm happy what it does right now. It has all the benefits from the old Zune, and adds some pretty good new ones.
I'm so anticipating the launch.
And please no sarcastic comments - they're annoying, and contribute nothing to the post. If you want to say something, just express it. No need to make it overly complicated.
No one cares.
bah!! need more colors on the Zune 80....and i hate waiting...i want it now...
*cough* original ipod only came in white *cough*
*cough* this is version 2 *cough*
It does look great though. I am definitely more attracted to this than an iPod classic. Reasons: 3.2" screen and wireless sync (which iPods should have had by now).
the first *3* ipod generations only came in white....stop coughing....
This is 2007, not 2003 when the 3rd generation iPod came out. (cough).
Because they didn't have colors in 2003. Apparently Apple invented the whole idea of colors.
@ Swetal,
Nono, Microsoft invented colors.. the pretty green blue red and yellow in Windows.. Oh wait, Microsoft didn't invent the window idea... neither did Apple so don't go off like a firecracker.
I do like the fact that all the Zunes will get the new features. Wish Apple would do that... they wouldn't even update the 5g iPods with the little extras that they put on the 5.5g.
Second that. They aren't even selling the 5.5's anymore, so they either don't care about us 5.0 owners, or they are just too lazy.
try being a 3G owner. I sometimes wonder if my iPod even exists at moments due to the lack of support. I know it doesnt have a color screen or anything, but it would still be nice to get some updates occasionally.
Apple could care less about "older" ipods. when the 3g's came out i wanted to replace the battery in my 1g and they said i should just get a new one
What are you guys complaining about???? I have a 1G iPod but I don't complain that I don't have coverflow. So what the 1G zune will get the update... That's great?
Microsoft is just trying to catch up to the iPod, which is impossible.
As to their updates practices: Ask if you can get gadgets on windows ME and see what Microsoft tells you.
@macguru:
Releasing no new Windows ME (an 8 year old app) Gadgets from MS is a little different than not releasing firmware patches for a 2 year old piece of hardware. Also, Gadgets was an open development platform. MS developed a few as samples, but left it up to the software community to develop the rest, which it has. Here's the first 200 I could find: http://asia.cnet.com/cnet/downloads/pc/swlist/0,39000004,39002400r-5+10,00.htm?os=Windows+Me&license=
So I guess if you like, you could point me to the 200 or so firmware updates that have been released by the public for the iPod 5G? Wait...now it's different, not comparing apples to apples, as it were?
Tool.