Zune hits new low: $100 cash money

It's the first gen Zune, (again) on Woot (read: limited stock), refurb, $5 shipping, your choice of colors, and just a Benjamin. And with that refreshing new firmware we think it's quite the steal. Potential Zune buyers: what, exactly, are you waiting for?

[Thanks, Alex P.]

[matthew @ Oct 15th 2007 3:35AM]

i'm waiting for the new hardware.

[supermeerkat @ Oct 15th 2007 7:41AM]

Would this be the "Apple inspired" hardware?

[Guilherme @ Oct 15th 2007 3:37AM]

I am waiting to move back to the mainland which is not going to happen.
No Fook Fook to Hawaii,
Daaaaang dog.

[James @ Oct 15th 2007 3:38AM]

the zune 2, and that funky squircle :D

[GR Gear @ Oct 15th 2007 3:48AM]

Here's what's amazing:
Old-version, refurbished 30GB Zune: $3.33 per GB
New 80GB iPod: $3.13
New 160GB iPod: $2.19

Crazy.

[defresh_2000 @ Oct 15th 2007 4:03AM]

Ok...

Brand New iPod 5.5 30 GB on Amazon: $4.96 per GB

For someone who doesn't necessarily make an assload of money and just wants soemthing to play music you really can't blame them for going the cheaper route.

[yoshi @ Oct 15th 2007 5:34AM]

Why is that crazy? You have always been able to get more GB (or whatever) for your money when you buy in bulk.

[suv4x4 @ Oct 15th 2007 8:00AM]

The Zune has FM and WiFi (which just became a tad more useful now with the new firmware) which iPods don't have, and can play WMV/WMA media without conversion, which is pretty ubiquitous by now on the web.

And also what other people said: large storage devices always offer less $/MB.

That doesn't mean you can take advantage of this and pay less by buying a 1/2 iPod. You still buy the whole of it.

[Bootes @ Oct 15th 2007 9:08AM]

The only place I've ever seen WMA audio is off of something like KazAa, and it was rare.....

[Xzavier @ Oct 15th 2007 9:50AM]

This sort of reminds me of the Netscape, Internet Explorer war, which one was better?

Netscape had a larger market share and more *sales* over I.E.

Then one day we all woke up and found out that I.E. was for FREE... Next thing we new I.E was the best thing in the universe and most peps forgot about Netscape. The damage was done!


I see something like this happening to Apple. Please take note... Apple does not participate in competitive, cut throat, dirt cheap sales like their competitors “yet most of their products are made in China so I don’t know what the issue with their outrageous prices. After all, it is manufactured in China because it supposes to be cheaper than the US.” They are in a catch-22 situation. One day, they will need to lower their prices to be more competitive with their competition however their higher price tags suggests that the consumer is purchasing some sort of *prestige product* or an better product overall "it just works!" Perhaps this is one of the reasons why their market share is between 3-5 percent?

If Microsoft wants the DAP market they have tones of resources… Microsoft is no dummy.

[zunq @ Oct 15th 2007 12:39PM]

$100 Zune + $100 80GB upgrade at pacific Geek = best bang for the buck

Stick the extra 30GB drive in an enclosure for use.

[carl @ Oct 15th 2007 3:58PM]

But you still pay 150% more for the iPod. Please find me a 30GB iPod for $94.

[snapsic @ Dec 26th 2007 11:56PM]

Here's what is more amazing:
The cheapest I could find a refurbished 30 gb ipod is $169 which comes out to about
$5.63 per gb
=/

[Marc @ Oct 15th 2007 3:49AM]

Got one.

[wrxpert @ Oct 15th 2007 3:56AM]

Sweet just scored one. Thanks Engadget!

[caramelzappa @ Oct 15th 2007 4:03AM]

Too expensive.

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Oct 15th 2007 10:03AM]

Hahahaha, I was *wondering* where all those Zune haters went when the Zune 80 was announced!

Now it seems they're back from out of their cages to hate on a low-profile news item; because they know they'll get stomped if they hate on the bigger topics.

[Bassnote @ Oct 15th 2007 4:27AM]

shame they don't ship to uk - £50 for 30gb tuneage would be perfect for working out. That plus an armband would save me from gunking up my 80gb iPod

[willyboy @ Oct 15th 2007 9:56AM]

They are about the right size.....Though, you might need one for each arm.

[k28 @ Oct 15th 2007 4:40AM]

Well... this is one $ cheaper http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGvHNNOLnCk

[Melenor @ Oct 15th 2007 4:53AM]

I'm waiting... for it to be free. Although, I would settle for free, + $5 shipping.

[Rjay @ Oct 15th 2007 5:50AM]

Cool.. $100 to have people stare at you in disgust at the gym.

[Michael @ Oct 15th 2007 9:21AM]

Don't worry they already do that for other reasons. :)

[jessy @ Oct 15th 2007 9:46AM]

yea, if you need to be going to a gym theirs more things wrong with you then just owning a ipod. perhaps you should try a balanced diet @ home instead...

[Rjay @ Oct 15th 2007 1:53PM]

Jessy: If you look anything like the zune tattoo guy then yes.. you probably do need the gym.

Michael: Your mom doesnt come with me to the gym anymore so those glares have stopped.

[Tony @ Oct 15th 2007 5:55AM]

LOLOLLLLLLL... they can't GIVE it away its such a piece of shit!! LOLOLLLLLL!!!

C'mmon guys be cool...its the ZOOOOOOOON!!!!

[BlissX @ Oct 15th 2007 6:44AM]

LOLZ, ITS MICROSOFT SILLY. THEIR (improper grammar on purpose) SO STOOPID. APPLE FOR THE WEEN!

LOOK ATZ ME, THE WHEEL ON THE CIRCLE GOES ROUND AND ROUND.


Humor me more, please.

[neost @ Oct 15th 2007 6:36AM]

bought one, already got it in. Been holding off on buying a portable media player for some time. Saw the 100 bucks for a refurb zune and the promise of the new firmware and decided wth, 100 bucks? Now to get that firmware update goodness. Love my zune so far.

[keith waddington @ Oct 15th 2007 7:20AM]

holy brand dilution batman.

keep smiling

waddo

[kilikili @ Oct 15th 2007 7:27AM]

Or you can get a brand new one (brown) from buy dot com for the same price and FREE shipping.

[Jonathan @ Oct 15th 2007 8:30AM]

I'm waiting for it to be compatible with mac. I've looked and I cannot find anyway to make it even drag and drop for mac, or trick it to work with itunes.

But I want the black one really bad! Help :(

[wQx807 @ Oct 15th 2007 8:37AM]

Scored one on woot! two weeks ago but didn't realize their software was crap. It's been collecting dust ever since.

[DeoWulf @ Oct 20th 2007 7:25PM]

Well, since you've already bought it, try it again when the new software and firmware is released. However, the software runs ok for me.

[Craig @ Oct 15th 2007 8:56AM]

I've been following the Zune's price decline for quite some time now. Sure, most of the reason MS is practically giving these away is that there's a new version on the way, but jeez...that's a big discount just to move some units quickly. Doesn't bode well for Zune's market share.

[rawhead @ Oct 15th 2007 9:08AM]

The thing is, the original Zune's price has been at or around $100 for a while now (this isn't really news), and yet, they can't get rid of them. They either made waaaaay too many units, or people really aren't buying them, even at this rock-bottom price.

[Don @ Oct 15th 2007 10:57AM]

Actually, it bodes VERY well for their market share. It is their profit margin that will be affected. However, market penetration will rise when the price is lowered. If the Xbox 360 was brought down to $100, for instance, Sony and Nintendo would be completely destroyed in this gen of consoles (until MS' money ran dry). The same is true of the ipod/Zune. If MS made a 30 gb Zune for $50, it would be difficult for most consumers to justify the ipod, no matter how 'magical' people think the product is.

[gibber9583 @ Oct 15th 2007 9:14AM]

Or you could buy a brand new one on buy.com for $100.

http://www.buy.com/prod/microsoft-zune-30gb-digital-multimedia-device-brown-audio-player-video/q/loc/111/203171424.html

[tgold @ Oct 15th 2007 9:23AM]

Yeah but you can only get the brown one from buy.com which is pretty fugly if you ask me. I got a black one about a week ago when woot had the same deal where you had to be invited by someone who knew about it. It was posted on Gizmodo. BTW I love my zune. The hardware works great and the UI is quick and polished looking. I hate the zune software that you must use though. I eagerly look forward to the new software/firmware coming out next month. Hopefully someone will get serious about hacking it with linux or something as well soon.

[gibber9583 @ Oct 15th 2007 9:27AM]

I know its only the brown. The issue is the woot.com ones are refurbs. If you are on the woot forums often, you will know that the last shipment of refurb zunes were in not-so-good shape. A lot of people posted that they were damaged.

i guess if you'd prefer a black zune w/scratches on it over a new brown zune that is clean, then that is your prerogative.

I was just tossing the information out there for people to know to make their own choice.

[aaron @ Oct 15th 2007 3:52PM]

"In Stock Soon: Usually Ships in 4 to 6 Weeks"

So basically you'll get your unit around Christmas. Woot is an awesome website, you should buy from them!

[gibber9583 @ Oct 15th 2007 4:37PM]

I know woot is an awesome since, which is why i know what the word is over in those forums. I was simply posing this as an option to those who want flawless units and dont mind waiting(perhaps).

[Marshall @ Oct 17th 2007 2:30AM]

I went with Buy.com. New means something to me, as it UNDER WARRANTY. I can deal with the dookie brown so long as it works and sounds good. I picked up three of them actually, one for me and one for each of my brothers (Christmas shopping is done for them). Pretty damned good deal, and while I don't expect it to replace my iPod, for $99 shipped, it will be a nice backup unit.

If they stay at this price point for a bit longer, I'll probably pick up a few more units for the holiday season.

[GheyDAP @ Oct 15th 2007 9:18AM]

WOW! only A 100 bucks!

...STILL NOT BUYING ONE.

[Josh F @ Oct 15th 2007 9:19AM]

I absolutely LOVE my Zune... I bet most of the fanboys that rag on the device have never actually used one.

[GheyDAP @ Oct 15th 2007 12:01PM]

You're the one coming off as a fanboy...

You and all the *rankers* who rank any post, as boring as it is (such as yours) as highest rated

And any post even slightly negative to your new lord, God Zune, gets low ranked.

Zune FanBoys™† are THE most pathetic of all the fanboys (ie Steve Smith). You are a manufactured bunch, not a grass roots thing. Mob rating things as one combined giant fanboy (voltron!) coming over from ZuneScene or where ever, so it appears that the object of your hard-on is better than it really is to the 'non believers' all while accusing others of the exact same thing.
silly, sad, easily led robots.


†product of Microsoft Corp 2007

[sinai @ Oct 15th 2007 12:52PM]

"You are a manufactured bunch, not a grass roots thing. Mob rating things as one combined giant fanboy (voltron!) coming over from ZuneScene or where ever, so it appears that the object of your hard-on is better than it really is to the 'non believers' all while accusing others of the exact same thing. silly, sad, easily led robots."

there's no way you can be that much of a tool. last i checked there were way more "manufactured" ipods than any other DAP on the market. how's that for "grassroots." I love how people who have the luxury of being on the computer on their high speed connection think they have any right to talk about shit like "grassroots." antiestablishment sentiment is so 20 years ago... you're a 20 year old robot.

[Michael @ Oct 15th 2007 9:25AM]

I'd pick one up if I could try the new software first.
I'm still unsure about how good their podcast support and music management is going to be.

[Nora @ Oct 15th 2007 10:18AM]

My Zune downloads podcasts that I've subscribed to on Itunes. It's a good workaround until I get the new software!

[suni @ Oct 15th 2007 9:45AM]

I'm waiting... for it to be free. Although, I would settle for free, + $5 shipping.

[Zingerhill @ Oct 15th 2007 10:08AM]

Bought one on Woot last time for $100. Now I am having the hardest time getting this thing installed in Vista. It keeps not recognizing it. Ugh.