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.]

[BlissX @ Oct 15th 2007 7:41PM]

Download the Zune Software from the website, don't use the CD that came packaged in your box.

[Zingerhill @ Oct 16th 2007 9:50AM]

I never installed the CD. I went straight to the website. I am getting the "failed to load error." This is a Vista machine. I've tried a lot of troubleshooting and haven't been able to get it to work. Searching the forums, I see that people have had a hard time fixing this problem. Some say reformat and reinstall. I'm not willing to do a reformat. I'd rather just return the Zune and buy another iPod. I will try installing it on an XP machine before I give up.

[AlexNC @ Oct 15th 2007 10:22AM]

great deal. I got on last Woot. Should be here tomorrow. Hopefully the new Zune software (due Nov) is good. I hate the way the current one tries to screw with album art - ugh!

[mdm-adph @ Oct 15th 2007 10:23AM]

Microsoft dumping on a market in order to gain market share?

Say it ain't so.

[Bob @ Oct 15th 2007 11:56AM]

MS - SANDISK Hair Wars

MS- 1
SanDisk - 0

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/10/pride-hair-on-the-line-for-2007-zune-holiday-sales/

[Argot @ Oct 15th 2007 12:33PM]

Yeah, damn dirty of them! Apple would never do such a thing. Oh wait...

[mdm-adph @ Oct 15th 2007 2:31PM]

"Dumping," as I understand it, implies that the prices of certain products will be lowered in order to gain market share.

The very fact that most Apple products are still far too expensive for me to purchase makes me wonder how Apple is "dumping," but if you're aware of an example, please inform me.

[DW @ Oct 15th 2007 10:27AM]

That's a sweet deal! Here's something I've wondered, though:
When MS gets rid of all the old Zune 30 they have in stock currently (say within 6 months or so), then are they gonna make MORE Zune 30s that look like last generation or are they going to make more Zune 30s that look like the new gen?

[Christopher @ Oct 15th 2007 10:50AM]

Buy.com appears to have the brown Zune for $100 with free shipping.
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=203171424&adid=17070&dcaid=17070
It also seems to be new (not a refurb)

[gla17624 @ Oct 15th 2007 11:05AM]

why does buy.com say that this brown zune is for preorder? zunes have been out forever, so why are they taking preorders for it?

"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"

[Mario Mejia @ Oct 15th 2007 11:20AM]

GAH-DAMMIT!

I bought one for like $45 more!
ANGRY!!! I'm such an idiot.

I guess the GOOD thing about this is that i might actually run into people w Zunes so that I may actually be able to share music.

[kj @ Oct 15th 2007 11:39AM]

guys,

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

buy.com also has it for $99, new, and free shipping
but only available for the brown color.

but anyways, i got one from woot, i like the white one better.

[kj @ Oct 15th 2007 11:44AM]

woot!
just read that many have already posted this
T_T

[krushgroove @ Oct 15th 2007 12:29PM]

I'm waiting for Linux to work successfully on it - I almost got one of these refurbished units, though, just to wait for the Zunix folks to finish their project.

[Tanner @ Oct 15th 2007 1:25PM]

Something nobody seems to remember anymore is that Microsoft gives money to Universal (i think it is universal) for every zune sold. They are basically paying a record company when the user of the product may never even use a universal product. I don't think that type of thing should be supported. Please don't buy this product and give the record companies more power. I personally don't want to live in a world when I have to pay a tax to the record companies just for buying a product that plays music.

Please think of the consequenses of participating in such a business structure before buying this product. Wether you like the Zune or not there are other choices out there that don't reward the record companies for doing absolutely nothing!

[Benson @ Oct 15th 2007 2:08PM]

Yes, but OTOH, if the price drops low enough, hardware + tribute to record companies becomes > the price.
At that point, we all buy them to bankrupt Microsoft. Then, we load them all on a C-130 and drop them on Universal. Take care of _two_ evil corporate behemoths at once!

Inspiration courtesy of:
http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=19990218&mode=classic

[0150r @ Oct 15th 2007 2:34PM]

I picked one up from the woot vip deal and I like it more than I did my ipod before someone stole it. I ordered another one today as an xmas gift for someone. I'm not sure why everyone is so concerned about it being a referb. They come with the same warrenty that a new one has. Mine looks brand new aside from the "referbished" branding on the box.

[Boochy @ Oct 15th 2007 2:42PM]

Just bought one...in brown.

Firmware 2.1 should make it better.

[Alex @ Oct 15th 2007 3:28PM]

got mt refurb from woot in perfect condition

[ark_v2 @ Oct 15th 2007 3:59PM]

Brownie!!!!!!!!!

[Stuart @ Oct 15th 2007 9:42PM]

Hey Ryan, I read your original review of the Zune 30, and in a nutshell, you said the following:

"Do we think there's potential for betterment of the platform and especially the player through software updates? Given enough time, absolutely. Would we recommend the product for purchase, like, right now? Not a chance."

Has/will your collective opinions of the original Zune changed with the software and interface updates that are coming soon?

[MannyV @ Oct 15th 2007 10:36PM]

This woot sale is giving Microsoft and the rest of the market a whole bunch of information on price points...and some unfortunate information (for Microsoft) on demand at those price points.

For example, this Zune has been on sale all day at woot.com, and as of 7:25 PM PST it hasn't sold out. That shows how poor the demand for it is - at the $100 price point, you still can't sell them. Has the market been saturated by all the Zune sales? Have these refurb and old model sales cannibalized the Zune market to the point where it's significantly affected the retail sales of the Zune? Probably.

Compare that to the bizarre TJ Maxx iPod sale, where a price cut (albeit on the newer models) caused a major sellout across the TJ Maxx stores...those that had stock, that is. And that's with the Apple store being stocked full of refurb iPods.

[wediddoit @ Oct 15th 2007 10:46PM]

This should settle the dollar per gig debate. I have just under 30 gigs of music on my computer. It's ludicrous to think I listen to even half of that, but let's say I listen to all of it, all 30 gigs. Now, a $100 Zune can store 100% of my music, that's one dollar for every one percent of my music that it can store. An 80 gig ipod can also store 100% of my music, at a higher $2.50 per percent. A 160 gig ipod can store 100% of my music at an unfortunate $3.50 per percent. Clearly the Zune is my best bet for the money. In closing, if you've got

[vkv.raju @ Oct 16th 2007 2:19AM]

@weddiddiot

That was an awesome explanation.

I honestly feel that this 100$ Zune is a real "steal of the season". Go for it till the units are on shelfs.

[problematik @ Oct 16th 2007 3:24AM]

@ joseph

WHAAAAT???

[Steve Savage @ Oct 18th 2007 4:07AM]

I'll just wait for the free zune to show up in my box of Super Sugar Crisp.