Well Zuneinites, the new models are primed and ready for store shelves tomorrow, but we've got first looks and reviews today. As Microsoft's
new media players make their way into the hands of eager beavers across the internets, we're here for you, picking up the pieces and putting it all together. As it stands right now, we've got videos and reviews from a number of sources, including (but not limited) to: CNET, Zune Thoughts, and Zunerama. All of the sites currently have unboxing videos and / or reviews of the new units, and Zune Thoughts even has an informative video on some firmware update problems they discovered with the Zune 80. Some interesting
Zune Marketplace info has also come out, including details that the DRM-free track cost will be $.99, or 79 Microsoft Points (the same as pricing on protected tracks). Additionally, we've received the official word from Microsoft on the
Zune Originals, as well as all the confirmation you'll ever need that the Zune-bomb really does drop tomorrow. Hold on to your hats folks, it's going to be an exciting week.
Read -- CNET First Look: Zune (second generation, 80GB, black)
Read -- Zune Thoughts
Read -- Zunerama: Full Zune 2 coverage
Read -- Microsoft Unveils Device Customization via New Zune Originals Store, New Zune Players Available Tomorrow
posted Nov 12th 2007 10:23AM
The new Zunes look nice but have you seen the commericials? They stink!
I honestly like the ads.
Better than "Music is my girlfriend!!!" that's for sure.
Anything is better than those "1-2-thee-4" iPod nano commercials with that Bjork imposter...
@ Jeff
a collage student made that iPod touch commercial
as if MS would air something made not by them
@applefreak you are officially an idiot. Microsoft did air stuff made by independent artists, it's called zune arts. And before you say(imagine this in a really whiny voice) "But Mark, aren't zune arts only online, not actually on TV?" These new commercials as well as the old ones showed the zune arts videos playing on the players. Seriously applefreak? Try looking stuff up before you spout it.
Just for the record, calling Feist a 'Bjork imposter' is one of the most fundamentally stupid things I've ever heard. If you don't know anything about the music (other than your gut reaction of 'like' or 'don't like,' which is fine, I don't care what you prefer to listen to) then don't make absurd generalizations that couldn't be further from the truth.
Oh, and Microsoft used that stupid "music is my girlfriend" (CSS' "Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex") last year, doing it to a Zune-Arts video.
http://zuneinsider.com/archive/2007/11/05/css-who-flipped-it-better.aspx
sell it worldwide already....
cant wait... ^_^
Too right, the Zune could be huge in the UK. But not even a slight word on the matter.
C'mon MS, just a hint that it's coming over here would be nice.
eBay for now?
I can't wait for tomorrow. I need mah Zune.
So this is the girl model or do all Zunes have that girly graphic on the back?
http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/12/microsofts-zune-originals-customizations-free-starting-tomorr/#comments
I've got my tattoo scheduled for midnight!
Does anyone know if we are able to update the firmware on our old Zunes yet? Or do we have to wait till tomorrow?
I just investigated and I guess that answer is "sometime tomorrow."
Here's a video detailing the upgrading process:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEKUVebnxH4
Will the Zune 30gb continue to be sold at a reduced price ($75-99) for a while until its totally phased out? Or, will it suddenly become impossible to buy a $99 Zune 30gb 1 week after the Zune 2 releases? Are they planning to carry both lines for a bit or pull an apple?
Zune 30 (old Zune) is part of the current lineup. NO phase up
Does anyone know if the new firmware will drop at midnight tonight? If it does I will stay up and download it, along with the new software.
To each his own.
I find the iPod Touch commercial to be good. I think it would be better if they slowed the video down a bit - it moves pretty quickly.
as nice as it is, being a Windows only device is unfortunate.
No, really, that's a damn good point. If MS really want to stick it to Apple at their own game they need to let Mac users see what the grass is like on the other side. OK, the Mac user base may be 10%, but if the majority of those 10% are the people who supposedly like to throw money away at shiny new objects then they would be a shoo in, no?
Why is he low rated? Obviously, MS doesn't need mac owners' business, but they should at least give the option.
Price ranges from $249.99 to $1,113.07?
Price ranges from $149,99 to $249,99. Your bash failed.
haha I saw this last night, for some reason the price on CompUSA's site was $1,113.07.
Fred... you're an idiot.
really cute! if we got it in japan I will be very happy to get the one with the Takahashi design...
I wish they put some druillet and moebius for Europe..! it would be a hit!
*AHEM*.. if I may:
Man! Why is it always Zune Zune Zune with Engadget??? I mean come on! Isn't there anything else to talk about? You guys are such Microsoft fanboys. I really think you should make a separate site for "Zune Only" content. You didn't cover the iPhone from slApple anywhere near as much as the Zune! What a joke. If there wasn't a guy holding a gun to my head right now, I would turn away in disgust!! GAH!!!
**End of fake, sarcastic rant**
Worst sarcastic rant ever
**End of sarcasm free comment**
Dude, in the future, what makes a sarcastic rant a sarcastic rant is the implicit sarcasm.
For example:
BEST.
RANT.
EVER.
to the guy holding the gun to Fats head: PULL THE TRIGGER ALREADY!!!
r u kidding me did u not check this site when the stupid new ipods dropped there was so much stuff god lord...the zune stuff is on here cause it releases tomorrow..everyday i get on this site there is something about the ipod or the idiotic iphone wich is a waste of moneyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy..okay i am done.
This looks pretty decent actually. What's it made of? I'm an iPod man through and through but if this were Mac compativble I would seriously consider getting one.
I like the little 'blob-wheel' thingy.
Get your Zune 2 for the tine price of $1113! LOL! Look at this:
http://img232.imageshack.us/my.php?image=zune2crazypricenv4.jpg
http://shopper.cnet.com/mp3-players/zune-second-generation-80gb/4014-6490_9-32638989.html?tag=api&subj=sh&tag=cntv
If you shop at CompUSA, you deserve to pay that much.
If you shop at any big box retailer you deserve to pay that much.... Get it online, tax and shipping free.
Hello,
I have a question. There are a lot of iPod compatible systems out there that, with the proper link cable will allow you to control the iPod. My audio system supports the iPod in this way. If I get the Zune and a compatible cord, will these devices will also be able to control a Zune?
- Roger
@roger_huston: Short answer - No.
Some folks are apparently working on an iPod -> Zune protocol converter cable so that you can use iPod accessories with Zunes (it's a bit more complex than getting the cables to fit, there's going to have to be a chip in there doing some conversion too). Until then, you'll have to use your fingers. AFAIK there's no documentation for the Zune protocol and definitely no audio systems with specific support for the Zune.
Unfortunately, probably not.
These interfaces are usually designed specifically for the iPod.
Unless it is a simple auxiliary audio interface, I think you will be stuck with the iPod.
I have a Zune 30 and am very pleased with the hardware and glad we arent being overlooked when it comes the new firmware.
Whatever people wanna say about Microsoft, they certainly look after their customers.
The front view of the Zune is getting better. Bet that it even is easier to use than an iPod (even though I haven't used any one extensively) because MS had the iPod test the usability market beforehand. It also looks easier to hold and use with one thumb.
Subtract $25 off of that price if you act now, Stores like Target offer up a $25 giftcard on new zune purchases.
I don't get it. All the reviews say something like 'the Zune is now a legitimate contender to the iPod Classic', but after running a veritable laundry list of things the Zune has but iPod doesn't, they don't detail anything about the iPod that puts it in the Zune's league. Zune 80 has a bigger screen (64% to be exact, and a much better use of it IMHO), wireless syncing, wireless sharing, a radio and (most importantly) support for subscription music services. iPod has a billion accessories and Mac support. To me it seems as though the Zune is better hands-down, although I'll have to wait 24 tortuous hours to decide for myself.
Apple put such little innovation into their latest HD player that even they had to call it "Classic". These reviews are clearly downplaying Zune's ostensible superiority.
But your talking about a world that considers iPods better simply because they sell more. Cause you know, higher adoption rate ALWAYS equals higher quality.
I've noticed the same. But to be fair, there are still some things the iPod does that Zune does not:
- portable HD
- games
- calendar
- contacts
- clock
- Audible books
Of course, if you use your music player primarly for, um, music, the advantages you mention seem to be more significant (IMO of course).
"but after running a veritable laundry list of things the Zune has but iPod doesn't, they don't detail anything about the iPod that puts it in the Zune's league. Zune 80 has a bigger screen (64% to be exact, and a much better use of it IMHO), wireless syncing, wireless sharing, a radio and (most importantly) support for subscription music services. iPod has a billion accessories and Mac support."
I guess you've never heard of the iPod Touch.
Zune 80 has a smaller screen. It does not have a wi-fi music store. No Mac support. No DRM-less downloads from the Zune store. And can you even use a Zune as a portable hard drive these days? You at least used to not be able to.
You listed a bunch of stuff the Zune has that the market has shown repeatedly that it doesn't care about. Lots of players have offered radios for years; nobody buys them. Wireless sharing is crippled, as we all know, and is not a selling point as implemented. Subscription-based services are all losing subscribers right now; that market has dried up as people have tried them and moved on.
The things the iPod has that the Zune doesn't are the reasons why people buy iPods. Some will tell you the iPod is successful strictly because of marketing, then in another post will tell you that the iPod ads suck. It can't be both. We iPod owners are not idiots; we bought them for specific reasons. I bought mine because I wanted both a portable music player and a portable hard drive, and I wanted software to go with it that would manage my library well, without crashing or otherwise acting up - at the time, that meant iTunes. Nowadays, people probably buy iPods for different reasons - the touch screen, or the tough casing (they're all metal, you know), or the wi-fi, or the ease of converting video files in iTunes, I don't know. But people have legitimate reasons, and nothing about the new Zune is going to change that.
I will say that the new Zune is at least on track design-wise, although functionally it is still a generation behind the iPod, as is the Zune store a generation behind iTMS.
"but after running a veritable laundry list of things the Zune has but iPod doesn't, they don't detail anything about the iPod that puts it in the Zune's league. Zune 80 has a bigger screen (64% to be exact, and a much better use of it IMHO), wireless syncing, wireless sharing, a radio and (most importantly) support for subscription music services. iPod has a billion accessories and Mac support."
I guess you've never heard of the iPod Touch.
Zune 80 has a smaller screen. It does not have a wi-fi music store. No Mac support. No DRM-less downloads from the Zune store. And can you even use a Zune as a portable hard drive these days? You at least used to not be able to.
You listed a bunch of stuff the Zune has that the market has shown repeatedly that it doesn't care about. Lots of players have offered radios for years; nobody buys them. Wireless sharing is crippled, as we all know, and is not a selling point as implemented. Subscription-based services are all losing subscribers right now; that market has dried up as people have tried them and moved on.
The things the iPod has that the Zune doesn't are the reasons why people buy iPods. Some will tell you the iPod is successful strictly because of marketing, then in another post will tell you that the iPod ads suck. It can't be both. We iPod owners are not idiots; we bought them for specific reasons. I bought mine because I wanted both a portable music player and a portable hard drive, and I wanted software to go with it that would manage my library well, without crashing or otherwise acting up - at the time, that meant iTunes. Nowadays, people probably buy iPods for different reasons - the touch screen, or the tough casing (they're all metal, you know), or the wi-fi, or the ease of converting video files in iTunes, I don't know. But people have legitimate reasons, and nothing about the new Zune is going to change that.
I will say that the new Zune is at least on track design-wise, although functionally it is still a generation behind the iPod, as is the Zune store a generation behind iTMS.
"Zune 80 has a smaller screen. It does not have a wi-fi music store. No Mac support. No DRM-less downloads from the Zune store. And can you even use a Zune as a portable hard drive these days? You at least used to not be able to."
First, you're completely wrong, the new Zune store DOES in fact have DRM-less downloads. Aside from that, the zune 80 also has 5-10x the storage capacity and costs 50-100 dollars more, plus the zune 80 has wifi sync which is simply awesome. Mac support: 10% of computers are macs so no biggy. Wi-fi music store is much less cool than the wifi sharing if they actually sell enough to make it worth anything this time. Sorry, I'd rather be able to share music with anyone I see that has a zune or get music from them and get to try the music out for free than run over to starbucks, hope the connection actually works, and pay $1 for a song I might decide I never wanted. So ya, If you only have 8 or 16 GB worth of movies and music and don't want to be able to sync songs without having your player connected to your computer and want to pay more then go for the ipod touch.
Not that I would replace my iPod, yet the new Zune looks really good.
Sadly M$ did that terrible job on software side - they should have integrated with WMP. But as usually they "did it again:" rewrote all sync standards for their own new toy. Note that previous standard - MTP - was also co-developed by them. They single-sidedly replace standards like... nvm. For time being I'll stick with iTunes.
dude... trust me...
Im currently using the pre-release version, and it is REALLY REALLY better than the old crappy Zune Software
I can't say for certain, but I bet the reason they didn't initially was because they don't want to be seen leveraging the bundling of WMP with the OS (that is what all of the trouble with the EU was about after all). MS admits that the first zune shipped with a scary short development window (something like 6 months). From a development standpoint it would have made sense to just leverage WMP and save some dev cycles rather than going to all of the trouble with a standalone application. They can't be seen leveraging bundled applications to compete in a different market space (incidentally, if Apple ever increases substantially in OS market share they are going to have the same legal constraints pushed on them, since they do this to a far greater degree than MS does).
The first iteration of the software blew goats (manual syncing was so much easier in WMP, though to be fair, I still liked the Zune software over iTunes, which I hate with a passion paralleled only by my hatred of any other Windows app written by Apple. Can your quicktime update utility please buy a damn clue and not push itunes as an "update" for quicktime), but apparently MS recognized that and rewrote the software completely for the new versions/firmware. Hopefully they will have done a better job.
yeah because itunes is the holy grail of managing music.... bashing zune software based on wmp11 i can see but itunes is one of the worst applications ever on a pc (right next to real player).
zune v1 was already better at managing music that itunes was and v2 will only widen the gap and they got rid of one of the big selling points of itunes in podcasting.
> [...] itunes is one of the worst applications ever on a pc (right next to real player).
This is just fanboyism. Many users frustrated by WMP (what is rather easy achievement: WMP won many awards of WORST EVER utility and design) run to Real player and iTunes - and live with the bloat just because WMP is so frustrating.
Release of dedicated Zune software means only one thing: MSFT is not much better than Apple with iTunes - boasting (again) proprietary (as usually) undocumented interfaces with player. They both fail. And Real player - is not a starter at all.
Ithar, I would agree with you were it not for WMP11. The program was worhtless until 9 and 10 were feature packed but too complicated. 11 sets the bar, has all the right features, and it easy to use. Every bit the peer of itunes.
Will the Zune 30gb continue to be sold at a reduced price ($75-99) for a while until its totally phased out? Or, will it suddenly become impossible to buy a $99 Zune 30gb 1 week after the Zune 2 releases? Are they planning to carry both lines for a bit or pull an apple?
Why don't you try using the search button?
Man this looks sweet. I would pay extra to get my own design on it.
The Zunerama reviews are for the most part good and balanced, but, as an engineering student, this line from the review made me cringe:
"The Zune team evidently went to great lengths to ensure top quality throughout the signal path - delivering 32 ohms of signal to the headsets."
Bwah?
Everyone knows the audio pathway between ear and brain are only 12 Oms. They wasted 20 Ohms!
=P
I have a zune 30 and love it but... its so big and the 80 gig is kinda big but its nice, i just got an ipod touch and its liek less than half the size of myy 30gig zune, but i cant wait for the update for my zune, wireless sync here i comeeeee
Did anybody else notice the price it is selling for at CompUSA. A ridiculous $1,331.07 unless I'm missing something, I'm utterly confused.
http://i9.tinypic.com/85vfgj5.jpg --Screencap
http://tinyurl.com/2y2edp --Just a hard URL to the site
And if this is an error, too bad it's not a price reduction as opposed to this inflated price.
I misquoted the price in my comment $1,113.07 still way over-inflated though.
look closely at that number, it is tomorrow's date. A mistake, yes, but at least it is understandable.
Wow. I didn't realize that. Shows how often I pay attention to what the date is. I know if it's Monday, Tuesday...whatever.
Good catch there.
Any word if the zune customs includes color?
Yes, it includes color.
I saw the flash Zunes at Best Buy yesterday.
I was getting my Daxter PSP! [yay]
they will carry the Zune 30. it is part of the official lineup
wa wa wee wa it is very niIIce..
Other than music videos and podcasts, where the heck do you get legal video content for a Zune? iPods have iTunes, Creative and Sansa have Unbox, Walmart, and other sources. Seems like they are missing the boat here.
The new Zunes support Media Center recorded content. Instead of purchasing your favorite TV shows from iTunes, you can just record them through Media Center from the cable service you already pay for.
record it using Vista media center and just pull it over. That's the beauty of the new 2.0 firmware.
Thanks guys. Guess I need to learn how to use Windows Media Center which is on my desktop computer in an area not near my TV that also does not have a WiFi Network.
It would look a lot better if the screen stretched to the edge of the bezel, that black rim looks really stupid.
The whole Zune thing is nice but too little too late. No music/movie device comes close to the iPod touch right now.
Oh besides watching videos and listening to music I'll just surf an online music store, stroke mah pictures, watch videos on YouTube and then surf the whole Internetz on mah Zune- Oh wait a minute I won't.
Or you could, you know, do all that on a flash-enabled web browser on a 4.3 inch, 800x480 resolution touchscreen, stream -your-whole-computer, massive file support, drag and drop 160GB Archos 605 wifi for the same price as a 16GB iPod Touch.
Nobody cares.
Yeah you could! If you want an interface that looks like Windoze 95 and device that looks like brick sized piece of tack. If you want to buy that, then that's fine. Personally I have taste. I want something to look sexy. Something that makes me want to look after it and makes me smile every time I use it. I don't want a bland average box. The iPod touch has the best design around, the best interface and a really good integration with iTunes. I'm not going to tramp out and argue over a small amount of money. Because simply the iPod touch is awesome. It's worth every penny they're asking. Everyone I've my iPod touch to their face lights up like Christmas. Try doing that with your Archos box.
@ Wiizull
"I want something to look sexy. Something that makes me want to look after it and makes me smile every time I use it. I don't want a bland average box."
You could always try getting a girlfriend for something sexy and a dog/cat is something you can look after. My digital media player does not have to be sexy and stroked with loving care but it has to do what I want it to do.
"Everyone I've my iPod touch to their face lights up like Christmas. Try doing that with your Archos box." I probably would if I had any idea wtf you're trying to say there. Anyway zune has 80GB and costs a lot less and does wireless sync with my comp so ya, zune wins
Mark, just saying, you should compare the zune 80 to an ipod classic. That might still be in the zune's favor, but the touch is not the only ipod.
What a bunch of MORONS. Spitting feathers and dummies out all over the place. When I say I want a device to be sexy, of course I don't want to fuck it. . . I'm describing aesthetics and amazing product design. Sorry for appreciating something that LOOKS GOOD! Unlike most of the penny pinching Engadget regulars, I do not price compare everything, I do look at how well something is designed, how well it operates and how well it would integrate into my lifestyle. The iPod touch has been so well designed. If you actually pick one up and use it day to day, you might well understand that. It's worth every penny they're asking.
@ Mark - Hi Mark, I'm really sorry I forgot to type the word "showed". Obviously your not intelligent enough to add that yourself. Sorry but 80GB doesn't mean shit to me because I'm constantly putting new stuff on and off my iPod. The Wireless sync sounds cool but in the real world I prefer to have a faster wired sync. So NO the Zune does not "win", it's good but it's not even close.
jere, I was just replying to his original argument. The classic fares MUCH worse against the zune. Lets see, the classic's interface is ridiculously slow(before you ask, I bought one and returned it cause I couldn't take the speed of the interface), doesn't have wifi sync or wifi of any kind, has a smaller screen, weighs more, scratches easier, is harder to control, has worse tv output, has worse audio output, has worse headphones, so ya, it's basically the same but worse in every possible way. Ok, it has a clock, but honestly, I have a cellphone as do, I dunno, 99.99999% of people who would be able to buy an ipod or a zune, and those who don't would probably have a watch. Besides, the clock on the ipod is nothing to celebrate, it's way too hard to actually see what time it is.
even if you add the word "showed", it's still grammatically incorrect. Also, yes, wifi sync is slower (at 54Mbps it's still pretty fast) but the point is, if I download an album and forget to sync it, I can be out in my car and just press sync and get that album from out in the driveway, which is pretty damn cool. Also, it's large size means you would have to clear out your old songs to put on new ones that you like or carefully select songs you want and deselect ones you don't want. It also costs less, which is always good. Also, something I forgot to mention in the original post, it syncs with Windows Media Center. So instead of buying an episode of a TV show for $5, I can schedule WMC to record it and it'll sync to my Zune automatically. I may have been exaggerating with the "zune wins" comment, but the fact is it's like comparing apples and oranges and you can't really say one is better than the other. Really the sad thing for apple is, the only comparison people can make is to the ipod touch, even though the classic is what's in the same category because the classic is just clearly worse in every way.
i was all excited about the new zune. Then i just read the review over at engadget. WHY, in this day and age would anybody TAKE THINGS AWAY from a new product, "eq". I dont care what player you get. None of them sound perfect without an eq. Thats just how compressed music and daps are. That is by far the dumbest ass decision by M$. If people really want to save battery life, TURN IT OFF YOURSELF. M$ decision to not even give the customer the choice just stumps me. Oh well, ill just stay with my 1st gen zune.
As someone who has used the "eq" on several different DAP's, let me say good riddance. Until someone puts a 14 slider EQ in their dap, they're all useless. iPod's EQ should read as follows:
Tinny
Muffled
Only high
Only lows
Mids erased
Sounds the Same
GUI looks good on that walkthru..only wish the device itself looked a bit nicer (but that is inconsequential really).
Go Zune! FTW!
There is an EQ, just not a customizable slider style one.
Nevermind on that one, I guess they did get rid of the EQ. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? I guess I'm going to wait for the update that adds an EQ then, noise-canceling headphones are tin cans without some tweaking.
Tony, the internet should be a friendly place.
"I want something to look sexy. Something that makes me want to look after it and makes me smile every time I use it."
Bwah ha ha! Yes, I always wanted to have sex with an MP3 player. Who wants one to play music?
What is wrong with wanting a product you use on a daily basis to look and feel good to the touch. People buy cars because of looks, clothes because of looks, houses because of looks. If a product has the features you want why can't looks play a big role in the purchase. I have an iPhone first because it has all the features I wanted, second because it is sexy as hell. I like having things that look nice as do most americans. Your personal opinion does not automatically override everyone else's. Just because you don't find it important doesn't mean that most people think the same way. We would all just wear the same clothes if everyone thought like you but we don't, do we.
"I have an iPhone first because it has all the features I wanted, second because it is sexy as hell."
Why am I not surprised? LOL
"We would all just wear the same clothes if everyone thought like you but we don't, do we."
This is simply an even weaker than usual strawman argument. I never said you shouldn't buy an iPod if looking at it makes you all hot. Please do feel free.
I will also feel free to laugh at you. I laugh at the guys who walk down the street in pants so low slung and baggy their butt crack shows too. Sue me. :D
Yeah. my papercraft iPod touch is the shit. I used glossy paper too, so it looks really awesome. Doesn't play music or anything, but man it is sexy!
I want one!!!!!!!!!
I'm ready, and so is ZuneBoards.com ;)
I bought a new 4GB Zune that I could not get to sync with the Zune software. The player screen just kept saying to go to Zune.net to update the PC software and when I installed the software it downloaded the latest update and installed it. No matter what I did, the software would not detect the player. The PC detected it and installed drivers for it but the Zune software will not detect it until the already updated software is updated....meaning the player is a brick and worthless.
That's because the new software for the Zune isn't out until tomorrow. It's Microsoft's way of stopping people from using the Zune early.
Does the Zune work with any of the subscription music services like Napster or Rhapsody?
Ah, ok, that makes sense now. Thanks for sharing that.