Zune Citron: 16GB and real

Those curious to see the Zune Citron in something other than a product rendering mode: look above, notice the hot, dark aluminum rear casing, and the 16GB capacity. Yeah, we all know what's next, we just have to let the Zune team enjoy their short period of exclusivity before the rest of us plebes get our own 16GB Zunes.

[Photo via JD Lewin]

[Kit F @ Nov 16th 2007 8:33PM]

"Welcome to the Docial"?

[CT A @ Nov 16th 2007 8:35PM]

It says "Welcome to the social".

The "s" is in cursive.

[Sam @ Nov 16th 2007 8:36PM]

cursive S
and sweet, more zunes!

[Kit F @ Nov 16th 2007 8:37PM]

i know, it's just weird that they made the "s" the only cursive letter

[kevinm @ Nov 16th 2007 8:37PM]

16 GB! they need to hurry up and release these.

[cranium @ Nov 16th 2007 8:42PM]

i'd pay 200 for that. 8 gigs? not so much.

[Denis Boucher @ Nov 16th 2007 8:46PM]

In French, citron is a lemon...

[Eugene @ Nov 16th 2007 8:52PM]

Zune is a lemon everywhere...

[The Grand Master @ Nov 16th 2007 9:20PM]

You voted this guy down or correctly translating French?
The first 'Low Ranked Commenter' you can't possibly be sure was having a crack at the Zune, the second obviously was, but isn't 'low rated'.

Come on guys, you're all a bit touchy about this Zune subject aren't you?

[Andrew Stone @ Nov 16th 2007 10:47PM]

AHHHH TOO MUCH ZUNE AND TOO MUCH IPOD I HATE APPLE I HATE MICROSOFT I HATE GADGETS I HATE EVERYTHING I'M ONLY HERE TO MAKE EVERYBODY AS MISERABLE AS I AM, ALL WHILE NOT PEELING MY ASS OF MY COUCH!!!!111 AHHH!!! I HATE YOU RYAN! STOP COVERING THIS STUFF FOR FREE IT MAKES ME SAAAAADDDD.

Ok now that thats out of the way...

That thing is kind of hot... but what kind of earbuds do these new Zunes come with? I haven't seen any pics yet. The white ones that come with the iPod are so standard now, but sound like crap and don't stay in my ears... the day somebody releases a PMP WITH some nice, rubber tipped, quality ear buds, they'll gain cool points with me.

And i'm aware i could go buy some, but the last time i did that i got an iPhone and they didn't fit any more, so i'm leery of the investment. If you build such a nice product, thats main feature is to PLAY MUSIC, why not include some earbuds that do that ok? Invest 10 bucks less in cool effects in the screen between songs, cause the inside of my pocket doesn't care, for real. Then take that 10 bucks and get me something quality to hear my tunes with.

[AlexP @ Nov 16th 2007 10:52PM]

TGM: What do you expect? All fanboys are butthurt.

[Tony @ Nov 16th 2007 11:34PM]

@Andrew

Clearly we need more Zune coverage if you still want more information!

[Andrew Stone @ Nov 17th 2007 1:05AM]

@Tony: It was a joke, brah. Our boy Ryan took some unnecessary flak for zune coverage a few days back. It was weak sauce.

For real though, any input on these zune earbuds would be nice. I hate the iPhone's size when I run. And i hate their earbuds in general. Any chance the new zune's included 'phones don't suck?

[Tony @ Nov 17th 2007 2:56AM]

@Andrew

I too, was being sarcastic.

Not sarcastic:
The Zune80 will include premium earbuds which I hear are quite nice. I believe they cost around $40 seperately. Below, link to unboxing with shows the earbuds.

The other Zunes are known to carry regular earbuds, comparable to the ones that would come with an iPod.

http://zuneinsider.com/archive/2007/11/12/first-things-first-zune-unboxing-videos-rama-and-thoughts.aspx

[StrangeBum @ Nov 17th 2007 5:43AM]

In alcohol citron is a lemon too! My god, how ironic.

In other news, I still want a Zune.

[aaron @ Nov 16th 2007 8:47PM]

this is a pretty big deal is it not? i havent seen anything until now that there was a 16 gig version. will be interesting to see how its priced since the 80 gig is only 50 bucks more than the 8 gig.

if they were smart they would reduce the price of the 4 and 8 and bring this out at 199 vs trying to have the 16 compete with the zune80.

[JoeT @ Nov 16th 2007 9:01PM]

I don't think that would be a smart move. The key is to make the zunes look like a replacement product to ipods. If zune's line doesn't perfectly match up to the ipods then it will confuse the average consumer and turn them off.

basically, "Why does this product give me more for the same price? Whats wrong with it?"

or, "Both these products look to have the same features but one is cheaper. It must be an inferior player (zune)."

[Dull @ Nov 16th 2007 9:34PM]

Yes, I agree there is no market for a 16GB flash player. Just like when Apple lunched the 8GB Nano for the same price as the 30GB iPod.

[Andrew Horn @ Nov 17th 2007 4:22AM]

Isn't there a 16GB iPod Touch. . . I'm pretty sure there are a few 16GB players. Btw, why does flash memory come in increments of 4GB? why no '10GB' flash memory?

[Rogman @ Nov 17th 2007 5:27PM]

New Zen has 16 Gb version...

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Zen-16-GB-Black/dp/B000UVBDRS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1195338288&sr=8-2

Unfort. Zune not an option up here in the GWN.

[pyro @ Nov 16th 2007 8:53PM]

so they didn't kill off the "welcome to the social" marketing.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/microsoft-says-goodbye-to-the-social/

[michael @ Nov 16th 2007 9:34PM]

Well technically, I think Microsoft was trying to kill the image of 'the social' being just simply Zunes zuning each other. Of course, that vision didn't work out.

Now, "the Social" means the WiFi sharing, AND the Zune Social site where users can share what music they like and discover other music. A pretty ingenious program to bring along side a music player.

That's what I think Microsoft is trying to bring back in meaning.

[John @ Nov 16th 2007 9:00PM]

I just want them to patch the zune software

[Twenty5 @ Nov 17th 2007 12:06AM]

and what exactly is wrong this time?!?!

I have been using the new version since the pre release version and i have had NO PROBLEMS so far.

[John @ Nov 17th 2007 12:10AM]

I'm working off of what I've read on the various forums (especially the ones linked to by engadget when they wrote about the problems some people have been having). I don't think that EVERYONE'S having cataclysmic problems, but they seem real and important enough that it would make me hesitant to buy one if I was in the market (too many iPod peripherals to switch this soon :( )

[Nathan @ Nov 17th 2007 3:02AM]

If you are just working off what you read, that implies that you DON'T have a Zune or use the software, so why on God's green earth do you "want them to patch the software", so your interwebs friends will stop complaining about it to you?

That's like me wishing Cadillac would get its act together with the next model refresh...even though I don't own a Cadillac. Oh, but I did hear some people (read: not me) do in fact own Cadillacs and some even complain about little things they don't like, so I suppose that entitles me to spout my hopes and dreams for a product I don't use.

Cereal. Give me a break. Go talk about gripes you have with things you use.

[bandillero @ Nov 16th 2007 9:04PM]

Don't be careless with your Zune 80 'cos I'ma steal it. Citron looks good at 250 too..

[juju @ Nov 16th 2007 9:08PM]

i want 1 :(

[TheKillerDynamo @ Nov 16th 2007 9:11PM]

What are they thinking not launching the 16 gig flash player with the rest? If their goal is to beat Apple, then beat them to market with that. And no I'm not counting the Touch since these wouldn't really compete with it. Plus I kind of just like the yellow color.

[Carson T. @ Nov 16th 2007 9:22PM]

This is really nice, but if anyone who is kind enough to tell me the benefits of having a 16GB flash player in contrast with my 3 yr old 20GB HDD player? except for a smaller size of course and new.

I really like the yellow with the black. I wish zunes won't only be in the confines of the US. there are lots (of PMP) here in Asia but the UI of the new zunes are slick especially now it can do podcasts

[nate @ Nov 16th 2007 9:30PM]

hard drives break (often) if you break them, flash, not so much, since there's no moving parts

[Iain @ Nov 16th 2007 9:35PM]

HDDs: larger, heavier, eat more battery and more prone to breaking.
Flash: smaller, lighter, better battery life and more reliable

You'd possibly be better off with a Creative Zen or a Sansa View though as you can supplement the built-in storage with memory cards on those two models, thereby pushing the capacity past 20GB.

[Zeus the God @ Nov 17th 2007 2:34PM]

I don't know what 3 year old player you have, but these new Zunes have video playback capabilities, much like the new Nanos (but these are better), have a glass screen, which is obviously resistant to scratching. On top of that, it includes an FM radio, wireless syncing (its great, I use it on my Zune 30), and you can share songs. Not to mention the great software thats included with it (or free to download at the website, www.zune.net/en-US).

$200 dollars might be a tad steep for an 8GB player, but if these new 16 giggers come out and replace it at the 200 dollar mark, then yes, it is DEFINITELY worth it, unless you have some Archos something or other, that has many of those features already.

[Code Red @ Nov 16th 2007 9:29PM]

Interesting, I thought "Welcome To The Social" was no longer being used...

[trevor @ Nov 16th 2007 9:54PM]

I was really hoping for a good Hotel Citroen joke by now... but so obscure movie references go, I suppose :)

"They had a bartender here, Kino, had the coolest Zune I'd ever seen..."

[CharlieX @ Nov 16th 2007 10:48PM]

zzzzzzzzzz..... what....? citris tree? since when did a color make any goddamn difference in a gadget? you tards

[nate @ Nov 16th 2007 11:05PM]

it's tempting to just ignore you for posting without even reading the headline, not to mention the article, but this is interesting because of it's storage capacity, 16gbs, twice that of what they're offering so far (and that of the nano, and equal to the touch)

[Nathan @ Nov 17th 2007 3:08AM]

"16GB"

I put the important part of the headline in quotes so that it's more obvious to you this time. Take a look. One more time. Ok, now say it with me "this Zune has more flash based storage than any flash based iPod save for the Touch AND also it probably won't cost as much."

You would think that if you read Engadget enough to feel compelled to comment on an article, you would at least try to know what you are complaining about first.

[CharlieX @ Nov 19th 2007 11:28AM]

Dear Nathan. You are exactly what is wrong with the Engadget comments section.

[sburko @ Nov 16th 2007 11:34PM]

Uhhhh. oh....damn

[Justin @ Nov 17th 2007 12:15AM]

I pre-ordered.. I waited. i got bored.. I waited.. I said eff this. I ordered an ipod 80gig with a scribe on the back.. order shipped from china.. I canx my best buy order... ipod came.. I have music on my walk home .. less than 3 days from my order from apple.com .. I pre ordered 2 weeks ago for the zune.. 3 days after release still backordered.. MS needs to learn something.. if you have 4 months to prepare for something.. you should P R E P A R E.. I would love to have a zune 80 in my paws.. but I don't .. I have a apple 80 classic in my hands that actually is .. in my hands.. cost the same.. and got here faster than I thought.. I went to 2 targets, 2 gamestops, 3 circuit citys and 2 best buys, all with NO 80s.. 2 words for you Microsoft.. THIS IS WHY I DONT LIKE YOU.. ok 7.. but still.. when I 'can' actually get a zune 80 I will still buy it. just to play with it to see which is better. but still .. if you're going to release something and give a (several) month lee way... RELEASE IT.. (that is all)

[Killian @ Nov 17th 2007 12:25AM]

are you ok?

[Campbell @ Nov 17th 2007 12:30AM]

Righto... thanks for the update...

[Reader @ Nov 17th 2007 2:18AM]

Seriously Killian, this guy scares me.

[Abuzar @ Nov 17th 2007 7:19AM]

I got my Zune 80 after school the first day it was released. No real need to pre-order, my Circuit City had about 10 of them.

[Zeus the God @ Nov 17th 2007 2:37PM]

You can't rush perfection. ;P

[ogvor @ Nov 17th 2007 12:50AM]

If Microsoft had released a 16GB Zune, this 4 year iPod user would have atleast tried the thing out. 8 GB's isn't enough, and by the time they do release a 16 GB (though I could be wrong), Apple might have launched their 32 GB iPod Touch (again, I could be wrong) which is what I really want. Then again, the Zunes price always seem to come down considerably after the new model is released...

[awam @ Nov 17th 2007 3:45AM]

these look like renderings to me, look closely

[Patrick #2 @ Nov 17th 2007 8:28AM]

I was thinking the same thing

[J Lo @ Nov 17th 2007 8:47AM]

Why does it say Hello from Seattle? I understand MS's HQ is there, but, was that on the other Zunes? And why do they blank out that other are next to it? I find it amusing as do the others that Citron means Lemon.