Workaround puts auto-playlist back on Zune

Just days after a clever Zune owner figured out a way around the "three-play rule," another has found a method for restoring auto-playlist functionality -- sort of, anyway. As you know, this feature vanished with the introduction of Zune software v2.0, but apparently, getting some semblance of it back doesn't take a whole lot of effort. All you have to do is create an auto-playlist in Windows Media Player, save said playlist as an M3U file and watch your Zune handle the rest. Head on over to the read link for all the details, but don't uncross your fingers for Microsoft to bring the official version back in the not-too-distant future.

[Via Zunerama, image courtesy of SelfHack]

[Rob @ Dec 13th 2007 11:33AM]

It always makes me laugh to see how stupid big companies like MS and Apple think their customers are. I guess they probably sit down with their respective software engineers and say "ok, in the new upgrade, we're going to take away feature "X". But, we won't re-work anything. We'll just move it from this place to that over there. They're idiots anyway. They won't be able to figure out a way to get that feature back."

I often think that the actual brains are the consumers who tinker their gadgets rather than the ones involved in the development and design of the actual product.

[Heath Stahl @ Dec 13th 2007 11:42AM]

The auto-playlist wasn't taken out for some evil reason or just to screw with the customers. The Zune 2.0 software was brand new from the ground up whereas the Zune 1 software was basically a theme/graphic shell on top of Windows Media Player. As a result a lot of features got cut due to development time constraints. Auto-playlists is one of the things on their list to add in Zune 2.X revisions.

[Arnie @ Dec 13th 2007 11:42AM]

Take it from a guy who has worked in Support, most of them are stupid or at least not as knowledgeable about electronics as most engadget readers would be!!

[Dave Clark @ Dec 16th 2007 9:55AM]

Actually it's "ok, in the new upgrade, we're going to take away feature 'X', but then we'll add it back in a later upgrade and everyone will get all excited and generate a buzz about how great a job Microsoft is doing with the Zune."

[Backlin @ Dec 13th 2007 11:44AM]

Man, that's a crafty solution.

[chadyzgroove @ Dec 13th 2007 11:36AM]

it does make any sense that they were taken away in the first place with the new flash based zunes this is almost a necessity

[kastonie @ Dec 13th 2007 11:48AM]

I guess I dont really know what an auto playlist is.... what exactly is an auto playlist?

[Jonathan Bergeron @ Dec 13th 2007 12:07PM]

I'm in the same boat as you. I have no clue what an auto-playlist is. It can't be all that important.

[tonybullard @ Dec 13th 2007 1:23PM]

It's called Google guys. use it.

[SAGExSDX @ Dec 13th 2007 12:45PM]

an auto playlist takes given criteria and generates a playlist of available songs that fit that criteria. for example if u want all the songs that you've rated as good, it'll add all those songs to the playlist.

[Scott @ Dec 13th 2007 2:47PM]

1. An auto playlist (or smart playlist if use iTunes) is a feature that, once you become accustomed to it, you start using more and more until you rarely use "dumb" playlists. This is especially true with mobile devices that have limited storage...Not so much playing music from your computer with 500 GB drives.

2. A feature that is so useful with mobile devices that you wonder what the **** Microsoft was thinking when they removed it and called the new software an upgrade.

[faztang @ Dec 13th 2007 5:40PM]

This work around does not really create a "real" autoplaylist. Unless I am missing something.
My Creative ZEN has a playlist (on the MP3 Player) called Rarely heard. Everytime I click it I get a different set of songs that have the lowest playcount on the player. It's a great playlist because it ensures that you will heard every song on your device an equal amount of time. With this workaround you create the playlist in Windows Media Player. When I transfer it over to the ZUNE it will only play the exact songs brought over, it won't update itself on the ZUNE. For example I made an autplaylist for 20 songs that have a playcount of three or less times. So 20 songs on my computer that have been played less than 3 times are part of the playlist. The same songs are now showing up on the zune. However after they are played three times on the zune, they are still showing up on the playlist. I have to have them play more than 3 times on my computer then sync the playlist again. On the ZEN the songs would change on the player once they no longer had the lowest play count.
Did any of this make any sense?

[Tom @ Dec 13th 2007 12:00PM]

I keep having dreams that my parents buy me a Zune for christmas and I'm absolutely thrilled by it.

Is that weird?

[Mike Botros @ Dec 13th 2007 12:32PM]

last night i had a dream that i got the macbook pro that i want and installed vista on it.

[Ellianth @ Dec 13th 2007 1:20PM]

I don't remember what I dreamt about last night.

[Constable Odo @ Dec 13th 2007 3:10PM]

Totally weird. You must be having a nightmare.

[Pavan @ Dec 15th 2007 12:49AM]

If they hate you that much..they might as well spend their money on a Dyson and post-birth abort you. On the minus side, no more yearly tax deduction... on the plus side, it still won't lose suction!

(ps, I own a Zune so I'm not being serious)

[Jay @ Dec 13th 2007 12:20PM]

Yeah that IS weird, maybe you should hop down to shrink to ask about your dreams, it may mean you might want to kill yourself or harm others because it just isnt right to WANT zune.

[Gian @ Dec 13th 2007 12:21PM]

Wow...someone bought the Zune?

Gian

[o rly @ Dec 13th 2007 1:28PM]

Wow...people still try to make this joke after it was determined to be stale about 1 year ago?

[unaccredited @ Dec 13th 2007 1:42PM]

Hmmmm....that's funny - This information was posted a couple days before on ZuneBoards....and a full 8 hours before the source of the Zunerama's piece posted his info...I smell something fishy....

[Travis Jenkins @ Dec 13th 2007 1:54PM]

@Gian - I've had many iPods and currently have the iPhone....the new Zune is awesome. You sir are an idiot.

[tcc3 @ Dec 13th 2007 2:26PM]

I just got one myself and mostly agree. The hardware is incredible. Well built, works well, nice features. The software sucks. It almost kills the device the software is so bad. Why oh why wont they let it sync with WMP?

[z1g1 @ Dec 13th 2007 2:38PM]

Auto Playlists are great but not the critical feature on my Zune 80. What I need are playlists of podcasts! COME ON GUYS

[Tanner @ Dec 13th 2007 4:25PM]

Or how about gapless playback. I don't see how you can make a music device now days without that. That to me is enough reason to not by a Zune.

[davedave @ Dec 21st 2007 6:17PM]

this quick 'hack' kinda proves the Zune 2.0 release has the foundations of auto playlist, and that they just removed the GUI access to it at the last minute. Hopefully they'll update it soon to make it more official.

[Dave Clark @ Dec 16th 2007 9:56AM]

Hmm ... use a separate music manager (WMP) to create the auto-playlist? Save the auto-playlist manually every time it changes? This is an *auto* playlist? Ha ha ha ....